As well as reading a lot of books, I also read a ton of articles every week. Here are some of the articles that I’ve read recently and have found interesting, helpful, challenging and encouraging. I hope that they will be the same for you, my dear readers.
Let God Redeem Your Painful Past
“Now, the reality is, there are things in our past that just cannot be changed. But the way we view even the most painful things can be seen as a blessing when we view them through the lens of the gospel. We can look back and see how God has sustained us and also how we can now come alongside others in the moments of suffering that we share. By God’s grace, we can be ‘comforted comforters’ (2 Cor. 1:3–5).”
What If You Struggle to Forgive Yourself for a Past Sin?
“If you’re still struggling, by all means get help from your pastor or a mature Christian friend or counselor. Listen to God, who died for you on the cross, not to the Enemy of God, who is telling you Christ’s work on the cross wasn’t good enough. Read His words of grace and forgiveness out loud, write them down, and memorize them.”
Missionaries You Should Know: George Liele
“Adoniram Judson is often cited as the first Baptist missionary from the United States. But, in fact, this designation belongs to George Liele. His story is an important part of missionary history and is worthy of emulation. George Liele died in 1828. He may have begun life as a slave, but he lived as a free man in Christ. He left a rich legacy of thousands who were transformed by the good news of Jesus.”
Be Still…
“No amount of time spent in sung worship would even begin to be enough of the praise that is due our Great God. No amount of hours spent in prayer would suffice to communicate just how thankful we should be for the great salvation we have through Jesus. That’s not to say that we don’t do all those things, but it’s a call to stop, to remember and to be still before the Lord. Take the time to be still before the Lord, in joyful thanks and in reflective silence, remember the Lord and be still before Him.”
The Sweeping View of the Gospel in Colossians
“The gospel is indeed the good news. However, the goodness of the gospel is defined first by the person of Jesus who encapsulates the good and then by the new life that he gives. In its essence, the gospel is the proclamation of Jesus Christ, the ruler of the world, and of giving of himself to us — his death for our sins, his rule over the entire world, his resurrection, and a renewed eternal life. The gospel invites people into the existence of Christ to experience the life that swallows up death —a life where the redemption and the forgiveness of sins are just the beginning.”
Psalms of Justice
“In the end, as the Psalter sees it, faithful prayer and worship require something of all who bear witness to the God of Jesus Christ, the Righteous King: doing justice. And in doing justice—however difficult or costly it may be—we testify in word and in deed to the Messiah who brings justice to victory.”
It Was the Season of the Psalms
In this article Brittany opens up about the pain of miscarriage and how the Psalms described her pain and life.
“Walking through the winter of grief on grief on grief taught me how to savor the gifts within the season of suffering. I learned to savor his goodness in the loss (though not perfectly of course), and that has given me all the more joy in the plenty. “
Devotions in a Chaotic, Interrupted Life
“A spiritual life rooted in the gospel doesn’t start with a perfectly laid out devotional time with sticker chart and reading plans. There is nothing wrong with those things, unless we expect them to be our savior. It starts with the confession that we can’t do it on our own. It starts with humbly asking him to help with our embarrassing prayers of insufficiency, and obstacles we can’t seem to overcome.”
4 Ways Not to Be a Jerk Online
“Scripture calls us to “honor everyone” (1 Pet. 2:17). Obeying that command has never been easy, but has it ever been harder than in our social media age? Thankfully, God’s Word gives us guidance. Here are four ways to be a faithful Christian online.”
7 Ministry Consequences of Calvinism
This article will probably be a bit like Marmite, you’ll either love it or you’ll hate it. I quite enjoyed it!
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