Weekly Once-Over (4.17.2014)
The Assumption We Can't Afford: I've been in church for years, but no one has taught me to study my Bible until now.
Is God Allowed To Do Stuff We Can't?: These reflections are far from exhaustive or adequate to the subject matter. Much more could be and has been said on the subjects of forgiveness, substitution, justice, and the cross. In this piece I simply wanted to make one small point: sometimes it’s okay for God to tell us not to do something that he himself does. Executing judgment is one of those things.
David Platt on Why You Shouldn't believe "Heaven Is For Real": God’s beef with necromancy is that it belittles the sufficiency of his communication. Why would you inquire of the dead to find out what you want to know instead of inquiring of me? And if they say: Well, I have inquired of you and you didn’t tell me what I want to know. He would say: Well, that is your problem. I have told you what you need to know. You don’t need to know about such and such if I haven’t told you. And, in fact, if you go trying to inquire about such and such that I haven’t told you, you are dishonoring me. So that is the nature of the argument. And, therefore, I think the prohibition of séances and necromancy applies to this kind of thing and people ought to stop writing those books.
Raising Arrow Children: Don’t reduce your children to being “adorable,” writes Doug Wilson, and miss out on the promise of formidable children, arrows in the hand of a warrior.
How Can A Mature Christian Be Fed In A Missional Community?: The scriptures end with knowing God relationally and being like Him. Maturity in Christianity is being “conformed to the image of Christ” not merely knowing a lot about Him. This involves the mind, heart, hands, and actions of Christ. Missional Communities invite mature Christians to learn to enjoy the food that Christ did, to do the will of their Father.
4 Reasons To Doubt the Resurrection: To the modern mind, the resurrection is utterly implausible.
You Can't Do Everything: here are 4 simple ways you can start empowering and enabling others to do the great work of ministry
The Resurrection Of Jesus: A Jewish Perspective: Historically, Jesus’ resurrection (along with his claims to be the Son of God and the Son of Man) has always been the point of contention that separates Christians and Jews. However, the Orthodox Jewish theologian Pinchas Lapide (1922–1997), in his book The Resurrection of Jesus: A Jewish Perspective, turns that expectation on its head. Though he does not believe Jesus is the Messiah, Lapide does believe that the resurrection of Jesus was a historical event. Recognizing that Jesus and his disciples were faithful Jews, he seeks to understand it from a Jewish perspective.
Missional Moms Who Never Make Sacrifices: So when we consider the calling, the work, and the sacrifices of motherhood in this light, with a thrill in our heart we can say that we have never made a sacrifice.
Help! My Kids Are Looking At Porn!: For today, here are some suggestions for how to respond when you learn that your children have been looking at or looking for pornography.
Please Don't Make My Funeral About Me: You can cry at my funeral if you want to. But don't think for a minute that my death is tragic. No matter how it happens, no matter when; it simply can't be a tragedy. Leaving this world with all of its sin-sickness to enter into the beauty and perfection and peace of the presence of Christ is something to anticipate, not avoid. Death, for me, will not be the second-best option to a longer life here. To be with Christ will not be a minor improvement on this life, but "far better" (Phil. 1:23). You can cry, but I hope your tears are, at least in part, tears of joy that I have entered into the joy of my Master.