IN THE NEWS:

• This American Moment – Black Lives, Power Politics, and the Unborn. John Piper writes “We wave the banner of the reality and the preciousness and the power of truth. And we renounce all policies, procedures, laws, customs, and tyrannies that obscure or silence the truth — whether in police procedures, national politics, or the industry of child-killing cloaked in the evil rhetoric of reproductive freedom.”
• The Soul of America. Ravi Zacharias writes “I am staggered by all that is happening around us while the powerful fiddle and bodies litter the floors of offices, airports and even restaurants. How many families will be shattered and offered up at the altar of our foolishness?”
• What the Supreme Court Abortion’s Ruling Means. Russell Moore writes “The Supreme Court has ruled that the state of Texas’ common-sense laws on abortion clinics are unconstitutional. This is a grievous affirmation of the Court’s commitment to a radical abortion ideology, one that puts unborn children, women, and families at the mercy of a ruthless industry.”
• LGBT Basics. Doug Wilson writes “Many Christians know that something is wrong with the homosexual agenda, but because of the dearth of teaching on this subject in the church, and because the world’s teaching on it might be described as whatever is the opposite of dearth, we may know what we think without knowing why. So consider this piece to be a very brief, introductory primer.
• Assisted Suicide: A Quadriplegic’s Perspective. Joni Eareckson Tada writes “Culture is so easily influenced by the entertainment industry. This is why I am sounding an alarm about a very dangerous message in a film released this summer. The movie? Me Before You.”  

CHRISTIAN LIVING:

• How Much Television Do You Actually Watch? Way Too Much. Tim Challies writes “How much television do you think you watch? No, honestly, how much? And how much time do you give to other screens—your mobile phone, your tablet, and whatever it is you use to watch Netflix? A brand new study from Nielsen suggests that it is a lot. A heap. A ton. Way more than you would guess, I’m sure.”
• Announcing Albert Mohler’s “City on a Hill” TabletalkColumn. Dr. Mohler will be contributing to City on a Hill every month for the remainder of 2016 and into 2017. The City on a Hill column focuses on pertinent issues that Christians face in their day-to-day interaction with the surrounding culture, and it challenges Christians to think about their beliefs, responsibilities, and everyday choices as they dwell together before a watching world.
• Mark Zuckerberg Covers His Webcam. Should You? Tim Challies writes “Though your data may not be used against you today and though it may not come to light tomorrow, it is still there. In an age of ubiquitous data collection, there is wisdom in taking some basic measures of self-protection and self-preservation.”
• A Letter to My Sons about Pornography. Lizz Wann writes “I pray Christ would be your vision in all of life — that your eyes would be filled with glory leading to truth and life and joy. What you put before your eyes will change you. May it fill you with light, and not darkness.”
• Do You Long for Wisdom?C. Sproul writes “We want to be rich, successful, and comfortable, but we do not long for wisdom. Thus, we do not read the Scriptures, the supreme textbook of wisdom. This is foolishness. Let us pursue the knowledge of God through the Word of God, for in that way we will find wisdom to live lives that please Him.”
• Learning Again and Again to be Content. Scotty Smith prays “Give me strength, Jesus, to accept the body you made for me, the story you’re writing for me, and the things you entrusted to me.”
• Ten Bible Passages for Every Married Couple to Memorize. Our friend Kevin Halloran writes “With so many mixed messages about marriage in the world today (and sometimes the church), it has never been more important for married couples to build their marriage on the solid foundation of God’s Word. Memorizing Scripture as a couple is a powerful tool in the hand of God to do just that.”
• The Inexplicable Life: Humility, Hope, and Love in Suffering. Watch or read this message that John Piper delivered at The Gospel Coalition Women’s Conference in Indianapolis.
• What Does Your Tipping Say About Your Faith in Jesus? Randy Alcorn writes “As followers of Christ, we’re to be characterized by generosity, humility, and gratitude. That extends to how well we tip those who serve us at restaurants and other places.”

THEOLOGY AND GREAT RESOURCES:  

• Why God Must Let His People into Heaven. Mark Jones writes “There are three reasons why God must let his saints into heaven: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. With each person is one of three blessings that theologians frequently draw attention to: justification, adoption, and sanctification.”
• Absent from the Body, Present with the Lord: Our Settled Preference. Mike Riccardi writes “There’s simply no way around it: to be absent from the body in death is to be present with the Lord Jesus in heaven.”
• Have I Ever Talked to an Angel Without Knowing It? In this series that looks at perplexing passages from Scripture, George Guthrie looks at Hebrews 13:2.
• The Difference Between Our Sanctification and Our Glorification. Watch this less than five-minute excerpt from the Ligonier 2010 National Conference in which C. Sproul illustrates the difference between our sanctification and our glorification.
• Regeneration: The Most Significant Beginning. R.C. Sproul writes “Regeneration is just the beginning. But it’s not only just the beginning—it is the beginning. It is the most significant beginning that you’ll ever have.”
• The Calvinist’s Ultimate Concern. Joel Beeke writes “To be Reformed is to stress the comprehensive, sovereign, fatherly lordship of God over everything: every area of creation, every creature’s endeavors, and every aspect of the believer’s life.”
• The Trinitarian Debate: Some Reflections and Cautions. Regarding the recent online debate about question of eternal subordination, Ian Hamilton writes “It is not my intention to pass any comment on the substantive issue of God the Son’s eternal subordination, or otherwise, to his Father. I do, however, wish to make three, hopefully helpful comments.
• Heresy and Humility — Lessons from a Current Controversy. Albert Mohler weighs in on the recent Trinitarian controversy and the meaning of heresy. He writes “There are serious theological issues and historical questions at issue in this debate. Evangelicals have often lacked an appreciation (or even a serious consideration) of the Trinitarian and Christological developments that began with Nicaea, but continued well through Chalcedon. This is a time for cool heads, fraternal kindness, and clear thinking — and for all of us, a good dose of both historical theology and theological humility.”
• The Counterintuitive Appeal of Christian Morality in a 21^st Century World. Trevin Wax writes “While it’s true that Christian morality may be a barrier to some people, for others, our moral vision will be a beacon of light. Paradoxically, the very doctrines we expect will make us pariahs in 21st century North America may also be some of our most attractive teachings.”
• Revisionist History. Check out Malcolm Gladwell’s new podcast Revisionist History. “Each week for 10 weeks, Revisionist History will go back and reinterpret something from the past: an event, a person, an idea. Something overlooked. Something misunderstood.”

TO MAKE YOU SMILE:

• Man Reminds Himself He’s Sharing In Christ’s Sufferings After Facebook Post Gets Zero Likes. The Babylon Bee reports “After enduring approximately one hour of scathing ridicule in the form of a total silence from his Facebook friends, Michael humbly commented on his own post: “Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.—John 15:20.”

• A man who imagines to arrive at grace by doing all that he is able to do, adds sin to sin, and is doubly guilty. Martin Luther
• To live no longer for ourselves but for Him is the essence of discipleship. Jerry Bridges
• The triune One is greater in glory, deeper in mystery, more beautiful in harmony than all other realities in creation. Sinclair Ferguson
• You cannot save your life, you can only spend it. The question is how. Tim Keesee
• There’s a big difference between being careful not to offend anyone unnecessarily and being afraid to offend anyone anytime. Scotty Smith
• Whenever I feel depression or a bit of melancholy coming on, I find that serving others keeps me from sinking down further. Jack Miller
• If you look for truth you may find comfort in the end; if you look for comfort you will not get either. Ravi Zacharias
• If our heart is not conscious of the hell-deservingness of sin, we cannot expect to find forgiveness. Charles Spurgeon
• The opposite of joy is not sadness. It’s hopelessness. Tim Keller