• How do I Know that I am Elect? How do I Know my Faith is Genuine? In this video from “Ask Ligonier”, Sinclair Ferguson looks at the doctrine of assurance and what it means to be born again.
• Why Does John Piper Avoid Politics and What’s Trending? In this episode of the “Ask Pastor John” podcast, John Piper addresses the question “Why do you avoid saying much about current events and politics?”
• What Should Christians Do About Our Differences on Spiritual Gifts? In this episode of Signposts, Russell Moore offers his perspective on spiritual gifts and discuss ways that Christians might think about these issues, especially as they partner together in ministry.
• How Can You Show Radical Hospitality as an Introvert? Rosaria Butterfield states “I think that introverts can be extremely good at managing hospitality because we tend to not just talk to hear the sound of our voice. Those quiet times are fine. They can be reflective times.”
• Is It Really Important That You Emphasize Hell? Watch this short video in which Francis Chan discusses how the reality of hell should impact evangelism in the Christian life.
• Is Tim Keller a Marxist? Carl Trueman, who I enjoyed a wonderful class on B.B. Warfield with at Covenant Seminary a few years back, writes “It is an unwarranted slur on his character, for we all know that cultural Marxism is not intended as a morally neutral term.  And—I almost forgot—it is to break the Ninth Commandment about a Christian brother.  And that’s a sin—not so much a sin against Tim Keller as against the God he serves.”
• How Should Christians Respond to the Imprecatory Psalms? How should Christians respond to psalms that invoke calamity or curses upon one’s enemies? In this brief video clip from the 2016 Ligonier National Conference, Robert Godfrey, Albert Mohler, and William VanDoodewaard consider biblical prayers of judgment.

TV and MOVIES:

• Chronicles of Narnia Series, Films in the Works at Netflix. Joe Otterson writes “The streaming giant announced Wednesday that it will develop new series and film projects based on C.S. Lewis’ iconic book series. The projects are part of a new, multi-year deal between Netflix and The C.S. Lewis Company.”
• Trade Minister. My wife Tammy and I enjoyed the Amazon series The Man in the High Castle, though unfortunately season three was peppered with inappropriate content. Our favorite character is the Japanese Trade Minister, played by Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa. Here’s a story from Tess Farrand about Tagawa’s faith.
• The movie First Man Omits Something Important—and It’s Not the American Flag. Brett McCracken writes “He (Buzz Aldrin) then observed thanksgiving his way, by taking out a small communion kit that had been prepared by the Houston church (Webster Presbyterian) where he served as an elder.”
• Puritan documentary. Watch the trailer for the upcoming documentary Puritan.

• Why Ben Sasse Quit Twitter for Half a Year—And What He Now Teaches His Family about Social Media. Justin Taylor writes “Senator Ben Sasse, author of the insightful new book Them: Why We Hate Each Other—and How to Heal, writes about the six-month “sabbath” he took from social media and how he used it differently when he returned.”
• 3 Ways to Navigate Politics in the Pulpit. Dan Doriani writes “Faithful pastors can hardly avoid social and political issues if they expound the full teaching of Scripture. But how can we do so in ways that are constructive and helpful?”
• Jordan Peterson in Kansas City: 5 Surprising Moments from His Missouri Visit. Owen Strachan writes “Jordan Peterson is far and away the most consequential public intellectual in America right now. Last night, Peterson’s speaking tour came to Kansas City. With Midwestern Seminary student Matt Neidig, I attended the lecture. It was a stimulating night, and like Peterson a sui generis experience. What follows are five surprising moments from the evening.”
• XXV: The Enduring Vision of Albert Mohler at Southern Seminary. Produced in celebration of the 25th Anniversary of Albert Mohler’s presidency at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, this short film explores the conviction, vision, and mission of the man that led the charge in the transformation of the flagship seminary of the Southern Baptist Convention.
• The Audacity of Gender-Reveal Parties: Another Step Towards Cultural Insanity. Albert Mohler writes “This question represents just one more step towards cultural insanity. The questioner cannot fathom nor allow for a party where people celebrate politically incorrect labels like “boy” and “girl.” Such a party violates the moral code of the transgender movement.”
• Defending Liberty, Receiving Justice: An Important Victory for Chief Kelvin Cochran. Corey Smith writes “Advocates for liberty on all sides of the religious debate should rejoice in this decision. The conscience belongs to God, not the government. And with this ruling, government entities and private companies have once again been put on notice regarding the limits of their authority.”

• A Warning for Parents: Instagram is Full of Porn. Jonathon Van Maren writes “Many parents may be unaware of this, but Instagram is actually one of the most prominent social media offenders in regard to the proliferation of pornography.”
• Understanding Who God Is, and Who We Are, Makes Pride Unthinkable. Randy Alcorn writes “Not only our attitude, but also our actions will demonstrate whether pride or humility is at work in our lives.”
• The Good We Never Ask For: What God Does for Us in Suffering. Randy Alcorn writes “There’s no nearness to God without dependence on God. And nothing makes us more dependent on him than when the bottom drops out.”
• Elders Are to Be Hospitable, Not Just Their Wives. Kent Butterfield writes “We show our love to other human beings when we sincerely pray for their needs. This is most easily done with strangers when they’re sitting at our table, unhurried.”
• The Joy of Overlooking an Offense. Scotty Smith asks “What should a follower of Jesus do in response to everything from normal life-in-a-fallen-world brokenness, to encounters with irritating people and provoking circumstances, to intentional insults and mean-spirited slights?”

• The Most Important Promise in My Life. John Piper writes “Of all the places in the Bible that provide a solid place to stand when all around you is shaking, this has been my foundation stone more than any other.”
• Watch Ligonier Belfast Conference. On October 5–6, 2018, Ligonier Ministries hosted a regional conference in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Drs. Sinclair Ferguson, Steven Lawson, Burk Parsons, Michael Reeves, and Derek Thomas explored the history and legacy of the Reformation and how we must continue the work of the Reformers. You can watch/listen to the messages free.
• State of Theology. In partnership with LifeWay Research, Ligonier Ministries commissioned a survey of three thousand Americans. Check out the results.
• American Gospel: Christ Alone. Watch the trailer for the new documentary American Gospel: Christ Alone, which features, John MacArthur, Michael Horton, Steven Lawson, Bryan Chapell and many others.
• Ask Me Anything. “Ask Me Anything” is a new podcast from J.D. Greear.
• Regeneration Precedes Faith. In this brief video clip,R.C. Sproul explains this single phrase that captures the essence of Reformed theology.

• You don’t have the right or ability to forgive yourself. Only God can do that. Derek Thomas
• To focus on Jesus as just an example is to reduce him from sovereign Savior to ethical coach and to transform the gospel into law. Tim Keller
• People who truly love the God above them will work for justice for those around them. David Platt
• If grace is obligated it is no longer grace. The very essence of grace is that it is undeserved. R.C. Sproul
• I believe in the doctrine of election because I am quite certain that, if God had not chosen me, I should never have chosen Him. Charles Spurgeon
• Good friends don’t grow on trees, nor can you have a large number of them. Give more time to the ones you have. How can you be more intentional about deepening the friendships you have and giving more time to them? Tim Keller
• Sin is folly, because it is disobedience to and rebellion against the will of the One who has made us, loves us, sustains us, and will finally assess us. What could be more foolish than that? Sinclair Ferguson
• Unity without the gospel is a worthless unity, it is the very unity of hell. J.C. Ryle
• The marvel of marvels is not that God, in his infinite love and justice, has not elected all of this guilty race to be saved, but that he has elected any. B.B. Warfield