• Former St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Chris Carpenter Rededicates His Life to God. I really enjoyed this video about Chris Carpenter.
• When Being a Christian Isn’t “Decent” Anymore. Denny Burk writes “This is the new reality for Christians who hold the line on biblical sexual ethics, and I don’t see any signs of things letting up. On the contrary, this kind of open animus only seems to be spreading.”
• 3 Things to Tell Your Children About Gender. Dan Doriani, who I enjoyed two classes with at Covenant Seminary, writes that he seeks “To equip parents to talk to their children about gender. It is vital to offer compassion and care to all who experience body dysphoria – the sense that they inhabit the wrong body.”
• Francis Chan Explains Why He’ll Share a Stage with Benny Hinn. Kate Shellnutt writes “Why would a respected evangelical leader like Francis Chan agree to speak at major events that also feature controversial prosperity gospel preachers? The short answer: to share the truth.”
• Mental Illness, Jesus and Me. Scott Sauls writes “I am one of those ministers who has endured a handful of seasons of anxiety and depression. Most of the time, thankfully, the affliction has been more low-grade than intense. On one occasion, though, it pretty much flattened me physically, emotionally, and even spiritually. I call this particular season my ‘living nightmare.’”

Click on ‘Continue reading’ for:

• More interesting article links
• Favorite Quotes of the Week

• The Early Symptoms of Spiritual Danger. Sinclair Ferguson writes “The solemn fact is that none of us can tell the difference between the beginning of backsliding and the beginning of apostasy. Both look the same. So. what are the tell-tale signs of this sickness unto death? Are there early symptoms that might alert us to our spiritual danger?”
• A Meditation on Strength and Weakness. Kevin DeYoung writes “Strength is good, but for the Christian, strength is found in weakness, in despairing of ourselves instead of applauding ourselves. Suffering, therefore, is one of God’s chief ways of leading us to spiritual success.”
• We Are Supposed to Feel Bad About Stuff. Kevin DeYoung writes “So go ahead, take a chance and let yourself feel bad for the bad stuff you’ve done. Own it. Admit it. Turn from it. Then run to Christ. He’ll always be there. With the scars to prove that our shame is real, but it doesn’t have to have the last word.”
• The One Indispensable Quality Every Leader Needs to Have. Dave Kraft writes “If a leader is not teachable, he/she won’t continue to hear from God (and others) and continue to grow and mature into the kind of follower and leader God desires.”
• Boundaries Will Not Cure Codependency. Monica Geyen interviews Rosaria Butterfield on the topic of codependency.

• Are People Who Aren’t Christians Going to Hell? Is that Fair? Tim Keller responds to this question at the Veritas Forum.
• How Do I Live the Authentic Christian Life? On this episode of the “Ask Pastor John” podcast, John Piper discusses the acronym P.T.A.T. and why it’s so important.
• What Is the Greatest Challenge in the Church Today? What is the greatest challenge in the church today? From an Ask Ligonier event, Sinclair Ferguson considers the challenges of prayerlessness, dysfunction, and more.

• You Are Never More Justified Than the Moment You First Believed. In this less than two-minute video clip from his teaching series The Whole Christ, Sinclair Ferguson explains that our sanctification does not add to our justification.
• God is Sovereign. We Are Responsible. J.D. Greear writes “How God’s sovereignty works through human choices is one of the greatest mysteries out there. But this much is certain: God holds us each accountable for our own choices.”
• Sin is Cosmic Treason. R.C. Sproul writes “Every sin, no matter how seemingly insignificant, is an act of rebellion against the sovereign God who reigns and rules over us and as such is an act of treason against the cosmic King.”
• A Strong Statement on Sexuality from the President of Covenant Theological Seminary. I was encouraged with this statement from Mark Dalby, President of Covenant Seminary (where I attended) regarding the Revoice Conference and sexuality.
• God Alone Has Aseity. In this short video clip from his teaching series Moses and the Burning Bush, C. Sproul explains that God alone exists by His own power.
• Tim Keller on the Authority of Scripture. In this two-minute video, Tim Keller provides insight on whether divergent interpretations of Scripture undermine its authority.
• We All Live in Marx’s World Now. Carl Trueman, who I enjoyed an excellent class on B.B. Warfield at Covenant Seminary a few years back, writes “Just as brain surgery cannot be done with a sledge hammer and a chainsaw, so careful theology on contentious issues cannot be done constructively in 280 characters.”

• The Devil Can Do Exposition, But He Can’t Preach. Watch this message that John Piper delivered at the 2018 Sing! Conference in Nashville.
• 2019 Ligonier National Conference. Watch the sessions from the recent 2019 Ligonier National Conference from Orlando on the Ligonier website, app or YouTube.
• Albert Mohler on Losing a Pastor to Immorality. In this less than three-minute video, Albert Mohler gives advice to churches who have lost a pastor due to moral failure.
• Gospel Joy Panel Discussion. This panel discussion featuring John Piper, H.B. Charles, Jr. and others closed the Bethlehem 2019 Conference for Pastors + Church Leaders in Minneapolis. The first question deals with the legacy of Jonathan Edwards in light of him being a slave owner.

• There is more mercy in Christ than sin in us. Richard Sibbes
• There is no such thing as free will in fallen man. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
• How sweet is rest, after fatigue! How sweet will Heaven be, when our toilsome journey is ended. George Whitefield
• The only thing of my very own which I contribute to my redemption is the sin from which I need to be redeemed. Sinclair Ferguson
• Let no man think to kill sin with few, easy, or gentle strokes. John Owen
• The sin underneath all our sins is to trust the lie of the serpent that we cannot trust the love and grace of Christ and must take matters into our own hands. Martin Luther
• Isn’t it interesting how we can be patient with ourselves in our own sins, but impatient with others in their sins? It’s been said, “If you want to get Christians angry, put them around other Christians that sin differently than they do.” Ligon Duncan
• We are to be mirrors of grace to others, reflecting what we have received ourselves. R.C. Sproul
• Prayer is to the Christian what breath is to life, yet no duty of the Christian is so neglected. R.C. Sproul