• The Bible and Race. Tim Keller writes “The gospel-analysis of the roots of racism and its healing is sorely missing in much of the conversation about race at present.”
• George Floyd and Me. Shai Linne writes “Though I’m deeply grieved, I am not without hope. Personally, I have little confidence in our government or policymakers to change the systemic factors that contributed to the George Floyd situation. But my hope isn’t in the government. My hope is in the Lord.”
• How Can We Be Agents of Racial Reconciliation? Russell Gehrlein shares what he learned from Benjamin Watson’s book Under Our Skin: Getting Real About Race—And Getting Free From the Fears and Frustrations That Divide Us.  
• Tim Keller Diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer. One of my favorite teachers and authors, Tim Keller, has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and is beginning chemotherapy treatment in New York City.
• Empathize with Good Cops in This Time of Rightly Calling out Bad Ones. Randy Alcorn writes “My heart breaks for cops who are suffering because of what a minority have done. I weep for their families too.”
• Race and the Christian: An Evening with John Piper and Tim Keller. Watch this discussion between John Piper and Tim Keller, moderated by Anthony Bradley, from 2012.

Click on ‘Continue reading’ for:

• More interesting article links
• Cartoon of the Week
• Favorite Quotes of the Week

• Should We Tell Unbelievers That God Loves Them?  Does God love the whole world, even nonbelievers? From one of the Ask Ligonier events, John MacArthur suggests that the Lord’s patient benevolence toward a sinful world should drive people to God’s saving love in Christ.
• What are Justification and Sanctification? Guy Waters writes “Christ has won both justification and sanctification for His people. Both graces are the concern of faith in Jesus Christ, but in different ways.”
• What are the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven? In this episode of the Ask Pastor John podcast, John Piper responds to the question “Jesus told the disciples that whatever they would bind or loose on earth would be so in heaven. The church has the ‘keys of the kingdom of heaven,’ meaning, ‘Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven’ (Matthew 16:19). So, what can a local church bind and loose? And what could I, and a Christian friend, bind and loose? Does this text have any relevant application to the church today?”
• How Can We Defend the Doctrine of Sola Scriptura Using Scripture? Why should we embrace the Bible as our ultimate authority? From one of Ligonier’s Ask C.events, R.C. Sproul appeals to the teachings of Jesus Himself on the Word of God.
• How Should Christians Respond to Climate Change? In this episode of the Ask Pastor John podcast, John Piper responds to the question “How should a follower of Jesus care for a creation that will one day be destroyed by fire?”

• How Did Evil Begin? Pondering the Mystery of Satan’s Fall. John Piper writes “The sum of the matter, then, about where a sinful Satan came from is this: He was a holy angel who mysteriously came to prefer self-exaltation over God-exaltation. He fell into the delusion that ultimate self-determination was possible for a finite creature, and that it was preferable to submitting to God.”
• Let Go of Lies About Heaven: Eight Myths Many Believe. Randy Alcorn shares eight persistent misconceptions about heaven.
• What Are My Loved Ones Experiencing in the Present Heaven? Randy Alcorn writes “Based on the Bible’s teaching, we know several things: the present Heaven is a real (and possibly physical) place. Those who love Jesus and trust Him for their salvation will be with Him there, together with all who have died in Christ. We will be awake and cognizant. And because we will be with Jesus, it is “better by far” than our present existence.”

• Trip Lee on the Paradox of Being Human. On this episode of the Gospel Coalition podcast, we hear Trip Lee’s breakout session at The Gospel Coalition’s 2019 National Conference in Indianapolis titled “Incredibly Normal: The Shocking Truth About Who You Really Are.” He addressed the identity of believers and what it means to be a Christian on a planet filled with more than 7 billion other humans.
• On How Can I Love Church Members with Different Politics. Conversations about politics are often emotionally charged. We disagree because our consciences are calibrated differently. So how can we still love each other? On this episode of the 9Marks podcast, Mark Dever, Jonathan Leeman, and Andy Naselli discuss this issue.
• God Made Us to Gather: The Fresh Wonder of Corporate Worship. Bob Kauflin writes “Throughout the centuries, churches have in various seasons been unable to meet due to persecution, geography, pandemics, or other limitations. God wasn’t worried then, and he’s not worried now. His plans will not be thwarted or undone. Because God made the church to gather”.
• 12 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Posting Something Online. Mark Dever shares these questions for pastors, but they would be good for all of us to consider before we post on social media.

• Let’s Talk. Let’s Talk, hosted by Jackie Hill Perry, Melissa Kruger, and Jasmine Holmes, is a new podcast for women from The Gospel Coalition. “Over the next nine weeks, Jackie, Jasmine, and Melissa will seek to apply biblical wisdom to everyday life. They’ll talk candidly about fighting sin, overcoming church hurt, making decisions, acting in a godly way on social media, and much more.”

 

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• Don’t be discouraged today. You can leave your “what-ifs” and “if-onlys” in the hands of the One who loves you and rules all things. Paul Tripp
• The Christian is made strong and firmly rooted by all the trials and storms of life. Do not shrink then from the tempestuous winds of trial but take comfort, believing that by their rough discipline God is fulfilling this benediction to you. Charles Spurgeon
• The attempt of secularism to usurp the rule of the Son of God amounts to the height of human folly. Nothing will prevail over our God. Nothing can withstand the power of the gospel. Albert Mohler
• It is only when you reach the very bottom, when everything falls apart, when all your schemes and resources are broken and exhausted, that you are finally open to learning how to completely depend on God. Tim Keller
• Jesus Christ’s desire that you find rest, that you come in out of the storm, outstrips even your own. Dane Ortlund
• May an increase in our joy propel us into expanded servanthood. May it be the fire we need for doing justice, loving mercy, and walking humbly with our God. May the oil of your joy encourage and refresh us lest we grow weary in the battle. Scotty Smith
• Because Jesus has covered all of our offenses, we can be among the least offensive and least offended people in the world. This is the way of the gentle answer. Scott Sauls
• You don’t know what is going to happen today, but God does, and he’s already placed in your warehouse of grace just what you’ll need. Paul Tripp
• He doesn’t simply meet us at our place of need; he lives in our place of need. He never tires of sweeping us into his tender embrace. It is his very heart. Dane Ortlund
• The refusal to act in the midst of injustice is itself an act of injustice. Jemar Tisby