• Why You Should Be Praying the Psalms. Don Whitney writes “Praying the Bible means talking to God about what comes to mind as you read the Bible. Usually, you might read the passage first, then go back and pray through what you just read.”
• What Does It Mean to Rejoice in Christ? In this short video, Michael Reeves describes how Christians can understand the call to rejoice and find joy in all circumstances.
• 31 Ways God Can Use Your Suffering for Good. Kevin Halloran shares this list he wrote as an appendix for God’s Purpose for Your Suffering, a new volume of sermons by Charles Spurgeon.
• Aunts and Uncles, Don’t Overlook Your Calling. Cassie Watson four ideas on how you can support your nieces and nephews in their spiritual growth.

Click on ‘Continue reading’ for:

• More interesting article links
• Favorite Quotes of the Week

• Is the Abrahamic Covenant Still Operative Today? From one of the live Ask Ligonier events, Sinclair Ferguson explains how the promises and blessings of this covenant relate to Jesus Christ.
• What Will We Remember in the New Creation? On this episode of the Ask Pastor John podcast, John Piper responds to two similar questions, one of which reads “How does Isaiah 65:17jibe with Revelation 5:12, which puts Christ’s sacrifice — the past-tense ‘was slain’ memorial of his crucifixion in this world — front and center for all of eternity. Pastor John, what do you make of Isaiah 65:17. And are my memories of this life deleted in the new creation?”
• What is the Baptism of the Holy Spirit? The Holy Spirit dwells within every Christian, comforting us and enabling us to grow in grace every day. From the 2022 Ligonier National Conference, Derek Thomas explains what the baptism of the Holy Spirit is and what it is not.
• Better Than Scrolling Your Phone in the Morning. On this episode of the Ask Pastor John podcast, John Piper responds to a question that reads in part “And while scrolling social media may seem like a harmless indulgence, we all know it’s an unhealthy way to start the day, like eating chocolate for breakfast. So, I want to ask you, Pastor John, in light of these stats, what’s a better approach in these moments just after we wake up in the morning?”
• Should Pastors Preach on Political Issues? Should pastors preach from the pulpit on political issues? From one of the live Ask Ligonier events, Burk Parsons encourages us to think carefully about this question.
• The Sick Love of Controversy. On this episode of the Ask Pastor John podcast, John Piper responds to the question “We live in an age of controversy. And that controversy-loving spirit has come into the church. The Apostle Paul clearly warns us against people in the church who have a ‘diseased’(nosōn) or ‘unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain.’ That’s 1 Timothy 6:4–5. I’m wondering if you can lay out principles for what this ‘diseased craving for controversy’ looks like in the church today.”
• Dangers in Exposing Cultural Sins. On this episode of the Ask Pastor John podcast, John Piper responds to a question that reads in part “What advice would you give preachers on how to avoid merely complaining or going off on angry rants about cultural sins, and how to wisely identify and call for repentance from sins inside the church? So, what cultural sins do we expose and speak out against? What cultural sins do we ignore or refrain from talking about because of their vulgarity? And how do you think preachers in local churches will best balance addressing the sins of culture and the sins in the pew?”
• What Role Do Deacons Serve in the Life of the Church? From one of the live Ask Ligonier events, Derek Thomas considers the biblical basis and the practical outworking of this office.
• Manhood and Womanhood in Parachurch Ministry. On this episode of the Ask Pastor John podcast, John Piper responds to the question “I work for a global parachurch organization which is well-known. Recently our leadership decided that all positions of leadership within the organization will be opened to women. This includes campus leadership, regional leadership, and national leadership. Women will be permitted to teach men from the Scripture, to be in positions of spiritual authority over men, to shape and correct doctrine within the organization, and to mentor men in their ministry roles. Previously, these positions of spiritual authority over men were reserved for men alone. The reason given for this change is that a parachurch organization is not the church. Therefore, the commands addressed to churches about the role of men and women in relationship to one another do not apply in this case. How do you see it?”

• How to Distinguish the Holy Spirit from the Serpent. Sinclair Ferguson writes “How do we distinguish the promptings of the Spirit of grace in His guiding and governing of our lives from the delusions of the spirit of the world and of our own sinful heart? This is a hugely important question if we are to be calm and confident that the spirit with whom we are communing really is the Holy”

• Wyndham Clark wins U.S. Open, seeks to glorify God: ‘God has a plan for me’. Joshua Doering writes “Throughout his six-year professional career, Clark has been guided by his faith in God. In his post-round press conference, Clark expressed his gratitude to God for his journey through life and golf.”
• The War Against Manhood and the American Cultural Crisis — A Conversation with Senator Josh Hawley. Josh Hawley serves as the senior United States senator from the state of Missouri. He is also the author of the recent book, Manhood: The Masculine Virtues America Needs, which is the topic of this Thinking in Public episode with Albert Mohler.
• Is Disney’s ‘The Little Mermaid’ a Trans Fable? Brett McCracken writes “Where Christian viewers do have cause for concern, however, is on the subtler level of themes and assumptions that, if not explicitly advocating LGBT+ sexual ethics, at least provide ideological scaffolding for them.”

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• The only thing worse than not adhering to right doctrine is being indifferent to doctrine altogether. Indifference to doctrine births heresy. Burk Parsons
• If you truly love your Savior and want to honor Him, then “hate evil.” We know of no cure for the love of evil in a Christian like daily communion with the Lord Jesus. Be often with Him, and it is impossible for you to be at peace with sin. Charles Spurgeon
• Without God as the ultimate starting point, we have no purpose in life, and the universe is just an accident. Albert Mohler
• Beware of men who have no authentic accountability. Burk Parsons
• Our greatest need is to see our supreme need for God and His gospel of grace. Steven Lawson
• If you are not increasingly grieved by your own sin, you are not growing as a Christian. Michael Reeves
• The right to abortion kills the hope of every child not yet born. Abortion is state sanctioned murder for those inconvenienced by their children. Burk Parsons
• I cannot agree with those who say that they have “new truth” to teach. The two words seem to me to contradict each other; that which is new is not true. It is the old that is true, for truth is as old as God Himself. Charles Spurgeon
• How do we bring glory to God? The Bible’s short answer is by growing more and more like Jesus Christ. Sinclair Ferguson