Coram Deo ~

Looking at contemporary culture from a Christian worldview

THIS & THAT: A Gathering of Favorite Articles and Quotes

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  • What is Christian Nationalism? Albert Mohler addresses this question on his Ask Anything Tour.
  • Reflections on Faith and Politics. Tim Keller, in writing after the 2004 presidential election, states “There has been an explosion of interest and debate about the relationship of religion to politics. Here are some things I believe Christians should keep in mind as they listen to and participate in this debate during the coming year(s).”
  • Where Abortion Policies Stand Now. Joe Carter writes “Voters in 10 states were asked to decide whether legalized abortion would be protected in their state constitutions. Here’s how they voted—and what it portends for the pro-life cause.”

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  • More interesting article links
  • Favorite Quotes of the Week

  • How Should I Respond When Christians are Mocked in Popular Culture? Robert Plummer answers this question on this episode of Honest Answers.
  • When Are Good Grades Good Enough? On this episode of the Ask Pastor John podcast, John Piper answers a question that reads in part “How important is it to strive for A’s, if achieving them takes me away from more important things? I’m wired to be a perfectionist. But perhaps it is wiser to settle for B’s and for second best in school or in work to preserve my time for other things that are equally or more important. How do you weigh the pros and cons of excellence when settling for very good seems wiser? When are B’s wiser than A’s?”
  • Perfectionism Makes Me Indecisive – What Can I Do? On this episode of the Ask Pastor John podcast, John Piper responds to a question that reads in part “Now that we’re empty nesters, my husband and I are asking the question, ‘How do we spend the next portion of our lives?’ However, for better or worse, my dear husband is something of a perfectionist and doesn’t want to make a mistake in answering this important question. So, the question becomes, ‘When the stakes are so high, how do you not become paralyzed with fear of making a mistake?’”
  • How Not to Respond to Suffering. On this episode of the Ask Pastor John podcast, John Piper responds to the question “We often focus on how Job responded to suffering. ‘The steadfastness of Job,’ as James says in James 5:11. But we often don’t focus on Job’s wife’s response in Job 2:9–10. Can you expound on her response and tell us what lessons we can take about how not to respond to personal suffering?”
  • Should We Pray for the Dead? On this episode of the Ask Ligonier podcast, Derek Thomas discusses how people have addressed this question throughout history—and most importantly, he explains the Bible’s answer.
  • I Want God’s Wrath on My Enemy. On this episode of the Ask Pastor John podcast, John Piper addresses the question “How do I pray for my enemies who have abused me, taken advantage of me, and left me homeless and bankrupt? I want revenge and God’s wrath to overcome them right now. Help me find my balance in Christ.”
  • What Encouragement Would You Give to Suffering Christians? In this video, Derek Thomas provides encouragement to Christians who are enduring suffering.

  • The Cure for Church Hypocrisy. On this episode of the Gospelbound podcast, Collin Hansen and Michael Reeves discuss the urgency of gospel-centered unity in the church, addressing challenges like cultural divisions, theological shallowness, and the need for Christ-centered preaching.
  • Does the Reformation Still Matter? Stephen Nichols and Michael Reeves recently shared a discussion on the enduring significance of the Reformation. Watch this video as they explain that the central issue at stake during that time was nothing less than the gospel itself. The biblical truths recovered by the Reformers remain vital for God’s people in every generation.
  • There’s Something Worse Than Death. Kevin DeYoung writes “There is something worse than death. And only the gospel of Jesus Christ, proclaimed by Christians and protected by the church, can set us free from what we truly must fear.”
  • Is Double Predestination Fair? Kevin DeYoung writes “Election and reprobation are not arbitrary exercises of divine power. They serve a good purpose in revealing the holiness of God, the power of God, and the glory of God.”
  • Ligonier Santo Domingo Conference. Ligonier Ministries recently hosted their 2024 Santo Domingo Conference in the Dominican Republic. This conference considered why the gospel must remain at the center of our lives before the Lord. Watch the sessions of the conference as the speakers lead us through Romans 5. Speakers include Sinclair Ferguson, Burk Parsons, Miguel Nunez and more.


  • Our good works are a result of our acceptance by God, not a means to acceptance. They are our response to His love, not a means of securing it. Alistair Begg
  • Memory looks back upon past sins with deep sorrow for the sin, but yet without dreading any penalty to come; for Christ has paid the debt of His people to the last jot and tittle and received the divine receipt. Charles Spurgeon
  • When we see Jesus he will dry every tear from our eyes, not just our tears of sadness but our tears of joy, otherwise we would never be able to see him. Burk Parsons
  • My faith rests not upon what I am or shall be or feel or know, but in what Christ is, in what He has done, and in what He is now doing for me. Hallelujah! Charles Spurgeon
  • The Spirit does not add new information about Jesus. He simply opens our eyes to see who He really is. Sinclair Ferguson
  • We should not approach our Lord as though we were strangers or as though He were unwilling to hear us—for we are greatly loved by our loving Father. Charles Spurgeon
  • Your hope is not ultimately based on your strength to hold on today but on Christ’s strength holding you forever. Burk Parsons
  • No one is so good that they don’t need the grace of the gospel, nor so bad that they cannot receive the grace of the gospel. Tim Keller
  • When you default to thinking of prayer as an abstract activity, a ‘thing to do’, the tendency is to focus on the prayer as an activity – which makes it boring. Instead, focus on the one to whom you’re praying. Michael Reeves

Author: Bill Pence

I’m Bill Pence – married to my best friend Tammy, a graduate of Covenant Theological Seminary, St. Louis Cardinals and Illinois State University Men’s Basketball fan, formerly a manager at a Fortune 50 organization, and in leadership at my local church for thirty years. I am a life-long learner and have a passion to help people develop, and to use their strengths to their fullest potential. I am an INTJ on Myers-Briggs, 3 on the Enneagram, my top five Strengthsfinder themes are: Belief, Responsibility, Learner, Harmony, and Achiever, and my two StandOut strength roles are Creator and Equalizer. My favorite book is the Bible, with Romans my favorite book of the Bible, and Colossians 3:23 and 2 Corinthians 5:21 being my favorite verses and Romans 8 my favorite chapter of the Bible. Some of my other favorite books are The Holiness of God and Chosen by God by R.C. Sproul, and Don’t Waste Your Life by John Piper. I enjoy music in a variety of genres, including modern hymns and classic rock. My books Called to Lead: Living and Leading for Jesus in the Workplace, A Leader Worth Following: 40 Key Leadership Attributes and Applications to Master, and Tammy’s book Study, Savor and Share Scripture: Becoming What We Behold are available in paperback and Kindle editions on Amazon. Go to amazon.com/author/billpence or amazon.com/author/tammypence

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