Three of my favorite books from 2023, plus I'm giving one of them away!
Update, 6/18/24: Congrats to Sara from Newfoundland for winning the giveaway!
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Dan Dimitriu |
Three of my favorite books from 2023, plus I'm giving one of them away!
Update, 6/18/24: Congrats to Sara from Newfoundland for winning the giveaway!
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Dan Dimitriu |
A preview of February's email-only article.
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Ben White |
DO YOU EVER think about the wrath of God?
I know our heavenly father's final judgment is everyone's favorite pastime, but those who are wise do not shy away from the subject.
In this month's email-exclusive article, we'll examine Proverbs 16:14, its spiritual applications, and why God desires repentance, not penance.
I LOVE THE multidimensionality of advice offered in the book of Proverbs. On the one hand the book provides practical guidance for life with passages like, "The slacker does not plow in season; at harvest time he looks, but nothing is there" (20:4, BSB). And on the other hand Proverbs pours out spiritual salves in verses such as "Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life" (4:23).
Often, you get both levels of insight within the same verse.
Proverbs 16:14 is a good example: "A king’s wrath is a messenger of death, and a wise man will appease it." The verse may not seem too practical since we do not answer to kings. Nevertheless we all have authority figures in our lives--bosses and teachers to name a couple--who have the power to impact our lives. Their wrath may not bring about death in a literal sense, but a termination or failed course can ruin one's livelihood. As a result, we would do well to prevent, if possible, their ire and, if not possible, to appease it.
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Freedom comes with responsibility.
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Parabol |
A preview of June's email-only article.
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Christina Morillo |
HAVE YOU EVER pondered the afterlife?
That's the question we're asking in this month's email-only article. No doubt you've though about what lies beyond death before, but maybe you've never thought about the privilege of revelation that we all enjoy today.
Job's vision of death and the beyond is something much different than what you or I imagine. He sees an existence filled with darkness where even the light is like darkness. In fact, as many commentators have pointed out, Job actually uses three different Hebrew words to signify darkness.At this point, Job just wants to be left alone so he can enjoy a few moments before he dies because, in his mind, death results in eternal gloom.The question, then, is how did we transition from Job's view of eternal darkness to one of everlasting light?
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Sin results in dust, but God has a restoration plan in place.
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Thrive by Daniel Popper, photo: Marianna Smiley |
We can't see in the dark, but God can.
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Observer by Mari Lezhava |
A preview of February's email-only article.
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Jared Rice |
LIFE HAS A way of beating us down at times. But no matter how bad our circumstances, often the worst part is not knowing why terrible things occur.
When we open up the tenth chapter of Job, we find our protagonist in a dark place.Of course, Job spends most of the book in metaphorical darkness, but here in chapter ten he takes a turn for the worse, admitting, "I loathe my life" (v. 1). Life, the most precious of gifts, the most beautiful and fragile and rarest of possessions, and yet Job loathes it.What does it mean to loathe? Merriam-Webster defines loathing as great disklike; disgust. Job is disgusted with his own life. Why? You know the reasons. His children have died. His possessions have been plundered. His health has deteriorated to an excruciating degree. His wife told him to "Curse God and die" (Job 2:9). His friends, helpful at first, descend into jerk territory—accusing him of sin, suggesting his children deserved their fate, and proclaiming he should repent—all for want of a better theology.Penniless, abandoned, bereaved, confused, accused, and afflicted, you can see why Job's life might disgust him. Earlier in the book he even said it would have been better if his mother had miscarried! That's some pretty dark stuff right there.Have you ever loathed your life?
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