I have little doubt that the single greatest obstacle to the impact of the gospel has not been its inability to provide answers, but the failure on our part to live it out. (Ravi Zacharias, Beyond Opinion: Living the Faith We Defend)

by Cesar Vigil-Ruiz

Feliz Friday! It’s flocks week, and though our various affinity groups may be on break, this week’s links are not! So, without further ado, here they are!

• Do you know your church history? If not, here’s a recommended list of books that will put you on the right track.
• How do you deal with emotions when tempted to make decisions based on them? Christina Fox gives some timeless wisdom on this roller-coaster of a topic.
• How would you counsel a student if their biology teacher teaches evolution, assuming any alternative is false? Here is a concise answer that will be of help to anyone who currently faces this situation or will be facing it soon.
• What does biblical godliness look like? Many would answer spending time in the Word and in prayer, evangelizing the lost, going on missions, etc. However, if there’s one area that is sorely missing in people’s minds about a true mark of godliness, it’s the practical outworking of loving others. Pastor Sam Byers challenges us to reconsider our priorities in light of what we already agree is essential to true godliness.
• Desiring God has been producing some quality content of late, and I wanted to point you to only two (there’s more) of their very wonderful articles: John Piper’s reflections on his 69th birthday and the ultimate purposes of God, and a mother’s reflections on her miscarriage, and the goodness of God.
• Though written for a specific audience in mind, pastor Mark Jones asks some questions that I think everyone needs to grapple with, not just for this upcoming Sunday, but for every Sunday. Will your attention be diverted from Christ on Sunday because of the Super Bowl? Please read and consider before the big game comes on.
• Confirmation of Scripture coming from God has included His power in fulfilling prophecy, but many doubt that Scripture has fulfilled prophecy within its pages. Nathan Busenitz gives five responses to common objections on prophecy that every believer should be ready to explain to doubters and skeptics. Very informative and faith-affirming.
• Denny Burk highlights the naive attempt on the part of the Mormon church to support protections for LGBT people with the hope that their religious freedoms will be protected. He provides insightful analysis and links to responses from other Christian leaders.
• Do you find church to be boring and/or disappointing? Maybe a mind-shift is in order.
• Should we teach our kids early that life isn’t fair? Candice Watters believes so, not just to make them ready for the real world, but because it can always point us back to what we ultimately deserve: an eternal hell separated from God. Storing this for future reference.

That’s all for this week’s links! I hope and pray that you all continue to pursue God with all your heart, mind, and strength! Let’s worship our Lord with our hearts full of praise together on Sunday!

Soli Deo Gloria