“Tears in the preacher are evoked by deeply felt sympathy with the predicament of those who are listening, a predicament which the preacher shares but from which he has been rescued by the gospel which he is bringing. When that gospel is rejected, tears are drawn from the preacher as he earnestly seeks the good of those to whom he has been sent. Our modern gospel does not evoke tears in the preacher because the dimension of judgement has almost completely been eliminated. A gospel without tears, because without judgement, is not the gospel of the New Testament.” (Broughton Knox, The Everlasting God)

by Cesar Vigil-Ruiz

Feliz Friday! I hope and pray these links will be of use to you in your service to Christ and His bride. So read and enjoy!

• How do we deal with unhealthy friendships? What are some warning signs, and how can they be redirected to a healthy and God-glorifying type of friendship? Kelly Needham, in anticipation of her upcoming book on friendship, is interviewed to discuss friendship idolatry and how to turn a friendship Godward.
• Who first showed Ray Ortlund the beauty of Jesus? His father, and it’s a beautiful story.
• What is the current state of apologetics today? How can Christians be more effective in their witness of Christ and His glory to our neighbors, coworkers, family members, etc.? Sarah Eekhoff Zylstra lays out the current cultural landscape that many in the US face, and how a change in emphasis can draw people to see not only the truth, but the beauty and goodness of the gospel. This was quite a helpful read.
• How would John Piper argue for Christian Hedonism today? Well, here’s how! By the way, this was posted today, so this is quite an appropriate question to ask.
• Piper also has answered many questions over the years on his Ask Pastor John podcast. Desiring God created a top 10 post on what people have asked over the years about how to read the Bible. While you’re at it, you may also want to listen to his most recent podcast on seven ways APJ will kill your joy, the exact opposite of Christian Hedonism.
• What do medical experts say about hormone treatments and surgery with respect to changing one’s sex? Over at The Public Discourse, two outcomes to the current promotion of transgenderism are examined that can dramatically effect not only those affected by this, but those who seek to help those who are hurting. As a sign of love, stay informed.
• You have probably seen the many televangelists or Word of Faith preachers speak their false teachings on TV or online, but have you ever heard one of them confess their sin of representing the gospel inaccurately? Pastor John Samson, former Word of Faith preacher, does just this. You definitely want to hear about how the Lord drew Him to preach the biblical gospel.
• How would you apply Scripture to the difficult situations in life? The Biblical Counseling Coalition started a series of posts on how the Bible can be used effectively to help those suffering from PTSD. Greg Gifford discussed the importance of having a biblical view of man when addressing PTSD, Biblical counselor John Foldberg explains his counseling methodology with respect to PTSD, and Rachel Rosser discusses the distinct issue of addressing Complex PTS. Don’t miss Charles Hodges’ post, the last in the series, when it comes out on the BCC blog.

That’s all for this week! Please pray for the youth and collegians, as they meet tonight for Bible study. Looking forward to seeing you all at church on Sunday for service, and Thanksgiving dinner!

Soli Deo Gloria