“While it is fitting and good God grants believers the privilege of prayer, we must continually evaluate what we desire of Jesus at the core level. When I look back over the bulk of my prayers in previous years, frequently I omitted eternal elements and desires. It was not what I prayed for was wrong; it was merely superficial, especially while simultaneously giving lip service to wanting a deeper walk with Jesus. Suffering was one means God used to bring me to examine the sum and substance of what I asked. What transpired was not so much that I purposely changed my prayers as much as the severity of the circumstances changed them for me.” (Greg Harris, The Cup and the Glory, pp. 21-22)

by Cesar Vigil-Ruiz

Feliz Friday! Here are this week’s links! Enjoy!

• As advocates of biblical counseling (which you can tell from the CCEF booklets LBC sell in the foyer), we recognize there has been limited interaction between those who would advocate Christian psychology as biblical and those who advocate biblical counseling. Recently, criticism came from a journalist concerning biblical counseling, which led Christian psychologist Philip Monroe to provide some helpful questions and preliminary analysis for both sides to consider when interacting with this article and discussing biblical counseling. In anticipation of the upcoming ACBC Conference on Mental Illness, Grace to You has begun a series of blog articles on the insufficiency of psychology and the sufficiency of Scripture to care for the soul.  Here’s the first part. As believers in Christ, who is the truth, we must be eager to pursue truth in the oft overlooked step in understanding the opposing side, especially when the other side are believers as well. I hope and pray that the grace of God and the growth of the Word in our hearts will develop within us the maturity to listen to the other side and give a measured, not reactionary, response.
• What does Christlike leadership look like practically for the husband? Owen Strachan provides 10 ways for men to emulate godly character in their marriages. There is much I need to learn.
• Recently, schools in the CSU system have decided to oust InterVarsity from their campuses, due to the 2012 school policy of calling all campus organizations to allow any student to serve as leader, regardless of beliefs. Ironic that discrimination is being enforced to remove a campus org on the basis of discrimination to allow for non-discrimination orgs to flourish. Al Mohler has some wise analysis on the matter.
• Clint Archer gives some wise (and humorous) advice to single guys who wonder if they should marry gals because of their looks.
• John Piper has 12 questions to ask regarding how to decide your next job.
• Stephen Altrogge has written a thoughtful post on what he plans on telling his daughters about modesty that addresses more than the issue of dress. May our church exemplify this kind of thoughtfulness.
• Young ladies, how can you find an older godly woman to mentor you? Look no further. If you doubt you are in need of a mentor (and this includes guys), look no further.
• Jesse Johnson over at The Cripplegate has written an accessible and clear post providing a case against same-sex marriage. Not sure I’ve seen a post as concise and yet thorough like this before.

That’s all for this week! Looking forward to celebrating the resurrection of Christ and the glory of God together this weekend! If any of you are looking for a church to attend this weekend in San Diego, I would highly encourage you to visit Lighthouse! We hope to see you there!

Soli Deo Gloria

“Knowledge of God without knowledge of man’s wretchedness begets pride, and knowledge of man’s wretchedness without knowledge of God begets despair, but knowledge of Jesus Christ furnishes man knowledge of both simultaneously. ” (William Lane Craig, summarizing Pascal’s Pensees)

by Cesar Vigil-Ruiz

Feliz Friday! This week, different sources continued to produce great output for us believers in this dark world. With that said, here are this week’s links.

• The Oxford English Dictionary has announced their word of the year: selfie. Nathan Eshelman has a concise and pointed diagnosis of the urge to take selfies.
• Michael Kruger has begun a series responding to professors who no longer believe in inerrancy, with a contributory piece from Professor Greg Beale, one of the leading defenders of inerrancy contra Peter Enns. His response was to Enns’ interpretation of 1 Corinthians 10:4 about Paul’s mention of the rock that accompanied the Israelites during the wilderness period.
• For anyone who participated, or plan to participate, in the ALS ice bucket challenge, I’d recommend this important FAQ for you.
• The events at Ferguson have brought a flurry of responses from many. A sane and helpful perspective comes from former law enforcement officer, pastor, and police chaplain Tony Miano, with his provocative post, “Why Many Police Officers Won’t Enter the Doors of Your Church, Pastor.” At The Cripplegate, seeing riots from a biblical perspective brought back John MacArthur’s message from 20 years ago during the L.A. riots. Much wisdom to glean here.
• Here’s a telling insight in understanding God’s sovereignty from the life of Job. Do we “blame God for evil?”
• Richard Dawkins tweeted that it would be immoral of one who, upon learning their child has Down’s Syndrome, would not abort him or her, given the choice. Much (digital) ink has been spilt in response to Dawkins, but I thought Clinton Wilcox gave some good rebuttals to Dawkins, including Dawkins’ follow up article. Here’s part 1 and part 2
• Summer’s almost over and schools are starting again. Sammy Rhodes from Desiring God published an article sharing what he believes six things every freshman should know.
• Don Whitney gives some wisdom for how to view the workplace, no matter where you are, or how (dis)content you may be.

That’s all for this week! Make much of Christ this weekend, and look forward to celebrating the resurrection of Christ on Sunday with one another!

Soli Deo Gloria

“Faith without some doubts is like a human body without any antibodies in it. People who blithely go through life too busy or indifferent to ask hard questions about why they believe as they do will find themselves defenseless against either the experience of tragedy or the probing questions of a smart skeptic.” (Tim Keller, The Reason for God, xvii.)

by Cesar Vigili-Ruiz

Feliz Friday! It’s been one busy week, with all of the output for this week’s links. There are lots to go through, so here we go!

• Logos is giving away R.C. Sproul’s Surprised by Suffering. We also highlighted this book in the Weekly Links from two weeks ago. Get it while you can!
• John Knight at Desiring God asks a straightforward question to all men: “Men, Are You Settled on the Issue of Abortion?” I’d highly recommend thinking through this issue now, before the situation ever presents itself to you. Amy Hall at Stand to Reason gives a very thought-provoking post on the moral confusion that is inherent within pro-abortion arguments.
• Though I made mention of Andreas and Margaret Kostenberger’s post on gender last week, I didn’t realize they were interviewed on the Crossway blog previously on their new book God’s Design for Man and Woman: A Biblical-Theological Survey. They also wrote concerning the false notion that the Bible portrays a patriarchal bias, which feminist scholars themselves would reject as being reflective of the biblical narrative and teaching. They then make mention of the limited use of the word ‘complementarian’ to describe the biblical position of manhood and womanhood portrayed in Scripture, since there is more to this view than this term lets on.
• The Peacemaker blog highlighted an article that describes a situation we’ve all experienced: the mom at a grocery store whose baby is crying up a storm. A principle that was emphasized is thinking about “the moment before.” In other words, what could have happened that led up to this moment? This segues to an article Ken Sande wrote that discourages our natural inclination of critical judgments and promotes charitable judgments. This is peacemaking gold, and we would all be the better if we consider its implications for our lives. Nathan Busenitz reminds us of Jeremiah Burroughs’ wisdom in how to handle situations when others wrong you.
• Ever wondered why Christians should read the Bible every day? Dane Ortlund answers with some solid reasons.
• For what’s it worth, here’s a quick modesty checklist (comes with links focused on the issue).
• Matt Perman highlights Al Mohler’s book The Conviction to Lead by mentioning the two cultures of modern Christian leadership: the believers and the leaders. Makes me want to read the book again! Hopefully a book review will be forthcoming.
• For the ladies, another post from True Woman looks to be a source of encouragement: “Navigating the Undefined Relationship.”
• John MacArthur addresses some misconceptions concerning church discipline at the Grace to You blog. Good reminders for every believer.
• An ethical issue that has come up in the news over the years has been the issue of surrogacy, the act of carrying a child in the womb for someone else. Recently, Jennifer Lahl from the Center of Bioethics and Culture was interviewed concerning surrogacy in light of her recent documentary Breeders: A Subclass of Women? which deals primarily with this issue. Former co-host of The View, Sherri Shepherd has been in the news regarding this very issue, and Lahl wrote of the mess our culture is currently in. We need to pray for our moms, as well as families that have participated in this.
• Mike Riccardi over at The Cripplegate has a great post with recommendations of gospel tracts that actually present the gospel in a clear and faithful way. He even has book recommendations on evangelism. Don’t miss this!
• Reformed Theological Seminary President and New Testament professor Michael Kruger is beginning a new series of posts on dealing with difficult passages of Scripture, contending with biblical scholars about contradictions and historical errors they believe invalidate the inerrancy of Scripture. Andrew Wilson gets a head start. Don’t forget Kruger’s series on 10 misconceptions about the New Testament canon and 10 basic facts about the NT canon that every Christian should memorize.

That’s all for now! Looking forward to worshiping God together as He truly deserves to be this Sunday!

Soli Deo Gloria

“Pastors are there for their people. They are in the midst of all of their parishioners’ emotional strains and successes. This is the best thing pastors can do. Nothing I say from here on will diminish that role. Pastors as apologists have the best apologetic in their very presence, and that is a unique privilege (Ravi Zacharias, Is Your Church Ready? Motivating Leaders to Live an Apologetic Life)

by Cesar Vigil-Ruiz

Feliz Friday! It’s been awhile, and although we may have missed some really exciting stuff, here are this week’s links!

• What does the morality of a Christian who supports the legalization of same-sex marriage (SSM) look like? According to sociologist Mark Regnerus, it isn’t that far off the national population average. In a survey conducted earlier this year, Regnerus had a number of moral statements listed, asking different groups (Christians who opposed SSM, Christians who were for, ”gay” Christians, and non-Christians) whether they agree or disagree with each statement. The results are revealing, even though Regnerus points out that he doesn’t believe supporting SSM causes you to accept the other statements in the survey. Worth looking into.
• James White recently debated Bob Enyart on open theism. Open theism is the belief that God does not know the future, primarily because the future does not exist, and is actually learning along with us, in order to allow the free will of human beings. There’s a lot more to it than that, and even Enyart has a certain twist to it, but if you have ever encountered such a view, this would be good to watch. Dr. White is one of the few who engages in debates as a faithful representative of evangelical Christianity, and does so to purposely glorify God and edify the saints. Don’t miss out.
• Speaking of Dr. White, with the recent surge of ISIS attacks that have been plastered all over the news, he has a helpful message that will help us communicate the love we are to have with Muslims in understanding what they believe and being clear with them about what we believe. Also, Joe Carter provides some fact-checking for ISIS and the claim that they are beheading children.
• Ann Coulter said some controversial statements (an understatement), but this one is said at the expense of those who travel far to serve the least of these. Matt Perman and Al Mohler respond. A perfect example of Proverbs 18:17 in action.
• J.D. Greear has a list of 26 ways to live provocatively (not dress provocatively) at work that looks very practical and doable.
• Ben Holloway has written about a tactic Christians can use in answering objections that many don’t know about: spotting the assumption(s) behind an objection. In the same vein, Choosing Hats reminds us that the presuppositional apologetics involves two steps in defending Christianity, not one.
• Don Whitney has written a great work on the spiritual disciplines for Christian living called Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life. Tim Challies recently posted a portion of the book in relation to why we must memorize Scripture, starting today. Here’s Challies review of the book, and an interview Don Whitney did on the new edition, which includes what he added.
• With the recent passing of famous actor Robin Williams, the church has been very compassionate and helpful in pointing to resources that help us deal with loss. Desiring God has done just that with their links and recommendations on how to deal with the loss of a loved one. Nancy Guthrie has written an article in Ligonier Ministry’s Tabletalk about ministering to grieving parents.
• Andreas and Margaret Kostenberger have five things to avoid when teaching/discussing the topic of gender from Scripture. Gain insight and heed their warnings.
• I may be linking to this against my better judgment, but CBMW has a post commending Jane Austen’s writings to men. Let’s just say, this got me thinking (don’t expect me to devour Pride and Prejudice just yet; I’m more open to talking about it now).
• Remembering Pastor Nigel’s message on expository listening, here’s a post that complements that message well: “Your Role in Expository Preaching”.
• A common objection to same-sex “marriage” is expressed: “How will gay marriage impact your marriage?” Denny Burk has a good response that lays out the real issue this brings to biblical and traditional marriage. Another one has to do with the claim that the Bible does not condemn homosexual orientation, since that is not identified as sin in Scripture. Jared Moore interacts with this very oft-cited claim.
• Here’s a question I think all of us would be the wiser for contemplating: “Do you like being alone with your thoughts?”
• Here’s another post interviewing Mack Stiles about his new book on evangelism.

That’s all for now! Please remember to pray for the youth retreat this weekend, as well as the member’s meeting Sunday night, and also members who have been saying goodbye for various reasons. Let us continue to love one another (including before, during and after Sunday service) in the hope that many will see that we are disciples of Christ.

Soli Deo Gloria

“Just as the sinner’s despair of any hope from himself is the first prerequisite of a sound conversion, so the loss of all confidence in himself is the first essential in the believer’s growth in grace.” (A.W. Pink)

By Cesar Vigil-Ruiz

Feliz Friday! The productivity of believers has been enormous this week, and so, put on your seat belts, and let’s go!

• What is the difference between the PCA and PCUSA? Joe Carter gives a comparison list that may be helpful for us to pay attention to, in case you ever wondered what the differences are (and there are many).
• Have you ever heard Muslims claim that Muhammad is prophesied in the Bible? I remember going to an Islamic campus group my freshman year in college, and the presentation was focused solely on that. Since it was the first time I had heard about it, I have always been on the lookout for articles/debates/lectures that deal with this common claim. Here’s a lecture that gives an in-depth refutation of Muhammad prophesied in the Bible, in case you meet a Muslim, and the conversation turns this direction.
• Single Life has just finished going over a series of messages from 1 Peter, whose main theme is suffering. If you want to reinforce what was learned, over at Desiring God, one of their writers wrote on preparing for the storms of life.
• In this week’s Wednesday’s Word, Paul Tripp focused on one quality that the apostle Paul says helps us to “walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called,” (Ephesians 4:1): forbearance. He has a way of getting to the heart of the matter quickly, and we are much the better for it. This is a subject that can find application today.
• Bryan DeWire has a timely reminder that the things we say, type, or text should be done with 1 Timothy 4:12 in mind. This is the kind of reminder I need, even in commenting on the links I’ve been able to share with you. Remember that your next conversation is an opportunity to bless others, and not curse.
• Stand to Reason highlights recent news that polyamorists (people involved in relationships of three or more) are now coming out, seeking acceptance from society. This article comes in the wake of rulings that are favoring same-sex ‘marriages.’ They link to previous posts that laid out the implications of redefining marriage away from the union of a man and a woman to an intense love and care for another, irrespective of gender.
• Going through premarital has been both a blessing and hard work (you thought I was going to say, ”curse,” didn’t you?), and I have really enjoyed learning some marital wisdom from our pastor. In that same vein, Mark Altrogge gives four of the best pieces of marital advice he has ever heard. I think this will go a long way for what I hope to accomplish in my marriage. Bookmarking this one.
• In light of the World Cup, Jesse Johnson finds a helpful analogy of defense and offense for how we should live as believers in this fallen world, and it doesn’t involve going for the draw.
• Do you long to be part of a church that has a culture of evangelism in its ranks? If not, this article (http://www.9marks.org/blog/eight-longings-culture-evangelism) may whet your appetite.
• Desiring God has a post on the history of missions and revival, from the time of Jonathan Edwards to the present, and some soul-searching questions for us to ask. This would be good for us to read and pray through.
• Michael Kruger writes his last post reviewing Bart Ehrman’s new book How Jesus Became God–The Exaltation of a Jewish Preacher from Galilee, focusing on a flawed argument that many critics of Scripture use, and believers would be wise to notice and point out these things the next time we’re subjected to this.
• How do parents begin to talk to their kids about gender in this world where gender is now seen as fluid and not fixed? This may be the earlier talk to have with your kids than what was previously the talk in generations past.

That’s all for this week! Looking forward to seeing you all on Sunday for corporate worship of our Lord and FITS!

Soli Deo Gloria

Unless there is an element of risk in our exploits for God, there is no need for faith (Hudson Taylor)

by Cesar Vigil-Ruiz

Feliz Friday! There is much to get in for this week’s links, so I won’t keep you any longer. Read on!

• As Christians, one of our disciplines involves reading Scripture on a regular basis. With the advent of the Accelerated Reading program set in schools nationwide, the Bible is claimed to be at a 10th grade reading level. With this in mind, Aimee Byrd challenges us to evaluate our comprehension of books (Scripture included) by reading above our designated reading level. We shouldn’t be believers who dislike reading. She also includes posts related to this one that gives good advice on how to plough through a book. May we all heed the need to read.
• Tim Challies has written a nice summary of how to make a case against abortion, and what it involves, including answering a few objections. This is definitely the right place to start in understanding the issue.
• Since the radio is a dispenser of daily doses of emotion-filled (above and beyond truth-filled) music and lyrics, Ryan Hoselton has written a case study of the difference between a popular song’s worldview (Pharrell’s song, Happy) and a biblical view of happiness. You might be in for a surprise at where the differences lie.
• The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary has introduced the opening of the Jenkins Center for the Christian Understanding of Islam recently, which highlights the necessity of training future pastors in providing a Christian apologetic for the second largest world religion. You can also find a link to an article Al Mohler wrote contrasting the Christian and Muslim worldview, and some quick facts on Islam. This is one to bookmark.
• Eric Davis at The Cripplegate provides 11 lessons he’s learned since planting a church five years ago. In part two, he adds another 24 lessons. This is really good stuff, and worth spending time slowly reading through it.
• Looking for some good reads this summer? Head over to Karen Prior’s list of classic literary works that will challenge the thinking Christian.
• What does it look like to raise daughters in this day and age? Seems to be the same as previous generations, according to a mother of two adult daughters. I was surprisingly thankful for this article, and think you will be, too.
• What encouragement can you give to someone in the church who is currently sick? Pastor Jeremy Walker has some wise advice that I believe the church needs to hear. If you want to spend more time reading up on this issue, I highly recommend the thoughts Brian Croft lays out in his many posts on visiting the sick. He even wrote a book about it called Visit the Sick: Ministering God’s Grace in Times of Illness.
• Pastor Walker wrote a very succinct post on how to seek reconciliation with others, and not let things fester. Broad, but the general principles of peacemaking are laid out very nicely for us all to pay attention to.
• Since Kevin DeYoung has come out with a new book on the sufficiency of Scripture (Taking God at His Word: Why the Bible is Knowable, Necessary, and Enough, and What That Means for You and Me), Westminster Bookstore had a recent book launch event, which involved two talks given by DeYoung, and two conversations with the author and other pastors and scholars. You can watch or listen to the event. Don’t pass this one up.
• At the Gospel Coalition blog, an article was posted that tells the story of a deep friendship among two men that shows a love for one another that is reminiscent of the kind of love Scripture calls for.
• Understanding and delving deep into the doctrine of the Trinity takes time and effort. Fred Sanders lays out some theses regarding the revelation of the Trinity in Scripture and biblical history. Very thought-provoking.

That’s all for now! Looking forward to the enjoyment of Christ corporately this Sunday!

Soli Deo Gloria

The word “truth” is a staple in our language and in every language. One cannot imagine a human language lacking the concept of truth. Such a language would never inform anyone of anything: it would lack any intellectual access to reality. No language qua language could be so constrained (although some political and celebrity “discourse” comes close). The idea of truth is part of the intellectual oxygen that we breathe. Whenever we state an opinion, defend or critique an argument, ask a question, or investigate one kind of assertion or another, we presuppose the concept of truth–even if we do not directly state the word, even if we deny that truth is real or knowable (Douglas Groothuis)

 by Cesar Vigil-Ruiz

Feliz Friday! This week went by fast, but not fast enough to miss the links for this week. So here we go!

• Christopher Yuan, professor at Moody Bible Institute and former homosexual, interacts with Matthew Vines’ book, God and the Gay Christian, succinctly dealing with his claims and arguments that are beginning to be used in churches in defense of same-sex relationships. This may be the most concise response I’ve seen thus far, and very faithful to the text of Scripture.
• Because of Vine’s book, some of its arguments have been used recently to change a pastor’s mind, actually arguing for it. Danny Cortez spoke in defense of same-sex marriage, who is a pastor affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention. Al Mohler argues the church will now have to decide which position to take and defend, as there will be an onslaught of inquiry into what churches, as well as individual Christians, believe. There is no third way. James White also specifically responds to Pastor Cortez’s arguments in his sermon, which will be needed for a time such as this.
• Kevin DeYoung has written a thoroughly insightful post on thinking before posting (primarily blogposts, but this applies to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, you name it). I know I’ve had to delete drafts of posts or even comments that I thought would be funny but in the end would most likely be hurtful. This is one post we should all bookmark and read once a month.
• Brad Hambrick has been blogging through his draft of an article on a Christian view of mental illness. He just finished, and made it available for the church. This looks like a resource to turn to many times in the future.
• Michael Kruger continues his review of Bart Ehrman’s newest book attacking the claim that Jesus identified Himself as God. Short, but to the point.
• Moms, what do you do if the little ones interrupt your quiet time? Here’s one mom’s attempt at providing an answer.
• The Council for Biblical Manhood and Womanhood has introduced a new book (free!) called Good: The Joy of Christian Manhood and Womanhood, which has chapters from different authors covering the many cultural trends facing us today, reminiscent of CBMW’s massive Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood. Get it (both!) in PDF or eBook format.
• In light of Father’s Day coming up this weekend, Ryan Anderson again writes an insightful essay on the importance of fathers who raise their children, and how children need both mothers and fathers.

That’s all for this week! We hope God has drawn you all closer to Himself, and look forward to worshipping as a church body this coming Sunday!

Soli Deo Gloria

In popular misconception today, the choice of an apologetical method facing a Bible-believing Christian is between arguing presuppositionally OR appealing to evidences from history and nature in support of Christianity. But that is entirely wrong. Presuppositional apologetics endorses and indeed encourages the use of evidences – but not evidences offered in the “traditional” manner as an appeal to the authority of the unbeliever’s (allegedly) autonomous reasoning. Unbelievers who are self-conscious in their autonomy will usually fight against the force of the “facts” to which we can appeal in favor of the Bible’s veracity. (Greg Bahnsen)

by Cesar Vigil-Ruiz

Feliz Friday! Here’s this week’s links to get you pumped!

• The Biblical Counseling Coalition has continued its series of making its readers aware of different biblical counseling organizations, providing reasons to pursue biblical counseling training. This week, Lily Park of Crossroads Bible College emphasizes the need to provide this kind of training in a multiethnic and urban world. Rob Green and Kirk Fatool of Faith Bible Seminary explain their MA program that seeks to overcome the roadblocks of cost and distance, while being flexible and practical. Kevin Carson of Baptist Bible College and Seminary discusses the seminary’s bachelor’s and masters’ degrees in biblical counseling. Nicolas Ellen writes of the College of Biblical Studies’ desire to award an MA online with a focus on biblical counseling for African-Americans.
• Russell Moore looks back on his marriage and reflects on lessons he’s learned by being married 20 years. I was very comforted by his wise words, and would commend the article to everyone.
• Ray Ortlund provides a list of one another commands that we may not find in the Bible, but unfortunately may find in the church. Ouch.
• Jonathan Leeman provides six principles for youth ministry. There is much wisdom in this short post, and I think people outside of the youth group should spend some time reflecting on this as well. Volunteer staff (or their parents) are not the only ones who should spend time with the youth.
• Sometimes, we need to hear or watch a story of God’s sovereign purposes in the midst of suffering. Adam and Corrie Hull were parents to Brooklyn, a girl with a rare disease that allowed her to live only 118 days. How does a family grieve with hope? Here’s one example.
• Last month, I mentioned a blog series that CBMW started called, “Manhood Marred,” which dealt with the alternative images of “manhood” that people see instead of true, biblical manhood expressed in Scripture. Thus far, they have covered passivity, male chauvinism, the Peter Pan Syndrome, machismo, escapism, individualism, “glorious” sacrifice, and cynicism. This has been a very challenging series, diagnosing the many ways the world (and even Christians) fails to model true manhood. I would invite all men to read (yes, read!) these posts and evaluate your own lives, repent, and adjust accordingly.
• Speaking of reading, David Murray came up with another top 10 list of books, this time for dads. With all of those listed, I don’t think I should wait until I’m a dad to start reading these. He also has one on leadership.
• There has been a recent kerfuffle concerning the doctrine of sanctification, and a believer’s relationship with the law and Gospel. Written a year ago, The Cripplegate posted some common misconceptions about legalism. Mike Riccardi began writing about the Christian’s relationship to holiness, the means of sanctification(how we grow to be more like Christ), and the way that the means leads to growth in Christ. Fred Butler also makes mention of some resources that deal with this new “antinomianism” (against law) view.
• What is evangelism? Mack Stiles gives a succinct definition.
• Ryan T. Anderson pumps out a new article about 6 ways we can support marriage. This stems from a longer article that gets into more detail. #3 and 5 are probably the best parts of that article.
• Alasdair Groves provides some sage wisdom on listening to those you’ve hurt when you apologize. Make sure to store this in your peacemaking toolkit.

That’s all for this week! Mission Bowl is coming up this Saturday for the ladies, so make sure you cheer them on and show some support! See you there at church on Sunday!

Soli Deo Gloria

“[I[n the dark hours of suffering, Christians want more than the assurance that their beliefs are consistent. They draw comfort only from the living Lord himself, from the Spirit whom whom he has graciously given, from a renewed grasp, a felt experience, of the love of God in Christ Jesus (Eph. 3:14-21)….in addition to holding that Christian beliefs are true and consistent, the Christian, to find comfort in them, must learn how to use them.” (D.A. Carson, How Long, O Lord? Reflections on Suffering and Evil, p.20)

by Cesar Vigil-Ruiz

Feliz Friday! Another week to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior. I hope this week has led you closer to our Lord, and pray that these links can help move you in that direction as well. With that said, here are this week’s links!

• Graduation is on the way for many high-schoolers, which means a new stage of life is about to begin for those entering college or even the job market. What are some words of wisdom that they need to hear? Alex Chediak, author of Preparing Your Teens for College and Thriving at College (written for collegians), has choice words that I would encourage both high-schoolers and collegians to heed.
• Some of our former and current LBCSD members have pursued biblical counseling training, and some of you may wonder why it’s necessary. Dr. Jeremy Pierre of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary offers two reasons to consider pursuing a biblical counseling degree. Though he’s partial to SBTS, there are many great programs that are available to get trained in this area. Howard Eyrich of Birmingham Theological Seminary writes about the worldwide impact of biblical counseling through the counselors’ ministry. Robert Jones of SEBTS lays out the importance of being biblically trained to give accurate biblical counseling, citing some common mistakes Christians make in giving counsel. Dr. Wayne Vanderweir of Overseas Instruction in Counseling gives a ministry report of translating some of the best books on biblical counseling to Arabic to be used in Egypt. I don’t believe the series is done yet, so be on the lookout for more to come!
• What books would you recommend a new believer to read in order to grow in evangelism? Though a list springs up in my mind, Pastor David Murray recommends the book of Proverbs as a great place to learn evangelism. Here are eight lessons he learned as a result of his study.
• A single woman writes of her desire to be married, yet satisfied in her singleness. How can this be? Here’s another article on how to deal with sexual desire as a single. I hope these articles are a good start in the right direction for the single lady. May Scripture be the focus of the ladies’ circumstances, and may we all continue to love our sisters in Christ with humility and grace.
• Westminster Theological Seminary recently put out a number of booklets (nine, if you’re wondering) under the titled series “Christian Answers to Hard Questions,” inviting various faculty to respond to various issues like “Did Adam Exist?”, “Was Jesus Really Born of a Virgin?” and “How Did Evil Come into the World?” They also made a number of videos for each booklet, with the authors explaining some of the specific responses that flow from their topic. This looks to be a very helpful series, even if we may not agree on every issue. But it doesn’t hurt to grow in our preparation to give a defense for the hope that is in us. Take up and read (or view).
• How does the Christian worldview affect our role in the workplace? Nancy Pearcey and Paul Henley discuss this issue.
• What does it look like to explain biblical complementarianism (the role of men and women in the church and home) to a woman utterly opposed to the idea? Here’s a sample conversation that may prove beneficial for all who read.

That’s all for this week! Looking forward to Mission Bowl this Saturday and the next, but especially the time we will have to worship God and hear Him speak through the preached word!

Soli Deo Gloria