“Christianity teaches that, contra fatalism, suffering is overwhelming; contra Buddhism, suffering is real; contra karma, suffering is often unfair; but contra secularism, suffering is meaningful. There is a purpose to it, and if faced rightly, it can drive us like a nail deep into the love of God and into more stability and spiritual power than you can imagine…Only when our greatest love is God, a love that we cannot lose even in death, can we face all things with peace. Grief was not to be eliminated but seasoned and buoyed up with love and hope.” (Timothy Keller, Walking with God through Pain and Suffering)

by Cesar Vigil-Ruiz

Feliz Good Friday! We are mournful, yet ever rejoicing that the events leading to the death of Christ not only lead to our salvation, but His glorification! I hope that these links will draw you closer in your walk with our ever-loving Savior. Here are this week’s links!

• This week has been a somber but celebratory week as Christians all over the world are observing Passion Week, in anticipation of Easter this Sunday. In light of this, Justin Taylor has been posting videos discussing each day of the final week of Jesus, every day, leading up to Sunday. Here they are: Sunday-Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. Be on the lookout on his blog for tomorrow and Sunday’s posting.
• The Grace to You blog has been writing a series on the repentant thief on the cross, highlighting his anthropology (view of man) and eschatology (view of the end).
• As is the occasion for Easter, this may be the only time family, friends, and acquaintances will be willing to discuss the topic. Fortunately, some Christian scholars discuss the evidence for the empty tomb to get you familiar with some Easter themes. In the same vein, Sean McDowell interviews Biola professor Tim Muehlhoff on how to communicate winsomely in our deeply secularized culture. Hopefully, both links turn fruitful in your discussions.
• Over at The Cripplegate, pastor Eric Davis writes a healthy introduction to the canonicity of Scripture that will give you a deeper confidence in its inspiration by God. You will not be disappointed.
• What expectations do you bring to a newly-formed friendship? What does a healthy, Christ-centered friendship, look like? How would you answer these questions? Christine Hoover provides some much-needed guidance for the church today in her article on this very neglected theme. Read and apply.
• Have you ever grieved? You probably have, and it may have even led to sin at some point. Paul Tautges, through the reading of Puritan John Flavel, has discovered seven ways grief can turn sinful. Careful with how you grieve, brothers and sisters.
• Ok, I know word got out last Saturday, but it’s worth mentioning that the audio from this years’ Shepherds Conference is now available. Listen now!

That’s all for this week! Please pray for (and invite!) those in your family, as well as friends and co-workers that the gospel will be treasured by them and Christ their true joy. See you tonight (and Sunday)!

Soli Deo Gloria

“I am not contending that grace removes all the allure of sin, but our love for it (which gives sin its power) is broken by the greater love grace produces. This dynamic signals the real power of change in the Christian life: we are ultimately controlled by whatever we love the most…Real change—real power over seemingly intractable patterns of sin and selfishness—comes when Christ becomes our preeminent love. When that happens, all that pleases and honors him becomes the source of our deepest pleasure, highest aim, and greatest effort. We honor him not merely out of duty and resolve—or to keep our distance from an angry God—but because our greatest delight is pleasing the One we love the most. The result is that the joy of the Lord becomes our strength (Neh. 8: 10).” (Bryan Chapell, Unlimited Grace: The Heart Chemistry That Frees from Sin and Fuels the Christian Life)

by Cesar Vigil-Ruiz

Feliz Friday! Spring has come, and so have the links. Here you go!

• John Piper was recently asked if there is a way to climb the corporate ladder at work in a way that honors the Lord. If you’re curious, here’s his response.
• If you have ever been in a conversation with someone about the issue of abortion, chances are your use of the word ‘human’ may not mean the same thing to the other person. How can we get a handle on this topic? Joanna Bai, at Justice For All, articulates a crucial distinction that is usually missed in a lot of dialogue between those on opposing sides. This can be useful in future dialogues, so check it out!
• For parents, your children may be experiencing doubt about the truth of God’s Word, and you’re not sure where to turn or what to do. Jon Bloom at Desiring God lays out seven lessons he’s learned in raising five kids, two of whom are entering adulthood while the other three are entering adolescence. This may be of some help to you to pray and consider.
• Marrieds, have you ever stopped to spend time with the singles in your church? Over at the True Woman blog, Paula Marsteller gives some great advice on how to help (and not hurt) the singles in your midst. This is must reading, and should be applied immediately.
• Does having faith really reduce the risk of divorce? Seems like it, according to Glenn Stanton, though it does not enter into specifics about how the Christian faith uniquely provides a deterrent to divorce. This is one example of how psychological observations can correspond with a biblical worldview.
• With the coming of Easter, criticism is bound to come up by those who reject the truth of the resurrection. One objection is the idea that Jesus’ resurrection was invented by the church at a later point in time, not at the start. Sean McDowell provides four reasons why that just isn’t true. For a good summary of who Jesus is, Impact 360 Institute put out a video that is well worth watching.
• On Biola’s new podcast, “Think Biblically: Conversations on Faith and Culture,” Stephen Meyer is interviewed about the massive tome, Theistic Evolution: A Scientific, Philosophical, and Theological Critique. Very informative and insightful.
• Does the book of Genesis teach about gender and sex? You may be surprised at the answer.
• Ever wondered whether there are arguments for God’s existence? Well, wonder no more. (Caveat: this comes from a self-proclaimed evidentialist apologist, while we would generally subscribe to a presuppositional apologetic. However, I do not see an incompatibility with arguments for God and a Christian worldview, but a complementarity that puts those arguments in its proper context within a biblical framework.)
• As you may have guessed, I have a deep interest in apologetics and biblical counseling, so when I see a combination of the two, I can’t pass up the opportunity to let you know about it. Over at Veritas Domain, Pastor Jim Lee gives a few reasons why those who engage in apologetics should read books on biblical counseling. To that, I give a hearty amen!

That’s all for this week! Please pray for the many flocks that are meeting tonight, that their discussions would be fruitful and the fellowship would deepen their love for God and each other. See you all on Sunday!

Soli Deo Gloria

“Something is incredibly wrong when words that claim to be from God from outside Scripture are more powerful and more affecting to us than the inspired Word of God.” (John Piper, The Satisfied Soul: Showing the Supremacy of God in All of Life)

by Cesar Vigil-Ruiz

Feliz Friday! There’s a good source of links to pass along to you, so let’s get to it!

• Rebekah Merkle asks a very perceptive question: why is the abortion industry run by women?
• Marshall Segal asks a piercing question: are you pretending to be happy?
• The Parkland has brought the gun rights vs. gun control debate back into the media spotlight. One aspect of the shooting that is generally overlooked is the commonality of the mass shooters: fatherlessness.
• Joni Eareckson Tada writes on the impact suicide could have on a community, denying the claim that it will hurt no one. She also writes to her 30-year-old self about running too hard in the race and the benefits of slowing down.
• The death of Stephen Hawking has brought much attention to his life and work. Part of it included his atheist beliefs, and the modern claim that virtually all scientists do not believe in God. Natasha Crain cites the study in ‘support’ of that claim, along with a few others that call it into question.
• Parents, this is a fun article to follow: six ways to teach them history.
• Michael Kruger’s new book, Christianity at the Crossroads: How the Second Century Shaped the Future of the Church, has just been released in the US, and looks to fill a huge gap in the scholarly literature concerning how the early church in the second century set the trajectory for where Christianity has gone and is going. Kruger was recently interviewed for this new release, and I guarantee you will learn a lot from this seminary president and professor.
• Heath Lambert answers questions concerning biblical counseling. It helps hearing from the executive director of the biggest biblical counseling group. Oh, and this is part two of the interview, so don’t miss out on part one!

That’s all for this week! Please pray for the youth and collegians, as they are meeting for Bible study tonight. See you all on Sunday!

Soli Deo Gloria

“Your battle with temptation is ultimately a battle for your faith— specifically, your faith in God as the all-surpassing treasure of your life.” (Bob Bevington, Good News About Satan: A Gospel Look a Spiritual Warfare)

by Cesar Vigil-Ruiz

Feliz Friday! It’s been quite a while since I’ve called a Friday feliz, but it’s time to bring back the habit of providing some help for your growth in Christ with links that I believe will help towards that end. With that, here are this week’s links!

• Ryan Anderson has written a post on the evidence that sex reassignment surgery does not work, explaining the detailed 30-year study conducted in Sweden and its further implications. Joe Carter writes on teen curiosity to self-identify as transgender as well as the triple likelihood they would identify that way in comparison to adults. He discusses the social contagion thesis as a factor in this increasing trend. There is much here to pray for, and be ready to discuss with anyone who asks.
• Joe Carter also has been writing a monthly series of articles on what Christians should know about bioethics. This month, Carter covers abortifacients.
• Apologist and Biola professor Sean McDowell interviews apologist (and mom) Natasha Crain about her recently published book, Talking with Your Kids about God: 30 Conversations Every Christian Parent Must Have. She speaks on the importance of being able, as parents, to answer some of the many questions kids will have as they grow up in this world, and provides a helpful guide to that end. I don’t know if I agree with everything that is written in the book, but these are great questions to tackle, nonetheless. Trevin Wax also addresses how Christian parents can encourage their kids to own their faith as they grow up. Scarlett Clay, a homeschooling mom, sounds a loud warning: homeschooling will not save your kids. Finally, Tim Challies gives some thoughts to the young believer: set an example.
• Is it possible to over- (or under-)think the Christian life? John Piper provides some sound, biblical counsel to point us in the right direction.
• What do you when you are afraid? How can God help you in your times of fear? Marshall Segal writes some very helpful words that points us to the God of the Word. Such a great reminder.
• Apparently, there is a growing trend among teens to engage in vaping. CCEF counselor Julie Lowe gives parents tips in how to communicate well with their teens about this dangerous new hobby.

That’s all for this week! Please be in prayer for our youth and collegians, as they will be meeting for Bible study at church tonight. See you all on Sunday!

Soli Deo Gloria

“Learn much of the Lord Jesus. For every look at yourself, take ten looks at Christ. He is altogether lovely. Such infinite majesty, and yet such meekness and grace, and all for sinners, even the chief. Live much in the smiles of God. Bask in His beams. Feel His all-seeing eye settled on you in love, and repose in His almighty arms. . . . Let your soul be filled with a heart-ravishing sense of the sweetness and excellency of Christ and all that is in Him.” (Andrew Bonar, Memoir and Remains of the Rev. Robert Murray M’Cheyne)

by Cesar Vigil-Ruiz

Feliz Friday! We’ve now come to the end of the week, as well as the school year, and so the Christmas holiday is upon us to be mindful of the love and humility displayed by Christ in His Incarnation. With that said, here are this week’s links!

• Upon R.C. Sproul’s passing last week, Ligonier Ministries has been posting on Renewing Your Mind Radio interviews with various pastors and leaders who worked with him and were close friends to him. Mark Dever and Jonathan Leeman reflect on their memories with Sproul. Pastor Jordan Standridge wrote about his experience at Saint Andrews Church the Sunday following Sproul’s passing, of which he pastored during his last years. If you missed the memorial service from Wednesday, you can view it at a website dedicated to him and his legacy.
• As Christmas is coming near, there are a number of resources that may be of help to you this holiday season. Paul Tripp argues how Christmas is designed to be the ultimate solution to loneliness, begun so long ago by Adam and Eve. Charles Spurgeon prepared his congregation to share their story of God’s saving grace to friends and family during the Christmas season, and his wise counsel ought to be consulted today. Michael Kruger addresses five popular misconceptions about the Christmas story, Al Mohler addresses whether Christians must believe in the virgin birth, and J. Warner Wallace writes five reasons you can trust the story of Christmas is true.

That’s all for this week! See you Sunday on Christmas Eve!

Soli Deo Gloria

“You can grieve for me the week before I die, if I’m scared and hurting, but when I gasp that last fleeting breath and my immortal soul flees to heaven, I’m going to be jumping over fire hydrants down the golden streets, and my biggest concern, if I have any, will be my wife back here grieving.

When I die, I will be identified with Christ’s exaltation. But right now, I’m identified with His affliction.” (R.C. Sproul, A Taste of Heaven)

by Cesar Vigil-Ruiz

Feliz Friday! As Christmas comes upon us, I pray we continue to give thanks to God for the love and care He gives us, and the grace He offers through the fellowship of His saints. With that, I pray these links will serve you in your growth in Christ.

• It is with great sadness to hear of Dr. R.C. Sproul’s passing yesterday, after being in the hospital his last 12 days due to respiratory difficulties worsened by the flu and complicated by chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Founder and former chairman of Ligonier Ministries, former pastor of Saint Andrew’s Chapel in Sanford, FL, former chancellor of Reformation Bible College, he leaves behind his wife of 57 years, Vesta, two children, 11 grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren. He was 78 years old. Chris Larson of Ligonier Ministries gives the initial news on Ligonier’s site, while Ligonier Chairman Robert Godfrey and teaching fellow Stephen Nichols gives a tribute to this great man of God. Al Mohler writes of Sproul’s influence on his own life, as does John Piper. Justin Taylor gives a detailed obituary of his life here on earth. He will be deeply missed by many who knew him, and many more who didn’t. “But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.” (1 Thessalonians 4:13)
• Denny Burk comments on Pope Francis’ desire to change the phrase “lead us not into temptation” to “do not let us fall into temptation.” We would do well to point Roman Catholics to the true and only infallible authority given to the church, the Word of God.
• Jason Engwer at Triablogue gives yet another reason why Christmas apologetics merits discussion: the decrease of Americans’ belief in a Christian view of Christmas. May God grant us opportunities to share Christ’s birth with those who don’t yet know Him.
• Pastor Chris Brauns began a series of messages at his church titled, “Leading Our Emotions Through the Holidays” this month. You can read a summary of his first message, “Leading Our Emotions I – Depression,” which includes a link to the audio.

That’s all for this week! Please be in prayer for our SDSU collegians, as they go through finals through next week, and for our Christmas concert tomorrow! We look forward to continue celebrating the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. See you on Sunday!

Soli Deo Gloria

“The best thing you can do for your marriage is to grow closer to Jesus. The more you understand and appreciate God’s love for you in Christ, the better your marriage will be as you reflect that love to your spouse. A strong marriage in which both partners are showing Christlike love to each other will help both of them to better appreciate God’s gracious love. One reason that a Christian would never want to marry an unbeliever is that a non-Christian does not know the love of Christ and, as a result, is incapable of expressing Christlike love.” (Jim Newheiser, Marriage, Divorce, and Remarriage: Critical Questions and Answers)

by Cesar Vigil-Ruiz

Feliz Friday! Well, another week has passed during this Advent season, so we hope your anticipation of celebrating Christ’s birth has been a great blessing to all of you. With the recent fires, there is much to pray for with respect to our prayers. Let’s continue to ask God to be gracious to those who are affected, and also to use those fighting the fires and end the destruction taking place near our homes. Even during this time, may these links be of help to you and draw you closer to Christ.

• Tim Challies gives three productivity tips that can be of help for you in the new year. You don’t even have to wait until January 1st to get started! Start being productive, to God’s glory, today!
• Since Christmas is coming, and many are thinking of gifts to buy for their loved ones, some may love a good book that helps them grow in Christ. You may not know where to start, but I found a couple lists that may be a timely blessing: Fred Zaspel’s and Tony Reinke’s booklists. Reinke’s includes the occasional charismatic writer (Jack Deere and Sam Storms), so be discerning in what you find.
• There has been a lot of anticipation regarding Jack Phillips’ ‘refusal to bake a cake for a same-sex wedding’ case being taken to the Supreme Court by many Christians, so here’s a great recap from Denny Burk. Al Mohler chimes in as well on his podcast The Briefing.
• The Acts 29 Network has faced a lot of storms in its nearly 20-year existence. Sarah Eekhoff Zylstra writes of the long history, survival, and future of this group of church-planting churches. You will be surprised at some of the problems, and how God has worked in the hearts of many leaders to refocus its heart on planting churches to honor and serve our Lord, Jesus Christ.
• Does calling Jesus Lord have any inherent implications? Pastor Jesse Johnson and New Testament scholar Murray Harris emphatically say, yes! Harris lists out eight. Do you agree with Scripture’s perspective on the matter?
• Crossway has started an eight-day reading challenge this week through the Gospel of Luke and Acts to re-familiarize ourselves to the celebration of Christ’s birth. In case you want to read a devotional for the same reason, you can look no further than John Piper. Here is today’s devotional, with links to the previous entries at the bottom.
• What is the goal of every friendship/relationship? How you answer that question will color the regular interactions you have with those whom you would call, ‘friend.’ Michael Kelley lays out five implications for those kinds of relationship that are defined by the gospel. With this in mind, do you have any gospel-influenced friendships?
• Many children will be receiving gifts this Christmas, but what is one gift everyone would agree kids need? A safe bet would be patience. How can parents cultivate that into their kids? Pastor Scott James gives some solid wisdom, especially in light of the Advent season.
• Andrew Walker gives some practical outworkings of talking to someone who identifies as transgender. There is a lot of food for thought here, but hopefully a lot to pray for, as well.

That’s all for this week! Please be in prayer for our youth, who will be having their Christmas party tonight, and the collegians, who will be having Bible study. See you all on Sunday!

Soli Deo Gloria

“Wisdom, according to the Bible, has nothing to do with how well you did on your SATs, with how many books you’ve read, or with your abilities in logical debate. Wisdom is a different kind of skill. (Notice in Exodus 28:3; 35:25; and 36:1 that skillfulness is the essential meaning of the Hebrew word wisdom.) Biblical wisdom is the skill of pleasing God that comes as a result of a personal, submissive relationship with Him—a relationship that affects every choice in your life.” (Chris Anderson, Joe Tyrpak, Carl Trueman, Gospel Meditations for Prayer)

by Cesar Vigil-Ruiz

Feliz Friday! Well, Thanksgiving has come and is almost gone, so I wanted to share some resources that relate to this holiday and beyond. Enjoy this (special) week’s links!

• Since we are celebrating Thanksgiving this week, here are a few links to share, thanks to the Crossway blog: 10 things to know about Thanksgiving, the connection between thankfulness and joy, nine passages to read on gratitude, the importance of food at Thanksgiving, five readings for your Thanksgiving gathering, and how to eat with gratitude this Thanksgiving.
• Desiring God Ministries shared some of their articles on Thanksgiving over the last few years, and included resources for Advent as well. Good time to start thinking about the first coming of Christ.
• As a way of showing thanks, Ligonier Ministries reminds us of their free Crucial Questions booklets, of which 28 have been written. These are very short answers to common questions Christians have throughout their walks with Christ. Don’t forget R.C. Sproul every year provides a free resource on Thanksgiving that is always worth listening to.
• Julie Lowe at CCEF writes on how to instill gratitude in your family. Parents, this can be a great teaching point for your children.
• Justin Taylor highlights an article by biblical counselor David Powlison called, “Does the Shoe Fit?” on unfair and fair criticism. Anything by Powlison is worth reading.

That’s all for this week! Hope you all are thankful to God for the gift of His Son, and spend this weekend thanking Him most of all. Hope you all can worship the Lord on Sunday!

Soli Deo Gloria

“You gain fluency in a language when you move from merely translating an unfamiliar language into a familiar one to interpreting all of life through that new language. It happens when you can think, feel, and speak in a language. In a sense, the new language becomes the filter through which you perceive the world and help others perceive your world and theirs…Gospel-fluent people think, feel, and perceive everything in light of what has been accomplished in the person and work of Jesus Christ.” (Jeff Vanderstelt, Gospel Fluency: Speaking the Truths of Jesus into the Everyday Stuff of Life)

by Cesar Vigil-Ruiz

Feliz Friday! A number of resources have turned up, and I’m excited to share what I’ve found!

• The Master’s Seminary just came out with their Fall issue, focusing on Christian responses to claims from those who identify as LGBT. Don’t miss their book reviews.
• The Gospel Coalition has announced a new learning platform called TGC Courses, online classes taught by many great scholars in their respective fields on topics as wide as church history, Old and New Testament, apologetics, doctrine, counseling, and more! The ones I’m personally most excited about is ‘Mining God’s Word’ and ‘Theology for Children’ songs. Dive right in!
• Speaking of free courses, Biblical Training has added a course by textual critic Dan Wallace to their Institute called Textual Criticism. This course requires a login to watch the lectures, but I promise it will be worth it!
• There have been a few cases that have been sent to the Supreme Court related to religious conscience that you may have heard about but don’t know much of the details. Kim Colby makes us aware of the three cases that are coming up, and it’s a good summary. Be on the lookout for them in the news, and pray for those involved.
• Listen in as Alasdair Groves talks with David Powlison about psychology. That alone should pique your interest.
• A new book critiquing theistic evolution is coming out at the end of this month called Theistic Evolution: A Scientific, Philosophical, and Theological Critique, edited by J.P. Moreland, Stephen Meyer, Christopher Shaw, Ann Gauger, and Wayne Grudem. Moreland was recently interviewed about the book, and Andrew Naselli gave his initial take on the book last week, but it’s a convenient location to find a 79-page excerpt and a 9-minute video. Check it out!
• Lita Cosner and Dr. Robert Carter write a brief, but extremely helpful article for Christians on the amount of misinformation that exists on the internet, and how to wisely discern what is true from what is false. This should be required reading for any believer who uses the internet.
• Do you sleep less than Jesus? If so, you may need to read this article, then get some sleep, please.

That’s all for this week! Please pray for the youth and collegians as they meet for Bible study tonight. See you all on Sunday (morning and evening)!

Soli Deo Gloria

“What was the message of the Reformation? In essence, the main question asked and answered was: How does a person get right with God? This was the central issue. For Rome, sinners are saved by faithfully adhering to the dogma of the Catholic Church. But when the Reformers began to examine the Bible, they saw that salvation came by God Himself through the gospel of Jesus Christ.” (Nate Pickowicz, Why We’re Protestant: An Introduction to the Five Solas of the Reformation)

by Cesar Vigil-Ruiz

Feliz Friday! It’s time to get your dose of informative links into your life, so here we go!

• The Grace to You blog has been featuring articles that deal with modern-day peddlers of indulgences within the church, including prosperity preachers and conservative pastors who demand tithes is a new covenant mandate. John MacArthur also preached on the issue of being a good steward of what we have.
• Al Mohler addressed the tragedy that took place in Sutherland Springs, TX, giving a Christian perspective on how to respond and the confidence we can have in God even in the midst of evil. With that said, Joe Carter focuses on seven different ways we can prepare our churches against violence.
• A standard claim amongst pro-choice people is that anyone who is against abortion is only so because of their religion, and for no other reason. Patrick Lee and Melissa Moschella argue that science is denied by those who affirm abortion, and point to embryologist’s own statements as verification, and address one obstetrics professor’s objections. This is a helpful article to present to those who truly think no one would be pro-life if the Bible didn’t argue against it.
• Al Mohler continues his series on apologetics by talking about the conviction all Christians have: “God is in charge of the universe.”
• John Piper gives some very sound counsel on how to love God more than entertainment. Marshall Segal point-blank asks the question, “why do you have a phone?” I hope both articles will give you much to think about, friends.

That’s all for this week! Please pray for the youth and collegians, as they meet tonight at church. See you all on Sunday!

Soli Deo Gloria