Best of the Week for September 25

In Best of the Week we link to a handful of the best articles, videos, books, etc. that we have come across in the last week. We hope this will point you to some of the right places and give you gospel-rich tools and thoughts for life and mission.

Kaepernick, Speech, and a Job: The Cleat May Soon be on the Other Foot

“Simply put, do we really want to force people to lose their jobs because we disagree with them?” and “Yes, this is unpopular speech, but it is worth remembering that Christians have some unpopular speech as well.”

This weekend was a pretty powerful statement from NFL teams about remarks President Trump made last week; remarks that, while honest and allowed, were mostly inflammatory in their nature. It has brought an ongoing discussion in the sports world firmly into the national spotlight, and we would do ourselves a lot of good to slow down, post less, listen, think with empathy, and then respond with compassion, kindness, and boldness. This article will help you with that.

3 Ways Self-Condemnation Steals Your Joy

“Self-Condemnation makes you gospel-forgetful.”

That statement about sums it up, and this article goes into a little more detail about what that looks like in your life. She closes with three simple, but powerful ways to fight self-condemnation.

When You Don’t Need God’s Guidance

“Not only do these temptations not pose a problem of guidance, but they may, if persisted in, even cause an absence of guidance. A realization of guidance is dependent on concurrent obedience to God’s revealed will.”

This article is relatively short, but powerful. It speaks to when we need God’s guidance, when we don’t, and why we may not be getting it. If we are really the people of Jesus, we DO need his guidance, and our lives are not our own, so seeking that guidance is at the top of our priority list. Right?

What To Do If You’re Chronically Frustrated at Church

“Furthermore, the nature of social media is predominantly negative, conditioning us to view the world through the lenses of grievance and complaint. We naturally bring these lenses to bear in how we see our church.”

To be clear, I don’t hear complaints all that often. So this isn’t a response to anything. It’s a good, helpful, preemptive reminder of how easy it is to be discontent. While at times there are things that need to change, if we are constantly thinking that, maybe the issue isn’t with the church (and honestly, I’m not immune to those kinds of thoughts or seasons).

Exploring the Bible (A Book for Kids)

“Murray says it ‘Will act as your leader, map, and compass to the Bible. It won’t take you to every part of the Bible, but it will take you to the main peaks and give you an all-round view of its beautiful landscape. At times we’ll slow down and look at some parts more closely. Other times, we’ll speed up in order to get to the next major mountain peak in the Bible’s story. By the end of a year, you’ll have learned skills to help you explore the Bible on your own with safety and success.'”

I have not yet read this, but Tim Challies is a trusted writer, and I am excited to check this out personally for our family.

Clear the Stage

Jimmy Needham is great. If you haven’t checked out his music, you should. It’s incredibly rich in gospel lyrics. This song is a good start.

Video Credit: Desiring God

Have a good week.

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