Best of the Week for September 11

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.

Rosaria Butterfield and the Nashville Statement

“The 14 articles of the statement speak to our current historical moment, in which both our culture and the people within our churches continue to ask how we should understand gender and sexuality.”

If you’re wondering what The Nashville Statement is, see it here. It has been somewhat controversial in its willingness to say some unpopular things plainly and its timing. But its contents are worth your careful thought as we walk down a road into uncharted cultural territory where it comes to gender, sexuality, and how we relate to others.

And on that topic…

Russell Moore on Sexuality ad Parenting

Bad Things Are Not Good Things

“At Lazarus’s tomb, Jesus didn’t wink to the dead man’s sisters, knowing he would soon be raised. Instead, he wept. Jesus didn’t smile through Good Friday. He cried out ‘My God, my God!’ Christ promises to bring us through suffering and raise us to new life.  But resurrection follows the cross—and there are no short-cuts.”

Life is full of trouble and trials, and God both knows that and allows it. So we must conclude that it is for our good. But that doesn’t mean we can, or should try to, wish, or speak, or “comfort” it away. Sorrow often does last for the night. And joy comes…in the morning.

The Lost Need to See Your Joy

“People want to see somebody who have something so deep, so unshakeable, so indomitable and invincible that when all around their soul gives way, their joy doesn’t give way.”

Along with the previous post, when Satan tries to use life to break us, and when we hope and delight in Jesus in the midst of that, the lost need to see the hope that we have, and then hear about the reason for it.

Simple Ways to Spark a Lukewarm Devotional Life

“At times we wake up with no desire to open the Word. We find to our sorrow that the joy and thrill have given way to cold duty. I know this all too well.”

Tim Challies is acknowledging something we all feel at some point or another, and he offers some really practical ideas to help reignite the fire.

Have a good week.