Here is a collection of good reads gathered from across the internet this past week. Enjoy!
On battling sin by imagining the greater joys: Imagine Your Way to Joy by Bryce Young
However, dismissing the imagination from the Christian life will neither save us from sin nor help us grow in righteousness. In fact, all hope of putting off the old man and putting on the new rests in a God-given, Christ-purchased, Spirit-empowered redemption of the imagination. What does “the new man” look like? We are given many details, but without the imagination, application is impossible. We know that the new man puts on kindness (Colossians 3:12), but one can only live out that kindness after the imagination has painted some concrete mental picture of the virtue. (click here to read more)
On things to pray for your marriage: Ten Great Prayers for Every Marriage by Ron Edmondson
Dear Lord, help us to love each other unconditionally. Dear Lord, allow us to respect one another in an empowering way. Dear Lord, teach us how to complete each other, building us into one unit You design. (click here to read more)
On the importance of taking part in a church gathering: Seven Reasons Not to Skip Church by Garrett Kell
The New Testament pattern of church life is that believers come together on the first day of the week to worship and serve the Lord, and that they regularly sit together at the Lord’s Table to remember His death on their behalf (1 Corinthians 11; 1 Corinthians 16:2; Hebrews 10:24-26). Consistent with that established pattern, church members ought to voluntarily commit to regularly attend services at the church. Faithful church attendance does not earn salvation, nor does it act as a measure to rate spiritual greatness over and against other people. It does, however, reflect a growing commitment to the gospel, the good of the church community, and spiritual health. (click here to read more)
On Starbucks cups and real persecution: You Are Not Being Persecuted by Jess Novello
I am especially bothered by these claims of persecution in light of what is happening to our Christian brothers and sisters all over the globe. Every month, three hundred and twenty-two Christians are killed for their faith and seven hundred and seventy-two acts of violence are committed against Christians because of their faith. These acts of violence can include physical abuse, rape, beatings, false imprisonment, etc. This is persecution. Starbucks having plain red (okay, ombre…) cups is not the same as being imprisoned for over three years in an Iranian prison for your religion like Saeed Abedini. Persecution is real. It’s happening all over the world. It’s happening right now. It is brutal, terrible, horrific, and devastating. But, it is not happening at the hand of Starbucks or their red cups. (click here to read more)
On fear and faith: Afraid of Faith by Paul Tripp
Here’s the conclusion I’ve come to: no matter how theologically trained my brain is, my heart is still prone to forget. So once more today, I will remind myself of the truths of the Bible, not because my brain needs to be taught a new concept, but because my wandering heart needs to be ushered back into the throne room of grace. (click here to read more)
First Baptist Church 