Below are a collection of links to good reads from this past week, be sure to check them out!
On what makes life good: What Is the Good Life? by Darrin Patrick
Despite the variety of responses, no one associated the good life with being poor, mournful, and meek. But if you asked Jesus that very same question, that’s where he’d start. (click here to read more)
On the recent news about Planned Parenthood and the sale of aborted fetus organs: Planned Parenthood: How Much Longer? by Jonathan Parnell
How much longer, America? How long are we going to let this go on? How many more conversations need to leak? How much more blood must be spilt? How many more body parts must be dismembered, packaged, and sold before we realize this whole thing is a nightmare? God, may it end soon. (click here to read more)
On the joy of following Jesus: The Joy of Discipleship by Jared C. Wilson
We all usually agree that to follow Jesus is to take up one’s cross, to constantly be doing battle against the flesh, to constantly be denying one’s self and resisting temptation and pursuing repentance. This is all hard work. Cross-carrying is not “happy go lucky” stuff. And yet, the love of Christ—love for Christ—for the Christian is seen as a more delightful experience than all the world’s charms and flesh-feedings. (click here to read more)
On dealing with guilt: A Lie Guilt Tells Us by Barnabas Piper
Reality is that everything that needs to be done for us to be close to God has been done, for 2,000 years. Jesus finished it with his death. His resurrection sealed and proved it. (click here to read more)
On marriage and prayer: 6 Bible Passages I Consistently Pray Over My Wife by Sam Bierig
My practice has been to try to take one of these passages each day of the week and use it to give momentum to my prayer for my wife. What a joy and weighty responsibility it is to pray on behalf of our wives! In that spirit, let’s meditate on six different texts… (click here to read more)
First Baptist Church 