Here is a collection of good reads gathered from across the internet this past week. Enjoy!
On salvation, pride and humility: When Our Hearts Revert to Self-Reliance by Marshall Segal
Now, we might think anyone who had tasted the real saved-by-grace gospel would spit this back out in seconds. But the Galatians obviously didn’t. Why? Because however wrong the false teachers may have been, their message met a sinful inclination deep inside the human heart: we all secretly love a gospel that relies on us. We love being the hero, or at least a celebrated sidekick. Self-reliance feeds our self-esteem and self-worth. But self-reliance never offers us a real meal, and eventually it can get us killed (spiritually). (click here to read more)
On parenting as your kids grow older: Treasuring the Fleeting Days by Matt Rogers
I can put so much pressure on myself to take advantage of these days that I manipulate the moments rather than enjoy them. My efforts at creating fun for our family often feel like trying to get us to pose for a group picture. In spite of my best efforts, someone is always staring aimlessly into space or crying after being forced to quit having fun so we can take another family picture. I’ve heard the message: dads should work as hard to create fun and joy in their homes as they work on creative endeavors in their jobs or at pursuing their hobbies. I get it. I’m a detail person and wee-bit obsessive, so I’m quick to heed this counsel. Yet, my perfect plan for a day that the family will always treasure is short-circuited every time. About ten minutes into the perfect day, someone needs to be disciplined, another kid blows out a diaper, and the other two think my plan is dumb in the first place. I must learn that memories are made in the chaos of life and not when my plan is executed to perfection. (click here to read more)
On the joy of the Christian life: The Attitude and Latitude of Christ’s Kingdom by Jared C Wilson
When we have this deep joy, we navigate seasons of suffering and brokenness with both the firmness of faith and the flexibility of it. We are able to confidently say, “This day” — with all its troubles — “is the day the Lord has made; I will rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 118:24) Because we know that the joy is so deep, it will buoy our souls for all eternity. (click here to read more)
On growing in Christ: The Danger of Coasting by Tim Challies
In short, I do not coast toward Christ, but toward self. When I stop caring, when I stop expending effort, when I allow myself to coast, I inevitably coast away from God and godliness. And this is exactly why I am so deeply dependent upon those ordinary means of grace, those oh-so-ordinary ways of growing in godliness—Scripture and prayer, preaching and fellowship, worship and sacrament. The moment those sweet means no longer appeal is the moment I begin to slow. (click here to read more)
First Baptist Church 