Wisdom For Your Weekend: your weekly installment of what we’ve been reading (and watching) around the web.
Articles of the Week
Can We Hope Again? Trevin Wax. Our society world seems dominated by tragedy and fear these days. Wax points out that in a moment like ours, we’re tempted to either get distracted or get distressed. But neither option is appropriate for the Christian, who should be so marked by hope that present joys and present sorrows are always seen in the perspective of a glorious future. Beautifully written piece here on a desperately needed topic.
Six Ways to Pray for Politicians You Oppose, Darin Smith. The Apostle Paul never mentioned voting for our political leaders, but he did exhort us to pray for them. Not enough of us pray for politicians whose ideals we don’t share. (Or, if we do pray, it’s in the manner of an imprecatory psalm.) Smith helps us see why praying for even the most ungodly leader is important…and he gives us a few helpful ideas, too.
If He Does Not Love Jesus, He Will Not Love You, Liz Wann. Some clichés ought to be retired indefinitely, either because they aren’t true or they aren’t terribly meaningful. For instance, I (Chris) could go a lifetime without hearing “It is what it is” again and be perfectly content. But other clichés deserve the repetition they get, because they’re true and desperately needed. When it comes to dating, Wann points out that the advice we’ve all heard is actually worth repeating a few more times over: make sure he loves Jesus more than he loves you.
10 Things Every Pastor Likes to Hear from His Church Members, Thom Rainer. It shouldn’t cost you too much to reach out to your pastor this week and say (honestly) a couple of these statements. So speak up: you might just make his week.
Four Reasons We Put Scripture on the Big Screen during Church, Jamie Brown. Maybe you’ve never thought about why we put Bible verses up on projected screens. (Confession: I hadn’t much thought about it before this article either.) There are, in fact, very good reasons behind it. Brown gives four reasons why putting Scripture on the big screen helps people “hear, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest” the Bible.
On The Lighter Side
Help, Lord, the Devil Wants Me Fat! Tim Challies. I (Chris) don’t want to overshadow the hilarity of this book with my own feeble attempt at humor here. Just trust me that this is possibly the greatest book review you’ll ever read, on one of the most bizarre books ever written. Click the link and thank me later.
Wisdom For Your Weekend is presented to you by Chris Pappalardo, with occasional guidance from J.D. Greear. This is our attempt to reflect Proverbs 9:9: “Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning.”
