Once a month, I share a list of Christian resources such as articles, blog posts, sermons, videos, etc. that I found exciting and edifying. I do this to provide you with more content that will inspire your faith and help you grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ. And also to motivate me to discover and learn new things from others.
How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publshes salvation, who says to Zion,”Your God reigns.”
Isaiah 52:7
Articles
40 Things to Give Up For Lent – Michelle Lesley
As a former Catholic who went from religiously observing Lent to not observing it, I found this article quite interesting. I particularly liked the number one thing Michelle said to give up for Lent.
“For many, however, Lent – particularly the aspect of giving something up for Lent in an act of self-denial – is nothing more than an empty religious ritual, or worse, works righteousness. Giving something up for Lent because, “I’m Catholic and that’s what good Catholics do,” or to atone for your sins, or to curry favor with God, or to flaunt your self-righteousness flies in the face of grace alone, faith alone, Christ alone biblical Christianity.”
Six Keys to a Rewarding Digital Detox – Crossway
This article is an excerpt from Competing Spectacles by Tony Reinke. If you have read 12 Ways Your Phone is Changing You and determined you might need better digital habits, this article should help you.
“A digital detox can help direct your gaze away from the digital media glowing on screens and recenter your life on what matters. It is a brief season of life, at least seven days, set aside to intentionally detach from social media, breaking news, video, gaming, and the compulsive magnets that attract our fingertips to our screens. Like all fasting, a digital detox is a way we can disconnect from good things in order to reestablish love for the greatest thing. A digital fast can help us reaffirm that God himself is everything we need.”
Sermons
Do Not Love the World
“Christians are called to be in the world but not of the world. Historically, many have found this a difficult goal to achieve. In this session, Dr. W. Robert Godfrey will explore why the church finds the world so appealing, the biblical warnings against loving the world, and what love of the world tells us about our souls, and he will advise us on how to recognize the ways that we love the world.“
The G3 2020 Conference: Worship Matters
“God saves his people and calls us into a relationship that involves the local church and worship. Although we can worship individually, God calls us to worship corporately and to assemble for the church to worship in song, in His Word, through prayer, and the public reading of Scripture. So, how important are the ordinary means of grace for the individual believer and the local church as a whole? We will gather in Atlanta next January to explore both the theological foundation and the practical implications of worship.”
At the time of this writing, only the first Q&A Session is available on Youtube. However, all the plenary sessions are available on the G3 app, and they are amazing! I highly recommend them!
Music
The Evolution of Saddleback Worship (1980-2020) – David Wesley
I am not a fan of Rick Warren and his church. I didn’t know he wrote songs, and I never heard of any of the songs featured in the medley. But I do enjoy David Wesley’s medley, so I am sharing it.
“This epic 32-song medley was commissioned by Pastor Rick Warren and Saddleback Church to help celebrate the church’s 40th anniversary this year. Songs and chronology selected by Rick Warren.”
