Wisdom for Your Weekend is your regular installment of what we’ve been reading (and watching) around the web. Presented to you by Chris Pappalardo, with guidance from Pastor J.D., 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.” While we do not always agree with everything these authors post, we share these resources because we find them challenging and enriching. As we often say around the Summit, when it comes to reading, “Eat the fish and spit out the bones.”
Articles of the Week
Brethren, Pray for Us, Charles Spurgeon. One of our directional elders sent us this encouraging link earlier this week. This is from Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening, the morning of July 7:
This one morning in the year we reserved to refresh the reader’s memory upon the subject of prayer for ministers, and we do most earnestly implore every Christian household to grant the fervent request of the text first uttered by an apostle and now repeated by us. Brethren, our work is solemnly momentous, involving weal or woe to thousands; we treat with souls for God on eternal business, and our word is either a savour of life unto life, or of death unto death. A very heavy responsibility rests upon us, and it will be no small mercy if at the last we be found clear of the blood of all men. As officers in Christ’s army, we are the especial mark of the enmity of men and devils; they watch for our halting, and labour to take us by the heels. Our sacred calling involves us in temptations from which you are exempt, above all it too often draws us away from our personal enjoyment of truth into a ministerial and official consideration of it. We meet with many knotty cases, and our wits are at a non plus; we observe very sad backslidings, and our hearts are wounded; we see millions perishing, and our spirits sink. We wish to profit you by our preaching; we desire to be blest to your children; we long to be useful both to saints and sinners; therefore, dear friends, intercede for us with our God. Miserable men are we if we miss the aid of your prayers, but happy are we if we live in your supplications. You do not look to us but to our Master for spiritual blessings, and yet how many times has He given those blessings through His ministers; ask then, again and again, that we may be the earthen vessels into which the Lord may put the treasure of the gospel. We, the whole company of missionaries, ministers, city missionaries, and students, do in the name of Jesus beseech you.
Nine Things You Should Know About Supreme Court Nominee Brett Kavanaugh, Joe Carter. Since President Trump announced Brett Kavanaugh as his nominee to replace the retiring justice Anthony Kennedy, much ink has been spilt on Judge Kavanaugh’s merits (and flaws). In his usual helpful fashion, Joe Carter captures the essence of the conversation in nine clarifying paragraphs.
Why Do Evangelicals Care So Much About Abortion? Bruce Ashford. One of the Summit elders (and a swell friend), Ashford tackles a thorny issue with clarity and grace. Evangelicals care about abortion not only because the Bible teaches that the unborn are humans made in God’s image, worthy of justice and equality, but also because the abortion industry is harmful for all of the other parts of our society.
Let Precious Moments Pass You By, Greg Morse. With two young children, I (Chris) think of this often. How much of our children’s lives should we attempt to capture via photos or video? On one hand, documenting the fleeting moments of our lives allows us to treasure them; capturing a precious moment can propel us to greater gratitude toward God. But on the other hand, our generation seems prone to over-capture. And in attempting to grasp at every precious moment, we ironically sour many of the moments we are so keen to save.
An Open Letter to the Man Struggling to Form Deep Friendships, Drew Hunter. Our culture is experiencing what Hunter calls a “friendship famine.” Sure, most of us have more acquaintances than our parents and grandparents did. But studies consistently show that close relationships are plummeting in the West. What’s to do? Hunter offers five eminently practical suggestions.
On the Lighter Side
Short-term Mission Trips: A Cautionary Tale, The Chalmers Center. Not gonna lie: We could use a little more “Viking Battle School” (VBS) around these parts.
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