James Isn’t as Strange as You Think by Brandon Crowe

Do you need help understanding the New Testament letter of James? Brandon Crowe will help you by using Scripture to interpret Scripture—an essential practice in understanding the Word of God. “Don’t stop with these four faces. Look for others as you read through James. See if you can detect how it echoes other Scriptures, and don’t forget to use your Bible’s cross-references. These can point you to a whole host of recognizable faces. James was intimately familiar with Scripture, and the more familiar we are, the better we’ll understand James.”

Why We Gather by Jeremy Howard

Although this is a very short read, I found it incredibly helpful. In an age that often devalues the corporate gathering of God’s people, Jeremy Howard shows the importance of why we gather. “The body of Christ has been designed to live and move. Each member is placed into the body by the Father’s choice (1 Corinthians 1:30), through the Son’s blood (Romans 5:9), with the Spirit’s equipping (1 Corinthians 12:11). The intention of our triune God is for us to participate in the fellowship, showing each other and the world that we belong to Him (John 13:34, cf. 1 John 2:19).”

No Good Deed You’ve Done Will Remain Hidden by Trevin Wax

For Christians, our good works are not filthy rags—despite what many Christians mistakenly claim! Instead, as the Spirit empowers us, we can truly carry out good works. And as we walk in these good works, our gracious Lord takes notice. “But there’s a flip side to this lack of awareness of how deep our sins go. Sometimes, the believers most likely to harp on how sinful we are miss the other side of sanctification, an element of the good news that’s every bit as powerful and life-changing. It’s this: You don’t realize the pervasiveness of Christ’s holiness in you. A Christian living by the Spirit does far more good than he or she even realizes.”

Dear Pastor, Keep This In Mind When There Is “Too Much To Do” by D.A. Carson

D.A. Carson provides eight pieces of advice for living prudent lives when there is simply “too much to do.” Although aimed at pastors, I believe these suggestions apply to all Christians.

Is Christmas a Pagan Tradition by Kevin DeYoung

Some argue that Christmas has pagan origins, but Kevin DeYoung provides compelling reasons to reject this notion. “While we can’t know for certain that this is where December 25 came from—and we certainly can’t be dogmatic about the historicity of the date—there is much better ancient evidence to suggest that our date for Christmas is tied to Christ’s death and conception than that it is tied to the pagan celebrations of Saturnalia and Sol Invictus.”