YOUR SATURDAY SEVEN

This has been perhaps my favorite week thus far for reading! These articles are going to be an encouragement to you! Enjoy Your Saturday Seven!

1. HARD TO OFFEND, EASY TO PLEASE. How Love Hopes All Things.

By: Matt Smethurst

This is a crushing article by Matt Smethurst. I have recently begun the journey with our Deacons at church through Matt’s book on Deacons. This article is an excellent read and I highly encourage you to read this one! A quick excerpt, “A mature believer is someone who excels in encouragement, in giving the benefit of the doubt, in being hard to offend and easy to please. The posture of Christian love is not skeptical — shoulders back, arms crossed, watching for failure. Instead, it leans in, arms open and ready to cheer, eager to see a fellow believer succeed.”

2. EVANGELISM, THE CHURCH, AND EARLY CHRISTIAN ETHICS.

By: Nathan Williams

Nathan Williams writes an excellent article. Here is a quick excerpt for your interest. I hope it draws you in. About a 6 minute read! “Each choice we make wears grooves in our character that makes it easier or harder to make the right decision next time. Beyond decisions, these grooves make up our character qualities, or our virtues or vices.”

3. SPIRIT-POWERED DISCERNMENT.

By: Dr. John MacArthur

This is an excellent article – about a 3-4 minute read. Being in Acts 20 quite a bit lately, I am encouraged by the truth in the article! He writes, “Discernment flourishes only in an environment of faithful Bible study and teaching. Note that in Acts 20, when Paul was leaving the Ephesian elders, he warned them about the deadly influences that would threaten them in his absence (Acts 20:28-31). He urged them to be on guard and on the alert. How? What safeguard could he leave to help protect them from Satan’s onslaughts? Only the Word of God: “And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified” (Acts 20:32).”

4. A FAITHFUL 4TH, PATRIOTISM, NATIONALISM, AND CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP.

By: Josh Hershberger

As we move forward into the 4th of July this article from our friend Joshua Hershberger is an excellent message for the church to consider. Every pastor is likely wrestling through this topic of dual citizenship and Josh does an excellent job of contributing to the overall conversation in this article. No glimpse provided, I encourage you to take the time to read yourself. I trust that it will give you some encouragement rounding into Sunday!

5. IS CHRIST ENOUGH FOR YOU?

By: Augustus Nicodemus

What an awesome truth to know that we do not need to be a part of a secret society or a special group of people who have some secret knowledge or means of knowing the truth. Even more, there is nothing more than Christ alone who provides all that we could ever need! “By daily communion with Christ through the means of grace, we find full satisfaction for all our needs. This satisfaction enables the Christian to serve God here in this world with a heart full of fervor and dedication. A happy heart in Christ empowers the believer to overcome sin and dedicate himself entirely to the service of his Lord and Redeemer.” Interesting name by the way!

6. AN INTERVIEW WITH ED LITTON.

By: Jonathan Howe

You have likely heard by now of the firestorm that new SBC President Dr. Ed Litton has brought to the social media world. Whether you agree or not with his choices, this episode will give you more information from Litton himself. Again, you may disagree heavily with his approach or not but at least you can hear it from him as he presented it with Jonathan Howe on Friday on the “SBC This Week” podcast. Take a listen for yourself.

7. YOUR FRIDAY FIVE.

By: Dr. David L. Allen

Dr. Allen provides an excellent list of articles yesterday on his, “Your Friday Five.” I encourage you to read those articles that he has combined, especially his second one by Jarod Wilson entitled, “Preach with Kindness.” While you are at it, I encourage you to subscribe or follow Dr. Allen’s blog for some of the best-compiled articles each week!