(1) Outspoken atheist Christopher Hitchens died last night at the age of 62. A statement from Vanity Fair said that he died Thursday night at a cancer center in Houston of pneumonia, a complication of his esophageal cancer. Doug Wilson has written an interesting obituary here.

(2) Three quotes on Arminianism (not for the feint of heart):

“I do not serve the god of the Arminians at all; I have nothing to do with him, and I do not bow down before the Baal they have set up; he is not my God, nor shall he ever be; I fear him not, nor tremble at his presence… The God that saith today and denieth tomorrow, that justifieth today and condemns the next… is no relation to my God in the least degree. He may be a relation of Ashtaroth or Baal, but Jehovah never was or can be his name.” – C.H. Spurgeon

“They are Arminians to a man; they deny the absolute sovereignty of God, his eternal choice of an elect people, and that Christ bore their sins only. They deny the total depravity of man, for they insist that he possesses a free will and can accept Christ and besaved by a decision of his own; thus directly repudiating God’s word,as found in John1:13; 6;44; 8:36; Rom 9:16, and other passages. And where any teacher or preacher is unsound on these basic truths, no confidence must be placed on him on any other subject. If he is all wrong at the foundations, his superstructure is bound to be faulty.” – A. W. Pink, Letter to Lowell Green August 19, 1934

“A “god” whose will is resisted, whose designs are frustrated, whose purpose is checkmated, possesses no title to Deity, and so far from being a fit object of worship, merits nought but contempt.” – A. W. Pink

Having said that, while the doctrines of Arminianism are to be rightly despised, maturity and balance is needed concerning how we view Arminians. See this article here, and this one here.

(3) Once again, Ligonier has some excellent deals today in this week’s $5 Friday sale. The online sale starts at 8 a.m. EST and goes on for 24 hours or until items are sold out. Check out the $5 Ligonier sale here.

(1) Thanks for all the interest and prayers regarding my new book “Twelve What Abouts”. I have been getting some very encouraging feedback from those who have read the manuscript. I have also been grateful for the very helpful suggestions they have provided. It is due to be published in e-Book form the first week of January, 2012. I trust it will be a real blessing to people.

(2) Sitting down can kill – born premature, and weighing only 3 lbs 9 oz. She is in critical condition and her little heart stopped beating several times last night. She needs a real healing touch from the Lord.

(4) “What are the ‘doctrines of grace’ and why do they matter? Such is like asking, “What does the Bible teach about the very heart of the gospel, and does it matter one way or the other?” The doctrines of grace are the biblical teachings that define the goal and means of God’s perfect work of redemption. They tell us that God is the one who saves, for His own glory, and freely. And they tell us that He does so only through Christ, only on the basis of His grace, only with the perfection that marks everything the Father, Son, and Spirit do. The doctrines of grace separate the Christian faith from the works-based religions of men. They direct us away from ourselves and solely to God’s grace and mercy. They destroy pride, instill humility, and exalt God. And that’s why so many invest so much time in the vain attempt to undermine their truth.” – James White

(5) Have you ever had a pet you loved? If so, I am sure this article by Randy Alcorn will warm your heart.

(6) Ligonier has some items well worth checking out in their $5 Friday sale. The series on the Cross of Christ and also on the Doctrine of Scripture are particularly recommended. Check out the $5 Ligonier sale here while supplies last.