It is a fact of almost universal nature that where there is much money there will also be much laundering.
People fall in private, long before they fall in public. The tree falls with a great crash, but the secret decay which accounts for it, is often not discovered until it is down on the ground.
The corrupting influence of money makes its way to all positions of power. Do not forget behind the semblance of upstanding authority stands the potential for unjust abuses. Systems of accountability for governments must be maintained vigilantly lest the interests of the public are undermined by those with their hands on the inside.
The corrupting influence of money makes its way to all positions of power. Do not forget behind the semblance of upstanding authority stands the potential for unjust abuses. Systems of accountability for governments must be maintained vigilantly lest the interests of the public are undermined by those with their hands on the inside.
If the church gives too little it is because she sees Christ too little.
Never a good sign. (Taken with instagram)
The popular readiness to pronounce upon a subject is often in inverse proportion to its knowledge of it. The judicial “man in the street” is apt to base his opinion of things on his perception of some feature in them which repels or attracts him.
No one is truly Reformed who is not constantly reforming.
Book Review: Joel Beeke, The Family at Church
Yesterday I read Joel Beeke’s, The Family at Church. The book is divided into two parts. The first is on sermons and the second on prayer meetings, expounding the importance of each and how to profit from attending them. The latter portion was especially good, as it related the historical successes which have followed after concerted prayer, along with many biblical proofs for organized prayer. By the end, I felt moved to unite with others more regularly for that purpose. If God should ever make me a minister, I hope to establish many such groups.
Now the cons: I will acknowledge I had a hard time getting into the first fifteen pages or so (out of a diminutive eighty, total). This had to do with my annoyance that, of the first five sentences, four began with the word “Calvin”, without so much as noting why anyone should care what he thought or did. In the first four paragraphs, Calvin must be directly referred to about twenty times. I understand most Reformed people, whom this book is primarily aimed at, already recognize and respect the significance of Calvin’s perspective and practice. However, starting with a 15/1 ratio of “Calvin” to “Christ” for a layperson’s guide to worship does not make it easy to get past cultural stigmas when passing the book along to non-Reformed friends and family. There were other Reformers and Christians who serve equally well in demonstrating historical precedents, and conjuring Calvin every time (in my opinion) weakens your case. Still, once past this gripe, the book was edifying and useful.
Verdict: I recommend it primarily for the latter half.
The Glory of Christ, by John Owen
Just finished reading John Owen’s, The Glory of Christ. Every time I read Owen, I want to raise him from the dead and kiss his face; precious few are such gems of a soul who, rather than being turned into stalagtites by immense study, refract all the more with praise for Christ and love for neighbor.
ISBN-10: 0851516610
