Historic Havelock: Staying power stems from small-town feel
The Journal Star had a really nice article featuring the historic Havelock neighborhood last week.
Why We Talk About Sin
The late John Stott in Confess Your Sins:
We are not in the least ashamed of the fact that we think and talk a lot about sin. We do so for the simple reason that we are realists. Sin is an ugly fact. It is to be neither ignored nor ridiculed, but honestly faced. Indeed, Christianity is the only religion in the world which takes sin seriously and offers a satisfactory remedy for it. And the way to enjoy this remedy is not to deny the disease, but to confess it.
Sin, Confession, and Community
In confession there takes place a breakthrough to community. Sin wants to be alone with people. It takes them away from the community. The more lonely people become, the more destructive the power of sin over them. The more deeply they become entangled in it, the more unholy is their loneliness. Sin wants to remain unknown. It shuns the light. In the darkness of what is left unsaid sin poisons the whole being of a person. This can happen in the midst of a pious community. In confession the light of the gospel breaks into the darkness and closed isolation of the heart. Sin must be brought into the light. What is unspoken is said openly and confessed. All that is secret and hidden comes to light. It is a hard struggle until the sin crosses one’s lips in confession.
– Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together
“One Anothers” Not in the New Testament
We started a new sermon series today in which we’ll be taking a look at a number of the “one anothers” found in the New Testament. As I was doing some reading and research in anticipation of the new series, I ran across the following list of “one anothers” not found in the Bible by Ray Ortlund:
Sanctify one another, humble one another, scrutinize one another, pressure one another, embarrass one another, corner one another, interrupt one another, defeat one another, sacrifice one another, shame one another, judge one another, run one another’s lives, confess one another’s sins, intensify one another’s sufferings, point out one another’s failings . . . .
The Churchgoing Evangelical Vote Split
Justin Taylor via Twitter:
The churchgoing evangelical vote will be split along three lines: #NeverTrump, #NeverHillary, and #NeverTrumpNeverHillary.
— BetweenTwoWorlds (@between2worlds) May 9, 2016
.@ThabitiAnyabwil is in the first category of #NeverTrump https://t.co/mqX3dBDcdg
— BetweenTwoWorlds (@between2worlds) May 9, 2016
Fred Zaspel (along with many evangelicals over the age of 50) is in the second category of #NeverHillary https://t.co/WQGWTTKQAe
— BetweenTwoWorlds (@between2worlds) May 9, 2016
I (along with many younger evanglicals, as a matter of conscience) would be in the third category of #NeverTrumpNeverHillary
— BetweenTwoWorlds (@between2worlds) May 9, 2016
Super-Abounding Grace
Sinclair Ferguson in his book, Man Overboard: The Story of Jonah:
We would be foolish to think that anything God ever says or does means that we can treat sin lightly. But, when his children return to him in true evangelical repentance, accepting his chastisements and humbling themeselves before him, they should hang on firmly to the knowledge that God is able to make his name a praise among the nations even on the shoulders of his children’s failures and sins. Nothing will stop him. If need be he will use the devil himself (as indeed he ultimately will) to bring glory to his name, and to fit his own people for their temporary and eternal destinies.
The principle by which God works is that where sin abounds grace super-abounds (Rom. 5:20). It is this super-abundance of grace and wisdom in God which can make our experiences, even in rebellion against him, serviceable in his hands to equip us for the future.