Book of the Month August 2023: The Prince

 

“Friendships that are acquired at a price and not with greatness and nobility of spirit are bought, but they are not owned; and when the time comes they cannot be spent.”

This month's work might be called a classic, though we would be better served by inventing an adjective in English that means "famous by means of being continually controversial." Such a word is sorely needed in our online age of furor--but perpetual indignation is by no means a new idea, for this book has been furrowing brows since it was published in 1532.

A Garden of Bright Eyes

 Psalm LXIX: I will praise the name of God with a song; I will magnify Him with thanksgiving.

Lord, we come before you absolutely loaded down with blessings. One of the greatest of these blessings stands (or sits, or wiggles) among us during this service. In this room are a horde of small immortal souls--the children you have given our families. We thank you for all of them. In an age of barren desolation we live in a garden of bright eyes, tiny fingers, and innocent laughter. We thank you especially for the safe arrival of Eben, Lucas, and Hazel. May they grow strong and holy over the coming years.

Commonplaces--August 2023

 

“So it teaches men both these truths: that there is a God we are capable of knowing, and that there is a corruption of nature which makes us unworthy of him. It is equally important for us to know both these points, and it is equally dangerous for man t know God without knowing his own wretchedness, and to know his wretchedness without knowing the Redeemer who can cure him of it. Knowledge of only one of these points leads either to the arrogance of the philosophers, who have known God and not their own wretchedness, or to the despair of the atheists, who know their wretchedness without knowing the Redeemer…Those who go astray only do so for lack of seeing one of these two things: one can then easily know God but not one’s own wretchedness, and one’s wretchedness without knowing God. But one cannot know Jesus Christ without knowing God and one’s wretchedness together.”—Pascal,

Pensees

“He is blind indeed who fancies that pardon is all we want in order to get to heaven, and does not see that pardon without a change of heart would be a useless gift. Blessed be God that both are freely offered to us in Christ’s gospel, the one as well as the other!”—J.C. Ryle, Knots Untied

“The influence of the two great philosophies upon theology was beneficial or injurious, according as the principle of Christianity was the governing or the governed factor. Both systems are theistic (at bottom monotheistic) and favorable to the spirit of earnest and profound speculation. Platonism, with its ideal, poetic views, stimulates, fertilizes, inspires, and elevates the reason and imagination, but also easily leads into the errors of gnosticism and the twilight of

On All Those Moscow Firebrands

I live in Moscow, Idaho and my town has something of an infamous name amongst a certain stripe of the Christian faith. And as one dust-up follows another kerfluffle, I often spot a certain amount of internet chatter weighing in on how the leaders here are heretics, or just after popularity, or aren't preaching the gospel but building brands, etc.

Honestly, I can see why that could be your take-away. There are thousands of people who only know these men from their online presence. That's all they see. And just like when you're forced to view a room by peering through a keyhole, that can lead to some odd perspectives. And the particular perspective I want to focus on here is the "they're concerned with politics rather than the Gospel" charge. Closely related is the "they're just building their own brand" charge.