This is what is known as an “I’m busy so will let other people do the work today” post.  Links I noticed over the last week.

The postman delivers to Pastor Larry Rogier’s house.  It’s short, just go there and read it.

Sword and Trowel (from Metropolitan Tabernacle, Spurgeon’s church in London) reprints an article from a few years ago on modesty (for both men and women).  If you don’t want to hear anything from the Scriptures about how you dress, don’t bother to click through, but if you want to obey in all things, there are some things to consider.  The closing comments:

We believe one of those instances is a lack of caution in personal grooming. Some believers are not as careful as they should be, and seem unwilling to move towards maturity. When godly and mature Christians and leaders of the church caution us in this area, we should listen. This in turn builds maturity and charity in us.

Spurgeon also said, ‘As we grow in grace, we are sure to grow in charity, sympathy, and love. We shall, as we ripen in grace, have greater sweetness towards our fellow Christians.’ Have we considered the effect of our clothing on others?

Let believers, therefore, cover up more, raising the standard by lowering the hemline of the skirt, revealing their increasing maturity by hiding more flesh, and tightening their reins on worldliness with somewhat looser clothing.

And to those readers who are more mature and godly, the task of admonition is yours too! Speak up! – but gently. Counsel! Admonish! Good convictions on dressing don’t happen overnight. Imagine the advance in Christian maturity if more of us were to speak up! This dressing-down is for the mature also.

Jersey Post is embarrassed, as well they should be.  Pornographic and near-pornographic material, things advocating violence and all kinds of immorality are delivered without hesitation, but not the Gospel of Mark — that’s “offensive material”.

Pastor Dave Doran points us to an article by someone named Carl Trueman (I’m not familiar with him, particularly) on success in ministry.  It’s worth some thought.

Far be it from us that anything be done to make it easier for people to attend church.

The decline of the church in the UK — which types of churches are declining, which are growing or holding steady?  (The writer would undoubtedly include us in the “conservative separatist evangelical” grouping, since we hold to the authority of Scripture and wouldn’t join in a denominational affiliation with unbelievers.  I have the impression he would be far different from us in that regard.)

In the “Politics Makes You Crazy” category, our neighbour from the next town, Gordon Brown, says the debt crisis engulfing Europe means the euro can’t survive in its present form — there’s too much debt.  That’s obvious, though coming from a debt-producing maestro like him, a little bit rich (pun intended).  His solution?  Obviously, more stimulus (which means spending more money the government doesn’t have, which means, er, um, well, yes, you guessed it, MORE DEBT.  Could you repeat that, Mr Brown?  We may not have heard you right — did you say more stimulus, which means more debt?  No, he can’t repeat it, he’s too busy saying this:  “I have been proved right.”  Well, something has been proven. 😉 No, this is not a politics blog, but government debt is a moral issue — we are stealing from our children and grandchildren, who will have to pay higher taxes and receive less for those taxes in return for every single pound of government debt we run up today.  Ask the people of Greece today if they wish there had been less or more debt accummulated in the last thirty years.  You can’t play these games forever.

In the “Some Preachers Make Me Mad” category, Pat Robertson has opened his mouth again and let stupid things come out (again).  Jesus said, “What therefore God hath joined together, let not man part asunder.”  I guess that is too hard for Mr Robertson to understand.  Christians should have long ago stopped enabling this man to remain on the air.  He does not represent any kind of Biblical Christianity.

I’ll return to the Proverbs question next week, Lord willing.