A Sweet & Bitter Providence

Crossway has just published John Piper's newest book entitled, Ruth: A Sweet & Bitter Providence. It's a compilation of sermons he did on the book of Ruth. Therefore, you can either listen to the sermon series, buy the book and read it, or download the free PDF from Desiring God. I've already listened to the sermon series, and it's fantastic. Here's a trailer of the book just to whet your appetite.

Kevin DeYoung on How the Providence of God Can Help You Die Well

I am a wholehearted believer in the providence of God. For your reference, Wayne Grudem defines the providence of God as follows:

"God is continually involved with all created things in such a way that he (1) keeps them existing and maintaining the properties with which he created them; (2) cooperates with created things in every action, directing their distinctive properties to cause them to act as they do; and (3) directs them to fulfill his purposes."

Without God's providence, we are hardly able to trust God in any aspect of our lives. If God does not have some control over the happenings of this world, whether that be the wind, the water, floods, hurricanes, the birds of the air, the hairs on my head, or the very minute details of every day life, how can I trust that God is working all things together for my good?

Kevin DeYoung reflects on the life and death of Guido de Bres and his firm belief in the providence of God. As you read, carefully note "how the doctrine of providence can help you die well, serve courageously, and care for your wife."

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This is a portion of the letter Guido de Bres, the author of the Belgic Confession, wrote to his wife while he was imprisoned in the Black Hole of Brunain for his Protestant faith.

My dear and well-beloved wife in our Lord Jesus, Your grief and anguish are the cause of my writing you this letter. I most earnestly pray you not to be grieved beyond measure…We knew when we married that we might not have many years together, and the Lord has graciously given us seven. If the Lord had wished us to live together longer, he could easily have cause it to be so. But such was not his pleasure. Let his good will be done….Moreover, consider that I have not fallen into the hands of my enemies by chance, but by the providence of God….All these considerations have made my heart glad and peaceful, and I pray you, my dear and faithful companion, to be glad with me, and to thank the good God for what he is going, for he does nothing but what is altogether good and right…I pray you then to be comforted in the Lord, to commit yourself and your affairs to him, he is the husband of the widow and the father of the fatherless, and he will never leave you nor forsake you.

On May 31, 1567, Guido de Bres, 47 years old, was publicly hanged in the market square of Valenciennes. He was pushed off the scaffold as he exhorted the crowd to be faithful to Scripture and respectful to the magistrates. His body was buried in a shallow grave where it was later dug up and torn apart by wild animals.

I thank God for de Bres’ example of courage and steadfastness. Here is another man “of whom the world was not worthy” (Heb. 11:38). I’m thankful too for the Belgic Confession. And whenever I read this heartwrenching and inspiring letter, I’m thankful he wrote to his wife in prison.

Piper on the Tornado, the Lutherans, & Homosexuality

John Piper has set the blogosphere ablaze with his recent post entitled, The Tornado, the Lutherans, and Homosexuality. It has caused so much ruckus that he has written a follow-up to this post to ensure that his readers do not misconstrue his words. You can also read CBMW, TheResurgence, Christianity Today, and Justin Taylor's comments on and support for Piper's posts. If you have not heard about the tornado that struck during the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America's national convention, here's an eyewitnesses account of the calamity.

On a day when no severe weather was predicted or expected...a tornado forms, baffling the weather experts—most saying they’ve never seen anything like it. It happens right in the city. The city: Minneapolis.

The tornado happens on a Wednesday...during the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America's national convention in the Minneapolis Convention Center. The convention is using Central Lutheran across the street as its church. The church has set up tents around it’s building for this purpose.

Piper notes the schedule of what was to occur during the 5th session of ELCA's convention.

Date: Wednesday, August 19
Time: 2PM
Title: "Consideration: Proposed Social Statement on Human Sexuality"
Description: Whether practicing homosexuality should disqualify someone from pastoral ministry.

The eyewitness then continues his account of the tornado.

This curious tornado touches down just south of downtown and follows 35W straight towards the city center. It crosses I94. It is now downtown.

The time: 2PM.

The first buildings on the downtown side of I94 are the Minneapolis Convention Center and Central Lutheran. The tornado severely damages the convention center roof, shreds the tents, breaks off the steeple of Central Lutheran, splits what’s left of the steeple in two...and then lifts.

Did this tornado just by chance hit the church that the ELCA was meeting at, at the exact moment of the beginning of their meeting? Looks more like design than coincidence to me. Or was this tornado sent by God as judgment upon the ELCA? They did, in fact, eventually pass the proposed social statement on human sexuality, which allows practicing homosexual pastors. Or was this tornado a warning sent not only to the ELCA, but also to everyone who hears of this phenomenon? With more wisdom than I have, Dr. Piper reminds us all of Luke 13:4-5.

“Those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”

Therefore, we would be wise to take this event as an opportunity to repent of our own sins, lest we be judged and find ourselves outside the Cross of Christ.