This weekend I’ve been reading JI Packer’s book, Rediscovering Holiness, and is quickly climbing my list of “Must Read” books. In the second chapter, “Exploring Salvation: Why Holiness is Necessary,” Packer takes his reader back to a well used and important illustration of the Christian life. He said, “Many years ago a wise man explained [...]
Read the rest of this entry »It Is All JESUS!
“It is Christ who calls the members of the church in due time. They are ‘the called of Jesus Christ’ (Romans 1:6). It is Christ who quickens them. ‘The Son quickeneth whom He will.’ (John 5:21). It is Christ who washes away their sins. He ‘has loved us, and washed us from our sins in [...]
Read the rest of this entry »How Will an Unholy Man Enjoy Heaven?
I tend to write about the things I’m reading; thus, you’ve been reading a lot of JC Ryle and John Owen lately. I do this for two reasons: first, I hope to whet your appetite to go and read good books, and second, if you are not going to go and read the book at [...]
Read the rest of this entry »Thirsty? Come to Me and Drink!
In January of this year I began a journey into the Gospel of John. Yesterday that journey took us to John 7 and to the famous words of Jesus, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers [...]
Read the rest of this entry »He Must Dig Low if He Would Build High!
Two weeks ago my Tuesday morning reading group started reading JC Ryle’s Holiness. The more I read Ryle’s commentaries, sermons, and books the more I feel myself growing in grace. In the first chapter of Holiness Ryle deals with sin. He said, “He that wishes to attain right views about Christian holiness must begin by [...]
Read the rest of this entry »How can you know that you know?
How do we know when someone is coming to Jesus Christ? That’s a question John Bunyan deals with in his book, Come and Welcome to Jesus Christ. He answers that question with the following words, “Who can make them see, whom Christ has made blind? (John 2:8-9) Nevertheless, because I endeavor your conviction, conversion, and [...]
Read the rest of this entry »Burn before you’d Turn!
A few years ago I came across a book by one of my favorite Puritan writers, John Bunyan. I love John Bunyan—I think it was Spurgeon who said if you cut Bunyan he would bleed Bible. A few of my preacher friends give me a hard time because of the amount of time I spend [...]
Read the rest of this entry »Christ has Turned Beer into Furniture!
In my study this week I came across this story from R Kent Hughes, “A miner once interrupted John Hutton, a famous Welsh preacher, by leaping to his feet in the middle of a sermon and leading the whole congregation in the ‘Doxology.’ Hutton was taken aback and decided he would make the acquaintance of [...]
Read the rest of this entry »May 11, Look at Him!
This week my sermon series in John’s Gospel takes me to John 3:9-15. In my study I came across a sermon by Spurgeon entitled “Man’s Ruin and God’s Remedy.” In that sermon Spurgeon spoke of Christ and said, “The hand that poises the world hangs on a nail. See Him. The shoulders that supported the [...]
Read the rest of this entry »April 10, When Justice and Mercy Kissed!
Thomas Watson is one of my favorite Puritan authors/preachers…I found the following quote and thought you might enjoy it. “Mercy had a mind to save sinners, and loath that the justice of God should be wronged. It is a pity, says Mercy, that such a noble creature as man should be made to be undone; [...]
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