"That's what you've done, isn't it?"

I had not seen this interview but was given a heads-up by my friend Aaron Rice. I can't say that I feel sorry for Bell as Bashir calls him on making the gospel more palatable to the modern mind, since Bell ends up emptying the gospel of all meaningful content and truth. Bravo, Mr. Bashir, for asking very good and pointed questions.

Amputated or Ingrafted Apologists?

I feel his pain...

Regrettably, I too have been bitten by the "Reply All" rattlesnake.

Funny and pulse-racing all at the same time.

Lowly Approach Heaven's Gates In Your Steps Today

Pastor Charles Spurgeon gives us food for thought. No. More than food. He is crying clearly, "FIRE! FIRE! GET OUT TO SAFETY!" as he rightly should, being faithful to the inspired text. His words, though spoken long ago, ring in my ears with an urgency that is very unlike the soothing mews mumbled by some so-called preachers today. There is a cutting edge to the message of the Gospel. Jesus came to save us from his very own judgment, and when that day comes he will give no quarter, no mercy, no kindness. He will not blink at sin nor wink at unbelief. Righteousness shall rule in judgment. Be ready, reader. Be ready at the foot of the cross.

There comes a fire! Get out! Get out to safety in Jesus!

Your Affections and Heart, Christian

"Pass through this world, believers in Jesus, liking nothing in it, caring for nothing in it, content and satisfied with nothing it can give, moved with nothing in it; neither much taken up with the much evil, or the little good of it; neither cast down with the frowns, nor lifted up with the smiles of this vain deceitful world. Pass on, and press forward for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus, Phil. iii. 14. You have greater things to look to, greater things to fix your hearts and hopes upon, than all this world; even to that blessed state, when we shall be with Christ where he is, and shall behold his glory which his Father hath given him: for the Father loved his Son and our Saviour before the foundation of the world."

-- Robert Traill, excerpt from Sixteen Sermons

How to help your pastor

"How can we help our pastor? We can help him by talking about what he says; not talking about the performance and about the performer and all that, which, if it is appropriate anywhere, is surely all inappropriate when we turn away from the solemn worship of God, and from listening to sermons intended to do us good -- but talking about the thoughts that he has given us, recalling them sometimes to one who has heard them like ourselves, repeating them sometimes to some one who has not had the opportunity of hearing them. Thus may we multiply whatever good thoughts the preacher is able to present and keep them alive in our own minds and the minds of fellow-Christians."

-- John A. Broadus, Sermons and Addresses

How excellent is His love?

"This love of Christ to his people, both designs and effects the greatest good to those he loves. Among creatures there is a deal of love to little purpose. Either they intend but little by their love; or if they do design it, their love cannot reach it. But the greatest good, eternal life, is not only intended by Christ in his love to his people, but it is surely attained. All that Christ loves, are saved: why? because his love is saving. Salvation is designed by this lover, and is perfected by this love.

Application
Let me therefore exhort you to love Jesus Christ. Is his heart set upon having all his people with him where he is? Surely we ought to return love to him back again. Most of those that pretend to the name of christian, think they make some conscience of it as being a most just debt and duty to him; and will be ready to say with Paul, 'If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be anathema maranatha," 1 Cor. xvi 22. But as the love that Christ bears to his people, is not so well known and believed as it ought to be; so the love his people owe to him is not so well paid as it ought to be."

--Robert Traill, Sixteen Sermons on the Lord's Prayer, pp.111

Time & Wisdom

James White shares a brief but pithy glimpse into the realities of family life and the passage of time. Pause, take a breath, and read it.

Consumed by work

Dear Friends,
I have been consumed by my employment for the last few weeks. A critical project is nearing completion. Many hours of overtime and stresses on the heart and mind. I hope to be back online in the next month. No excuses... simply reality.

Not What My Hands Have Done

I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say

I heard the voice of Jesus say, “Come unto Me and rest;
Lay down, thou weary one, lay down Thy head upon My breast.”
I came to Jesus as I was, weary and worn and sad;
I found in Him a resting place, and He has made me glad.


I heard the voice of Jesus say, “Behold, I freely give
The living water; thirsty one, stoop down, and drink, and live.”
I came to Jesus, and I drank of that life giving stream;
My thirst was quenched, my soul revived, and now I live in Him.


I heard the voice of Jesus say, “I am this dark world’s Light;
Look unto Me, thy morn shall rise, and all thy day be bright.”
I looked to Jesus, and I found in Him my Star, my Sun;
And in that light of life I’ll walk, till traveling days are done.

--Horatius Bonar

God Our Savior

"God has become our Saviour. Our trust is not in His mercy but in Himself. Not in divine attributes, but in the living God. "God is for us;" the Father is for us; the Son is for us; the Holy Ghost is for us. It is God who justifies; it is Christ that died; and the Holy Ghost has come down to be a witness to us of the work of Christ, and of the place that work has given us as sons in the Father's house."

--Sir Robert Anderson, The Gospel and its Ministry

Macarthur hits the bullseye

When Phil Johnson talks...

...we can listen and learn. Phil gave several talks recently. His presentation on Spurgeon the Controversialist is a real gem.

Southern Baptists: Calvinism and Arminianism in Dialogue

Discussions continue within the SBC concerning the impact, influence, and theology of Calvinism. You can read more about recent publications here.

We Give Immortal Praise by Isaac Watts

We give immortal praise
For God the Father’s love,
For all our comforts here,
And better hopes above:
He sent his own Eternal Son
To die for sins that we had done.


To God the Son belongs
Immortal glory too,
Who bought us with his blood
From everlasting woe:
And now he lives, and now he reigns,
And sees the fruit of all his pains.


To God the Spirit’s name
Immortal worship give,
Whose new-creating power
Makes the dead sinner live:
His work completes the great design,
And fills the soul with joy divine.


Almighty God, to thee
Be endless honors done,
The undivided Three,
And the mysterious One:
Where Reason fails, with all her powers,
There Faith prevails, and Love adores.


Excerpt from The Baptist Psalmody

On Worship

"Now, I say we must put heart in our worship. Do not venture to come to this beautiful place of worship, or whatever place of worship you attend, and just sit languidly down to see if the choir can stir you or to see if the preacher can stir you. Oh! stir up your own souls. It is your solemn duty when you go to engage with others in the worship of God-- it is your duty to yourself, it is your duty to others, it is your duty to the pastor who wishes to lead your worship, it is your duty to God, who wants the hearts of men, and who will have nothing but their hearts. I know how we feel. Worn by a week's toil, languid on the Lord's day through lack of our customary excitement, we go and take our places, jaded and dull, and we are tempted to think, "Now I will see whether the services can make any impression on me; whether the preacher can get hold of me-- I hope they may," and we sit passive to wait and see. Oh, let us not dare thus to deal with the solemnity of the worship of God."

-- John A. Broadus, excerpt from Sermons and Addresses

Words of Wisdom

"To be a Christian is the great thing, not to seem one." --Jerome

Critical Thinking Course with Rob Bowman: Sept 28th

Food for thought... Rob Bowman (co-author of Putting Jesus In His Place and Faith Has Its Reasons) will start teaching a live course online starting Tuesday evening, September 28th. Rob is a great author, apologist, and teacher. He has served the church at large for many, many years and displays unearthly patience with cultists of every stripe.

Details here.

The Invitation of the King

I had the blessed opportunity to preach at my home church a couple of weeks ago. I invite you to take 20 minutes to hear the most gracious invitation you will ever be offered. Click here to listen to the sermon.