“Rousing appeals to the affections are excellent, but if they are not backed up by instruction they are a mere flash in the pan, powder consumed and no shot sent home. Rest assured that the most fervid revivalism will wear itself out in mere smoke, if it be not maintained by the fuel of teaching” …
Imagination Rules the World
As critics are rummaging around, trying to find something that works, you have to expect the occasional novelties. The most recent one is that I am a theological liberal, akin to those who were resisted by Machen back in the day. This argument is made by Pastor Todd Bordow (OPC). He does this while granting …
An Imputed Garment of Righteousness
We come now to a glorious picture of justification through faith in the coming Messiah, the Christ. While these visions were given to encourage the saints of that day, if the word were limited to that day, all encouragement would ultimately fail. “Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the Angel of …
Hand-Packed Grace
“Horses are not to be judged by their bells or their trappings, but by limb and bone and blood; and sermons, when criticised by judicious hearers, are largely measured by the amount of gospel truth and force of gospel spirit which they contain. Brethren, weigh your sermons. Do not retail them by the yard, but …
Mooning the Ref
These are not talking points. These are just remember points. You don’t have to say anything, or “talk” to anybody about them. All you have to do is remember these things as you watch the unfolding saga continue. For ease of remembrance, I have just listed ten of them. 1. To keep things simple, the …
Let All the Earth Keep Silence
The third vision of Zechariah, that of the measuring line, promises a glorious future for Zion. The promise of that future has not yet been completed, but enough has been fulfilled for us to know that God always keeps His prophetic word. “Then I raised my eyes and looked, and behold, a man with a …
The False Finish
“I have known men tantalize us with the hope that they were drawing to a close, and then take a fresh lease two or three times; this is most unwise and unpleasant” (Charles Spurgeon, Lectures to My Students, p. 62).
Lift Up Your Heads
In the first vision, God comforted His people. Though the outer appearance might not look like much, God remains in the midst of His saints. This vision continues the theme of comfort and encouragement, but adds information on how God fulfills His purposes. “Then I raised my eyes and looked, and there were four horns. …
Earthbound Prayer
“Beware of having an eye to the auditors; beware of becoming rhetorical to please the listeners. Prayer must not be transformed into ‘an oblique sermon.’ It is little short of blasphemy to make devotion an occasion for display. Fine prayers are generally very wicked prayers. In the presence of the Lord of hosts it ill …
All Wolves, All the Time
I just now have gotten an opportunity to respond to Andy Webb’s “nuclear” response on the SJC process. His response was two-fold, the first being an explanation why charges did not originate against Wilkins from within the Louisiana Presbytery. Andy said this: “The majority in the presbytery had already shown its hostility to such requests, …