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The Fallibility of Ministers

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Will not ecclesiastical rank and dignity confer infallibility? No—they will not! It matters nothing what a man is called. He may be a Preacher, Minister, or Deacon. He is still a fallible man! Neither the education, nor the anointing oil, nor the laying on of hands, can prevent a man making mistakes. Will not numbers confer infallibility? No—they will not! You may gather together princes by the score, and ministers by the hundred; but, when gathered together, they are still liable to err. You may call them a council, or an assembly, or a conference, or whatever you please. It matters nothing. Their conclusions are still the conclusions of fallible men. Their collective wisdom is still capable of making enormous mistakes. The example of the Apostle Peter at Antioch is one that does not stand alone. It is only a parallel of many a case that we find written for our learning, in Holy Scripture. Do we not remember Abraham, the father of the faithful, following the advice of Sarah, and takin
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The Weekly Liturgy

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The most useful books for the whole week that compose the Sunday liturgy, with the family worship guide being used daily, 7 days a week. We keep the services 2 hours short, with an hour of close fellowship prior to start. An hour dedicated to prayer, worship, catechism, and Scripture reading - before the message. Followed by the breaking of bread. Ending in songs from the Westminster Scottish Psalter, and another hour of fellowship. God has tremendously blessed the dear ones by instilling a greater awareness of sin, and a deeper reverence for His commands, especially the seriousness of Lord's day, by which most of them have stood firm against much opposition and ridicule from employers, and even from their own families. The fruit of God's faithfulness shone through when I spoke with one of the young ones, "Should God gift me with my own family, we will dedicate every night to worshipping the Lord. From my children and to my grandchildren." Each one of them share the
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Heart Matters

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There is a difference between those who criticize and those who do. Between those who merely affirm there is something wrong, and those are broken before God because of the wrong. Between those who attend church and those who worship God in Spirit and in Truth. Scripture says the wicked surround the righteous, therefore wrong judgements abound (Hab 1:4). A lack of urgency for the advancement of the kingdom also falls under wrong judgment. It falls under complacency. It is against the Lord's command to, "occupy" till He comes (Luke 19:13). Church gatherings are important, but not in the sense that many claim it to be. Many of our brethren in dangerous lands cannot gather for peril to their lives, but it doesn't make them less Christian than those who do so freely. Many gather conveniently, but it doesn't make them any more Christian than those who blaspheme God.  Take for instance this: all believers know baptism cannot save, but the way they vehemently argue for i
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The Father of the fatherless

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Father blesses the work by taking the Children's Church in a more experiential direction: the consciousness of the reality of the heart's corruption even in the little ones. We are totally inadequate to communicate the salvation of Christ, and we know our help comes from the Lord alone. Molested children are common here. It is a silent plague where parents and relatives themselves are often the offenders. We taught the children that their bodies were gifted by the Lord to be theirs alone, and no one else, except by their own mothers on necessary instances, can touch or see it. They were given warnings to be aware of when another person starts touching them where they are not supposed to be touched, and to wear clothes that cover a good portion of their bodies. One item in our monthly prayer and fasting includes the bringing out of many secret sins, in the children, and in the churches. It is of great comfort to us that our brethren from Lubbock, Texas and New Mexico are lifting
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For The Serious Student

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Historical Theology by Gregg Allison Historical Theology presents the key pillars of the contemporary church and the development of those doctrines as they evolved from the history of Christian thought. Most historical theology texts follow Christian beliefs in a strict chronological manner with the classic theological loci scattered throughout various time periods, movements, and controversies—making for good history but confusing theology. This companion to the classic bestseller Systematic Theology is unique among historical theologies. Gregg Allison sets out the history of Christian doctrine according to a topical-chronological arrangement—one theological element at a time instead of committing to a discussion of theological thought according to its historical appearance alone. This method allows you to: Contemplate one tenet of Christianity at a time, along with its formulation in the early church—through the Middle Ages, Reformation, and post-Reformation era, and into the modern
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Children's Church

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The absence of an affection for God amongst toddlers, children and young adults of Christian families in many, or almost all churches (I say all because I can safely assume that families who attend church during Sundays have fathers who do not lead their families in daily and  intentional worship in their homes,) stem from the unfulfilled obligations of the parents in raising their household in the Scriptures and in the fear of the LORD.  It is a pathetic excuse to say we simply do not have time. What we really are saying is either one of two things: I do not know I was supposed to lead my family daily in worship, or, I do not want to make time for it. These are the same people who can sit for hours fiddling with their gadgets, or watching movies, or doing other 'important' things. In our modern day we are simply detached from the reality of God and assume that just because we attend church our children will automatically learn God. We lazily delegate the teaching of our childr
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A Lifting Up of the Downcast

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I was provided an audio book of this precious work by William Bridge more than 6 years ago and have acquired the very transcript with which I have printed and bound my own book. It has greatly comforted me in my distress regarding this aspect of my faith time and again, and has served well to emphasize the grace that God has graciously showered upon poor sinners via the merit of Jesus Christ's covenantal work on the cross. And as I seek to help those who are drowning in the same pit of hopelessness, I am awed with the majesty of God's sure election and His faithfulness to the everlasting covenant:  "As godly men shall never be condemned for their sins, so their sins shall never part God and them. What seems to be the reason why some are so discouraged about their sins, but because they think they shall not only lose the face and presence of God by their sins, but that they shall lose God himself.  But now, surely, the sins of the godly shall never part God and them. Their
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Book Recommendations - Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament

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Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament : (A Comprehensive Bible Commentary on Old Testament Quotations, Allusions & Echoes That Appear from Matthew through Revelation)  The reviews do more justice to this precious work than the book description so I will add one of them here instead.  From B. Marold (find the original comment here )  "'Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament', edited by G. K. Beale and D. A. Carson supports the idea that given any approach to the examination of the New Testament you may think of, someone has written a book about it. And a superb book it is, if you have need for an examination of this subject from almost every angle. I say almost, because there is actually one thing I would like to have seen in this book, and it is not there. More on this anon. For the lay reader, be aware that this is a scholarly book, with all the Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic, and (I suspect) even Coptic terms used freely, just when I&#
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Second Meeting

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Each meeting is fruitful for this old soul whose light is quite near its close. His body may have wasted away, but he is gifted with simple, child-like understanding. It is always a joy to recommend the mercies of Christ to a ready ear, and including the beginnings of redemptive history is quite a tremendous help in framing the gospel aright. May the LORD grant me the grace to faithfully and joyfully see this through. 
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Book Recommendations - The King In His Beauty

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The King In His Beauty by Thomas Schreiner Thomas Schreiner, a respected scholar and a trusted voice for many students and pastors, offers a substantial and accessibly written overview of the whole Bible. He traces the storyline of the scriptures from the standpoint of biblical theology, examining the overarching message that is conveyed throughout. Schreiner emphasizes three interrelated and unified themes that stand out in the biblical narrative: God as Lord, human beings as those who are made in God's image, and the land or place in which God's rule is exercised. The goal of God's kingdom is to see the king in his beauty and to be enraptured in his glory. Book Description from   Baker Academic: Contents Prologue Part 1: Creation to the Edge of Canaan 1. Genesis 2. Exodus 3. Leviticus 4. Numbers 5. Deuteronomy Interlude: A Synopsis of Creation to the Edge of Canaan Part 2: The Story of Possession, Exile, and Return 6. Joshua 7. Judges 8. Ruth 9. 1-2 Samuel 10. 1-2 Kings 1
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Book Recommendations - The New International Greek Testament Commentary - The Book of Revelation

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Ever since my Jack Chick days, I have held the pretribulation position. That was over twenty years ago. But a thorough investigation changed my perspective on eschatology. One crucial shift is that its emphasis on the prophecies' fulfillment is less important now than its exhortation to be obedient followers of Christ. It is intrinsically connected to the larger plan of redemptive history and does not stand alone merely as a book of mysterious images.  And he told them a parable: “Look at the fig tree, and all the trees. As soon as they come out in leaf, you see for yourselves and know that the summer is already near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near.  Luke 21:29-31   But be on guard; I have told you all things beforehand.  Mark13:23   It used to be common to ask "when," but in reality, the real question is "why and what." The book of the Revelation (of Jesus Christ) is best read and understood in all its
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Book Recommendations - New Studies in Biblical Theology

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The God Who Makes Himself Known by W. Ross Blackburn The Lord's commitment to make himself known throughout the nations is the overarching missionary theme of the Bible and the central theological concern of Exodus. Countering scholarly tendencies to fragment the text over theological difficulties, Ross Blackburn contends that Exodus should be read as a unified whole, and that an appreciation of its missionary theme in its canonical context is of great help in dealing with the difficulties that the book poses. For example, how is Exodus 6:3 best understood? Is there a tension between law and gospel, or mercy and judgment? How should we understand the painstaking detail of the tabernacle chapters? From a careful examination of Exodus, this New Studies in Biblical Theology volume demonstrates that the Lord humbled Pharaoh so the world would know that only God can save the Lord gave Israel the law so that its people might display his goodness to the nations, living in a state of order
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