FAIR SUNSHINE

A Puritan Theology: Doctrine for Life  This book offers a groundbreaking treatment of the Puritans’ teaching on most major Reformed doctrines, particularly those doctrines in which the Puritans made significant contributions. Since the late 1950s, nearly 150 Puritan authors and 700 Puritan titles have been reprinted and catalogued by Joel Beeke and Randall Pederson in their 2006 collection of mini-biographies and book reviews, titled, Meet the Puritans. However, no work until now has gathered together the threads of their teaching into a unified tapestry of systematic theology.  A Puritan Theology, by Joel Beeke and Mark Jones, attempts to do that. The book addresses Puritan teachings on all six loci of theology, covering fifty areas of doctrine. The book explores Puritan teachings on biblical interpretation, God, predestination, providence, angels, sin, the covenants, the gospel, Christ, preparation for conversion, regeneration, coming to Christ, justification, adoption, church

Waiting on Father accomplishes two things for me: my dependency on His faithfulness grows, and I get to see His hand move, which magnifies His glory.  An answer to prayer for mature brethren shone through this morning by way of an invitation to a prayer meeting with brethren from a church in Texas, and a church plant in New Mexico.  I got to introduce myself, and present a small picture of the LORD's work here in Bulacan. What's even more precious is I got to hear them pray. Praying with brethren is how I identify character and gauge maturity. It warmed my soul to know that the purpose of the meeting was to pray with and for each other, not merely to talk; and I praise God that I heard petitions seeking His glory and kingdom, both personally and generally. It was like listening to the sound of rain. I was refreshed.  I am not expecting and imposing anything for myself  hereon, and will simply let the LORD lead where He wills. For now, any answer is a huge encouragement. We will

The LORD continues to bless His work with fruit, deepening, realizations, failings and comforting, needs and answers, and standing firm against the world, the flesh, and the devil. The Word furthers its work in the souls that the LORD has drawn to Himself. The Father's hand is clearly evident in the work. In order to keep me low and from being puffed up He has made me of no reputation and an object of ridicule even amongst professors of Christ, rejected for having no credentials, no seminary education, and presently no church affiliation though I have faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. I am called a madman by those who claim the office of enlightening the people who are in darkness. They are more contemptible than ordinary business men, who, when they see another doing better business, try to imitate his methods. What have I taken from them or what have I gained? Their churches are fuller and they are revered more than before. I love the religion but I m

My wife and daughter are sick today, but in spite of this the work in the LORD's vineyard continues.

The LORD hath given me a great privilege to exhort the brethren in a short message exalting the simplicity of Christ's person, being invited 31 kilometers one way to an informal gathering at dear brother Warren's blessed home along with his beloved wife Angel and a few of the close friends of Puritan Project Philippines. I was honored to have met these souls tonight. At a time when God seems to withdraw His presence, I look only to His faithfulness, not to my limited understanding. My mind unmoved upon Christ's redemptive work despite man's censorious idiocy. God was mindful to send me the comfort I much needed in fellowship with fellow-lovers of the LORD void of obligations, united only by Christ's truth and burden, and not by rules. I am beginning to see a much clearer picture of what "Christianity professed" today: humanism hiding behind a facade of piety. What used to be the shining gems and jewels of Christ's regenerative work now deliberately ove

"A donkey and a tiger were having a dispute. The donkey insisted, "The grass is blue". But the tiger replied, "No, the grass is green." The discussion heated up, and the two decided to submit him to arbitration, and for this they went before the lion, the King of the Jungle. Already before reaching the forest clearing, where the lion was sitting on his throne, the donkey began to shout: "His Highness, is it true that the grass is blue?". The lion replied, "True, the grass is blue." The donkey hurried and continued: "The tiger disagrees with me and contradicts and annoys me, please punish him." The king then declared, "The tiger will be punished with 5 years of silence." The donkey jumped cheerfully and went on his way, content and repeating: "The Grass Is Blue!" The tiger accepted his punishment, but before he asked the lion, "Your Majesty, why have you punished me?, after all, the grass is green." The

The sobering thing about life is that we are oblivious that all things have an end. A moment will come that we will be doing things for the last time, be it for our families, our friends, or our souls. The greatest happiness is not found in this life, though we can appreciate what we have as we go along, because happiness is found only in the person of Christ, who is not of this world. Everything else in this world, is fleeting, and has an end. Even death itself has an end. But where death to self ends, life in Christ begins. To the unbelieving, physical death ends in eternal death. This is the greatest of tragedies.

The Whole Christ by Sinclair Fergusson Wading through this gem as I spent 3 hours in a shoot doing nothing but read, I have come to understand what has always puzzled me - the horror most well meaning Christians have when somebody mentions the word "works" and "grace" in the same sentence. The topic is nothing new, and is still far from being realized. This among others confirm what I have always understood: That as unregenerate reprobates we were once in enmity to God and His laws, but Christ has come to reconcile us as new creatures to the same eternal law. Not freed from it, but freed for it. "Since we’re saved by grace alone, does the law of God have a place in the life of a Christian? This perennial question is essential to answer if we are to be faithful followers of Christ. In this series, Dr. Sinclair Ferguson expands on his book and illustrates the biblical relationship between God’s grace and our work. Dr. Ferguson makes it clear that the solution to

PPP is the serving ministry of this kind and dear couple, Warren and Angel, whom I have been privileged to meet and know. Half of what I have received in my library came from them. Their vision is to serve the body of Christ by making hard to find books available at a very low price. Here they are at their book table at the previous conference held at Makati. Much of the work of studying Christ is understood to be "the pastor's job". In prominent churches people find it tedious to carry their bibles to church, much less read it, and even less study it. The business of selling books here is a profitable venture, but it depends largely on the subject. Fictional stories rank highest, religious books maybe at the middle, but the farther you go from the norm, the more difficult it is to sell. The subject of Puritanism is almost unheard of here, its value unrecognized. The prospect of selling it, specialized. Yet God still has mercy to make these treasures available to "th

The Works of Thomas Brooks The definitive edition of the Works of Thomas Brooks, here reissued, was first published by James Nichol in 1866. It was edited by A. B. Grosart. At that time, C. H. Spurgeon commented in The Sword and the Trowel: ‘The volumes now before us are by that marvelously rich author Thomas Brooks, whose wealth of imagery surpasses all others of his age. The mere marginal notes of Brooks are more valuable than pages of ordinary writers; we take pleasure in the stone of his temple, and the very dust thereof we favour. Of all the Puritans he is the most readable, if we except John Bunyan; and if he cannot display the depth of Owen or the raciness of Adams, he leaves them far behind in excessive [unusual] sweetness and sparkling beauty of metaphor. There is a clear, silvery, refreshing sound in the name “Brooks”, and as is the name, such is the man. Every reader who can afford the money should purchase this incorrupt, unmutilated, unchanged, well-printed and perfectly e

 We are honored to receive this gift from a good brother in the LORD as an addition to the growing library. It is a massive read on such a profound subject that I have heard time and time again in the past that have only recently begun taking seriously. My approach to reading now is not the casual page turning I am accustomed to with regular books, but since providence did not have me enroll in Reformation Bible College I still am inclined to study, howbeit academically, systematically, and intuitively. As I was past my reading plan included on the subject of anthropology and its impact on practical ministry, I came across an important note worth emphasizing.  Pastors need to understand and believe what the Bible teaches them about the people wherein they serve. Shepherds must know their sheep (Proverbs 27:23). While this requires personal relationships as pastors watch over the souls entrusted to them (Hebrews 13:17), it also requires a deep knowledge of God;s word, which is sufficien

It was of the LORD's providence that my dear wife could not be with us today for ministry after suffering a fall at home which left her incapacitated for two days, this being the third. We have learned to praise God in every instance most especially in unfavorable incidents believing that it is through trials and temptations that our graces are enlarged and strengthened, as crosses become more glorious when Father sovereignly adds greater weight, if only to show us His mighty hand at work. If grace is a mighty gift from heaven, temptations are also as precious gifts that grow our graces. It is the greatest of all glories to glory in the LORD. The grace that is tried is that faith that comes out as gold. If I were to rejoice if much gold were to be given me, then I should rejoice to have much affliction to try my graces. <br

Since the early days of this small ministry, Father has faithfully provided for His work without fail. We have been waiting for months for an answer for provisions for new tracts and bibles and He has finally delivered.  Help came in from two of our fellow saints and dear children from Taiwan, Wilma and Mark , both dear children and spiritual offspring of our brother Blaine and sister Ingrid , (Mark's dear wife, Vea, traveled the distance from Pangasinan and fetching the stash of bibles from Baguio to bring it here to Bulacan) - and from our beloved brethren in Christian Word Center in Cavite City, headed by the Lord's faithful pastor, L.A. Cruz , who in behalf of the church sent us a box of new bibles to give away. His church hosts a weekly feeding and gospel ministry to a great number of poor people held inside a cemetery, and goes out to proclaim the gospel to the masses in the parks. And now they have looked graciously upon us for the help we need. Truly, a fellowship wor

Immeasurably priceless is the LORD's most generous gift to our small gathering with this library comprised of Puritan writings and works. We never would have imagined to even acquire this on our own if not for the His kind hand in having us meet certain individuals who would provide these for us. Even more pleasant are the additional sets coming in the days ahead.  The young gentlemen and ladies of our small yet blessed congregation separated into groups and have commenced their in-depth study on the attributes of God beginning last Sunday and every weekend after that an hour before worship. This will go a long way into keeping us in the straight path upheld through the ages by men used mightily by God who passionately believed that the Holy Bible is the inerrant and sufficient standard of truth by which man is measured, and God builds up His church. Although it is very true that owning great books do not equal to great men, yet great men were raised up on great books. These works