Posts

Showing posts from February, 2023

Herman Bavinck

Image
The LORD continues to provide resources to the ministry.Thank you Pastor Ryan Denton for recommending these - and the 16 volume Owen set that will come this March, Lord willing. These books may be expensive, but ignorance costs more. I have always wanted a library but have never imagined it would be of this subject and substance. Puritanism. As Dr ML Jones puts it, the Puritans are the guarding soldiers of God's garrison on earth. Reformed Dogmatics by Herman Bavinck Herman Bavinck's four-volume Reformed Dogmatics is one of the most important theological works of the twentieth century. The recently completed English translation has received wide acclaim. Now John Bolt, one of the world's leading experts on Bavinck and editor of Bavinck's four-volume set, has abridged the work in one volume, offering students, pastors, and lay readers an accessible summary of Bavinck's masterwork. This volume presents the core of Bavinck's thought and offers explanatory m

Before The Doctor's Appointment

Image
Any time to go out, in this instance, to see the doctor, is an opportunity to bring the gospel to the people.

Heidelberg Catechism Exposition

Image
As we establish our stand as a covenant church we therefore stand upon each point of the Westminster Confession of Faith , and deem the Presbyterian form of church government to be what is biblical, correct, and proper for us.  One of the areas wherein we have been graciously set aright is the inclusion of the Heidelberg Catechism every Lord's day, and the solemn breaking of bread . The catechism has 129 questions and answers divided into 52 sections: one for each week of the year. This grounds us firmly in the application of the truths of God's word. Our gathering is also in the process of compiling our very own handbook, comprised of the English/Tagalog version of the Westminster Confession of Faith, and the Westminster Shorter and Larger Catechism , so that each member is adequately aware and fully conscious of his or her accountability in the Lord, something that is severely absent in the previous congregations we have been with. The book graciously provided below is a gr

The Cross We Must Bear

Image
Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a person's enemies will be those of his own household. Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. Matthew 10:34-39 The words of our dear Lord declare His absolute preeminence above our most intimate relations. Separation of our will from the world's will, and a willingness in the partaking of Christ's humiliation. So it is with those of the elect sovereignly selected by God from eternity past to be sanctified by His word through persecution from their own families, who in my nation's min

Finally Calvin

Image
It is a good thing I am able to say, I have not read Calvin ever since, but our theology is aligned. And now this book is added to the already growing list of books I am to ingest. God amazes me in the evolution of my doctrine from personal opinion, to humanistic influence, to reformed study, and finally to covenantal thought; God providentially guiding what once was man-centered to become theocentric, and now experiential and experimental , very much aligned with puritan thought as I pleasantly learned years later. But the huge pivotal revelation was that of the intra-Trinitarian covenant.  I bless my LORD that He has carefully directed this wretch every step towards the treasure room of His divine truths, fitting each piece in place till the whole picture is formed. From eternity past to eternity to come God is working His sovereign plan in a linear and consistent fashion to fulfill that covenant, as opposed to what I thought I knew: a concept of Christianity that was put together lo

Greek And Hebrew

Image
I have commenced my studies in the languages and it has opened deeper insight into the meaning of the texts. English is such a poor language it is almost ridiculous to argue about context using it. The practice is to read a whole chapter each day in both Hebrew and Greek. I give this about 3 to 6 years of consistent practice before achieving proficiency. Here is a list of the applications I use: Ginoskos (paid Php989) Hebrew Bible Reader (free) Daily Greek (free) Blue Letter Bible (free) Tanakh (Fluent) (free) Greek New Testament (free) DuoLingo - (for Hebrew letters) (free)