New Permanent Blog: Word of Truth

I have recently moved all blogging to my new site: Word of Truth. You can visit here.

Filed under: Various Thoughts

Interesting Posts for the Week

The following are a few interesting posts I thought you might enjoy for the week:

Dr. Albert Mohler unveils a wonderful history oriented reading plan for the summer.  

Justin Taylor interviews Mark Noll about his new book, The New Shape of World Christianity.

Dr. Michael A.G. Haykin has completed a study guide to C.J. Mahaney’s book on Humility.

An interesting blog about the books, writings, and thought of C.S. Lewis. 

Tony Reinke asks, “Was Jonathan Edwards Cross Centered?” as he comments about Craig Biehl’s wonderful new book, The Infinite Merit of Christ: The Glory of Christ’s Obedience in the Theology of Jonathan Edwards.

Filed under: Links

Playing with Fire – The Danger of Pornography

Pornography falls short of true desire and instead dooms the participate.  It causes one to enter a realm of darkness where desire, pleasure and happiness are darkened to unfilled lust and sin.  Pornography satisfies the mind, body and affections only for a moment while it kills the stimulus for God-given desire and pleasure.  It eats away at the soul causing one to become satisfied with must lesser things than what God has promised to all those that come to Him.  Soon after the participation, it causes one to weep at the thought of doing such again.  But not long, just like a dog returning to its vomit, the heart quickly forgets the danger and once again runs to destruction.  It is like knowing the danger of the great chasm below us but at every moment walking not only on the edge but over a thin thread over the deepest portion.  Pornography strives to kill the affections causing one to feel nothing but burning lust for the fanciful and unrealistic.  It singes at the conscience as one purposefully moves themselves rapidly over the flame with every glance.  One need not linger over photographs or other pornographic stimuli for it to lodge itself in the mind and begin the destruction process.  If it gains access to our mind and heart it lodges itself until we are consumed for hours, months, and years; yes, even a lifetime.  The images over which one lingered wedge into the mind an arise often to entice again.  Even the strongest person cannot stand under the weight of such.  The only remedy is to run with all thy might to Christ for superior satisfaction and joy.

Filed under: Cultural Issues, Sin, Temptation

Concerning the True Care of Souls

Concerning the True Care of Souls
Publisher: Banner of Truth
Author: Bucer, Martin
ISBN-13: 9780851519845
Binding: Hardcover

Sample Pages

Publisher’s Description: First time ever available in English, this “Reformation handbook of pastoral theology … sets out in a vivid and persuasive way, biblical principles for church life, ministry, and discipline.”

For more than twenty-five years Martin Bucer was the undisputed leader of the Protestant Reformation in the city of Strasbourg. Yet he never managed to achieve all that he wished due to the opposition of the city’s political leaders. In 1548 he moved at the invitation of Archbishop Thomas Cranmer to England, where he spent the last few years of his life as Regius Professor of Divinity at Cambridge.

Ten years earlier, in 1538, Bucer produced what he called ‘this little book’. A Reformation handbook of pastoral theology, it sets out his ideal of a godly Christian society, and was ‘written solely for the Lord’s glory and the improvement of his church at this time when Christ’s sheep are so deplorably scattered’. He commended it ‘to the Christian consideration of all God’s children, asking only that nothing should be judged according to carnal standards, but everything according to the word of the Lord.’ And added, ‘May the Lord grant that it will be of much use for his kingdom.’ Although largely rejected by the government of Strasbourg, Bucer’s Concerning the True Care of Souls met with much more success further afield and was to exercise a vast influence in later history. In Hesse, for example, a church order was introduced based on Bucer’s ideas, and in Strasbourg itself they were implemented in the French refugee community pastured from 1538 to 1541 by the young John Calvin, who had a great respect for Bucer and worked closely with him.

Nearly 500 years later we can still benefit greatly from Bucer’s spiritual wisdom as he sets out, in a vivid and persuasive way, biblical principles for church life, ministry, and discipline. Translated into English for the very first time through the labours of Peter Beale, the publishers send it forth, reechoing Bucer’s prayer: ‘May the Lord grant that it will be of much use for his kingdom.’

258 pages
Published January 2009

“This is THE pastoral theology that John Calvin implemented in his own pastorate in Strasbourg, from 1538 to 1541. Nearly 500 years later we can still benefit greatly from Bucer’s spiritual wisdom as he sets out, in a vivid and persuasive way, biblical principles for church life, ministry, and discipline. Never before available in English, until now!”
- Steve Burlew, Manager, The Banner of Truth North America

Filed under: Banner of Truth, Book Recommendations, Books, Books and Resources, Pastors

A Letter from a Pastor: Spiritual Guidance for a Young Christian

Deborah Hatheway, an eighteen-year-old convert who was without a pastor in her home town of Suffield, Massachusetts, turned to a known, trusted adviser for spiritual counsel and advice. Responding to her inquiry, Jonathan Edwards wrote this guide for a young Christian, with emphasis upon attitude and behavior.  Every new and old Christian alike needs to read this letter and heed this wise pastoral advice.

Northampton, June 3, 1741

Dear Child,

As you desired me to send you in writing some directions, how to conduct yourself in your Christian course, I would now answer your request. The sweet remembrance of the great things I have lately seen at Suffield, and the dear affections for those persons I have there conversed with, that give good evidences of a saving work of God upon their hearts, inclines me to do anything that lies in my power, to contribute to the spiritual joy and prosperity of God’s people there. And what I write to you, I would also say to other young women there, that are your friends and companions and the children of God; and therefore desire you would communicate it to them as you have opportunity.

I would advise you to keep up as great a strife and earnestness in religion in all parts of it, as you would do if you knew yourself to be in a state of nature and was seeking conversion. We advise persons under convictions to be earnest and violent for the kingdom of heaven, but when they have attained to conversion they ought not to be the less watchful, laborious and earnest in the whole work of religion, but the more; for they are under infinitely greater obligations. For want of this, many persons in a few months after their conversion have begun to lose the sweet and lively sense of spiritual things, and to grow cold and Hat and dark, and have pierced themselves through with many sorrows, whereas if they had done as the Apostle did, Philippians 3:12-14, their path would have been as the shining light, that shines more and more unto the perfect day. Don’t leave off seeking, striving and praying for the very same things that we exhort unconverted persons to strive for, and a degree of which you have had in conversion. Thus pray that your eyes may be opened, that you may receive your sight, that you may know your self, and be brought to God’s foot, and that you may see the glory of God and Christ and may be raised from the dead, and have the love of Christ shed abroad in your heart; for those that have most of these things, had need still to pray for them; for there is so much blindness and hardness and pride and death remaining, that they still need to have that work of God wrought upon them, further to enlighten and enliven them; that shall be a bringing out of darkness into God’s marvelous light, and a kind of new conversion and resurrection from the dead. There are very few requests that are proper for a natural person, but that in some sense are proper for the godly.

Filed under: Jonathan Edwards, Letters, Pastors, The Christian Life