I am at the Banner of Truth Conference this week. Enjoy the time I am away.

Sabbath a' Brakel: Communion With Christ

Acquaint yourself with Christ. Let the exercise of this communion be your daily task when you are alone, when you are in company, and when you are engaged in your profession. May Jesus always have your ear, and may there always be a view upon Him (II: 96).

Be Careful Lest Ye Fall

Many people who have professed faith in the Lord Jesus Christ have fallen away. The truth is, some people do not cultivate their hearts and attend the means of grace as they ought. Personal devotions slip, family worship is set aside, the Sabbath becomes less and less important, a sermon here and there will do, fellowship with believers becomes less important- the cares of the world choke out the seed that has been planted. The Lord Jesus said in Mark 13:13b "But he who endures to the end shall be saved."

I have been a Christian for 11 years. I have seen this happen time and again. What a terrible thing to walk away from the Lord Jesus and to let your love for him grow cold.

"Neither place, parts, nay, nor graces, will exempt any man from falling. O believers, what need is there to be watchful and humble!" -JAMES DURHAM

Sabbath a'Brakel: A Plea to Return to Your First Love

Reflect for a moment upon former days. Consider your previous convictions, sensitivity, earnestness, tears, supplications, looking unto and receiving of the Lord Jesus, sorrow over sin, sweet enjoyment of the Word of God, tender walk before the Lord--and perhaps also peace, joy, and assurance. You know indeed that you have enjoyed all these things prior to this, and you know furthermore that all God's callings and gifts are without repentance....

Even if your inner motions are presently sluggish, lethargic, and barren, are they nevertheless not there?--namely, displeasure about your condition, and a desire to be lively in all spiritual exercises, and for the benefits of the covenant of grace? Are you not sensitive to your insensitivity--not primarily because you fear judgment, but because you are so barren and dead in spiritual things? Is not your deadness your greatest burden? What is able to comfort your soul: something temporal or is it only God in Christ? Wherever there is feeling there is life. Since you are therefore sensitive to your spiritual deadness, is not this then an indication that you have life? We are not examining you as to how strong and lively all this is, but rather as to the genuineness of it all.

Are you entirely void of the activities and exercises of godliness, or are there yet sighs, prayers, and a fleeing to Jesus for reconciliation and power to be invigorated again? [IV: 273].

Creative Biblical Counseling

Rev. Dr. George Scipione taught a class this week on advanced issues in biblical counseling. The class was both challenging and edifying. We discussed counseling cases from the typical (pre-marriage, anger, depression) to the very challenging (trans-gender, incest, schizophrenia). At Puritan we are trained to be nouthetic counselors so that the Word of God will be the counselor in all issues of life.

I am looking forward to the class assignments. We were given a number of cases to work through from a biblical perspective, a few great books to read (such as Insight and Creativity in Christian Counseling by Jay Adams), and a topic paper. Since I work at a Christian mental health hospital with teens, I chose 'cutting' as my topic. This is an epidemic that needs to be addressed to our teens in the Church.

There are many hurting sheep in the Church and I am thankful that, by God's grace, I a little more qualified to work through some of these issues from the Scriptures.

Hearers of the Word

There has been a lot of discussion lately about how to hear preaching, and what our attitude should be towards it. There was the Philadelphia Conference on Reformed Theology that met last month in Grand Rapids and they discussed listening to ministers that are less than good. AS Reformed Christians we receive preaching as Christ's Word to His people. Is that our attitude? I would like to share a thought from J.I. Packer as well as the Westminster Larger Catechism on 'hearing the Word":

We complain today that ministers do not know how to preach; but is it not equally true that our congregations do not know how to hear? -J.I. Packer

Q160: What is required of those that hear the word preached?

A160: It is required of those that hear the word preached, that they attend upon it with diligence, preparation, and prayer; examine: What they hear by the scriptures; receive the truth with faith, love,meekness, and readiness of mind, as the word of God; meditate, and confer of it; hide it in their hearts, and bring forth the fruit of it in their lives.

Living Amongst Giants

I have heard many complaints from believers that they are unsatisfied with the level of spirituality and commitment to Biblical Christianity that they see around them. Often it is these people who refuse to pick up books and find sweet fellowship within dusty old pages. Many times a good biography of a godly man or woman (Spurgeon, Lloyd-Jones, Mary Winslow) will water us in ways that is unimaginable.

When dialogue with Christians around you seems to be carnal and unedifying, you can always read a good 'practical' Christianity book. The Puritans were masters at ethics and Christian living. Many Christians have found sweet fellowship with Thomas Boston, John Owen, or Thomas Manton because of their level of spiritual maturity.

When your preacher is dry and boring, or when his exegesis is poor, there are many sermon books that will delight your soul! Be encouraged, rebuked, and challenged by the preachers who were giants preaching to giants.

In those times when all around you seems to be dark, books are a blessing to a hungry believer. The Apostle Paul was alone and in prison at the end of his life. Many of the Christians that had been around him for most of his ministry had abandoned him. What does he ask for? II Timothy 4:13 says, "when thou comest, bring with thee, and the books, but especially the parchments." Paul sought fellowship in the Scriptures (parchments) and his books.

In my library I have profitably dwelt among the shining lights, with which the learned, wise, and holy men of all ages have illuminated the world. -Richard Baxter

Sabbath a'Brakel

As ministers are the mouthpiece of God in preaching, they are likewise the hand of the Lord Jesus to give His bride the wedding ring. In this task the minister must conduct himself with the greatest reverence for God. Each time he must renew the impression that he performs this task as an ambassador of Christ, that he imparts the signs and seals of the suffering and death of the Lord Jesus Christ, and that he seals to every participant the promise of the gospel, namely, that "whosoever believeth on the Son hath everlasting life." If the minister administers the sacraments without this spiritual frame, performing this labor in a thoughtless and lackadaisical manner, he is then guilty of a dreadful desecration of the holy things (II: 141).

Crunch Time

Closed until the semester ends on May 12th. Please go read a good book.

Sabbath a' Brakel: Love Towards God

The Holy Spirit, igniting love in the hearts of God's children, operates in harmony with man's nature. Man cannot love what he does not know and his love cannot go beyond that which he knows. The Holy Spirit thus also works this love by the medium of knowledge. God gives enlightened eyes of understanding to His children. He reveals Himself to them, they know His perfections, and the love of God is thus ignited in them. "Every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love" (1 John 4:7-8); "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind" (Mat. 22:37) [III: 265].

Need Help With the 'Split Peas'?

Here is a helpful website to sort out all of the peas in the soup. We Presbyterians have a reputation for dividing a lot; but the truth is we are in as much as sin as the next band of Protestants:

• Who can tell all of those Baptists apart? Regular. Particular. Primitive. Calvinistic. Reformed. Southern.


• How about the Reformed? Heritage, Free, Christian, Canadian, Netherlands, German, United, Independent, US, etc.
  

Point being, we all have things to work on. We are a long way to being faithful to John 17 that is for sure! But, here is a road map to help you through the section of the body of Christ called Presbyterians- split and united. It includes the Reformed as well. So it is Split R and P soup.

Split P Organizer

Cotton Mather on Entertainment in Worship

Cotton Mather was dealing with a type of seeker-sensitive church in his day. He thought that the introduction of musical instruments (especially the organ) was a ploy to entertain the people and steal them out of the Reformed churches.

He saw the organ in the same way that many in today's churches see guitars and a drum set. I guess that many of us, upon reflection, need to reconsider our positions on these things. What is the difference between a guitar and an organ? Is there any difference?

If we believe in doing what God tells us to do in worship, should we not have all of the instruments that God says to use in the Old Testament and not one that was invented in the 1600s? Or should we reconsider the whole thing? Why did ALL of the Reformed churches sing a capella? What does God want from us?



"Attempts to propagate the Church of England among us, by a most conspicuous and marvelous blast of heaven upon them, do very much come to nothing. Even the organs introduced into the chapel in this metropolis of the English America, signify very little to draw over our people unto them." -Cotton Mather, in a letter to John Stirling, 1714.

Justification and Adoption

Q. 33. What is justification?

A. Justification is an act of God’s free grace, wherein he pardoneth all our sins, and accepteth us as righteous in His sight, only for the righteousness of Christ imputed to us, and received by faith alone.

Q. 34. What is adoption?

A. Adoption is an act of God’s free grace,a whereby we are received into the number, and have a right to all the privileges, of the sons of God.

My catechumens are working on these two questions for the week. I have taken this opportunity to discuss the necessity of conversion and the need for all men (including covenant children) to have their sins pardoned.

I have given them a homework assignment that requires them to interview their believing parents and grandparents and ask them to tell the story of their justification by faith alone. As a Calvinist, I believe that one can have a testimony that says "I have never known a day when I did not love the Lord Jesus". This is my prayer for my children, that they would know and love Christ from their very youth.

With that in mind, even covenant children can discuss and write out their testimony. I hope that this exercise proves to be beneficial to my catechumens as they again hear of how their families fell in love with the Lord Jesus Christ. I would challenge you write out yours as well. Someday you may be asked to talk about your Christian experience while sharing the good news.

Sabbath a' Brakel: On Sin

There is no sin from which a regenerated person is safeguarded in an absolute sense. Nobody can say: "I shall never fall into that sin." A person will never be delivered from the indwelling corruption of his nature. It will always prevent and defile that which is good, always stir up lusts, and daily cause a man to offend in many things, doing so either out of carelessness, or due to the sudden occurrence of an event (IV: 255).

Set Apart For God

This year the Banner of Truth Conference will focus on being 'set apart for God'. I have linked the online brochure for you to check it out. I would love to meet up with anyone that is planning on attending. I have heard that in years past the ARP and the RPCNA people have gotten together for a Psalm sing. I am up for that! The dates are May 29-31. Is anyone interested in attending?

Online Brochure

A Little Country Church

This is a picture of Southfield RPCNA that Jon and Wendy Hughes sent me. The picture was taken pre-1955 and has seen many changes in this short amount of time. It has been moved back from the road and was placed on a basement. There has also been a manse built on the property since then. Notice that it is all fields surrounding the little country church. It is now one acre amidst tall buildings and multi lane action!

The Heart is a Factory of Idolatry

"This potato has changed everything. I can't explain it.

It's given me hope and I know God's here."

A Holy Potato

Sabbath a'Brakel

Who are you for whom Christ has suffered all this? In yourself you are nothing but sin within and without, and therefore your nature is so hateful, abominable, intolerable, and damnable. What incompatibility there is between Jesus and you! Sink away in your wretched condition and acknowledge yourself to be unworthy that anyone, let alone God and the Son of God would look after you and think upon you. Above all, consider that everything is to be found in you which would cause the Lord Jesus to be repulsed by you and refrain from doing good to you. Focus on your wretched condition until you perceive yourself to be entirely as we have just described you to be, and then betake yourself in faith to the Lord Jesus. Be humbled, but be not unbelieving, by this view which passes all understanding, namely, that Jesus should love you, and that He would love you to such an extent that out of love for you He would suffer and die. Believe, however, that such is the case, and confess, "This is the LORD's doing; and it is marvelous in my eyes" (I: 616-617)

Union With Christ Equals Communion of Saints

The Church of Christ is divided in our day. We have invented the sin called denominationalism as a means to justify the division that we have brought upon ourselves. The true Church of Christ is one. She is one in truth, one in spirit, one in the bond of peace and unity.

How often do we commune with those that we do not feel deserve our fellowship? How often do we esteem others lower than ourselves only to set up idols of our own person? How often do slander, injure, and assault the very body of Christ; even in his name?

When one has been united to the Lord Jesus Christ through justification he should seek reconciliation with fellow believers out of duty. We, who are the Church, are united to Christ and, in a sense, united with each other. The Apostle Paul was clear on this when he spoke of the many members. Does the hand say to the foot, I have no need of you?

Seek peace with the household of God. Seek unity of mind and heart. It has been said that through division and hatred, many Sabbath worship services have had Christians murdering other Christians through their mutual thoughts and feelings. Seek peace. Seek unity. Seek communion of the saints as an outworking of union with Christ.

See how fearful a sin it is to abuse the saints. It is an injury done to Christ, for believers are mystically one with him: "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?" (Acts 9:4). When the body was wounded, the Head, being in heaven, cried out. In this sense, men crucify Christ afresh (Heb. 6:6), because what is done to his members is done to him. If Gideon was avenged upon those who slew his brethren, will not Christ much more be avenged on those that wrong his spouse (Judges 8:21)? Will a king tolerate having his treasure rifled, his crown thrown in the dust, his queen beheaded? Will Christ bear with the affronts and injuries done to his bride? The saints are the apple of Christ's eye (Zech. 2:8), and let those who strike at his eye answer for it. Isa 49:26 "I will feed those who oppress you with their own flesh, and they shall be drunk with their own blood as with sweet wine" (Isa. 49:26). -Thomas Watson

New Blog in Town

Reverend Charles Brown of Westminster RPCNA has started a blog. I get excited, as well as encouraged, when pastors begin to blog. I think that it is a good way to continue the discussion of theological ideas as well as pass on knowledge of Church history. I have said many times that the Puritans were innovators in using the technology of the day for the furtherance of the Kingdom of Christ. May the Lord use new technologies to again reform and revive the Church.