“How far our assurance is solid and true may be estimated by the effects.  It will surely make us humble, spiritual, peaceful, and patient.  I pity those who talk confidently of their hope, as if they were out of the reach of doubts and fears, while their tempers are unsanctified and their hearts are visibly... Continue Reading

All of this is designed to help you filter the few books you will read from the thousands you could read. Not only that, but it is designed to help you get a sense of what a book is all about before you begin to read it. When you are quite new to Christian books,... Continue Reading

Robertson’s thesis is that we shouldn’t treat the Psalms like Hershey’s Kisses – beautifully, individually wrapped treats that have no relationship to one another. He argues that there is a flow to the Psalter, a very deliberate, sophisticated arrangement and a logical progression over the course of the 150 ancient songs that were collected together... Continue Reading

Most of us know the story of Zacchaeus climbing the tree to see Jesus (Lk 19).  Have you ever noticed the “seeking” aspect of it?  The story starts out by mentioning the fact that Zacchaeus is seeking (ζητέω) to see Jesus (v3) . A the end of the story we learn that Jesus’ mission as... Continue Reading

One reason to read Wodehouse is to admire his use of the Bible. I don’t think he had much of a faith commitment, but his biblical literacy is astounding. For example, take this from the opening pages of The Code of the Woosters, where Bertie is complaining about his rough sleep the night before: “I... Continue Reading

“Because good works are the fruits of our regeneration by the Holy Spirit, which are always connected with our free justification (Rom. 8:30, 1 Cor. 6:11).  Those, therefore, who do not perform good works, show that they are neither regenerated by the Spirit of God, nor redeemed by the blood of Christ.”   Since I’ve... Continue Reading

Reading is a wonderful gift from God, and because it is something to be treasured, I make it my aim to read as much as possible. And my reading plan helps make that possible. While not everyone needs to read as much as I do (including me), if you want to get in the habit... Continue Reading

Through sin left in us, we are made more and more to feel our need for Christ, and his precious blood for the removal of our guilt daily contracted anew, and for the strengthening of our souls in our Christian course, so that we come out of the wilderness resting upon our Beloved.  So we... Continue Reading

One might summarize all that Ash says under one heading: We are not God. Our mortal frames and our fallen existence make us weak – weak in the face of the temptation to turn even our service of God into something of an idol and ourselves into something indispensable for God’s kingdom. It is surely... Continue Reading

“It is a real pleasure as a pastor to recommend Ken Golden’s new book from Christian Focus, Presbytopia: What it means to be Presbyterian.  In this short volume, Ken provides the reader with the basics of the membership classes at his own church, an Orthodox Presbyterian congregation in Iowa.”   Church membership – that formal,... Continue Reading