Richard Baxter "Make careful choice of the books which you read: let the holy scriptures ever have the pre-eminence, and, next to them, those solid, lively, heavenly treatises which best expound and apply the scriptures, and next, credible histories, especially of the Church . . . but take heed of false teachers who would corrupt your understandings."

1. As there is a more excellent appearance of the Spirit of God in the holy scripture, than in any other book whatever, so it has more power and fitness to convey the Spirit, and make us spiritual, by imprinting itself upon our hearts. As there is more of God in it, so it will acquaint us more with God, and bring us nearer Him, and make the reader more reverent, serious and divine. Let scripture be first and most in your hearts and hands and other books be used as subservient to it. The endeavours of the devil and papists to keep it from you, doth shew that it is most necessary and desirable to you.

2. The writings of divines are nothing else but a preaching of the gospel to the eye, as the voice preaches it to the ear. Vocal preaching has the pre-eminence in moving the affections, and being diversified according to the state of the congregation which attend it: this way the milk comes warmest from the breast. But books have the advantage in many other respects: you may read an able preacher when you have but a average one to hear. Every congregation cannot hear the most judicious or powerful preachers: but every single person may read the books of the most powerful and judicious; preachers may be silenced or banished, when books may be at hand: books may be kept at a smaller charge than preachers: we may choose books which treat of that, very subject which we desire to hear of; but we cannot choose what subject the preacher shall treat of. Books we may have at hand every day. and hour; when we can have sermons but seldom, and at set times. If sermons be forgotten, they are gone; but a book we may read over and over, till we remember it: and if we forget it, may again peruse it at our pleasure, or at our leisure. So that good books are a very great mercy to the world: the Holy Ghost chose the way of writing, to preserve His doctrine and laws to the ‘Church, as knowing how easy and sure a way it is of keeping it safe to all generations, in comparison of mere verbal traditions.

3. You have need of a judicious teacher at hand, to direct you what books to use or to refuse: for among good books there are some very good that are sound and lively; and some good, but mediocre, and weak and somewhat dull; and some are very good in part, but have mixtures of error, or else of incautious, injudicious expressions, fitter to puzzle than edify the weak.

Baxter’s Guide To The Value Of A Book

While reading ask oneself:

1. Could I spend this time no better?
2. Are there better books that would edify me more?
3. Are the lovers of such a book as this the greatest lovers of the Book
of God and of a holy life?
4. Does this book increase my love to the Word of God, kill my sin, and
prepare me for the life to come?

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Just Do Something by Kevin DeYoung

(Many thanks to my friend and sister Marie for loaning me her copy)

The subject of decision-making and knowing the will of God is a contentious one in our day. The rise of hyper-charismatic theology has meant that most Christians are of the conviction that God’s will is discernible through dreams, visions,  prophecies, words of knowledge, etc. The problems with such an approach are, I trust, self-evident. (If you’d like to know more about the Bible’s teaching on the spiritual gifts and the work of the Spirit , may I recommend Satisfied by the Promise of the Spirit by Thomas Edgar for a good Biblical treatment of this subject)

On the other extreme, some have proposed a scheme where, while eschewing the idea of special revelation in making decision, the aim subtly becomes the reading of providence and ultimately one’s ability to make decisions effectively is dependent on whether they can follow these few steps accurately.

Either way, the problem becomes:  “How can I know what the will of God is for me in making decisions?” I will admit that for a long time, I just figured that the safest (and ‘safe’ is seriously top of the reference list) thing was to guarantee in my mind that everything would work out and then make a move (my way, of course). In the likely event it didn’t work, it was a dumb idea to begin with and next time, I won’t even think twice about making a decision, should I be in the same place somewhere down the road. In short – I did something and it didn’t work…so we won’t be doing that or anything next time.

Enter Just Do Something by Kevin DeYoung. Prior to having read this book, I had heard some negative things about this book and others like it. For the most part, I heard two basic criticisms: (1) “He’s saying God doesn’t have a specific will for your life” and (2) “He’s saying just do whatever you want – where’s the careful thought and discernment in that?” Well, I read it – and neither objection I had heard rings true. If anything, this book lays out a liberating, common-sense and empowering view of guidance which I have been personally encouraged by it.

Pastor DeYoung begins with a “State of the World” review, putting the facts on the table and showing that the majority of Christians deeply struggle with “getting on with it” ever chasing after the seemingly elusive “will of God”. Having basically said, “Why aren’t we doing anything?”, the following chapters are very much like Rev. DeYoung putting the kettle on, opening up a Bible and having a chat about what the will of God looks like and how we “find it”.  Chapter two deals with the three ways in which the will of God is discussed: (1) God’s will of decree, (2) God’s will of desire and (3) God’s will of direction. DeYoung, in an insightful manner, deals with the relevant texts and then comes to the following staggering conclusion (which I think is right):

This conventional understanding [that there is a  specific will of God for every believer and anything less is a fail] is the wrong way to think of God’s will. In fact, expecting God to reveal some hidden way of direction is an invitation to disappointment and indecision.  Trusting in God’s will of decree is good.  Following His will of desire is obedient. Waiting for God’s will of direction is dangerous.

Dangerous? Seems a little irreverent to say that waiting for God’s will is dangerous – but then that assumes the existence of a “will of God” for every individual believer, anything  (I will save that for a future blog post.) With a unique mixture of sarcasm, wit and pastoral concern, DeYoung then lays out an uncomplicated scheme for knowing the will of God. God wants you saved, sanctified, Spirit-led and growing in faith – that’s His will as we find in the Bible. For everything, apply some sanctified common sense and just do something. If it works out, praise the Lord and  keep it moving. If not, learn from it, praise the Lord and keep it moving. DeYoung also dedicates a chapter to the big questions which most – if not, all – young people wrestle through – “What about marriage?” and “What should I do after studying (or should I study at all?)”

I honestly enjoyed this book, even though at points, it was painful and felt like my non-risk-taking, safety-loving heart was being dragged through a briar patch. But then, that was the greatest part – stripping back the tradition and letting the Word be the governing principle. You may not agree with his conclusions initially (and judging by its reviews, neither does half of the Internet) but do the spade-work and test what he is saying. I can definitely say you’ll be glad you did.

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The second time around, the doctor actually behaved in accordance with the seriousness of what was happening and so he explained that the mortality rate for this kind of procedure was so small I had little to worry about. I was having a valve replaced and it was a great comfort to actually see the little thing. My parents came round just before the surgery to meet their usually annoying and somewhat unserious son smiling and cracking jokes with Marcel the nurse (who to this day remains a good mate).

I remember waking up after the surgery. The left side of my chest hurt and I was still a little groggy but here I was – alive and somewhat kicking. I didn’t want to hang around at the hospital so after a day or two, I discharged myself and went home to rest. I really laughed at myself for my complete inability to keep calm – and then it hit me. I really didn’t trust God during that time.

Even as you read this, you can tell (as I intended to convey) that Someone was deeply absent from this story – God! If I had simply trusted God to bring me through this tough time, I could have saved myself a lot of sleepless, tear-filled nights. I could have spared my parents the frustration of seeing their son hunker down and give up. My faith wouldn’t have taken such a battering if it looked up to its Author and Finisher (Heb 12:2). I wasn’t much of a ‘fighter’ at age 19 – if I could give up with relative ease, Lord knows I would gladly do it, rather than run the race with perseverance, knowing there would be a few hurdles on the track.

Well what did I learn from that time?

1. FIGHT! I’m still learning this lesson but it was that period in which I learned that some things are worth fighting to the death for. I’m on the verge of making some major life decisions right now and I will concede that at times, I feel like doing my best Usain Bolt impression. When I do, I remember two things – I remember Jesus and I put my hand on my heart and feel it beating with its God-given strength. That’s motivation enough to keep fighting.

2. PRAY! I’m not the most talkative of persons and I find it hard to vocalize how I feel – except when I’m praying. I am at my most calm and collected in the place of prayer because, if I am honest, that is the one place where I know Someone is listening (Heb 4:14-16).

3. FELLOWSHIP! I’m not a social creature. I take after my Dad in that regard – if I don’t want to be somewhere, I feel uncomfortable from the minute I step in the door. One thing I’ve learned is that being with God’s people shouldn’t be a chore – it should be a mighty blessing. I didn’t really avail myself of being with God’s people under the ministry of the Word and it showed. Spend time with the saints. Get to know the family of faith – who knows, you might just like them…?

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Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones

I treasure such announcements because I am a firm believer that financial constraints shouldn’t stop ministries making sound teaching and preaching available to those searching for it. In an age where GOD TV and TBN pump out spiritual filth 24 hours a day to whoever wants it, Bible-teaching ministries ought to take every advantage to reach more people as best as resources allow.

So it was with a lot excitement that a little while ago, I came across the fantastic news that all 1,600 remaining sermons from the ministry of Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones would be available for free from tomorrow, April 12th.

In case you haven’t heard of the ministry of Dr Lloyd-Jones, here’s what some of the leading preachers of our day have had to say about ‘the Doctor’:

“D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones was without question the finest biblical expositor of the 20th century. In fact, when the final chapter of church history is written, I believe the Doctor will stand as one of the greatest preachers of all time. His style of biblical exposition was meticulously thorough and yet full of energy. “Logic on fire,” was his famous description of preaching, and he had an amazing gift for blending passion and precision in copious measures. He influenced countless preachers (myself included), and he stood steadfastly against the superficial, entertainment-oriented approach to preaching that seemed to dominate the evangelical world then as it does now. Lloyd-Jones still desperately needs to be heard today, and I am profoundly grateful for the work the MLJ Trust is doing to keep his voice alive.”
- Dr. John F. MacArthur, Jr. is the Pastor-Teacher of Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California

“Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones was one of the greatest preachers of the twentieth century in the English speaking world. In some ways he was a maverick: he had no concern to observe homiletical rules and political correctness. He did expound Scripture powerfully—chapter after chapter, enabling his hearers to feel the massive weight of every topic with which he was concerned. Add to this a rare unction—an old Puritan word that needs to be restored to our vocabulary—and you begin to understand why his influence reached as far as it did. Every time I listened to him I came away richly conscious that I had met with the living God. Here are sermons which, while picking away at individual texts, maintain a clear connection with the gospel that runs right through the whole of the Bible. It is a pleasure to commend these sermons to a new generation of hearers.”
- Dr. Donald Carson is research professor of the New Testament at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, which is based in Deerfield, Illinois

“Over 40 years ago I was at Westminster Seminary in Philidelphia to hear British preacher Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones deliver his landmark series of lectures on preaching. He was a titan of Christian ministry then and it thrills me to see his influence accelerating today for the benefit of the church around the world.”
- R.C. Sproul is the founder and president of Ligonier Ministries and President of Ligonier Academy

From tomorrow, anyone who signs up at http://www.mljtrust.org will be able to download any (or even all) of the sermons from Dr Lloyd-Jones, including his landmark series on Romans and Ephesians.

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I was listening to a sermon and heard a rather amazing fact: in the New Testament, the terms ‘mind’, ‘think’ and ‘know’ appear a combined total of over 1400 times. Bear in mind that in the entire Bible, the terms ‘feel’, ‘feeling’ and ‘feelings’ appear less than ten times. If that is true…why in the world does our version of Christianity focus on subjective feeling and emotion? Surely it would be more of a better use of time, effort and resources to focus on the mind, knowing the emotions will rightly follow?

Why are some guys more confident than others, even when they clearly have nothing to be confident in? Not particularly theological, but it really bugs me how some of the greatest folks I know are the most dejected people I know, while some of the most outgoing people I know happen to be the biggest jerks? What gives with that?

Liverpool Football Club are actually shambolic! (I hope my sister Mary ‘Poppins’ ain’t reading this or I am so dead…)

I just finished reading The Trellis and the Vine by Colin Marshall and Tony Payne. Every pastor needs to read this book – actually every Christian needs to read this. I’ve been a fan of the ideas this book since I came across David Platt’s teaching series Follow Me. A lot of churches could actually be fit for purpose once they realised that they were designed to make disciples who make disciples. Jus’ sayin’

And finally…I came to the realization today that maybe marriage isn’t for me. I’m so socially awkward and deeply introverted, it would be a chore for whoever was saddled with me. I’ll stick to being single and serving the Lord – I’m at my least awkward and introverted at that place

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Who you associate with says a lot about you. I’m honoured to say that if you met my friends, you’d get an accurate picture of what I am like, what I believe and what drives me. As the old proverb goes, “Show me your friends and I will show you your character”.

Greater than any proverb, however, is the Word of God which tells us

Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.” (1 Cor 15:33)

In the last post, I talked about the lack of solid confessional commitment in much of the New Calvinist movement – the reality that while there is a strong commitment to the ‘five points of Calvinism’ and the five solas of the Reformation, in many circles, much of the reformation theologically and ecclesiologically is yet to begin.

My second big concern is one that even back in 2010, I couldn’t have fully anticipated and it is deeply worrying – the reality that the New Calvinists seem all to ready to work with anyone and everyone. Now, I will acknowledge that what I am about to say doesn’t apply to each and every person who would identify as a New Calvinist (more on that towards the end) but there has been a trend of co-operation with folks that defies logical explanation.

The most baffling was Round 2 of the Elephant Room, which happened this past January. If you are unfamiliar with the Elephant Room idea, it is a meeting of pastors from various ‘megachurches’ to discuss controversial ministry-related issues. The first round had problems of its own (such as Perry Noble’s disturbing double-speak regarding performing Highway to Hell in church), but they paled into insignificance when it was announced that one of the guests at Round 2 would be Bishop T.D. Jakes. Aside from his horrendous ‘gospel‘ which is no Gospel at all, Jakes has been known, at best, to be fuzzy on the essential doctrine of the Trinity. And yet he was there, even getting a nice green card to the party from none other than Mark Driscoll, pastor at Mars Hill Church, a church which professes to be reformed in their theology.

Trends like this both disturb and annoy me. I am a firm believer that if you are in ministry and have theological convictions, they are not the same as personal preferences. They are convictions which ought to affect every area of your ministry. So, I’m a Calvinist  and I believe that affects the manner in which I present the Gospel, what I believe the purpose of the Church is – I would even argue that affects how we even use music in church on a Sunday. Why? Because ideas have implications – far-reaching, world-tilting (shout-out to Dan Philips) implications and it seems to this observer that those implications are seriously lost on you when you can have a heretic at your table, baptise him a brother (metaphorically speaking) and even have the gall to say that he has stuff to teach you about money. (Next, you’ll be telling me that John Crowder and Ben Dunn can teach me something about sanity)

NI am not calling for a inward-looking, ‘we are the sole believers’ kind of separation from anyone and everyone. I am simply saying that the lack of boundaries – clear, conscientious and Scriptural boundaries – makes for a disturbing future if the movement doesn’t gird itself up and realise some things, and frankly some people, need to be left outside until they repent and return to the truth.

To be continued…

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Recently, during the 2012 Shepherd’s Conference, Dr MacArthur delivered an address to the pastors present on the subject of “Reclaiming the Worship of the Holy Spirit” and so in the interest of promoting some Biblical thought on the Person and Work of the Spirit of God, here is that talk in its entirety:

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I recently purchased an Android tablet (that’s the subject of another blog post aside to say that I am now sold on using this thing in teaching and study) and have been loading up on resources. Even if you don’t own an iPad or Android tablet, I hope these will be of some benefits

MP3s:

You can get an MP3 recording of the entire Catechism courtesy of Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary.

You can also get Pastor Malcolm Watts of Emmanuel Church, Salisbury teaching through the Catechism in quite a lot of detail.

Websites:

There are a number of websites which are pretty good for working through the Catechism. Many thanks to Peter Gordon on Twitter who recommended the Westminster Shorter Catechism Projectfrom the Bible Presbyterian Church which features the entire Catechism as well as links to online books expounding the various themes of the Catechism.

Some friends of mine are working through the Westminster Shorter Catechism as part of their Young People’s Fellowship at church and since I’ll be going along (after all, it’s 25 mins from my house), I’ve decided to get studied up for each week’s sessions.

I recently purchased an Android tablet (that’s the subject of another blog post aside to say that I am now sold on using this thing in teaching and study) and have been loading up on resources. Even if you don’t own an iPad or Android tablet, I hope these will be of some benefits

MP3s:

You can get an MP3 recording of the entire Catechism courtesy of Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary.

You can also get Pastor Malcolm Watts of Emmanuel Church, Salisbury teaching through the Catechism in quite a lot of detail.

Websites:

There are a number of websites which are pretty good for working through the Catechism. Many thanks to Peter Gordon on Twitter who recommended the Westminster Shorter Catechism Project from the Bible Presbyterian Church which features the entire Catechism as well as links to online books expounding the various themes of the Catechism.

There’s also WestminsterShorterCatechism.net which features the Catechism as well as links to other online resources.

eBooks

I’m still figuring the world of eBooks out, but many thanks to Pastor Nicholas Batzig, pastor at New Covenant Presbyterian Church and blogger at Feeding on Christ, for recommending Ashbel Green’s Lectures on the Catechism in two volumes available here and here.

Books

Technology or no technology, nothing will ever beat an old-fashioned book. Some of my favourite Catechism resources are in classic book form such as:

• A Body of Divinity by Thomas Watson – Classic Puritan preaching from Thomas Watson with two follow-up volumes.
• The Lord’s Prayer by Thomas Watson
• The Ten Commandments by Thomas Watson
• The Westminster Shorter Catechism for Study Classes by G.I. Williamson – Dr Williamson has a knack for simplifying big ideas and he does masterfully well

——

There’s also WestminsterShorterCatechism.net which features the Catechism as well as links to other online resources.

eBooks

I’m still figuring the world of eBooks out, but many thanks to Pastor Nicholas Batzig, pastor at New Covenant Presbyterian Church and blogger at Feeding on Christ, for recommending Ashbel Green’s Lectures on the Catechism in two volumes available here and here.

——

And that’s the run-down right now. If you know of any other resources, feel free to leave a comment and we’ll add it up!

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