We had Rev Murray preach for us in Sheffield Evangelical Presbyterian Church last Lord's Day. What a blessing it was and do check out the website to listen to the sermons (www.sheffieldpres.org.uk).
However, a friend of mine told me today that he has heard that the latest book by Iain Murray on J. C. Ryle is apparently outstanding. I commend this book, though I have not read it yet and also check out other books authored by Murray on the Banner of Truth website.
Two books to note written by him are "Evangelicals Divided" and " The Forgotten Spurgeon".
Happy reading!
Wednesday, 12 October 2016
Tuesday, 11 October 2016
Mentoring should take place in three directions: which directions are they?
"Without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed.
To make an apt answer is a joy to a man, and a word in season, how good it is!
The path of life leads upward for the prudent, that he may turn away from Sheol beneath" Proverbs 15:22-24.
We need good and godly counsel if we are to succeed in life. However, we must determine what success is in the sight of the Lord. In the sight of the Lord success includes that we must seek first the kingdom of God (Matthew 6:33), we must seek to support the Lord's church and be in good standing with her (Ephesians 5:; we must pursue living a life of holiness, one that is submitted to the written Scriptures (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
I hope that the previous blog post on mentoring has got people thinking. Thinking to be actively praying for and seeking out good mentors, while avoiding the influence in one's life of people who should not or are not able to mentor people. Not all mentoring is helpful, in fact false teachers are always seeking to mentor people, but in wrong directions. We must seek out and pray for discernment. 1 Thessalonians 5:21 "but test everything; hold fast what is good". 1 John 4:1 "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world".
This blog post is intended to emphasise mentorship in three directions.
1. To be mentored by those who are more mature than us, more experienced Christians than us.
2. To develop peer level mentoring and mutual encouragement with friends. These are relationships where you are exhorting one another to remain on the "narrow path" in following after the Lord Jesus Christ.
3. To seek to encourage others who are less mature than you or younger in the faith than yourself.
Mentoring is never to be a way of controlling people or some unhealthy co-dependency relationship. We must beware of this because the flesh and Satan soon want to spoil things. We must always note that mentoring among Christians is never to substitute the counsel of godly elders, nor is counsel to be spiritually divisive for the church; these things happen!
Having said that, I hope that I have widened the scope of mentoring so that we can consider these three directions for mentoring. Ask yourself, how am I doing in these three directions of mentoring? I would suggest that if you are not planted in a church, then do not seek to be mentoring anyone until you get yourself sorted out. However, pray for mentors in the first and second category. Godly friends are a precious gift on our pilgrimage.
"Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few" Matthew 7:13-14.
A good book is called "Friends of Calvin" by Michael A. van den Berg published by Eerdmans.
To make an apt answer is a joy to a man, and a word in season, how good it is!
The path of life leads upward for the prudent, that he may turn away from Sheol beneath" Proverbs 15:22-24.
We need good and godly counsel if we are to succeed in life. However, we must determine what success is in the sight of the Lord. In the sight of the Lord success includes that we must seek first the kingdom of God (Matthew 6:33), we must seek to support the Lord's church and be in good standing with her (Ephesians 5:; we must pursue living a life of holiness, one that is submitted to the written Scriptures (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
I hope that the previous blog post on mentoring has got people thinking. Thinking to be actively praying for and seeking out good mentors, while avoiding the influence in one's life of people who should not or are not able to mentor people. Not all mentoring is helpful, in fact false teachers are always seeking to mentor people, but in wrong directions. We must seek out and pray for discernment. 1 Thessalonians 5:21 "but test everything; hold fast what is good". 1 John 4:1 "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world".
This blog post is intended to emphasise mentorship in three directions.
1. To be mentored by those who are more mature than us, more experienced Christians than us.
2. To develop peer level mentoring and mutual encouragement with friends. These are relationships where you are exhorting one another to remain on the "narrow path" in following after the Lord Jesus Christ.
3. To seek to encourage others who are less mature than you or younger in the faith than yourself.
Mentoring is never to be a way of controlling people or some unhealthy co-dependency relationship. We must beware of this because the flesh and Satan soon want to spoil things. We must always note that mentoring among Christians is never to substitute the counsel of godly elders, nor is counsel to be spiritually divisive for the church; these things happen!
Having said that, I hope that I have widened the scope of mentoring so that we can consider these three directions for mentoring. Ask yourself, how am I doing in these three directions of mentoring? I would suggest that if you are not planted in a church, then do not seek to be mentoring anyone until you get yourself sorted out. However, pray for mentors in the first and second category. Godly friends are a precious gift on our pilgrimage.
"Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few" Matthew 7:13-14.
A good book is called "Friends of Calvin" by Michael A. van den Berg published by Eerdmans.
Monday, 3 October 2016
Who mentors you and whom do you seek out to mentor you?
Paul the apostle spoke in a very insightful way, when he wrote in 1 Corinthians 4:14-17 the following:
"I do not write these things to make you ashamed, but to admonish you as my beloved children. For though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel. I urge you, then, be imitators of me. That is why I sent you Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, to remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach them everywhere in every church".
Imagine this! Paul says to the Corinthian Christians that though they have "countless guides" ... "you do not have many fathers". He may have been referring to the many travelling sophist teachers who were travelling around or he may have referred to some of the early New Testament preachers when he thinks of "countless guides". Though his statement is hyperbole, the point is taken. The need is always there for spiritual fathers and I dare say also for spiritual mothers as well.
However, in this blog post, I would like to lay the stress upon us as individuals; it is that we need to take responsibility to seek out spiritual mentors, those who can help us in our pilgrimage. Whatever season in life you are in, you need people with greater maturity, spiritual experience and wisdom than you possess, in order to help you as a Christian. Sometimes we are perhaps too passive to pray for the Lord to give us spiritual mentors. We may also be too passive to seek out spiritual mentors to ask the questions such as what do you think?; Could you advise me?; and what blind spots do I have on a particular matter? These kinds of questions demonstrate humility and teachability on the part of an individual who asks them.
So back to our initial question. Who mentors you? Whom do you seek out to mentor you? So, how do you answer these two initial questions? My aim in this blog post is chiefly pastoral. We of course do not want to seek people out, who will just tell us what we want to hear or those who will give us wrong advice. We want to seek out Christians who are in good standing with a church, and those who have a track record also of godly wisdom. I hope that this blog post can help many people, because we hopefully can seek out more than one person to mentor us. Of course potential mentors should never be a substitute for the counsel of the Lord's ministers and elders, but we need a variety of mentors to help us in the marathon race of Christian living.
Here are three verses to encourage and help us in the endeavour of praying, and for seeking out godly mentors.
Hebrews 12:1-2: "Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith".
Proverbs 11:14 "Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety".
Proverbs 24:6-7 "For by wise guidance you can wage your war, and in abundance of counselors there is victory. Wisdom is too high for a fool; in the gate he does not open his mouth.
"I do not write these things to make you ashamed, but to admonish you as my beloved children. For though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel. I urge you, then, be imitators of me. That is why I sent you Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, to remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach them everywhere in every church".
Imagine this! Paul says to the Corinthian Christians that though they have "countless guides" ... "you do not have many fathers". He may have been referring to the many travelling sophist teachers who were travelling around or he may have referred to some of the early New Testament preachers when he thinks of "countless guides". Though his statement is hyperbole, the point is taken. The need is always there for spiritual fathers and I dare say also for spiritual mothers as well.
However, in this blog post, I would like to lay the stress upon us as individuals; it is that we need to take responsibility to seek out spiritual mentors, those who can help us in our pilgrimage. Whatever season in life you are in, you need people with greater maturity, spiritual experience and wisdom than you possess, in order to help you as a Christian. Sometimes we are perhaps too passive to pray for the Lord to give us spiritual mentors. We may also be too passive to seek out spiritual mentors to ask the questions such as what do you think?; Could you advise me?; and what blind spots do I have on a particular matter? These kinds of questions demonstrate humility and teachability on the part of an individual who asks them.
So back to our initial question. Who mentors you? Whom do you seek out to mentor you? So, how do you answer these two initial questions? My aim in this blog post is chiefly pastoral. We of course do not want to seek people out, who will just tell us what we want to hear or those who will give us wrong advice. We want to seek out Christians who are in good standing with a church, and those who have a track record also of godly wisdom. I hope that this blog post can help many people, because we hopefully can seek out more than one person to mentor us. Of course potential mentors should never be a substitute for the counsel of the Lord's ministers and elders, but we need a variety of mentors to help us in the marathon race of Christian living.
Here are three verses to encourage and help us in the endeavour of praying, and for seeking out godly mentors.
Hebrews 12:1-2: "Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith".
Proverbs 11:14 "Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety".
Proverbs 24:6-7 "For by wise guidance you can wage your war, and in abundance of counselors there is victory. Wisdom is too high for a fool; in the gate he does not open his mouth.
Saturday, 1 October 2016
The Grand Design: Male and Female He Made Them
This book co-authored by Owen Strachan and Gavin Peacock was warmly commended to me recently by Rev Dr Bill Schweitzer. Bill is the minister of Gateshead Presbyterian Church and if you live near there, I recommend that you go and worship with them (www.gatesheadpres.org.uk).
However, my main point is that Western society and British values basically promote confusion and blurring regarding genders, that is male and female. While a world without the spiritual compass of the Bible maybe confused, the church MUST never be. We must not allow the world to shape the thinking of the church: besides on all matters the world's opinions constantly change with fresh winds of contemporary ideas.
Psalm 11:3-5 "If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?” The LORD is in his holy temple; the LORD’s throne is in heaven; his eyes see, his eyelids test the children of man. The LORD tests the righteous".
The foundation from the Bible regarding gender differences and gender role differences in the church and family must not be confused. Hopefully, this book can help some, including those wanting to build a marriage based on Holy Scripture.
Happy reading!
However, my main point is that Western society and British values basically promote confusion and blurring regarding genders, that is male and female. While a world without the spiritual compass of the Bible maybe confused, the church MUST never be. We must not allow the world to shape the thinking of the church: besides on all matters the world's opinions constantly change with fresh winds of contemporary ideas.
Psalm 11:3-5 "If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?” The LORD is in his holy temple; the LORD’s throne is in heaven; his eyes see, his eyelids test the children of man. The LORD tests the righteous".
The foundation from the Bible regarding gender differences and gender role differences in the church and family must not be confused. Hopefully, this book can help some, including those wanting to build a marriage based on Holy Scripture.
Happy reading!
Friday, 30 September 2016
The urgent need of the church today is its understanding of the true work of the Holy Spirit compared with what is false!
Perhaps one of the greatest needs of the church today is for the church to revisit what is the genuine work of the Holy Spirit? I mean to revisit this in the light of holy Scripture, sound theology and church history. There is so much confusion with women preaching in pulpits all over the place (and leading church services), even though Scripture forbids this (1 Timothy 2:12). The church has flooded its so-called worship with worldly methods, until some people cannot discern between being moved by a rock band in singing versus a genuine work of the Holy Spirit.
What more shall we say of churches using alligator shows, fashion shows and dramas to try to lure in non-believers. Having just read the Book of Acts, the simplicity of the apostolic method is astounding. It was persuading people out of the Scriptures of the sufferings of Jesus of Nazareth, his resurrection and his message that all men everywhere must repent and believe the gospel.
But, what about the true work of the Holy Spirit? I have two books on my shelf that I would like to mention on this subject. First is a small book by John Owen "The Holy Spirit"; second is by Octavius Winslow called "The Work of the Holy Spirit". If people know of good biblical resources on this topic then do add a comment on this blog.
Of course there is the helpful book by John MacArthur called "Charismatic Chaos" which deserves a hearing or his book called "Strange Fire" also.
May we search the Scriptures to learn of Christ more fully by the Lord's grace.
"The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue. Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. Many of them therefore believed, with not a few Greek women of high standing as well as men".
Acts 17:10-12.
What more shall we say of churches using alligator shows, fashion shows and dramas to try to lure in non-believers. Having just read the Book of Acts, the simplicity of the apostolic method is astounding. It was persuading people out of the Scriptures of the sufferings of Jesus of Nazareth, his resurrection and his message that all men everywhere must repent and believe the gospel.
But, what about the true work of the Holy Spirit? I have two books on my shelf that I would like to mention on this subject. First is a small book by John Owen "The Holy Spirit"; second is by Octavius Winslow called "The Work of the Holy Spirit". If people know of good biblical resources on this topic then do add a comment on this blog.
Of course there is the helpful book by John MacArthur called "Charismatic Chaos" which deserves a hearing or his book called "Strange Fire" also.
May we search the Scriptures to learn of Christ more fully by the Lord's grace.
"The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue. Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. Many of them therefore believed, with not a few Greek women of high standing as well as men".
Acts 17:10-12.
Thursday, 29 September 2016
A New Hebrews Commentary by Richard Brooks
Evangelical Press have again published another excellent commentary! This time it is on the Book of Hebrews by Richard Brooks and it is called "Hebrews: The Name High Over All". Brooks is not only a wonderful preacher, but he is also an excellent writer. His past works include commentaries, ones with a strong devotional dimension, on the "Song of Songs" and "Revelation" as two examples. This latest book could be read by ministers for helps in preaching this vital book of the Bible or by any Christian who wants to know more of Scripture.
A wife, mother and homemaker that I know, intends to read this book as part of her personal devotions and growth in grace. Hopefully some readers of this blog will buy the book, read it and profit from it. It is available via Amazon and other online outlets.
Happy reading!
A wife, mother and homemaker that I know, intends to read this book as part of her personal devotions and growth in grace. Hopefully some readers of this blog will buy the book, read it and profit from it. It is available via Amazon and other online outlets.
Happy reading!
Tuesday, 27 September 2016
Rev Iain Murray is preaching at Sheffield Evangelical Presbyterian Church
Iain Murray, as most know, is the founder of the Banner of Truth book publishers of Reformed literature. He has contacts in Sheffield which go back a long way and he has very good contacts with our denomination the Evangelical Presbyterian Church in England and Wales.
On Sunday (the Lord's Day) of the 9th October 2016, he will be preaching and leading our worship in both services at 11.00am and 5.00pm. In addition, he will teach in our catechism class at 10.00am. Anyone is welcome to come to Hill Top Chapel to hear him and to enjoy worshipping the Lord. For details of the location, then check out our church website: www.sheffieldpres.org.uk
See you there,
Kevin Bidwell
On Sunday (the Lord's Day) of the 9th October 2016, he will be preaching and leading our worship in both services at 11.00am and 5.00pm. In addition, he will teach in our catechism class at 10.00am. Anyone is welcome to come to Hill Top Chapel to hear him and to enjoy worshipping the Lord. For details of the location, then check out our church website: www.sheffieldpres.org.uk
See you there,
Kevin Bidwell
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