Yearly Archives: 2006

Heaven is a place of complete holiness. So it should surprise no one to find it written: “There shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth” (Rev 21:27), which clearly indicates that no one with the least stain of sin can enter heaven, for sin is defiling. Obviously, no one who is […]

Yochi Brandes is a well known Israeli author who was brought up in an Jewish Orthodox home and left for a non-religious life in her teen age years. The story she tells is a window on the inner conflict of many Jewish Orthodox youth. The text is Ms. Brandes’ as brought in the Israeli Ha’Arets, […]

Charles Finney’s most astute critic was John Williamson Nevin (1803-86). Nevin is not well-known today, outside the circles of church history students, but in the view of some (which I share) he is something of a forgotten genius. Born in Pennsylvania of Scottish-Irish ancestry and raised a Presbyterian, Nevin studied at Princeton from 1823-28, where […]

By Mrs. Mercy Sturgess of Barton-le-Clay recorded in 1983 at the age of 87. The Lord help me, if His will, to write a few things for His honour. It has been on my mind for some time that I should write a little of my beginnings, as I hope, of a work of grace […]

An interesting find Browsing through the shelves of a Christian bookstall I discovered a book called The Gospel-Driven Church, a title that immediately aroused my interest. Written by Ian Stackhouse, Pastor of Guildford Baptist Church, it was all the more interesting because of its subtitle – “Retrieving Classical Ministries from Contemporary Revivalism.” The book, which […]

Sometimes you read something or hear something that takes your breath away. I was sitting recently in a conference listening to a friend richly expound a central theme in the ministry of Jeremiah. He then quoted some words of Geerhardus Vos that were literally stunning. Commenting on God’s words in Jeremiah 31:3, “I have loved […]

During my service in the R.A.F. the night-fighter squadrons took turns, usually a month at a time, flying a daily mission for the Meteorological Office. This was an ascent over a position ten miles offshore to record temperature and humidity beginning at 50 feet (15.24 metres) above sea level, then taking readings every 50 millibars […]

Published in the Independent: 23 May 2006 “‘You don’t have to keep this child, you know’ is what I recall the paediatrician telling us when our younger daughter was diagnosed on the day of her birth as having Down’s Syndrome. My wife, however, remembers his remark as ‘You didn’t need to have this child, you […]

One of the myths of present day society, that is widely held and believed, is that all religions are the same. Oh, they may have superficial differences, but in those things that are basic there is no difference – they are all just many paths to the same God. All religions believe in a Supreme […]

The rudder of a ship is a very small instrument. Yet, at the small flick of the rudder, the entire bulk of the ship is turned. Indeed, at the false flicking of the rudder, the ship is entirely ruined. James uses this example as a valid comparison to our tongues (James 3:4-5). At the flick […]

Sunday had been a strange day. It was Whit Sunday but the church doors stayed shut. Yesterday too, Whit Monday was the same. None dared to go into the road without good reason. Because of the great dangers it had been decided that there would be no church services that day. They have prayed much […]

The Secret Key to Heaven – the Vital Importance of Private Prayer, was written by Thomas Brooks and published by The Banner of Truth Trust. It is a long time since we read such a profitable book – howbeit it comes with a gentle reproof for our spiritual slothfulness and indolence. The subject is the […]

John Nicholls recently interviewed Dick Lucas, Rector Emeritus of St Helen’s Church, Bishopsgate and closely involved in the Proclamation Trust. His ministry in the City, the financial heart of London, has been one of the most remarkable and encouraging features of the capital’s spiritual life in the past half-century. John Nicholls is Chief Executive of […]

I set off for Grand Rapids at 8.25 Monday morning May 15 getting a lift with Eleri, my oldest daughter and a London pastor’s wife, who was driving their five boys to school through London traffic. I waved them all goodbye and bought my Gatwick airport ticket at Cricklewood station. It was a good thing […]

Genesis 2:18-20 “The LORD God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.’ Now the LORD God had formed out of the ground all the beasts of the field and all the birds of the air. He brought them to the man to see […]