Topic Archives: Spiritual Growth

Luke 12:16-21: ‘And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there […]

2 Corinthians 13:5: ‘Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realise that Christ Jesus is in you – unless, of course, you fail the test?’ It is much easier and it is certainly more pleasant to judge other people than ourselves. The so-called ‘super-apostles’ were demanding proof […]

Robert Strivens is Principal of London Theological Seminary. This article is based on the lecture he gave in April, 2010, at the opening of the new site of the Evangelical Library. It is in the present [November 2010] edition of In Writing, the magazine of the Evangelical Library. It has also appeared in Reformation Today. […]

The Word of God has much to say to us about ‘the deceitfulness of sin’ (Heb. 3:13). The evil that is sin will do all it can to persuade you to taste its wares, to embrace its offers, to sit at its table and eat its food. I would like in this pastoral letter to […]

The translator’s ‘Introduction’ to Faith Unfeigned – Four Sermons concerning Matters Most Useful for the Present Time with A Brief Exposition of Psalm 871 by John Calvin. The last half-century has seen a steady growth of interest in Calvin’s work as preacher. The Reformer’s sermons place us at the centre of his pastoral and theological […]

All of you must surely have noticed the great emphasis there is on doctrine in the New Testament, the many exhortations given to contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints. Equally, there are many solemn warnings given. ‘If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into […]

Become doers of the word. (James 1:22) Jean Jacques Rousseau, one of the major architects of the French Enlightenment and consequently the French Revolution, was born in Geneva in 1712. He grew up in a Calvinist home and attended church regularly, later converting to Roman Catholicism so that he could stay in the good graces […]

When thinking ‘Puritan,’ we will limit ourselves to the period 1600-1688 (alas, no Ryle!). In addition to the evangelical party of the Church of England (‘the Puritans’ proper), we ought also to consider the works of Independents, Presbyterians, Baptists, etc. My goal here is to whet your appetite from each of three areas: the praying […]

Recently a friend shared a top 10 book list and one of the recommendations was ‘On the Goodness of God’ in volume 2 of The Existence and Attributes of God by Stephen Charnock.1 It had been a long while since I read any of Charnock, and, oh my, was it a feast for my soul […]

The first section of this paper, given at the Theological Conference of the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland in 2008, dealt with ‘James Fraser, the Man’, and can be found here. The third and final part – ‘James Fraser as preacher and on Preaching’ – can be found here.1 2. His Magnum Opus The great […]

This is a book from a bygone age that is bang up–to-date. The puritan writer, John Owen, deals with the subject of how to avoid being worldly and instead be spiritually-minded. This book was originally published in 1681, but this is an abridged and simplified version with modern day illustrations, direct language, and simple sentence […]

. . . but let him ask in faith without any doubting. (James 1:6) James, the brother of Jesus, the one who calls himself the slave of the Lord Jesus Christ, commands us to consider all things joy. You can never do this without perfect endurance, and without perfect endurance you will not make it […]

James, a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. (James 1:1) In Revelation 1 the Apostle John had a vision of the glorified and risen Christ, seeing him dressed in a robe reaching to his feet, girded across his chest with a golden sash. His head and his hair were white like wool, […]

I read some time ago in James Denney’s commentary on 2 Corinthians these words: as Paul moved through the world, all who had eyes to see saw in him not only the power but the sweetness of God’s redeeming love. The mighty Victor made manifest through him, not only His might, but His charm, not […]

I recognize Jesus, and I know about Paul, but who are you? (Acts 19:15) Paul’s ministry in Ephesus was truly remarkable. I love reading about it in Acts 19. It always inspires me with what God can do through men filled with the Spirit who consecrate themselves to Christ, willing to live for him and […]

This is a summary of a message given by Bill Dyer of Pontefract, Yorkshire at the conference immediately following the annual assembly of the Associating Evangelical Churches of Wales, in Newtown on 15 May 2010. 1. A disciple is personally devoted to Jesus Christ. The religious authorities burdened people but learning from Jesus is a […]

. . . and let endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. (James 1:4) Jim Elliot was born into a godly family in 1927 in Portland, Oregon. While at Wheaton College in 1948 he wrote, God makes His ministers a flame of fire. Am I ignitable? God […]

In September of 1840, Robert Murray M’Cheyne, wrote a letter to William Chalmers Burns: I am deepened in my conviction, that if we are to be instruments in [a true revival] we must be purified from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit. Oh, cry for personal holiness, constant nearness to God by the blood […]

John Newton first went to sea at the age of just 11. His godly mother had died when he was only 6 and his father was a ship’s captain. After that first voyage he kept on going to sea, and over the years he had many adventures and many difficulties, but his own foolishness lay […]

When Paul was in prison in Rome, he presumably had many needs. The Church in Philippi, now an organised body with ‘bishops and deacons’, took a special interest in him and sent to him ‘once and again’ what they felt would be useful. In his present circumstances, Paul was not able to repay them; he […]

Many years ago I was taking a class with Dr. R.C. Sproul. He said that most people find their identity either in ‘being’ or ‘doing.’ He pointed to his wife Vesta, who was sitting in the class, and said, ‘If you ask her what she does, she’ll answer, “I don’t do anything, I be.”‘ My […]

So Paul told the Corinthians (1 Cor. 7:29). And that brief statement had huge implications for the way that believers in Corinth were to live. It would seem that much of the advice the Apostle gave them in this chapter – for instance, not to marry – was relevant to what he calls ‘the present […]

On my bed night after night I sought him whom my soul loves; I sought him but did not find him. (Song of Solomon 3:1) David Brainerd was born in Haddam, Connecticut in April, 1718 and attended church regularly in the local Congregational Church, as almost everyone did in eighteenth century New England. However when […]

Back in 2009, Pastor Reggie Weems from Johnson City, Tennessee challenged the men of his congregation at Heritage Baptist Church to buy the entire 14-volume set of Martyn Lloyd-Jones on Romans and commit to reading it, following a reading schedule that he had developed, that would take them through the next 18 months. Now, in […]

Thus Noah did, according to all that God had commanded him, so he did. (Genesis 6:22) God has surveyed the corruption of mankind at the time of Noah, saying that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. Consequently he told Noah that he would destroy every living thing from the […]