Monthly Archives: July 2011
A carrier in a large Yorkshire town heard his carter one day swearing dreadfully at his horses. The carrier was a man who feared God, and he was shcoked to hear the terrible oaths that resounded through the yard. He went up to the young man who was just setting off with his cart, and kindly expostulated with him on the enormity of his sin, and then added: “But if you will… Read More
Do not be carried away by the deceiving statement that the Bible “contains” the Word of God. Reflect on it. A container is different from what it contains; it holds something which itself is not. We say the Bible IS the Word of God. He gave it. He spoke it. It is infallible. Men will be judged by it. It is the last appeal. It is God’s very and immediate Word. By… Read More
It has been confidently asserted, by some modern members of the Romish communion, that the story, concerning pope Joan, is a mere fiction, invented by Protestants to blacken the infallible Church. In opposition to which insinuation, I here insert the following extract, copied, verbatim, by my own hand, from that scarce and curious old book, entitled, The Nuremburgh Chronicle: which was printed at Nuremburgh, in the year of our Lord 1493; in… Read More
It has been confidently asserted, by some modern members of the Romish communion, that the story, concerning pope Joan, is a mere fiction, invented by Protestants to blacken the infallible Church. In opposition to which insinuation, I here insert the following extract, copied, verbatim, by my own hand, from that scarce and curious old book, entitled, The Nuremburgh Chronicle: which was printed at Nuremburgh, in the year of our Lord 1493; in… Read More
“They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches; none of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him. For the redemption of the soul is precious, and it ceaseth forever.” (Psalm 49:6-8) It is so easy to trust in material wealth. It appears to give us security and to some, it appears to be a source of… Read More
“And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not steadfast with God.” (Psalm 78:8) —————————— The Lord was recalling through the Psalmist Asaph the backslidings of Israel. God had set them apart and blessed them like no other nation on earth. Yet, they had an infamous history of turning away from God. May we learn from… Read More
“And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not steadfast with God.” (Psalm 78:8) The Lord was recalling through the Psalmist Asaph the backslidings of Israel. God had set them apart and blessed them like no other nation on earth. Yet, they had an infamous history of turning away from God. May we learn from and… Read More
“I will make thy name to be remembered in all generations: therefore shall the people praise thee forever and ever.” (Psalm 45:17) This psalm is a Messianic one, referring to Jesus Christ. This particular verse, the last in the psalm, is a promise from God the Father to God the Son. The promise guarantees that Christ will be remembered and praised in every generation, that praise and glory will always be given… Read More
Heartache In my pastorate the most heart-breaking experience I have is to witness parents losing children to rebellion. I have seen parents lose children in death, oh how we hurt then. But little compares to the grief of parents whose children reject them and the Lord. They probably leave the house at age 18, anxious to get away from the parents who gave them life. Perhaps they marry an unbeliever. They spurn… Read More
Are YOU saved by grace through faith? The Word of God is not merely presenting some objective doctrine. It doesn’t say salvation is by grace through faith; and it is the gift of God. Listen, “by grace are YE saved…” Does God say that to you? Have you been chosen in Christ, reconciled to God by His death, united to Him by faith? Let me ask you this: “Are you a sinner?”… Read More
We must emphasize that election is absolutely sovereign. By this we mean that God is the Lord of salvation, and that the ground and motive of His choosing some unto salvation must not be sought in man, but in God alone. Election is of grace, not of works. It is necessary to mark this with special emphasis over against those who seek the ground of their election in the elect themselves. Granted,… Read More
The Lord is a sun: He is the Source of all light and life. To live apart from Him is death, but His fellowship is life for us. And the Lord is a shield: He protects and preserves His people from all the powers of evil that seek their destruction. He does not in this life, remove all evil and affliction from them, but He gives them grace which is sufficient unto… Read More
Inquiry Dear Sir, Will you please favour us with your answer to the following very important inquiries through the “Standard,” and you will oblige a few of the Lord’s staggering children? If a follower of Christ and a preacher of the gospel commit suicide, is there hope of eternal life for him? Does that passage, “Ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him,” have any reference to his case?… Read More
This is an audio message by Carl Haak titled: “Marriage is Given by God” The scripture text that brother Carl is teaching from is Genesis 2:18-25, and the audio is 21 minutes long.
This is an audio message by Carl Haak titled: “God’s Design for Marriage” The scripture text that brother Carl is teaching from is Genesis 2:24, and the audio is 22 minutes long.
This is an audio message by Carl Haak titled: “God’s Rule of Conduct for Marriage” The scripture text that brother Carl is teaching from is Colossians 2:13-14, and the audio is 26 minutes long.
This is an audio message by Carl Haak titled: “A Dress Code for Marriage” The scripture text that brother Carl is teaching from is Colossians 3:12-13 and the audio is 23 minutes long.
This is an audio message by Carl Haak titled: “Husbands, Love as Christ” The scripture text that brother Carl is teaching from is Ephesians 5:25-27, and the audio is 23 minutes long.
So many of the Psalms of David in the Bible were written during times of deep personal distress. The Holy Spirit moved David’s heart to pen the Psalms after the hand of God had placed David under extreme pressure, a pressure out of which his soul would tell God about all of his troubles and seek for God to help him. David, for sure, had his troubles. If you are acquainted with… Read More
All along their journey through a world of sin, suffering, and sorrow, the people of God are the subjects of trial, temptation and tribulation. The corruptions of our vile nature, the fierce assaults of the devil, the ways of the wicked around us, the perplexities of God’s mysterious providence, and felt spiritual weakness, all conspire to make our hearts disconsolate, and cause us to sigh and cry. But God is never at… Read More
“Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, Thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; Thou that dwellest between the cherubims, shine forth.” (Psalm 80:1) “Thou that dwellest between the cherubims” is referring to the mercy seat that God ordered to be made in the Tabernacle and Temple of the Old Testament. The mercy seat was where God promised to meet with the priests. In order to be holy and acceptable, the mercy seat… Read More
“They that trust in the LORD shall be as mount Zion which cannot be removed, but abideth forever. As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the LORD is round about His people from henceforth even forever.” (Psalm 125:1-2) Oh, the strength and stability of a life of faith! The reason for such strength and steadfastness is not in the person who exercises faith, but the God in whom they place their… Read More
While the views of the Arminians did not include the error of a well-meant offer of the gospel as such, their general teachings were very much like those of well-meant offer defenders. The defenders of the well-meant gospel offer in the Reformed tradition appeal to the Canons in support of their view with an irony that cannot be overlooked. The Arminians taught that fallen man’s will is free. The defenders of the… Read More
Some defenders of common grace define common grace as God’s attitude of favor towards His creation. No Reformed man would ever disagree with this assertion. God made this world; He upholds it and governs it by His power. God has determined to save His creation through the atonement of Christ. God loves His world, looks on it with favor, and sends out His Spirit into the creation to renew it. There is,… Read More
Those who hold to common grace teach that the favor and grace of God towards a person can be seen in the possession of material and physical gifts. Wealth is equated with God’s favor and health is equated with God’s love. God shows His favor towards all and His enduring love to all men by giving them material and physical abundance. This view is very commonly held throughout the church world, by… Read More
This is an audio sermon by Michael Pickett titled: “Preached To The Poor” The scripture text that brother Michael is preaching from is Matthew 11:5-6, and the audio is 48 minutes long.
It is very evident that God gave to David many talents as well as the greatest of all gifts: grace, which sanctified those talents for use by God in his life. He was not only skilled as a shepherd, as a marksman with his sling, but also he could play the harp. Now to really play a musical instrument is not just to make a noise. It is often said of a… Read More
This is an audio sermon by Herman Hoeksema titled: “God’s Attitude Toward Sin and the Sinner” The scripture texts that brother Herman is preaching from are Ephesians 2:3, Romans 1:18 and Romans 5:12. The audio is 53 minutes long.
This is an audio sermon by Herman Hoeksema titled: “Labour not for the Meat which Perisheth” The scripture text that brother Herman is preaching from is Luke 6:27, and the audio is 53 minutes long.
This is an audio sermon by Herman Hoeksema titled: “Israel Dwelling Alone” The scripture text that brother Herman is preaching from is Deuteronomy 33:28, and the audio is 53 minutes long.
This is an audio sermon by Herman Hoeksema titled: “A Lesson in Faith in the Risen Lord” The scripture text that brother Herman is preaching from is Luke 24:25-27, and the audio is 56 minutes long.
This is an audio sermon by Herman Hoeksema titled: “The Murder of the Church” The scripture text that brother Herman is preaching from is Revelation 11:7-10, and the audio is 51 minutes long.
This is an audio sermon by Michael Pickett titled: “Riches of Grace” The scripture text that brother Michael is preaching from is Ephesians 2:7 and the audio is 51 minutes long.
This is an audio sermon by Michael Pickett titled: “Overcoming the World” The scripture text that brother Michael is preaching from is 1st John 5:5-6 and the audio is 55 minutes long.
This is an audio sermon by Herman Hoeksema titled: “What Must I Do To Be Saved?” The scripture text that brother Herman is preaching from is Acts 16:30-31, and the audio is 53 minutes long.
This is an audio sermon by Herman Hoeksema titled: “The Offense of the Gospel” The scripture text that brother Herman is preaching from is Matthew 16:21-23, and the audio is 60 minutes long.
This is an audio sermon by Herman Hoeksema titled: “The Comfort of Belonging to Jesus” The scripture text that brother Herman is preaching from is Isaiah 40, and the audio is 48 minutes long.
This is an audio sermon by Herman Hoeksema titled: “Total Depravity” The scripture text that brother Herman is preaching from is Psalm 51:5 and Romans 5:12-18. The audio is 52 minutes long.
This is an audio sermon by Herman Hoeksema titled: “Jesus, The Complete Saviour”
Will our loved ones recognize us in heaven and remember what we did on earth together? How much will we remember of this earth when we go to heaven to be with Christ forevermore? In Isaiah 65 God talks about the new heavens and the new earth in which we will spend eternity with Christ. There we read in verse 17: “Behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the… Read More
“See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.” (I Thessalonians 5:15) What is the purpose of this exhortation? We must conclude that it was inspired by the Lord, for “holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost” (II Peter 1:21). The Scriptures advocate that vengeance belongs to the Lord (Romans 12:19)…. Read More
“See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.” (I Thessalonians 5:15) What is the purpose of this exhortation? We must conclude that it was inspired by the Lord, for “holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost” (II Peter 1:21). The Scriptures advocate that vengeance belongs to the Lord (Romans 12:19)…. Read More
While thinking about where to begin, my thoughts were directed to God who is the beginning of all things. The Bible tells us that “…He is before all things, and by Him all things consist.” (Colossians 1:17) God has no beginning and He will never have an end. He always was and He always will be. He is the first and the last. Only God can be both first and last. Adam… Read More
Even with all the turmoil, confusion, lusts, and wanderings of a sinner, one thing is certain — no war exists between redeemed sons of Adam and God Almighty. Not even a temporary truce exists, conditioned on such fickle men trying to maintain the terms of some type of cease-fire, with God suspiciously watching every move they make. On the contrary, there is a peace “which passeth all understanding” because believers agree with… Read More
“So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, He was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.” (Mark 16:19) The right hand of God means the right hand of power, of dominion, of authority and of acceptance. When our blessed Lord went back to the courts of bliss, and the gates of heaven lifted up their heads, and the everlasting doors were lifted up, and the… Read More
“Quicken me, O Lord, for Thy name’s sake: for Thy righteousness’ sake bring my soul out of trouble.” (Psalm 143:11) The word “quicken” here has the idea of reviving, animating, and refreshing. All Christians surely know what it is to feel the need for quickening. Sadly, we all experience those periods of spiritual sluggishness. We may be reading the Scriptures, hearing the sermons, and engaging in prayer. Yet, the Word doesn’t carry… Read More
“In the house of the righteous is much treasure: but in the revenues of the wicked is much trouble.” (Proverbs 15:6) ——————————— A wonderful antidote to covetousness is to recognize the great treasures that God’s people have in Christ. This verse is not promising material wealth to God’s people. Many of the saints have been and are very poor. Others have been blessed with more material possession. What is being taught here… Read More
“In the house of the righteous is much treasure: but in the revenues of the wicked is much trouble.” (Proverbs 15:6) A wonderful antidote to covetousness is to recognize the great treasures that God’s people have in Christ. This verse is not promising material wealth to God’s people. Many of the saints have been and are very poor. Others have been blessed with more material possession. What is being taught here is… Read More
“When the wicked are multiplied, transgression increaseth: but the righteous shall see their fall.” (Proverbs 29:16) Do you ever get depressed looking at the world around us? It does indeed appear that the wicked are growing in number, power and influence. Transgressions do appear to increase daily. Evil is called good, while good is called evil. We are unable to control these things. However, we should do all that we can to… Read More
…exposed in light of Scripture. Those who wrote the Westminster Confession of Faith realized that the “exception clause” alone would not hold up in light of the passages that stated that death was the only thing that dissolved a marriage. 1 Corinthians 7:39 The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she… Read More
“The marriage union is the closest and most sacred of all earthly unions. Woe be to anyone who interferes with its sanctity!” “Alas! that today the marriage bond should be considered by many as temporary, casually undertaken and soon released upon flimsiest pretexts.” “The happiness of thousands of lives has been shattered through thoughtless entrance upon matrimony.” “Now we fearlessly assert that, according to God’s word, nothing but death…can dissolve the tie… Read More
It is my conviction that according to the Word of God, divorce can never mean dissolution of the marriage tie. Even if people are legally divorced, they are, in my opinion according to the Word of God still married. Only, they are separate married people. (Herman Hoeksema – Divorce and Remarriage – The Triple Knowledge) This quote from Herman Hoeksema shows the illogical fallicy of the Westminster’s erroneous and dishonest view of… Read More
It is my conviction that according to the Word of God, divorce can never mean dissolution of the marriage tie. Even if people are legally divorced, they are, in my opinion according to the Word of God still married. Only, they are separate married people. (Herman Hoeksema – Divorce and Remarriage – The Triple Knowledge) This quote from Herman Hoeksema shows the illogical fallicy of the Westminster’s erroneous and dishonest view of… Read More
This is an audio sermon by Michael Pickett titled: “Feeding the Flock” The scripture text that brother Michael is preaching from is Ezekiel 34:15-16 and the audio is 53 minutes long.
This is an audio sermon by Michael Pickett titled: “Precious in His Sight” The scripture text that brother Michael is preaching from is Isaiah 43:4 and the audio is 53 minutes long.
Evangelism and the Reformed Faith, by David J. Engelsma; Pamphlet; 24 pages; This booklet exposes false evangelism and shows what true evangelism is – the preaching of the everlasting gospel. Concerning popular, free will “evangelism” we read: “With this kind of evangelism the Reformed Faith is incompatible; of such evangelism, it is a sworn foe. A Reformed preacher would not dare to engage in evangelism of this kind. He would not, because… Read More
The Life of Arthur W. Pink, by Iain H. Murray; Hardback; 350 pages; Published by The Banner of Truth Trust. This is a much enlarged edition of the 1981 The Life of Arthur W. Pink, well written and beautifully produced. When we reviewed the original book, we wrote: “This is a book which would have been much better never published.” Though we have enjoyed reading this new publication, after careful thought our… Read More
On April 19th, 1778, on attempting to speak, his hoarseness became so extreme that he was obliged to descend from the pulpit after naming his text. After the above day he preached only four times, and each time was looked upon as his last. When it was generally believed he was dead, or so near death as to be past the power of speaking or writing, John Wesley or some of his… Read More
“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given…” (Isaiah 9:6) Be amazed by these words: “Unto us” The most precious gift that God the Father could possibly grant, was given to us, His people, believers in Jesus Christ, the elect of God. But, we weren’t always believers. We are unworthy recipients of this gift. Enemies, rebels, haters of God by nature, dead in sin, and happy consumers… Read More
“For Thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall.” (Isaiah 25:4) What an encouraging God! For the poor and weak and needy, God gives words of an uplifting nature. For those who are in the storm, the Lord points to… Read More
“Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.” (Isaiah 42:1) These are the words of Almighty God, prophesying of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. God says Christ is His elect, or chosen. Meaning, the Son of God, was the chosen Redeemer of God’s people. God chose His Son alone to do the work… Read More
“And there came of all people to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all kings of the earth, which had heard of his wisdom.” (I Kings 4:34) Solomon’s wisdom was famous throughout the earth. Even the royalty of other nations recognized his greatness and came to learn of Him. When talking about Solomon’s wisdom, Jesus said of Himself, “Behold, a greater than Solomon is here” (Matthew 12:42). Many today, even the royalty… Read More
“All that the Father giveth Me shall come to Me; him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out.” (John 6:37) “All,” not one, or two, or ten, or a million only, but “all.” And observe wherefore? They are the Father’s gift to Jesus, and therefore they must come. He said elsewhere, “that I should give eternal life to as many as Thou hast given Me” (John 17:2). Hence,… Read More
There were seen, in a Manchester street, a crowd of lads, who were engaged in a fight amongst themselves. All of a sudden, a man came striding out of one of the houses nearby and went right to the centre of the fight, hauled out just one lad and took him to his house to deal with him, leaving the others to carry on with their quarrel. Why did this man do… Read More
“Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree.” (Galatians 3:13) Here Christ stands with all the curse of a broken law charged upon Him, as the sinner’s Surety; yea, as the curse itself. And consequently, as in the doing of this, He takes it from His people; they are redeemed from… Read More
This is a question which has faced many parents with young children, especially when at school. They may have been asked to draw a picture of some incident in the life of the Lord Jesus Christ, or to take part in a Nativity play. What answer do we give to our children and also to those [deceived men and women] who see no wrong in this? The deep reservations about pictures of… Read More
On one occasion Christmas Evans employed a man to sell his old horse for him at a horse fair. After a time he called to see what was happening, and found that the bargain was almost completed. “Is this your horse, Mr Evans?” said the purchaser. “Certainly it is,” he replied. “What is his age sir?” “Twenty-three years.” “But this man tells me he is only fifteen!” “He is certainly twenty-three, for… Read More
The story is told of a minister who treated Christmas Evans most unkindly. Soon afterwards this minister was charged with a crime and taken to court. On the day of the trial Christmas Evans went aside in secret and pleased with God that his old foe might be upheld, and his name cleared. With what delight did he hear the news that he had been acquited. He was with a company of… Read More
“Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, ye that are escaped of the nations: they have no knowledge that set up the wood of their graven image, and pray unto a god that cannot save.” (Isaiah 45:20) Idol worshipers are condemned here; they pray unto gods that cannot save. How sad! How empty! How meaningless! What a contrast to the one true and living God. Psalm 115 speaks of idols as having… Read More
“And even to your old age I am He; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you.” (Isaiah 46:4) Quite tender is the commitment of God to His people. The God that made us and formed us, pledges Himself to be with us, and even carry and bear us up throughout our pilgrimage here. How needy… Read More
God makes the following warning in Revelation 1:7. “Behold, he cometh with clouds; and EVERY EYE SHALL SEE HIM, and they also which pierced him: and ALL KINDREDS of the earth shall WAIL because of him. Even so, Amen.” (Revelation 1:7) Every eye shall see Christ. All humanity will wail as they see His very visible return. There are some heretics who want people to think that physical death can “escape” all… Read More
Preached in Grove Chapel, Camberwell, 1879 – By Thomas Bradbury ————————————– “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a Merchantman, seeking goodly pearls: who, when He had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that He had, and bought it.” (Matthew 13:45-46) ————————————– THERE are characteristic chapters in God’s most Holy Word which we can never forget, neither can we lose sight of the position they occupy in… Read More
When the word “woman” or the word “child” is found in Holy Scripture some immediately think of literal people when often the truth is something far more relevant to the Gospel message. A good example of this is found in Revelation chapter twelve. There are many (believe it or not) who actually think that the woman who gives birth to the man-child there is Mary, the actual earthly mother of the Messiah…. Read More
“Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and It sufficeth us. Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?” (John 14:8-9) To the living child of God, when guided by the blessed Spirit into an intelligent apprehension of the circumstances… Read More
“And he goeth up into a mountain, and calleth unto him whom he would: and they came unto him. And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach, “And that he might send them forth to preach.” (Mark 3:13-14) No man can truly preach God’s gospel unless he has been with Jesus. He may go to college and remain there as long… Read More
I am an ALIEN of this world. All God’s Elect children are ALIENS of this cursed world. Have you not read the Holy Scriptures that this sinful earth is NOT our permanent home? How we are STRANGERS & PILGRIMS on this earth? (Genesis 23:4, Psalm 39:12, Psalm 119:19, 1 Peter 2:11) & that we desire a better nation that is HEAVENLY whose builder and maker is God (Isaiah 65:15-18, Hebrews 11:13-16, 2… Read More
STAND FAST (Psalm 89:28) to the old Truths of God they will outlast all these philosophies! STAND FAST (Psalm 111:6-8) to the righteous way of living in God’s commandments they will outlast all the inventions of men! STAND FAST (1 Corinthians 16:13) in Christ by faith, for you need no other object of worship but Christ Jesus Himself as our everlasting Tabernacle (Amos 9:11-12, Acts 15:16-18)! Dear beloved, the elect servants of… Read More
“But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:5) Who put Jesus of Nazareth to death? The Romans, right? Or perhaps one may suggest the Jews since they demanded it from their Roman rulers. In a sense, this is true. Acts records Peter accusing the Jews of killing the Prince of… Read More
“But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:5) Who put Jesus of Nazareth to death? The Romans, right? Or perhaps one may suggest the Jews since they demanded it from their Roman rulers. In a sense, this is true. Acts records Peter accusing the Jews of killing the Prince of… Read More
“The Lord is good unto them that wait for Him, to the soul that seeketh Him.” (Lamentations 3:25) To dig into the meat of this passage let us define some of the word meanings. “Good” here means pleasant, beautiful, excellent, delightful, lovely, joyful, etc. It can also signify benefits of various kinds. “Wait” means to expect, await, look for patiently, hope, to be confident, trust. So we have this greatly encouraging statement… Read More
“Behold the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord. And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it.” (Amos 8:11-12) How… Read More
“When my soul fainted within me I remembered the Lord: and my prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple.” (Jonah 2:7) Jonah’s soul was fainting because of the disheartening and hopeless situation he presently experienced. He had run away from God, blatantly disobeying the calling of God to preach at Nineveh. God sent a powerful storm to stop Jonah’s run-away journey. Jonah probably thought he was being thrown to his… Read More
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