APC Blog
Something About “Enlisting”
I often tell that the tentacles of Spurgeon are so far-and-wide reaching, that one could cover an endless history and education simply by following the breadcrumbs dropped along the way. The following will detail a fascinatingly arbitrary example.
Amos Ives (A.I.) Root, 1839-1923, was an Ohio businessman who became well-known during his day for developing beekeeping innovations,…
Troubles of the Church: Augustine on Psalm 88:15-18
All these evils have taken place, and are happening in the limbs of Christ’s body, and God turns away His face from their prayers, by not hearing as to what they wish for, since they know not that the fulfilment of their wishes would not be good for them. The Church is poor, as she hungers and thirsts in her wanderings for that food with which she shall be filled in her own country: she is in toils from her youth up, as the very Body of Christ saith in another Psalm, Many a time have they overcome me from my youth, [Ps. cxxix. 1]. And for this reason some of her members are lifted up even in this world, that in them may be the greater lowliness.
A London Map of Spurgeon’s Life
A London map and virtual tour of prominent locations and/or related sites in the life of Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
A Gospel-Temper: A Want for Willing Service in God’s Kingdom
David Brainerd’s diary includes a striking hyphenated word, “gospel-temper.” His journal records,
“Wednesday, Dec. 15. Enjoyed something of God to-day, both in secret and social prayer; but was sensible of much barrenness, and defect in duty, as well as my inability to help myself for the time to come, or to perform the work and business I have to do. Afterwards, felt much of the sweetness of religion, and the tenderness of the gospel-temper…”
Great Sermon Outlines: M’Cheyne on Isaiah 44:3-4
I Will Pour Water
[St. Peter’s, July 1, 1838]
“For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring: And they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water courses.” [Isa. xliv. 3,4.]
Hymn of the Day: ‘The Word Made Flesh’ by Horatius Bonar
“The Son of God, in mighty love,
Came down to Bethlehem for me,
Forsook His throne of light above,
An infant upon earth to be.
In love, the Father's sinless Child
Sojourned at Nazareth for me;
With sinners dwelt the Undefiled,
The Holy One in Galilee.”
Why Do Some Sinners Come To Christ While Others Do Not?
This passage is very relevant to our whole subject of evangelism because here we have one of the greatest evangelists who ever lived giving instructions to one who was told to “. . . do the work of an evangelist. . .” (II Tim. 4:5). Surely these two facts demand our careful and sober consideration. If we are serious about being biblical in our evangelism, we cannot ignore these instructions.
There are several things in these few verses that would correct much of the error in man-centered evangelism, not only in the expected responses, but in the message and methods of evangelism. Let us carefully examine this passage, which contains instructions to one who was given the apostolic command to do the work of an evangelist. In this passage (II Tim. 2:24-26), we have some excellent instructions for the evangelist, preacher, and personal worker, and some necessary evangelistic principles if our evangelism is to be God-centered.
Do Not Trouble Yourself About Controversy
Two learned doctors are angrily discussing the nature of food, and allowing their meal to lie untasted, while a simple countryman is eating as heartily as he can of that which is set before him. The religious world is full of quibblers, critics, and sceptics, who, like the doctors, fight over Christianity without profit either to themselves or others; those are far happier who imitate the farmer and feed upon the Word of God, which is the true food of the soul. Luther’s prayer was, “From nice questions the Lord deliver us.” Questioning with honesty and candour is not to be condemned, when the object is to “prove all things, and hold fast that which is good;” but to treat revelation as if it were a football to be kicked from man to man is irreverence, if not worse. Seek the true faith, by all manner of means, but do not spend a whole life in finding it, lest you be like a workman who wastes the whole day looking for his tools. Hear the true Word of God; lay hold upon it, and spend your days not in raising hard questions, but in feasting upon precious truth.
God’s Providence Over All
Benjamin Breckinridge [B.B.]Warfield (1851 – 1921) was a professor of Didactic and Polemic Theology, and the last principal of Princeton Theological Seminary. He wrote many books and essays, including The Plan of Salvation, The Inspiration and Authority of the Bible, Counterfeit Miracles, and many others. by B.B. Warfield
This short work is originally from The King’s Own, VI. (1895, pp.671-675); featured in Selected Shorter Writings of Benjamin B. Warfield, Vol. I. (1970, pp. 110-115, Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Company, edited by John E. Meeter).
Mr. Bunyan’s Last Sermon
‘Mr. John Bunyan’s last sermon, at London, preached at Mr. Gamman’s meeting-house, near Whitechapel, August 19th, 1688, upon John i.13: showing a resemblance between a natural and a spiritual birth; and how every man and woman may try themselves, and know whether they are born again or not.’
[From Blackie & Son, Vol. II, pg. 755-758]
Banner of Truth’s Puritan Classic Box Set
Just released this month (November 2020), the Puritan Classics box set by Banner of Truth is a notable offering that stems out of the well-loved Puritan Paperback collection. Many pastors, like Steven Lawson and Kevin DeYoung, will be the first to tell you the influence these writings, and the collective offerings, have had on their lives. In this review, I’ll go through a quick overview of the presentation, content, and insight on the details of this set—which may wind up being a compare and contrast between the hardbound and paperback editions, for good reasons that you’ll quickly understand.
When Churches (and Denominations) ‘Down Grade’
Nearly a century apart, we see that Spurgeon and Lloyd-Jones do not speak of alternative realities within the church, but very much the same degrading taking place. It is always a conflict in which we have been a member of, and one we ought not to expect to be free from this side of Heaven. But while we are here, as stewards of Christ’s body, His Bride, we are called to defend it unceasingly. The truths of the gospel and our beloved scripture is far too important to let society, or worse, dictate.
On Bethesda Healing: John 5
Does not the Christ who saves, and He alone, draw us up from our lame, downtrodden state as surely as He did this crippled man?
O how we dread our low condition, and the consequences of such, all the while failing to look outside of ourselves, our peers, this fleshly world–and to cry out for Him who alone can make us whole!
On Temptation & Suffering: Luke 4
During times of temptation and suffering it’s helpful to remember the responses of Christ to the devil in Luke 4:
1) Man shall not live on bread alone
2) You shall worship the Lord your God and serve Him only
3) You shall not put the Lord your God to the test
Hymn of the Day: ‘When I Survey the Wondrous Cross’ by Isaac Watts
“When I survey the wondrous cross,
On which the Prince of glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.
Forbid it, Lord! That I should boast,
Save in the death of Christ my God:
All the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them to His blood.”
Modern liberal hermeneutics of scriptural slavery at a glance
I’ve heard on more than one occasion by the modern liberal that reading the Bible “a certain way”, e.g. to justify women not being in the pulpit, is the same justification for encouraging slavery. Any halfway responsible reader of the text doesn’t come to that conclusion.