Month: January 2014

I saw a new vision of Jesus

I saw a new vision of Jesus,
A view I’d not seen here before,
Beholding in glory so wondrous
With beauty I had to adore.
I stood on the shores of my weakness,
And gazed at the brink of such fear;
‘Twas then that I saw Him in newness,
Regarding Him fair and so dear.

My Saviour will never forsake me,
Unveiling His merciful face,
His presence and promise almighty,
Redeeming His loved ones by grace.
In shades of the valley’s dark terror,
Where hell and its horror hold sway,
My Jesus will reach out in power,
And save me by His only way.

For yonder a light shines eternal,
Which spreads through the valley of gloom;
Lord Jesus, resplendent and regal,
Drives fear far away from the tomb.
Our God is the end of the journey,
His pleasant and glorious domain;
For there are the children of mercy,
Who praise Him for Calvary’s pain.

William Vernon Higham, 1926-

Tune: Crugybar

Link: Vernon Higham Hymns

The Day of our Death is Unknown

As part of my regular reading plan, this morning I read these words in Genesis 27:2 ‘Then he said, “Behold now, I am old. I do not know the day of my death“.

This truth was driven home powerfully when we heard last evening of the death of someone we knew and loved. Though not strictly speaking a family member, it nevertheless feels like it. Not an old man like Isaac that still had many years before him – he was in his early middle age. His wife had traveled to see her sick father and heard the tragic news while on the train back home. We are shocked, stunned & devastated by such sudden and tragic news.

Dear reader, the Christian faith is true and stands alone to declare the reality of Judgment & Salvation. Like aging Isaac I / we do not know the day of our death. Know only this ‘…it is appointed for men (and women)  to die once, but after this the judgment’. (Heb 9:27)

Also know this, ‘… the wages of sin is death…’ (Rom 3:23) and apart from Jesus alone, there is not a person that has ever lived who has not sinned and ‘earned’ their wages. Payment will come – either sooner or later – and at a time we will not expect!

But then know this, ‘the gift of God is eternal life, in Christ Jesus our Lord’. (Romans 3:23).

The message is clear then, Repent and believe the Gospel! For “Whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. (Romans 10:13) Don’t put it off though as Scripture also says ‘…Behold, now is the accepted time; now is the day of salvation‘. (2 Cor 6:2)

I don’t say these things to scare you. And by the way, if you not have trusted in Christ, you should be scared. But to direct you to Jesus Christ, the ONLY Saviour, upon whom you must call.

1. Immortal honors rest on Jesus’ head;
My God, my portion, and my living bread;
In Him I live, upon Him cast my care;
He saves from death, destruction, and despair.

2. He is my refuge in each deep distress;
The Lord my strength and glorious righteousness;
Through floods and flames He leads me safely on,
And daily makes His sovereign goodness known.

3. My every need He richly will supply;
Nor will His mercy ever let me die;
In Him there dwells a treasure all divine,
And matchless grace has made that treasure mine.

4. O that my soul could love and praise Him more,
His beauties trace, His majesty adore;
Live near His heart, upon His bosom lean;
Obey His voice, and all His will esteem.

William Gadsby, 1773-1844

Dr James White reviews the ‘Unbelievable’ Molinism debate

Yesterday, in his own inimitable way, Dr James White began (not quite heard it all yet) his review of the ‘Unbelievable’ Molinism debate between William Lane Craig & Paul Helm. Dr White, I believe, does the Church a great service through his Dividing Line broadcasts.

As far as the debate is concerned, what did it for me was that the Catholic ‘Counter-Reformation’ was looking for a way to answer Luther & Calvin. They did this through a Jesuit scholar. The Catholic Church would otherwise have had to give up its doctrine, as Dr White’ puts it, of Sola Ecclesia rather than the Biblical doctrine of Sola Scriptura, and the Catholic church was never going to do that! It still holds to that today.

The ‘Dividing Line’ can be downloaded via iTunes or through the Webcast on the Aomin website. His review starts about 30 minutes in but it’s all worth a listen.

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Revival – The disappearance of an Era

Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones

On a discussion board one of the recent topics is ‘Unction’ in preaching. The topic came about through Carl Trueman‘s ‘Mortification of Spin’ podcast and the forum were asked for their thoughts on the review. In this MOS podcast the topic or book they were discussing was Dr Lloyd-Jones book Preaching & Preachers. They agreed it was a great book and a helpful book but were perplexed, even calling it ‘bonkers’, when it came to ‘Unction’. The Dr (Dr Martyn Lloy-Jones) discusses this subject at length in the book.

One or two, myself included, found the way Carl was so disparaging of ‘Unction’ quite concerning and even questioned whether he had ever experienced it either in his own ministry or from the pew.

John Knox

This set me thinking about the sort of situation where this ‘Unction’ would be evident. We read about this sort of thing being evident in Revival – especially during the periods of The Reformation, the Puritan era and the the 18th Century Evangelical Awakening in the US and in the British Isles (England, Ireland, Scotland & Wales). The subject of Revival does seem to have fallen out of fashion.

This sent my thoughts back to when I first became a Christian back in 1979. Back then there was constant talk of Revival. There were conferences about Revival, there were prayer meeting for Revival, there were many books and magazine articles published about Revival. The public prayer in many services of worship were full of longing for Revival. It was something to be prayed for, longed for and worked for. But now, all that seems to have gone.

I can see this in part concerning the History Lectures that I help organise – where are the lectures on Revival? Not quite so prominent. This is something I will try to rectify for next year (2015).

I can understand to some extent how as a subject it has gone into decline. There has over the last few years been massive advances in Secularism and really a turning away from the Christian faith while at the same time what the apostle Paul described as ‘a form of godliness, yet a denial of its power’. In other words the State wants to maintain its grip on religion but wants nothing to do with its reality – the true Christian faith (the faith we are charged to contend for Jude 1:3) . The church gets caught up in all this. It forgets its prime mission is to preach the Gospel. We have nothing else and the world does everything else better anyway.

Thoughts of Revival these days seem to revolve around doctrinal precision. This is good and proper but without the Revival emphasis the church has lost something. The adage that Revival is ‘Truth on Fire’ could do with coming to the fore in our thinking. It’s not enough to be precise, though it is necessary. What we need is to be on fire. What preaching needs is to be on fire. This isn’t something you can get from a book, from a Seminary or from a program of study or whatever. Revival it seems to me, is the prerogative of God. And where a Revival is advertised, you can be sure that that revival is false.

To be sure an over emphasis on Revival as the panacea to all our problems is not only unhelpful – it isn’t true. And, I think this was seen as the view. Consequently the pendulum began to swing away from a concentration on Revival. As ever, the Christian life is a life of balance and it’s all too easy to fall off the knife-edge and become unbalanced. So far I’ve not so much as mentioned the Holy Spirit nor Jesus. But make no mistake if you want a Revival in your Church preaching endless stories and anecdotes about yourself or your dog or whatever your favourite hobby is will not cause the Spirit of God to fall upon your ministry. But preaching about Christ, and keeping Him central to your ministry may do. Remember, Revival is the blessing of God as He see’s fit, ‘the wind blows where it will’. Being faithful to the Gospel of Christ, being precise in doctrine, caring deeply about the truth of the Word of God will be blessed by God. He has promised to do so. Revival, that’s another matter, but perhaps the Church of Jesus Christ should begin to seek Him afresh for it, even in these degenerate days.

Update
There was a ‘Concert for Prayer’ (modeled on Jonathan Edwards prayer for revival) held in one of the local churches last week. I’m told it was an encouraging meeting. About 20 people attended with 5 local churches represented. About the size of a man’s hand. The plan is to hold a ‘concert’ quarterly.

 

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The House of Lords overwhelmingly vote to protect Free Speech. But…

Photograph of the debating chamber of the Hous...
The debating chamber of the House of Lords. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 

I missed this story from Wednesday where ‘The House of Lords have voted overwhelmingly in favour of an amendment to the Anti-social Behaviour Bill to protect free speech.’ Go to the bottom of this blog for the link to The Christian Institute.

What an irony, not at the same time, but on the same day, The House of Lords vote through an amendment to protect Free Speech; while earlier in the day Tony Miano is being arrested for mentioning sexual sin.

Although the annoyance Bill may not have gone through, Tony Miano has been arrested for Homophobic Hate Speech and not for annoying someone. There’s a very good, though brief, interview with Tony on the Janet Mefford show from Thursday. It’s the first few minutes and very tragic.

Reading about the arrest and how the police (according to Tony) went about their duty, this wasn’t about a mis-application of the law, there’s more to this than that. A real Anti-Christian backlash if you will is going on.

 

Related articles

 

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Street Preacher arrested again.

The following is the full text from the Christian Concern website

Tony Miano, US preacher and a former Los Angeles Deputy Sheriff

Police in Scotland have arrested a Christian street evangelist after a woman complained that he had spoken about sexual sin.

Tony Miano, a US preacher and a former Los Angeles Deputy Sheriff, was arrested yesterday (8th January) and remanded in custody to appear before Dundee Sheriff Court at 10am today.

He was part of a street preaching team holding a week-long mission in Scotland.
He was the second of the street pastors to address lunchtime shoppers in Dundee High Street. He talked about the nature of sin; about the different sins that Jesus had come to save people from when a woman began to shout at him. He was preaching about sin in general and when he mentioned sexual sin including adultery, promiscuity and homosexual practice, the woman shouted that her son was gay.

Mr. Miano’s colleague, Pastor Josh Williamson of the Craigie Reformed Baptist Church in Perth, who was present at the incident explains: “Tony wasn’t focussing just on homosexual practice – it was about all sin. A woman was yelling at him and her friend noticed we were filming the preaching, so she ran up to me and tried to smash my camera.”
He says the first woman then appeared to be calling the police on her mobile just as a council warden came along and said that while we were doing nothing wrong, and had the right to free speech, we should move on.

Mr. Miano finished his preaching in a few minutes and as the street preachers packed up two police officers arrived. At this point Pastor Williamson says the women shouted that they would get the preachers arrested.

“The female officer saw we had a camera and lunged for it and then the male policeman grabbed it and threw it in the police van,” says Pastor Williamson.

He says the male officer interviewed the women and then immediately arrested Mr. Miano, but did not question him or explain why he was being arrested.

“After Tony was put in the police van I asked why he was being arrested and was told it was for a breach of the peace and for using homophobic language,” says Josh Williamson.

Comment from Andrea Minichiello Williams

Andrea Minichiello Williams, Chief Executive of the Christian Legal Centre, says the incident raises serious questions about police procedure and understanding of the law in dealing with such incidents.

“This appears to be an overzealous reaction by the police. The incident, adds to the number of arrests of Christian street evangelists for preaching from the Bible. It is indicative of the suppression of the freedom to speak  and live out the words of Jesus Christ in public and present the teachings of the Bible,” says Andrea.

She adds that the Christian Legal Centre is ready to serve anyone who is challenged for expressing their Christian beliefs.

“At the Christian Legal Centre we are committed to helping people to continue to preach the Gospel in our nation.”

Tony Miano was arrested in July last year, in London, for alleged ‘homophobic’ comments. The case was dropped.

He has been remanded in custody to appear before Dundee Sheriff’s Court today (9th January) at 10am

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Church History Lectures 2014 – Reminder

A reminder of the Church History Lectures for 2014. All lectures take place at Bulkington Congregational Church. Everyone welcome. Bookstall and refreshments.

7:30 pm Monday 3rd February 2014
Wrestling – The Life of Andrew Fuller (1754-1815).
Speaker: Jeremy Walker

7:30 pm Monday 3rd March 2014
The Samuels Petto (1624-1711) & Peto (1809-1889)
Speaker: Gary Brady

7:30 pm Monday 31st March 2014
Thomas Boston (1676-1732) anticipates the death of Queen Anne
Speaker: John Kilpatrick

7:30 pm Monday 28th April 2014
How pure is the church? Augustine and the Donatists
Speaker: Austin Walker

Lectures are available for download shortly after each lecture.

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‘Unbelieveable’, Paul Helm, William Lane Craig & Molinism

Just finished listening to yesterdays broadcast of ‘Unbelieveable‘ hosted by Justin Brierly. This latest programme is a debate over Molinism between William Lane Craig (Molinist) and Paul Helm representing Calvinism. The debate as I understand it is an attempt at reconciling The Sovereignty of God and the Responsibility of Man. This is achieved for Craig through what is called ‘Middle Knowledge’. To be honest I don’t think I have fully grasped this concept but some of the things that William Lane Craig said towards the end of the debate convinced me that it is a false view and actually is not necessary.

Craig is a regular guest one way or an other on ‘Unbelieveable’ and I felt was the more media savvy. Not only that, I also sensed an affinity with this view by Justin (though I may be wrong), consequently Craig I thought had the majority of the time (haven’t the wherewithal to go through it with a stopwatch).

After a brief discussion of possible worlds, here’s the direct relevant word for word quote from the broadcast:

Justin: There may not be a world where everyone would choose freely?
Craig: Exactly. So I do say, I do affirm that, and I think you get great theological mileage out of it.
Justin: As far as you’re concerned, God is more concerned with the human freedom than in a world in which everyone is saved. That would be the choice, as it were, God is making.
Craig: Yes. Yes, I suppose that is right. He (God) would not exercise a sort of divine coercion in order to save people. He will respect people’s wills and say “I’m not going to make you go to heaven if you choose to reject me and my grace and my love for you. I will allow you to do so.”
Justin: OK. So, but as far as you are concerned this doesn’t, I mean, I think Paul’s concern is that by there being worlds which are not feasible for God to choose that somehow undermines God’s sovereignty because then it’s suggesting God…
Helm: Well it weakens, it weakens. The emphasis is now not on God’s choosing me because He wanted me to be His child, eternally and unconditionally and by His grace. But He’s chosen a world…

I’ll leave it at that. But the point of concern with this view of Craig’s is about respecting people’s wills. The problem is we have rebellious God-rejecting wills. No matter how many possible worlds there might be sinners will not choose God. By nature we want to be autonomous rulers of our own domain. We have and will reject God and His Kingly rule. We are ‘dead in trespasses and sins’ and without God choosing us we would not choose Him.

Another problem follows on from this. That is, the Apologetic methodology of Craig – despite him saying a lot of good things I might add. The will of man can be turned, coerced or influenced. This is deadly. Our Salvation must rest in God alone and not in the persuasive power of the apologist – whomever they may be. I’m sure people are converted under a Molinist ministry, but this is because God is gracious not because the preacher has amazing powers of persuasion. Molinism, no matter the strong view of Sovereignty held by Craig must wrongly grant too much to the sinner. God is sovereign over our wills – thank God for that wonderful truth!

To be sure, the Apostle Paul ‘knowing the terrors of the Lord persuades men’ but this is not to coerce the will but is the divine manner by which God calls the elect to Himself. There is a difference between respecting people’s wills and respecting people because they are made in the ‘Image of God’.

I’m already a convinced Calvinist and knew nothing of Molinism but from what I’ve heard believe it falls way short of the divine will.

As far as The Sovereignty of God and the Responsibility of man goes: I believe Spurgeon quipped, ‘ you don’t need to reconcile friends’. Molinisn is unnecessary and takes away from the Glory of God

When this passing world is done,
When has sunk yon glaring sun,
When we stand with Christ in glory,
Looking o’er life’s finished story,
Then, Lord, shall I fully know—
Not till then—how much I owe.

When I hear the wicked call,
On the rocks and hills to fall,
When I see them start and shrink
On the fiery deluge brink,
Then, Lord, shall I fully know—
Not till then—how much I owe.

When I stand before the throne,
Dressed in beauty not my own,
When I see Thee as Thou art,
Love Thee with unsinning heart,
Then Lord, shall I fully know—
Not till then—how much I owe.

When the praise of Heav’n I hear,
Loud as thunders to the ear,
Loud as many waters’ noise,
Sweet as harp’s melodious voice,
Then, Lord, shall I fully know—
Not till then—how much I owe.

Chosen not for good in me,
Wakened up from wrath to flee,
Hidden in the Savior’s side,
By the Spirit sanctified,
Teach me, Lord, on earth to show,
By my love, how much I owe.

Robert Murray McCheyne
1813-1843

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Wishing you a Blessed & Happy New Year

I can do no better that recite the Aaronic Blessing from Numbers 6:24-26.

24 “The Lord bless you and keep you;
25 The Lord make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
26 The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace.”’ (NKJV)

This blessing begs the question though: what do we mean by blessing? 2013 has been quite a year for us. Just one ‘event’ from last year. I needn’t go into details but a very dear (retired) friend of ours – pretty much family really – fainted in the bathroom just before Christmas, fell on the sink and broke his neck. We are talking reality here. This dear brother, his wife and most of their children are believers. By any stretch of the imagination how can this be a blessing? He is right now in a critical care ward. Are we to understand that God has allowed this to happen. Yes we are! It’s not easy for those that love him, yet we do see God in control. What is God’s purpose in this, we do not know. We only know and believe the scripture found in Romans 8:28 ‘And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.’ 

Here’s the end of Romans ch 8 copied from Bible Gateway:

God’s Everlasting Love

31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? 33 Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shalltribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written:

“For Your sake we are killed all day long;
We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”[c]

37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

An Atheist Response

That’s very nice for weak-minded people in need of a crutch the Atheist or Skeptic might say. But what might be the alternative since we are dealing in reality. The sort of response from Richard Dawkins might be: Shit happens, get over it. Or it might be, just make the best of your life now, eat drink and be merry for tomorrow we die. The only problem with these views and all points in between is that very few, if any, live by these principles. Maybe a sociopath might live by them but most people do not. Even with the best will in the world and all good intentions what can the Atheist worldview say to such events – honest answers only. No Atheist do gooding bullshit (if I might use a colloquialism for a moment). The Dawkinsianites can’t live by their own worldview. I’m guessing now, but an appropriate Atheist response could be: Nature has decided you are weak and is tossing you to one side, goodbye. If that’s not appropriate, why not?

The Only Explanation that makes sense.

I certainly do not believe nothing bad should befall Christians – that sort of thinking is plainly nonsense and is NOT taught in the Bible. The only explanation then that makes sense is that we are made in the image of God and would to like to live in an organised caring universe, not a universe of chaos without meaning or purpose. We live in God’s world – like it or not.

The peace in the Blessing above can only be found through the Prince of Peace – Jesus Christ. If you have never done so, may 2014 be the year you call upon the name of the Lord for Salvation.

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