It’s Reformation Day today, and the occasion got me thinking about some words I had run across earlier this year when reading the works of De Witt Talmage and Theodore Cuyler. Both reflected on Calvin and Wesley, one standing in as the chief Reformed theologian and the other as an avowedly Arminian evangelist. Here is…
Buried deep in an old, mostly-forgotten anthology of poetry, I found this little gem from Newman Hall—a poem that expresses in rhyme and meter the longing of many a Christian heart. May it give you words to pray for “those who do not pray, who waste away salvation’s day.” We pray for those who do…
With a group of friends, I am reading Sinclair Ferguson’s Devoted To God, a book about holiness and the ways in which God instructs us to be holy even as he is holy. In this week’s reading I found a helpful illustration of the Old Testament rites and ceremonies and thought you might benefit from…
Anne Steele knew suffering and sorrow. She also knew rhyme, meter, and sound doctrine. In this poem, titled “At the Funeral of a Young Person,” she puts all on full display and so powerfully directs mourners to ensure they do not miss the opportunity to consider the state of their own souls. When blooming youth…
I have often remarked that past generations of Christians relied on poetry far more than we do today. As I read authors from previous centuries, perhaps especially the nineteenth, I see how often they weave poetry into their prose. Sometimes the verses are quoted from the poets of the day and, just as often, freshly-written.…
De Witt Talmage was considered a great preacher in his day, though it is rare to see him quoted or referenced in modern times. Still, I have benefited a lot by reading his sermons, and perhaps especially one he preached on Isaiah 52:3. He preached it at a time when many were objecting to the…
In his book Lessons from the Upper Room, Sinclair Ferguson provides an allegory he titles “The Stranger in Smokeland”—an allegory he says needs little interpretation. For that reason, I will provide it as-is, without commentary. I think you’ll enjoy it. The Stranger had lived all his life in the Highlands. Here streams of crystal-clear water…
It must be difficult to live out the gospel of self-esteem, the “gospel” that insists I’m nothing short of awesome. It is, however, delightful to live out the gospel of Jesus Christ that insists that I’m not all that awesome and don’t need to be. Here’s a short quote from Adam Ramsey that explains. The…
I recently came across a wonderful prayer penned by Archibald Alexander many years ago. In it he prays that God would bless and protect him through the years of old age and into the gates of heaven. May his prayer be ours! O most merciful God, cast me not off in the time of old…
I have already shared a few of Kathleen Nielson’s prayers for children–young children and adult children. I wanted to share just one more, this one from her collection of prayers for parents of teenagers. After all, is there any time we pray for our children with more fervency than during their teenage years? This is…
A couple of times now I’ve mentioned Kathleen Nielson’s new set of prayer books for parents. Through four short volumes she provides prayers for parents of young children, of teens, of young adults, and of adult children. I’ve already shared “A Parent’s Prayer for an Unbelieving Child” and “A Prayer for a Wanderer” from the…
There is a longing in all of us—or most of us at least—to rise above obscurity and to be known for our greatness. Even Christians can long to be among the great. This is the subject of this little excerpt from Matthew Redmond’s The God of the Mundane. There are two kinds of pastors, in…
A couple of weeks ago I mentioned that I have become quite a fan of Kathleen Nielson’s new set of prayer books for parents. Through four short volumes she provides prayers for parents of young children, of teens, of young adults, and of adult children. Last time I shared “A Parent’s Prayer for an Unbelieving…
Sometimes it is good and helpful when others give us words to pray. Over the years, many have prayed the prayers of the Puritans through books like The Valley of Vision. This prayer, titled Self Depreciation is as good and helpful as any of them, for it gives words to universal experiences. My every sense,…
I have become quite a fan of Kathleen Nielson’s new set of prayer books for parents. Through four short volumes she provides prayers for parents of young children, of teens, of young adults, and of adult children. This prayer is from the volume dedicated to prayers for young adults and asks the Lord to save…
As we rise today, then gather to worship, it is good to pray that all we do would be to the glory of God. Perhaps a prayer like this, drawn from the works of J.R. Miller, will orient your heart aright as you set out on another Lord’s Day. Jesus, who died for our sins,…
I have come to love and appreciate the poems of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. I find that wherever I am at in life, he has a poem that speaks to it. And that’s the case today, on Father’s Day, as I think back to the years gone by. His poem “The Children’s Hour” is a celebration…
I always enjoy finding new prayer resources and, for that reason, was glad to receive a copy of Donald McKim’s new Everyday Prayer with the Puritans. It features prayers from the Puritans accompanied by devotions from McKim. Here is a prayer from Lewis Bayly that stood out to me. Perhaps it can help and guide…
Christopher Newman Hall was an English Nonconformist leader in the nineteenth century and one who dedicated much of his ministry to writing poetry and songs. I previously shared his poem “Thy Way Is Best” and today wanted to share another of his—a simple sonnet based on a verse from Psalm 126: “He who continually goes…
Few things thrill me more than unearthing treasures that, for too long, have lay hidden in old books. Just such a treasure is Bishop Gilbert Haven’s sweet reflection on his mother’s Bible–a fitting piece to share on this Mother’s Day. I hope you’ll read it and be blessed by it. On one of the shelves…