Another Children’s Book on the Covenanters

[posted at my children’s book site last week] While we are travelling in Scotland I began reading to my older boys a book I picked up here- I Rode with the Covenanters, by Kathleen Fidler. We have read several books about the Covenanters along the way (not least Douglas Bond’s wonderful Crown & Covenant trilogy), …

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Ten Commandments of Grace

We were blessed today in the service at St. Andrews Free Church under the preaching of Alasdair Macleod.  The singing, including two psalms, was robust and encouraging. We caught part two of a three part sermon series titled “Ten Commandments of Grace” in which Macleod is essentially seeking to summarize the message of Paul. Today …

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“God does us an inestimable pleasure”

Preaching on 1 Timothy 3 Calvin expounds proper teaching of the Scripture as a distinguishing mark of a proper church and the considers the great privilege of hearing the word of God, recognizing that it is through His word that God abides with us. And it is a singular comfort to us, so oft as …

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Do You Desire the Office of Overseer?

In expounding Paul’s comment on people desiring the office of overseer (1 Timothy 3:1), Calvin deals extensively with sinful (arrogant) and proper desire for such a position. He notes the difficulty of the work and that in Paul’s day as in his own, a man could not be a Minister of the word of God …

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“The Saving of Souls,” Calvin on Pastoral Duty

“The Holy Ghost called them also Bishops, that is to say, watchmen over the flock, to show that it is not an honor of idleness to be called to this state, and therefore that he must not be idle, but know that he is sent to go about the saving of souls, and therefore must …

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Calvin, “Fools Scorn Motherhood”

I continue to be blessed by Calvin’s exposition of 1 Timothy (see previous post). While preaching 1 Timothy 2:15 Calvin took considerable space to reflect on how this text shows God’s approval of the state of motherhood. His words are strikingly contemporary as today we are also needing to re-assert the value of this wonderful …

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Pride: The Source of Heresy

“This is the beginning and root of all heresy, which has been in all times: even this, that those who understood the Gospel would show themselves as men full of ambition and pride, and instead of dedicating themselves to God.” –  John Calvin, Sermon on 1 Timothy 1:18-19