tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-90165025484490233412024-03-13T13:00:23.301-07:00Published ArticlesGary Bradyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08171450135496647908noreply@blogger.comBlogger229125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9016502548449023341.post-9589133189471761802024-01-23T05:58:00.000-08:002024-01-23T05:58:44.516-08:00Benjamin Beddome on Friendship Part 1<p><i></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibL8z6w9moEC8BlHLiiMyy9t_5ePQJsr1lXoK4SkhCg8dS6lZPqzV5h8iPtPtOGfWL66zyERmq5X55jS_zfvda2Q2EKLMaGj1bvG2icC9t0Cb1G3v3dIpSsJKFCs-ZTLDEoazHuD_IT5_n8gPZTV9jzW53Du0t-aQmZa1tFQiqrt7CvHJSK2jGDCHsiko/s592/hbhbhbghg.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="498" data-original-width="592" height="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibL8z6w9moEC8BlHLiiMyy9t_5ePQJsr1lXoK4SkhCg8dS6lZPqzV5h8iPtPtOGfWL66zyERmq5X55jS_zfvda2Q2EKLMaGj1bvG2icC9t0Cb1G3v3dIpSsJKFCs-ZTLDEoazHuD_IT5_n8gPZTV9jzW53Du0t-aQmZa1tFQiqrt7CvHJSK2jGDCHsiko/w400-h336/hbhbhbghg.png" width="400" /></a></i></div><i><br />This article originally appeared in Banner of Truth Magazine</i><p></p><div style="text-align: justify;">Enumerating God's kindnesses in one of his hymns, the long serving minister at Bourton on the Water, Gloucestershire, Benjamin Beddome (1717-1795) includes not only “constant supplies of outward good, your nightly sleep and daily food”, but also “your health and strength and faithful friends, And happiness that never ends.” (566).</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Another hymn acknowledges that his dearest friends he owes to God's goodness. Yet another hymn (737) is all about friendship in the context of worship</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">How sweet the interview with friends</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Whose hopes and aims are one</div><div style="text-align: justify;">All earthly pleasures it transcends</div><div style="text-align: justify;">And swift the moments run</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Of sympathy and love possessed</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Our sorrows we impart</div><div style="text-align: justify;">And when with pure enjoyments blessed</div><div style="text-align: justify;">They go from heart to heart.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Pursuing still our way to bliss</div><div style="text-align: justify;">A weak and feeble band</div><div style="text-align: justify;">We trust in Christ our righteousness</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Who will our strength command</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Though for a season we must part</div><div style="text-align: justify;">As urgent duties call</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Still we remain but one in heart</div><div style="text-align: justify;">And Jesus is our all</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Oh may his glorious cause encrease</div><div style="text-align: justify;">And we his wonders tell</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Now bid us Lord depart in peace</div><div style="text-align: justify;">And now dear friends farewell.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Growing up, Beddome would have been keenly aware of the intense friendship between his minister father, John Beddome (1675-1757) and his life-long bachelor friend, Bernard Foskett (1685-1758) who Beddome junior followed first into medicine then into the ministry. Beddome senior and Foskett first met in London then ministered together in the Midlands before coming together again in Bristol, where, in due time, the two died within a year of each other and were buried alongside each other. Foskett was considered to be a part of the Beddome family and was often with them when they gathered. Benjamin named one of his sons Foskett. Sadly, he drowned, dying prematurely as a young man. Beddome was asked to speak at Bernard Foskett's funeral but felt incapable. He was one of six coffin bearers.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The friendship between the older men no doubt informed Beddome when on at least one occasion he preached on the subject of friendship.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Before coming to that sermon, a paragraph in another sermon of Beddome's, on Zechariah 8:23 (see Volume 5 of the posthumously published Twenty short discourses adapted to village worship) notes that one thing to learn from his text is</div><blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;">That seclusion from all society is neither the Christian's duty, nor his privilege. It was God himself who said, It is not good for man to be alone. Satan imagined that lie had the greatest advantage against our Lord, and that he was most likely to prevail over him, when he found him in a solitary wilderness, unsupported by the presence of a friend. To guard against a similar danger, Jesus afterwards sent out his disciples two and two; not only that out of the mouth of two witnesses every word might be established, but that they might be helpers of each other's joy in the Lord.</div></blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;">Reciprocal duties</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Sermon 59 in a collection of 67 posthumously published sermons known as <i>Sermons Printed from the manuscripts of the late Rev Benjamin Beddome, AM with a brief Memoir of the Author</i> is on Proverbs 18:24 <i>A man that hath friends must show himself friendly </i>and has been given the title <i>The reciprocal duties of friends.</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Beddome begins by saying</div><blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;">The advantages of real friendship are great and the duties resulting from it many. We have a comprehensive view of them in my text. We should exercise a common civility towards all men neither despising the poor on account of the meanness of their condition nor hating our greatest enemies for the injuries we have received from them but a man that hath friends must show himself friendly. Here we have a privilege spoken of and a duty prescribed.</div></blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;">The privilege of friendship</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The sermon is in two parts. Firstly, a privilege is spoken of. What a privilege to have a friend, says Beddome,</div><blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;">To say that a man is friendless is to denote a complete state of misery. Lover and friend, says David, hast thou put far from me. This aggravated his troubles and added weight to all his other distresses. On the contrary next to the comforts of religion are those of friendship and society especially when those whom we look upon as our friends are …</div></blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;">He then enumerates four qualities in a good friendship. It is</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Real and disinterested</div><blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;">Sincerely what they profess to be not acting from selfish motives but making our interest their own. Most men seek their own and do not, as the apostle expresses it in another case, naturally care for the state of others. Here and there perhaps we may find one who will sympathise with us in all our griefs and joys and by all proper means promote our happiness and welfare. Happy is the man that hath such a friend.</div></blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;">Wise and prudent</div><blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;">Able and willing to give us advice when we are at a loss how to act and that without upbraiding our ignorance or despising us for our weakness. It is a happiness to have such friends who are discreet and experienced and at the same time open and communicative. If our friend be weak and silly, his folly may plunge us into great inconveniences and let him be ever so sagacious, if he be sullen and reserved his wisdom will do us little service. David was happy in the friendship of Hushai who by his good sense and deep penetration defeated the pernicious councils of Ahithophel and extricated his royal master from a state of the greatest perplexity.</div></blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;">Marked by pious virtue</div><blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;">Pious virtue is the only solid foundation for friendship for he that is not a good man cannot be a good friend. Prayer for friends is one of the most important duties of friendship but he is not likely to pray for us who does not pray for himself. The concerns of the soul are of the most interesting nature but it is not probable that he will be mindful of the spiritual concerns of others who is regardless of his own. Those are the most valuable and desirable friends who are at the same time like Abraham the friends of God. Not the gay, sensual and profane but the serious and thoughtful, circumspect and holy whose conversation will be instructive and their example improving, whose hearts glow with love to God and whose conduct and behaviour exhibit all the beauties of the religious life. By their means we may be fortified against temptations, kept from many an hurtful snare, be convinced of sin when we have committed it and rendered more steadfast in the ways of God. As iron sharpeneth iron, says Solomon, so doth the countenance of a man his friend. We insensibly contract a likeness to those whom we choose for our companions: if they are modest and humble, we grow like them; if they are bold and impudent, we become so too.</div></blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;">Further</div><blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;">Give me leave to add, under this head, if a courteous and obliging temper, a natural sweetness of disposition, be added to strict virtue and real piety, it makes the ties of friendship more sweet and more durable. This seems to have been the case with respect to David and Jonathan. That man can never be a friend to others who is a foe to himself.</div></blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;">Faithful and persevering</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The fourth and final thing Beddome includes under his first heading, and here he must inevitably have thought of Foskett and his father, is this</div><blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;">Lastly. Faithful and persevering, who will smile when the world frowns, stand by us when others forsake us and adhere to us in the face of the greatest opposition. Thus all Saul's threats and reproaches could not make Jonathan renounce the covenant of friendship he had made with David, whom he loved as his own soul. Such friendships are very rare. My brethren, says Job, have dealt deceitfully as a brook, and as the stream of brooks they pass away. A failing brook is a fit emblem of a false heart. A friend that loveth at all times, who does not change when our circumstances change, but is the same whether we are in a state of affluence or want, in honour or disgrace, is one of the choicest gifts of God.</div></blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;">He quotes Edward Young, one of his favourite authors, from his poem <i>Night Thoughts</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Friendship's the wine of life:</div><div style="text-align: justify;">A friend is worth all the hazards we can run.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Poor is the friendless master of a world:</div><div style="text-align: justify;">A world in purchase for a friend is gain.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Beddome concludes this part of his sermon</div><blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;">This should lead us to think of the Lord Jesus Christ, in whom all these characters meet. He is the greatest, best, and most affectionate, the most disinterested and faithful of all friends, a friend to them that have no other friend; a friend to those who have been his most bitter enemies, and who lives when other friends die; to whom we may justly apply the words following my text: There is a Friend that sticketh closer than a brother. O may each of us be able to say, This is my beloved, and this is my friend!</div></blockquote>Gary Bradyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08171450135496647908noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9016502548449023341.post-61282969366076012722023-12-18T03:53:00.000-08:002023-12-18T03:53:25.115-08:00Those once in a lifetime purchases<div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs9nGOCWlmRi9r-X3juy8Drnxd746w3Xv3-_Itb109M4XBjfu8dx8egc_PYlvgKnJwu2_u_I0SEXFzpLt8JXYs58AdvAvnnrb7dR6KPyoAsyA5k97dqxH9t9xDU552IOtFu2r4FAqR0OgSOIoS-ewQM7OfDu1oSz9w833C_tmHh3TC2csnzlknNEbMnGI/s693/art%207.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="679" data-original-width="693" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs9nGOCWlmRi9r-X3juy8Drnxd746w3Xv3-_Itb109M4XBjfu8dx8egc_PYlvgKnJwu2_u_I0SEXFzpLt8JXYs58AdvAvnnrb7dR6KPyoAsyA5k97dqxH9t9xDU552IOtFu2r4FAqR0OgSOIoS-ewQM7OfDu1oSz9w833C_tmHh3TC2csnzlknNEbMnGI/s320/art%207.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: left;"><i>This article appeared in </i>European Christian Boostore Journal<i> in 1992</i></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div>Reference works are important and Christian booksellers need to find room for their display and should know the range available. It is important to remember that in many cases the customer will be making a once in a lifetime purchase. No-one likes to waste money and no bookseller wants to lose customers. Therefore a little time and care, and some research if necessary, will pay its own rewards. I still remember being sold a study Bible as a teenager that I later discovered was not what I wanted at all. I did not hurry back to that shop!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;">What sort of person is the customer? Well educated? Of average intelligence? Is he a serious reader? What is his theological position? What versions of the Bible does he use most? Where exactly does he want help? How much does he want to spend? A bit of thought with such questions in mind will be worthwhile.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Concordances</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The oldest known concordance was completed in Paris in 1252 using the work of Hugo of St Caro, the first Dominican cardinal. Assisted by an army of monks, he had completed a word index to the Vulgate in 1230. In 1536 Thomas Gybson produced the first English concordance of the New Testament and by 1550 there was a concordance for the whole Bible.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Three particular concordances have enjoyed immense popularity down to the present day. The oldest of these is that of Alexander Cruden (1699-1770). His <i>Exhaustive Concordance to the Holy Scriptures</i> first appeared in 1737 but has undergone constant revision since then. James Strong (1822-1894), an American Methodist professor, published his <i>Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible</i> in 1890. It truly is exhaustive including an appendix of 47 less important words such as 'a' or 'and'. It is sometimes supposed that Strong's work "drove him mad". In fact it is Cruden who suffered with bouts of apparent insanity. The other major concordance is the work of Robert Young (1822-1888). Like Cruden, Young was also a Scot involved in printing and bookselling. Young's <i>Analytical Concordance of the Bible</i> was first published in 179. Like Strong's, this concordance enables the English reader to get back to the words in their original languages.</div></div><div>All these use the KJV. This is not as widely used as it once was. Each new translation means the need for a new concordance. It is important to have the right concordance for the right version. The advent of the computer means compilation is not quite the Herculean task it once was and all the major new versions have their own concordances. The computer is also coming into its own in another way. A number of software packages are now available, mostly from the States providing all the benefits of the concordance plus much more. At present these are expensive but now doubt growing popularity will lead to lower prices.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Bible Atlases</b></div><div>As for Bible atlases, until recent years there was little of a distinctly evangelical stamp. In 1985, IVP and Lion combined to produce the <i>New Bible Atlas</i> and there arc now other similar works available from American publishers. Maps and articles in Bible dictionaries will be sufficient in most cases for the general reader. Nevertheless, a good Bible atlas may well be of use to some. One excellent and inexpensive little gem in this field is Simon Jenkins's <i>Bible Mapbook</i>, published by Lion.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Dictionaries & Handbooks</b></div><div>Then there are a host of other works such as the Bible dictionary, encyclopedia or handbook. These are reference works that give information about biblical terms, names, doctrines, history and culture. Some such books are prepared with the more academic in mind but others are written very much for the general reader.</div><div>The first Bible encyclopedia appeared as early as the 4th century. Translated into Latin by Jerome, Eusebius's Greek Onamasticon only survives in part, but it lists and remarks on towns and rivers mentioned in the Old Testament and Gospels. It was thus quite limited in scope. Augustine is found in one place longing for a much bigger work. We had to wait until the Reformation before such works became common.</div><div></div>The first<i> Complete Christian Dictionary</i> in English seems to have appeared in 1612 and was by a Thomas Wilson (1563-1622). The first truly great work, however, was the translation of the French of Augustin Calmet. A three volume work, publishing began in 1732 but was not completed until 1847! Meanwhile, in 1768, one of the most frequently reprinted works appeared for the first time. This was by John Brown (1722-1787) of Haddington.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Because of increasingly accurate knowledge of Bible geography and culture a large number of such volumes have appeared since then. Increasingly, these have been the work of teams of scholars rather than individuals. They also cover more and more ground. We note the five volume <i>Hastings Dictionary of the Bible</i> started in 1905, but revised and reissued, Unger's <i>Revised Bible Dictionary</i> and the IVP <i>New Bible Dictionary.</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Although non-technical and pictorial works had appeared before, in 1973 there was a major leap forward with the publication of the Lion Handbook to the Bible. This was followed, in 1978, by a supplementary Encyclopedia of the Bible covering more traditional Bible dictionary material. Similar books continue to appear.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">It is important to note the dissatisfaction with some of these works amongst very conservative readers. Peter Jeffery is one author seeking to remedy that. The popularity of American authors such as Henry Halley or Robert Gromacki, no doubt for similar reasons, ought not to be overlooked either.</div><p></p>Gary Bradyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08171450135496647908noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9016502548449023341.post-9160077526712262922023-11-17T05:31:00.000-08:002023-11-17T05:31:24.345-08:00Learning from Michael Toogood<div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2leGUpJTTng2QfgJBggLeg7dTf1jMhHJ6dgXIMT5Ahz_T7bT1aELh7Nuqy8iLFP-tmchfwt-NBHA7LBXlpD7JZaL55zT0DASyzTkErNctuoxS9VMF5GP4GRzsaFVn9TKtwM1EqB-gRuNHoFqByLn9WFNPwFQ1-ObOnEdTrEPMC9J7UkFgR_lToKiMVOA/s640/mt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2leGUpJTTng2QfgJBggLeg7dTf1jMhHJ6dgXIMT5Ahz_T7bT1aELh7Nuqy8iLFP-tmchfwt-NBHA7LBXlpD7JZaL55zT0DASyzTkErNctuoxS9VMF5GP4GRzsaFVn9TKtwM1EqB-gRuNHoFqByLn9WFNPwFQ1-ObOnEdTrEPMC9J7UkFgR_lToKiMVOA/s320/mt.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />This article first appeared in <i>Reformation Today</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><strong><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></i></span></span></span></strong></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><strong><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-weight: normal;">A
thanksgiving service was held for Michael Toogood at the Swiss
Church, Endell Street, Covent Garden, in July 2023 following
Michael's funeral back in February.</span></i></span></span></span></strong></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Michael trained as a graphic designer and was a pastor in south east London before becoming a church planter, first in the new town of Thamesmead. From 1982-2000 he was involved in church planting in the notorious London district of Soho.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">In the morning there was an opportunity, under the chairmanship of Andrew Murray, Michael's successor, to share reminiscences in an informal setting and then in the afternoon there was a worship service, including a sermon by Gary Brady on Psalm 37:37 Consider the blameless, observe the upright; a future awaits those who seek peace.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The following is based on the sermon.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In his <i>Lectures on Sacred Rhetoric</i>, Dabney says, as a general rule, preachers should not eulogise people who die. However, he says that there are a few of God's servants whose sanctity is so universally approved, even by outsiders, and on whom the Redeemer has so manifestly set his divine image, that it may be the pastor's duty to urge their example on God's people. That is the case with Michael Toogood.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I first knew of Michael and his work the year after I became pastor in Childs Hill, four miles north west of Soho. The church was on its way out of the Baptist Union. That year our local association invited us to support a church nearby led by a woman minister and one in an affluent area south of London. We wanted to give to something else. When we discovered The London Inreach Project, we knew we had found a far more worthy work. As it turned out, a deacon had been at the very first LIP public meeting representing the church. I was subsequently recruited to the LIP committee, originally to edit the newsletter, I was chairman for a little while.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">As a Welshman myself, Michael was my idea of a prototypical Englishman – the clear voice, Roger Moore looks, always immacutely dressed. There is a phenomenon called nominative determinism. The hypothesis is that people tend towards the sort of activity their name would suggest. There is a Scots chef called Tom Kitchin and a Midlands weather presenter called Sara Blizzard. I heard Michael's name before I ever met him and it has to be said that it influenced my expectations. The name Michael can be parsed as “like God” and Toogood speaks for itself. Now the thing is that when I met him, I was not disappointed.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I will never forget Michael coming to our church for the first time on deputation and particularly the “before and after” set of slides depicting the way he and Pam had transformed their first grotty basement flat in Soho. I remember thinking “This is the sort of thing Francis Schaeffer talks about but here it is in practice”.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I never knew Michael personally but I know how he lived and have read his short autobiography, Mission to Soho, where two worlds meet. I do not find myself agreeing with every decision and action, of course, but he has been an inspiration. Many years ago, at the end of 1998, when I was editor of now defunct Grace Magazine I tried to write an encouraging article. I called it Reasons to be cheerful and wrote of the work of Keith Underhill in Kenya, Brian Ellis in The Philippines and Andrew Swanson in Northern Cyprus. In a final paragraph I wrote</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><blockquote>To take one more example, consider the fact that 20 years ago the Soho area was as bad as ever it was but with no permanent evangelical testimony there. Now, though small and struggling, Immanuel Community Church is there, is known and is maintaining a regular witness to the residents and tourists in that needy area.</blockquote></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I noted how former <i>Grace </i>editor, Keith Davies, with others, had the vision for the project and that “it is especially through Michael Toogood's valiant efforts that not only was a church planted in Soho but another in Covent Garden, under Mike Mellor.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Michael and the work was a reason to be cheerful then and it is now.</div><div style="text-align: center;">*</div><div style="text-align: justify;">After setting the verse in context, three points were made from verse 37.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Michael Toogood – an example of a man who lived a blameless and upright life</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">David speaks about the blameless … the upright. He has in mind people like Michael Toogood. We all know that no-one is perfect. The better you knew Michael, I guess, the easier it would be to identify where his sins lay. However, he was a blameless and upright man. That is to say he lived a holy life and it is notable because he lived in a time and place where it was not a common thing.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">When people think a person is very good they will sometimes say “he's a saint”. Michael was a saint – not in that generalised way but in truth, he was one of God's holy ones.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">What stands out is his commitment to the work of God and the sacrifices he made in order to do the work he did. Further, he was obviously a man full of compassion.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">He attempts some self-assessment in his autobiography (pp 63, 64)</div><blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;">Given my background it's no surprise that the work ethic is part and parcel of who I am. I suspect its root lies lies in my upbringing and lifestyle within my family home. Work dominated almost everything. It was the source of our income and provision for the family. Since our well being depended on the work being done, day in, day out, my parents just got on with it.</div></blockquote><blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;">The second influence was the studio where I was employed as a graphic designer and typographer. My working day normally stretched between 9 am and 5.30 p.m. What impressed itself on me from the beginning was that someone had to pay for every minute I was there ....</div></blockquote><blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;">My work ethic became something of a joke among the Soho team and church members, although I can hardly believe it. Apparently I used to tap my foot when someone was late, kept us waiting or when I felt time was being wasted. Throughout the Soho years I maintained a pattern of working every day Monday to Friday 8:30 am to 5:30 pm, and each evening until 9:00 pm. On Monday evenings I relaxed by walking the streets, peering into shop windows and looking at paintings, mainly in Mayfair.</div></blockquote><blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;">I kept as much of Saturday free as possible, helping Pam with the family shopping ... then walking around the city, guidebook in hand, in the afternoon ....</div></blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;">Commitment is not something we see enough of these days, perhaps. There is even to some extent a fear of commitment. Michael was committed to the work in central London, devoted might be a more accurate word. It is striking that he did not assume a two week holiday would be appropriate but thought it through and came to see it was necessary. If it hadn't have been, he wouldn't have taken it.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Commitment always incurs sacrifice and because Michael spent so many years in Soho, it involved great sacrifices. Of course, commitment and sacrifice alone would not have been enough. There was undoubtedly a compassion that drove Michael to be willing to do some of the less desirable things that he did as he sought to serve God.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">So we begin there, Michael Toogood – an example of a man who lived a blameless and upright life. Yes, we live in an age where much wickedness exists but here is a tangible example of uprightness, of blamelessness.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Michael Toogood - an invitation to consider and observe his life</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">What David invites us to do is to Consider the blameless, to observe the upright. Now we were able to do that while Michael was alive to some extent and we are able to do it now to a lesser extent. Obviously, as the years go by less and less people will know about Michael's witness but it is right to continue to consider his blamelessness and to observe his uprightness. I think we can do this in two or three ways.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Firstly, I think the autobiography should be kept in print. More than that, at some point a further biography less subjective ought probably to be produced. It will be a good thing if his life is told for a future generation who never knew him.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Then there is the continuing work in central London. The aim was to establish a church in Soho, in the heart of the city and that has been done. The church is weak and small, however, and we all ought to do what we can to see it strengthened and built up.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">More than that, it is important that the spirit and approach that Michael pioneered continue. What he did cannot be replicated and does not need to be. He cannot be cloned either and no-one would want that but it would be good if there were people like Michael in the days to come. Pioneers who can see the need and who will be willing to think through a strategy and then make the commitment and the sacrifices necessary to serve God and to reach out to those who have not yet heard.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The description on page 134 is priceless.</div><blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;">I remember the morning I decided that my visiting should embrace all and anyone living or working in Soho. Practically, this meant taking a street or block of flats and visiting them systematically. This policy should also include the notorious alleys! Immediately opposite our Brewer Street home, Green's Court linked with Peter's Street. It was narrow and grubby but tame compared with Walker's Court which ran parallel to it. An Italian Deli, a shoe repair shop, a coffee bar and a club/brothel were all situated there. The brothel was my first venture into the seedy world of the sex industry. </div></blockquote><blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;">With a club of sorts trading downstairs, the action seemed to be on the first floor. A highly made-up bleach blonde woman in her 60s sat behind a table at the top of the first flight of stairs. I had seen her bustling around the area before. In the 1950s she would have been known as the 'Madame' who sifted the male customers. Apparently not all male customers were acceptable to the working girls! I explained who I was and why I was visiting all the premises in the Court. She waved me into the waiting room. The room was small and made smaller still by a curtain which separated the waiting customers from those being entertained. The girl was already busy on the other side of the curtain! A few minutes later the customer appeared, embarrassed at finding someone waiting on the other side of the curtain but he went quickly down the stairs and out into the street.</div></blockquote><blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;">Then the girl appeared, not wearing a great deal. She was actually attractive, in her early 30s, dark haired and probably Italian. I explained who I was and why I was there, showing her the family photograph as evidence. She had probably heard many stories like mine before! With customers arriving, time was short. Why was she doing this? I noticed the gold ring on her wedding finger. She said she was working for the money - about £400 a day, lived a train journey away and was in Soho for about eight hours. Her husband was in agreement with what she was doing. It was time to go. I left some gospel literature behind. Once again, some would find fault with my visiting such places and people, but Jesus did and counted such rejects among his friends and followers. I soon recognised that my visiting like this was not ideal but it was the best we could do at that time.</div></blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Michael Toogood - a reminder that those who seek peace have a future in the world to come</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Then we must not miss finally the closing part of the verse. Consider the blameless, observe the upright; a future awaits those who seek peace. It could be simply peace awaits such people but probably David is saying that the blameless and upright are also those who seek peace. Of course, peace is one of the things that Michael now has but there is a whole lot more that he has now inherited and there is more to come. Now we know he has received all these good things by the merits of his Saviour, Jesus Christ. However, the trajectory that began here on earth, a blameless and upright life is the one that leads to future glory. There is no reason to believe that there is any future for those who do not seek holiness. Without holiness no-one will see the Lord. We are confident about Michael, however, that now he is in heaven. He has been given the crown of righteousness.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">On page 139 of his autobiography he gives all praise to his Saviour and speaks of his conversion.</div><blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;">If the experience seemed comparatively costless to me, I would trace it back to the great revelation of my conversion in 1954. Among the many truths that made an impact on me was that I had been 'redeemed' by Christ. I knew that I was both bought out and brought back by the great price paid by Jesus in his death at Golgotha.The obligation was life-changing: neither I, nor my life, was my own but Christ's who paid the Redemption price. The Apostle Paul says exactly that: 'Do you not know ... you are not your own. For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God.' (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). The apostle Peter presses the same point on his readers. 'You were not redeemed with corruptible things like silver or gold ... but with the precious blood of Christ … (1 Peter 1 18-19).</div></blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;">We have said goodbye to Michael, in the way that we say goodbye to people who set off on a journey by car, train or 'plane. We've watched as the vehicle disappeared into the distance but we knew that at the other end of the journey they would be received by others. And that is what has happened. We have said goodbye but Michael has been received into eternal dwellings by God's holy angels, where he will remain until the Lord Jesus comes again and the great resurrection day is here.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">His blameless and upright testimony should encourage those of us who remain to keep pressing on to the glorious future that lies ahead for all who trust in Christ and live for him.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Consider the blameless, observe the upright; a future awaits those who seek peace.</i></div>Gary Bradyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08171450135496647908noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9016502548449023341.post-74510193551476526792023-11-17T04:51:00.000-08:002023-11-17T04:54:36.051-08:00Samson Occom Fundraising Trip to Britain Part 3<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZwYYvPB35NCRYTgl26w6xQqVDRKsTtYJnAES4I0SjWM4BCAiTsVMZr7kbH1iWqQBSfDlNXOoezK6rxGG2hfHU-CoI1loFSiHlfuIZ1cZXfopfJZtS9u29x62hTdETCYM62_qPMmtbI2GzMrdVXWhqfcdX41v_6Fmvjk7TfIn5AmJuHO02DFCZQ-lEBR8/s572/occom.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="572" data-original-width="422" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZwYYvPB35NCRYTgl26w6xQqVDRKsTtYJnAES4I0SjWM4BCAiTsVMZr7kbH1iWqQBSfDlNXOoezK6rxGG2hfHU-CoI1loFSiHlfuIZ1cZXfopfJZtS9u29x62hTdETCYM62_qPMmtbI2GzMrdVXWhqfcdX41v_6Fmvjk7TfIn5AmJuHO02DFCZQ-lEBR8/s320/occom.png" width="236" /></a></div><br />This article first appeared in <i>In Writin</i><p></p><b><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Samson Occom 1723-1792 Mohegan Pastor <i>His fund raising trip to the British Isles 1765-1767 in the company of Nathaniel Whitaker that led to the founding of Dartmouth College. Part Three</i></b><i>.</i></div></b><br /><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>London, Northampton and Olney, June 1-14, 1766</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Having spent some months in London, Occom and Wheelock were now ready to travel to other parts of the country. On June 1, Occom preached at the Barbican for General Baptist Charles Bulkley (1719–1797). For once the congregation was disappointingly small. In the afternoon, he preached for Richard Winter (c 1715–1799), assistant pastor to Thomas Hall (1687-1762) at the Independent church, Moorfields. There was a good congregation but Occom was left feeling quite weak. On Saturday, June 7, he travelled to Northampton. He preached there for the Baptist leader, John Collet Ryland (1723-1792). A large and attentive crowd gathered and at least one young man was converted. In the afternoon he preached in the meeting house courtyard to about 3000 people.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The next day, the great John Newton (1725-1807) came and took him to stay with him in Olney, thirteen miles south of Northampon. That evening, Occom preached at short notice to an overflowing crowd. We learn from Newton's diary that the text was Song of Songs 2:1 but much of the sermon was taken up with describing striking things that had taken place in America. In his diary, Occom noted both the piety and the poverty he saw in Olney. On the Tuesday, Newton walked him back north towards Northampton, stopping halfway, at Denton, for breakfast. Newton then walked home and Occom proceeded on horseback, arriving in Northampton about noon, where he dined with William Hextal (c 1711-1777) successor to Philip Doddridge (1702-1751) at Castle Hill Independent Church. Occom preached there that night. He lodged with Ryland and rose very early the next day to take the coach back to London.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>London again, June 15-July 15, 1766</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On June 15, Occom preached three times. Firstly, for Baptist Samuel Burford (d 1768), then for Joseph Pitts (1702-1788) and in the evening for the Presbyterians in Shakespeare's Walk, Shadwell. Following this, he supped with a Mr Ware. The next day he again went to see John Thornton in Clapham, staying overnight. On Tuesday morning, Thornton brought him home to his London lodgings. The next day, Occom met Andrew Gifford's nephew Joseph Gwennap (1730-1813), by this time a Baptist minister in Saffron Walden. On Thursday evening, June 19, Occom preached to a large congregation at Wesley's Foundry Chapel. On the Saturday, Occom and Whitaker travelled to Saffron Walden where they stayed at Myddylton House with Elizabeth Fuller, an influential member of the Independent church where Gwennap was pastor. On the Sunday afternoon, Occom preached well although he became ill once again. A collection was taken.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">They returned to London the next day. Occom heard that stage players had begun to mock him in some of their plays. He counted it a badge of honour. Not all the opposition he received on the trip was received with the same sanguinity.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Dining with Samuel Savage the next day, they were visited by the Methodist Samuel Furley (c 1732-1795). On the Friday, Occom preached to the meeting of John Richardson (d 1792) an Anglican who had been an assistant to Wesley.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">On Sunday June 29, he preached for the Independent Samuel Brewer (1724-1796) in Stepney. A collection was taken that amounted to the sizeable amount of £100. The excursion to Sheerness mentioned previously was taken the next week.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The following Sunday, Occom preached to a small congregation in St Paul's Alley for the General Baptist Francis Webb (1735-1815). The following week there were trips to Clapham to see Thornton and to Wimbledon where they stayed with Thornton's sister, Mrs Wilberforce, aunt to abolitionist MP, William Wilberforce (1759-1833). She took Occom back to London in her coach. In the afternoon he met a Jewish convert, Susanna Gideon (b 1731), with whom he enjoyed conversation. Converted through Lady Huntingdon, she was the daughter of banker Sampson Gideon (1699-1762). He also met two loyalist Americans, New York physician and politician, Sir James Jay (1732-1815) and Sir John Wentworth (1737-1820) from New Hampshire. The latter would secure the land and sign the charter for Dartmouth College in 1769. Wednesday, July 9 was an unsuccessful day of networking but the next day he and Whitaker were more successful at making contacts with ministers in Stepney and elsewhere. On Friday they called on Quaker Thomas Penn (1702-1799), second son of William, but he was not in. In a pathetic fallacy, it rained and thundered.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">On the Lord's Day, July 13, Occom preached first at Deptford, Kent, for John Olding (1722-1785), an Independent. He then returned to London where he preached for Independent John Stafford (1728-1800) at a smaller meeting in Broad Street. After that, drinking tea with a Mr Cox he was told he was due to preach again and did. Sermons from this day survive. One is on 1 Timothy 6:12 Fight the good fight and an other on 2 Corinthians 5:17 In Christ he is a new creature.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Another sermon that survives from this period is on Matthew 22:42 Saying, what think ye of Christ? It begins</div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;">It Looks to me Some like a Dareing Presumtion, that I Shoud Stand before you this Day as a Teacher, What Can I Say to you, you that are highly Priviledg'd of the Lord of Hosts, to Whom God has done great and Marvelous things, you tha[t] are Lifted Within Sight of Heaven, as it were, in Point of Gospel Blessings, and you that are refin'd with Literature and kinds of Sciences Who am I Shoud that I Stand Stand before this Great Congregation this Day, I [that] am but a Babe in Religion that begun to think of it, as it were but Yesteday, and imperfect every way, I shall but Be-tray my Profound Ignorance in Speaking to before you- And what Shall I say for I have not the Wisdom of the Wise nor Knowledg of the Learned nor Eloquence of the Oratour - but I Wish Coud with Propriety Say to any one Poor Impotent Soul in this great Congregation, as Peter Said to a Poor Criple, Silver and Gold have I none But Such as I have I give thee In the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, Rise up and Walk.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div></blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Hitchin, Luton and London, July 17-24, 1766</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The next evening Occom preached to a small congregation for Gifford. On Thursday, July 17, they travelled to Hitchin by stagecoach. Arriving at about noon, they were warmly received. Occom lodged with a Mr Thomas and Whitaker with banker and lawyer William Wilshere (1754-1824), a deacon at the Baptist church. The next day they visited in Hitchin and on the Saturday made an excursion twenty miles south to Sopwell, where Occom preached to a small group.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Lord's Day, July 20, was very busy. Occom preached in the morning at the Independent church for Edward Hickman (d 1781) and in the afternoon for the Baptist Samuel James (1716-1773). A post chaise was stationed at the church door and immediately after the service Occom was taken to nearby Luton, to preach to a large crowd for a Mr Hall. After that, he immediately returned to Hitchin, arriving around 10 pm. On the Monday they returned to London and spent the next three days taking leave of friends in the city before setting out for their tour of the country.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>To be continued</i></div></div>Gary Bradyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08171450135496647908noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9016502548449023341.post-79423619875415267362023-10-13T10:19:00.003-07:002023-10-13T10:23:49.909-07:00Samson Occom Fundraising Trip to Britain Part 2<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZYHpmDgm0ajyjgBBSGrUt6A_YUt_EaQ_MfirborSXupu5I_PgbeQnzuYoZTMe9TBDVRR1y1m-DvLaPO7C7ryxk_aQ2xy8jwNBLTLs12QZ3rXnian4T4Odo0JgS8krNiTZsuNztAuGI7khdhWX1cV4mlR7ucybQJA4MraDm9IRVCu0-zwHnXrtRpPV_F8/s350/img_8277.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="255" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZYHpmDgm0ajyjgBBSGrUt6A_YUt_EaQ_MfirborSXupu5I_PgbeQnzuYoZTMe9TBDVRR1y1m-DvLaPO7C7ryxk_aQ2xy8jwNBLTLs12QZ3rXnian4T4Odo0JgS8krNiTZsuNztAuGI7khdhWX1cV4mlR7ucybQJA4MraDm9IRVCu0-zwHnXrtRpPV_F8/w291-h400/img_8277.jpg" width="291" /></a></div><br />This article first appeared in <i>In Writing</i><p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Samson Occom 1723-1792</span></div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Mohegan Pastor </span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">His fund raising trip to the British Isles 1765-1767 in the company of Nathaniel Whitaker that led to the founding of Dartmouth College. Part Two. </span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">London, February 11-23, 1766</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On Tuesday, February 11, Occom and Wheelock dined with a London merchant and supporter Samuel Savage (d post 1775) and with Whitefield and his congregation in the chapel at a Love feast. On the Thursday, they met Quaker botanist and physician John Fothergill (1712-1780) but the cold and wet weather meant that they did not stay as long as expected.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Early the next morning, Whitefield took them to see more of “the religious nobility”, as Occom calls them. This time, leading Evangelical Anglican preacher, William Romaine (1714-1796) and the chaplain of the Lock Hospital, Martin Madan (1726-1790). They also met the German Pietist Friedrich Ziegenhagen (1694-1776), a court preacher. Occom speaks in the highest terms of Whitefield and his unwearied efforts to be a blessing to them, calling him “a tender father” and “… a Spiritual Father to thousands and thousands”. He describes how Whitefield's home was surrounded daily by people in need – the poor, the sick and injured, widows and orphans. He prays for God's blessing on him.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">On the Sunday, Occom preached for the first time in England - to a large congregation gathered in Whitefield's Tabernacle on Tottenham Court Road. He clearly counted it a very great privilege. The next week they visited the Baptist pastor Andrew Gifford (1700-1784) with whom they dined.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">On the evening of February 23, they dined with yet another Whitefield supporter, wool merchant Robert Keen (d 1793). From there they went on to a funeral where Whitefield preached and led in prayer. After that, Smith introduced Occom to the Bishop of Gloucester, William Warburton (1698-1779) who was keen for Occom to take Anglican orders but was told that he had been ordained six years before among dissenters! It was then on to the Independent Dr Samuel Chandler (1693-1766) the uncrowned patriarch of dissent, who urged caution over Whitefield but was generally positive.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">On Sunday, February 23, they heard Welshman, Howell Davies (c 1716-1770) at Whitefield's Tabernacle in the morning and Dr Gifford in the evening. They stayed with Gifford that night. In the next week they met again with Savage and the leading Independent minister and lecturer Dr Thomas Gibbons (1720-1785). On the Thursday, Occom preached at the Independent church, Moorfields, where John Conder (1714-1781) a tutor at the Mile End Academy was pastor. After the meeting, they dined with a man referred to as Randall, possibly the Scots Presbyterian Thomas Randall Davidson (c 1747-1827).</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Sickness and recovery, February 24-April 15, 1766</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Soon after this Occom fell seriously ill and there is no diary entry until March 11, when he tells us that Whitaker had inoculated him against smallpox somewhere near Whitefield's Tabernacle. It was not until April 1 that Occom had properly recovered. He appreciated the many visits received during that time but was in something of a delirium through it all.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">He finally finished his course of medicine on the Lord's Day, April 6. That day he was visited by Methodist leader Selina Hastings, Countess of Huntingdon (1707-1791) who was converted through Wesley but became a follower of Whitefield. Occom was suitably aware of who he was meeting. After this, meetings continued with a visit to a woman called Webber the other side of the Thames and with a man called Weeks for a meeting at the Lock Chapel. On the Sunday, he preached for Dr Chandler but was taken ill during the sermon.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Still in London April 18-May 31, 1766</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On Wednesday, April 16 they dined with the influential Seventh Day Baptist Samuel Stennett (1727-1795) pastor at Little Wild Street, who became a supporter from this time. They were with him again for breakfast a week later. On April 24, they were with Conder again, then long serving Independent minister, Samuel Brewer (1724-1796) in Stepney, where the largest London congregation of dissenters met. He became another strong supporter,</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Occom preached for Whitefield once again midweek and, on April 27, at the Presbyterian church, Little St Helen's, Bishopsgate and at the Baptist church, Devonshire Square. On Monday, April 28, it was more visiting. Publisher Charles Dilly (1739–1807) gave him some free books. He dined with dissenting minister, Joseph Barber (1727-1810) then went with Whitaker to a church where Whitaker baptised a child for the minister, Mr Bailey.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">On April 30, they met Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Secker (1693-1768). Secker had been brought up as a dissenter and had trained as a medical doctor. Occom found him agreeable and friendly. That evening he again addressed a crowded Tabernacle for Whitefield. The next day, Stennett introduced them to the Archbishop of York, Robert Hay Drummond (1711-1776) also friendly and sympathetic. Later that same day they were with another sympathiser, Arthur Onslow (1691-1768), many times speaker of the House of Commons. Despite these apparent encouragements it all came to nothing and Occom would later write</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Now I am in my own country, I may freely inform you of what I honestly and soberly think of the Bishops, Lord Bishops and Archbishops of England. In my view, they don't look like Gospel Bishops or ministers of Christ.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Lord's Day, May 4, Occom preached again for Joseph Barber and in the evening to a large crowd for a Baptist by the name of Britton. The next day Stennett introduced them to more potential supporters but these visits were less satisfactory. Thankfully, they had good fellowship with Sir Charles Hotham (1735-1767), who had already given a generous gift. He spoke freely and willingly of the Lord Jesus. On Wednesday, May 7, a meeting was arranged with ministers and others at the Barbers Hall in the city and many proved to be sympathetic. The next day they travelled down to Clapham, then in the countryside. Again, some were sympathetic, others not so.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">On the Lord's Day, May 11, Occom preached to a large congregation in Stepney for Brewer and in the evening for a Mr Shillon. On the Monday and Tuesday they revisited Onslow and Savage and on the Wednesday dined with a man called Morrison. Thursday, May 15, they were in Clapham again to dine with merchant and philanthropist John Thornton (1720-1790), with whom Occom was very impressed. Thornton became an important member of the English Board.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The next day Occom preached for a man called Clark or Clarke. This was probably William Nash Clarke (1732-1795) who was converted under Whitefield but became a Baptist and joined the Devonshire Square church. In 1761 he became pastor of Unicorn Yard, after studies under Dr Stennett. Clarke himself trained several men for the ministry before, in 1786, removing to Exeter, where he spent his final years. He was a man of great piety and probity and strongly opposed to antinomianism. On the Saturday, Occom made a second fruitless visit to an unsympathetic man called Jackson, probably the colonial agent Richard “omniscient” Jackson (c 1721-1787).</div><div style="text-align: justify;">On the Sunday, Occom preached for the Baptists again – Gifford in the morning, Stennett in the evening. Wednesday, May 21, was marked by another visit to the Anglican Romaine, who Occom felt spoke very willingly and naturally about the things of God. They travelled into town in a coach together. The General Baptist Charles Bulkley (1719–1797) then took him to meet about twenty Baptist ministers with whom he dined before returning home.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">On Thursday, May 22, Occom was at the home of a Mr Skinner from where he went to a meeting probably with the Independent minister, Thomas Toller (c 1732-1795) and his family. Toller preached. Back home, they heard a horrible story of a couple killed when their coach overturned and they were hit by a cart. That evening Occom was very ill again. It was another week before he was well enough to go out once more.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>To be continued</i></div>Gary Bradyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08171450135496647908noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9016502548449023341.post-25370944301636078902023-07-07T01:37:00.003-07:002023-07-07T01:37:33.257-07:00Samson Occom Fundraising Trip to Britain Part 1<p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxQJhRMC0OuYqUgMefvRHruos8s01zAO-ei4BVi6jNC2K25KgNqp-zFCIGREeJ8V64S6jkuBq76wgLRBTq62YE4hA0JaBBEJ4GWIvCu8v35IXbkN5L1HJreAVvsWJJaRgukxATM-D9yAHAA53YkF8f0FKDd6-ywLFFXcPZPxouhIzhvnbNBWbTEirwJzY/s570/Sampson-Occom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="323" data-original-width="570" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxQJhRMC0OuYqUgMefvRHruos8s01zAO-ei4BVi6jNC2K25KgNqp-zFCIGREeJ8V64S6jkuBq76wgLRBTq62YE4hA0JaBBEJ4GWIvCu8v35IXbkN5L1HJreAVvsWJJaRgukxATM-D9yAHAA53YkF8f0FKDd6-ywLFFXcPZPxouhIzhvnbNBWbTEirwJzY/w400-h226/Sampson-Occom.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />This article first appeared in <i>In Writing</i><p></p><b><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Samson Occom 1723-1792 Mohegan Pastor</b></div><i><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><i>His fund raising trip to the British Isles 1765-1767 in the company of Nathaniel Whitaker that led to the founding of Dartmouth College. Part One.</i></b></div></i></b><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Between February, 1766 and the end of 1767, a native American Presbyterian preacher called Samson Occom (1723-1792) travelled extensively in England, Scotland and Ireland, preaching between 300 and 400 sermons and drawing large crowds almost everywhere he went. He raised over £12,000 (over £1.5 million today) for a project back in New England from where he and his companion, the Congregational minister Nathaniel Whitaker (1730-1795) had travelled.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Occom was a member of the Mohegan (not Mohican or Mohawk) tribe and was said to be descended from a leading chief called Uncas. Occom was converted in the revival now known as the first Great Awakening. He heard the gospel when he was 16 or 17 and began studying theology shortly after at a school led by Congregationalist minister and educator, Eleazar Wheelock (1711-1799).</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Occom was there for four years and by the end of that time had learned to speak good English and familiarise himself with Latin, Greek and Hebrew.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">From 1747-1749, he worked under and studied with Congregationalist minister, Solomon Williams (1700-1776) in New London, Connecticut. Occom went on to become a teacher, a preacher and an arbitrator among the Montauket Native Americans of Montauk, Long Island. He married a Montauket woman called Mary Fowler (1726-1792), who had been a school pupil under him. They had many children.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">He was officially ordained on August 30, 1759, by the presbytery of Suffolk. He was never paid the same salary as white preachers, although this had been promised. He was given a supplementary stipend by The Society in Scotland for Propagating Christian Knowledge but he and his family lived in poverty for much of his life.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">In 1761 and 1763, Occom travelled to preach to the Six Nations of the Iroquois in upstate New York and saw converts. He then returned to teach at Mohegan, Connecticut, near New London. He mediated in conflicts between colonists and Native Americans, as he was very familiar with colonist culture and was recognised by Native Americans as a leader.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Meanwhile, Wheelock established an Indian charity school in Lebanon, Connecticut in 1754 with a legacy from Joshua Moor and others. In 1763-1765 the great evangelist George Whitefield (1714-1770) made his sixth and penultimate visit to America. He visited New London, Norwich, Lebanon and Moor's school and met Occom. Whitefield was one of the instigators of the trip across the Atlantic. It had long been felt that a trip to Old England could raise a good deal of cash to support education among native peoples and on Occom's return to Mohegan, Wheelock persuaded his former pupil to be the man, with Whitaker, to do the fundraising that was felt to be necessary.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><b><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Boston to Brixham Dec 23, 1765-Feb 6, 1766</b></div></b><div style="text-align: justify;">Occom kept a diary that covers much of the early part of the trip. There we learn that he said a warm farewell to his family on Thursday, November, 21, 1765, and headed to Boston, Massachusetts, where he arrived on the afternoon of November 23. He stayed with a watchmaker called Moses Peck (1717-1801). Whitaker arrived in Boston on November 27, but it was not until Monday, December 23 at around 9.30 am that the two left New England. They sailed on the 70 ton sloop, The Boston Packett captained by John Marshall (d 1768). They paid 15 guineas, a reduced rate thanks to the generosity of one of the owners, wealthy Boston merchant, John Hancock (1736-1793). Their fellow travellers were the Boston merchants, Thomas Bromfield (1733-1816) and John Williams (d 1791).</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The passengers got on well during their six week trip, daily worship taking place throughout with sermons every Lord's Day. Occom was thankful to God for the generally favourable winds experienced, with only three short spells when strong gales prevailed and a short period, 500 nautical miles off Lands End, when moderate easterly winds delayed them. Though it was winter, they had quite warm weather most of the voyage.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">They first caught sight of England about 10 am, Lord's Day, February 2, 1766. The next day, just after sunset, they disembarked at Brixham, Devon, being ferried to the shore in a fishing boat. They spent a night at the home of an unnamed widow, then made an early start for Exeter on horseback, going on to Salisbury, Wiltshire, by coach. Despite the cold weather, they reached London by the evening of February 6, having covered some 200 miles in just three days.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><b><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>London, February 7-10, 1766</b></div></b><div style="text-align: justify;">In London, they stayed first with London merchant and dissenter Dennys DeBerdt (1694-1770). Of Dutch descent, in 1765 he had been elected London agent of the Massachusetts Assembly, having already served as agent for the Connecticut and Delaware Assemblies. DeBerdt was a strong supporter of Whitlock but Whitaker would later grow distrustful of him. The next day their old friend and supporter John Smith (d 1768), an affluent Boston merchant, visited. He made regular trips to London and had arrived there in July 1765. He would die before returning to Boston. Smith had been a supporter of Whitefield since the 1740s and it is he who took Occom and Whitaker to him at this time. Whitefield took them in his chaise to the house of a sympathetic but unnamed friend.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">They spent a quiet weekend at Whitefield's, then on the Monday, he introduced them to the man who would later give his name to the college begun with funds raised by Occom and Whitaker, philanthropist William Legge, better known as Lord Dartmouth (1731-1801). Whitefield also took them to see another aristocrat, the elderly and pious Lady Hotham (1696-1771) widow of Charles Hotham (1693-1738).</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Sightseeing and leisure</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The church going of some, the evident profanity of others, the beggars and the sheer noisy busyness of the place all grabbed Occom's attention.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Although most of the time went on networking, there was time for sightseeing. On February 12 they spent a day riding and the next day went with Whitefield to see Parliament. Later they crossed Westminster Bridge and visited Greenwich Hospital, then a rest home for retired naval personnel.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">February 17 was a rest day and the next day, they were at the palace where they saw King George III (1738-1820) in his robes of state and royal crown, escorted by his horsemen and musicians headed to Parliament. Occom was clearly very impressed but eager to remind himself that there is much greater glory in heaven where the King of kings reigns. Later in the day they again visited Dartmouth and dined with him. That same day they made visits to Westminster Abbey and Bedlam, the lunatic asylum, long considered an appropriate place for tourists. Occom says nothing about what he saw there.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Thursday, February 20 appears to have been the official birthday of Queen Consort Charlotte (1744-1818). Occom and others went to St James's Palace but were a little late so did not see as many royals and nobles as had been hoped. Occom's reflections this time run on the lines of the great contrast between rich and poor and the way so much will be reversed in the world to come. The next day it was time to see the Tower with its menagerie of lions, tigers, leopards and wolves and other impressive sights such as the armoury.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">On Monday, June 30, Occom went up river with John Smith to Sheerness on the Isle of Sheppey. They went by river to Gravesend then by coach to Chatham before arriving in Sheerness by water. The next day they bathed in the sea. Occom was pleased with the scenery but sobered by the sight of criminals swinging on yardarms all along the river. On the Wednesday, they did the return journey in rain and thunder, reaching London about six.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">On Tuesday, July 17, they dined with the Baptist minister and numismatist Andrew Gifford (1700-1784). They went on to a meeting with American loyalist Sir James Jay (1732-1815) and to see the curiosities of a certain Mr Person.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>To be continued</i></div></div>Gary Bradyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08171450135496647908noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9016502548449023341.post-91977427677315945662022-12-01T05:52:00.001-08:002022-12-01T05:52:00.185-08:00The God of Order<div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV-hN0v45tUwVbHOrsckv_QdLf44Mpak7nKuh7l9m13KHU26Uw76R6JW1HT7kCCGkCL_2dXxbY_dZi___0npH0vf6ozonOFtuNatbVDRHwLx-4_m6_Svr5oD403QGNSFYEgszuuONbXt3SXbtvWSZeguF3Wtp3-2aDIixvfjFUPxk4IJLs5fDAeKuP/s910/39h311b_touse1cropped.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="910" data-original-width="756" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV-hN0v45tUwVbHOrsckv_QdLf44Mpak7nKuh7l9m13KHU26Uw76R6JW1HT7kCCGkCL_2dXxbY_dZi___0npH0vf6ozonOFtuNatbVDRHwLx-4_m6_Svr5oD403QGNSFYEgszuuONbXt3SXbtvWSZeguF3Wtp3-2aDIixvfjFUPxk4IJLs5fDAeKuP/w333-h400/39h311b_touse1cropped.jpg" width="333" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>The Bible reveals God's many wonderful attributes. It speaks of his love, his power, his eternity. In 1 Corinthians 14:33 Paul tells us that God is not a God of confusion but of peace. This comes out, for example, in what the Bible says of creation. Chaos becomes order. In the Trinity, although the three persons are equal, there is definite order in the Godhead.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">All around us there is evidence of a marvellous orderliness from God. That is why even in a Jackson Pollock painting some order may be discerned! In 1 Corinthians 14:40 Paul draws a practical conclusion from this fact. In meetings for worship everything should be done in a fitting, dignified, decent way.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The application is not limited to meetings. It applies to the whole of life. All the great advances in science and civilisation have come in the train of organisation and order. Of course, great things are sometimes discovered by accident, but it is the methodical, orderly person who sees their importance.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">This is an appropriate thought for the beginning of a new year. It is true that there is something slightly artificial about marking a new year but it is a fact that God made this world to orbit the Sun every 365<span face="arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #4d5156; font-size: 14px;">1/4</span> days. He gave it a moon that takes 29<span face="arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #4d5156; font-size: 14px;">1/2</span> days to orbit earth. He makes the earth revolve on its axis to mark a day. These are not accidents. The stars were given to mark the passing seasons.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Further, by direct command, God has ordained that there should be seven days in one week and that one day should be different from the other six and kept special in his honour. Part of the indignity of drunkenness, serious illness and sometimes old age is befuddlement as to the passage of time.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">All this leads us to stress certain important practical truths which should always be remembered.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1. Take note of the passing years. It is right and Christian to mark the change from 1995 to 1996. It is true that it is not exactly 1996 years since the Lord's coming nor is there a command from God to keep track of how much time has elapsed since his coming. It is surely laudable, however, to write 1996 AD (not 1996 CE as some would have it). Better still 'The year of God's grace 1996'. We affirm that history is linear not circular, finite not infinite.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">2. Take note of the passing months. Under the Law the Israelites were encouraged not only to count the years (Jubilee, etc.) but months were also marked by new moon festivals and other seasonal feasts. We are no longer under such laws but it is good to see each new month as a mark of God's favour and a fresh opportunity to serve him.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">3. Remember the Lord's Day. Again, although believers are not obliged to keep Old Testament Sabbaths, all orthodox Christians recognise the need to keep one day in seven special. We may disagree on details but we all recognise that the Lord's Day is a special day to be kept, as far as we can, separate to God. It is sad to see many Christians today failing to make progress, largely because they fail to take advantage of this means of grace.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">4. Live one day at a time. In Psalm 90 Moses prays that the Lord will <i>teach us to number our days aright. </i>Some people today live such chaotic lives they can hardly distinguish one day from another. Night and day merge in a single stream. Genesis 1 teaches us that there is a distinction between day and night. This is best observed by sleeping at night and working for God's glory by day. That is not the regular privilege of some who may read this. We will all experience sleepless nights at some stage in life. However, let us not forget the norm.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Further, take one day at a time and leave the next to worry about itself. Fill each day not with idle day dreaming but with living for the Lord. Daniel was a busy man but three times in the day were marked off for prayer to the Lord. The psalmist prayed seven times a day! Let us at least begin with prayer and the Word. The Jews divided their day into three watches of four hours each: sunrise, the heat of the day and the cool of the day. We think more of morning, afternoon and evening. Organise each day carefully and use each part to God's glory.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">One period where a lot of time can be wasted for some is between 4 pm and 7 pm which may not fit firmly into afternoon or evening. Watch out! Plan ahead, yet be flexible. Study the way our Lord conducted himself.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">In conclusion, let me mention some more general principles.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">• Be alert to the providence of God. Look to the Lord for guidance.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">• Get your priorities right. Do not fall under the tyranny of the urgent. Be like Mary not like Martha and make the most of every opportunity.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">• Ecclesiastes 8:5, 6 informs us that everything has its proper procedure. This is true of everything from painting a door, doing the laundry or shaving your face, right through to preparing and preaching a sermon, comforting the bereaved and praying to God. Much time and effort will be saved when we learn and practice such procedures.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">• Finally, do not forget to do all you do in a dignified and beautiful way. Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe on his desert island not only kept a careful note of the date but also dressed for dinner! This was not eccentricity but an awareness of the God of peace and order. May we be aware of him too throughout this coming year.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>This article appeared in Grace Magaine in 1996</i></div>Gary Bradyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08171450135496647908noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9016502548449023341.post-86879460897816033242022-10-27T12:15:00.004-07:002024-01-02T08:14:26.259-08:00Geoff Thomas Festschrift (News Item)<div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ-0QW3yivTVV7xfiF7ibRPQt66YS-atRo5kNnjDQG2MEYxQWqUdG9_RpdHjoyOBrOmDv0QNFh10vURMe08SG0Y-3gaYbxu9pv7Yt_z1VYZknBtmtzbT0aSu1l9LySwmyO9SKLULpKdUXE1N61pwBs6sCz5mQHHsFevno_v-RpDS9DiI2cf0EEAlWp/s597/kjdfljsldjflskdjflsjkflskdjflskdjflsdkfjslkdfj.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="456" data-original-width="597" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ-0QW3yivTVV7xfiF7ibRPQt66YS-atRo5kNnjDQG2MEYxQWqUdG9_RpdHjoyOBrOmDv0QNFh10vURMe08SG0Y-3gaYbxu9pv7Yt_z1VYZknBtmtzbT0aSu1l9LySwmyO9SKLULpKdUXE1N61pwBs6sCz5mQHHsFevno_v-RpDS9DiI2cf0EEAlWp/w400-h305/kjdfljsldjflskdjflsjkflskdjflskdjflsdkfjslkdfj.png" width="400" /></a></div><br />This month Dr Geoff Thomas, pastor of Alfred Place Baptist Church, Aberystwyth for the last 48 years, turns 75. In August he was ambushed during the <i>Evangelical Movement of Wales</i>' annual conference in Aberystwyth when he was presented with a book of essays that is to be published on the fifteenth of this month to celebrate his long and influential ministry. Clearly moved by the gesture, he uncharacteristically had to admit that he was “lost for words”. The conference setting seemed appropriate as Geoff is such a good friend to it. Many present had begun their week listening to him preach his annual mini series down the hill in Bethel.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The <i>Festschrift</i> or celebration writing idea is borrowed from the world of academia where professors are often presented with a book of papers by students and colleagues as a mark of respect on a significant birthday. This volume will be called <i>The Holy Spirit and Reformed Spirituality</i> and is edited by Derek Thomas and Joel Beeke for <i>Reformed Heritage Books.</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It begins with a biographical piece by Geoff's son-in-law, Gary Brady, and a set of interviews with ministers who once sat at Geoff's feet compiled by Paul Levy. This is followed by a number of essays pertinent to the theme by an international array of Reformed pastors and others.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Contributors include Carl Trueman, Joel Beeke, Fred Malone, Robert Oliver, Gary Benfold, Sam Waldron, John J. Murray, Ian Hamilton, Derek Thomas, Iain D. Campbell, Conrad Mbewe and Austin Walker. These essays will be worth reading in their own right but also bear testimony to God's goodness to a much loved and respected man and his ministry.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Such a presentation inevitably raises the question of retirement. The situation is that the church are currently considering the future but Geoff is still full of vigour and is likely to be in place when the 50 milestone is reached in two years time.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>This article first appeared in Evangelical Times in 2013</i></div>Gary Bradyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08171450135496647908noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9016502548449023341.post-82726911716761770022022-10-01T04:03:00.003-07:002023-07-08T09:24:03.444-07:00Nairobi Conference 2011 (News Item)<p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUPQKGcJS8_wgyyD2BuUVeuatJNTT0KAakTAD_m1xSm_MikixHXe99uykIYQbFvpKSovV1bmRUdSb_cAlIAGr8JmAMh0Zg8s5DbVbm9_jl006h0yNaDZ2DEyaVc_-wg4gqefrM6FZGakrvOSd__UEoH3-gllTk-GfHfQxMcvBZb7_q-wpsN-eOvp6QZQ/s275/;l'l'.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="275" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUPQKGcJS8_wgyyD2BuUVeuatJNTT0KAakTAD_m1xSm_MikixHXe99uykIYQbFvpKSovV1bmRUdSb_cAlIAGr8JmAMh0Zg8s5DbVbm9_jl006h0yNaDZ2DEyaVc_-wg4gqefrM6FZGakrvOSd__UEoH3-gllTk-GfHfQxMcvBZb7_q-wpsN-eOvp6QZQ/w400-h266/;l'l'.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Keith Underhill and his wife Priscilla</td></tr></tbody></table><br />More than 50 pastors and other delegates gathered from all over Kenya to attend the annual Reformed conference for ministers, sponsored by Trinity Baptist Church (TBC), Nairobi.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">All the attendees had a strong appetite for, though in some cases an inadequate understanding of, Reformed theology.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The main subject was regeneration. Nine sessions were given over to the subject and most of these sessions were led by Gary Brady of Childs Hill Baptist Church, London, who looked at the character of new birth, evidences for it and its place in the plan of salvation.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The other speaker was the pastor of TBC, Keith Underhill, who looked at the history of regeneration and how to preach it. He also gave something of the history of the great Reformed confessions - the Westminster, Savoy and 1689.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Each of the three main days began with devotions led by Kenyan pastors. There was also a profitable question time and other informal sessions.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Kenya’s churches appear to be much in the grip of nominalism or a superficial, decisionistic and sensationalist form of religion. But there is an appetite for solid teaching among some.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">There are divisions even among Reformed Christians there, which is a source of discouragement, but also a desire to press on with the work and look to the Lord for success.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Underhill, now in his 60s, has been used of God over the years to promote the Reformed faith and help men in the vital work of church planting and reformation. He continues to be a great encourager to many.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">A man of vision, having seen Christian work established in the north of the country among the Rendille, he has his sights set, under God, on needy places beyond that and even into the Sudan.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Just before the conference he, with others, was involved in helping a pastor, a former student of the Nairobi-based seminary, in beginning to constitute a small church some 70 kilometres east of Nairobi.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Meanwhile, there are also a number of young men, who are increasingly exercising a key role and are maybe an earnest of the future.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This news item first appeared in Evangelical Times</div><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: calc(0.1 + var(--line-height-base)); margin: 0 0 var(--gap-lg);"></p>Gary Bradyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08171450135496647908noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9016502548449023341.post-34213061395993172512022-07-29T09:00:00.008-07:002022-07-29T09:04:39.931-07:00An Anatomy of Sin<div style="text-align: justify;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFiEJFMefJ9i0Na-mTqg9kZ-DOA0eGdWsPML6Y-uhu8u9bAc0BsE8xPA4huJyMGnvkG_V-5THwBU8k__E8eY5tQ6Nnw4MTFp3BUip61kEnZN_7bzvU9exzkl_da-yfms1Bnl6YjCkoBNVziSvczM9iVxBP75Gfmapv2dhMwf025zRfGMDRy6r9qUcz/s800/cave.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="530" data-original-width="800" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFiEJFMefJ9i0Na-mTqg9kZ-DOA0eGdWsPML6Y-uhu8u9bAc0BsE8xPA4huJyMGnvkG_V-5THwBU8k__E8eY5tQ6Nnw4MTFp3BUip61kEnZN_7bzvU9exzkl_da-yfms1Bnl6YjCkoBNVziSvczM9iVxBP75Gfmapv2dhMwf025zRfGMDRy6r9qUcz/w400-h265/cave.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Do you mortify? Do you make it your daily work? Be always at it whilst you live; cease not a day from this work; be killing sin or it will be killing you. John Owen (1616-1683)</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">If you read Genesis or if you preach through it, you will come inevitably to Genesis 19:30-38, a sad and sobering story that in many ways it would be easier to skip and pretend was not there. In some ways it would be nice to think that such a story was not in the Bible and equally nice to think that such things do not happen on earth. But it is there and it is Scripture. So what are we to do with it?</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The chapter clearly warns against drunkenness and incest but these are seldom the most obvious sins that tempt Christians today. Having said that, the Bible does warn against drunkenness and it is clear that it also expects sexual union to be kept to the marriage bed. In particular, it should be noted how drunkenness leads easily to a loss of self-control and so to many other sins, especially those of a sexual nature. How important it is not to fall into drunkenness or into anything approaching it.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Silver-tongued Henry Smith (c 1560-1591), an early Puritan preacher, once observed with reference to this incident "Sodom was burnt but sin escaped". There is a good deal to learn here about what the old Puritans used to call the sinfulness of sin. The Shorter Catechism defines sin as “any transgression of or want of conformity to” God's holy law.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Perhaps the best thing to do therefore is to attempt an anatomy of sin. That is what we have here. By anatomy we mean a study of the structure or internal workings of a thing. In this case, sin. Some ten observations can be made.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Sin - salvation does not grant immunity from it</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Perhaps the first thing to note is that this story follows on from the glorious deliverance of Lot and his daughters from Sodom. It was a wonderful salvation that they had received and one would perhaps expect to find that now Lot had been rescued from Sodom, a place which vexed and distressed him because it was so wicked, he would begin to live in a wiser way than he had been living previously. However, that is not the case. It reminds us of what happened to Noah when he came out of the ark, following the flood. You remember how he also became drunk and how that led not then to a case of incest but certainly to his son Ham falling into sin in a similar area, a sin that, as here, had consequences for future generations.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">It is a glorious thing to be converted, to be saved. However, we would be very foolish to think that it offered some cast iron guarantee against falling into sin, even into grievous sin. That is patently not the case. We who believe, we who have left Sodom behind, by the grace of God, may still have Sodom in our hearts and may still fall into who knows what sin, if we do not daily look to God. Thomas Adams says of Lot that he "was scorched with the flame of unnatural lust, that escaped burning in the fire of Sodom."</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Sin - how it can occur even in a godly family</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Another thing to add here is a warning against the idea that sin always comes from the outside into a godly family. In 1984 British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher spoke to her party backbenchers of fighting not only the enemy without, in The Falkland Islands, but also, referring controversially to the striking coal miners, the need to "be aware of the enemy within, which is much more difficult to fight and more dangerous to liberty." No doubt she spoke conscious of her predecessor Winston Churchill's claim that "when there is no enemy within, the enemies outside cannot hurt you."</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Of course, there can be malign outside influences and it is possible here perhaps that the influence of old Sodom was making its mark, but, in the final analysis, the sin that is described in this particular incident comes directly from within the family and not from without. It is a reminder that even in the cosiest of situations, sin can raise its ugly head and wickedness is possible. Be on guard against it – from without or within.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Sin - the danger of isolation</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Verse 30 says that Lot and his two daughters left Zoar and settled in the mountains, for he was afraid to stay in Zoar. He and his two daughters lived in a cave.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Why was Lot afraid to live in Zoar? Zoar was his idea, rather than God's and perhaps on reflection that was what made him fearful. Or perhaps it was the continuing wickedness of the people. If Sodom was gone, what guarantee was there for Zoar? Matthew Henry suggests that if we assume that Sodom and the other cities were swallowed up by the Dead Sea after their destruction, it may simply have been that being also on the plain, Lot could see what a precarious place it was.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Just past the Lisan Peninsula, a large spit of land that now separates the north and the south basins of the Dead Sea, tourists are today shown a cave, a 10-minute climb up a steep flight of steps. As is typical in that part of the world, the cave is surrounded by the ruins of a small Byzantine church from some time between the fifth and eighth centuries. There is a reservoir too and some mosaics. Remains from the cave have been dated to the early Bronze Age (3000 – 2000 BC) and an inscription inside the cave mentions Lot by name. It is no more likely to be the very cave than other holes in the rocks found in the area. There are many such caves in the Dead Sea region. It is in these caves that the Essenes also lived in the inter-testamental period. In 1947 the first of the fascinating Dead Sea scrolls was discovered in a cave in this region by a Bedouin shepherd boy looking for lost animals.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">It was to a cave somewhere in this region that Lot fled with his daughters and there that they lived, just as people in various parts of the world have and still do live in caves to this day. They became troglodytes, we may say. The storm had at last passed and so we revert to the tranquility of the opening narrative that existed at the oaks of Mamre. A cave, however, evokes a much more rugged, a much less attractive and a more desolate scene than a grove of trees. Why did Lot not return to his uncle Abraham? Was it pride or shame? From the time he had left that man of God, it had been trouble all the way. We cannot know exactly how Lot thought but isolating himself like this was not a good idea. Did he give no thought at all to the need for his daughters to be married and for the family line to continue?</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Although solitude has some uses, as a general rule too much of it is not a good thing. While accepting that there may have been some exaggeration, the whole sordid history of pre-Reformation monasteries and nunneries shows that. In a study of the dioceses of Lincon and Norwich over a hundred year period C D Knudsen has to admit that "nearly half of the monasteries experienced a case of sexual misconduct". A bishop "could expect to encounter numerous instances of it during his career".</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Remember Paul's words to couples who want to give themselves to prayer (1 Corinthians 7:5) Do not deprive each other except perhaps by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Writing on being alone with God in the 1620s, the Puritan Henry Scudder (d 1659) says in his <i>Christian's Daily Walk</i> "First, Affect not too much solitude; be not alone, except you have just cause, namely, when you separate yourself for holy duties, and when your needful occasions do withdraw you from society; for in other cases, two are better than one (saith Solomon) and woe be to him that is alone …." He is referring to Ecclesiastes 4:9, 10. He goes on to say that "When you are alone, you must be very watchful, and stand upon your guard, lest you fall into manifold temptations of the devil; for solitariness is Satan's opportunity, Gen 3:1, 39:1; 2 Sam 11:2; Matt 4:1; which he will not lose, as the manifold examples in scripture, and our daily experience, do witness. Wherefore you must have a ready eye to observe, and a heart ready bent to resist all his assaults …."</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Sin - the danger of good intentions</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">We read in Genesis verses 31 and 32 how one day the older daughter said to the younger, "Our father is old, and there is no man around here to give us children - as is the custom all over the earth. Let's get our father to drink wine and then sleep with him and preserve our family line through our father."</div><div style="text-align: justify;">There is no doubt that the concern of these women was good; their intentions were fine. They wanted children, which is good. They wanted to preserve their family line, which was also good. Some have suggested that they had some idea that Messiah might be born through their father, who was descended from Terah, Abraham's father, but that is not explicitly stated. The far more obvious point is that their intentions were good but the method that they chose was wrong.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">An obvious example of this sort of thing today is where a man and a woman want a baby but are unable to do so and so they resort to various unbiblical means to bring that about, including using a surrogate and artificial insemination by donor.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">There are plenty of people with bad intentions in this world. That is the cause of a great deal of sin. There are also many people with good intentions but who use wrong means to bring about what they desire. There is a saying – the road to hell is paved with good intentions. It is based on something the reforming French Abbot Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153) once said - “hell is full of good wishes and desires”. We need to have not only good intentions but good actions too.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The intentions of these women were good. Why did they not speak to their father? Was he unapproachable? Why did he not think about their almost inevitable desire to have children and to extend the family line and so do something to help them? Did he not care that he had no grandchildren? The importance of free and open conversation in family life has been noted by many. In an article on listening at home, the writer Tedd Tripp begins "How well do you communicate? Most of us will answer in light of our ability to present our thoughts and ideas in cogent ways. But I would suggest that the finest art of communication in our family life is not expressing our ideas. It is understanding the thoughts and ideas of the other people in the family." Whether Lot spoke often with his daughters or not, what he failed to do was to understand their thoughts and ideas.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The parent unwilling to “have the talk” with his children has become almost a stock comedy caricature. There is no humour in this story. It would be easy to blame all this on the daughters but that would be very wrong. Lot was not without blame by any means. The same man who had once callously offered them up to be raped, now, in the bizarrest turn of providence, fails to prevent them committing incest with him. When people have bad desires, it is most understandable if they do not talk about them but with good desires surely we can at least talk about them and explore legitimate possibilities. This is how it should be.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Sin - the danger of carelessness</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As stated, it would be wrong to suggest that the daughters were entirely to blame for this incident and that Lot bore no responsibility. When the daughters attempted to get their father drunk he should have realised what was happening but rather he became so stupefied that he hardly knew what he was doing. It was not wrong for Lot to have drunk wine with his daughters. Indeed, while he avoided drunkenness, he did not sin. Clearly, however, he drank so much that he was not just drunk, he was so drunk that he was not even aware of it when his daughter lay down with him or when she got up! It speaks of a carelessness that had clearly crept in as the shock of Sodom's demise and the loss of his wife began to become a more distant memory and Lot grew lax and failed to be careful in the way that he should have been about how he lived.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">In the New Testament Paul tells Titus older men must be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, in steadfastness. Lot was not sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled or sound in faith, love or steadfastness. It was his undoing.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">It is a danger in youth to think that you are young and so you do not have the responsibilities that others have and can therefore afford to be less careful. It is a danger too as you get older and are tempted to slacken off a bit and to be a little less diligent than you once were. Hosea 7:9 speaks of the man who is sprinkled with grey but does not see it. It is a picture of how slackness can creep up on a man as he grows older, as happened to Lot. As he grew greyer so he sprouted slacker. At first the grey hairs and the slackness were imperceptible but then one day they could not be hidden. Watch out!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Sin - its persistence</div><div style="text-align: justify;">It is amazing to read in verse 34 that the next day the two sisters decided to repeat the whole sordid drama but this time with the younger daughter. Yet how typical of sin. There are very few sins that a person commits only once. Sins are usually repeated. More often than not, that is what happens. Generally speaking, it gets easier to fall into a sin the more often it is committed. Until the day we die, sin will be trying one way or another to trip us up or drag us down. What a sobering thought. Far from sinning so that grace may abound then we ought to be busy putting sin to death by the Spirit of God.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Sin - the danger of repeating it</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This is the corollary. Verse 35 reveals that exactly the same thing happened the next night with the younger daughter. Again he was not aware of it when she lay down or when she got up. It is true that Lot was unaware of what happened exactly on both occasions but he cannot have been unaware that he had become blind drunk. He must have had some inkling of what had happened the night before. Nevertheless, the very next night he falls into the very same sin. There was no excuse the first time and there was certainly even less excuse the second time.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Again, what about us? Yes, we sinned the first time and maybe there was something that could be said by way of mitigation but the second time and the third time, and, let us face it. some of the sins we are guilty of we have committed many, many times over. There is absolutely no excuse. We should surely learn from our mistakes at the very least.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">It is true that Paul says in Romans 7:15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. But we must not forget that stark warning in Hebrews 10:26, 27 If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. Lot was treading on very dangerous ground in acting as he did. We dare not follow him in this or anything like it.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Sin - its deceitful nature</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Verse 36 of Genesis 19 says So both of Lot's daughters became pregnant by their father. Obviously at some point Lot began to realise what had happened. What questions he asked and what answers he was given, we are not told, although given the situation he pretty much knew that there could only be one reasonable explanation. These were not virgin conceptions. And so the daughters felt that they had done what they set out to do and perhaps they felt quite proud of themselves to think of their ingenuity. What a deceiver sin is! How blatantly it corrupts us and uses us and leads us into its evil ways.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Sin - its far reaching consequences</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Finally, in Genesis 19:37, 38, Moses tells us that the older daughter had a son, who she named Moab and the younger daughter a son, who she named him Ben-Ammi. From these two come the Moabites and Ammonites of Moses' day. In Genesis 18:18 we are reminded that through Abraham all nations will be blessed. Lot, in contrast, became the father, by means of incest, of two nations that would be a continuing thorn in Israel's side. Moab seems to be formed from words meaning from father and Ben-Ammi means son of my people.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Israelites were not to harm the Moabites and Ammonites (Deuteronomy 2:9, 19). However, in Deuteronomy 23:3, 4 we read that No Ammonite or Moabite or any of their descendants may enter the assembly of the LORD, not even in the tenth generation. The reason? … For they did not come to meet you with bread and water on your way when you came out of Egypt, and they hired Balaam son of Beor from Pethor in Aram Naharaim to pronounce a curse on you. ….</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Moabites and Ammonites often worked together and were among the strongest enemies that Israel had to face down the ages. We read of their opposition to Israel in the time of Moses and on into the times of the Judges and the Kings.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">In Zephaniah 2:8-10 we read of God's judgement on them "I have heard the insults of Moab and the taunts of the Ammonites, who insulted my people and made threats against their land. Therefore, as surely as I live," declares the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, "surely Moab will become like Sodom, the Ammonites like Gomorrah - a place of weeds and salt pits, a wasteland forever. The remnant of my people will plunder them; the survivors of my nation will inherit their land." This is what they will get in return for their pride, for insulting and mocking the people of the LORD Almighty.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Sin - though always bad news, is excelled by grace</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It would be wrong not to point out briefly at the end of this chapter that although these Ammonites and Moabites were of no great good to the Israelites, nevertheless some good did come to Israel via Ammonites and Moabites and to us who believe also.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Although Deuteronomy 23 tells the Israelites to exclude Ammonites and Moabites from the assembly, we read in 2 Samuel 23:37 and 1 Chronicles 11:39 that among David's mighty men was one "Zelek the Ammonite". There is reason to suppose too that Naamah the Ammonite, mother of Rehoboam was the woman Solomon had in mind when he wrote his Song of Songs. There is also the Old Testament story of a couple from Bethlehem who, in a time of famine, went down to stay in Moab. Not only did they find shelter there for a while but when the woman eventually returned home alone, after her husband's death, she was accompanied by a descendant of Moab, someone descended from the very act of incest that we have been considering. Her name was Ruth and, of course, she became the ancestor not only of King David but also of great David's greater son, the Lord Jesus Christ.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">In Daniel 11:41 it prophesies that Antiochus Epiphanes will also invade the Beautiful Land (Israel or Palestine) and many countries will fall. However, "Edom, Moab and the leaders of Ammon will be delivered from his hand." These lands no doubt symbolise the Gentile nations who would one day hear the gospel of Christ.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">It is no wonder that Paul says in Romans 5:20 "But where sin increased, grace increased all the more". What hope such a fact rightly gives us.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">*</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Sin does not disappear just because we have been saved. We have noted the dangers of isolation, merely having good intentions and of carelessness and the fact that even the most godly family may fall into sin. We have reminded ourselves too of sin's persistence and the danger of repeating it. Sin is deceitful in nature and has far reaching consequences. Though it is always bad news we must never forget that grace is always greater.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>This article first appeared in Reformation Today</i></div>Gary Bradyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08171450135496647908noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9016502548449023341.post-5978493937419855962022-07-01T06:00:00.003-07:002022-07-01T06:00:00.191-07:00George Whitefield on Hampstead Heath May 1739<div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxfqey_9g2Ps6DM40TgvfiHTBem2McdE8pK-k5AEFXxt9ShIiLaXi1ghCP_DlY9xnV6WvMtVWKgB7asL-385724di7jHVNyymaYI6oezhBwhO8s4tQ4n_USFNTwlvG_RWXA7vSsWMfNS-EOfS7Pvjgt0Te3Tvkh3JSRke4ad-i47zZx5y9151YzQfm/s520/hh.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="453" data-original-width="520" height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxfqey_9g2Ps6DM40TgvfiHTBem2McdE8pK-k5AEFXxt9ShIiLaXi1ghCP_DlY9xnV6WvMtVWKgB7asL-385724di7jHVNyymaYI6oezhBwhO8s4tQ4n_USFNTwlvG_RWXA7vSsWMfNS-EOfS7Pvjgt0Te3Tvkh3JSRke4ad-i47zZx5y9151YzQfm/s320/hh.png" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Hampstead Heath is a large open and public space in North London. Today it comprises over 800 acres of uncultivated, open land and yet it is only four miles from the heart of London. John Constable (1776-1837) spent his final years painting its environs and it was apparently while walking on the Heath one snowy day that C S Lewis (1898-1963) was inspired to write the first of his <i>Chronicles of Narnia</i>. Certainly for the last 150 years and more Londoners and other visitors of all stripes have come there to escape the city and its stresses and strains.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">On a map of the Heath you will see marked <i>Preachers Hill</i>. Preachers Hill is on the Hampstead side of the Heath. It is off East Heath Road, opposite the top of Pryors Field. East Heath Road is a main road so the hill feels slightly separated from the rest of the Heath. Apparently, a grove once stood near Hampstead with a large green and an old village tree and it was here that George Whitfield (1714-1770) came and preached in 1739. It was that event that led to it being given its name rather than the other way round.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Having said that, <i>Preachers Hill</i> is not far from the community known as Gospel Oak, and it may have been nearer there that Whitefield preached. The name that appears to have come from a local oak tree that marked the boundary between the parishes of Hampstead and St Pancras. There was a mediaeval custom called 'beating the bounds', which was an annual event that involved residents walking the parish boundary and literally beating prominent boundary markers. This oak was one such marker. It is said to have been situated on the corner of what is today Mansfield Road and Southampton Road, a little way from where the Heath now is. The oak vanished some time in the nineteenth century and was last recorded on a map of the area in 1801.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">As well as beating the tree there would have been singing and even readings from the Gospels under the tree. It also became a place to hear preaching. This is all when the area was still quite rural. There are stories that John Wesley (1703-1791) preached there. The small street off Highgate Road, named Wesleyan Place, was the original site of a very early Methodist chapel connected with the famous oak.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Whitefield was born in Gloucester and matriculated at Pembroke College, Oxford, in 1732. While in Oxford he belonged to the "Holy Club" which included the Wesley brothers, John and Charles. After receiving his BA degree, Whitefield was ordained. He immediately began preaching but did not settle as the minister of any one parish. Rather, he became an itinerant preacher and evangelist. In February, 1739 he first took the controversial step of preaching in the open air. In 1740 he travelled to North America, where, as in England, he preached to large crowds. It is said that he preached at least 18,000 times to perhaps 10 million listeners on both sides of the Atlantic.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">In his autobiography C H Spurgeon (1834-1892) says of him</div><blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;">There is no end to the interest that attaches to such a man as George Whitefield. Often as I have read his life, I am conscious of a distinct quickening whenever I turn to it. He lived; other men seem only to be half alive; but Whitefield was all life, fire, wing, force. My own model, if I may have such a thing in due subordination to my Lord, is George Whitefield; but with unequal footsteps must I follow his glorious track.</div></blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;">Wherever exactly it was Whitefield stood on Hampstead Heath, it was on Thursday May 17, 1739, that the wonderful and godly evangelist preached there. At the time, Whitefield was still in his twenties and still new to open air preaching. He refers to his visit, in his journal, like this</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Preached, after several invitations thither, at Hampstead Heath, about five miles from London. The audience was of the politer sort, and I preached very near the horse course, which gave me occasion to speak home to the souls concerning our spiritual race. Most were attentive, but some mocked. Thus the Word of God is either a savour of life unto life, or of death unto death. God's Spirit bloweth when, and where it listeth.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The day before he had preached on Kennington Common and the day after would speak to over 20,000 at a large open space in Shadwell.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Horse racing appears to have been common on the Heath in the first half of the eighteenth century. In his Topography and natural history of Hampstead John James Park (1795-1833) writes</div><blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;">The horse course I am told was on the West side of the Heath behind the castle (Jack Straw's). The races drew together so much company that they were put down on account of mischief.</div></blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;">He quotes accounts of races in 1732 where four horses started for the purse of 20 guineas and when three horses ran for a 10 guinea prize.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Whitefield liked such gatherings because there were large crowds, as when he preached to racegoers on Hackney Marsh in the early days. No doubt his sermon on Hampstead Heath was similar to the one he preached many years later in Edinburgh from Hebrews 12:1, urging the people to "run the race set before them".</div><div style="text-align: justify;">In a book called <i>A History of Preaching in Britain and America</i> published in America in 1952 the author, F R Webber (1887-1963), says this of Whitefield on that day</div><blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;">As he preached to an immense gathering, the skies darkened and a severe thunder storm broke forth. So great was his power over the congregation that they remained to the end of the long sermon, standing in a downpour of rain. The thunder crashed like shrapnel overhead, and between its peals Whitefield compared the lightning and thunder to the wrath of God against the unrepentant. Several of his hearers are said to have died of heart attacks on that occasion.</div></blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;">This appears to be based on these words from a 1903 work by Thomas Harwood Pattison (1838-1904) called <i>The History of Christian Preaching</i></div><blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;">Under the terror which he aroused as he invoked the thunder and lightning on Hampstead Heath, near London, when he saw the storm coming, more than one of his hearers fell dead.</div></blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;">It is unclear where Webber and Pattison are drawing their material from. Further, it is unlikely that anyone dropped dead. It is more likely that they dropped to the ground as if dead, which was common when Whitefield preached. If they are at least partly right, however, Whitefield may have preached something like he did later in Boston on one occasion when a storm raged.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><blockquote>"Oh, sinners!" he exclaimed, "by all your hopes of happiness, I beseech you to repent. Let not the wrath of God be awakened. Let not the fires of eternity be kindled against you. See there!" said he, pointing to the lightning ... "'Tis a glance from the angry eye of Jehovah! Hark!" continued he, raising his finger in a listening attitude, as the distant thunder grew louder and louder, and broke in one tremendous crash ... "It was the voice of the Almighty, as he passed by in his anger!"</blockquote></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Whitefield had come to London on Saturday, April 25 from Oxfordshire and remained in the area for about 26 days, until Monday, May 21, when he returned north, first coming to nearby Hertfordshire. That August he returned to America, having been there previously in 1738.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">His visit to Hampstead Heath is said to have led to the founding of a Congregationalist church in the area. Little is known about this chapel before 1775. Perhaps a temporary building preceded a more permanent one. In 1780 the building came briefly into the hands of Selina, Countess of Huntingdon (1707-1791) but was then administered by a board of trustees. We know that at some point Yorkshire man James Wraith (1734-1815) was pastor of the church. He was born in Elland, converted at 15, and ministered in Bolton (1772-1782) Wolverhampton (1782-1792) and briefly in Chorley, before coming to Hampstead around 1794.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Another church in Hampstead that claims a more tangential Whitefield connection is a proprietary chapel, St John's, Downshire Hill, built in 1813. It was owned at one point by John Wilcox (1780-1836) who was a great admirer of Whitefield. Like Whitefield, he was the son of a Gloucester inn keeper and had won a scholarship to Oxford. He saw Downshire Hill as an ideal place to carry on the sort of work Whitefield had been doing. However, he faced strong opposition from another local minister, Samuel White (1765-1841), who resented Wilcox's lowly origins and lack of commitment to the state-established Church of England. White made accusations against Wilcox in an ecclesiastical court and won his case. Local feeling was with Wilcox and local poet, John Keats (1795-1821), took Wilcox's side but to no avail.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>This article first appeared in</i> In Writing</div>Gary Bradyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08171450135496647908noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9016502548449023341.post-78371067347522366402022-05-26T23:45:00.002-07:002022-05-26T23:45:44.502-07:00Those who serve well<div style="text-align: justify;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjckzhE_8BygS9NvB0hdn-a_vxS84JpYYXKp5sYwPcGoDW0izMh3yfmydAUzOcRSraXZOY5kXPZd0euwkmgVn59ueEbKfCLyVJVnHcNIDbG172pHA7aM-A13yh97_MsRUgf1zdXdvJjpjvF_GoNnvF7q_AkqDQ6CARh17jdri1vSrig5f9zd1zbrfoW/s1700/jfd.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1290" data-original-width="1700" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjckzhE_8BygS9NvB0hdn-a_vxS84JpYYXKp5sYwPcGoDW0izMh3yfmydAUzOcRSraXZOY5kXPZd0euwkmgVn59ueEbKfCLyVJVnHcNIDbG172pHA7aM-A13yh97_MsRUgf1zdXdvJjpjvF_GoNnvF7q_AkqDQ6CARh17jdri1vSrig5f9zd1zbrfoW/w400-h304/jfd.png" width="400" /></a></div><br />Overseers and deacons</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Compared to the role of pastor, advice for those who serve as deacons is a rather neglected area, yet the Bible tells us that deacons ‘who have served well gain an excellent standing and great assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus’ (1 Tim. 3:13).</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Most Christians do not become pastors, but we must all serve. There is no hierarchy that puts pastors in front of deacons. In Christ, we are all one as we pursue the calling that we have received from God. Two of the most outstanding Christians in the New Testament, namely Philip and Stephen, were basically deacons.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">If we look at the qualifications for overseers and deacons in 1 Timothy, we see that there is little difference between them. Paul speaks of deacons using the phrase, ‘In the same way’ (1 Tim. 3:8), although elders must also have the ability to teach. As is generally thought by many, deacons focus on practical matters and elders on spiritual ones. Having said that, it is good to remember that there is no practical matter without a spiritual dimension just as every spiritual matter has a practical dimension.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Being servants</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As for being a deacon, the first thing to remember is that the word deacon simply means servant. The church has appointed someone as a deacon to serve. In some churches certain deacons are given specific tasks like treasurer, secretary or property deacon. A deacon ‘without portfolio’ has the challenge of looking out for things to do without treading on the toes of fellow deacons.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">One priority for serving as a deacon is looking after the pastor or pastors. Are they free of money worries and living in a comfortable home as far as that is possible, given the local church’s resources? Different churches handle this in different ways. In one church the deacons would visit the manse annually looking for issues to be dealt with. This action was motivated by practical concern but the minister’s wife wasn’t so keen!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Practicalities, properties and paperwork</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">When the church meets, if people are going to benefit from the church’s ministry they need to be able to see and hear the preacher and be comfortable whilst they do it. This means that deacons need to make sure that the church building is well lit, appropriately heated, with good sight lines and, where necessary, a good sound system. A deacon will need to take care of things like spare light bulbs and batteries if needed.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">More broadly, it may involve a consideration of the provision of a crèche and Sunday School in order that adult listeners are not distracted. Deacons should be alert to other distractions too, such as draughts, extraneous noises and more unusual distractions such as noisy drunks and stray animals.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Churches will differ but it may well be that the welcoming and seating of the congregation will come under the remit of the deacons. Careful thought needs to be used here within the restraints that any building will impose. If projection is used for the songs, that needs to be executed with unobtrusive skill, not necessarily by a deacon but arguably under their purview.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Deacons need to ensure that the church property is kept in good order. Things like checking smoke alarms, clearing gutters, removing rubbish, servicing fire extinguishers, mowing lawns, dealing with leaks and other repairs, managing cleaners and various other workers, as well as making sure the buildings are clean and tidy, all come under the deacons’ remit, although they are obviously not expected to personally perform every duty.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">These days there is plenty of paperwork that needs to be done. Someone has to write and review risk assessments, ensure safeguarding policies are up to scratch and carried out, and that data protection laws are being followed. That’s not to mention the need to keep a church’s governing documents up to date with charity law. Again, churches will differ on who exactly should carry these out, but often these are best done by those serving as deacons.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Holiness</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In the midst of such practical considerations, it is important not to forget the importance of deacons remaining holy. They must go on being ‘worthy of respect, sincere, being careful with alcohol and making sure a love of money does not lead you astray.’ 1 Timothy chapter 3 verse 9 says that deacons must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience. Daily Bible reading and close attention to the regular ministry of the church are important here. Someone cannot be a useful deacon if things begin to go adrift at home: a good home life is absolutely vital.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>The congregation</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Finally, deacons have some responsibility for the physical wellbeing of members of the congregation. There is an understandable tradition that the minister is the main sick visitor but there are strong arguments to say that it is more of a diaconal concern. Something similar could be said about looking out for congregational members who are in financial need. There is no need for a petty demarcation between elders and deacons but it is important that such issues are overseen by someone.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Some churches follow the tradition that deacons will serve the bread and the wine at the communion table. The purpose behind having the deacons distribute the elements at the communion table is a good one. It reminds the church and the deacons themselves that they serve the church. Although it is a ceremonial matter, it can be a way of reminding the church to pray for its deacons and reminding the deacons of who it is they are serving.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Pray for those who serve</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Whatever role, office or indeed titles are used in our churches it is vital to remember that all those who serve need our prayers. It is both a privilege and a responsibility to serve the body of Christ. For those who serve well, it will be a blessing to others and it will help them to grow as a Christian.</div>Gary Bradyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08171450135496647908noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9016502548449023341.post-53919926649802934222022-05-13T00:07:00.002-07:002022-05-13T00:07:19.932-07:00Providence<div style="text-align: justify;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoP97MWPjbkMOci-K4miDyVX_IAyB-HumvR7jah9DaQLXiNFIrDL5VtB4U96OZ70tCISUMbtGPjXtfVRN0djgF9jmF_Us0z1t0vF3BhCAbRu06YNGgNv8bybWJvPvCnURHPYCvmEyOOJh51XR3k7K4FI_2qUkGCTQQ156yzxhQy_51UHqPteshbN80/s494/grasshopper.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="494" data-original-width="384" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoP97MWPjbkMOci-K4miDyVX_IAyB-HumvR7jah9DaQLXiNFIrDL5VtB4U96OZ70tCISUMbtGPjXtfVRN0djgF9jmF_Us0z1t0vF3BhCAbRu06YNGgNv8bybWJvPvCnURHPYCvmEyOOJh51XR3k7K4FI_2qUkGCTQQ156yzxhQy_51UHqPteshbN80/w311-h400/grasshopper.png" width="311" /></a></div><br />"The Most Important Truth of All"</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Some years ago I decided on a personal language reform. Not my first. This time out went words like lucky, fate, fortunately, chance, fluke, etc., and in came words like blessed, providence, thankfully, opportunity, etc. It was not easy at first and I probably over did it. Even Jesus, I later noticed, was willing to say, 'A priest happened to he coming down the road ...' (Luke 10:31). Of course, another problem with saying, 'That was providential,' is that it can apply to anything.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">There is a story of a Puritan and his son riding to meet each other. On meeting, the son says, 'Father, I met with a special providence on the way here. My horse stumbled three times but I was not thrown off.'</div><div style="text-align: justify;">'I have had an equally special providence,' said the father.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">'What was that, father?' said the son, full of curiosity.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">'Yes,' the father continued, 'I rode all this way and my horse did not even stumble!'</div><div style="text-align: justify;">However far we go in language reform, it is vital that our hearts are fully convinced of the biblical doctrine of providence, what Calvin called, in his commentary on the Psalms, 'The most important truth of all'.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Articles in this issue of GRACE are intended to help us explore the doctrine and some of its implications. It can be a doctrine of great comfort to those who understand and believe it correctly.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He that formed me in the womb,</div><div style="text-align: justify;">He shall guide me to the tomb;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">All my times shall ever be</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ordered by his wise decree.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Plagues and deaths around me fly;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Till he bids I cannot die;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Not a single shaft can hit,</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Till the God of love sees fit.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<b><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>God's providence in the Conversion of Two People ...</b></div></b><div style="text-align: justify;">In an early sermon, Spurgeon tells the story of a prostitute who planned to take her life on Blackfriars Bridge. Passing the place where Spurgeon was preaching, she decided to come in to listen. That night the text was Luke 7:44: <i>Seest thou this woman?</i> and Spurgeon spoke of Mary Magdalene washing Jesus' feet with her tears. That night the woman was saved from death and from hell.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">A century later Dr Lloyd-Jones told a similar story. Again someone was bent on suicide. This time a very backslidden Welshman was intending to throw himself off Westminster Bridge. Hearing Big Ben, he realised Lloyd-Jones would be preaching nearby and so he hurried along to Westminster Chapel to hear him one more time. As he entered the building the Doctor was praying. At that very moment he specifically prayed for the Backslider. Along with the sermon, appropriately from Psalm 73, this was the means God used to restore this man to true faith.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>... And His Answer to a Doubter</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Flavel tells the story of a certain Mrs Honeywood who had grave doubts about her salvation. On one occasion a minister was visiting seeking to help her. Taking a glass goblet in her hand she exclaimed, 'I am as sure to be damned as this glass is to be broken'. She then flung it to the floor. Incredibly, it did not break and she was forced to reconsider her attitude completely.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Above the entrance to the Royal Exchange in London there is a model of a grasshopper. Why is it there? It is to do with Sir Thomas Gresham, financier and philanthropist, and the exchange's founder. As a baby, he had been abandoned to die in a field. As he lay there a boy who was passing heard a grasshopper and came over to investigate. Finding the baby, he informed his mother, who brought up the baby as her own.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Sixteenth century preacher Bernard Gilpin would often remark 'Everything is for the best'. During Bloody Mary's reign, he was arrested and brought to London. On the way, he fell from his horse and broke his leg. How his enemies mocked. But he quietly remarked, 'I have no doubt but that even this painful accident will prove to he a blessing'. And so it was. The leg healed and Gilpin was again sent to London. But as they reached Highgate the news was announced that Mary was dead and Elizabeth was now on the throne. Even a broken leg worked for his good!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">There is a famous example of providence from the terrible St Bartholemew's Day Massacre in Paris in 1572. A minister by the name of Du Moulin crept into an oven to hide from his pursuers. Immediately a spider spun a web across the door. When his enemies arrived shortly after, they assumed there was no point in looking inside the oven and so the man escaped with his life.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>There's not a particle of dust can fly, <br />A sparrow fall, a cloud obscure the sky, <br />A moth be crushed, a leaf fall from a tree <br /><div style="text-align: justify;">But in submission to his wise decree. (William Gadshy)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Books on Providence</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The classic work on the providence of God is still Flavel's <i>Mystery of Providence</i> available from the Banner of Truth Trust. Before the middle section on meditating on providence, Flavel has seven chapters on the evidence of providence in which he looks at, among other things, upbringing, conversion, employment, family life and sanctification. In the third section of the book, he applies the doctrine. He draws out five practical implications and deals with five practical problems. In his closing chapter he encourages us to keep a written record of providence. If you have read any other Puritan works you will know what to look forward to. If you have not, here is a good work to start you in the Puritans.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">If, however, the whole idea daunts you, turn to the second little book in GPT's <i>Great Christian Classics</i> series. <i>God Willing</i> distils Flavel into a 65 page read that no believer of average intelligence should find difficult.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">If you want something more demanding, turn to Paul Helm's book <i>The Providence of God</i> produced by IVP in its <i>Contours of Theology</i> series. Mr Helm is a philosophy teacher and the doctrine of providence is highly thought-provoking, so this book is not for those with lazy minds. If you are willing to work at it, the rewards are significant. After setting out his own view and dealing with the subject in Scripture, Mr Helm goes on to look at guidance, prayer, accountability and evil, before coming to a concluding chapter on reckoning with providence.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">One other little book worth mentioning is <i>The History of Providence as explained in the Bible</i> by Alexander Carson (the nineteenth century Edwards, who was, in fact, an Ulster Baptist). He goes through the Scriptures pointing out the various providences found there.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>These items originally appeared in Grace Magazine</i></div>Gary Bradyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08171450135496647908noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9016502548449023341.post-54006129620898338682022-05-12T08:35:00.004-07:002022-05-12T08:35:56.054-07:00The Three Cord Strand of Faith, Hope and Love<div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPWD__KibcenoHZy_t3qgKRV7qJMyGliWl7muWh2LV0vuhnIrkUahuoxRjL6_JhfZYpGPFiwgFOQaqF3ppJk-pa-LISUr8gV2cwdOMo_9ZYTe941H3mcLHVp3RSVaa659q34buuyUBDmuAdXUTOA3eXmfiUXxgW5pZwsN74h7iAc1YreUltOO_oGJO/s1200/16903-gettyimages--alchemic2015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="627" data-original-width="1200" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPWD__KibcenoHZy_t3qgKRV7qJMyGliWl7muWh2LV0vuhnIrkUahuoxRjL6_JhfZYpGPFiwgFOQaqF3ppJk-pa-LISUr8gV2cwdOMo_9ZYTe941H3mcLHVp3RSVaa659q34buuyUBDmuAdXUTOA3eXmfiUXxgW5pZwsN74h7iAc1YreUltOO_oGJO/w400-h209/16903-gettyimages--alchemic2015.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />John Wesley once said that the mark of someone truly born again is that they are characterised by faith, hope and love. This New Testament three, referenced most famously in 1 Corinthians 13:13 (<i>And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love</i>) were referred to by doctrinal Puritan Thomas Adams as the Divine Sisters.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">All three are found together in several places. Colossians 1:3-6 or 1 Thessalonians 1:3, 5:8, for example. Sometimes just two of the virtues appear.</div>
<ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Rarely, faith and hope. Romans 5:2<i> through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God.</i></li><li>Often, faith and love. Ephesians 1:15 <i>... ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God's people. </i></li></ul><div style="text-align: justify;">Such texts show that faith, hope and love are fundamental and central in the Christian life. Yet how often do we hear sermons on these three? There is plenty of preaching on faith perhaps, possibly enough on love but not very much on hope, the Cinderella of the trio.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Faith</b></div>One could turn to many places to explore the subject of faith but perhaps the most obvious is Hebrews 11, a long chapter all about faith. <br />It begins with a definition and there is more of that in verse 6. We can say that faith is being <br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><ul><li>Confident in something you hope for. Here faith and hope cross over. The Christian hopes for God's favour and for heaven. It is not a vague hope. Most people would say they hope to go to heaven in a general sense. The Christian has a confident hope because his faith is in the Lord. If I get ill and the doctor prescribes tablets, I take the tablets confident that I will improve. I put my faith in him and his prescription. The Christian puts his faith or trust in Christ and the way of salvation. Faith is vital in order to be a Christian.</li><li>Sure about something you cannot see. Christians cannot see heaven or God or angels. However, they believe in all these. How? By faith. By faith they are sure that there are angels, that God is there and that there is a third heaven or Paradise. They do not just vaguely hope this is true. Rather, by faith they are sure of it. If my 'phone rings and it says that one of my sons is calling, I talk to him. I cannot see him (although I have the option these days) but I am sure it is him, nevertheless. I trust that it is him. Again, so the Christian puts his faith or trust in Christ.</li></ul></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">Further, it is</div>
<ul style="text-align: left;"><li style="text-align: justify;">What the Bible is about, what the Old Testament saints are commended for. It is a mistake to think that the Bible urges anything else or that the ancients were saved by any other means. No, they were commended for their faith.</li><li style="text-align: justify;">Vital in order to please God. Hebrews 11:6 follows on from what is said about Enoch but is part of how faith is defined. <i>And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.</i> If you want to please God then you must have faith. It is not about money or good deeds or religion, it is about faith. The writer shows that to come to God at least two things must be in place. You must believe that.</li><ul><li>He exists. Romanian pastor, Richard Wurmbrand's first prayer was “God, if may be you exist, it is Your duty to reveal yourself to me.” Not a superb start but it was enough. To go to God you must be persuaded he is there.</li><li style="text-align: justify;">Also<i> that he rewards those who earnestly seek him</i>. Otherwise, why go to him? That is what faith is all about.</li></ul></ul>
The rest of Hebrews 11 provides multiple examples of faith in action that show us how faith needs to be worked out in our daily lives, as we look to God. <br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Love</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As with faith, there is an obvious New Testament chapter to turn to for love - 1 Corinthians 13. Rightly famous, it is a wonderful poem, and being on love it is often read at weddings. It is important to remember, however, that it was written not for a wedding but for a church with many problems. In Corinth, there were divisions, wrong ideas about leadership and the use of the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit known then and where some people thought that the way to progress as a Christian was to have more gifts and the more public the gifts, the better. Paul wants to show them a better way.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Paul closes the chapter saying of <i>faith, hope and love</i> that all three remain and are central. They are more important than any other spiritual gifts. But Paul adds, interestingly, the greatest of these is love. Why? Imagine a father saying his three daughters are wonderful but the best one is not Faith or Hope but Charity. What can he mean? Love does last in a way the other two do not but all three remain to some extent. He does not mean love is greatest in every sense. Without faith there is no hope or love, for a start. He means that, practically speaking, love is the greatest.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">It may be said of a three piece suit that the trousers are greater than the jacket or waistcoat. Or take a BLT sandwich - the bacon is surely more important than the lettuce or tomatoes. So in what sense is love the greatest?</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Love includes faith and hope to some extent, as it includes all that is good. Love always trusts; always hopes. Faith and hope should lead to love. Do not forget either that Jesus, when asked about the greatest command, spoke of love - love to God and our neighbour. Paul says something similar in Romans 13:8-10. More than that, Scripture says God is love. It does not say that he is hope or faith but he is love and those who know him must also love. To love is to follow God in a way that trusting and hoping is not. Further, there is the fact that to love is to be a blessing to oneself and to others. It is the usefulness of love above everything that makes it first.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The rest of the chapter serves to define love. It is always patient and kind, never envious, boastful, proud, rude, self-seeking or easily angered. It refuses to keep a record of wrongs and never delights in evil. In verse 7 Paul says It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. The truth is, love never fails.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">This is why Paul begins the chapter with examples of apparently wonderful Christian living but pointing out that if there is no love in it then it is absolutely worthless. There must be love in all that we do.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Hope</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Unlike faith and love, hope does not have a New Testament chapter devoted to it. Rather, there are 50 or so references, scattered in various places. This is not detrimental. Rather, the truth is that hope is something that so permeates the New Testament that it is found everywhere. Some tend to be rather pessimistic and easily discouraged but the New Testament holds out a wonderful hope that delivers from despair.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">People use the word in quite a lose way. Will it be sunny tomorrow? I hope so. Christian hope is much more definite and certain. Do you hope to go to heaven? It is my sure and certain hope. Paul Tripp says rightly "Hope is more than wishing things will work out. It is resting in the God who holds all things in his wise and powerful hands."</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Two New Testament pictures help us think of hope. First, think of it as the helmet of salvation. 1 Thessalonians 5:8 says <i>But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet.</i> We know we have enemies as Christians - the world, the flesh, the Devil. They attack our minds and try to distort our thinking but if we have hope then it acts like a helmet protecting us from every thought that would lead to despair.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Most famously, Hebrews 6:19 likens hope to an anchor. Hence the pub name you sometimes see, Hope and Anchor or just the Anchor. Hebrews 6:19 <i>We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain. </i>Normally, anchors go from the ship down into the sea. Now, in a similar way, you can think of hope as being like an anchor, only in this case the chain goes up not down, up into heaven.<i> It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain </i>the heaven hidden by the sky. By this means our souls remain firm and secure.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Some other remarks</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Hebrews 7:19 speaks of the passing away of the old covenant and the introduction of the new, saying, <i>a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God. </i>Hope, like faith, is a means of drawing near to God. When we exercise Christian hope we draw near to God because to be filled with hope is to think like God. We are agreeing with him.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Another verse - 1 Peter 1:3<i> Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.</i> The hope we are talking about is a living hope. It cannot be anything but that because it comes about by being born again to life and that new birth is possible because of the rising of Christ from the dead on the third day.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">So here is a better hope than anything the Old Testament could offer and a means of drawing near to God, a living hope that promises life forever. With that note some final things about Christian hope.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><ul><li>It is something unbelievers know nothing about but that all believers have. Unbelievers are <i>without hope and without God in the world</i> (Ephesians 2:12). Believers have every reason to hope.</li><li>It is centred on God and on Christ and has a strong future orientation. Christians are those who have <i>put our hope in the living God and in Christ Jesus our hope</i> (1 Timothy 4:10, 1:11). They have been <i>justified by his grace, that they might become heirs having the hope of eternal life</i> (Titus 3:7).</li><li>It is based on God's Word and is a persevering, joyful and bold hope. Romans 15:4 tells believers <i>everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.</i> In Romans 5:4, 5 Paul speaks of how perseverance leads on to character; and character to hope. <i>And hope</i> he says <i>does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. </i>Believers are to be joyful in hope (Romans 12:12) and since we have such a hope, we are very bold. (2 Corinthians 3:12).</li></ul></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">Faith, hope and love are essential Christian virtues that can form a three cord strand not easily broken. Spurgeon once put it like this, "Faith goes up the stairs that love has built and looks out the windows which hope has opened."</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>This article first appeared in Evangelical Times</i></div>Gary Bradyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08171450135496647908noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9016502548449023341.post-80755625169188900902022-05-12T08:00:00.006-07:002023-11-17T05:42:38.060-08:00 What Are Teenage Girls Reading?<div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYbcgFYeGTdyJz3wORP8Da8gAjwQn-S4_wywg0QGGNwMx98vQ84X-bDslB2pR0K_z4QXZZvBPDnxkq5G0hTjrvqmlhoWWRPnKx050_SLlgQqFx3pAtVoyQNMY2Q3a4dK0-ZxA_7eLFc7_dsYopVqNqSpGuQwaIyfoNhRg3b5qh6YanvYEC9pKpM_2j/s1413/mags.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="449" data-original-width="1413" height="127" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYbcgFYeGTdyJz3wORP8Da8gAjwQn-S4_wywg0QGGNwMx98vQ84X-bDslB2pR0K_z4QXZZvBPDnxkq5G0hTjrvqmlhoWWRPnKx050_SLlgQqFx3pAtVoyQNMY2Q3a4dK0-ZxA_7eLFc7_dsYopVqNqSpGuQwaIyfoNhRg3b5qh6YanvYEC9pKpM_2j/w400-h127/mags.png" width="400" /></a></div><br />A ten minute rule bill recently brought before Parliament advocated a system of cover-page warnings for teenage magazines containing articles unsuitable for younger readers. This has brought to attention the disturbing content of many magazines aimed at teenage girls. So what are teenage girls reading?</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Below is a sampling of four popular titles.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>The Magazines</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Chatterbox</i> (monthly, BBC publications). Here we find plenty of photos of young men in the media and 'gossip' about them. Typically <i>Chatterbox</i> has a 'fashion' page, a 'Reader's true story' feature (February's subject was racism), a horoscope and problem pages. Letter writers are 9 to 13 years old. Most have problems getting on with friends and family. A separate section deals with medical problems. It is disturbing to read letters from girls of 10 and 11 obsessed with the opposite sex. Even in this the most innocent of the magazines surveyed nothing is done to discourage children from thinking in these terms. In fact the content of the rest of the magazine positively encourages such an outlook.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Mizz</i> (fortnightly, IPG) features the same sort of 'celebrities' but is altogether more disturbing. The cover announces 'sizzling male model posters inside', 'Look great for your date!' etc. There are more 'fashion' pages and explanations, too, on applying make-up. 'Readers' true stories' recently included 'Down's syndrome won't hold me back' and 'My mum is HIV positive'. A good deal of the magazine is given over to readers' problems. This reveals evidence of sexual abuse and under age sex. Brook Advisory Centres are commended. The Gay and Lesbian Switchboard was also commended recently, although these magazines are nothing if not hetero-sexual in outlook. Unlike the other magazines nothing is said to discourage under age sex. Another unhelpful feature in a recent edition was a drawing of male genitalia (ostensibly to explain circumcision).</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Just Seventeen </i>(weekly, EMAP Elan). Similar to <i>Mizz</i>, this bigger magazine has more humour and 'in' talk. There is some variety. A recent issue had articles on UFOs, 'I was addicted to CDs', sickle cell anaemia and learning to drive. But again the big subject is 'boys, boys, boys'. Brook Advisory Centres are again promoted and there are plenty of problem pages. Despite the magazine's title, girls writing in are all under 17 but seem often to be sexually active. The magazine seeks to be 'responsible'. For example, it prints a reminder that under age sex is illegal. It lists five good reasons not to lose your virginity. The fact that you are not married is not one of them. As far as <i>Just Seventeen </i>is concerned, it is up to the individual to decide when to lose her virginity.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The same publishers also produce a monthly magazine <i>Bliss.</i> Double the size of <i>Just Seventeen</i>, it is more of the same with personality quizzes and advertisements adding to the bulk. A sinister element not found in the other magazines is the presence of 'Mystic Matt'. He introduces us to a pagan witch, shows us how to read rune stones and asks for details of 'problem spirits in your home' or psychic experiences. The problem pages again make for sad and disturbing reading. <i>Bliss</i> also contains a 16 page 'sealed section' which in the March issue included tales of first time sex and a complete guide to contraception. Bliss or Misery?</div><div style="text-align: justify;">So what do we do we conclude? A number of publishers are clearly making great efforts to convince young girls that the most important thing in life is a sexual relationship with a man. There are other things in life, it is admitted, but this is the most important. Fornication is positively encouraged as biblical ethics are abandoned in favour of a shifting system of situation ethics. Partly as a result of this very attitude there is a great deal of misery amongst teenage girls. Some are miserable because they do not have a boy friend or have been made to feel inadequate about themselves in some way. Others have been lured into sexual activity and now, for various reasons, deeply regret it. Many, whether they reahse it or not, are being used by young men, hungry for sex, and are feeling under pressure to do things they do not want to do. Some have been raped and abused.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The picture one builds up is frightening. What can we do? Pointing out what is wrong is easy. Coming up with positive suggestions as to how to put things right is much more difficult. Certainly a system of age classification will do little. The idea of a young people's magazine has been mooted amongst <i>Grace Baptists</i> but barriers to its production have so far proved insurmountable. As individuals we can be a help to those we have some contact with if we are alert to their situations. Parents and all spiritually mature women have an important role to play in helping young women and girls. Ministers and others can be a help to teenage girls more indirectly.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>A number of things can be said.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">1. Girls do mature sooner than boys but do not let them grow up too quickly. One problem is that grown ups often stop playing with children after a certain age. No wonder they learn to go off on their own to watch TV or whatever. With a little imagination children can be kept young while they are still young.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">2. Teenagers are curious and have many questions. They should feel free to ask them, as far as possible, whatever their nature. This is not easy to achieve but it ought to be developed.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">3. Some teenagers are facing crises that they do not know how to handle. They need to turn to someone who can help. The world offers many such avenues. Believers should be there to help first.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">4. Anyone who can read will want reading matter of some sort. We must do what we can to stimulate good reading. There are plenty of materials, if we are prepared to look. Do not underestimate the capacity of children to understand. When is the last time you passed on a copy of <i>Grace</i> or recommended an article in it to a teenager?</div><div style="text-align: justify;">5. Further, we must teach children to be critical. When they watch TV or read books and magazines they must leant to approach them critically. The best way to foster this is by discussion. This will involve you reading and viewing what they like as well as what you like.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">6. Exercise of censorship. What are children and teenagers reading and watching? Parents should know and should not be afraid to forbid certain items.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">7. Do not underestimate the power of peer pressure. From the vantage point of middle age, peer pressure is difficult to credit yet it is a powerful force. We must educate children as to its existence, power and dangers. Believers have a duty to pass on the good news to the rising generation. For them it is, in some ways, much more difficult than for us. Let us pray for teenagers and children we know, that God will save them young and guide them through the minefield of adolescence to mature adulthood in Christ.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>This article appeared in Grace Magazine in March 1996. Things have moved on quite a bit since then and so this article is chiefly of historical interest.</i></div>Gary Bradyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08171450135496647908noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9016502548449023341.post-74272213749078111672022-05-11T09:02:00.005-07:002022-05-12T05:34:40.504-07:00Peter Restored (Peter's Denial 4)<div style="text-align: center;"><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2UqeLJyK6gNdJwF9SSuDwloZcOMh6t5AMJxWh5W7vRgEpJx_io9ladRmEQNwvWErzjmpPxA82DZmPur5Mr2zdPfKnXxir_POAPRegzUueW1mLTB8xNO-P8tnpirXWGtw5tdI92U_FH60SknRq1HYiZsKhYeMCFPZ7XRaEuvhjzvBQDUoHtJqM_80H/s2560/shepherdAdobeStock_318984205-1-scaled.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1707" data-original-width="2560" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2UqeLJyK6gNdJwF9SSuDwloZcOMh6t5AMJxWh5W7vRgEpJx_io9ladRmEQNwvWErzjmpPxA82DZmPur5Mr2zdPfKnXxir_POAPRegzUueW1mLTB8xNO-P8tnpirXWGtw5tdI92U_FH60SknRq1HYiZsKhYeMCFPZ7XRaEuvhjzvBQDUoHtJqM_80H/w400-h266/shepherdAdobeStock_318984205-1-scaled.webp" width="400" /></a></div><br />Be encouraged by the certain prospect of restoration for fallen believers who repent</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Previous issues of <i>Grace</i> have considered Peter's self-confidence, his fall and his initial repentance. Finally, we look at the most encouraging part of his story, his restoration. Here is a message of comfort and hope for all true believers.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>The Promise of Restoration</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It is important to see, firstly, that restoration is a realistic prospect for all true believers. Thomas Watson says rightly somewhere that failure is not falling down but failing to get up. From his very first warning to Peter, Jesus left open a door of hope. <i>Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat,</i> he says. <i>But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back strengthen your brothers</i> (Luke 22:31, 32).</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Remember</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Christ prays for all true believers not just for Peter (the <i>you</i> is plural). We can be sure his prayers will be answered. No true believer is irretrievably lost. There is apostasy, yes, but no true believer is lost. The saints are always preserved.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The faith of such believers may falter but it will not fail. The saints are not simply preserved, they persevere. The doctrine of preservation or perseverance does not teach that none stumble or that the path to heaven is easy. Rather, it teaches that however many times he goes under, the believer always rises again.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Even though they may turn away for a while. they will turn back. True faith will not ultimately fail. The Christian goes on believing to the end. <i>He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus</i> (Philippians 1:6).</div><div style="text-align: justify;">When believers do turn back, they must strengthen their brothers. When we do turn back, it is important to be ready to teach others. The return is not to a place of insignificance but to the responsibility of teaching others. Part of the idea is that others should learn from our mistake.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>The Beginnings of Restoration</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Each case is unique but there is much to learn from the pattern of Peter's restoration. There seems to have been both initial and immediate restoration and then a later and fuller reinstatement. It is legitimate to distinguish between major and minor falls. All falls are serious but not all are equally serious. Their seriousness and significance and endurance will vary. Normally restoration will be quick and immediate but sometimes (for our sakes as much as anything) things are not so simple. We can see this by considering how affairs are properly conducted in the areas of the family and the state. Just as some misdemeanours merit more severe punishment and slower restoration there, so in church discipline there is a range of punishments and of periods in which restoration can take place.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div>In Peter's restoration there were a number of stages</div><div><br /></div><div><i>1. Repentance</i></div><div>All restoration begins here. Without this there is no hope. There must be sorrow for sin and a determination, under God, to put things right. Whatever the sin, this is always the way back. We should be repenting daily, moment by moment.</div><div><i>2. A realisation of individual responsibility and privilege</i></div><div>Mark 16:7 says <i>Go and tell his disciples and Peter</i>. If Mark wrote down what Peter preached it is likely that this was something that stuck in Peter's mind long after it had been forgotten by others. It is a word of rebuke and of encouragement. Restoration is a very individual thing. It is one problem with corporate confession and absolution, as practiced in some congregations. Like conversion, restoration after a fall is something we can only receive personally. As individuals we must recognise our responsibility, our personal failure and our privileges in Christ.</div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>3. Wonder and confusion</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;">We know nothing of Peter's thoughts and actions between his repentance, recorded in the first three Gospels and his full restoration, described by John. We know that the disciples regrouped, however, and we know Peter was slower than John to realise what had happened when they found the empty tomb (Luke 24:12, John 20:8). One characteristic of a serious fall is a sense that it is all over. There is never any reason for a believer to think like this. If Peter had remembered the promises there would have been no need for despair or fear. Remember the risen Lord's greeting (John 20:19) Peace be with you. The empty tomb should have been enough to restore Peter's joy but he was left wondering and confused. The death and the resurrection of Christ, his triumph over sin and death, should lead to joy and peace but too often, like Peter, we remain wondering and confused.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>4. Peace, joy and power</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Peter does not remain in this state for long. Jesus comes to the disciples and to Peter in particular (Luke 24:34) leading to peace (John 20:19), joy (20:20) and power (20:21-23).</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>5. Restlessness and failure</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It would be easy to assume that this is the end of the story. What could there be more? But God is not so superficial. Clearly Peter was still not unequivocally restored. He, and the others for that matter, were still not living the Christian life as they should and as they would. As time passed they found themselves with Jesus nowhere to be seen and Peter feeling restless and aimless. Eventually they decide to go fishing (John 21:3).</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>The Completion of Restoration</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Finally, for Peter there is a full and public reinstatement by the risen Lord.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Notice the stages:</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>1. Hope is encouraged</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The miraculous draft of fish and the meeting with the risen Lord encourage hope.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>2. Denial is reversed</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Finally, Jesus meets with his disciples again and speaks specifically to Peter. The three-fold question clearly echoes the three-fold denial. The series is reversed and even the charcoal fire is there again. John 21:15-19 is also the reverse of 13:36-38. Sometimes it takes longer than we think to reverse wrong thinking and wrong attitudes.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>3/ The right response</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Jesus's question is carefully chosen. This was the real issue for Peter. He had boasted about being more devoted than others (Matthew 26:33 has <i>more than these</i>). But there is none of that now, just a simple and humble assertion (Peter uses a weaker word for love, which may be significant). What we need to get back to, when we have fallen, is renewed yet humble devotion.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>4. The response tested</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It was not pleasant for Peter to have the question put three times (though in a variety of forms). But devotion needs testing. Snap decisions and rushed statements must be avoided. We need to be very careful here.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>5. A new commission</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;">When a man is restored, it would seem, restoration is full. He may be restored to all his previous privileges and responsibilities. Certainly, we do not put a man in the same danger. Peter never again boasts of his devotion. But Jesus does recommission him to the work of being a pastor to the weak, the wayward and the immature (see 1 Peter 1:5). Christ does not give up on such people, nor should we. One Nehemiah Cox was a source of great discouragement to his pastor and congregation in Puritan days and he had to be admonished and disciplined. But by God's grace he responded and went on to be pastor of a church himself</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>6. A new future</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;">There were hard times ahead. Peter would indeed one day die in the cause of Christ but he was not to think about that (or about the fate of others) but to keep following Jesus. And so we must keep following him too.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>7. Great usefulness</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Think finally of Peter in Acts 2 and writing his letters. It is not that he never fell again (see Galatians 2) but he was greatly used by God despite his fall. There is hope for us all, if we will look to Christ.</div>Gary Bradyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08171450135496647908noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9016502548449023341.post-59636006096903889112022-05-11T05:36:00.003-07:002022-05-11T05:36:55.934-07:00 Start out on the arduous road to repentance (Peter's Denial 3)<div style="text-align: justify;"><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDQWds9hTJHJniP9jq4MJfCzttVxLlKnRRjAQHs-w3nE22pHqWEV4XnwiX-9OSVNPHVYI5VnaegheB9kD0Utc4lEAWbepLKrW0kpOsLtR9KZPeOP64Bc0Q8HHEjUu-wSwcMkQ09rr3cCm0EV3wXFDEirXnmtpVjgj1GCMm8M41lIYMXWweFd36Wx8e/s532/ofiap.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="335" data-original-width="532" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDQWds9hTJHJniP9jq4MJfCzttVxLlKnRRjAQHs-w3nE22pHqWEV4XnwiX-9OSVNPHVYI5VnaegheB9kD0Utc4lEAWbepLKrW0kpOsLtR9KZPeOP64Bc0Q8HHEjUu-wSwcMkQ09rr3cCm0EV3wXFDEirXnmtpVjgj1GCMm8M41lIYMXWweFd36Wx8e/w400-h253/ofiap.png" width="400" /></a></div><br />This is the third in a series of four articles looking at Peter's denial of his Lord and his eventual restoration. We have considered the stupidity of self-confidence and the downward steps of denial with the plea that we seek to avoid such mistakes. This time we look at the repentance of Peter immediately after his fall, as recorded by Matthew, Mark and Luke.</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Here we learn how to start out on the arduous road of repentance. As we consider what happened in Peter's case so we learn what may bring it about for us. Ideally, we ought not to fall, but when we do we need to know how to repent.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>1. The Causes of Repentance</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">What causes a person to repent? That is an important question as we are never likely to repent if we do not know the steps that lead to it. Ultimately, we have to say it is in God's sovereign power. He gives repentance. However, it is worth considering how it was given to Peter so that we may recognise the gift when it comes. Here we see the conjunction of three typical elements, each intimately connected to the other and each important in its own right.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">A. The Timing of Christ's Providences</div><div style="text-align: justify;">In Israel, cockerels apparently tended to crow, for three to five minutes, at three specific times - about midnight, just before dawn and then an hour later. Matthew (26:74) and others tell us that a cock could be heard crowing in the courtyard of the High Priest just as Peter denied Jesus the third time. As soon as he heard the sound, Peter was understandably convicted of his sin and hurried away full of remorse. Cock crow happened every night. It had happened twice before that night and Peter had not reacted. But this time it was different. Similar everyday events have had their effect on backsliders many times since. Think of the effect on some of seeing a church building, of a certain time on a Sunday morning, of certain books, certain names. A little word can sometimes be very powerful in drawing sinners back even after a long time away. For Peter, cock crowing had been tied to denial by someone else. We can be sure he could never hear a cockerel in the same way again. Many of the associations in your mind have been enforced by others but surely we can help ourselves too. We ought to do all that we can to tie the whole of our lives to the things of the gospel - times, places, occasions, friends, possessions, etc. Thomas A Kempis made it his habit to sanctify every place where he went by praying there. We should similarly seek to sanctify all our associations.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">B. The Sight of Christ's Face</div><div style="text-align: justify;">How is it that Peter did not notice cock crow the first two times? Luke reveals an important piece of information in 22:60, 61a. This cock crow coincided with an important moment. How it happened we do not exactly know. Probably, Jesus was being transferred from the court to the prison. At that very moment Peter looked up and saw his Master face to face.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1) By the Spirit Jesus is today always looking at his people. At that time there were many other things to occupy him following his arrest but for that brief moment he had eyes only for Peter. Now glorified in heaven, this is true for every believer all the time and especially for those who are backsliding and have fallen into sin. Jesus looks at you. His face never turns away.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">2) Of course, not only did Jesus look at Peter but Peter looked at Jesus. The first thing we must do at the realisation of sin, is to turn our eyes to him. That is not easy. Our natural inclination is to turn away from his penetrating gaze. Think of Adam and Eve hiding in the Garden. But we must look. This is our only hope. We must 'Turn our eyes upon Jesus and look full in his wonderful face'. He is no longer here bodily, of course, but we still need to remember him </div><div style="text-align: justify;">3) What did Peter see when he looked? It is clear from Isaiah 53 that he would have seen an unattractive sight. A man bloody, thorns on his head, spittle on his face, a man in great pain. It is not a pleasant sight. And so when we think of the crucified Saviour and remember it was for our sins he suffered and died, it cannot be easy.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">4) Peter must have seen disappointment in Jesus's eyes too. Surrounded by enemies, under fierce opposition, Jesus looks to his chief disciple and there is nothing.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">5) But surely he must also have read pity in those eyes. Jesus is willing to forgive. Perhaps this hurts more than anything. If only we could do something to amend, to ameliorate, to make up for what we have done. But there is nothing we can do to put it right. He has done it all. Whenever we become conscious of sin, then, we should go straight to Christ and look to him. He is watching believers always. The great antidote to sin is to keep the face of Christ always before us. We do that, not through a crucifix or some other form of idolatry, but through prayer and the Word and a life of keeping Christ always in our thoughts.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">C. The Remembrance of Christ's Words</div><div style="text-align: justify;">See Luke 22:61. Suddenly, it all came flooding back. This is our experience too. Suddenly, we remember Christ's warnings, his Word. Peter remembered not just Jesus's words but the words being spoken. So for us, it is not just the bare word but the context too. Have you ever sat in a meeting or read a book or prayed a prayer and resolved to be wholly committed to the Lord in future? Yet you have drifted from those resolves. Then in some way you are reminded of that prayer or that message and it all comes back. This reminds us of our continual need to be exposed to the Word. Learn it; immerse yourself in it; wrap yourself in it so that it is constantly coming back to your mind.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>2. Expressions of Repentance</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Once under conviction how should you react? Obviously true repentance involves stopping doing a thing, resolving never to do it again and seeking to put things right. But what comes first? Peter here acts instinctively. It is very instructive. Both as a warning against sin and as a pointer to how repentance should be initially expressed. Do not be like Judas - full of remorse but not repentance. Rather be, like Peter, genuinely sorry and repentant. Notice,</div><div style="text-align: justify;">A. Wanting to be Outside</div><div style="text-align: justify;">All three Gospel writers notice Peter's immediate instinct to go outside. Why?</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1. He fled in shame from those before whom he had just denied his Lord.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">2. He fled too in shame from the Master he had so wronged. Compare Luke 5:8. No doubt he also desired to be alone to humble himself.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">B. Thinking it out.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">He probably did not break down (Mark 15:72, NIV) but began to think on what he had done. As the Prodigal coming to himself, he began to think straight again.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">C. Bitter Weeping</div><div style="text-align: justify;">All three Gospel writers mention this too. He burst into tears, he began to weep, and was unrestrained in it. Why?</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1. He saw the deceitfulness of his heart. Our hearts are treacherous and we cannot trust them.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">2. He saw the weakness of the flesh.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">3. He remembered Christ's agony for him. This we must never forget.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">4. He thought on the pardon that Christ gives. See Luke 22:31, 32.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">5. Most melting of all was the fact he truly loved Christ and yet had failed him. It is when we get these things into our minds that we begin to be truly sorry.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>This article first appeared in Grace Magazine</i></div>Gary Bradyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08171450135496647908noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9016502548449023341.post-42133945671726783042022-05-09T23:12:00.004-07:002022-05-09T23:12:22.094-07:00 Avoiding the downward steps of denial (Peter's Denial 2)<div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2dQpSKQejORS8_xXtkqQk4yTgMFVmUCsAXl5lgddqhvI0zEniZVaBsvK08Id7kCYSakv6J6U_MvPIIasbLbJKsyFeK9XkoqieUrFMlQRXMpFFuecu2nLXsVWkWhWYX4BmNbyNR0jkjeNVqmsFqzq5ilq7GRKOr9LDU28ksSoTFbPHWGWp7etVbKiq/s153/euroir.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="126" data-original-width="153" height="329" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2dQpSKQejORS8_xXtkqQk4yTgMFVmUCsAXl5lgddqhvI0zEniZVaBsvK08Id7kCYSakv6J6U_MvPIIasbLbJKsyFeK9XkoqieUrFMlQRXMpFFuecu2nLXsVWkWhWYX4BmNbyNR0jkjeNVqmsFqzq5ilq7GRKOr9LDU28ksSoTFbPHWGWp7etVbKiq/w400-h329/euroir.png" width="400" /></a></div><br />In the July issue, in an article called <i>Escaping the stupidity of self-confidence</i> we considered how, before his crucifixion, Jesus had warned Peter that he was about to deny his Lord. What about the denial itself? What can we learn from that incident?</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The story has clearly been preserved as a warning to us. If even the great Apostle Peter could fall so easily, despite the clearest warning, which of us is safe from such a danger? If we want to live lives that are pleasing to the Lord, we will take carefiil note of Peter's failure and learn, by God's grace, not to repeat the same mistakes in our own lives.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">When we look at what happened, clearly Peter's denial was a series of slips and not a sudden unpredictable fall. Like slipping down a slope, losing one grip after another or like falling downstairs one step at a time, so Peter fell lower and lower until he was at rock bottom.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">One reason for such spectacular falls among Christians is a failiure to 'nip things in the bud'. Things are allowed to go on unchecked. Sin is left to fester and eventually disaster follows. We need to learn with Charles Wesley to 'tremble at the approach of sin' and with the Puritans to oppose the first risings of sin. It is no good letting things slide. Neglecting our spiritual state can only make things worse.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Peter's story marks out the downward steps of denial for us. We need to recognise those steps and seek to avoid them. We can identify at least eight.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>1. Self-confidence</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">We talked about this danger in the previous article. This is where Peter's problems began. Pride comes before a fall. Remember too that God resists the proud. <i>So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall!</i> (I Corinthians 10:12). Humility is the best antidote to falling into sin unawares. It frightens me when I hear someone say, 'Well, that's something I'd never do.' Rather we should say, "There go I but for the grace of God'. <i>But watch yourself for you also may be tempted</i>, Paul warns the spiritual in the Galatian churches.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>2. Ignoring the warnings found in God's Word</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Of course, what exacerbated Peter's fall was his total disregard for the warnings of Christ, even though Jesus quotes from Zechariah <i>the sheep of the flock will be scattered</i> (see Matthew 26:31). If a man deliberately drives his car through a red light he has only himself to blame for the consequences. If you disregard the warnings that come on nearly every page of Scripture and you fall into sin, you have only yourself to blame. Take seriously the warnings in God's Word.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>3. A lack of watchfulness</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The very next thing in Scripture following Jesus' warnings to Peter and the other disciples is the story of what happened in the Garden of Gethsemane that night, the night of his betrayal. You remember that it was Peter, along with James and John, who were selected to go with Jesus a little way off from the others to pray. He looked to his closest friends, his leading disciples, for support. And what happened? They fell asleep. It exemplified their lack of watchfulness. <i>Could you not keep watch with me for one hour?</i> he asks. <i>Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation</i> (Matthew 26:40,41). Watch out that you do not fall into temptation. Be alert. Be on guard as good soldiers of Christ.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>4. Giving in to the temptation of resorting to carnal means of serving Christ</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It was in the Garden of Gethsemane that Jesus was arrested. From John's account it becomes clear that it is Peter who draws his sword to defend Jesus. No doubt he intended to strike off Malchus's head, although he ended up only slicing off an ear, which Jesus quickly restored. Jesus rebuked Peter for such an unwarranted and foolhardy act (see John 18:10,11). It is typical of worldly bravado to suppose that we can somehow serve the Lord by our own methods. It is often the mark of a sinking believer that in desperation he will try and save himself by thrusting out wildly in some new but foolhardy endeavour intended to be for the good of the gospel but entirely contrary to all that Christ desires.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>5. 'Following at a distance' with more concern for your body than for your soul</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Next we find Peter following Jesus at a distance (Matthew 26:58). He follows Jesus right up to the court of the High Priest and stands warming himself at the fire there (John 18:15-18). Again Peter's action is typical of many who are steadily drifting from the Lord. They still follow the Lord, yes, but at a distance. Their chief concern, though, is no longer to walk closely with the Lord. They are unwilling to suffer with him. Their concern is earthly not heavenly. They think more about their bodies than their souls. Is that you? You are in a dangerous position. Disaster is inevitable unless there is real repentance.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>6. Denying the Lord</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Considering all that has gone before, it is no surprise when we fmd Peter finally denying the Lord. <i>I don't know or understand what you 're talking about</i>, he lies.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>7. Denying the Lord again</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">And when you have denied the Lord once, there is no telling how many more times you may do it. Peter was soon repeating his folly and denying his Lord to someone else. God has made us to be creatures of habit. Those habits can be good or bad.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>8. Vehemently and totally denying the Lord</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mark 14:71 brings us to the very bottom of Peter's shameful cesspit. <i>He began to call down curses on himself and he swore to them 'I don t know this man that you are talking about'.</i> What a frightening picture. In just a few hours, a man who seemed so bold for the Lord, so strong for him, is vehemently cursing and swearing and denying any knowledge of the Lord Jesus at all. May it never happen to any of us. It will not, if we look to God and take care that, the moment we begin on this frightening downward rush, we realise what is happening and cry out to God for mercy, repentance and forgiveness.</div>Gary Bradyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08171450135496647908noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9016502548449023341.post-73293554703435413912022-05-08T06:55:00.004-07:002022-05-08T06:55:38.163-07:00Escaping the stupidity of self-confidence (Peter's Denial 1)<div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKaU6itld-uJp7gNJp4ULwF_0PO-DptfV3HHSoHDDozRkVrHB2JaVaRvr5l4C0oTzqpYOWsiZq_s70lfTDzUv5Uiuo_xd2eH8BTlNa8-zGNZjUoAE6Q74RK8Ef83wF0n9u7yN14nGmAGSv2q2mXNWEJ_wbsKXGGBXJqPy_lRvqUH9FKXIX5FK9pXdt/s439/OIP_14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="285" data-original-width="439" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKaU6itld-uJp7gNJp4ULwF_0PO-DptfV3HHSoHDDozRkVrHB2JaVaRvr5l4C0oTzqpYOWsiZq_s70lfTDzUv5Uiuo_xd2eH8BTlNa8-zGNZjUoAE6Q74RK8Ef83wF0n9u7yN14nGmAGSv2q2mXNWEJ_wbsKXGGBXJqPy_lRvqUH9FKXIX5FK9pXdt/w400-h260/OIP_14.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />A large number of words in English can be formed by using the prefix Self-. Some refer to potentially good things such as self-examination, self-abasement, self-denial, self-discipline, self-restraint. Some are more dubious. Self assertion, self-esteem, self-help, self-respect, self-regard. These have their dangers. Others are clearly opposed to what the gospel teaches. For example, self-conceit, self-importance, self-reliance, self-righteousness, self-seeking.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Amongst these is the dangerous sin of self-confidence. It was the area in which the apostle Peter, in particular, famously came to grief. It is the reason why he petered out. Despite Christ's solemn warning Peter fell. We will fall to if we do not escape from the stupidity of self-confidence. 'Beware of no man more than yourself' warns C H Spurgeon. He was steeped in the Puritans and no doubt had read their warnings. Flavel referred to self as a man's household god. Goodwin labelled it the spirit of unregeneracy. A later writer called it the beginning of unfaithfulness. More recently, Jim Packer has warned, We can never distrust ourselves too much. "I" trouble is perhaps our biggest problem. Again and again we put confidence in ourselves instead of in God. Christ's dealings with Peter prior to his denial stand as a lasting warning against such foolishness. The following points, that arise out of the passages where the warning is recorded, reveal the stupidity of self-confidence.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>1 Satan's great desire for you to be self-confident proves the stupidity of such a course</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Luke 22:31 reveals Satan's role in Peter's downfall, <i>Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat.</i> It reminds us of the opening chapters of Job. Simon (Jesus deliberately uses that name) was no rock. The other disciples are included (the <i>you</i> is plural) but Jesus speaks especially to Peter.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Satan wants to sift us all. Sifting was used to separate the grain from the husks. To sift, then, means to shake and then to blow on in order to separate good from bad. The choice of word no doubt points to God's purposes in allowing this. The Devil's hope was that Peter would be sifted out but Jesus has prayed for him. It is the Devil's masterpiece to make us think well of ourselves, observed one writer. He himself fell, through pride, and he knows it is the easiest way to make others fall too. Watch out!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>2 Past failings should warn you against the stupidity of present self-confidence</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It was not as if Peter had not made similar mistakes in the past. Good intentions are never enough. We must learn from past mistakes. Peter failed to do this.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><ul><li>Remember the incident of walking on the water recorded in Matthew 14. Even if Peter was not guilty of self-confidence at the beginning, looking away from Jesus to the wind and the waves is another species of the same thing. Despairing self-confidence is an oxymoron but it exists I He should have learned to keep his eyes on Jesus.</li><li>In Matthew 16 he receives a stern rebuke. What else but self-confidence could have led Peter to speak to Jesus in such a way? One would think it impossible to forget such a rebuke.</li><li>In John 13 we read how Peter at first refused to have his feet washed by Jesus. Although he quickly reversed his decision, it again shows too high an estimate of self before Jesus. Peter having got it wrong once that evening one would think humility must follow but no. And where has your self-confidence in the past got you? Only away from the Lord and into a mess. Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall (Proverbs 16:18) or to quote an uninspired proverb 'History teaches us that history teaches us nothing'. We ought to learn humility and self-distrust from our past mistakes.</li></ul></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>3 The Bible contains many warnings against the stupidity of self-confidence</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><ul><li>In the Old Testament. Matthew tells us (26:31) that Christ quoted Zechariah 13:11<i> They will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered</i> but this has no impact on Peter. One of the chief lessons of the Old Testament is how easily people fall. Think of Israel in the desert and under the Judges; think of the Northern Kings and many in the south; think of the Exile.</li><li>Christ. Christ himself gives both a general warning to all and a specific warning to Peter. But Peter will not listen. The New Testament contains many similar warnings. We neglect such warnings at our peril.</li></ul></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>4 Self-confidence proudly places confidence in self and despises others</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This comes out in the very way Peter expresses himself. See Matthew 26:33 (Mark 14:29, Luke 22:24) <i>Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will.</i> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><ul><li>He had a high view of self. Are you like that? Is your head swollen? A Puritan has written. 'Inexpert Christians can hardly believe themselves so weak and sinful as the Lord's word shows them to be, but so much the more as they have an honest purpose to stand they have a fleshly confidence in their own strength.'</li><li>He had a low view of others. But remember Philippians 2:3,<i> In humility consider others better than yourselves.</i> Jesus takes up this aspect of Peter's pride after the resurrection when he asks him, to his shame <i>Do you truly love me more than these?</i> (John 21:15). By that time he had learned to stop comparing himself with others. It is a lesson Paul learned too and sought to get over to the Corinthians, when they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves he says of the false teachers, they are not wise. All boasting must be in the Lord. <i>It is not the one who commends himself who is approved but he whom the Lord commends</i> (2 Corinthians 10:12-18). Have you learned that lesson?</li></ul><b>5 Self-confidence has far too high an opinion of its own resources</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Even if I have to die with you</i> says Peter, I will never disown you (Matthew 26:35, Mark 14:31). <i>Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death</i> (Luke 22:33). In fact, Peter was not ready at all. Are you miscalculating your powers? Knowing yourself is an important part of true wisdom. Pray <i>Search me, O God, and know my heart, ... see if there is any offensive way in me ... </i>(Psalm 139:23, 24). 'He that trusts most to his own strength is nearest to the most fearful fall' adds the Puritan quoted above.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>6 Self-confidence is impatient with the unfolding of God's purposes</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It comes out only in John's gospel but clearly Peter is way ahead of himself. Jesus speaks of his departure and Peter asks where Jesus is going. Jesus says <i>Where I am going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later.</i> But Peter is insistent, even petulant,<i> Lord, why can't I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you</i> (John 13:36, 37). Yes, the time would come when he would bravely die for the Lord's glory but he was hardly ready for it at this point.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I remember as a 16 year old being eager to get into a Bible College and out as a pastor, a work I was far from ready for at 18. A further eight years of study did me no harm as I learned the sentiment of Lamentations 3:27. The Lord's timing is best.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>7 Self-confidence has far too high an idea of its own self importance</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It was not that Peter was going to die for Jesus but Jesus was going to die for Peter. <i>Will you really lay down your life for me? </i>(John 13:38). So often we think about what we are going to do for God. But what really matters is what he has done for us. What we do is only in response to what he has already done. See the definition of love in 1 John 4:10 <i>This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. </i>Peter would one day die for his Lord but not before his Lord had first died for him. So let us all beware of self-confidence in its various forms. Flee Satan; learn from past mistakes; take note of the Bible's many warnings; seek humility; look to God; be patient; keep uppermost in your mind what Christ has done for you. <i>Let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.</i></div>Gary Bradyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08171450135496647908noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9016502548449023341.post-38886626846933247262022-05-07T02:15:00.004-07:002022-05-08T07:43:14.410-07:00Church Profile 1989<div style="text-align: center;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_8NdxUEv_nblAmANe8gV-uKJhSZ76nwVLQ6LnClY3kOj-hgSUFvDMtBbDkyCmiLra5bXQ04oGz4QqM5BaG_P8oauiGkTq7N2zkOCNaB9s5-opPx28I4DYRgI1xbdn2eyIVqO3dcoFWPJPWIxO7r630QGAybtz8Mx3w4UXFtKqOUsqVz3yHglx7Ovn/s346/chbc%201989.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="220" data-original-width="346" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_8NdxUEv_nblAmANe8gV-uKJhSZ76nwVLQ6LnClY3kOj-hgSUFvDMtBbDkyCmiLra5bXQ04oGz4QqM5BaG_P8oauiGkTq7N2zkOCNaB9s5-opPx28I4DYRgI1xbdn2eyIVqO3dcoFWPJPWIxO7r630QGAybtz8Mx3w4UXFtKqOUsqVz3yHglx7Ovn/w400-h254/chbc%201989.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /></b><h2><b>Childs Hill Baptist Church</b></h2></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>ORIGINS</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In 1865 Child's Hill was a village of laundry workers and labourers engaged in constructing the new Midland railway line. The place was notorious for drunkenness, cockfighting and similar evils. It was in this setting that William Rickard, a Devonian (I wrote Cornish but that is wrong), began his open air work.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Rickard was working with the fashionable Heath Street Baptist Church in Hampstead, but by 1866 he was meeting regularly with twelve others in a laundry here and a Sunday School had also been started. In 1870 a permanent building was erected, thanks to the generosity of cotton merchant James Harvey and others, and seven years later the church was formally constituted by covenant.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>EARLY DAYS</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">For more than twenty years Mr Rickard was not only a faithful minister but also a pillar in the community. This early testimony has been preserved.</div><blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;">He was a man who felt very deeply his responsibility, and for many years it was his custom to seclude himself for an hour every day, in his vestry, to plead with God especially on behalf of the neighbourhood. He was a powerful evangelistic preacher and hundreds were converted under his ministry. His one great object in life was to preach Christ and he lost no opportunity of doing so. In season and out of season he was ever pleading with sinners to trust the Saviour.</div></blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;">On at least two occasions, C. H. Spurgeon preached at the chapel and the next minister, J. Sylvester Poulton, was a former student at the Pastor's College and first came to the church on a student mission.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>DECLINE</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The downgrade controversy seems to have passed by without the church's notice. Throughout the early part of the century numbers continued to increase but although there is no evidence of liberal teaching, there was a slow drift away from solid and evangelistic preaching. Bazaars, teas and concerts became the great concern, and the needs of a lost world, if not forgotten, did not have the prominence they once had. Inevitably, numbers began to decline and by the end of the third ministry (another long one under an ex-missionary to the Congo) things were in a state of spiritual declension.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>CHANGE</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The story of the church from the mid fifties is quite a different one. By this time Child's Hill was no longer a village but a part of the ever-growing London conurbation. It was on the verge of even more change as roads and housing were modernised and the villagers were joined by ever more exotic outsiders.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>RECOVERY</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Three long ministries (85 years together) were succeeded by a succession of shorter ministries under young men fresh from college who were eager to offset the ravages of long neglect. During this thirty-year period much sterling work has been done. There have been negative aspects, such as variations in theology and lack of continuity (due to various factors) but the present situation is most encouraging. At present we have a converted and baptised membership of about 30; many of these are committed to remaining in the area; outreach into the community continues to grow; the long neglect of the buildings has been brought to a halt; in a word - people's minds have been driven back to the Scriptures, ties with liberal churches have been severed and a truly spiritual work has been set on foot once again.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl94ORUqs2y3hVEZgPtXHTCTA8rFA4Ea_6Q2jwbhITEnsYt9JwYMvYwuh3Uxom7SI0iMrzAfnFQFCUc7XK3e3rmjoBwiioArrFdVAuCCq7wORbgyR_d3XKsX8-7zFj3z368GrnQ4QUW-gPylBWlLvpfR3x1-cjXaZ3RAvq6LNsbevL-rGb8IT6ADwS/s627/chbc%2080%202.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="495" data-original-width="627" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl94ORUqs2y3hVEZgPtXHTCTA8rFA4Ea_6Q2jwbhITEnsYt9JwYMvYwuh3Uxom7SI0iMrzAfnFQFCUc7XK3e3rmjoBwiioArrFdVAuCCq7wORbgyR_d3XKsX8-7zFj3z368GrnQ4QUW-gPylBWlLvpfR3x1-cjXaZ3RAvq6LNsbevL-rGb8IT6ADwS/w400-h316/chbc%2080%202.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>TODAY</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Of course, there is still a great deal to be done. Over the years, inevitably, some confusion has been sown in the minds of people who have remained in the community as the church has gone through its different phases; the cost of living continues to be prohibitive for many young couples despite their desire to remain in the area (we've resorted to housing one couple in a part of our buildings); understandably, we have a generation gap from the thirties to sixties, no teenagers, and a young leadership; finally, the incredible social, ethnic, religious and financial variation in the area brings its own problems, and yet its own challenge too.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>EVANGELISM</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As you might expect, one of the chief concerns of a church like Child's Hill is evangelism, reaching the lost. Apart from the obvious and essential elements of personal witness and regular, consistent proclamation from the pulpit we have engaged in various types of witness. Regularly, we give out tracts in our nearest shopping area (Golders Green). Recently, we have begun to produce our own 'home-made' tracts for this purpose. We also seek to give out invitations to people in the area to come to our regular meetings.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Along with another local Baptist church and the Harrow Road church planting team we have set up a telephone message system - Bible Line. This involves providing a two minute taped message which can be phoned at any hour of the day or night.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">For some time we have been seeking to establish a work amongst children and young people. This work is a totally pioneering effort and so has proved very demanding. We have made some progress.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">A little while ago we arranged a meal on a Thursday evening and invited our unbelieving friends to eat with us and hear the message of the gospel. This was very encouraging in that a number of unbelievers came, some of whom had never come to us before. We plan to do something similar in the near future.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">We have no success story. Each effort has brought a little encouragement but no conversions. Yet we continue to hold the word of life out to those who are perishing all around us. We trust that those who are appointed to eternal life will be brought in, in due time.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4WAmho6YYvI9B919TcyiRhIAkuS9pw2xsu48ow-jMpJ82xSqJJnpk5CIY6qNqOq2-O9IuJtJLd6xgALOv2y2DBjBPpR8vK43k0K-R5udVoNHWe2VpAyEcw6ltncInSXrIsYE4ypdKvDy6Y3zvVlKTB24ZXyjGq2s8Vi8uj0o_GRiasP-zEeIQe_P0/s190/Gary%201989.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="190" data-original-width="172" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4WAmho6YYvI9B919TcyiRhIAkuS9pw2xsu48ow-jMpJ82xSqJJnpk5CIY6qNqOq2-O9IuJtJLd6xgALOv2y2DBjBPpR8vK43k0K-R5udVoNHWe2VpAyEcw6ltncInSXrIsYE4ypdKvDy6Y3zvVlKTB24ZXyjGq2s8Vi8uj0o_GRiasP-zEeIQe_P0/s1600/Gary%201989.png" width="172" /></a></div>THE PRESENT PASTOR ...</b>. at Child's Hill is Gary Brady. Gary has been at the church for five years. Gary is from South Wales and, following studies in Aberystwyth and Cardiff, came to study at the London Theological Seminary, just two miles from the church. He was married last Summer to Eleri, a daughter of the manse, from Aberystwyth. Eleri works part time as a secretary in the BEC office in St. Albans (British Evangelical Council now Affinity). The other elder at Child's Hill is Dr. Stephen Mitchell, also a former LTS student. Steve is from Glastonbury and his wife, Pat, is a Dubliner. At present their future is unclear as they await the Lord's leading into a sphere for pastoral ministry. The church was formerly joined to the Baptist Union and the LBA but has severed this connection in the interests of doctrinal and practical clarity. They assemble with the Grace Baptist family of churches and are looking forward to hosting this year's assembly.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: center;"><b>A recent sermon</b></h2><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>SIN-OUR MAJOR PROBLEM </b>(Romans 1:28-32) Gary Brady</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Romans chapter one is a mirror. Here we come face to face with ourselves as we really are by nature. You shrink from the truth I know but you must face the facts. There are four things here to face up to.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1. The root of the problem</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mentioned before, here it is again in 28a - (Men) <i>did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God.</i> It's not that men do not know there is a God or are unsure; rather they refuse to glorify God or give him thanks. They'd rather believe a lie than accept the truth about God (think of faith in evolution). As G. K. Chesterton put it (in the Father Brown stories): When men stop believing in God they don't believe nothing; they believe anything. Here Paul particularly brings out men's arrogance. Life is busy, some things are not worth the time and effort. Is that your attitude to knowing God? 'I don't care if he's there or not'. That's your basic problem, you're an ostrich! Face the truth, worship the Lord. Repent. The full wrath of the Lamb is coming soon.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">2. The stem of the problem</div><div style="text-align: justify;">'Someone up there doesn't like me' says the superstitious atheist. When? When his wicked schemes fail. But no, that's a sign of God's mercy. It is a kindness that should lead to repentance. God's wrath is quite different. You are saying, '1 don't want anything to do with God or his ways'. 'Okay, have it your way' the Lord says, as it were. (Think of how the parable of the lost son begins.) God gives men over. What a dreadful thing to be given over. Don't be sorry when you don't get your own way. Give thanks to God. Pray, 'Your will be done. Lord, not mine'. Crucify self. Each increase in wickedness is a punishment from heaven. Notice carefully the connection here. Not, unbelief leading to wrong-doing. No, unbelief leads firstly to a depraved mind (Cf vv 21,24,26). The problem begins with the heart. You are a sinner. It's hard to deny. But what makes you a sinner? ... I'll make it simple, what makes an apple tree an apple tree? 'Easy' you say, 'It's got apples on it'. Wrong. What makes an apple tree an apple tree is its nature. As Jesus says 'A good tree will produce good fruit, a bad tree will produce bad fruit'. Your sins are fruit, evidence. What makes you a sinner is your nature, your depraved mind. Therefore the way out is not simply to try and stop sinning. That would be like trying to kill an apple tree by picking the apples! No the tree must be uprooted or chopped down and a new one planted. You need to be delivered from your depraved mind and brought back to faith in God. Cry out to God to deliver you from your depravity and bring you back to himself.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">3. The fruit of the problem</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Although sins are the symptom rather than the disease, we must put the spotlight there for a moment. Sometimes it's not until we see the effect of a thing that we begin to sit up and take notice. If I say, 'Here's a sinner' you have a vague picture in mind. If I say 'Here's a thief' the picture is clearer. I can call you sinners all night and you won't mind too much but once I get specific, then your conscience will shout. Paul often has lists of sins like the one(s) in vv 29-31. I don't want to go through this catalogue in detail, but we must expose our consciences to what is written here. At some point, sooner or later, your consciences will be struck. You cannot conscientiously read this list and say I1 am innocent'. (At this point the preacher proceeded to apply vv 29-31 to the congregation for a short while. Readers are recommended to look at those verses and see where they have fallen.)</div><div style="text-align: justify;">4. The problem in its advanced state</div><div style="text-align: justify;">In v 32 we see the ultimate condemnation. The situation is not, as so many claim, that people don't know right from wrong. They do. You do and I do. We also know what will happen to us if we go on doing these things - we will die. Oh yes, we try to deny it, but deep down, we know the truth. There must be a day of reckoning. We will have to give an account. Yet so many not only continue to do these same evil things but they even encourage others to do the same (v 32). Giving approval to others is the final depth. We reach it sooner than we expect.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">So what will you do? Agree that what I say is true and then go on living without Christ? That's the attitude of the drug addict. How hopeless! It doesn't have to be. Stop! Turn! Cry out for help and for mercy! The Lord will hear. Put your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>This article appeared in Grace Magazine in March 1989</i></div>Gary Bradyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08171450135496647908noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9016502548449023341.post-88065368286166018052022-05-06T11:34:00.002-07:002022-05-06T11:34:19.580-07:00Too many magazines?<div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOtdZRJWj9BdS_oJCA4FV0plKI7CnPuuHQWXKKdKo2M8xtQ4OFRwiNLtT2az99kAR-qJFRafqC6FvcXd2wFnM6I3qhNomvzhjTGXRzmgcKlPVYVDlQuwDrpNBnaotRNbFo3R36siqTodZWkBQQ1vW3JmgjiqaUfMvN57mcBvwHdw0s_z9tbwJTig49/s1345/sddsl.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="487" data-original-width="1345" height="145" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOtdZRJWj9BdS_oJCA4FV0plKI7CnPuuHQWXKKdKo2M8xtQ4OFRwiNLtT2az99kAR-qJFRafqC6FvcXd2wFnM6I3qhNomvzhjTGXRzmgcKlPVYVDlQuwDrpNBnaotRNbFo3R36siqTodZWkBQQ1vW3JmgjiqaUfMvN57mcBvwHdw0s_z9tbwJTig49/w400-h145/sddsl.png" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Are there too many Christian periodicals? One might believe so, but if there are over 20 magazines devoted solely to knitting it is hard to see that there are too many concerned with the things of the Lord. The truth is, we live in the age of the magazine, and we, as Christians, ought to reckon with that fact.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">W H Smith have recently produced a brochure listing over a thousand titles available through their branches. These cover everything from taxation to tobacco, tropical fish to family trees, accountancy to zoom lenses!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>WHAT ARE PEOPLE READING?</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">An analysis of the available printed matter is fascinating. Did you know, for instance, there are over 60 magazines dealing with computing? (Which one does your pastor read?) Looking at what is available, we begin to grasp the sorts of things that are holding the hearts and minds of the population. Many magazines are devoted to women's fashion, including 14 on hairstyles alone! Another dozen or more cover slimming and similar subjects.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Not surprisingly, a large number of periodicals are concerned with hobbies, sports and pastimes. Ten, most of them monthly, deal with hi-fi equipment. With other titles concentrating on cars, photography, antiques and video and TV, we easily deduce that the nation's reading habits are in harmony with the rampant materialism that has gripped men and women everywhere.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">It is no surprise to find Marks and Spencer, and others, actually selling their catalogues as enjoyable reading, or to find the British edition of GQ selling itself as the most sophisticated, up-market magazine for affluent men whose ethos is success with style.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">A depressing 71 periodicals contain nothing but crosswords and other puzzles. There is even a Christian Puzzler! If you can't beat them? Most disturbing are some of the 40 or more publications dealing with guns, martial arts and related themes. Many of the titles may be innocent enough but, with titles like <i>Combat and Survival, Guns and Ammo </i>and <i>Survival Weaponry and Techniques</i> freely available, one is inclined to be concerned.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Despite their conservative stance on the issue, even Smiths stock seven adult titles including <i>Playboy</i> and <i>Gay News</i>. There are also eight adult humour titles which include vulgar comics such as <i>Viz.</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>THE YOUNG</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The young are thoroughly supplied with nearly 50 children's comics, a host of titles aimed at older children and over 30 magazines devoted to pop music. No parent would ever have time to sift through this deluge and, therefore, it is vital that children from Christian homes be taught to think critically about what they read. We need to learn what James Sire has dubbed, how to read slowly. Another dozen titles are aimed at parents; others are for the elderly.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Other titles (e.g. <i>Spare Rib </i>and<i> Marxism Today</i>) remind us that virtually all the material available in the newsagents will be presenting life from a viewpoint that is contrary to Scripture.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>RELIGIOUS PUBLICATIONS</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The brochure does not list a number of religious titles, these are hidden away under general interest and are mainly the organs of the historic denominations. For some reason, <i>Evangelical Times</i> is not mentioned. Alongside these, it is sobering to find <i>Horoscope, Psychic News </i>and<i> Zodiac.</i> A new periodical, <i>Green Magazine</i>, is featured not just as a publication for our environment but also as a single point of reference for the growing number of individuals to whom Green is becoming a way of life.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>LASTING SIGNIFICANCE</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">We ought not to think of magazines as entirely ephemeral. Currently, some 40 part-works are available, covering various subjects from aeroplanes to the zodiac. These build up into large reference tomes. Many of the world's greatest novels began life as magazine serials (<i>Uncle Tom's Cabin, Middlemarch, Heart of Darkness, </i>etc). Nearer to our own hearts, we remember that most of the very helpful messages of A W Pink appeared originally in magazine format (<i>Studies in Scripture</i>), and some of our best-loved hymns first saw the light of day in Christian periodicals (<i>All hail the power, Revive Thy work, Beneath the cross of Jesus,</i> etc). What were Spurgeon's printed sermons but a weekly bulletin of precious seed from the hand of Cod's servant? A wealth of fascinating material charting the history of revivals in this country lies buried in the denominational periodicals of the eighteenth, nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>TAKE CARE!</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">There are many magazines of various sorts, Christian and secular. We have to be selective as to which we take. Let us try to read widely, making good use of libraries and friends. The magazine format is usually less demanding than books and we must be careful to avoid the ready reckoner mentality which receives information in pre-packed journalistic morsels. For news, book reviews, fresh insights and general stimulus the appropriate magazines are invaluable.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Finally, few can have failed to have seen two magazines - <i>The Watchtower </i>and <i>Awake! </i>- assiduously peddled by those who style themselves as Jehovah's Witnesses. Is there not some way that evangelicals could find of producing a high quality magazine for evangelistic use? Such a resource would be a major asset to the churches and an excellent tool for the advancement of Christ's Kingdom.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>This article originally appeared in Grace Magazine in 1990</i></div>Gary Bradyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08171450135496647908noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9016502548449023341.post-65171897458478349672022-05-06T10:27:00.000-07:002022-05-06T10:27:02.766-07:00 Is Male Headship a Result of the Fall?<div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn9QeqfiqkXZxsttkELPzFjNaee0kQdT3tBok6EjCNQvket0qFjfSwy-FVS_tzhWi8rmqa6anm_Ff2U50P7CE50xNELGGS8EDCwB-wTsZ-_ozJYP_phftMfsiaPe_CqTGXkg8VcmCbctIZNhsIf0fkYp_ZA-DZxTLUZn5M7crj7XZM0Jap9hbZ5PSX/s921/sadjhfadshl.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="666" data-original-width="921" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn9QeqfiqkXZxsttkELPzFjNaee0kQdT3tBok6EjCNQvket0qFjfSwy-FVS_tzhWi8rmqa6anm_Ff2U50P7CE50xNELGGS8EDCwB-wTsZ-_ozJYP_phftMfsiaPe_CqTGXkg8VcmCbctIZNhsIf0fkYp_ZA-DZxTLUZn5M7crj7XZM0Jap9hbZ5PSX/s320/sadjhfadshl.png" width="320" /></a></div><br />For anyone who is willing to take the Scriptures seriously, there can be no doubt that they teach male headship. For example, in 1 Corinthians 11:3 we are told plainly 'The head of the woman is man'. Thus, in families, wives are to submit to their husbands as to the Lord in everything (Ephesians 5:22ff). In the church, a woman should learn in quietness and full submission, and is not permitted to teach or have authority over a man (1 Timothy 2:11,12).</div><div style="text-align: justify;">What is the reason for this? Is it all a result of the Fall of mankind in Adam? Some verses may suggest so. In Genesis 3:16, following Adam's sin, Eve is rebuked and told by God, '1 will greatly increase your pains in childbearing; with pain you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you'. Similarly, in the New Testament, Paul says that one reason why a woman should not lead and preach in the church is that 'Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner' (1 Timothy 2:14). Is not male headship, therefore, just a punishment following the Fall?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>SUBMISSION IN A PERFECT WORLD?</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">But is it true that in the perfect world before the Fall there was no such thing as Eve's submission and Adam's headship? Without its context, a text is just a pretext for a false idea. A more careful reading of the texts quoted above, in context, will show the truth.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">If we look again at 1 Timothy 2:14 we see that the immediately preceding verse supporting male headship says, 'For Adam was formed first, then Eve' (verse 13). Paul does argue from the state of things following the Fall but he also goes back before the Fall. The very order of creation argues for male headship.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1 Corinthians 11:7-9 is the same, '(man) is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of man. For man did not come from woman, but woman from man; neither was man created for woman, but woman for man.' Of course, procreation reminds us that men and women are not independent of each other (verses 11, 12). If we go back to Genesis we remember that Adam was indeed created first and that Eve was made after him, for him and out of him, with the express purpose that she should be a helper suitable for him (2:18). In the Fall, male headship seems to have been reversed. Eve takes the lead. She eats first and then gives some of the fruit to Adam. God's curse on the serpent and his words to the woman and the man follow. In order to see the nature of these rebukes, remember, as an example, that part of Adam's lot (3:17-19) would be to know painful toil and to eat in the sweat of his brow. It is clear that God is not here introducing work as a punishment. Rather, in this fallen world, work will no longer be easy. From the beginning, Adam was put in the garden to work it and take care of it (2:15). He also gave names to all the animals (2:19, 20). Work existed before the Fall as well as after. The difference is that after the Fall it became so much more difficult and wearying.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>HEADSHIP IN A PERFECT WORLD?</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Male headship is similar. It was there before the Fall as well as after. The difference is that it has now become a problem. God's words to Eve, 'Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you' in 3:16 point to the difficulties that male headship would bring after the Fall.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Firstly, your desire will be for your husband. Yearning for man's rule is now rooted in woman's very nature. For all her thoughts of independence, she inevitably finds herself desiring a man and wanting to be ruled by him. Further, 'and he will rule over you', there is also the keenness of man to domineer over woman. In an unfallen world such things are not to be feared. Their primitive beauty is imperfectly echoed in Christian marriage. There, ideally, the woman's desire for the man is no hindrance, for he rules in love. Sadly, most of the time, things are far different. We see it in the harsh rule of men over women, even to the point of physical violence and mental torture. We see it, on one hand, in the willingness of women to endure so much at the hands of men; on the other, in the struggle against innate desire as women seek to rid themselves of their femininity and divest themselves of their dependence upon men.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>SIN THE REAL PROBLEM</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Is male headship a result of the Fall? It is not. Rather, the difficulties and suffering associated with male headship are a result of the Fall. That distinction is important. As hard work can be good and rewarding in Christ, so is male headship. Similarly, just as work is often difficult, frustrating, unproductive and unrewarding in a fallen world, so male headship is abused and is often a source of much difficulty and frustration. It is sin that causes this, not the fact of male headship.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">It is very important to remember this. If we suppose that one of the problems in the churches is lack of female leadership, we are wrong. Rather, one of the great needs today is for men to lead well and for women to be submissive. Or if we think problems in a marriage are due to the wife's submissiveness or to a lack of equality in the home, we are again wrong. Rather, wives must be submissive and husbands must love their wives, according to the word. The problem is sin, not the way God structured the world. The calling of believers is to live within such God-given structures, not to suppose that they are simply the result of the Fall.</div>Gary Bradyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08171450135496647908noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9016502548449023341.post-63678591341516655922022-05-06T09:43:00.000-07:002022-05-06T09:43:00.445-07:00Understanding the Times R T Kendall and His Own Brand of Reformed Theology<div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC5dh7J6qDkupni9LNL_z1D9t-WHw2o44c8vmu4CrmuQ1uEseHONWZO9CBRhKmB79dRrdrCotlZunsMdxurhivcSiNZAEGDw-ZYKJL2leqqkoZwqc-i9gn28L9A5_oHOfaH9PqzX2QZXPmY0WhtoF0kSv-4putMtqWnqCEUvP6gIvgXMfhpPYxlbum/s385/rtk.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="378" data-original-width="385" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC5dh7J6qDkupni9LNL_z1D9t-WHw2o44c8vmu4CrmuQ1uEseHONWZO9CBRhKmB79dRrdrCotlZunsMdxurhivcSiNZAEGDw-ZYKJL2leqqkoZwqc-i9gn28L9A5_oHOfaH9PqzX2QZXPmY0WhtoF0kSv-4putMtqWnqCEUvP6gIvgXMfhpPYxlbum/s320/rtk.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><i>'My brand of Calvinism sets me free to win the lost' claims Dr R T Kendall, the maverick pastor of Westminster Chapel, in a recent interview. 'I don't accept Limited Atonement' he explains, '... That way you can say to anybody, 'Christ died for you' and be telling the truth'.'</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Limited atonement and evangelism</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The argument is an old but persistent one. If we do hold that Christ died only for the elect, does that not make evangelism much more difficult? Would we not be more successful if we took the view that Christ died for all? However, Dr Kendall himself has to admit, 'We are doing our best within the area but we are only having modest success.' He is hardly unique amongst his contemporaries there, of course, but it is obvious that the rejection of Limited Atonement is no panacea for lack of success in evangelism.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Historically, of course, there is no difficulty in giving examples of five point Calvinists who were remarkably successful evangelists. C H Spurgeon in the 19th century and George Whitefield in the 18th century spring readily to mind.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Whitefield once wrote to Wesley</div><blockquote style="text-align: justify;">Universal redemption, as you set it forth, is really the highest reproach upon the dignity of the Son of God, and the merit of His blood ... Universal redemption, taken in a literal sense, falls entirely to the ground. For how can all be universally redeemed if all are not finally saved?</blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;">Spurgeon said once in a sermon,</div><blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;">Some say that all men are Christ's by purchase. But, beloved, you and I do not believe in a sham redemption which does not redeem. We do not believe in a universal redemption which extends even to those who were in hell before the Saviour died, and which includes the fallen angels as well as unrepentant men. We believe in an effectual redemption, and can never agree with those who would teach us that Christ's blood was shed in vain.</div></blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;">There is no reason at all why accepting the doctrine of Limited Atonement should make anyone less evangelistic. More humble yes, but' not less evangelistic. If it does, that person has misunderstood the Word of God. A recent publication, <i>A Price for a People</i> by Tom Wells, deals very well with this issue in short and clear compass.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Appeals</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In the interview, Dr Kendall goes on to defend his practice of closing evangelistic services with an appeal to come to the front by saying that Dr Lloyd Jones had no difficulty with his practice when he did it following sermons preached by 'The Doctor' in Upper Heyford in the seventies. More pertinent is the fact that in a long and evangelistically successful ministry of over forty years Lloyd Jones never advocated or practiced 'giving an appeal'. His opposition to the practice is very clear from the helpful chapter entitled 'Calling for decisions' in his widely known <i>Preaching and Preachers</i>. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">'People deserve an opportunity to respond to the gospel' argues Lloyd Jones' successor at Westminster Chapel, 'and giving them that opportunity is to allow them to do what they want.'</div><div style="text-align: justify;">However, this relatively modern practice is never found in the New Testament. In an appendix to his 1986 book <i>The Great Invitation</i>, Erroll Hulse answers all 22 of Dr Kendall's arguments in favour of this unhelpful practice.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Gifts of the Spirit</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Towards the end of the interview, Dr Kendall reiterates his view that the 'Gifts of the Spirit' (ie the supernatural gifts we read of in the New Testament) can be known today. Offending all sides he says, on the one hand, 'How many have the true gift, healing or tongues or prophecy, is in my view questionable.' (Whether he considers Paul Cain, a member of Westminster Chapel, to be a true or false prophet is not stated). On the other hand, he adds, 'I'm certainly open to them. What we'd like to see more is their genuine operation.'</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Once again, Dr Kendall is out of step both with the New Testament and the Reformed Theology to which he lays claim. The appendix to Walter Chantry's <i>Signs Of The Apostles</i>, first published in 1973, cites some 15 eminent Christian teachers, from John Chrysostom to A W Pink, all of whom taught quite clearly, from Scripture, what has been the historic Christian view, that the supernatural sign gifts operated only until the completion of the canon of Scripture and have now ceased. Chantry's brief book is still a competent rebuttal of the notion that supernatural gifts are for today. And it does not all hinge on 1 Corinthians 13 by any means!</div><div style="text-align: justify;">(The original interview appeared in <i>Christian Lifestyle Vol 2, No 2, 1993</i> Ed. Andrew Saunders)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>This article originally appeared in Grace Magazine</i></div>Gary Bradyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08171450135496647908noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9016502548449023341.post-68912997398014507032022-05-06T06:52:00.000-07:002022-05-06T06:52:01.545-07:00Praying to the Almighty<div style="text-align: justify;"><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4BocYseFhK7TtU47C-2f8ITSZ2yMQcBh4EXyVEDrcPURq_IUUkpf0JeKC_v2BeRkfgi8JU7nPcNn7ywEhligCXEqYbdk1-LIcTueiWLSU8fXSrsZkiJssN3G5p0H24Q5AXhZckGOAWRGnVJ5rBLCK6CmoXOk7avnBfRy8nce07dnVysZj95PqFw1B/s1200/prayingcrisis2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="801" data-original-width="1200" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4BocYseFhK7TtU47C-2f8ITSZ2yMQcBh4EXyVEDrcPURq_IUUkpf0JeKC_v2BeRkfgi8JU7nPcNn7ywEhligCXEqYbdk1-LIcTueiWLSU8fXSrsZkiJssN3G5p0H24Q5AXhZckGOAWRGnVJ5rBLCK6CmoXOk7avnBfRy8nce07dnVysZj95PqFw1B/w400-h268/prayingcrisis2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Prayer and the sovereignty of God</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Every thoughtful person who prays has to face certain inevitable questions. These have to do with the biblical doctrine of the sovereignty of God. According to his eternal purpose, God has decreed all that comes to pass. This is clear from such verses as Daniel 4:35 and Ephesians 1:11. Now, if God is sovereign, why should I pray? Similarly, what does prayer actually do? Is it true that prayer changes things? Does it <i>move the hand that guides the world</i>?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>TOO NARROW</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Perhaps the first thing that needs to be said about such questions is that they presuppose too narrow an idea of prayer. Prayer is more than simply asking for things. It is communion with God and includes confession of sin, adoration of the triune God, praise and thanksgiving. These vital elements of prayer ought not to be forgotten. The apparent problem of the sovereignty of God is strictly confined to intercession and supplication.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>SIMPLEST ANSWER</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The simplest answer to anyone who questions whether they ought to pray, even though God has decreed all that will come to pass, is that this is the plain command of God's word. 'And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers', writes Paul (Ephesians 6:18). The Lord himself was constantly in prayer whilst on earth. He is to be our example. For Samuel Storms, 'The fact is that God has commanded that I pray, therefore that is what I must do.'</div><div style="text-align: justify;">This is a good place to start but more can be said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>CONDITION, NOT CAUSE</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A A Hodge points out that the great mistake many make when it comes to God's decree is concentrating on parts instead of the whole. A common but superficial argument against belief in election is that it will stifle evangelistic fervour. Many, by their words and actions, have demonstrated this to be untrue. The God who elects sinners also provides the means whereby they are converted. In a similar way, we must see that our prayers are as much under God's sovereignty as any answers to them. The same God who has decreed the end has also decreed that this end shall be reached through his appointed means and one of them is prayer (Pink). Hodge shows the shallowness of thinking some show when they ask, on their reasoning, 'If God has eternally decreed that you should live what is the use of your breathing?' In order to teach us, the Lord has so arranged things that we either use the means or go without the ends. Prayer is a condition of blessing not its cause.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">This is confirmed in the Scriptures. In Ezekiel 36 blessing is prophesied for Israel, then in verse 37 we read, 'This also will I let the House of Israel ask me to do for them: I will increase their men like a flock' (NASB). Prayer is clearly part of God's sovereign purpose. Similar things are found in Jeremiah 29:11,12 and Zechariah 10:6, 13:9. We also have the reactions of Daniel and Elijah recorded when they realised God's word was about to be fulfilled. They did not sit back, they earnestly prayed! (see Daniel 9:2,3 and 1 Kings 18:42). The design of prayer is not that God's will may be altered but that it may be accomplished (Pink).</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>'INSPIRER AND HEARER'</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A further point to remember is that the desire to pray is itself God's gift. The initiative comes from on high. Effective prayers start in heaven and are sent down by God himself (Kelly). The Holy Spirit stirs us up to pray and seek our Father's face. He gives us the spirit of supplication to begin with.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>PURPOSE OF PRAYER</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Such considerations enable us to put the purpose of prayer into a proper biblical perspective. The purpose of prayer is not to inform God, much less to instruct him. How absurd! Rather, we are confessing our sense of need. It is for our sakes we pray, not for God's. He knows what is in my mind and I have the privilege of articulating to him what is there (Sproul).</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Calvin lists six purposes:</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1. It fires us with desire to seek, love and serve him. 'We flee to him as a sacred anchor.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">2. It purifies those desires as we pour out our whole hearts.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">3. It leads to true gratitude. We recognise where our blessings come from.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">4. When prayers are answered we are led to meditate on his kindness more ardently.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">5. We embrace with greater delight those things which we acknowledge to have been obtained by prayers.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">6. It reminds us that God is ever present to help and defend us.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">James Hastings maintains: 'Our wants are for the sake of coming into communion with God, our eternal need ... That we should receive what we ask in respect of our lower needs is not God's end in making us pray, for he could give us everything without that. To bring his child to his knee, God withholds that man may ask.'</div><div style="text-align: justify;">'Prayer is a confession of creature weakness. Yea, of helplessness ... the acknowledgement of our need' (Pink). As in all things God's honour and glory is the chief thing and this means submission on our part.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Our Lord taught us to pray:<i> Your will be done</i> and left us the example of Gethsemane. We know God's revealed will in his word but his secret will, his decree, we do not know. The promise of 1 John 5:14 refers to the secret will. It cannot mean that anything a believer asks that is in line with Scripture will be done. It is when we ask according to God's secret will that he hears us. Strictly speaking, every true prayer in faith receives an answer. However, the answer is not always what we would wish or expect. Paul's prayers seemed to go unanswered until he learned: <i>My grace is sufficient.</i> We do not tell the Lord what to do but we express our needs, confident the Father knows what you need before you ask.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>ARGUING WITH GOD</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In emphasising the reflex benefits of prayer to the worshipper, there is the danger of accepting the psychologist's view that prayer does you good. B M Palmer warns: If prayer is nothing more; than offering good advice to oneself then it is a mockery to offer it to God ... If the attention be drawn from (God) to consider what effect the exercise is to produce on ourselves, in that instant it ceases to be prayer and resolves itself into pious meditation'. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">It is nothing short of tragic when a supposed fidelity to the doctrine of God's sovereignty serves only to paralyse a man's praying. Jeremiah 15:1 makes abundantly clear that prayer, in and of itself, cannot avail. But elsewhere it is made clear that fervent pleading is of great worth in God's sight. Abraham, Jacob, Moses and others stand as beacons to us pointing to the need of earnest supplication. Douglas Kelly emphasises how such men argued for God to act in line with his character and show mercy. Surely God honours such prayers still today .... He does not change.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>CONCLUSION</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">We do not come to some fickle deity who changes like the wind but to the omnipotent and immutable God. 'Prayer', said Luther, 'is not overcoming God's reluctance but laying hold of his willingness'. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Thou art coming to a King,</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Large petitions with thee bring;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">For his grace and power are such</div><div style="text-align: justify;">None can ever ask too much. (John Newton)</div>Gary Bradyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08171450135496647908noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9016502548449023341.post-74916981581924355322022-05-05T13:16:00.004-07:002022-05-05T13:16:38.911-07:00Pro Sabbatica<div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4OSSg5wux7xNq2vpfK8xUb4jMjmfCN8F-Dk47-sV50BhRVtNP0ggzZO9tJNGh98wPAXZnu-KR8DqHqVw8jbleds8_j99XGS3kpE_DQHGvIpYnD99RLnUEpISufHinkotLLXwUCerhqOyI3AVmd4bWiY_ezNKkcPOOlBE-RPq-xRKlx_CuZhikrK14/s541/iosio.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="312" data-original-width="541" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4OSSg5wux7xNq2vpfK8xUb4jMjmfCN8F-Dk47-sV50BhRVtNP0ggzZO9tJNGh98wPAXZnu-KR8DqHqVw8jbleds8_j99XGS3kpE_DQHGvIpYnD99RLnUEpISufHinkotLLXwUCerhqOyI3AVmd4bWiY_ezNKkcPOOlBE-RPq-xRKlx_CuZhikrK14/w400-h231/iosio.png" width="400" /></a></div><br />Coronation Street is not my personal TV addiction but I caught a piece of "street wisdom" the other day to the effect that the only people who take sabbaticals are "They as don't do owt in the first place". Having just completed a month's hardworking sabbatical I was understandably put out. It was of some comfort, therefore, to read David Fountain, in an interview in <i>Grace</i>, speaking up for the sabbatical, especially as a means to sustaining a long pastorate. My own recent experience has certainly removed any initial cynicism about the idea. I'm sure this can be something of great benefit to pastor and people alike.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The immediate advantages are obvious,</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1. It gives the opportunity for some extended project - reading or some more specific study; a visit to the mission field; a pulpit exchange etc.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">2. It means a break for both preacher and congregation, banishing staleness.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">3. It gives the pastor time to step back for a moment and reassess his work.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">4. It reminds the pastor that he is not indispensable, and encourages the people to look to the Great Shepherd, not the under shepherd.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">5. There is a temptation in the pastoral ministry to neglect relaxation, the family and even one's personal walk with the Lord. A temporary removal of day to day responsibilities can often give the opportunity to correct any imbalance.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Of course some will ask, "Where is the Scriptural mandate for all this?" I would have thought that even a superficial knowledge of the Levitical Law or, more significantly still, Jesus's attitudes to rest, would demonstrate clearly how important such things are. It does not have to be a "Sabbatical" after seven years. It is apparent from the new biography of Dr. Lloyd-Jones that he had an extended time of leave every summer, into which he fitted not only his family holidays but also his frequent trips abroad, his major reading and the preparation of his sermons for the press.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">One is arguing here for a principle, not a method. However, let me finish on a highly practical note. There are, I suggest, a number of essential ingredients to a successful sabbatical.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1. A relatively stable church situation. There are some situations where, for one reason or another, there is tension or the church is weak or not yet formed. These men cannot even contemplate a sabbatical. We ought to be praying for such, and seeing if there is anything we can do to lessen the strain they are under.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">2. A sympathetic church. Even where a situation is relatively healthy and strong the "Coronation Street" attitude mentioned above can mean a man will not be given opportunity for leave. He ought to try raising the issue - he may be pleasantly surprised! The best scenario is where the church raises the subject first.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">3. Money. We may not like to mention this but we need to reckon with it. Pulpit supply (as it is quaintly put in some circles), travel, alternative accommodation. All this will have to come from someone's pocket. (A sabbatical on-site would be well nigh impossible).</div><div style="text-align: justify;">4. A worthwhile project. Whether it is a course of study, a visit to the church missionary or simply to "get to know the family" a definite goal is advisable for all concerned. Aim at nothing ...</div><div style="text-align: justify;">5. A place to stay. Access to libraries or whatever needs to be thought out. It is important that something is planned for the rest of the family. What are they expected to be doing while the man of the house burrows through long forgotten folios?</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I am thankful to God and to my congregation for my recent month away and to our families in Wales who put up with us descending on them. It was a most valuable time. My hope is that this brief article will lead to it happening for other pastors who would much appreciate such an opportunity.</div>Gary Bradyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08171450135496647908noreply@blogger.com