Archives for 2008

Today marks a new era in our church… we are fully digital in our recording. Hopefully this will make for better quality in the sound. We are also able to put the messages up much quicker than before. Our afternoon service let out just over an hour ago, and our messages are on the web. Now for a nap!

But first, here are our summaries:

The Preacher and his Preaching (Rm 1.1-17 review)

Having come to the end of Rm 1.17, we gave this morning to review of our work through Romans this far. Six months of preaching, 24 messages, and 17 verses…

The central idea of this message is that you must accept the credentials and message of the apostle Paul in order to have the gospel at all. Paul introduces himself, his plan, and his message in these verses. For the content to benefit the Romans (or any one) in any way, the whole must be accepted by repentant faith.

The Existence & Creation of Angels

In which we continue our look at Angelology, concluding last week’s study on the existence of angels and also discussing the creation of angels.

Prayers of Discipleship  (Lk 9.28)

Our survey of the Lord’s teaching on prayer brings us to the Transfiguration. Luke tells us Jesus prayed as he was transfigured. The purpose of this prayer was a matter of training for the disciples, correcting their misapprehension of his new teaching concerning his death, burial, and resurrection. Our prayers are likewise a means of discipleship, as praying according to the Scriptures we are drawn closer to heaven and heaven is drawn closer to us.

One of our members was promoted to heaven this week. Our musicians played her favourite hymn for the offertory this week: Great is Thy Faithfulness. She really knows the truth of that now!

Here are the summaries of our messages from our church website. Audio and pdfs are available there.

the Just shall live by Faith (Rm 1.17c)

Some passages are known for what they mean … and some for what they mean and also for what they meant at significant points in history. Perhaps no passage is more significant in this regard than our text for today. Martin Luther was converted to Christ when he finally grasped the meaning of ‘as it is written, the just shall live by faith’. The meaning of this passage is an overarching theme of the Bible. It is interesting that Luther’s conversion experience happened after the Reformation ‘began’, that is, it wasn’t until two years after the posting of the 95 Theses that Luther found relief for his soul when he discovered that ‘the righteousness of God’ was righteousness from God, righteousness for living, the moment in which he himself was ‘born again’.

The Existence of Angels

In which we begin a survey of biblical evidence concerning the reality, power, place and presence of angels throughout the Scriptures.

Jesus Withdrew to Pray (Mt 14.23, Mk 6.46)

Our subject in this message is private prayer, an area where we all feel we fall down, I think. In this message, three principles are suggested to improve our private prayers: take much time for prayer, make specific time for prayer, and plan for your time of prayer. Thoughtfulness will increase fruitfulness in prayer.

I draw on a number of E. M. Bounds ideas in Power through Prayer for this message.

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It seems a long time since I have posted – and the fundamentalist blogosphere is quiet also, at least the part of it that I frequent. Maybe we are losing our energy for blogging? Perish the thought! I still have lots on my mind, just no time to say it all.

In our ministry, we are taking extra time with one of our senior saints just now. The Lord appears to be taking her home very quietly. Most of her family is unsaved (though some profess salvation). We are finding this time to be a precious occasion of ministry for us and our people as we gather around the hospital bed and visit with her family. May the Lord be glorified in this!

I would like to share with you our sermons from last Sunday. You can find the audio and notes on our church site.

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