Bishop Joseph Hall marveled at the “world of wit” packed onto library shelves, yet Puritan John Flavel takes this imagery further, pointing us to a library far more enduring than wit—a library of God’s own attributes.
Continue reading “Our True Refuge: Moving from Worldly Wit to God’s Attributes”
We often talk about the necessity of spiritual growth, but we rarely discuss the logistics of the battle. I came across a one-year reading plan of William Gurnall’s The Christian in Complete Armour. The grand theme of this book is spiritual warfare and we are furnishing ourselves with the “spiritual arms” necessary for the daily fight. While tackling an unabridged volume of more than 1,100 pages may seem intimidating, the reading plan below makes the task far more manageable.
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If I could pull up a chair with any Baptist preacher from history, Charles Spurgeon—the “Prince of Preachers”—would top my list. He’s known for his powerful preaching, blending powerful diction and vivid illustrations that resonate with lay audiences. But I’ve come to appreciate something else about him: his character, his lightning-fast wit, and his infectious humor. Spurgeon showed with his ready humor that the highest spirituality can coexist with a cheerful, engaging personality. His wit, truly, was as abundant as his wisdom. Here are a few of my favorite stories that capture the humor of the man behind the pulpit:
In John Bunyan’s The Pilgrim’s Progress, Christian goes through trials, temptations, and triumphs on his pilgrimage in a fallen world to the Celestial City. Sin makes this world a dry and weary land. I’m reminded through Pastor Rob McCurley’s sermon recently, that although the road to the Heavenly City is always an ascent (Psalm 24:3), the Lord Jesus Christ is a place of Shelter. He is a large Rock that is higher than us (Psalm 61:2) in the wilderness, casting a shadow and providing coolness from the blistering heat of the sun. He is the Shade upon which we may take refuge. Anything else is a tree of broken branches with no leaves, leaving us exposed. Christ is the cool, clear Water which we may drink to the satisfaction of our parched soul. He is the Shelter from the storm of affliction and rain in my pilgrimage.
In a recent gathering, I was asked a simple icebreaker: “If you could be like one thing, what would it be and why?” As my turn approached, I pondered the possibilities. I finally answered that I wish to be like salt. Salt possesses characteristic traits that mirror the kind of person I hope to become in Christ. Since that gathering, I’ve noticed more of the ways salt teaches spiritual lessons.
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A few years ago, I read Out of the Tiger’s Mouth, a biography of the late Reformed theologian Dr. Charles H. Chao. As someone of Chinese ethnicity, I was especially intrigued by his life story—he was among the first to translate and publish Reformed and Puritan literature into Chinese, making these works accessible to Chinese-speaking believers.
This book shares the story of Dr. Chao’s geographical journey from the East to the West, as well as his spiritual pilgrimage from his Christian conversion in China to his ordination as a minister in the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America (RPCNA).
Despite persecution from Chinese Communists, Dr. Chao narrowly escaped from prison and death.
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There is a unique magic in holding a book that has survived for over 150 years. I love antiquarian books. Not only were they built to last for posterity, but they were also made with remarkable beauty, often adorned with gold engraving, lovely decoration, and sturdy bindings that serve as a testament to the value society once placed on the written word.
I became the joyful owner of an 1851 edition of A Practical Directory for Young Christian Females: Being a Series of Letters from a Brother to a Younger Sister by Harvey Newcomb. It is still in excellent condition. One of the joys of owning antiquarian books is the surprise of finding treasures tucked within their pages left behind by previous owners. For instance, I’ve found an old note written in beautiful penmanship and even a few dried leaves pressed between the pages. I’d like to imagine these artifacts have actually survived since the mid-1800’s. 🙂
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At two o’clock in the afternoon on Friday, August 22, 1651, the great Puritan minister Christopher Love ascended the platform of the scaffold at Tower Hill, London. He was accompanied by fellow ministers, Thomas Manton, Simeon Ashe, and Edmund Calamy. His life was to be cut short at 33 years of age due to alleged involvement with a plan to raise money for the restoration of the monarchy, a charge Love denied. Believing that his death would glorify God, Christopher Love’s last prayer and final words provide a powerful perspective. He said, “I do more good by my death than by my life, and glorify God more in my dying upon a scaffold than if I had died of a disease upon my bed.”
Prior to his execution, Love prayed for his accusers, for the Church, for England and Scotland to be one, and for the friend who was to be executed after him.
His final prayer offers timeless insight and encouragement:
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