Mount Barker Presbyterian Church

Jesus Christ is Lord!

Zondervan

A Closer Walk With God: Daily Readings from Matthew Henry

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Compiled by Martin Manser

“Paul directs Timothy to what he had learnt out of the holy Scriptures: ‘Continue thou in the things which thou hast learned’ (2 Timothy 3:14). It is not enough to learn that which is good, but we must continue in it, and persevere in it to the end. What we have learnt we must labour to be more and more assured of, that, being grounded in the truth, we may be guarded against error, for certainty in religion is of great importance and advantage.”

-Matthew Henry (2 Timothy 3)

Deliberately persisting in pursuing “that which is good,” as emphasized by Matthew Henry, holds significant value and benefits for believers. This pursuit necessitates consistent prayer and daily time in the Scriptures. Furthermore, dedicating time to study and listen to Biblically sound men expounding sound theology serves as a valuable means to gain a deeper comprehension of the Word of God.

Allocating a few minutes each day to engage with a brief yet theologically sound passage from the Scriptures serves as an excellent morning routine. This practice aids in becoming more and more “grounded in the truth” and acts as a safeguard to “guard [us] against error”, whether in times of prosperity or when facing the trials that God has providentially ordained for us.

Rediscovering the Holy Spirit: God’s Perfecting Presence in Creation, Redemption, and Everyday Life

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Michael Horton

“Who exactly is the mysterious third person of the Trinity? Why does he seem to possess less reality or at least fewer descriptive features than the Father and the Son? Is this only a problem in popular culture and, by implication, in the churches that have helped to shape it? Or is the Spirit’s profile blurry in the broader faith and practice of mainstream Christianity?”

These are some of the questions the Dr Michael Horton answers in this careful work on Pneumatology (Doctrine of the Holy Spirit).

In our day and age, there seems to be several pitfalls when it comes to a biblical understanding of the person and work of the Holy Spirit, from forgetting Him almost altogether to overemphasising a focus on Him, and at the extreme to the heresies of Arianism, modalism, and partialism. This book goes a long way to correcting many misunderstandings of the Trinity and would highly recommend this to all.

Please note: This is a good example of where we need to be careful of reacting too hastily due to our theological differences:

Michael Horton insight is valuable in this area of theology, however he is seen by many as sitting generally on the liberal end of the conservative church. While I appreciate this particular work, his radical two kingdoms (R2K) theology was on display a little, especially in the later chapters.

At the end of a video series (Christianity & Islam) on the White Horse Inn, Michael said:

“… it’s a good thing that we no longer live in an era where Christianity is a culture.”

I do not agree with that statement, but it does make me ponder what sincere beliefs I hold and defend, that are also sincerely wrong.

Rediscovering the Holy Spirit by Michael Horton

Competent to Counsel

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Jay E Adams
 
Jay Adams wants Christians to train themselves to be competent to counsel. He says that Christian counseling is far from psychiatry. Instead, it is “nouthetic counseling”. “The word nouthetic comes from the Greek word noutheteō. The word, which is primarily used by Paul in the New Testament, is translated into English as “admonish,” “correct,” or “instruct.” This is the word that occurs in Romans 15:14, where Paul writes, “I myself am satisfied about you my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able to instruct one another.”

This book is for any Christian who would like to be better equipped to help others find God’s answers to their difficulties

Competent to Counsel by Jay E Adams