Homeward Bound

Blog subscribers! Below are two links two recent speaking engagements I had this month: The first is at a local church in my area, Grace Chapel, and I was blessed to be able to do some pulpit filling as they await the arrival of their new pastor. I talked about the burden of Jesus Christ, and how living in his service will prove easy and light, for He is a gentle Master.  Grace Chapel Sermon Then I had the privilege to do a virtual chapel at my old Christian School, talking about the abundant life Jesus offers to us in John 10:10.  King's Christian Academy Chapel Over the past year or so I have been very impressed by the reality of God's grace and tenderness to us. The life He offers to us is the best possible life we can live, for He gives us the very best He can give. There are many things that are challenging in the Christian life and many lines in the sand which need to be drawn with regard to our culture. There are hard realities we need to come to terms with in Scripture;

I made another video: The early ministry of Howell Harris is an incredible ride. Full of energy and excitement, Harris travails the rural landscape of Wales preaching the Word of God, and particularly the convicting message of the law. His ministry was met with great spiritual and physical opposition, but was nevertheless filled with even greater power from the Holy Spirit of God.  In order to proclaim the good news, we must know the bad news first. Howell Harris's message would be a bit hard for our modern sensibilities to hear, but it was a necessary word for the ignorant and rough population he was ministering to. God worked through Harris mightily to bring conviction of sin and ultimately repentance on a grand scale to the people of Wales in the 18th century. Link:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1t1NqdZw968&ab_channel=DanielHarris

1 John 1:9 is a well-known verse offering assurance of forgiveness to the one who confesses his sin: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” I have often understood this to be for believers: if anyone who is in Christ falls into sin, confesses his sin to God, God here gives a promise of forgiveness. He will forgive that sinner and cleanse him from his unrighteousness. What is interesting is the promise of forgiveness is rooted in both God’s faithfulness and His justice. God is faithful and He is just to forgive and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. I have always understood how God’s faithfulness is grounds for forgiveness. "Your steadfast love, O LORD, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds."   God’s character to us is so benevolent and unfailing, how could he hold our sins against us if we come to Him in brokenness and repentance? What has been less clear to me is how God’s forgi

I made a video. It is about a two volume set from Banner of Truth I got myself for Christmas entitled The Calvinistic Methodist Fathers of Wales . Why is it important for us to read works like this in 2021? What encouragement and truth can we glean from it's pages? Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones once said: "There is nothing more important for preaching than the reading of Church history and biographies." What is said about preaching may be well extended to the Christian life in general, as the reading of God's movements in the past can encourage believers to see what God has done in similar times, and perhaps how he can do so again. Wales has a rich Spiritual history, and the unique Calvinistic Methodist movement offers much to learn from as I read this work in the coming weeks:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJX8kEwAwyA&ab_channel=DanielHarris

A new year brings new goals, and one of my many goals is to grow myself in my reading. Reading truly good books is a way for me to both be comforted and challenged, to grow my convictions and ultimately change for the better. Here are some of the books I have been reading thus far in 2021.  As an aside, I would also like to resume writing on the blog with more frequency. I am busy with work and family, but I find writing to be helpful way for me to digest some thoughts on what God is teaching and what is going on in the world today. This most definitely something I would like to get back into in these very interesting days! Some books read: The Pilgrim’s Regress – C.S. Lewis This is an allegorical retelling of Lewis’s spiritual journey from unbelief to eventual faith in Christ. Though someone, like myself, lacking Lewis’ philosophical acumen and an understanding of the intellectual class of his day will struggle to understand quite what everything is referring to—it is nevertheless an