Homeward Bound

Montana woke me up on May 6, 2021, at about 6:15, informing me that today was the day. She had called both the midwife and her mother, and the former was beginning her hour drive to come to our house. I got up slowly, like I usually do, thinking through everything I needed to do to prepare. This is our third child, so I have been through the drill before. I remember feeling excited, but not giddy. I went down stairs to my computer where I telework and told my supervisor that I will not be logging in today. My wife is in labor; the hour has come.   Montana and I had decided to do a home birth for our third baby. Our first two boys were born at the hospital, and both were great experiences. Our decision to make the change was in part due to COVID restrictions in our area. We had a lingering fear of the off chance occurring: that one of us would test positive on   the day of the birth and Montana would have to deliver the baby alone. More positively, however, we had heard glo...

Every once in a while you run across a book that makes more than a usual impact on your life. Whether it was the unique season of life you were in when you read it, or simply the superiority of its content when compared with others, this book for some reason left a marked impression on you, an impression you remember to this day. I remember G. K. Chesterton's Orthodoxy having this long lasting effect on me as did C. S. Lewis's The Abolition of Man and Puritan Richard Sibbes's The Bruised Reed . Not only were they each excellent books, but the unique moment of my life when I read them contributed to their impact. In many ways I was prepared for their teachings at the moment of my reading, and I believe God has used several, often long dead writers, to encourage and strengthen me throughout the last few years. I have recently read a book which I truly hope will have a similar effect on my life. The Sovereignty of God by A. W. Pink is a short book, unlike anything else I ha...

Ravi Zacharias has had a deep impact on my faith. I have listened to his broadcasts off and on for the past decade plus. When news came out several months ago that he was involved in some sort of sexual misconduct, I was shocked. When a more detailed, independent report highlighting the extent of this misconduct, manipulation, predatory behavior came out a few weeks ago--I was even more shocked. How can someone so firmly rooted in knowledge and the truth of God, be living a completely bifurcated double life? How does that happen? Here is an almost 10 minute  video I made on my youtube channel sorting some of this out. It is unscripted and a tad meandering, but I try to talk a little bit about the nature of truth, and call Christians (leaders in particular) to purity. This is a non-negotiable, and no amount of giftedness or dynamism can supplement its lack. It is okay to mourn when our "heroes" turn out not to be what we thought they were. I am not sure yet what I am going to...

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