Archive for September, 2007

Spurgeon's need for variety in preaching

September 30, 2007

Don’t folks say, "variety is the spice of life"? I sometimes wonder if variety or diversity, is one of the things that we as human beings don’t do well if we don’t have it to any extent.

I am conscious of not possessing those peculiar gifts which are neccessary to interest an assembly in any one subject or set of subjects for any length of time. Brethren of extraordinary research and profound learning may do it, and brethren with none of these, and no comon sense, may pretend to do it, but I cannot. I am obliged to owe a great deal of my strength to variety rather than profundity. [C.H. Spurgeon]

Spurgeon's need for variety in preaching

September 30, 2007

Don’t folks say, "variety is the spice of life"? I sometimes wonder if variety or diversity, is one of the things that we as human beings don’t do well if we don’t have it to any extent.

I am conscious of not possessing those peculiar gifts which are neccessary to interest an assembly in any one subject or set of subjects for any length of time. Brethren of extraordinary research and profound learning may do it, and brethren with none of these, and no comon sense, may pretend to do it, but I cannot. I am obliged to owe a great deal of my strength to variety rather than profundity. [C.H. Spurgeon]

Lord, high and holy, meek and lowly

September 30, 2007
Thou has brought me to the valley of vision,
where I live in the depths but see thee in the heights;
   hemmed in by mountains of sin I behold
   thy glory.
Let me learn by paradox
   that the way down is the way up,
   that to be low is to be high,
   that the broken heart is the healed heart,
   that the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit,
   that the repenting soul is the victorious soul,
   that to have nothing is to possess all,
   that to bear the cross is to wear the crown,
   that to give is to receive,
   that the valley is the place of vision.
 
Lord, in the daytime stars can be seen from deepest wells,
   deepest wells,
   and the deeper the wells the brighter
   thy stars shine;
Let me find thy light in my darkness,
   Thy life in my death,
   that every good work or thought found in me
   thy joy in my sorrow,
   thy grace in my sin,
   thy riches in my poverty
   thy glory in my valley.

A Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions

Distrusting numbers

September 29, 2007

I LOVE technology. Ask anyone I know. I’m somewhat of a geeky kind of person who LOVES gadgets and so forth.  However, technology often comes with a cost I think. We see it all around us in our daily lives.  Kiddie porn is the obvious one that comes to mind.  But, is it me? Or does anyone else, UTTERLY DISTRUST chip and pin, for your debit/credit cards? In one way it is GREAT for me, at least theoretically, cos I cannot always make a legible signature, depending how sick I maybe on the day.  So, chip and pin removes that difficulty.  BUT, a signature you give personally,  it can be compared with the signature on the back of the card. Anyone gets hold of your chip and pin number along with the card, they could go on a good ole spending spree, just by punching numbers.  I have heard there ARE actually security flaws in it, and I can well believe it.  I have given my debit card to  one or two trusted friends at times, to go to the ATM with me, along with my chip and pin number, and not stirred a hair or felt alarmed in any way at all. They are friends, I knew I could trust.  But, go to a garage, to buy something, using my debit card, where HUGE frauds go on with these chip and pin numbers, (its been on the local news lately) then I will try to avoid doing so, even if it means paying more in a taxi to go somewhere else besides the garage.  Identity theft is one thing, and a very bad thing indeed.  But these chip and pin numbers I think, are full of holes for feeling secure when paying for goods with ones debit/credit card.

On a different note, I’m still sicker; but better in mind and spirit, its just my body that’s knackered. I would appreciate prayer for folks who do, as getting through the weekends, particuarly the Lord’s Day’s can be difficult at the best of times, when sick, alone and completely outside Christian company. 

I'm in hell

September 27, 2007

I was watching a UK medical drama last week. one of the leading characters, a female doctor, Jack Nailer, who has managed to alienate everyone else at the said hospital because of her ambition,  and sleeping her way up the ladder even at the cost of friends  by the choice of whom she slept with, was attacked and either raped or almost raped. It was never made quite clear which.  The fact taht no one likes or trusts her is her own fault, through the behaviour created by in her case sinful ambition.  And after the attack,  one of the older female members of staff, who did have compaassion for her, and wanted to help her and comfort her,  said when trying to get her to see sense and that she shouldn’t be alone, "you’re in shock."  And the reply of Jack nailer, the anger in her voice as she said it, and pure passion and almost force of soul behind it chilled me. The other doctor said, "You’re in shock."  And she replied in the above kind of way, "I’M IN HELL!"  It wasn’t so much the words she said as the way she said it, as it sparked a stirring in me, of a memory,  that went on for years. And she put into words, in a particuarly way, the words in those years I had never been able to express.  I haven’t liked this woman because of her behaviour, but in that instant,  my heart melted, knowing the depth soul felt pain it came from up close and personal.  Yes, its only fiction; and yes, I know its not real. But sometimes those programmes and do and can reflect aspects of actual life.  And the words said with such passion of, "I’M IN HELL!" as she walked away and got her motorcycle,  refusing to let anyone near her because of the soul pain she felt,   continue to haunt me at times, because its stirred an echo in my own soul, that I’m not entirely sure is all in the past.  As life as it is,  can sometimes feel like a living hell.

I'm in hell

September 27, 2007

I was watching a UK medical drama last week. one of the leading characters, a female doctor, Jack Nailer, who has managed to alienate everyone else at the said hospital because of her ambition,  and sleeping her way up the ladder even at the cost of friends  by the choice of whom she slept with, was attacked and either raped or almost raped. It was never made quite clear which.  The fact taht no one likes or trusts her is her own fault, through the behaviour created by in her case sinful ambition.  And after the attack,  one of the older female members of staff, who did have compaassion for her, and wanted to help her and comfort her,  said when trying to get her to see sense and that she shouldn’t be alone, "you’re in shock."  And the reply of Jack nailer, the anger in her voice as she said it, and pure passion and almost force of soul behind it chilled me. The other doctor said, "You’re in shock."  And she replied in the above kind of way, "I’M IN HELL!"  It wasn’t so much the words she said as the way she said it, as it sparked a stirring in me, of a memory,  that went on for years. And she put into words, in a particuarly way, the words in those years I had never been able to express.  I haven’t liked this woman because of her behaviour, but in that instant,  my heart melted, knowing the depth soul felt pain it came from up close and personal.  Yes, its only fiction; and yes, I know its not real. But sometimes those programmes and do and can reflect aspects of actual life.  And the words said with such passion of, "I’M IN HELL!" as she walked away and got her motorcycle,  refusing to let anyone near her because of the soul pain she felt,   continue to haunt me at times, because its stirred an echo in my own soul, that I’m not entirely sure is all in the past.  As life as it is,  can sometimes feel like a living hell.

Self-love

September 27, 2007

I’m sicker at the moment; in agony in my body, pretty distraught in spirit, and feeling tortured in mind. As I lay here not knowing where this latest bout of increaesd illness may take me, I see images in my minds eye; images of myself as I used to be just a few short years ago before this illness came out in this way, and everything started to change. Me, laughing; me with the twinkle in my eye that used to be fairly constant; me with frienads and family that are either dead now, or no longer around in my life. I wonder if this could finally be my death bed, as each time I get sicker, I know its possible, and wondering where I went. How that person I used to be, the person who could walk in a room and create light, by my whacky sense of humour, that both captivated, amused and charmed my friends an family to an extent, to be replaced by a person whose twinkle in the eye has been replaced by a haunted, tortured look. How I am dying alone, when, when well I had so many friends I was almost falling over them. Wondering how I came to this; asking God how he could let it be. Wanting comfort, and warmth, as I lie here weeping feeling cold and only the pain of a very cruel existence. Self-love is the short anwer; it seems to be the sickness and sin of the entire world. We all have it as one of our most dominating sins. Christ said, the greatest love is to lay down his life for his brother, and yet that type of love only Christ was able to be selfless enough to do. Self love has put me into such affliction and state of melancholia by all I endure as a result of it. . We all love ourselves very highly indeed, and certainly rarely love our neighbour as much. None of us fulfill the law that way in my experience. Self love has got the keys to my prison, and locked the door firmly. And those who are propogators of it to such an extent, just a short distance away, are oblvious of what self-love has wrought in my life, by afflicting the afflicted, to a degree that feels like its crucifying me. Christ’s friends also foresake him in his hour of need. He too felt abandoned by the Father because of what He suffered.

Lord preserve us and cure us of the disease of self-love. And learn to be more like Christ.

A Little taste of Heaven–Recommended Reading

September 26, 2007

I saw that at Tim Challies there was a link to a "small list of good books."  And the list is a good one. However my own list would probably differ fairly substantially so thought to compliment other lists of this kind, I would add my own "List."  Mine may have less subjects headings than other lists, owing to me living an extraordinarily secluded and solitary life, though being house bound etc,  and my life and walk of faith being atypical to most Christians today.  They are  mostly older books in nature, as I’ve not long ago taken up reading modern books along side them.

Spiritual Disciplines:

Crook in the Lot–Thomas Boston
The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment–Jeremiah Burroughs.
A treatise on Earthly mindedness–Jeremiah Burroughs.
Precious Remedies against Satan’s devices –Thomas Brooks
The Christian in Complete Armour-3 volumes-William Gurnall

Theology


Calvin’s Institutes.
The Westminster Standards
Commentary on the Larger Catechism J.G. Vos.
The shorter Catechism Explained–Vincent Thomas
Body of Divinity–Thomas Watson

Devotional

Morning and Evening-Spurgeon.
Heart Aflame–Daily REadings from the Psalms–John Calvin
Sabbath Scripture REadings –Thomas Chalmers
Valley of Vision–Arthur Bennet

Church History.

J.A. Wylie–History of Protestantism
History of the Reformation–Merle D’aubigne
The Reformation in Scotland–John Knox
History of the Papacy–J.A. Wylie
Fair Sunshine–Jock Purves

Bible Study helps

Matthew Poole’s commentaries
Calvin’s commentaries
Matthew Henry commentaries

Books for general growth.

Holiness–J.C. Ryle
The Christian’s Great interest–James Guthrie
Calvin’s sermons on Deuteronomy
Idols of the heart–Elyze Fitzpatric

Books aimed towards affliction, adversity or suffering in general.

Observations on Job -James Durham
Affliction -Edith Schaeffer
Dying Thoughts–Richard Baxter
The problem of Pain–C.S. Lewis

Instruments of God's Providence

September 25, 2007

The instruments employed by Providence for you are of special consideration, and the finger of God is clearly seen by us when we persue that meditation. For sometimes great mercies are conveyed to us by very improbably means, and more probable ones laid aside. A stranger is stirred up to do that for you which near relations in nature had no power or will to do for you. Johnathan, a mere stranger to David, clave closer to him, and was more friendly and useful to him than his own brethren, who despised and slighted him. Ministers have found more kindness and respect from strangers than from their own people that are more obliged to them. "A prophet," said Christ, "is not without honour in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house.’ [John Flavel]

Mystery of Providence (Puritan Paperbacks) (Puritan Paperbacks)

Does your blog attract high traffic?

September 25, 2007

Are you one of those sad folks like me, who reguarly checks your blog statistics to see how much traffic and how many visitors you have had? If the trend is up or down? And if down, you sit down and scratch your head, (in my case hoping not to get splinters!) and wonder "what am I doing that’s different or less interesting to readers?"

I found this list of blog tips from Blog Heralds site, about how to attract more visitors and get your blog noticed by search engines and so forth, which I thought may or may not be useful to some of you, depending on if, like me, you are somewhat paranoid about it!

  • Write Every Post With Keyword-Rich Content: Avoid using pronouns like “it” to describe your subject matter and topic. Name it. Use synonyms. Use the words people will use to search through-out your blog post’s content.
  • Write Your Entire Blog with the Same Keyword-Rich Content: When you write on a focused topic, each post on your blog uses the same or similar words redundantly through the entire blog. Google’s Blog Page Rank evaluates your whole blog, not just each post, for related keywords. The more your entire blog has similar, related keywords, the more likely your blog’s content represents “expert” information, thus helping it rise in the ranking.
  • Link to Related Keyword-Rich Content: Who you link to, and their content, plays a role in determining your page ranking score with Google. The links within your post content, blogroll, link lists, and other links are checked. If their keyword-rich content matches your keyword-rich content, then you will score well because you are linking to content related to your blog’s content.
  • Search for Your Blog’s Keywords: If you think you know which keywords really define your blog’s content, search using them. Where does your blog end up in the search results? On page one or two, or 26 or 98? Are you really using those words redundantly through your blog’s content. Check to make sure and edit your content accordingly if you are not.
  • What Do People Search For That Bring Them to Your Blog: Check your blog stats. What keywords are people using to find your blog? Are you using those? Are you writing on those subjects? Should you?
  • Check Your Tags: If you want another way of checking for related content on your blog, and search terms and keywords, check your blog’s tags and categories. Are they all search terms and keywords that help people find content on your blog and with search engines? Do they really represent what you blog about?

Full article at Blog Herald.