Psalm 119: The Complete and full-orbed alphabet of Heaven by Dr John Douglas of Lisburn Free Presbyterian Church is a seminal work on that most wonderful and all-encompassing of Psalms – Chapter 119.  I’ve read it twice now (there are also sermons on it available on sermon audio), and reading it alongside the Scripture helps to shed a light on the great truths therein.  The organisational structure of the chapter, together with the deft fluidity of movement from one spiritual gem to the next becomes more apparent as you read through the book.

I’m particularly fond of the Psalms, being from a Reformed background, and can honestly say this hardback is worth purchasing.  To do justice to the book would involve more than a short review could contain, but I leave you with a synopsis that should leave you wanting more…

The cover of the book condensed (I’ve paraphrased the words of Dr Douglas):

First: this is the longest of all the Psalms and is prominent and pertinent because of this alone.

Second: there is a strong use of the Hewbrew Alphabet in revealing the Psalm to us.  The reader can see that each sequential letter of Hebrew script is a “Divinely given, living emblem of the heritage of Gods people”.

Third: a special feature is its intense concentration on Scripture; the Psalm celebrates the written Word to a degree seen in no other part of the Word of God.

Fourth: this volume is suitable for family devotions to help supply uplifting guidance for each day, ministering lessons to young and old alike.

For the young man seeking to lead a holy life and to eschew evil, Psalm 119 is the Psalm for you.

This book has convinced many of that the reformed viewpoint of God’s sovereignty is the only Biblical view. But one has to be careful; you just might not like what you read!

A female friend of mine said this book caused her much emotional turmoil. When she tried to read it, she had to keep putting it down. The idea of God being absolutely sovereign simply went against her feeling of how things should be. But fortunately, she kept reading the book. And most importantly, she looked up all of the Scripture verses Pink mentioned. And after much study and emotional turmoil, she finally submitted to the Biblical teaching on sovereignty.

Pink references many, many Bible verses with an excellent application of each of his points. He says nothing without backing it up substantially from God’s Word. I have found that modern writers on God’s Sovereignty seem to read this book, throwaway most of the Bible verses, and keep only a handful of Mr Pink’s points. It says much for the calibre of the writer when he is willing to hold up the measuring tape of Scripture to his arguments.

A warning though, be prepared for some emotional turmoil, and most of all, to look up lots of Scripture verses. By the way, I think he wrote over 60 books and pamphlets, some of which I have read like “The Antichrist” and “Doctrine of Justification”, but I particularly like his Beatitudes – perhaps my next book review!

What a comfort to all of us who have gone through trials and painful times – to know that he is Sovereign, and ruler over everyone, everything and every situation you find yourself in!

It has been said “Those who do not read history are doomed to repeat it.”

Let not that be said of the Christian reader.

In a day when there seems to be a superficiality in much of modern-day Christianity, it is not without note that the study of Church history is in decline.

Without history we must rely upon our own limited understanding and experience alone. Certainly, God gives wisdom, but often that wisdom comes through the recorded experiences of others.

This book outlines the thrilling story of the onward march of the Church of Christ from apostolic times to the end of the 19th century.

It is not a dry-as-dust account of long-forgotten events and controversies, but rather a moving record of those who undertook the adventure of faith before us and, through their courage and steadfastness, left an example for the church in every age.

Reading of the exploits of those who have gone before us, through times of prosperity and times of persecution, should stimulate, warn and encourage the church in our own age to persevere in the same path, and obtain the same everlasting reward.

I really should write a bad review for it, but whilst looking for a good book on Church History I bought “Sketches…” and “Church History in Plain Language” by bruce Shelley. don’t buy the latter, as he talks about the megachurches, seeker-sensitive and user-friendly churches as a part of “true church history”. I believe these man-centred churches in the main to be anathema to God, and NOT a true reflection of Gods church remnant on this earth. AVOID!

I first read this book online, and I had to order a few copies. There is very little that is preached in the pulpit today that sounds like this. It is so foundational and sound from a biblical stand point that it really is a must read.

This book is a collection of Ryle’s sermons and he conveys his messages clearly and bluntly. He’s very direct and pulls no punches when it comes to sound doctrine and defending the faith (many times from the heretical errors and influences of the Roman Catholic Church). Ryle’s contention throughout the book is that holiness should be one of the major components of a Christian’s life.

It’s very hard to find a good, biblically sound book that was written within the last century. They are out there, but are not so common. (Error and compromise is pervasive in our time). Many of you know exactly what I’m talking about. If you want good, solid teaching you have to read books from the 19th century or earlier. This book is one of those shining examples that lends support to my theory.

I firmly believe that if more Christians read books like this instead of the junk they read today (and the copious amounts of television to boot) they’d have a greater growth in their walk. And if more pastors preached like this, their church numbers might become smaller, but they would be making an actual impact on the world.

If I may be so bold, I would like to reprint some of his words here-

“I have had a deep conviction for many years that practical holiness and entire self-consecration to God are not sufficiently attended to by modern Christians in this country. Politics, or controversy, or party-spirit, or worldliness, have eaten out the heart of lively piety in too many of us. The subject of personal godliness has fallen sadly into the background.

The standard of living has become painfully low in many quarters. The immense importance of “adorning the doctrine of God our Saviour” ( Titus 2:10), and making it lovely and beautiful by our daily habits and tempers, has been far too much overlooked. Worldly people sometimes complain with reason that “religious” persons, so-called, are not so amiable and unselfish and good-natured as others who make no profession of religion.

Yet sanctification, in its place and proportion, is quite as important as justification. Sound Protestant and Evangelical doctrine is useless if it is not accompanied by a holy life. It is worse then useless; it does positive harm. It is despised by keen-sighted and shrewd men of the world, as an unreal and hollow thing, and brings religion into contempt. It is my firm impression that we want a thorough revival about Scriptural holiness. and I am deeply thankful that attention is being directed to the point.”

Amen to that!

“SANCTIFICATION is one of the most glorious gifts which, by the Covenant of Grace, the Mediator bestows upon the saint. It covers his entire mental, spiritual, and physical nature. We -should, therefore, thoroughly understand it, and learn how to obtain it, and every believer, whatever the measure of his faith, should be fully aware of his attitude toward it; for erroneous views concerning this will surely lead us astray from the living Christ.”  A. Kuyper, 1900 – says it better than I can!

I am from Kansas, and although we have many fine preachers, I hear very little of true biblical holiness espoused from the podium. Is it something that was for older generations – the Puritanical, straight-laced types – or is it for the generation of today? I enjoyed this book because it caused me to reflect on how Christ-like our own lives were. It turned out that not every aspect of our lives was subject to the same striving for holiness as other aspects. We tried with Gods help in some areas, and did what was good in our own eyes in others. Pentecostals like to cite their “whole body” worship in which they hand over their lives to God. Most times it just aint real. Read this book, and understand the level of holiness God expects from His children.

Genesis. The first book of Moses. Rightly the first Book of the Bible as it is a book of beginnings from the Beginning. I can only agree with Ham in that we must start at the beginning with a firm, solid, irrefutable foundation, and then interpret the rest of Scripture. To do otherwise, or even to reject the account of creation, the whole Bible is called into question and its infallibility fails.

I admit that before i wrote this review I read quite a few reviews on this book on amazon.com: mainly negative ones from humanists, evolutionists, atheists, Christ-haters and even some deluded so-called Christians. I found their words a resounding endorsement of Hams’ position. He is obviously doing something right when they take issue with his “blatant bias” towards biblical Christianity. I’m glad one of our creationist leaders is so well-grounded in God’s Word.

People say that this book lacks scientific substance. Ham doesn’t purport to be an expert in science, and this book is not exactly a scientific thesis. However, this book attacks the dangers of mixing the humanist and Christian worldviews and only cracks the surface on the scientific holes that are in the religion of evolution and the strategies to brainwash our children. If you are a professional who wonders about creation and the Bible and how it all relates with the Biology classes you took in high school and college on your way to a non-science degree – this book is for you. If you are a scientist with a questioning mind, read some other books on creation.

Highly recommended as a grounding in the evolution:creation debate for Christians and non-Christians alike.

For those of us who believe that, on one hand, we cannot recommend the recent literary offerings emanating from Philip Yancey / Rick Warren / Joel Osteen etc, yet still see the desperate need for an uncompromising clarion call to challenge the formalism, coldness, one dimensional conditional sanctificationism and (sometimes) cruel phariseeism / legalism into which much of the evangelical church has sunk – The Bruised Reed by Richard Sibbes comes as a very welcome and challenging breath of fresh air.

In fact, it ought to have the same circulation amongst evangelical Christians, church leaders, pastors, trainee pastors and Christian workers that Yancey, Warren and Osteen’s books do. For pastors, it should be on a par with Spurgeon’s ‘Lectures to My Students’. It truly melted me and convicted my heart when I read it.

This book irresistibly forces the reader to look and linger into something of the incomprehensible grace of Christ. And then, almost without saying anything at all (oh the genius of the puritan writers), Sibbes causes us to reflect on our own very poor reflections of that great grace in our own lives. His book shows how we are to have the same relation to Christ that the moon has to the sun. Christ, our sun, sends his grace/light to us….and we, as his moon, reflect that/light grace to the whole globe.

Our author is frequently referred to amongst puritans as ‘the heavenly Doctor Sibbes’. When you read this book, you will understand why. I want my church to be strong, and that is one reason that I am giving a copy of this book to each person in my congregation for 25th December – I see it as an investment in my people, sowing something great into their lives.

When someone in my church wants to be a pastor, The Bruised Reed is one of the first books that I buy them. It was once said that, when evangelical preachers went on their summer holidays each year, they should take a copy of Ryle’s book ‘Christian Leaders of the 18th Century’ (one of my favourite books) with them – I agree with that advice, I’d advise them to take ‘The Bruised Reed’ with them as well.

You leave the Bruised Reed wanting to spend more time with [1] the Lord, [2] other writings by Sibbes (I understand Banner of Truth have republished his complete works………..I’m not overly keen on Christmas but if someone wants to give me these volumes as a present, I’ll not be offended), [3] other puritan writings (especially Sibbes, Watson, Venn, Baxter and Rutherford’s letters).

The Upper Room is a showcase of J C Ryle’s papers, providing a general sweep of his life and ministry through his teachings. From sermons such as “One Blood”, in which he charges the reader to never give up the ‘plenary inspiration’ of the whole Bible, the doctrine of the Blood of Christ, or to neglect brotherly love, we are given a broad yet wholesome oversight of his work.

I particularly liked his “thoughts for young men”. His attention to his flock, and to the young men (his leaders of the future) is something which we should seek to emulate as ministers of the Gospel. Singling out those whose duty it will be to carry forth the gospel, bear office in the church and lead from the front, he directs some truth-laden teaching which we could all make use of.

I found this book to be an encouragement whilst a freshman seeking to serve God and live by His standards. J C Ryles’ timeless style is timeless because he sets forth the Word of God in it’s own immutable style – one that is not bound by time nor space.

“The Reason for God in an Age of Scepticisim” – It is my belief that there are too few people out there willing to take on the likes of Christopher Hitchens or Richard Dawkins.

Within the book Keller does not make the classical distinction between believers and unbelievers, but rather between believers and skeptics. His thesis depends on this distinction between unbeliever and skeptic because, he says, we all believe something.

Even skeptics have a kind of faith hidden within their reasoning. Understanding what we believe about belief is crucial. His thesis is this: “If you come to recognise the beliefs on which your doubts about Christianity are based, and if you seek as much proof for those beliefs as you seek from Christians for theirs—you will discover that your doubts are not so solid as they first appeared.”

He seeks to prove that thesis in the book’s first part. In a section entitled “Leap of Doubt” he answers 7 main doubts that unbelievers have -

1. There can’t be just one true religion

2. A good God could not allow suffering

3. Christianity is a straitjacket

4. The church is responsible for so much injustice

5. A loving God would not send people to hell

6. Science has disproved Christianity

7.You can’t take the Bible literally

What I enjoyed about this book (and I didn’t necessarily agree with everything I have to say) was that it did not rely on that safest of all fallback positions – “God’s ways aren’t man’s ways” and “when we all get to heaven we’ll understand”.

Sceptics will be able to lift this book and compare / contrast it to Dawkin’s tomes. Anyone with any kind of open mind will see that what Keller says is sense – thus enabling them to study the bible, and what is says to them, for themselves.

Well worth a read and I would pass it on to an unsaved friend.

I was particularly interested to revisit Puritan teachings when i bought this book, and was pleasantly rewarded with a fresh view of God’s teaching regarding our own individual Spirituality.

This book reinforces, by looking at the reformers in the historical context and their application of biblical truths, the absolute centrality of the Bible in the Christian life, the necessity of God’s provided means of grace, and personal holiness from a proper understanding of God and what He has done for us in Christ.

In this wonderful book we meet John Calvin, reformer extraordinaire; then we encounter the learned Dr. William Ames and the insightful Anthony Burgess. Others include John Brown of Haddington, the great Thomas Boston, and the remarkable brothers, Ebenezer and Ralph Erskine. I for one had never heard of some of these great men, but by their lives and teachings it is clear that we have some way to go if we are to get back to the Puritan ideal – purely biblical Christianity.

I am a pastor of a Baptist church, and I have recommended this book from my pulpit. I believe this demonstrates the high regard I have for this fine compendium, and i would encourage all with a view to investing their time in the study of Puritanical teaching to avail themselves of this book.

Joel beeke is one of the best contemporary Christian authors – his ability to write godly literature that is palatable to all Bible-believing denominations coupled with his humility which is obvious in his writings are the two reasons I really enjoy him.  PS- rest of title is A Practical Theological Study from our Reformed and Puritan Heritage…

“Launch Out Into the Deep” is like a much needed spring shower for the young Christians and even adults that find themselves faced with a drought of relevant and appropriate reading material in this “let it all hang out – Reality T.V.” world we live in today. The author touches on some of the more critical yet, rarely discussed issues that people, especially young adults face today. Unlike so many other Christian authors who try to force feed readers with the “Word,” this book is an easy read that makes the “Word” reality with inspirational writing and poems.