Whatever stands against God, or thinks to stand without him, cannot stand long.
Matthew Henry (Click on name at left for short biography)
Quotes #47…Matthew Henry 1662 – 1714
May 4, 2026
10 Comments | 
Commentary, Education, Helps, Love of God, theology | Tagged: Matthew Henry | 
Permalink
Posted by Chris
Why was the Reformation necessary?
April 30, 2026I would like to thank Tom of excatholic4christ for publishing this important video. I grew up in a church that discussed the Reformation quite a bit and have been surprised throughout my life as I’ve discovered how few churches discuss this important time in history. Every believer should know about the Reformation and why it was necessary.
7 Comments | Commentary, Education, Helps, Love of God, theology | Tagged: excatholic4christ, Mike Gendron, The Reformation | Permalink
Posted by Chris
Quotes #46…William Perkins 1558–1602
April 27, 2026The word of God must be our rule and square whereby we are to frame and fashion all our actions.
William Perkins (A short Biography of William Perkins)
Puritan Theological Method: The Theological Precision and Pastoral Fervor of William Perkins and Richard Sibbes
7 Comments | Commentary, Education, Love of God, theology | Tagged: Paul Schlehlein, Sinclair Ferguson, William Perkins | Permalink
Posted by Chris
The Jerusalem Artichoke and the Ladybug
April 24, 2026
The garden is coming along. The biggest surprise in the past year has been my introduction of Jerusalem artichokes to the few things I attempt to grow. They are also called sunchokes. They are knobby, edible tubers from a type of sunflower. They are not related to artichokes nor are they from Jerusalem.
You can click here if you want to find out how they were named.
I left the picture enlarged so that you can see the nice foliage on the plant. Because they are a species of sunflower they eventually put out long stems with small yellow flowers at the ends.
I only grow things that are easy to grow. Jerusalem artichokes have fit that description perfectly. The tubers from the plant can be eaten raw, cooked, or pickled. I have no problem eating a raw one that’s been cleaned. My wife bakes them after cutting them into slices. She sprays them with olive oil cooking spray and then she is pretty generous with the salt and garlic powder. Her last batch was delicious. If you like a bit of a kick you can add pepper. The pepper is too much for me.
I am not a great gardener but these plants have been very productive for me. There is only one drawback. It’s the wind that they may produce. That’s right, flatulence or flatus may be a result of eating them. Between my wife and I, I am the one that has windy results. So, if you are raising boys, particularly those in their teens, proceed with caution.
If you are looking for something easy to grow that is quite productive. you may want to give Jerusalem artichokes a try.
God’s blessings…
Chris Reimers
28 Comments | Commentary, Creation, Education, LIFE | Tagged: Jerusalem Artichoke, Ladybug | Permalink
Posted by Chris
Quote #45…Richard Baxter (8) 1615-1691
April 20, 2026Directions for profitable Reading the Holy Scriptures. Direct. 7
‘Compare one place of Scripture with another, and expound the darkest by the help of the plainest, and the fewer expressions by the more frequent and ordinary, and the more doubtful points by those which are most certain;’ and not on the contrary.
(…to be continued)
From A Body of Practical Divinity, or A Christian Directory, Vol. 3
As I continue to learn more about the Puritans, just like mine some of their warts are beginning to become apparent. Some of these “warts” are serious and some are not. I have found these Ten Directions for profitable Reading the Holy Scriptures to be quite insightful and much of what Baxter wrote and did was productive. I continue to learn more about Mr. Baxter and I have found that, though many hold him in high regard, there is one important question that is brought up about him. From more than one source I have found that Baxter became disturbed by the antinomianism he saw amongst the soldiers in Cromwell’s army. Of course Baxter had every right to be deeply disturbed by the excessive antinomianism he saw but it led him to a position on Justification that seems wrong. He knew the reformed views of Justification in his time, as far as I’m aware, but his views changed over time and he came up with something “original.” Baxter is primarily associated with starting and promoting the theological views that became known as neonomianism. Many who were solid on Reformed orthodoxy found Baxter’s new formulation upsetting. The more I read the more I don’t blame them. For a deeper dive, check out this article and video and go from there:
NOT BY FAITH ALONE: The Neonomianism of Richard Baxter (1615–91)
Was Richard Baxter a Heretic? ***Bow Tie Dialogue with Tom Hicks***
By the way, this is a serious bump in the road but by no means will it keep me from publishing the remaining three directions from Baxter that I think are beneficial. Because I’m finding that Baxter may have been in error on the important subject of Justification, I will probably post the remaining three “Directions” in one post. At the same time, until I find that Baxter’s ideas about Justification were correct (and I’m finding just the opposite at present), I will not put up any other posts about Baxter after that.
Chris Reimers
Research articles about Baxter’s Neonomianiam:
Reformed and Lutheran Responses to Richard Baxter: Theological Heterodoxy and the Synod of Dort
Refuting Arguments for Neonomianism
Neonomian Presbyterians vs Antinomian Congregationalists?
Guilty, Not Guilty
“Richard Baxter accused John Owen of antinomianism, and Owen returned the favor by warning about Baxter’s neonomianism.”
Richard Baxter: A Strange Theological Mix
“Happily, these erroneous doctrines do not surface much in Baxter’s devotional writings, which are geared mainly to encourage one’s sanctification rather than to teach theology.”
Neither Antinomian nor Neonomian
The Grace of the Law
“It is a study of the seventeenth century debates around Antinomianism and Neonomianism in which he guides the reader through the main issues with honesty, letting the participants speak for themselves and demonstrating how our Puritan forefathers brought the teaching of the Bible to combat both errors.”
Baxter’s Soup and Wright’s Soap
Includes interesting thoughts on N.T. Wright’s theology
Richard Baxter on The Importance of Hard Work
Was Richard Baxter Orthodox on Justification?
6 Comments | Commentary, Education, Helps, Love of God, theology | Tagged: antinomianism, neonomianism, Richard Baxter | Permalink
Posted by Chris
Roman Catholicism Through the Lens of Scripture
April 17, 2026Tom of the excatholic4christ blog continues to post a 10 part series by Mike Gendron on the differences between Biblical Christianity and Roman Catholicism. This is the third post of seven that he has published that I have re-blogged because it is easily understood and much needed. Mike Gendron, the presenter, spent over 30 years in the Catholic Church before he realized their were great differences between what he was being taught and what was in scripture. I think everyone should know what their church teaches. So many Protestants and Catholics attend services and don’t know some of the basics that their church statements teach. We are all on a learning curve and, I believe, the Bible is our guide. I will be re-blogging a post at the end of the 10 part series that Tom plans to publish which includes all 10 videos. I appreciate Tom’s efforts to help Catholics navigate places other than the Bible that their leaders believe are equal (though in places contradictory) to what the Bible teaches.
5 Comments | Commentary, Education, Helps, Love of God, theology | Tagged: Catholicism, excatholic4christ, Mike Gendron | Permalink
Posted by Chris
Divine Interpositions
April 13, 2026The British passenger paddle steamer SS Princess Alice sank on 3 September 1878 when it collided with the collier SS Bywell Castle in the River Thames. It killed 600-700 people, making it Britain’s deadliest inland waterway accident. The collision happened on Tuesday and Charles Spurgeon stepped into his pulpit on Sunday, as he did every Sunday in that time, to deliver his sermon. This is the sermon that he preached using God’s Word and the Holy Spirit as his guide.
I would like to thank Sherry of the He Hath Said blog who has been faithfully sharing the works of Charles H. Spurgeon for years. I have probably learned more from Mr. Spurgeon (not counting Jesus) than from any other man through the works he has left us. I hope you are blessed, as I was, following along with this sermon. Sherry has provided a link to the sermon text so that you can follow along with the video.
Chris Reimers
9 Comments | Commentary, Education, Helps, Love of God, Sermons, theology | Tagged: British S.S. Princess Alice, Charles Haddon Spurgeon, He Hath Said | Permalink
Posted by Chris
Quotes #44…Thomas Watson 1620-1686
April 8, 2026Great was the work of creation, but greater was the work of redemption. Great wisdom was seen in making us—but more miraculous wisdom in saving us. Great power was seen in bringing us out of nothing—but greater power in helping us when we were worse than nothing. In the creation, God gave us ourselves; in the redemption, He gave us Himself.
Thomas Watson (Click on Watson’s name at left to read a short Biography.)
15 Comments | Commentary, Education, Helps, Love of God, theology | Tagged: Jeremy Walker, Lawrence Blair, Puritans, R.C. Sproul, Thomas Watson | Permalink
Posted by Chris
Butterflies are a Miracle
April 5, 2026Butterflies symbolize transformation, metamorphosis, and spiritual rebirth. If I didn’t know that, I still would have always liked butterflies. Butterflies are a wonder of God’s creation. -cr
14 Comments | Commentary, Creation, Education, Helps, LIFE, Love of God, theology | Tagged: Butterfly, Easter 2026, Paul Nelson | Permalink
Posted by Chris
Wings of the Wind 
Tomato Teepee 2026
May 7, 2026It was a cloudy day today but this picture still gives you an idea of this year’s tomato structure. It was made specifically for growing tomatoes. The structure is supported by four 10 foot fencing posts driven deep enough that there should be no stability issues. The rest is mainly bamboo that I’ve dried from a stand of bamboo that I’ve been trying to get rid of for years now. Each plant is in a 10 to 20 gallon grow pot (made of fabric) and filled with potting soil. The reason for the fencing is that I have a semi-lame cat named Daniel (after Lieutenant Dan) who thinks the grow pots are his and he loves to lay on them. The fencing is high enough that he will not try climbing over. The other cat that we belong to could easily make it over but she isn’t interested. I have left a few of the half-filled pots specifically for Daniel in his favorite places.
On this day there is no sun because we had a good rain last night and more is on the way. I am always thankful to the good Lord for rain. There is a larger garden area on the property but because of Oak trees, some pine trees, and a nice hickory tree that I refuse to cut down, the area designed for a garden gets little sun. So, this is my effort in a sunny area. This area did pretty well last year. I know the plants are too close together but I’ve packed them closer together before so I continue to experiment. Every year this thing looks a bit different. It is larger this year as each year I’ve continued to add more pots. I’m behind the professional growers because I start my plants from seed and am in no hurry as we have such a long growing season. If you click on the picture to enlarge it you might be able to see the little yellow flowers where a few tomatoes are already forming. I have several varieties in this small area so I know I might get some cross pollination but that only makes things more interesting. In this space there are Beefsteak tomatoes, Betterboy tomatoes, Cosmonaut Volkov tomatoes, Roma tomatoes, and a few Sun Gold cherry tomato plants.
To keep the foliage and disease down, I pinch out the suckers of the plant varieties that are indeterminate. The Romas (determinates) are the only ones I don’t bother doing that with. This keeps things under control as the season continues. Each plant will only have one main stem growing up each piece of bamboo. To keep certain bugs away, each pot contains one or more marigold plants. Some say they also keep snakes away. By the end of the season, I should have marigolds in many places. They are so easy to grow and transplant.
I do use a touch of miracle grow when the seedlings are developing and I make sure to use a pinch of lime in my growing media. By the time the plants are the size of the ones in this picture, I use only organic fertilizers and the pest control is all safe for humans. I spray the plants a few times a year with a BT/Cal-Mag/Kelp combo spray that I mix that is over 95% water. That keeps the hornworms down some. I do end up having to remove some hornworms by hand every year.
And that’s this year’s attempt. I’ll probably write two more posts on this thing during the growing season. I’m curious to see how it does and you might be too.
God’s blessings…
Chris Reimers
Share this: