Great 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.)
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Commentary, Education, Helps, Love of God, theology | Tagged: Jeremy Walker, Lawrence Blair, Puritans, R.C. Sproul, Thomas Watson | 
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Posted by Chris
Butterflies 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
16 Comments | Commentary, Creation, Education, Helps, LIFE, Love of God, theology | Tagged: Butterfly, Easter 2026, Paul Nelson | Permalink
Posted by Chris
I just finished reading From the Garden to Glory by Bruce Cooper who blogs at the REASONED CASES FOR CHRIST blog. I think every Christian could benefit greatly from reading this excellent work. Bruce examines how God revealed Himself gradually over time, with the Old Testament setting the stage and the New Testament providing fulfillment. Instead of organizing doctrine by topic (like Systematic Theology), Biblical theology tracks the unfolding story of salvation chronologically (redemption history). Bruce covers the entire Bible in 136 pages. I found this very helpful and will be using it as a study reference in the future. Follow the link below to find that Bruce has provided a freely available link to a PDF of this work. May God bless your studies of His Word! -CR
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Directions for profitable Reading the Holy Scriptures. Direct. 6
“Bring not a carnal mind, which savoreth only fleshly things and is enslaved to those sins which the Scripture doth condemn.
For the carnal mind is enmity against God, and neither is, nor can be subject to His Law (Rom 8:7-8). And the things of God are not discerned by the mere natural man, for they are foolishness to him, and they must be spiritually discerned (2Co 2:14); and enmity is an ill expositor. It will be quarrelling with all and making faults in the Word which findeth so many faults in you. It will hate that Word which cometh to deprive you of your most sweet and dearly beloved sin. Or, if you have such a carnal mind and enmity, believe it not, any more than a partial and wicked enemy should be believed against God Himself, Who better understandeth what He hath written, than any of His foolish enemies.“
(…to be continued)
(e) Rom. 8: 7, 8.
(f) 2 Cor. 2:14
From A Body of Practical Divinity, or A Christian Directory, Vol. 3
Richard Baxter (Click on this link for a short Biography)
Richard Baxter (Click on this link for a longer Biography)
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Posted by Chris
Directions for profitable Reading the Holy Scriptures. Direct. 5
‘Remember that it is a universal law and doctrine, written for the most ignorant as well as for the curious; and therefore must be suited in plainness to the capacity of the simple, and yet have matter to exercise the most subtle wits; and that God would have the style, to savour more of the innocent weakness of the instruments, than the matter.’ Therefore be not offended or troubled when the style doth seem less polite than you might think beseemed the Holy Ghost; nor at the plainness of some parts, or the mysteriousness of others : but adore the wisdom and tender condescension of God to his poor creatures.
(…to be continued)
Richard Baxter (Click on Mr. Baxter’s name to learn more about him.)
From A Body of Practical Divinity, or A Christian Directory, Vol. 3.
“As a writer, few men have written more, or to better purpose. His books, for number and variety of matter, might form a library. They contain a treasure of controversial, casuistical, positive, and practical divinity. Such at least was the opinion of the judicious Dr. Bates; nor was he alone of this sentiment. The excellent bishop Wilkins did not hesitate to assert, ‘That he had cultivated every subject he had handled.'”
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Posted by Chris
Directions for profitable Reading the Holy Scriptures. Direct. 4
Remember that it is a doctrine of unseen things, and of the greatest mysteries; and therefore come not to it with arrogance as a judge, but with humility as a learner or disciple: and if any thing seem difficult or improbable to you, suspect your own unfurnished understanding, and not the sacred Word of God. If a learner in any art or science, will suspect his teacher and his books, whenever he is stalled, or meeteth with that which seemeth unlikely to him, his pride would keep possession for his ignorance, and his folly were like to be uncurable.
From A Body of Practical Divinity, or A Christian Directory, Vol. 3.
Richard Baxter (Click on Mr. Baxter’s name to learn more about him.)
“As a writer, few men have written more, or to better purpose. His books, for number and variety of matter, might form a library. They contain a treasure of controversial, casuistical, positive, and practical divinity. Such at least was the opinion of the judicious Dr. Bates; nor was he alone of this sentiment. The excellent bishop Wilkins did not hesitate to assert, ‘That he had cultivated every subject he had handled;’ and the learned and ingenious Dr. Barrow gives this as his judgment concerning them, ‘That his practical works were never mended, and his controversial ones seldom confuted.’ Mr. Calamy tells us, ‘That the books he wrote amounted to more than one hundred and twenty,’ and an Editor, who published a Life of Mr. Baxter says, ‘He has seen one hundred and forty-five distinct Treatises, whereof four were folios, seventy-three quartos, forty-nine octavos, and nineteen twelves and twenty fours, besides single sheets, separate Sermons, and at least twenty-five Prefaces to other men’s works.'”
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Posted by Chris
“I sometimes think that the very essence of the whole Christian position and the secret of a successful spiritual life is just to realize two things…I must have complete, absolute confidence in God and no confidence in myself.”
Martyn Lloyd-Jones (Click on Martyn’s name to find out a bit about him.)
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Posted by Chris
“Christian contentment is that sweet, inward, quiet, gracious frame of spirit, which freely submits to and delights in God’s wise and fatherly disposal in every condition.”
Jeremiah Burroughs (Click on Jeremiah’s name at left to learn a bit about him.)
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Posted by Chris
Directions for profitable Reading the Holy Scriptures. Direct. 3
Remember that it is the will and testament of your Lord, and the covenant of most full and gracious promises; which all your comforts, and all your hopes of pardon and everlasting life are built upon. Read it therefore with love and great delight. Value it a thousand fold more than you would do the letters of your dearest friend, or the deeds by which you hold your lands; or any thing else of low concernment. If the law was sweeter to David than honey, and better than thousands of gold and silver, and was his delight and meditation all the day, O what should the sweet and precious Gospel be to us!
From A Body of Practical Divinity, or A Christian Directory, Vol. 3.
(…to be continued)
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Posted by Chris
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Wings of the Wind 
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
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