The Parson’s View: All Hallow’s Eve & All Saints Day

I have to say it–I don’t like Halloween. I have my reasons, and in my mind, they are good ones. Maybe part of the reason I’m grumpy about Halloween is that I cut my finger carving up a pumpkin this evening. No…that’s not my problem!
It is too gory, too dark, and has far too much [...]

Kentucky’s Natural Bridge

In our church, we have a group who takes monthly educational and fellowship-building trips. We call them “the Travelers” and I’m the “designated driver” for the group unless some urgent pastoral need arises. This month’s trip was to Natural Bridge State Park.
Natural Bridge is in Powell County, Kentucky and it is one of the most [...]

The Starting Place…

I want to revisit a quote I made from Calvin’s Institutes of the Christian Religion about the starting place for all theology, worship, doctrine and morals. This is what he said:
“Man never attains to a true self-knowledge until he have previously contemplated the face of God, and come down after such contemplation to look into [...]

The importance of Contemplation of Christ

The Sunday School class I teach is studying Hebrews. Hebrews 3:1  says “Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;”
Consider here is κατανοησατε in the Greek. It means to “observe fully.” Thayer’s lexicon renders it “consider attentively, fix eyes or mind upon.” How important [...]

Frontier Faith At Jamestown

This is the memorial church at Jamestown. The tower dates back to the late 1600s, but the church behind it was built in 1907 as a tribute to the earlier churches that stood on the site.
The earlier settlers had a brick church by 1620, it appears. That building stood until Bacon’s Rebellion in 1676, when [...]

Contentment!

Whate’er My God Ordains Is Right.

Can we always affirm that assertion in our lives? I think God desires us to do so, and I think as we mature in the faith we can.
In 1676, this hymn was composed by Samuel Rodigast in German, and the English translation was done by Catherine Winkworth in 1863.
Indelible Grace [...]

God Often Speaks in the Silences

In the calendar of the Church of England, August 30 corresponds with the “Twelfth Sunday After Trinity.” The Gospel reading selected for that day is Mark 7:31-37.
Sometimes I follow this old lectionary with my own preaching, for it affords a way of keeping the great themes of Scripture before my people, especially in connection with [...]

Feasting On the Riches Of His Word…

On Saturday, I bought the ESV Study Bible, and it has been a real joy to use. I am not an official spokesman for the Crossway Publishing Company, but I hope that they will allow me to give a “plug” for their study Bible! Readers of this blog and anyone who attends our church know [...]

The Secret Things of God

Sunday Morning’s Sermon
Deuteronomy 29:29  The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.
The whole chapter is a time of renewing the covenant between the children of Israel and the LORD. [...]

A post on heaven…

Dear Readers,
Yesterday’s posting about the doctrine of hell has gotten quite a bit of traffic. Today, I wanted to put up a couple of links about heaven, and I encourage you to read one or both of them, as your time permits.
First, here is a short message about heaven from J.C. Ryle. Frequent readers of [...]