Where will your church be five or ten years from now? With the adoption of contemporary worship, many have changed beyond recognition. This is one of the most important issues confronting Bible churches today, and here is why.

What is meant by the day of the Lord? It is clear that Peter is speaking about the very end of time, when the Lord will come, the skies will pass away, and the earth melt and be burned up.…

'Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.' We usually consider these famous words in an evangelistic context, urging seekers to come to Christ. But we realise they…

It is a glorious sight to see a church where the people work willingly to press forward the Gospel and to keep the coals of the testimony glowing hot. Pastors and elders will need to initiate a programme, enthuse God’s…

The concept of pilgrimage is tremendously important to the Christian, especially today when an increasing number of evangelicals advocate being ‘culturally relevant’, exhorting us to be like the world. The very word ‘pilgrim’ reminds us of our duty to be…

'But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed’ (James 1.14). We often hear it said, ‘It is not a sin to be tempted. It only becomes sin when you succumb to temptation.’…

Like no other agency, Sunday Schools enable us to reach and draw a large part of the rising generation to the Saviour. Indeed, whether or not a congregation contains young people saved from the neighbourhood will usually depend on whether…

Gossip has been defined as idle talk or compulsive news-mongering, including the spreading of groundless rumour. Do we indulge in it? To see the ugliness of it and its effect upon the church ought surely to make us think, and…

Spiritual joy is a deep cheerfulness and gladness of heart. It is happiness and a calm spirit. It comes to us as the direct result of knowing Christ Jesus, along with all that he has done for us, and will…

It is the will of God that people will be consciously awakened and convicted to experience a sincere desire for God’s mercy and a change of thinking. They must see their need, and what Christ has done, and come (as…

The apostle is about to unfold the great 'cycle' of spiritual experience for Christian workers by teaching the golden chain of pressures (prayer: encouragement: thanksgiving). He wants all Christians to see pressures turn into spiritual encouragements, such as deliverances, provisions,…

Does the Bible teach definitively that the charismatic gifts have ceased? The ceasing of revelatory and sign-gifts in the time of the apostles is so plainly taught in God’s Word, that the opposite view has only seriously appeared in the…

Why was the sabbath day instituted by the Lord, and in what way has it changed with the coming of Christ? How should it be kept? This article responds to these and other questions, showing that the sabbath principle is…

A massive revolution has been under way for years. A ‘new society’ is under construction, with entirely new thinking and morality. God has been dismissed and most traditional morality trampled upon and scorned. There is no source of guidance outside…

A new form of Calvinism took the shape of a movement around 2005, but it differed in its acceptance of ‘the world’. 'New Calvinism' is not a resurgence of the old but an entirely novel formula which strips the doctrine…

Growth means dependence upon God, communion with Christ, daily engagement in holiness, prayer and proclamation. We cannot select one or two of these but must engage in all. 'But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and…

Faith towers over all other Christian duties throughout the Bible, and congregational, collective or corporate faith is a glorious apostolic aim. Our longing should be that our congregation as a whole will have unwavering confidence in the faithfulness of God,…

The personal indwelling of the Holy Spirit in the believer is such an amazing privilege that the mind never wholly grasps it. A daily succession of joys, temptations and trials produces various reactions in us, often without stirring our awareness…

How do we love God who is invisible? He is seen in creation, in salvation, and also in our experience in the ongoing Christian life. How do we love God who is untouchable? But he is touchable by prayer. How…

Love for our fellow believers is one of the proofs of conversion, and it is certainly essential for pleasing the Lord. Six times in the New Testament love is described as 'philadelphia', meaning 'brotherly love'. Internal clashes and divisions must…

When several virtues are presented as the Christian’s armour, sincerity is the piece which must be donned first as foundational to all others. If not the 'greatest' it is a pivotal virtue. Do we possess it? And do we know…

One of the most beautiful characteristics in a congregation is a sacrificial spirit, and we should greatly desire and work for this. A sacrificial people fulfil the principle of Romans 12.1 – ‘I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies…

How could it be that God allowed the Fall, and all the evil and horror that was brought into the world, when our first parents fell? How was it that sin was ever permitted in the first place? Our limited,…

Ever since Balaam counselled the Moabites to intermarry the Israelites to bring them down, infiltration and compromise has been Satan’s chief strategy for the destruction of faithful evangelicalism. Yet so many believers recoil from obeying the biblical commands to stand…

In Christ ‘there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.’ Neither male nor female is superior to the other in the sight…

We may have a lack of assurance, coldness in prayer, little sense of God, and small desire to pray. Isaiah 50.10 is a good solution – ‘Who is among you... that walketh in darkness, and [yet] hath no light? Let…

In Britain, countless churches have closed and many others have dwindled to a handful. Some, in panic, have yielded to contemporary worship in the hope that this will save the day. But none of this was ever necessary! If only…

It is an astonishing concept for us that Christ Jesus, the Lord of glory, should dearly love his people. Here is an opportunity for us just to skim the surface of that mighty, unspeakable love. He has bound himself to…

There is a central function assigned to local churches, without which nothing else can develop or stand for long. We must strive to produce a consciously learning church, where people love to hear the Word unfolded, its wonders researched, and…

Many Bible-believing Christians, sadly, do not seem to have realised that each one has a personal commission. They think of themselves in a very humble way as recipients of the grace of God, but not as having received a special…

Christ has purchased us, freed us from condemnation, and given us a better life and a glorious eternal home, by His precious blood. How readily we should now pay our due debts to the one God has given us for…

This article could equally be titled 'a well-pastored church'. How effectively do we pastor our churches to produce a sanctified community? Paul sets the standard in these words: ‘Warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we…

It is often claimed by those cynical toward the Bible that Genesis 1 is contradicted by Genesis 2. But it is clear that these arguments are not made by people who read Genesis with any degree of care, because their…

A distinctive gathering for prayer has a special warrant in the New Testament, where we see distinctive prayer meetings described in Acts chapters 1, 4 and 12. These were not preaching meetings, but prayer meetings, convened to besiege the gates…

‘These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe…’ (1 John 5.13). This verse is written for those who…

What are our aims for the shaping of our fellowship and for church growth? In every walk of life, leadership must have a definite set of objectives. Timothy knew exactly what Paul's policy was: ‘But thou hast fully known my…

The idea of two ­natures is, of course, only a portrayal or model or representation. It is invisible to us and mysterious, but to consider it as divided into two conflicting parts is scriptural, enabling believers to see themselves corrupted…

The great decline of the quality of Bible teaching in the last few decades has brought with it the rejection of this precious and fundamental principle – that God has a specific plan and purpose for the life of each of his…

Here is the biography of Simeon in a single verse – four aspects of the life of a true believer for us to aspire to. The passage itself provides headings for a message. He was ‘just’, ‘devout’, ‘waiting for the…

Not surprisingly, more questions are asked about finding God’s direction for marriage than about any other aspect of divine guidance, especially by young people. They also seek the Lord’s will about their future work, but here the mechanics of guidance…

How we view and talk about God’s dealings with us from day to day can have a considerable effect upon our openness to his guidance in the great decisions of life. Many Christians have picked up a manner of thinking…

The third major departure from biblical principles of worship is the modern refusal to accept the great gulf between sacred and profane, so that the entertainment forms of the world are imported into the church for the praise of God.…

In Leviticus, the Lord prescribes very precisely the order and manner of worship. They were not to devise services for themselves, and even in our day of greater liberty we are not to create expressions of worship not seen in…

Ecstatic worship (the opposite to rational worship) takes place when the object of the exercise is to achieve a warm, happy feeling, perhaps great excitement, and even a sense of God’s presence through the earthly, physical aspects of worship such…

‘For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead’ (John 20.9). In the verse quoted above there is a small but vital word that is the foundation of this short article – the…

Aesthetic worshippers believe that genuine praise needs a ‘physical’ dimension greater than mere unison singing. It assumes that God is an ‘aesthete’ – sitting in the heavens and looking down with appreciation at the skill and beauty that we bring…

'This covenant [grace] is the only city of refuge for a distressed soul to fly to for sanctuary, when all the billows and waves of temptation run over him, or Satan doth furiously assault him. If we fly to this armoury, we…

Young men and women are needed who will abandon the fickle, undiscerning way of accepting anything and everything, and take their stand on the authoritative Word of God, proclaiming both the message and the lifestyle of true servants of Christ.…

There is nothing quite like the Ten Commandments for stimulating progress in sanctification, once our minds are primed to see all that they teach. In the New Testament we read that keeping them is an act of love to Christ,…

Sometimes when believers decide where they would like to live or work, almost the last matter considered is their commitment to their church. Is it possible that our criteria for such decisions are out of line with the Lord’s?

Is it wrong to seek advancement, or to possess wealth as a Christian? Believers face career decisions, and need to know if there are clear standards in the Bible governing advancement in the world. Where should the line be drawn…

The Bible does not feature a list of 'permitted' activities and possessions, but it explains the principles which must guide believers in their choices. This is just as well for us, as there are so many pursuits and desirable things…

With Calvary before Him, the Lord spoke these remarkable words – ‘Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.’ From this time Satan would be curbed in his power, still able…

The title of this article is obviously not meant in a charismatic sense. We offer no advice on how to cast out demons, rather on how to help true believers who have been heavily influenced by charismatic ideas such as…

In John 12 there are seven ‘voices’ about the Messiah. There is the voice of the people, first of all. Then the voices of prophecy, the witnesses to the raising of Lazarus, the Pharisees, the Gentiles, Christ speaking of his…

Towards the end of Paul's remarkable letter to the Colossians, written during his first imprisonment in Rome, he names seven men who assisted him at that time, men whose lives have much to teach us, and who continue to challenge…

In Paul's prophecy in 2 Timothy 3, he identifies nineteen prominent sins which will take over society, with the first five being about self. People will unashamedly focus their attention on themselves, being 'lovers of their own selves', so that self-service…

‘Humility of mind’ – what a term! We do not always see this on the evangelical scene today. We see ministers revelling in what they call authority and power and gifts, endlessly expressing their opinions and devising new methods of…

'..if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.’ This is the list to which we…

This article presents the traditional view that we are to seek guidance from the Lord in all the major decisions of life, and he will clarify our thinking, or overrule our circumstances. ‘Shew me thy ways, O Lord; teach me…

‘For the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.’ The Spirit does not search in the sense that he needs to find out. He is the Holy Spirit, eternal, all-knowing, equal with the Father and the Son.…

We are ‘saved to serve’, but that little maxim is unfashionable today. It is, however, biblical and right. We are called to the tremendous work of the great commission of Christ to his disciples in every age – the gathering…

Over the last decades there has come in among Christians a craze for counselling borrowed from secular psychology, largely formulated by atheists opposed to biblical teaching. It is astonishing that even evangelical churches are hiring counsellors to ‘heal’ Christians who…

When we speak of the sufficiency of Scripture, we mean that the Word of God provides all that we need to know in order to be saved, to be sanctified, to worship, and to organise and operate the church of…

What exactly is ­expository preaching? It is preaching that draws the message from the biblical text, clearly and methodically, honouring the sense of the text, and the style of communication employed. Before looking at classic examples from sermons of C…

We constantly need the help of God in different situations, and we continually pray for individuals, but why does the Lord cause us to have to pray for some things repeatedly, often over a long period of time?

The book of Genesis is in every way the foundational book of the entire Bible. It is the supreme book of beginnings, chronicling the origin of the universe and the human race, the entry of sin into the world, and…

A divine covenant is an undertaking, a pledge by God, to relate to mankind on certain conditions. It is a form of compact or agreement. God does not relate to man in a haphazard, random, disorderly way, but in accordance with…

'..be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility..' What an amazing exhortation this is in these days of assertive self-confidence! As Christian believers we are to be ‘subject one to another’, not assertive, not resistant to advice, not…

Some people seem to think that Gamaliel was the only wise man in the whole of the Bible! Whenever wisdom is needed to assess the latest strange idea or movement to penetrate the churches, we hear the famous ‘counsel of Gamaliel’…

Is our continuing sanctification impeded by worldliness? Has the ‘moral resurrection’ of which Paul speaks come to a halt? Here is how we may rediscover the secret power. There are doubtless many things we can employ and enjoy in this…

It should not be forgotten that the duty of separation, whether primary or secondary, is laid upon us in the Bible by the infinite kindness of God. Far from being loveless, it is a Gospel-preserving and a church-protecting duty. It…

This article will sweep through Deuteronomy 29 – 30 to demonstrate that it records how Moses presented an ‘evangelical covenant’ which was set beside and distinct from the covenant of Sinai, the latter being a ‘works’ covenant that could only…

Around 1375 BC Joshua proclaimed his ‘farewell’ address to all the elders and heads of the families of Israel. Speaking by divine inspiration the aged leader gave the people sixteen profound and heart-searching resolutions that stand to this day as…

The devil’s self-assumed task is to bring down the human race in order to prove that God has failed in its design and creation. He has brought about the Fall by his lies, and if he can keep all people…

In the light of recent Black Lives Matter (BLM) demonstrations might I offer these comments.  All manifestations of racial disrespect are disgraceful to sincere Christian people. They flow obviously from the Fall of man. All hatred, all superiority, all disdain,…

These are momentous days when we find ourselves in the midst of a worldwide ‘discipline’ or warning from God, calling us to acknowledge and seek Him. And although we shrink from the thought, this is the reason for all unexpected…

‘Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves’.  This urges us to watch out intelligently. Do we assess and evaluate the ideas about life which are pressed upon us today? Do…

In reviewing the sins of the flesh (in Galatians 5.19-21) the apostle mentions witchcraft, often today translated sorcery. He actually uses a word which we have in English, although for us it has a much nobler meaning.    The Greek word is…

'And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord' (Ephesians 6.4). It hardly needs to be said that ­­­­parenthood is a tremendous responsibility, and we are glad of every…

Three thousand years ago an outstanding king pointed out the way to know God, saying – ‘Stand in awe!’ But what is awe?      I remember a teenage boy who went to see the Niagara Falls and was over­whelmed…

The remarkable picture of the present age given in the prophecy of Paul in 2 Timothy 3 is breathtaking both in scope and detail. It is the voice of God that speaks in this passage.

The apostle's prophetic analysis of perilous times has proved harrowingly accurate, and serves as a powerful vindication of the inspired accuracy of revelation. But all is known to our God.

Current coronavirus restrictions deeply affect our worship, our fellowship, our Sunday Schools and our outreach. No one likes them or wants them. Recently, a British evangelical periodical asked the question – Should we have a debate about this? Are we…

‘For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad’ (2 Corinthians 5.10). Will believers be…

When problems are brought to a pastor, our first aim is the preservation of the marriage bond, and the keeping of husbands and wives and families together. This must be our first objective: a much better and happier relationship. But…

The loss of separation has already led to a weakened, worldly, psychological evangelicalism in Britain, and the situation will grow worse still without a return to former standards of loyalty to Christ and his Word. But the commands to stand…