Archives for February 2023

I am excited to announce that we have just published a 4-volume series of books by the Puritans at Reformation Heritage Books. You can purchase them here: https://www.heritagebooks.org/categories/text-exclusive/the-puritans-on.html/
The titles include “The Puritans on Prayer” (with essays by Samuel Lee, John Preston, and Nathaniel Vincent), “The Puritans on Conversion” (with essays by Samuel Bolton, Nathaniel Vincent, and Thomas Watson), “The Puritans on the Lord’s Supper” (with essays by Joseph Alleine, Edmund Calamy, Richard Vines, Thomas Wadsworth, and Thomas Watson), and “The Puritans on Loving One Another” (with essays by John Ball, Joseph Caryl, Thomas Manton, and Ralph Venning).

All 15 of the excellent treatises in these four volumes have been edited by my friend, Don Kistler. These books are a gold mine of Puritan wisdom; each volume is an invaluable collection of material on the major theme presented.

One of our nieces and nephews from Iowa, Leah and Jade, are presently visiting us with their beautiful new baby named Knox. When I took this picture of my Queen Mary holding Knox for the first time (photo 1), I couldn’t help but think of Queen Mary of Scotland (please do not compare her to my wife, however!) saying that she feared the prayers of John Knox more than she feared all the armies of Scotland! Please pray that this little Knox will one day become a stalwart prayer warrior for the kingdom of God (photo 2: with Jade, Leah, and Knox)! 

We had a full day on Saturday at Pastor Scott and Deborah Brown’s barn home in Wake Forest, North Carolina with 35 marital couples. I spoke 3 more times to them on the Puritan view of marriage on these topics: (1) mutual duties, (2) wife’s duties, and (3) husband’s duties (photo 1). Also, I did a Q&A with the other two speakers, Scott Brown and Jason Dohm (photo 2: the three speakers and our wives). And we sold every single book we brought, plus we have lots of back orders to fill!

On the Lord’s Day, I preached on “Family Problems at Home and Their Remedies” (Gen. 27) in the morning and on “How Men Should Lead Their Families as Prophets, Priests, and Kings” in the afternoon for Pastor Brown’s Hope Baptist Church in the morning and afternoon (photo 3), and then we drove immediately for an hour to the Cornerstone Presbyterian Church, pastored by Rev. Gavin Beers—a Free Church of Scotland (Continuing) minister (photo 4), where I preached on how Christ matures our faith. Afterward, we had great fellowship (and a delicious late dinner) at the Beers’ home with their children and several young people, as well as Rev. William Macleod from Scotland and a deacon and his wife (Bill and Danner), who also hosted us in their home overnight. Bill graciously took us to the Raleigh, NC airport at 4:30 this morning, and we landed in Grand Rapids at 9:10 a.m., just in time for me to get to an important seminary meeting! God is good.

This is Mary posting for my husband; he is getting ready to give three more addresses today on the Puritan views on marriage; his first address was last night.

Yesterday, we flew to North Carolina for a marriage conference held in the home of Scott and Deborah Brown. After lunch, Scott showed us the Church & Family Life office in Wake Forest. The ping pong table that stands in the middle of his library was irresistible for these two pastors, and they had to volley back and forth several minutes (photo 1). Many years ago, the Browns acquired a property out in the country. They built a barn to be used as a retreat center, and lived in it temporarily, planning to build a house later. Well, they loved the barn so much that they still live there, and they never built the house (photo 2). 

Thirty-five couples, including some newlyweds, are gathering in the cavernous living room around a huge fireplace, sitting on many couches and chairs for this conference (photo 3). The theme is “Our Marriage and the Marriages of Our Sons and Daughters.” Pray for God’s blessing!

Here is an interview that I had with Dr. John Piper, two days ago on his moving and humbling new book on loving Christ’s appearing: https://heritagebooks.org/prod…/come-lord-jesus-piper.html

I pray that this book, by the grace of the Holy Spirit, would stir all of us to live more in the light of the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. We are far too earth – bound in our day; our tent stakes are plunged too deeply in the soil of this earth. May God help us as pilgrims traveling through Vanity Fair to keep our eyes every day on Him who’s coming again to judge the living and the dead, our glorious Savior,, who will take us to Himself, if we are true believers, making us without spot or wrinkle fit for the everlasting Inheritance. Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly!

Eden Publications in Brazil just sent me three of their new books in Portuguese: (1) “Como Posso Me Sentir Produtiva Come Mae?” (“How Can I Feel Productive as a Mom?”), by our daughter, Esther Engelsma (on left in photo; her first book in a foreign language!); (2) “Como Plantar Convicoes Piedosas em Nossos Filhous?” (“How Do We Plant Godly Convictions in Our Children?”), by me; and (3) “Um Homem Uma Mulher: Casamento na Biblia e as Relacoes Homossexuais” (“One Man and One Woman: Marriage and Same-Sex Relations in the Bible”), by Paul Smalley and me. You can order them from editor@edenpublicacoes.com.br. Please pray for God’s blessing upon these titles.

When it rains, it pours. Reformation Heritage Books has just released two more very helpful books, one on tithing out of generosity and one on leadership flowing out of a genuine filial fear of God: “What are the Benefits of Biblical Stewardship and Tithing?” by Joseph A. Pipa, Jr., and “Leading from the Foundation Up: How Fearing God Builds Stronger Leaders,” by David M. Cook and Shane W. Parker: https://www.heritagebooks.org/products/what-are-the-benefits-of-biblical-stewardship-and-tithing.html
https://www.heritagebooks.org/products/leading-from-the-foundation-up-cook-parker.html

Both titles are excellent and practical, challenging us to be governed by the childlike fear of God.

I am grateful that Reformation Heritage Books has re-published John L. Girardeau’s nuanced treatment of the relationship of God’s sovereignty and human responsibility in his “The Will in its Theological Relations,” making this major academic work available for the first time since 1891: https://heritagebooks.org/products/the-will-in-its-theological-relations-girardeau.html

This new edition also contains a masterful new introduction by Dr. Richard A. Muller, that, as John Fesko writes, “expertly situates Girardeau’s work within its immediate nineteenth-century setting and wider context within the Reformed tradition. With Muller as an able guide, readers can greatly profit from this work.” 

My dear son Calvin, I wish you a blessed 32^nd birthday and a blessed entrance into your 33^rd year, together with your special wife and four precious children. You are young yet, but isn’t it amazing that our young Savior died at age 33? I am so grateful, son, that you found the Savior in your teen years. I love you so much and your family. You and Laura and the grandchildren bring a great deal of joy into our lives as your parents.

I especially love your dedication in the Lord, by God’s grace, to Laura and your children, your dedication to the extended family and also the church family, and your dedication to your work and your employees—and your commitment to balance all your busyness in life out so as to live more fully for God’s glory. Despite your busyness, it was great to see you serve as deacon for the last two years with all your heart—that did my heart good! You have always been a special son to Mom and me, but it is especially a joy now to see you growing in God’s triune grace and watching you lead your family in the fear of God. I also love praying for you—daily.

I wish you a blessed future in Christ Jesus. Let the motto of your life continue to be, “For me to live is Christ” (Phil. 1:21). And keep leaning hard on God’s grace, trusting that God is willing to do exceedingly, abundantly above all that you can ask or think for His own glory and your good (Eph. 3:20).

With all my love, Dad   

RHB has just released “How Should I Live as a Single?” by Paul Smalley and me, showing you how you can see your singleness as God’s will and as a means to glorify and enjoy Him forever: https://www.heritagebooks.org/products/how-should-i-live-as-a-single.html Curt Daniel writes, “As an older, lifelong, single Christian, I recommend this booklet to my fellow Christian singles as a helpful summary of biblical principles, advice, and promises.”