Without the Spirit’s sovereign, saving work, all our efforts to train our children covenantally will do no more than produce Pharisees on the one hand or rebels on the other. Grace is not automatically conveyed from one generation to another through baptism and faithful covenantal child-rearing. Samuel Rutherford, a Scottish divine who stressed the value of the covenant of grace, wrote, “Grace always runs in the covenant of God, but it does not always run in the blood of the veins.” Only the Holy Spirit can bless our efforts and grant our children a broken heart and a contrite spirit (Ps. 51:17).

Learn more about “Bringing the Gospel to Covenant Children” here.

I am excited to announce that Reformation Heritage Books has just released the 17th title in The Reformed Historical-Theological Studies series that Jay Collier and I are privileged to edit: “Arminius and the Reformed Tradition: Grace and the Doctrine of Salvation,” by our friend, J. V. Fesko. As Dr. Herman Selderhuis writes, “Dr. Fesko paints a clear and honest picture of the theology of Arminius,” showing how he differed from the mainstream Reformed view on issues of grace and salvation. Insightful and eminently readable for both the scholar and laypeople. Highly recommended!

Learn more here.

My father-in-law (who hopes to turn 90 in several weeks) and his name’s sake (our grandchild, who is 1) quietly enjoying each other! God’s covenant mercies are great, so full of promise: “Thou shalt see thy children’s children, and peace upon Israel” (Ps. 128:6) in Christ Jesus.

I am very excited to share the details for our forthcoming trip to Israel and Jordan, D.V., on May 8-20, 2023.

We would love to have you accompany us on this life-changing trip. Of all the tours I’ve done over the years, Israel is always the #1 on my list, and this time we have assembled, by God’s grace, the best team ever. God helping us, this should be an absolutely outstanding and unforgettable trip.

Learn more here.

On Thursday, July 21, at 7:30 pm join Reformation Heritage Books in welcoming Mary Beeke, author of Teach Them to Work. There will be a presentation on the book, Q & A period, coffee fellowship, and book signing.

Learn more here.

Yesterday was the capstone of our 3-week trip to Brazil. I preached my two final messages in Franca for Pastor Paulo Junior to a congregation of about 900 on the theme of growing in experiential spiritual intimacy with God (photo 1). We may believe that God was in the midst of us, and are also grateful that tens of thousands of people either listened on line or will do so in the coming weeks.

Paulo Junior normally receives about 150,000 listeners to his sermons within the first few months after he preaches them. Please continue to pray for God’s rich blessing on his preaching and on this congregation. His right-hand assistant, Danilo Santa Terra, and his family, hope to join us in Grand Rapids for a few years in December as he will be undertaking a Doctor of Ministry (DMin) degree at Puritan Reformed in order to help the ministry in Franca grow the more, also in the potential training of future theological students in Franca. Please pray for God’s blessing on these endeavors.

Today we are driving to Sao Paulo (4.5 hours), and then flying from there to Chicago overnight this evening, and arriving in Grand Rapids by noon tomorrow, D.V. Five conferences are behind us in Brazil (6 addresses by Mary, 25 sermons or lectures by me), together with lots of spiritual fellowship and hundreds of books signed and photographs taken (photos 2 and 3 with children, and photo 4 with the Franca church’s consistory and their wives and their children). The last three weeks have been packed full to overflowing, but we have fond memories of it all—especially the scores of people who have come up to us express from the bottom of their hearts how much our addresses and books have meant and do mean to them. This is so very humbling—what a privilege it is to serve the Lord!

God has been very gracious to us throughout this marathon, providing us divine assistance in speaking, together with very able translators and good health throughout as well as many of you serving as a praying army back home—and some sweet moments together alone as well (photo 5). We truly treasure those prayers. Thank you so much. Soli Deo gloria!

Mary spoke to the ladies in Franca, Brazil about teaching our children to work (photo 1). Some moms told her that in spite of this not being a common practice in Brazil, they are starting to put into practice what she is promoting in her book (photo 3, with the stock of her book), and experiencing positive results!

We visited the offices of Defesa do Evangelho (Defense of the Gospel) and the Igreja Alianca do Calvario (Church Alliance of Calvary), where Paulo Junior has his office (photo 2), where the networking takes place so sermons can be sent around the world to their 1.74 million subscribers, and where the books are translated and stored.

We have been able to go for a few walks, and we tried the exercise equipment that is in the median of the boulevard outside our hotel before I preach this evening (photo 4). Pray for me for my sermon tonight and for two more sermons tomorrow on the theme of growing in experiencing a close relationship with the Triune God.

After arriving safely in Franca, Brazil, last night, to do our fifth and final conference in Brazil, we had great fellowship over dinner with the well-known Brazilian pastor, Paulo, Jr., and his assistants Danilo and Cunha and Cunha’s wife, Anelia (photo 1: Paulo, on the left; Danilo, second from the left; Cunha on the right). I hope to preach for Paulo Jr. at 8:00 PM this evening, tomorrow evening, and then twice on the Lord’s Day at Igreja Alianca do Calvario in Franca, on the theme of experiencing intimacy with God. The link to the YouTube channel for their Defesa do Evangelho (Defense of the Gospel) ministry is here, so that you can join us.

Please pray for God’s rich blessing on this conference.En route to coming here yesterday, we took this view from the plane of the city of Belo Horizonte (photo 2) and later on of a beautiful sunset (photo 3).

The free eBook for this month at Reformation Heritage Books is “Taking Hold of God: Reformed and Puritan Perspectives on Prayer” by Brian Najapfour and me.

Learn more here.

Yesterday was our vacation day in Brazil after speaking 21 times in four conferences in the last two weeks (and Mary five times). I caught up on 100+ emails, and then we drove in three cars with our old and new friends from the conference in Governador Valadares the 6 miles up an incredibly stony, bumpy, steep road to the top of a huge mountain called Ibituruna that overlooks the city of 350,000 people. The scenery overlooking the city is breathtaking–God’s creation is amazing! We arrived just as the sun was setting (photo 1–note the island in the center that has a beautiful 3-mile walking trail around it), and stayed for a while as all the city lights turned on (photo 2). Many people go parasailing off of this ramp in photo 3, not a few of which get seriously injured in one way or another. Before returning to the city to enjoy 2.5 more hours of fellowship over dinner with these lovely Christian friends, we took a group picture just as it was getting dark on top of the mountain (photo 4).

Today we’re taking two flights to get to Sao Paulo, and then driving four hours from there to reach Franca, the location of our fifth and last conference which begins tomorrow. About 1000 are expected to attend, with tens of thousands listening online. Please pray for God’s benediction as I preach four sermons there, D.V., on the theme of “Experiencing Intimacy with God.”