Yesterday afternoon we had our biannual Dutch Reformed Translation Society meeting of the Board of Directors, which is now chaired by Dr. Adriaan Neele, and includes more than a dozen brothers from various Reformed denominations in America and the Netherlands. (I have had the privilege of serving as its vice-president since its founding nearly thirty years ago—how time flies!) The society has been responsible for the translation and publication (through Baker or Reformation Heritage Books) of more than a dozen Reformed books, including Herman Bavinck’s “Reformed Dogmatics” (4 vols.). Presently, our major project is a 7-volume translation of Peter van Mastricht’s Reformed systematic theology, which Jonathan Edwards felt was the best work ever written beside the Bible!

In the photo, DRTS members are signing our two newest volumes for our lifetime donors, both published by RHB since our last meeting: van Mastricht’s volume 3 on “The Works of God and the Fall of Man” and Geerhardus Vos’s “Natural Theology.” We are hoping to publish volume 4 of van Mastricht on “Christ” by the end of the year, D.V. Please pray for God’s continued blessing as we strive to spread the Reformed faith and strengthen the church of Christ.

To see the books that have been published, to join the society and get discounts on the published titles, and/or to make tax-exempt donations to DRTS, etc., please visit the DRTS website.

Wishing a very blessed and happy anniversary to my dear parents-in-law, Henry and Lena Kamp. God has blessed them with 66 years of marriage and faithful service to the church of Christ and to the family. Here they are going to church last Lord’s Day (at the ages of 89 and 87!), as they have faithfully all their lives. By God’s grace, my father-in-law’s humility and my mother-in-law’s cheerfulness in Christ have been a powerful combination in leading the family in the principles of God’s Word. We love you, Dad and Mom—a lot!

We were at Grace Presbyterian Church in Stuart, Florida this past Lord’s Day, where I preached twice on the sufferings of our Savior. We enjoyed the congregation immensely.

Manny, the “candyman,” offered me some candy from his bag after the service. About 14 years ago, Manny and his family were planning to move to Atlanta on a Monday morning. But on the Sunday before, their teenage son got into an accident with the family car near the church. Pastor Bernie VanEyk (seen in photo #1 behind my left shoulder) and others went to minister to this distraught family. Their son was not injured, but the family car was totaled and their plans were shredded. But they received so much love from the church folks that they stayed in Florida, and they have been coming to Grace Presbyterian ever since. Manny interprets sermons into Spanish, and he is at the center of anything that involves serving food. The infectious love and kindness of Pastor Bernie is palpable in this church, in Manny, and in many others.

Yesterday morning, we went out for a relaxing brunch with Bernie and his wife Patricia, who is a pro at warm, Christian hospitality. They are both from Ontario and have been at Grace for 17 years. Whenever we drove through the VanEyk’s neighborhood, Bernie would drive very slowly, and look for neighbors to wave to. We stopped to chat to a couple boys walking. He told us the story of a lady who survived cancer. He intentionally befriends as many as possible. He said with fervor, “I just want my whole neighborhood to know and love Jesus!” We have been inspired on our Christian journey these days, also by spending time with the warm VanEyk family.

This week was PRTS’s seminary break, so I had no teaching obligations. After spending several wonderful days with children and grandchildren in western Florida (photo #1: grandchildren rolling around in the sand), enjoying bird life on the shore of the Gulf of Mexico (photo #2: White Ibis), as well as enjoying biking dozens of miles with the Queen (photo #3) and going out to eat with her (photo #4: having prawns and grouper), we are now heading for Stuart, Florida, where I hope to preach twice tomorrow for our good friend, Rev. Bernie VanEyk at Grace Presbyterian Church. We are really looking forward to worshiping tomorrow before flying back home on Monday, D.V. Lord’s Day blessings to you all!

What is an example of someone in the Bible whose life was impacted by the knowledge of God?

Caleb followed the Lord fully his whole life because God put “a different spirit in him” (Numbers 14:24). He feared God with a child-like fear. He loved the Lord and hated sin. You read that the knowledge of God was so strong in Caleb’s heart that, even when Israel became angry with him about entering the promised land, he would not back down. He had knowledge of God and His will and wanted to do it.

The fruit of knowing God savingly is that you want to do His will. Caleb was willing to die because He knew God. 

What one attribute would summarize all of God? Holiness. God’s holiness is the essence of who He is. It is his permanent crown. It is the supreme attribute shining on all of His other attributes! God is superlatively holy. Teach your children this.

Two girls had a tin of cookies to take to Grandma. Their mother said, “Don’t take a cookie on the way to Grandma’s house.”

As they carried the cookies, the two girls got very hungry. One said to the other, “I am very hungry. No one will see us if we just take one.” The other girl agreed. She set down the box of cookies, took off the lid, and started to take a fresh cookie off of the top when her sister grabbed her hand and shouted, “Stop! Someone will see! God sees us!”

God is always with us.

He is always around us and in the room with us. This will change our whole behavior. We will be careful about what we say, what we think, and what we do because God is always there.

In this podcast Scott Brown and I discuss the love that a husband should have for his wife. They should love their wife as Christ loves the church. When they do this they fulfill the law.

Psalm-singing gives:
1. Affirmative identity
2. Refreshing strength
3. Anger-removing submission
4. Enlarged hearts
5. Bonding communion
6. Sweet joy

His Separateness

He is completely separated from all creation. He is in a category all by Himself. There are no other gods. There is nothing else worthy of worship. God is supremely holy. We are image bearers of God, but it is faint shadow.

He Is Utterly Sin-Free

God cannot be the author of any sin. God and sin are totally antithetical. In the holiness of God, you have absolute purity and that means that God can only allow us into fellowship with Him if someone could satisfy God’s holy justice on our behalf. That someone would have to be as perfect as God, have obeyed the law perfectly, and pay for my sins with His own death. That someone can only be Jesus Christ. If man is ever to be saved, God’s holiness requires a total substitute.

The Indwelling of the Holy Spirit

In His Holy Spirit entering into us, we are made holy even as He is holy. It is partial in this life, but perfect in the next.