We are all ordinary and that’s the way God planned it

Several years ago, as part of the release of a new pen, the Bic corporation developed a project called “The Universal Typeface Experiment.” The intent was for individuals around the globe provide handwriting samples for each letter of the alphabet and that those samples would be compiled by an algorithm into a single universal typeface. […]

How a godly man loves the Word

Wednesdays with Watson is a weekly reading taken from my favorite Puritan writer, Thomas Watson. This week’s selection is taken from The Godly Man’s Picture. A godly man shows his love to the Word written: (i) By diligently reading it. The noble Bereans “searched the Scriptures daily” (Acts 17:11). Apollos was mighty in the Scriptures […]

The value of godliness

“Paul, a bond-servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the faith of those chosen of God and the knowledge of the truth which is according to godliness…” (Titus 1:1; NASB) In this simple introduction to his letter to Titus, Paul provides the reader with several foundations of ministry. Ministry is an expression […]

A godly man is a servant of God

Wednesdays with Watson is a weekly reading taken from my favorite Puritan writer, Thomas Watson. This week’s selection is taken from The Godly Man’s Picture. A godly man is a servant of God. ‘We are the servants of the God of heaven’ (Ezra 5:11); ‘Epaphras, a servant of Christ’ (Col. 4:12). Question: In what sense […]

A godly man is like God

Wednesdays with Watson is a weekly reading taken from my favorite Puritan writer, Thomas Watson. This week’s selection is taken from The Godly Man’s Picture. He has the same judgment as God; he thinks of things as God does; he has a Godlike disposition; he ‘partakes of the divine nature’ (2 Pet. 1:4). A godly […]

A godly man is moved by faith

Wednesdays with Watson is a weekly reading taken from my favorite Puritan writer, Thomas Watson. This week’s selection is taken from The Godly Man’s Picture. As gold is the most precious among the metals, so is faith among the graces. Faith cuts us off from the wild olive of nature, and grafts us into Christ. […]

Let us labor for the knowledge of God

Wednesdays with Watson is a weekly reading taken from my favorite Puritan writer, Thomas Watson. This week’s selection is taken from The Godly Man’s Picture. As we would prove ourselves to be godly, let us labour for this good knowledge of the Lord. What pains men will take for the achievement of natural knowledge! I […]

A godly man is a man of knowledge

Wednesdays with Watson is a weekly reading taken from my favorite Puritan writer, Thomas Watson. This week’s selection is taken from The Godly Man’s Picture. It will be enquired in the next place, “Who is the godly man?” For the full answer to this I shall lay down several specific signs and characteristics of a […]

The cost of not following Christ

Jesus tells His followers to consider the cost of following Him: “If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple. Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me […]

Some helps for godliness

Wednesdays with Watson is a weekly reading taken from my favorite Puritan writer, Thomas Watson. This week’s selection is taken from The Godly Man’s Picture, chapter 8: “Prescribing Some Helps to Godliness.” Question: But what shall we do that we may be godly? Answer: I shall briefly lay down some rules or helps to godliness: […]

What is godliness?

Wednesdays with Watson is a weekly reading taken from my favorite Puritan writer, Thomas Watson. This week’s selection is taken from The Godly Man’ Picture, chapter 2: “Expounding the Nature of Godliness.” It will first be enquired, “What is godliness?” I answer in general, “Godliness is the sacred impression and workmanship of God in a […]

Book Summary: The Practice of Godliness

Jerry Bridges has been one of the most influential writers on the topic of sanctification in this last generation. Here is a summary of one of his most-read books, The Practice of Godliness: CHAPTER 1 — VALUE FOR ALL THINGS (1 Tim. 4:8) • Devotion in Action: Enoch (Gen. 5:21-24) • Focused on God — […]

Wordly or godly?

Sometimes it is difficult to discern worldliness (either because of the complexity of the issues involved, or because of the deceitfulness of our own hearts). Are we expressing appropriate freedom and liberty that God has granted us to enjoy — or are we engaging in activity that is in fact worldly? Or perhaps the better […]

Today’s Quote – Godliness (Brainerd)

David Brainerd, Life and Diary: Some signs of godliness. The distinguishing marks of a true Christian, taken from one of my old manuscripts; where I wrote as I felt and experienced, and not from any considerable degree of doctrinal knowledge, or acquaintance with the sentiments of others in this point. He has a true knowledge […]