The Iron Pen #63
"...graven with an iron pen and lead..." Job
19:24
Pastor David L. Brown, Ph.D.
God & Country
"We have staked the whole future of American civilization, not upon the power of
government, far from it. We have staked the future of all our political institutions upon
the capacity of mankind for self-government; upon the capacity of each and all of us to
govern ourselves, to control ourselves, to sustain ourselves according to the Ten
Commandments of God."
James Madison
Directions How To Hear Sermons
based on a sermon by George Whitefield – 1714-1770
Take heed therefore how ye hear… Luke 8:18
"If it be the duty of ministers to preach, (and woe be to them
if they do not preach the gospel, for a necessity is laid upon them) no doubt, the people
are obliged to attend [listen] to them; for otherwise, wherefore are ministers sent? I
propose to lay down some cautions and directions, in order to [aid] your hearing sermons
with profit and advantage."
- Do not come out of curiosity or the desire to be entertained, but to
hear, know and do your duty – James 1:21 Be diligent to practice what you hear –
James 1:2
- Do not harbor any prejudice or dislike against the minister –
Hebrews 13:17
- Be careful not to depend too much on a preacher or think of him more
highly than you should – Acts 17:11
- Personally focus on how each sermon applies to your own heart alone
– Matthew 7:3-5
- Pray for the pastor before, during and after the sermon, and that God
will endue him with power and grant you the ability to put into practice that which is
preached – Ephesians 6:18-20 & Philippians 2:13
[Editor’s Note: While the outline is indeed Whitefields, I have
paraphrased the outline titles and added appropriate Bible references. If you would like a
copy of the entire, unedited text of Whitefield’s sermon send a stamped,
self-addressed envelope to the address on the Iron Pen page.]
BRIEF BIOGRAPHIES OF BELIEVERS
The Story of Dr. Isaac Watts, Hymn Writer & Theologian –
Part 1
David L. Brown, Th.M.
Isaac Watts was born at Southampton, England on July 17th 1674. His mother
began early, teaching her oldest son how to read and write, and focused especially on the
writing of verse. At the age of seven, Isaac won a medal for writing rhymes. But, he took
things to an extreme in his father’s mind, rhyming even his everyday conversation.
Finally, Enoch could stand it no more and threatened to thrash Isaac if he did not stop
rhyming everything he said. The boy responded, "O father do some pity take, and I
will no more verses make."
Enoch Watts decided to start a boarding school and in fact taught in the school
himself, that is when he was not in jail for acts against the Established Church. Enoch
was a nonconformist and believed that the Bible alone was to be the authority for faith
and practice in a believer’s life. Despite his troubles with the law, Mr. Watts had
taught Isaac five languages by the time he was fourteen. Great trial came into young
Isaac’s life at age fifteen. Smallpox nearly killed him. The disease left him pock
marked and sickly for the rest of his life. But despite that, God used him mightily!
One Sunday, in 1692, the elder Watts noticed that Isaac had not joined in when the
Psalms were sung. When they got home, his father severely scolded eighteen year old Isaac
for not singing. Isaac responded that there was no music in the way they sang the Psalms.
His father sarcastically responded by challenging his son to write something better.
The next Sunday the clerk got up and read a new kind of song. It began: "Behold
the glories of the Lamb amidst His Father’s throne; prepare new honors for His name,
and songs before unknown." Excitement filled the congregation as they sang the
paraphrased Psalm. In fact, they insisted that young Watts bring one of his modernized
Psalms every Sunday for the next two years. One of my favorites is his paraphrase of the
90th Psalm – "Oh God, Our help In Ages Past!" Isaac Watts had
successfully broken the tradition of only singing the Psalms, and paved the way for other
hymn writers like Wesley, Newton, Cowper and others. Indeed we are to teach and admonish
"one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your
hearts to the Lord." Colossians 3:16
L. Moody On Serving God
Compare our opportunities of serving God with those of the early
Christians. Look at the mighty obstacles they had to encounter and surmount. Let us grasp
these opportunities to serve Him; then we may expect great things. He will not disappoint
us.
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