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THE VISITOR'S BOOK OF TEXTS: A Vital Tool for Pastoral Visitation

by Andrew A. Bonar

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The pastoral visitation of the sick and sorrowful is a spiritual exercise.  Its purpose is to bring God's Word to those in need in the prayerful hope of the Spirit's blessing upon it.  Such visitation is not the preserve of pastors only; it is the duty of the whole church, as our Lord reminded his disciples with the words, 'I was sick, and ye visited me' (Matt. 25:36).

How we should visit the sick, and what we should say on our visits to them are the important matters addressed in this most useful book.  Written by a spiritual giant of the nineteenth-century church, the book contains much needed advice and clear guidance.  Bonar gathers together a great number of Bible verses that will prove eminently suitable for a wide range of individual cases.  These selected scriptures are interspersed with the author's own brief, spiritual, and helpful comments.  Here then is a book that should be in the hands of every Christian visitor.  It ought to be consulted prayerfully before embarking with God's Word to the sick and sorrowful.

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ANDREW BONAR (1810-1892) ministered at Collace in Perthshire, and in Finnieston Free Church, Glasgow.  He authored or edited several titles published by Banner of Truth, including "The Life of R.M. M'Cheyne," "The Letters of Samuel Rutherford," and a commentary on "Leviticus" in the Geneva series.

For more details, visit: http://www.banneroftruth.org

13/03/2010, 03:00

It would be worth your while to visit the Desiring God blog site and read John Piper's post, titled "The Dispensability of Ministers," dated today (March 12, 2010).  He is clearly directing us all to something that we ought not miss.

For details on the book, visit http://www.banneroftruth.org

16/03/2010, 20:42

You must have a friend or two who appreciates Banner of Truth but is not aware, or has not yet become a fan of the Banner of Truth Facebook page.  Could you please pass along the word and even encourage others to come on board?  We're just two weeks aware from launching two new books plus a new two-volume set ... I'd like to get as many signed up as possible before we do that.

Many thanks!

Here's a bit to start your day from David Clarkson as included in the new Banner of Truth book, "Voices from the Past: Puritan Devotional Readings."  If you haven't yet discovered "Voices from the Past," you are missing out, big time!

Grace & peace to you this day.

Steve (in the North America office)

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"The love of Christ -- O boundless love!  O the unsearchable riches of Christ's love!  O happy souls that have interest in this love, in these riches!  This love made God willing to be made a curse, the Lord of life to die a base, accursed, and cruel death.  Lord, there was no sorrow like your sorrow, no love like your love.  Was it not enough, dearest Saviour, that you condescended to pray, sigh, and weep for us, but were willing also to bleed and die for us?  Was it not enough that you were hated, slandered, and blasphemed, but also scourged, nailed, wounded, and crucified?  Was it not enough that you felt the cruelty of man, but also underwent the wrath of God?  Was it not enough that you died not only once, but actually twice in soul and body enduring the second death?  O the transcendent love of Christ!  Heaven and earth are astonished at it.  What tongue can express it?  What heart can conceive it?  The tongues, the thoughts of men and angels are far below it.  O the height, depth, breadth, and length of the love of Christ!  The love of Christ is free, unchangeable, and incomprehensible.  He loved us when we had no beauty to attract his affections.  We lay trodden under foot and polluted in our blood.  There is nothing lovely in man.  Christ knew all this clearly.  In eternity past Christ saw all our faults, and not one after another, but all together.  This adds great wonder to the love of Christ.  He saw every perverse look, every unkind gesture, every rebellious motion, every disingenuous act.  Every heart was visible from eternity.  Here is the wonder of Christ's love: it is fixed upon man, the worst of creatures.  Consider his resolution, and wonder: I will give eternal life to those who have dishonoured me."

05/04/2010, 20:35

FIVE new books have just been released by Banner of Truth, including a 2-volume set, and new Puritan Paperback, a new booklet by Iain Murray, AND a new children's book. For details, visit:

http://www.banneroftruth.org

07/04/2010, 20:46

The deadline for the early bird discount, to attend this year's Banner of Truth U.S. Ministers' Conference, May 25-27, is fast approaching.  The registration fee will increase after May 1.  Calling pastors, elders, deacons, chaplains, missionaries, seminary students ... Join speakers Jerry Bridges, Craig Troxel and more for this challenging and nourishing men's conference on BEING MEN OF OUR TIMES.  To register, or review conference details, use this link.  

 http://www.banneroftruth.org/pages/events/usconfexhib.php

30/04/2010, 11:07

You have until Midnight, Friday, April 30th to register for the upcoming Banner of Truth U.S. Ministers' Conference and enjoy the discounted Early Bird Special. Might you join us this year? For details >>>>>

04/05/2010, 02:38

Just wrote the inside welcome message to this year's Banner of Truth U.S. Ministers' Conference. Interested in reading a part of it?

"What kind of men are we called to be in the midst of times such as these? That is the theme of this year's conference, and we will focus on this question from several different angles. Jerry Bridges will encourage us to be men who know and proclaim the greatness, and the holiness and the love of our God. John Mabray will highlight the need for good courage. Craig Troxel will get us looking toward the next generation: how to reach them and how to keep them, while Lowell Sykes speaks to growing a church, from one generation to the next. With additional words from Jeff Kingswood, a panel discussion and an extra special surprise thrown in, you are in for another encouraging few days feasting from the Word of God and enjoying the fellowship of like-minded servants."

Interested? Follow the link for details:

19/05/2010, 04:05

The Banner of Truth U.S. Ministers' Conference begins next Tuesday, May 25-27, 2010, Grantham (near Harrisburg), PA.  Registration is still open.  Join us!  Details and online registration available here:

http://www.banneroftruth.org/pages/events/usconfexhib.php

Questions?  Email me ... steve@banneroftruth.org

02/06/2010, 21:17

Ok, listen up, all you sons and daughters.  Here's an actual message we just received from someone's dad after he read about the Banner of Truth Gift Card ...

"I would love to get one of these as a gift ... hint hiNT HINT."

Children of all ages - UNITE!  Banner of Truth gift cards make a great Father's Day gift (June 20th is coming SOON).  Order yours now to allow plenty of time for us to send it to you.  You can order it through the link at the top of our home page:

http://www.banneroftruth.org

24/06/2010, 01:31

Three new books were posted this morning to the Banner of Truth Web site.  Visit the home page and click on either of the first three titles for details.

http://www.banneroftruth.org

16/08/2010, 21:26

A Biography Suggestion for the end of Summer: "William Grimshaw of Haworth." For 20 years in the mid-18th century, a scarcely-known village became one of the strongest centres of Christian influence. George Whitefield and John Wesley were often drawn there, along with others. The explanation lay in the life and ministry of William Grimshaw. Wesley wrote, "He carries fire wherever he goes." Meet the man and his fire!

17/09/2010, 22:37

BANNER OF TRUTH RELEASES TWO NEW BOOKS: The paperback, "A Reformation Guide to Scripture", and a new pocket puritan, "Prayers on the Psalms". Check out the details for both at: http://www.banneroftruth.org/

29/11/2010, 23:01

"Eww! Look at this stuff; it's all squishy!"

"Hey, let me see. That's a different kind of mud. It's not brown, it's grey!"

"Yeah, and feel it. It's sort of smushy instead of slimy."

"Maybe it's clay! The kind of stuff that you make stuff out of. Let's dig up some more!"

The two boys were standing in the shallow creek bed that ran across their back property. Dressed in red rain boots and raincoats and armed with long sticks, they had been splashing through the water. Every so often they would stop to poke at a curious looking rock or to dig in the soft creek bottom with their sticks.

The mud they stirred up had clouded the water, making the creek a murky brown. But this time the results were different. Once again Gregory had been poking in the mud, but now the mud didn't stir up into a brown haze. Instead, a glob of grey came up out of the water on the end of his stick. It was Jared who decided it was not mud, but clay.

"I know!" he said suddenly. "Let's get somethin' to put it in, and we can take some home and make something out of it."

"Okay!" his twin brother agree dexcitedly. "There's a plastic bag stuck in that bush. We can stick it in there."

And so Jared held the bag open while Gregory scooped lumps of wet clay from the bottom of the creek. The water was a little deeper in this part of the creek. In fact, it was about an inch deeper than their rain boots were tall, and so as much as they tried to stand on their tippy-toes, both boys soon had boots full of water. Still, Gregory continued to scoop, his wet coat sleeves slapping through the water. Streaks of brown and grey dribbled down both boys' coats and pants. Speckles of mud splattered their faces like freckles and somehow a blob of mud had even made it into Jared's hair."

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The story continues with a wonderful application for children from Psalm 51:10, "Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me." 

You will definitely want a copy of the new Banner of Truth children's book, "Wait Till You See the Butterfly, and Other Short Stories for Boys and Girls," by Doreen Tamminga. It's available now from www.banneroftruth.org.

07/12/2010, 23:06

THREE NEW TITLES NOW AVAILABLE THROUGH BANNER, PUBLISHED BY THE FREE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND ... To encourage the singing of the Psalms in worship: 

Sing Psalms: Music Edition (with horizontally-split pages showing the text on the bottom and tunes on the top), 

Sing Psalms: Text Only Edition, AND 

The Scottish Psalmody. 

You'll find them featured on the home page at http://www.banneroftruth.org/

03/03/2011, 04:35

With any Web order placed at banneroftruth.org between now and March 14, 2011, Banner of Truth will automatically include one FREE copy of the pocket-sized book, "Selections from Wise Counsel," featuring letters from John Newton.

Regarding Newton's writings, Pastor John Piper wrote, "Some books are for tasting regularly, not reading through once....  The flavour of John Newton's ministry is such that frequent tastes are better than rare gulps."

Visit www.banneroftruth.org before March 14, 2011 and order whatever you'd like.  There's nothing more for you to do and one free copy of "Selections from Wise Counsel" will be added to your order ... while supplies last.