The Whole Counsel

A tender letter from Thomas Charles explores the anguish of feeling that your love for God is too weak. The discussion examines Christian conscience, spiritual pride, godly grief, and the difference between self-focused shame and longing for Christ. It also traces how Christ’s love, revealed from Bethlehem to Calvary, meets doubting hearts and draws them into deeper communion with God.

“Thomas Charles is God’s gift to North Wales.” —Daniel Rowland This week on The Whole Counsel, we return to our series on great letter-writers in Christianity over the past 500 years. In this episode, we are introduced to Thomas Charles, a Welshman whose ministry is worth noting. He was converted under the preaching of Daniel Rowland in the mid-18th century and later studied for the ministry at Jesus College, Oxford. During one of his summers at college, he lived with and was mentored by John Newton at Olney. Thomas eventually settled in Bala, North Wales, due to his love for a young woman, Sally Jones. After joining the Calvinistic Methodists (those impacted by the Evangelical Revival of the 18th century), Charles became one of the most significant leaders of the Welsh wing of that revival, guiding the next generation.  His letters, taken from the book Thomas Charles’s Spiritual Counsels, are full of practical, warm, experiential advice, reminding us of John Newton’s balanced approach. In these episodes, we will select a few of those letters and also take a look at some of his spiritual essays from the same book.    SHOW NOTES 📖 Kingdom Life: Studies in the Sermon on the Mount 📖 Thomas Charles’s Spiritual Counsels: Banner of Truth 📝 “Thomas Charles,” by Jonathan Thomas (Evangelical Magazine, May/June 2020, page 12) 🎥 Welsh Awakenings: The Story of God’s Work in Wales, by Dan Pugh 📖 John Elias: Life, Letters, and Essays, published by Banner of Truth

Louis Sacran, pastor at Ripley Primitive Baptist Church and biblical counselor, joins a conversation on sanctification and spiritual growth. They explore how the heart shapes our walk, how desires become disordered, and what habitual sexual sin can conceal beneath the surface. The discussion also considers specific repentance, daily Christian choices, and how gospel security fuels honest change without performance anxiety.

Louis Sacran, pastor and biblical counselor at Ripley Primitive Baptist Church, offers practical Scripture-based guidance. He discusses our purpose to please God by loving Him and others. Short talks explain loving vs unloving responses, choosing to control reactions rather than circumstances, and avoiding sweeping labels by evaluating specific responses.

Louis Sacran, pastor and biblical counselor from Ripley, Mississippi with ~15 years of counseling experience, reframes what God’s faithfulness really means. He contrasts preferences with divine promises. He uses Psalm 23 to explore presence in suffering. He examines misplaced expectations and practical counseling steps for navigating trials.

Louis Sacran, pastor and counselor in Ripley, Mississippi, offers concise pastoral wisdom. He unpacks what God’s faithfulness really means and why Scripture still guides us in trials. He explores how hardships expose heart issues, distinguishes physical from spiritual needs, and outlines careful pastoral discernment and practical responses.

Louis Sacran, a pastor and seasoned biblical counselor, offers Scripture-centered perspective on hard problems. He explains reframing issues with a biblical diagnosis. He contrasts relief versus cure and explores sanctification, embodied souls, and holding the truth that we are saints, sinners, and sufferers at once.

This week we are taking a short break between series and re-airing a favorite episode in which John Snyder is joined by a long-time friend and fellow minister, Jordan Thomas. You may recognize Jordan as a contributor to the studies Behold Your God: Rethinking God Biblically and Behold Your God: The Weight of Majesty. John and Jordan spent a few weeks discussing the descriptions of Jesus found in the book of Hebrews. This week's discussion focuses on Hebrews 1 and the 34 descriptions of Jesus in those 14 verses. Next week we will begin a new, short series with pastor and biblical counselor Louis Sacran. Louis and John will spend several weeks discussing wise counsel for common problems we face. SHOW NOTES: 📖 Looking Unto Jesus by Theodore Monod 📖 Looking Unto Jesus by Isaac Ambrose Check out Jordan's sermon series on Hebrews: https://www.gracechurchmemphis.com/sermons?offset=1436720400215&reversePaginate=true&category=Looking+Unto+Jesus

Justin Miller, a Missouri pastor and author of the forthcoming A Life of Joy, outlines Christ-centered contentment. He discusses Christ as the foundation of joy. He names practices—Scripture, prayer, meditation, church—and recommends Puritan and pastoral resources to cultivate lasting devotion.

Justin Miller, pastor at First Baptist Puxico and author of A Life of Joy, explores biblical contentment vs complacency. He explains how finding satisfaction in Christ actually deepens longing and obedience. Topics include Scripture-based means of grace, the tension of being satisfied yet hungering for more, and how contentment fuels faithful service rather than passivity.