Covenant Protestant Reformed Church

Ballymena

Rev. Angus Stewart

Lord’s Day, 8 April, 2007

"God is my King of old, working salvation in the midst of

the earth" (Psalm 74:12)

Morning Service - 11:00 AM

Christian Contentment

Heidelberg Catechism, Lord’s Day 50; Philippians 4

I. The Prayer for Contentment

II. The Mystery of Contentment

III. The Learning of Contentment

Psalms: 36:5-11; 80:13-19; 62:1-2, 5-8; 37:1-7

Evening Service - 6:00 PM

Paul’s Damascus Road Experience (1)

Paul’s Conversion

Acts 9:1-9

I. The Persecutor

II. The Convert

III. The Lessons

Psalms: 96:1-7; 81:1-9; 68:31-35; 67:1-7

For audio cassettes or CDs of the worship services, contact Sean Courtney (cprcaudiostore@yahoo.co.uk)

CPRC website: www.cprc.co.uk

Quotes to Consider:

F. F. Bruce: "No single event, apart from the Christ-event itself, has proved so determinant for the course of Christian history as the conversion and commissioning of Paul." (Paul: Apostle of the Heart Set Free, p. 75).

Philip Schaff: "The conversion of Paul marks not only a turning-point in his personal history, but also an important epoch in the history of the apostolic church, and consequently in the history of mankind" (History of the Christian Church, vol. 1, p. 296).

We welcome the Oomkes from Byron Center PRC in Michigan and the Tomkos and Buchanans from Ohio. Everyone is welcome to stay for tea after the evening service.

A new Standard Bearer is on the back table.

Brian Crossett’s mother fell and broke her hip. She underwent a hip replacement this past Tuesday. Please remember the Crossett family in your prayers.

Our Mid-Week Bible Study will be held Wednesday, at 7:45 PM at the manse. We will study Paul’s response to the persecution of the Thessalonians (I Thessalonians 3:1ff.).

Catechism: Thursday, 7:00 PM at the Hamills.

Membership Class: Friday, 7:30 PM at the Hallidays.

The Reformed Witness Hour next Lord’s Day, 15 April (8:30-9:00 AM, on Gospel 846MW) is entitled "Homeward Bound" (II Cor. 5:1).

Last Week’s Offerings: General Fund - £754.70. Building Fund - £279.10. Donation: £50 (building fund).

From next Lord’s Day, please make all cheques payable to CPRC (not CPRF) because we are now into a new tax year.

Reserve May Day for a congregational outing. Details to be finalised.

CPRC Website: 6 new Portuguese translations and 2 Ukrainian translations were added this week. We now have items in 72 other languages including languages of Hawaii, Mexico, S. Africa, Tanzania, and the Isle of Man. The Heidelberg Catechism and Canons of Dordt in Maltese were also added, as was the Heidelberg Catechism in 2 languages of Malawi.

Advanced Notices: (1) Lecture in S. Wales, "A Plea for Creeds," Friday, 20 April (2) Lecture on "Homosexuality: What Does the Bible Teach?" Friday, 11 May, 8 PM, Ballymena Protestant Hall (3) The CPRC plans to have a stall at the agricultural shows in Ballymena on Sat. 26 May, and in Antrim on Sat. 28 July (4) Reformation Day Lecture, 7:30 PM, Friday, 26 October, Portadown Minor Town Hall

Encouraging Quotes:

"Thanks again for the books. First class stuff. God bless." - Co. Antrim, N. Ireland

"We have just listened through the worship service, singing along with you all, from the time you preached the fourth in the series on ‘The Most Avoided Chapter in the Bible’ ... Just now, I sat down and wanted to let you know how much I appreciate your clear exposition of all of the truths of God’s Word. To Him be the glory, and the praise and thanksgiving." - New Zealand

"I continue to be greatly blessed by the books I get from you and also by listening to the service tapes. I have just finished listening to the series on "The History of the Covenant"—it has been such a blessing—much needed teaching and also being able to sing the Psalms as it were with you there at the church." - W. Yorkshire, England

"Thank you for the sending out of the Covenant Reformed News during the past year to me ... I would also like to order the following books and pamphlets ... Every blessing to you and your co-workers in Christ." - S. Wales

"I grew up Lutheran and knew nothing much of Luther ... I left Lutheranism because it smacked of Romanism and started going to several different Arminian churches. I didn’t know what an Arminian was, of course. All I knew was that they were teaching that it was up to man to approach God. I knew that was wrong from my Bible reading. I had to disagree with a lot of that type of preaching. I would squirm when they preached that salvation was up to you. I would get a mental picture of man building his tower of Babel towards heaven and how God cast it down ... I was accused of being a Calvinist and that shocked me because I was taught Calvin was a monster, so I started investigating Calvin’s and Luther’s writings, finding out I was a monster, too ... It’s so liberating to find the truth ..." - California, USA

"Zanchius has been a blessing as I read his Absolute Predestination again. It surely contains much of the sum of Reformed theology in a small space. I am trying to get some more to send to friends ..." - Dorset, England

"I’m reading Keeping God’s Covenant and I’m very impressed. Thank you for this excellent book. It’s biblical, Reformed, simple and practical, with good day by day directions for our Christian families. I’d like to study Keeping God’s Covenant with my church in mid-week studies. I’ll turn it into Portuguese for them, if you do not mind ... Now I’m engaged in the annual lectionary for 2007. This year I’ll use Heidelberg Catechism as a topic guide for sermons. I hope to cover its 52 Sundays and bring the church the biblical basis for our main Reformed doctrines." - Sao Paulo, Brazil

"Many thanks for the tapes on ‘Saul, the King Israel Asked For,’ which I received safe and sound. Thanks also for the Standard Bearer, which I appreciate and which should give us some happy hours." - Lancashire, England

"I received the book ... I would like to get the Covenant Reformed News." - Bavaria, Germany

"Thank you for all the material you sent me and I am very grateful and appreciate all your help and assistance. I’m still trawling through much of the material. I would like to order some pamphlets ..." - Devon, England

"Thank you for Sunday’s CPRC Bulletin and the addition of meeting two of the translators. This was very encouraging to me and how my heart goes out to them. They surely need our prayers as (from experience) they will increasingly realise the sad situation they are in—sheep without a shepherd ... The very good side of modern technology is that these lonely sheep are richly fed through this medium and ‘catching up’ fast as they have been given the gift of spiritual discernment. A click on the CPRC or PRC website is all that is needed and like them I still maintain that there you find the purest doctrine ..." - France

"May our Lord Jesus Christ richly bless you and your family. Your sermon ‘Carnal Christians’ was awesome." - USA

"Felt constrained to write a note of gratitude and thanksgiving for the website of the CPRC. I have listened to many of the preaching audios and how the Lord has used them to challenge me and teach me the wonderful truths of God’s Word! ... I find myself thinking why have I not heard this teaching before in my local church? Sadly the churches around here are rife with Arminianism and ecumenism, looking more to new methods of church growth and contemporary worship ..." - Lancashire, England

"I like [Brian Crossett’s articles] about baptism. Very helpful in dealing with Baptists." - Brazil

"I [just] finished reading Engelsma’s new book Trinity and Covenant, and I must say enthusiastically that it is a wonderful book! Very, very beautiful! How true it is what Prof. Engelsma writes there! How much would every Reformed believer benefit from the explanations in that little book!" - Italy

" ... This morning the final part of your series on Romans 9 was heard as ‘the voice of the Lord’ with deep gratitude to Him as the God of grace to us utterly unworthy sinners. Thank you for being His messenger in His message in this wonderful series. This evening I have heard the recorded voice of Herman Hoeksema, a Heidelberg Catechism sermon on Lord’s Day 4 ‘God’s attitude to Sin and the Sinner.’ Oh, what pygmies occupy some so-called evangelical pulpits today in contrast to hearing that!" - Gloucestershire, England

"Thank you very much for keeping us up-to-date by e-mail. We are encouraged to hear of so many faithful believers translating sound books and pamphlets for others to glean from." - Co. Londonderry, N. Ireland

"I would love to subscribe to the C. R. News. Thanks a lot for these great resources and kind regards from a (particular) baptist brother who loves the doctrines of grace." - Netherlands