Covenant Protestant Reformed Church
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Covenant Protestant Reformed Church

83 Clarence Street, Ballymena BT43 5DR
Rev. Angus Stewart
Lord’s Day, 24 July, 2016

“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed
by the renewing of your mind ...” (Rom. 12:2)

Morning Service - 11:00 AM - Rev. A. Lanning

Babel  [download]  [youtube]
Scripture Reading: Genesis 11:1-9
Text: Genesis 11:1-9

I. The Spirit of Antichrist
II. Confounded and Scattered
III. The Only True Kingdom
Psalms: 150:1-6; 149:4-9; 33:10-15; 2:1-6

Evening Service - 6:00 PM - Rev. A. Lanning

Contending With Horses  [download]  [youtube]
Scripture Reading: Jeremiah 12
Text: Jeremiah 12:5

I. Wearied by the Footmen
II. Restored by Jehovah
III. Victorious in Battle
Psalms: 134:1-3; 2:1-8; 73:1-3, 12-15; 23:1-6

For CDs of the sermons and DVDs of the worship services, contact Stephen Murray
If you desire a pastoral visit, please contact Rev. Stewart or the elders

CPRC Website: www.cprc.co.uk • Live Webcast: www.cprf.co.uk/live.html
CPRC YouTube: www.youtube.com/cprcni
CPRC Facebook: www.facebook.com/CovenantPRC

Quote to Consider

Homer C. Hoeksema: “Men indeed love to build their high towers and to extend the reaches of their empire. If possible, they will figuratively build their towers into outer space, as they do today. But their purpose is not to reach God physically. It is rather to deny the God who is ‘up there,’ as they say, and to prove their own dominance of the universe. Their intent is to extend the boundaries of their empire, to rule the God of heaven out of their lives in order to introduce into that humanistic empire the idol of their own imagination, a god who is like unto themselves, the god of this present world, the god of the ‘existential situation.’ But the God of heaven and earth, the only sovereign God, they would much rather rule out of existence by their very tower-building, because though they know of him, they hate him and are afraid of him. Positively, we see in the building of this city and its tower the striving for consolidation. The city and urban civilization represent the development and consolidation of all the power of man. Where many men live together, human power and genius find a cooperative situation in which they can develop in science in industry, in invention, in trade and commerce. In a word, there mankind can develop in all that can make man mighty. Do not forget that hand in hand with development in civilization goes development in wickedness. This is not because sin is in things or in development per se. Science and industry and invention and trade and commerce and all their products are not in themselves sinful. Neither sin nor grace is in mere things. The point is that all these things provide fallen mankind with the means and the tools to develop in wickedness” (Unfolding Covenant History, vol. 2, p. 69; italics Hoeksema’s).

Announcements (subject to God’s will)

We welcome Rev. Andrew Lanning of the Covenant Evangelical Reformed Church in Singapore to our pulpit, plus visitors from the US, Hungary, Canada, Australia and Wales to our worship services today. May the Lord bless us together as we hear Him speak to us through the preaching of the Word.

Lost items from the BRF Conference are on the table in the narthex/foyer.

All are welcome to join us for tea after the evening service today. Groups A and B on the rota are asked to bring food.

The Tuesday Bible study will not meet this week but will resume on 2 August.

The Reformed Witness Hour broadcast next Lord’s Day (Gospel 846MW at 8:30 AM) by Rev. Haak is “Not Weary in Well Doing” (Gal. 6:9).

Offerings: General Fund: £467.40. Donation: £77 (USA).

New translations: 1 Portuguese (Christ’s Spiritual Kingdom by Prof. Engelsma), 5 Spanish and 2 Indonesian.

PRC news: First Holland PRC called Rev. Griess (Calvary, IA).


Pausing by the Pictures

Brian D. Dykstra

 

Proverbs 2:16-19: “To deliver thee from the strange woman, even from the stranger which flattereth with her words; Which forsaketh the guide of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God. For her house inclineth unto death, and her paths unto the dead. None that go unto her return again, neither take they hold of the paths of life.”

Our forefathers founded our denomination’s schools because of the demands of the covenant. God is pleased to call His promised children from believers and their seed. How did the men who started Hope School more than fifty years ago do? A look at the pictures in our school’s main entrance provides evidence.

It would be interesting to take a poll of the fathers whose children now attend Hope School. How many of our wives appear in the pictures of graduates? While we are at it, how many of our mothers appear there? Godly women are important in the development of the covenant.

Solomon’s instruction in the verses quoted above tells us about the importance of godly women by warning us that wisdom will preserve us from evil women. Here covenant young men are taught to what type of woman they are not to be attracted and our young women have an example of what type of woman they are not to become.

There is surprising news about this evil woman in verse seventeen. We learn that she has forsaken the guide of her youth and has forgotten the covenant of her God. This is not what we would read about this woman if she were of the Philistines or from some other of the surrounding heathen nations. She has not been brought up in the way of idol worship. The god of her younger years was not a convenient excuse for gratifying sinful desires.

She had been brought up in the sphere of the covenant. God and His law had been her guide in her formative years. She had been taught of God’s covenant. However, because she was not elect, the instruction given did not take root in her heart. When she became old enough, she forsook the instruction she had been given. The pleasures of a life of sin were what she desired. She must have been the cause of great heartache for her parents.

Yet she is described as being a strange woman. This is not a reference to some personality quirk which makes her unique from all other women you might meet in life. She was alien. Although she was born and raised in the sphere of the covenant, she separated herself from it, making herself an alien to those who are truly God’s people. She immersed herself in a way of life which was supposed to be alien to God’s people. She is separated because of her unrighteous living.

Now, out of her hatred for God, His ways and His people, she seeks to bring others with her. She does this through flattery. She uses her tongue to make smooth the way to her trap. If she speaks of her love and attraction for a young man, it is not sincere. He is merely a means to satisfy her sinful desires. Perhaps she speaks of how pleasant some time spent with her will be. She will assure her victim that everything will be all right. Nobody will find out. There is no one who will be hurt. Her words are insincere. To listen to her is to begin the sure slide down the slippery slope to self destruction.

There is only one end when a man becomes involved with her. Her house inclineth unto death and her paths unto the dead. Her house does not lead to the infirmary, the rehabilitation centre or the hospital. Her path does not bring its travellers to the place of illness or even severe bruising. She will lead to spiritual death. Solomon could speak from experience here. He loved many strange women. He built many temples for idol gods. Solomon’s heart was not perfect as was his father David’s. Solomon is a rare example of one who did escape the destruction of that path. God’s arm can reach to pluck His own from the fire but such people are so few that we read, “None that go unto her return again, neither take they hold of the paths of life.”

Our young men need discretion to recognize such women for what they are. It can be a difficult task in our world today. What type of woman is thought of as being desirable? Is modesty a valued virtue? What is thought of a young woman who expresses the desire to be a wife and mother in a covenant home? How cherished is a submissive heart? It is not the look of chastity which radiates from the eyes of the women on the covers of magazines.

Our young women need strength and encouragement at home and in school to develop the godly virtues of meekness, sobriety and modesty. The opposite of these characteristics is practically screamed at us every day in the media and marketplace.

May God give our students understanding hearts to discern what is truly attractive so there are covenant homes raising a pure seed in the years remaining until our Lord’s return.