Covenant Protestant Reformed Church
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Covenant Protestant Reformed Church

 

Ballymena

Rev. Angus Stewart

Lord’s Day, 23 May, 2010

 

"But I will hope continually, and will yet praise thee

more and more" (Ps. 71:14)

 

Morning Service - 11:00 AM

Peace, Contentment and Joy (2)

Learning Contentment (I)    [download]   [youtube]

Scripture Reading: Philippians 4

Text: Philippians 4:11b

I. The Meaning of Contentment

II. The Range of Contentment

III. The Learning of Contentment

Psalms: 118:1-9; 66:1-9; 4:3-8; 119:161-168

 

Evening Service - 6:00 PM

Peace, Contentment and Joy (3)

Learning Contentment (II)    [download]   [youtube]

Scripture Reading: I Timothy 6

Text: Philippians 4:11b

I. The Meaning of Contentment

II. The Range of Contentment

III. The Learning of Contentment

Psalms: 100:1-5; 66:10-20; 37:1-7; 73:23-28

 

Contact Stephen Murray for CDs of the sermons and DVDs of the worship services.

 

CPRC website: www.cprc.co.uk

CPRC YouTube: www.youtube.com/cprcni

CPRC Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Ballymena-United-Kingdom/Covenant-Protestant-Reformed-Church-N-Ireland/337347932331

 

Quotes to Consider:

J. Miller: "The real cause of our discontent is not in our circumstances; if it were, a change of circumstances might cure it. It is in ourselves, and wherever we go—we shall carry our discontented heart with us. The only cure which will affect anything—must be the curing of the fever of discontent in us. A fine secret of contentment lies in finding and extracting all the pleasure we can get from the things we have—the common, everyday things; while we enter upon no mad, vain chase after impossible dreams. In whatever state we are in—we may find therein enough for our need. No earthly misfortune can touch the wealth which a Christian holds in the divine promises and hopes. Just in the measure, therefore, in which we learn to live for spiritual and unseen eternal realities—do we find contentment amid earth’s trials and losses."

J. Bridges: "The very first temptation in the history of mankind was the temptation to be discontent … that is exactly what discontent[ment] is—a questioning of the goodness of God."

Jeremiah Burroughs: "Contentment is taking pleasure in God’s disposal. This is so when I am well pleased in what God does, in so far as I can see God in it, though, as I said, I may be sensible of the affliction, and may desire that God in His due time would remove it, and may use means to remove it. Yet I am well pleased in so far as God’s hand is in it. To be well pleased with God’s hand is a higher degree than the previous one. It comes from this: not only did I see that I should be content in this affliction, but I see that there is good in it. I find there is honey in this rock, and so I do not only say, I must, or I will submit to God’s hand. No, the hand of God is good, ‘it is good that I am afflicted’" (The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment, p. 9)

Thomas Watson: "Consider that it is not having an abundance, which makes us content. It is not a fancy cage which will make the bird sing. Having an abundance may make one less content. One staff may help the traveller—but a bundle of staffs will be a burden to him … Such as have abundance of the world, walk in the midst of golden snares! We had need watch our hearts in prosperity, and pray not to be led into temptation. We have as much need to be careful that we are not endangered by prosperity—as a man has to be careful at a feast where there are some poisoned dishes of food … He who can say, "My God," has enough to rock his heart quiet in the lowest condition. What can he lack—who has the all-sufficient God for his portion!"

J. Miller: "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me." (Luke 9:23) This law of the dying of SELF, and the magnifying of Christ—is the secret of Christian peace. When Christ is small, and SELF is large—life cannot be deeply restful. Everything annoys us. We grow impatient of whatever breaks our comfort. We grieve over little trials. We find causes for discontent in merest trifles. We resent whatever would hinder or oppose us … But when SELF decreases, and Christ increases—then the life of friction and worry is changed into quietness and peace. When the glory of Christ streams over this little, cramped, fretted, broken life of ours—peace comes, and the love of Christ brightens every spot and sweetens all bitterness. Trials are easy to bear, when self is small—and Christ is large."

Announcements (subject to God’s will):

We welcome the Cesar family (Chris, Joanne, Colleen, Joseph & Joshua) from Shannon, Rep. of Ireland, to our worship services today.

On the back table is the May issue of the Covenant Reformed News.

Family visitation continues this week. A schedule is on the back of the bulletin.

The Reformed Witness Hour next Lord’s Day (8:30-9:00 AM, on Gospel 846MW) is entitled "The Intercession of the Holy Spirit" (Romans 8:26-27).

Upcoming Meetings:

Avellino, Italy, Wednesday & Thursday, 2 & 3 June

Limerick, Friday, 11 June - "The Valley of Dry Bones" (Eze. 37)

S. Wales, Friday, 2 July - "What About Israel?"

Offerings: General Fund: £394.58. Donations: £5 (pamphlets), £200 (DVDs).

PRC News: Hull PRC called Rev. J. Laning (Hope, MI). Rev. A. Laning (Faith, MI) declined Holland. Rev. A. Brummel accepted the call to Heritage PRC in Sioux Falls. Rev. Haak declined the call to Kalamazoo; their new trio is Revs. Eriks (Hudsonville, MI), Kuiper (Randolph, WI) and DeVries (Wingham, CAN). Edgerton will call from a trio of Revs. Eriks (Hudsonville, MI), Marcus (Edmonton, CAN) and Kuiper. Prof. Cammenga submitted to back surgery this past Wednesday in order to have a disk removed, two fusions redone, and some hardware removed and replaced. The surgery itself went well, and the doctors have been working to manage the pain that the surgery causes.