The Grace of Godliness
In my opinion, the best manuals of the Christian life remain the historic Reformed confessions and catechisms, and especially the Westminster Confession of Faith, the Westminster Larger and Shorter Catechisms, the Belgic Confession, the Heidelberg Catechism, and the Canons of Dort. In them we learn what we are to believe about God and man, the way of salvation, the shape of godly behavior, and the life of prayer. Michael Barrett’s The Grace of Godliness: An introduction to doctrine and piety in the Canons of Dort places the Canons in their early 17th century historical context and provides a good exposition of its main points. Both the Canons and Barrett’s fine commentary identify the vital connection between the doctrines of…
Read MoreSeveral years ago one of Westminster’s teenagers recommended to me The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors: The Extraordinary World War II Story of the U.S. Navy’s Finest Hour by James D. Hornfischer. What a read! From beginning to end a fast-paced and moving story of heroism. Leyte Gulf was the largest naval engagement in history, and also the world’s last large-scale naval battle (or perhaps, more accurately, series of battles). Leyte was a desperate attempt by the Japanese to disrupt MacArthur’s Philippine invasion, and to keep the the Philippines and its vital natural resources under Japanese control. The book focuses on one engagement of the Battle of Leyte – the two-and-a-half-hour fight off the island of Samar. There,…
Read MoreThe Heidelberg Catechism for the Lord’s Day, January 19
6. Did God create man thus, wicked and perverse? No, but God created man good and after His own image, that is, in righteousness and true holiness, that he might rightly know God his Creator, heartily love Him, and live with Him in eternal blessedness, to praise and glorify Him. 7. From where, then, does this depraved nature of man come? From the fall and disobedience of our first parents, Adam and Eve, in Paradise, whereby our nature became so corrupt that we are all conceived and born in sin. 8. But are we so depraved that we are completely incapable of any good and prone to all evil? Yes, unless we are born again by the Spirit of God.
Read MoreALMIGHTY and everlasting God, who dost govern all things in heaven and earth; Mercifully hear the supplications of thy people, and grant us thy peace all the days of our life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. – 1662 Book of Common Prayer
Read MoreWe welcome to the pulpit tomorrow Dr. James Hurley, Professor of Marriage and Family Therapy at Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson, Mississippi, and chairman of that department. Dr. Hurley teaches regularly in churches, frequently conducts marriage seminars and is a practicing Marriage and Family therapist. He has been involved in Prison Fellowship, the Sexual Abuse Coalition, and various counseling associations. His first book, Man and Woman in Biblical Perspective, has become a touchstone volume regarding role relationships for men and women in the church. He and his wife, Phyllis, are members of Redeemer Presbyterian Church of Jackson and reside in Clinton, Mississippi. Click here for Sunday’s bulletin. 1. MORNING WORSHIP (9:30): Dr. James Hurley, preaching Ephesians 4:1-16 “Maintaining Unity in…
Read MorePerseverance
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” (James 1:2-4, NIV) D.A. Carson comments: “[W]e should rejoice because we know that when our faith is tested, the result is perseverance. As an athlete endures in order build up endurance, so a Christian perseveres under trial in order to build up perseverance. Perseverance contributes something important to our character. It ‘must finish its work that [we] may be mature and complete, not lacking anything’ (1:4). The alternative is a personality that may love the Lord when things are going…
Read MorePlease join us for Westminster Presbyterian Church’s annual theology conference, which begins Friday. ABOUT THE SPEAKER Dr. James Hurley (Ph.Ds from Cambridge and Florida State) is Professor of Marriage and Family, Therapy at Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson, MS, and chairman of that department. Dr. Hurley teaches regularly in churches, frequently conducts marriage seminars and is a practicing Marriage and Family therapist. He has been involved in Prison Fellowship, the Sexual Abuse Coalition, and various counseling associations. His first book, Man and Woman in Biblical Perspective, has become a touchstone volume regarding role relationships for men and women in the church. He and his wife, Phyllis, are members of Redeemer Presbyterian Church of Jackson and reside in Clinton, MS. ABOUT…
Read MoreThe Heidelberg Catchism for the Lord’s Day, January 12
3. From where do you know your misery? From the Law of God. 4. What does the Law of God require of us? Christ teaches us in sum, Matthew 22: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” 5. Can you keep all this perfectly? No,for I am prone by nature to hate God and my neighbor.
Read More“O LORD, we beseech thee mercifully to receive the prayers of thy people which call upon thee; and grant that they may both perceive and know what things they ought to do, and also may have grace and power faithfully to fulfil the same; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.” – 1662 Book of Common Prayer
Read MoreOur Pleasure and Our Duty
Our pleasure and our duty, Though opposite before, Since we have seen His beauty, Are joined to part no more: It is our highest pleasure, No less than duty’s call, To love Him beyond measure, And serve Him with our all. – John Newton
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