01 Mar

Reformed News Asia - February 2018

Published in Covenant Evangelical Reformed Church of Singapore

Issue 47 - February 2018

Pamphlets

We print pamphlets written by our members and those from other Reformed churches of like-minded faith. They include a wide range of topics from doctrines to church history and practical Christian living. These pamphlets serve to promote knowledge of the true God as expressed in the Reformed faith.

NEWPamphlet!

I AM BLACK, BUT BEAUTIFUL

By Rev. Doug Kuiper

“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (II Tim. 3:16).

"Among the books of Holy Scripture is the book the Song of Solomon — a love poem between Solomon and his wife — a book that at times causes Christians to blush and to wonder, “What is the meaning of this book?” This book, if you are acquainted with it (and perhaps this week you can become acquainted with it), is part of the holy and authoritative Scriptures. In the words of Jesus Christ in John 5:39, “They are they which testify of me.” This book, the Song of Solomon, is written by the Holy Spirit to make plain to us and to make most lovely to us the relationship that exists between Christ, the husband, and us the church, His bride."

"The Song of Solomon,..., is a poem of Solomon’s love for the Shulamite woman. It is a representation through marriage of that beautiful and glorious union that God has made between us (the church, the believer) and Jesus Christ the Lord (the Bridegroom)."

Click here to view our catalogue of pamphlets.

Click here to make an order.

All pamphlets are free. CERC reserves some discretion regarding large orders and/or orders from those outside Singapore.

Featured Book

For local orders (S'pore), please contact Ms Daisy Lim at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
For international orders, click here.

WALKING IN THE WAY OF LOVE
by Nathan J. Langerak

From the RFPA website:

Written by new author Nathan J. Langerak. Rev. Langerak is a minister in the Protestant Reformed Churches in America. He lives in Crete, Illinois, with his wife, Carrie, and six children. He has served as pastor of Crete Protestant Reformed Church since 2007.

________________________

"A love that disciplines impenitent sinners; a love that will not fellowship with the impenitent sinner; a love that will not endure false doctrine or those who teach it; a love that suffers the loss of all earthly things, including earthly friendships, goods, and standing for the sake of the truth; a love that says what the apostle Paul says at the end of his great book on love, “If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha,” is true love. It is God’s love and Christ’s love manifesting itself in the believer. These and many other hard things belong to the way of love as revealed by the Holy Spirit and in which 1 Corinthians calls the believer to walk."

Audio Recordings

Sermons on Justification by Faith Alone and not of works from the Heidelberg Catechism Lord's Day 23 & 24 by Rev Den Hartog:

The Gospel Of Justification By Faith Alone
Why Our Good Works Cannot Merit With God

Upcoming Events!

Good Friday Gospel Meeting

More details coming soon!

CERC Church Camp 2018

The highly anticipated 2018 Church Camp will be held from June 12-15, 2018 (Tue-Fri). Details as stated below. Registrations are now open! More details will be announced closer to the date.

Date: 12-15 June 2018 (Tue - Fri)
Venue: Bayou Lagoon Park Resort, Meleka
Theme: Holiness: Not a Condition but a Necessity (1 Peter 1:16)
Speaker: Rev. A. den Hartog

Past Events...

CERC Church Retreat 2018

CERC began the year with an outing to Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve. There was an exhortation, followed by a slippery time on the wetland trails. Despite the rainy start to the year, there was a good time of fellowship!

Exhortation by Elder Leong

River trekking

Dave Noorman and Carisa Noorman

We welcomed Dave and Carisa Noorman to CERC for 3 Sundays: 31 December, 7 & 14 January for pulpit supply. We thank God for providing for CERC and for the fellowship we had with them.

Welcome to rainy Singapore!

Wedding of Jiachin and Millie

This January, Jiachin and Millie were united in holy matrimony. We rejoice with them and pray the Lord's blessings upon their union.

Walking down the aisle

Rev. and Mrs den Hartog

Once again, we thank God for Rev. Arie den Hartog who had recently retired from the ministry in the PRCA but was willing to supply our pulpit from 28 January through the end of June 2018. To many, this is not the first time seeing them and we are glad to welcome them back.

Rev den Hartog and Sherry at Glowing Candles Bible study

CNY Visitation - 24 Feb

Two homes were opened this year for our annual church CNY visitation - Rev. den Hartog's and Melina's. The event was filled with food (spiritual and physical), fun, and fellowship!

At Melina's home

Covenant Evangelical Reformed Church
We are a Reformed Church that holds to the doctrines of the Reformation as they are expressed in the Belgic Confession, the Heidelberg Catechism and the Canons of Dordt.

Lord's Day services on Sunday at 930 am & 2 pm â€¢ 11 Jalan Mesin, #04-00, Standard Industrial Building, Singapore 368813 ; Pastor: Rev Andy Lanning - www.cerc.org.sg

13 Feb

Covenant Reformed News - February 2018

Published in Covenant PRC Ballymena, Northern Ireland

Covenant Reformed News

February 2018 • Volume XVI, Issue 22

The Crowding Out of the Church

In general, twenty-first century Protestantism suffers from the terrible malaise of a gross ignorance of biblical and Reformed ecclesiology, faulty and false doctrines concerning the church, and a grievous under appreciation of Christ’s bride and body. Among the factors that produce and/or reinforce a low and erroneous view of the church is the misunderstanding of other spheres, institutions or parties, including work, oneself, the family and the state, which we shall consider in turn.

First, for some, the church is largely crowded out by work (the sphere of employment). Some are workaholics, labouring very long hours or often away on business trips, so the church gets short shrift in their lives. Some move home or attend university with little or no thought given to the presence or otherwise of a faithful congregation, manifesting the three marks of a true church, in the area (Belgic Confession 29). Some are given to “the love of money” which is the root of all sorts of evil (I Tim. 6:10), including slighting the church of which Christ is the head. Some professing believers break the fourth commandment by performing labour that is not a work of necessity or mercy, thereby incurring guilt before God, and depriving themselves of the means of grace and much-needed fellowship with other believers in the instituted church.

Second, there is the problem of unbiblical individualism (the sphere of self). Everything is all about me, my needs, and, hence, what the church can do for me. There is little or nothing about other saints and their needs, and what I can do for them. Little or no thought is given to the church or its head, the Lord Jesus Christ, just me!

Over against this, the Apostles’ Creed speaks of “the communion of the saints,” which is explained in the Heidelberg Catechism: “First, that all and every one who believes, being members of Christ, are, in common, partakers of Him and of all His riches and gifts; secondly, that every one must know it to be his duty, readily and cheerfully to employ his gifts, for the advantage and salvation of other members” (A. 55).

Typically, selfish people do not like being under authority (even where it is properly exercised) or having people over them (even if they are seeking to serve them in Jesus Christ) or being told what to do (even if this is done righteously and humbly) or being held accountable (even if it is to the Lord’s church and to Him).

This individualistic attitude has a hard time understanding, practising and living the biblical truth of the church. Such people struggle to submit to, enjoy and rejoice in scriptural ecclesiology. They kick against being part of a body and being under the Good Shepherd’s under-shepherds. In so doing, sadly, such people harm others and especially themselves.

Third, some have a wrong view of marriage and the home (the sphere of family). Consider a husband who is overbearing towards his wife and lords it over his household. Absolutely everything in the home has to come under his attention and suit him. Those who abuse their authority in their household will find it very difficult to submit and behave wisely in “the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth” (I Tim. 3:15). If such a man is unemployed, with no boss to submit to or obey, his problem will be exacerbated because he is not used to being under anyone.

Likewise, there are wives for whom it is all about their husbands and children. The real issue is the home and the family. As long as they are okay, who cares about Christ’s body? The church is unnecessary or, at best, peripheral; never central.

For such husbands and wives (and their children), it is all about me and my family. The biblical place and significance of the church cannot be properly grasped and enjoyed.

However, the truth is that there should be no conflict: me versus the church or my family versus the church. The proper relationship is that of reciprocity. Believing husbands, wives, fathers, mothers, children and individuals need and help the church. The church, in turn, needs and helps Christian husbands, wives, fathers, mothers, children and individuals.

Fourth, there is the deification of the state (the sphere of civil government). In the twenty-first century, many states, especially in the West, are acting like God and are being regarded by many as if they were a sort of God. Professing Christians need to be careful lest their hearts and minds are secularized too!

The welfare state promises to give, through our taxes, cradle to grave security, if you can make it to the cradle without having been cruelly murdered in the womb. So who needs the God of providence and the church’s diaconate?

The politically-correct state seizes divine prerogatives by redefining person (in order to kill unborn babies), marriage (to promote homosexuality) and gender (to further transgenderism). All of this is contrary to God’s Word (Ps. 139:13-16; Matt. 19:4-6; Rom. 1:26-27), as proclaimed by the true churches of Jesus Christ.

The moralizing state redefines love as first tolerance, and then approval and even celebration of sin, especially sexual sin. It then redefines God as the soppy, immoral god of left-wing love. Who then needs the real God of love and the love of God in the cross of Jesus Christ, and the Ten Commandments as the summary of love for God and one’s neighbour, as proclaimed by Christ’s church?

The deification and absolutizing of the state is reflected in the well-nigh ubiquitous phrase: “the government,” as if the civil government is the only government that exists. What about God’s sovereign and all-encompassing government or the government of a business or family government or individual government or church government? The state’s unwarranted encroachment into the God-given spheres of the home, the church, work, etc., is bad enough but the Christian must not allow such usurpations to take over his own thinking!

Where this soul-deadening, secularizing, statist view steals the hearts and minds of professing Christians, they will have low views of the need of the church, the offices of the church, the authority of the church, the work of the church, etc. The leviathan, politically-correct state must not overshadow the believer’s vision of, and love for, God’s glorious church, the bride of Christ for whom He shed His atoning blood, and whom He sanctifies and cleanses by His Word (Eph. 5:25-27)! Rev. Angus Stewart

The Law of Christ (2)

We continue with our response to a reader’s question: “I would like to ask your view of the law of Christ (I Cor. 9:20-21). What exactly is the law of Christ and how does it, if at all, differ from the Ten Commandments of the Old Testament?”

God’s writing His law upon our hearts (Jer. 31:33) is possible only because of our Lord’s amazing sacrifice on the cross. If I may put it that way, the deepest depth of Christ’s suffering was when He cried out in utter anguish, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Matt. 27:46). It was an awful cry of abandonment: “why?” Yet, even then, His cry was, “My God, my God.” That is, even at that terrible moment, Christ was saying, “Even though I know nothing but pure wrath, I still love thee, O My God!” In other words, He kept the law of God, not only in the years of His ministry but even as He experienced hellish agonies. It was perfect obedience. He earned it for us. That is why the law is now written on our hearts. Christ did what we cannot do: keep God’s law. His motto was “I come to do thy will, O God” (Heb. 10:9).

Our Heidelberg Catechism speaks of a “must” regarding good works (Q. 86). The “must” arises out of our salvation. We are told that we must do good works because we are saved. We are told in the gospel that we can do good works as an incentive to do them. We are told in the Word that we will do good works. The “must,” the “can” and the “will” all come together in us by God’s work. The broken sinner is so happy to hear that he is justified by faith alone without his works that he, in thankfulness to God, does them through the power of divine grace.

Our good works are God’s working in us. Paul, in Philippians 2:12-13, urges us to work out our own salvation. The reason we are admonished to work out our salvation is because God has made it completely possible, for He, so the text tells us, not only makes us willing to do it but also He Himself works in us the very work He calls us to do.

Ephesians 2:10 is especially clear. Paul has said that salvation is God’s work entirely and never ours. We are saved by grace through faith—and neither grace nor faith are of ourselves but are gifts of God (8). Paul tells us how it is possible for us to do good works, even as those saved by grace through faith without works. We are God’s “workmanship” (10). The word means, God’s masterpiece, like the work of the greatest artist on a canvas. We are God’s workmanship because we show forth the skill and glory of the One who changed us from sinners to saints.

But what about our good works? Well, for one thing, He made us what we are so that we could do good works: “we are [God’s] workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works” (10). Even these good works are decreed for us—every one of them—in God’s eternal counsel: “good works, which God hath before ordained” (10). God determined them; Christ earned them, all of them, on His cross. They are part of our salvation. Our good works are God’s gift through Christ. Wonder of wonders, God determined that we should walk in them! It is all of God!

The complaint is made that this doctrine makes man a robot. How can a work be our work and God’s work? Cannot these deniers of sovereign grace see that God is almighty? He does marvellous things! The Canons of Dordt call this work of God as great a wonder as His creation of the universe, for it is “mysterious,” “ineffable,” beyond our understanding (III/IV:12). We, weak and insignificant creatures, cannot fully understand any of God’s works. Can we explain how a baby is formed in the womb of its mother? Comes to birth? Takes his or her place as an adult in God’s world?

Nevertheless, God has revealed a bit to us. Our good works are emphatically our good works. So much are they our good works that we are judged in accordance with our works and our good works by grace are even rewarded! How can this be?

When God begins the work of salvation in us at our new birth, He gives us the gift of faith. That faith, as Heidelberg Catechism, Lord’s Day 7, teaches us, is a living bond that unites us to the risen and exalted Christ so that His heavenly, resurrection life becomes ours. That faith our God brings to consciousness in us by the preaching of the gospel so that faith enables us to do two things. First, it makes us receive as truth everything God has revealed to us in His Word. Second, it causes us to put all our trust and hope for every speck of our salvation in Christ alone. It enables us to lay hold of Him, seek our salvation in Him alone and cling to Him in all our grief. Without Him, we have nothing; with Him, we have everything. It is in this way that we do good works because God works in us in Jesus Christ and by faith in Him.

Our Heidelberg Catechism begins with the one question without an answer to which I cannot live: “What is your only comfort in life and in death?” The answer, so simple, so plain, so child-like, so all-encompassing: “That I belong to Jesus. He bought me with His blood!” That is all—even for a child. I need no more than that.

The best illustration is to be found in the horticulturist’s work of grafting. If the branch of a Macintosh apple tree is cut off the tree, it would soon die, for its life comes from the tree. If it is grafted into a Gala apple tree, it will live, because it is grafted into a tree from which it gets its life. Though it be grafted into a Gala apple tree and draws its life from that tree, it will continue to bear Macintosh apples.

So we, grafted into Christ, do bring forth fruit. It is our fruit, no one else’s. Yet all the life in us that produces good works is Christ’s life. Salvation is in God alone, for He it is that must and will receive all the glory, both now and forever. Prof. Herman Hanko

Covenant Protestant Reformed Church
83 Clarence Street, Ballymena, BT43 5DR • Lord’s Day services at 11 am & 6 pm
Website: www.cprc.co.uk • Live broadcast: www.cprf.co.uk/live
Pastor: Angus Stewart, 7 Lislunnan Road, Kells, N. Ireland, BT42 3NR • (028) 25 891851
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. • www.youtube.com/cprcni • www.facebook.com/CovenantPRC

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South Wales Lecture

Thursday, 22 February
7:15 PM

Speaker:
Rev. Martyn McGeown

Subject:
The Covenant of God

The Bible is divided into the Old and New Testaments (or covenants). Reformed theology is often called “covenant theology.” The Christian life, church, family and home are often called “covenantal.” God is the covenant God. Come to learn about the meaning and the importance of the covenant!

Margam Community Centre
Bertha Road, Margam, Port Talbot, SA13 2AP

www.cprc.co.uk
www.cprf.co.uk/swales.htm
www.limerickreformed.com

British Reformed Fellowship Family Conference

21-29 July 2018

Hebron Hall
Conference Centre
South Wales

Theme:
The Reformed Family—According to the Word of God

Speakers:
Prof. David Engelsma
Rev. Andy Lanning

Check the conference website
for more details and booking forms
http://brfconference.weebly.com/

1834: Hendrick de Cock’s Return to the True Church

by Marvin Kamps
(512 pp., hardback)

The book recounts the reformation of the church in the Netherlands in 1834, when Hendrik de Cock testified against the false doctrines and unspiritual character of the state Reformed church. After having been unceremoniously suspended and deposed from office, he led his congregation to return to scriptural teaching and the biblical worship of God in Christ Jesus. This book narrates one man’s struggle against the perversions of Scripture by the vast majority of ordained pastors in the state Reformed church with its million or more spiritually sleeping members. De Cock’s courageous testimony has inspired the witness of hundreds of thousands of people throughout the world until this day. Read this stirring account and be galvanized to fight the good fight of the church militant!

£24.00 (inc. P&P)

Order from the
CPRC Bookstore
by post or telephone
7 Lislunnan Road, Kells, N. Ireland BT42 3NR
(028) 25891851
.
Make cheques payable to “Covenant Protestant Reformed Church.”
Thank you!

The Sacraments

6 classes on
Belgic Confession 33
on CD in a box set

Most people know what the two Christian sacraments are but how do we prove this? Why did Christ give us only two sacraments? What is the point of them? How do we benefit from them? How are Word and sacrament related? Listen and learn!

(1) Introduction and Rome’s Sacramentology (Eph. 5:22-33)
(2) The Criteria for Determining the Sacraments (I Cor. 11:17-34)
(3) Exsurge Domine and the Rationale of Two Sacraments (I Cor. 10:1-22)
(4) Similarities and Differences Between the Word and the Sacraments (Gen. 17:1-14)
(5) The Component Parts of the Sacraments (Gen. 17:1-14)
(6) The Perspective and Purpose of the Sacraments (John 6:27-51)

£6/box set (inc. P&P)

LIsten free on-line
or order from the
CPRC Bookstore
by post or telephone
7 Lislunnan Road, Kells, N. Ireland BT42 3NR
(028) 25891851

Make cheques payable to “Covenant Protestant Reformed Church.”
Thank you!

10 Feb

Covenant PRC, N. Ireland Newsletter - February 2018

Published in Covenant PRC Ballymena, Northern Ireland

CPRC News Header

Covenant Protestant Reformed Church
Ballymena, NI

9 February, 2018

Dear saints in the Protestant Reformed Churches,

Church Visitors

Rev. Nathan Decker (Trinity PRC) and Elder Sid Miedema (Byron Center PRC) were this year’s church visitors in the CPRC (18-25 January) and the Limerick Reformed Fellowship (LRF) (25-29 January). It was good to have both of these men back with us again!

CPRC supper 2018
Annual Congregational Dinner

Their first engagement was the CPRC annual congregational dinner (19 January). Besides members and friends of the church in Ballymena, Rev. McGeown, Colm Ring, Manuel Kuhs, Chester Mansona, and Sam and Jason Watterson of the LRF made the four-hour journey to join us (and that is only one way!). After a good meal, William Graham asked the questions for an excellent table quiz.

PRC church visitors 2018
Chester Mansona, Sid Miedema, Rev. Decker, Rev. McGeown

Rev. Decker preached at both of our Sunday services (21 January) and led a fine Bible study on Psalm 73 at the church on Tuesday morning. On the next night, his lecture on “Living Wisely in a Digital Age” was well attended and the on-line video has attracted a lot of interest ( www.youtube.com/watch?v=TorlK7c_CYw ).

Besides the official church visitation with the CPRC Council, our two American brethren had dinner with several families and visited with other saints. On the morning of their departure for Limerick, they even fitted in breakfast with a former member (Kristin Crossett) and a current member (Carolyn Prins) of the church that Rev. Decker pastors.

Teaching in the CPRC

“Ezekiel’s Prophecies Against Tyre” (Ezek. 26:1-28:19) was the subject of a recent 4-sermon series in the CPRC. God judged that wealthy island trading centre so that it was reduced to a rock upon which fishermen repaired and cleaned their nets. The prophet pictured the city as a great ship filled with international merchants and all their wares, but it was going to sink to the bottom of the Mediterranean. The king of Tyre thought that he was wiser than Daniel and even a god. His realm was another Eden for precious stones and gold, and he was like Adam or a cherub guarding the garden. Yet he was a fallen son of Adam and the image of Satan, and he would soon be cast from his garden of God and destroyed. The 4 sermons are on-line in audio (www.cprf.co.uk/audio/OTseries.htm) and video ( www.youtube.com/user/CPRCNI ), and soon will be available in a box set of CDs or DVDs for just £6.

In our Tuesday morning Bible study, we have been considering the Feast of Tabernacles, the most joyful of the Old Testament feasts. We have looked at its institution in Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy, and its celebration in Joshua, Judges, I Samuel, and I Kings. More material is to come, including 4 major Old Testament passages and John 7.

Since the middle of November, our Wednesday night doctrine class has been studying the subject of baptism in connection with Belgic Confession 34. Our treatment has included the baptismal formula, the administrators of baptism, the requirements for a valid baptism,
immersionism, the mode of baptism, the meaning of baptism, etc. ( www.cprf.co.uk/ audio/belgicconfessionclass.htm ). It is a rich subject that opens up a lot of Scriptures.

The fortnightly Ladies’ Bible Study, which meets on Friday mornings, is now discussing Rev. Smit’s book, The Fruit the Spirit of Jesus Christ. The fortnightly Saturday night Men’s Bible Study has begun Studies in Acts by Mark Hoeksema. These fine RFPA resources are already proving beneficial to our members. Almost all of the copies of Rev. Brian Huizinga’s “Keeping the Sword Drawn” brought over by the two church visitors have gone already ( www.cprf.co.uk/pamphlets/keeping sworddrawn.pdf ). Some of the saints in the CPRC are also using a yearly Bible reading programme that Mary prepared from two existing programmes.

Others

“God’s Saving Will in the New Testament” was the subject of a lecture I gave in South Wales on 25 January. There are two main Greek words that deal with willing, determining, desiring, wishing, etc., in the New Testament. What does a study of this concept in the New Testament reveal about the will of God’s decree and the will of His command? We had a blessed night of fellowship with the saints, including with Timothy Spence, a member of the CPRC who is at a university in South Wales. Also a good number of books and box sets were purchased. The video is on-line ( www.youtube.com/ watch?v=rPml_52T__0 ).

The last couple of months have seen 14 translations added to our website (www.cprf. co.uk/languages.htm): 6 Hungarian (by 2 young men who are coming to the 2018 British Reformed Fellowship Conference), 6 German (on Pentecostal issues by a brother who last did some translations for us in 2010), 1 Italian (by a Calvinistic Baptist in Sicily), and 1 Hindi (Prof. Engelsma’s pamphlet “Try the Spirits” by Sam Salve in India).

We added our second video with French subtitles, thanks to Timothée Rapak of Reims. This brings our foreign language videos to 28 ( www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL2Y5Eq5r6y2HmXGp8oXTSI2QS6_FJYjyJ ). The USA, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, and Malaysia often feature in the top 5 countries using the CPRC YouTube page. However, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, of all places, have broken into the top 5 in recent times!

We continue to get a lot of good feedback. “I love the steadfast, Calvinist, Reformed theology [of the CPRC] on the internet. Bless you!” (Florida, USA). “Just a note to say thank you for the great book, Knowing God and Man. I couldn’t lay it down once I started reading it. It is profound truth and an absolutely brilliant book. I will be using its contents for many references” (Northern Ireland). “I read the excellent article on the subject of Lefèvre [‘Jacques Lefèvre d’Étaples: Pioneer of French Reform’]...I would love to quote it in an essay I’m writing to raise awareness of Lefèvre and his influence on the Reformation in France” (France). “Thank you for the books you kindly sent me. They will be very useful in the year ahead and also for the British Reformed Journals. The materials you send me are so appreciated in these days of Arminian churches” (England). “I have been a long-time reader of your website and have encouraged many to read your articles. One of the members of our church has recently translated some articles for you into Portuguese” (Australia).

Bookings for the 2018 British Reformed Fellowship (BRF) Conference in Hebron Hall, Cardiff (21-28 July) are coming on very well. Already we have heard from people in Germany, Wales, America, Northern Ireland, Brazil, England, Australia, Hungary, the Republic of Ireland, etc., that they are coming. The theme of “The Reformed Family—According to the Word of God” will be developed by our two main speakers, Prof. David Engelsma and Rev. Andy Lanning. The two-day trips include a fifteenth-century castle and Wales’ most popular heritage attraction, which is also one of Europe’s leading open-air museums. Much more information, including prices and the booking form, is on-line ( http://brfconference.weebly.com ). The North American booking secretary is Briana Prins (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.). Do join us!

Thank you for your support and prayers in Christ,
Rev. & Mary Stewart

04 Feb

Reformed Witness Hour Messages for February 2018

Published in First PRC Grand Rapids, MI

First PRC of Grand Rapids, MI and the Reformed Witness Hour Committee announce the messages scheduled for Febuary 2018 on the RWH radio/Internet program.

Rev. Rodney Kleyn, pastor of Covenant of Grace PRC (Spokane, WA), begins his four-month service for the RWH program, giving a special series on the Old Testament book of Ruth, as evidence of God's great covenant faithfulness to His people (cf. schedule of messages below).

FEBRUARY 2018

February 4 - God Chastens an Unholy Family, Ruth 1:1-6

Rev. Rodney Kleyn

February 11 - The Conversion of Ruth, Ruth 1:7-18

Rev. Rodney Kleyn

February 18 - The Homecoming of Naomi, Ruth 1:19-22

Rev. Rodney Kleyn

February 25 - The First Meeting of Boaz and Ruth, Ruth 2:1-17

Rev. Rodney Kleyn

You are encouraged to listen to these important messages and to let others know about them too. Help spread the word about the Reformed Witness Hour, now in its 77th year of broadcasting the truths of God's sovereign, particular, efficacious grace!

Use the attached flyer (pdf) to spread the news of these important gospel messages!

PO Box 1230, Grand Rapids MI, 49501 | reformedwitnesshour.org | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

30 Jan

Myanmar Report of Rev. Titus - January 2018

Published in Myanmar Labors (Hope PRC, GR)

Myanmar Mission Report - January 2018

Dear brethren,

Greetings in our sovereign and gracious covenant Lord's name. Blessed New to you all. This is the First letter that I wrote to you in this new year. Thanks for all your prayers and encouragements in 2017.

A year is speedily gone and a new year started, the time of our Lord Jesus returns in one more year near, for that we are thankful, then new creation will start for the final fulfilment of His covenant of grace.

Thank you very much for all the cards that you send us in covenant love. We (my wife Certe, our children, and myself) do not know how to express our joy seeing them; some time we like to cry for joy knowing we have brothers and sisters in the Lord for His covenant sake. And I like to tell you that, that is the first time in our life that much cards received in one time; so first time has a lot to say in one's life. Thank you and the Lord's blessings on you all in 2018.

That reminds us Ps. 133 "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments; As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore." And our Apostle's creed, "I believe an holy catholic church: the communion of saints." We are united in His truth, that is a real beauty.

When, my wife and I were in U.S., there were many places that we enjoy very much visiting. Among them, some of the place for me, personally, were, visiting the RFPA building. The Lord used books and Standard Bearer to lead me to know the truth and to know you all. My life was richly blessed by those books, and I am translating some of the books from that publishing, so to see it face to face was really something special for me, I could not express it with words. Some pastors think that, to preach good news in the only important thing, and they even suggest that I should not translate books rather preach gospel; but I think books are like coffee to American. When I was in U.S., even before breakfast, you drink at least a cup of coffee, but if I ask you, what will be your main source of energy, your will tell me food, but coffee also have a very important role in American's life. In that way, the Bible and preaching are our main spiritual food, but books also very important. Books still talk and preach after that person died. Even, e g. Hoeksema still talks to us with his triple knowledge volumes and others books also the same.

And visiting PR Seminary classes and attended some classes there, from the day that I learned PR distinctives, I am so eager to see that school; for your kindness, I could made that dream come true. Thanks to you all and to our faithful covenant Lord.

Titus RCvideos class 2017

Thursday Bible classes begin again; now the first hour, we listen Prof. Cammenga's seminary lectures on "Soteriology," that is doctrine of salvation. Now we reached third lecture of four; the second hour we discuss our Essentials of Reformed Doctrine. Now I am discussing the means of grace, preaching especially, how to make sermons Reformed way, especially for Ah Lin; the rest also as leading their small groups, they said very helpful. For me also, all the books on preaching are in English, this is the first time I am putting them in Burmese language, quite a challenge, because, Burmese language does not really concern "Tenses of Verb." It is kind of spoken written language; e g. I can say "I come yesterday," which is very wrong in English but it is perfectly OK in Burmese, I think you will notice in my report as well, when I write English that kind of thing always there. But we enjoy very much in learning together.

And on Thursday night, I have another Bible class to equip two young men from our congregation to become new elder and deacon, so that we may have rotation of office bearers. Since the Bible said, " In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity, (Titus 2:7 KJV)" I am teaching them, all the things that necessary to know as officers of His covenant Church. They are brought up under my pastoring from their very young, so class is like lecturing. They dare not to ask me questions, so I have to encourage them: "do not afraid me but ask me and have dialogue with me." I hope slowly they will do that.

I am still busy, editing my KJV Burmese translation, I am now editing the book of Revelation, the last one, very soon NT will be ready to publish. Evening services Heidelberg Catechism, now eight time just started, reached LD 7.

For Sunday Digest, now I started translating, the book of Judges, reach chapter 8, I reached translating "Come, Ye Children," by Gertrude Hoeksema, "Jeroboam Teaches Israel to Worship Idols." I am translating, "Unfolding Covenant History," by Homer C. Hoeksema, I am translating the topic "The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil." I send Sunday Digests as attachment.

Catechism classes, younger one, Heidelberg Catechism, by Rev. Wilbur Bruinsma; this week we reach lesson 48. Older youth, I am teaching them our Belgic Confession itself now, reach Art. (11).

Thank you very much for supporting my ministry, without your help I cannot do all the things that I do for His people. Please, continue to pray for us, so that the Reformed truth that we hold dear as PR churches will be through out generations, not just when I did ended.

In my congregational prayer as well as in personal prayers, I continue to pray, always for you, especially the long struggle that the Lord sent to your midst to end. The Lord's blessings to you all.

Your brother,
Rev. Titus

26 Jan

New Issue of "Salt Shakers" Magazine - January 2018

Published in Covenant Evangelical Reformed Church of Singapore

SS 47 Jan 2018 Page 1 "Covenant Keepers", the youth ministry of the Covenant Evangelical Reformed Church of Singapore (our sister church), has now released the January 2018 issue of "Salt Shakers" (#47),their youth magazine.

The January 2018 issue of "SS" is once again filled with interesting and instructive articles, and our PRC young people especially are encouraged to make it part of their reading content.

Below you will find a note from the "SS" Committee introducing the contents of this issue and images of the cover and table of contents. The entire issue is also attached here in pdf form.

Beloved Readers,

Salt Shakers is pleased to bring you Issue 47, the first issue of 2008!

This issue, we begin our consideration of a new theme which highlights the important calling of holiness in our lives. We pray that our readers may be edified to this end through the excellent Reformed articles in this edition.

We thank the Lord for His continued grace in sustaining this magazine. May it ever redound to His glory!

Our heartfelt appreciation also goes to all our writers for their contributions to Salt Shakers!

In the January 2018 issue:

Calvin's Instruction on Church Membership - Aaron Lim
Scripture's Covenant Youth (X): David - Prof. Herman Hanko
Are Unbelievers in God's Image? (V) - Rev. Angus Stewart
CKCKS Camp Review: Examine Yourselves - Nichelle Wong
In the Year of the Dog - Daisy Lim
Raising a Covenant Family - Rev. Arie Den Hartog
A Letter to My Unforgiving Self (I) - Marcus Wee
The Importance of Family Devotions - Rev. Ryan Barnhill
Reformed Polemics for the Reformed Believer - Rev. Nathan Langerak
Rejoicing and Weeping Together (I): Introduction - Lim Yang Zhi
Bold to Witness - Rev. Stephan Regnerus
Holiness: A Conscious Choice - Eld. Lee Kong Wee

Remember to pass the salt!

Pro Rege,

Chua Lee Yang, On Behalf of the Salt Shakers Committee

News

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Reformed News Asia - February 2018

Covenant Reformed News - February 2018