Encouragement & comfort!

It’s more fun to look at things from a distance to see how the Lord is working than to be in the midst of what seem to us to be the tumultuous providences of God! The Lord gives us much of the former to help us w. the latter!

This came from my friend Bill Shishko, pastor of Franklin Square Orthodox Presbyterian Church, New York. I mentioned to him the sudden providence which threatens to remove our youngest son to a pastorate in the U.S.A. We have already lost one son to a church over there, which leaves only our middle son and daughter in law, plus their children to comfort us in our old age.

Calvin on true worship

'I know how difficult it is to persuade the world that God disapproves of all modes of worship not expressly sanctioned by His Word. The very opposite persuasion which cleaves to them, being seated, as it were in their very bones and marrow, is, that whatever they do has in itself a sufficient sanction, provided it exhibits some kind of zeal for the honour of God.' Tracts & Letters, Vol. 1 THE NECESSITY OF REFORMING THE CHURCH, 129.

Substitution

The Lions were smashed in scrum and lineout in the first test at Durban. One small compensation was the difference made to the scrum when Rees and Jones joined Jenkins in the front row. Maybe Powell should have a start in the second test. Substitution - wonderful doctrine!

Heroes - a good read!

	Book Title: Heroes
	Author : Iain H. Murray Banner of Truth
	Price: £ 15.00
	ISBN#: 9781848710245

Worship

'While believers are to worship in secret as individuals and in private as families, they are also to worship as churches in assemblies of public worship, which are not carelessly or willfully to be neglected or forsaken. Public worship occurs when God, by his Word and Spirit, through the lawful government of the church, calls his people to assemble to worship him together ... '

From the proposed Directory for Public Worship of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church

Reflections

With the Church of Scotland fiasco still fresh in the memory thoughts turn to those who stood for righteousness and truth in that very mixed denomination. I don't know anything about them so can't comment but my mind goes back to those days in the late 1960's when churches began to secede from the Presbyterian Church of Wales. By that time Presbyterianism had become a dirty word among Bible believing Christians and the ensuing exodus - well it was more like a trickle of churches over a period of years - resulted not in a reformed Presbyterian church but a multiplication of independent churches and a solidifying anti-denominational feeling.

I regretted the loss of connectionalism, though was glad to leave behind that shell of a denomination and shed no tears over the eventual demise of the Presbyterian theological college, where I 'trained'. I was just wondering what hope there is of a reformed Church of Scotland emerging from the present mire. Maybe those brethren are as variegated and unconnected as many of us were in the days of yore. I hope not.