God is the original horticulturist. But he doesn’t grow the expected fruits. Of course, he is the one who is all-around responsible for the growth of all the pomegranates, avocados, peaches, pears, and plums, but he is also the cultivator of a different and even better fruit, a spiritual fruit.

The Church reformed and is always reforming according to the Word of God. The Reformers lived by this principle in all aspects of the Christian life. Our understanding of the Scriptures and authority was reformed. Our understanding of salvation was reformed. Our understanding of people, families, and work was reformed. Everything was reformed.

When someone is raised with an expectation that what is needed for pardon is to degrade yourself until the offended feels better or continually apologize and grovel until you’ve learned your lesson, it's difficult to see how forgiveness can be so easy and free, or that someone would really desire to forgive you.

Though you’ve confessed your sins and have communed with God through singing, prayers, and His Word, and have now come to the Lord’s Table, instead of continuing in this reverent and joyful worship as a forgiven son or daughter in Christ Jesus

This charge asserts that worship through song consists, in part, of God’s people singing words that they understand. Therefore, to worship God through singing the first line of the Doxology, one must comprehend what it means that all blessings flow from Him

We, as reformed, confessional Christians, argue that the Word of God is a sufficient rule for all of faith and life, and that includes our music. Our Triune God has given us a hymnbook, smack dab in the middle of our Bibles, and its contents should make up the majority of our worship.

God had to tell Adam what to do and what not to do.  God had to show Adam what is and is not permissible.  God had to reveal to Adam that which is Good for Life and that which is Deadly to Life.  Adam did not have the ability to discern this through his own sensibilities.

Praise God from whom all blessings flow; Praise Him all creatures here below; Praise Him above, ye heav’nly host; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

Join us in this episode as we examine how worldly sorrow led to the death of one king and how godly sorrow led to repentance for the other (2 Corinthians 7:10-11; 1 Samuel 16:13-14).

When we look at the confession, we observe that it intentionally has a “big tent” outlook on the church. It does this so as to not unnecessarily exclude any true believer from fellowship within the visible church, and the sacraments of the Lord. This is established within the confession by its discussion regarding the visible church.

As with any major shift in church polity, there were unforeseen issues. The church rejoiced in the nature of the compromise, and the fact that the denomination did not fall to pieces. But there was still the issue of clarity in the Act and how it would be applied.

Family worship is one of the most tremendous blessings of the Christian home. As a father, having the family gather around the table, around the couch, or around the bed, to worship the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is the highlight of my day!

The male-female dynamic within the created order is the choice of the Creator (Genesis 1:27), whose motivation is to receive glory from his creation (Ephesians 1:6). Within God’s Holy Word and the world he created, there are only two genders: male and female.

This prayer is recorded in two of our Gospel accounts, both in Matthew and in Luke (11:2-4). The four Gospels being the first recognized books of the New Covenant[1], the early church recognized the importance of the Lord’s Prayer

Have you ever told someone that the world does not revolve around them?  It is natural for us to become self-absorbed in our own created false realities.  The point is we cannot trust our own derived reality.  So how do we know what reality is? 

There are times in life when we are afforded a mere taste of something spectacular. Be it food, or adventure, love, or satisfaction. A moment of sheer enjoyment - complete gratification

The fourth commandment can be difficult to apply. Perhaps it is because we desire a clean list of do's-and-don'ts to keep, and without one, we struggle to forge our own record of rules to ensure we are found obedient.

It is always the yearning of children to please their fathers and for them to see and feel their father’s smile. And the greater the compassion of the father, the greater the passion of his child is for him.

At the general assembly of 1728, John Thomson forced the issue by putting forward an overture to adopt the Westminster Standards as the governing body of the Presbyterian church.

But notice, the psalmist recognizes his station. He is God’s servant, his slave, subjected to the Lord and attending to the Lord’s will, rather than to his own. For, here we learn that many would wish to make the Lord their subject and require him to grant all that they have promised themselves in arrogant thoughtlessness.