The Heidelberg Catechism - The Foundations Of Our Faith

2Timothy 1 1Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, in keeping with the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus, 2To Timothy, my dear son: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. 3I thank God, whom I serve, as my ancestors did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers. 4Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy. 5I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also. 6For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. 8So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God. 9He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because...

Heidelberg Catechism OUR DELIVERANCE     LORD'S DAY 5 12. Q. Since, according to God's righteous judgment we deserve temporal and eternal punishment, how can we escape this punishment and be again received into favour? A. God demands that his justice be satisfied.1 Therefore we must make full payment, either by ourselves or through another.2 1 Ex 20:5; 23:7; Rom 2:1-11. 2 Is 53:11; Rom 8:3, 4. 13. Q. Can we by ourselves make this payment? A. Certainly not. On the contrary, we daily increase our debt.1 1 Ps 130:3; Mt 6:12; Rom 2:4, 5. 14. Q. Can any mere creature pay for us? A. No. In the first place, God will not punish another creature for the sin which man has committed.1 Furthermore, no mere creature can sustain the burden of God's eternal wrath against sin and deliver others from it.2 1 Ezek 18:4, 20; Heb 2:14-18. 2 Ps 130:3; Nahum 1:6. 15. Q. What kind of mediator and deliverer must we seek? A. One who is a true1 and righteous2 man, and yet more powerful than al...

Job 9: 1         Then Job answered, 2         "In truth I know that this is so;            But how can a man be in the right before God? 3         "If one wished to dispute with Him,            He could not answer Him once in a thousand times. 4         "Wise in heart and mighty in strength,            Who has defied Him without harm? 5         "It is God who removes the mountains, they know not how,            When He overturns them in His anger; 6         Who shakes the earth out of its place,            And its pillars tremble; 7         Who commands the sun not to shine,            And sets a seal upon the stars; 8         Who alone stretches out the heavens            And tramples down the waves of the sea; 9         Who makes the Bear, Orion and the Pleiades,            And the chambers of the south; 10       Who does great things, unfathomable,            And wondrous works without number. 11       "Were He to pass by me, I would not see Him;            ...

  John 10 How To Live Happy And Die Happy John Mahar passed away last week. As Margaret said, "John was a deeply godly man who had a joy in living and in dying. He knew where he was going. He had a full assurance of faith. His trust was wholly in the Lord Jesus. He lived happy and died happy knowing he was going to go home to be with the Lord." Now it wasn't of those who think God owes people materialistic happiness, but a happiness that is much deeper than that. A joy that seeks us in pain. An abundant life. That is purposeful and at peace with God and lived in communion with God whatever the outward circumstances may be. Chuck Swindoll writes " Jesus' predecessors are the priests, scribes, and Pharisees who presently ruled over the Jews. By identifying them as "thieves and robbers," He cast them in the role prophesied by Jeremiah (Jer. 23), Ezekiel (Ezek. 34), and Zechariah (Zech. 11). Whereas the Annas Bazaar left the people of Israel physically and ...