What a Blessed Day!

[blhowes]

I hope everybody had a blessed time at church today. I just thought I'd write and offer God praise for His blessings today and to see how others were blessed at their worship services tonight.

I was particularly blessed at tonight's worship service. About half of the hymns we sang from the Trinity Hymnal tonight were new to me, and they were such a blessing. There are some great hymns in that hymnal.

Some of the old baptist in me wanted to come to the surface tonight, but I refrained. In many of the churches I've been a member of in the past it wasn't uncommon during the sermon to hear an occasional "Amen!" or "Preach it Brother!" during a good sermon. The sermon I heard tonight was one of those kinds of sermons. He preached primarily from the text:

1Co 1:18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.

What a blessing to hear a simple message about the importance of preaching and the preacher and the power of the simple gospel message to save even the most unlearned of people.

I hope everybody else had a blessed day as well.

Bob

 

[Bryan]

I set a record for myself today and went to 3 churches

I was at my own Community Church for the 10:00 Sunday School and 11:00 service. Our "retired pastor" spoke. I say "retired pastor" becasue although he has retired (he's 84 years old and jsut retired this past year!) and we have a new pastor he has stayed on as a member and is active in preaching in various local churches. It was a decent sermon on havinga correct view of Christ as God.

I went to a Canadian Reformed Church for their 3:00 service. First time I had been at a Canadian Reforemd Church. The pastor, who was from a different Canadian Reformed church, spoke on John 10:1-30 and the Canons of Dort Chapter 2 Section 8. It was a very good sermon, I not used to having a whole sermon on election, it was great.

Then I went to a Christian Reformed Church for their 6:00 service. By this time I was pretty tired but it was once again a visiting pastor (I had heard him speak before as I have been atteneding this church whenever I had an evening off for a few motnhs now) for the other Christian Refroemd Church in Winnipeg. He spoke on how there is both a wide and narrow gate, and how it is important that we strive to be on the narrow one.

The Canadian Refroemd Church impressed me the most. The people there my age where very freindly and there were a lot of them; at my church there are about 5 of us and at the Christian Reformed Church no one my age has ever approached me but there is a nice older gentleman I talk to, and of course they are from everything I have read, and what I heard today confirmed it, the most doctrinaly sound of the 3 churches. I definitly will be attending more services there.

So yes, it was a good day

Bryan
SDG

 

[blhowes]

Josh and Bryan,
I'm glad to hear you were blessed today worshipping our Lord.

I found the words to one of tonight's hymns that was new to me and was a particular blessing. Its called "God, Be Merciful to Me", based on Psalm 51:1-15. Have any of you heard this one before?

Here are the words:

God, Be Merciful to Me
God, be merciful to me,
On thy grace I rest my plea;
Plenteous in compassion thou,
Blot out my transgressions now;
Wash me, make me pure within,
Cleanse, O cleanse me from my sin.

My transgressions I confess,
Grief and guilt my soul oppress;
I have sinned against thy grace
And provoked thee to thy face;
I confess thy judgment just,
Speechless, I thy mercy trust.

I am evil, born in sin;
Thou desirest truth within.
Thou alone my Saviour art,
Teach thy wisdom to my heart;
Make me pure, thy grace bestow,
Wash me whiter than the snow.

Broken, humbled to the dust
By thy wrath and judgment just,
Let my contrite heart rejoice
And in gladness hear thy voice;
From my sins O hide thy face,
Blot them out in boundless grace.

Gracious God, my heart renew,
Make my spirit right and true;
Cast me not away from thee,
Let thy Spirit dwell in me;
Thy salvation's joy impart,
Steadfast make my willing heart.

Sinners then shall learn from me
And return, O God, to thee;
Saviour, all my guilt remove,
And my tongue shall sing thy love;
Touch my silent lips, O Lord,
And my mouth shall praise accord.

 

[blhowes]

Originally posted by joshua
Yes, Bob, we've sang that song at the church I'm visiting. It's such a wonderful escape from the biblically lax and theologically inept mess that's so prevelant today.

Agreed.

I use to, and still do, look forward during the week to hearing the sermon(s) on Sunday. I now also look forward to learning new hymns and psalters that are so packed with content and edifying to the soul.