Covenant Reformed Fellowship

Seeking God's Voice

2009-07-07T11:20:00.000-05:00

This is our prayer, O God: That you might speak to us and proclaim to us your name. You have said that if we ask anything in the name of Jesus, we will receive it. You have commanded us to ask, seek and knock. And you promised that we when we ask, we shall receive. When we seek we shall find. When we knock the door will be opened.

So we come to you with simple the faith that you will honor your own word. And we pray that your voice might be heard among us today. What we want is that our hearts would hear that still small voice.

Dear Father, give us light from heaven. Pour out wisdom and knowledge. Endow us with the fear of you and fill us with the spirit of prophecy.

To that end, cause all that may distract us to be quieted. And may our hearts settle upon you. May all the things that clutter our minds be at rest and may we have undivided hearts in this time.

Speak Lord, and we will listen. Glorify yourself among us and let there be praise.

Despising God's Word

2009-07-07T11:18:00.000-05:00

Gracious God,

We too are among that sorry number. We recognize that your anger may be kindled against us. For we too have despised your word.

Do we not show it by the way we treat it? We may listen to it from week to week. But how often do we really hear it? And how even more rare is the occasion that we heed it! Lord, we show our low esteem for it in that we do not cherish it for the rich treasure that it is. If it were to us the vast mine of wealth that it is, we would not let one nugget slip away. We would lock every utterance in the chambers of our hearts. Every jot of Scripture would be bound upon our heads and hands and hearts. But this has not been so.

God we are sorry for the times we have not listened your word or given it the reverence that it deserves. And we pray that you would pardon us for having treated it with such contempt. And we pray that the Spirit of Truth would not be taken from us. But instead we pray that he would come to us all the more powerfully and give us that high opinion of your law. And may he not just help us to admire it and attend upon it with the utmost diligence, but may he help us to walk in it and to obey it wholeheartedly.

We know that our offenses are great in this matter. But we know that your grace is great too. And this is why we come to you, for we know that the blood of Jesus is able to cover all our sins.

Praise from Zion's People

2009-06-28T15:44:00.000-05:00

Thank-you, O God, for giving us a portion in Zion. For bringing us into that holy fellowship and numbering us among the saints in heaven.

And as we come to that holy haven this morning, we acknowledge that we have none but thee. The world’s treasures are as lasting as day lilies, here today but withering and gone before morning. But you satisfy to eternity’s end. You are an ever flowing fountain of goodness and beauty.

How happy we are because of you. How blessed we have become through you. Our lives are continually refreshed by your pity. Your grace enlivens our souls with each passing moment. Our hearts are given peace; our hands are given prosperity.

Our lips shall praise you forevermore. Our banners shall be lifted to you with gladness. Until all are gathered as one and your people drawn from their dispersions, we shall sing to you.

Breaking the Whole of the Law

2009-06-28T15:43:00.000-05:00

Gracious and holy God,

What a perfect web is your law. Each precept rests in another. They are like the many ligaments that make up a single joint. Each relies on the other and every one finds its beginning in you.

Yet this law gives us reason to quake. It stands over and against us because of our sins. We transgress at one part, and we find ourselves condemned at every point.

But our faults are always profuse and are accompanied by several other aggregations. One sin is as a bomb. Its shrapnel causes many wounds and offenses.

How awful is our state, O God. How terrible is our frame. Though you have made us a little lower than the angels and crowned us with glory and honor, we have made ourselves beastly in our character and robed in all kinds of rubbish.

Humbled by the greatness of our sin, we come to you today. And we pray that you would look on our poor state with pity. We pray that you would lift us up out of the mire of our sins and set us again in grace. Remove the guilt that hovers over our heads and the stains that are so deeply woven into our flesh.

Let us find ourselves resting in the sweetness of Christ’s mediation and enjoying the fruits that do flow from it.

For it is in Jesus’ name only do we pray.

The Sting of Shame and Conviction

2009-06-21T07:35:00.001-05:00

Our Lord,

Each of us here today bears not just the guilt of our sin, but also its shame. We know all too well our failings and shortcomings, and its heaviness bears us down. Deep within our spirits we feel the pains of conviction. O how we lament our weakness and sinful propensities. We despise how incredibly corrupt our flesh is. Lord, our souls ache because we quickly offend you and so easily trespass your holy law.

Lord, it is maddening. We fall prey to sin and it pounces upon us long before we have time to think about fending off the temptation. And then the pains of grief, frustration and sorrow berate us. They linger over our hearts as dark clouds. Perhaps Lord, Satan’s greatest victory over us is not so much getting us to stumble into sin, but in making us to languish in it.

This is why we look to you, O God. For you are the only cure for our miserable condition. You yourself have said that a broken spirit dies up the bones. And you are the only one who can mend a broken spirit. Only you can cleanse us from the guilt of our sins and strengthen us against the power of sin. Only you can stabilize us and remove the piercing agony of conviction in our breast.

O God, we pray that you might wash away our sins and fix our minds upon the grace of the gospel. Let us rest in the cross of our dear Lord and find joy in his precious blood. And may we be freed from the restlessness we now experience and sense an all surpassing, supernatural peace that only you can afford.

Rejoicing in God

2009-06-14T07:19:00.001-05:00

Blessed God,

We do rejoice in you. We rejoice because you created us by your might, you purchased us with your Son, you sealed us with you Spirit. Now there is kept for us in heaven an inheritance that will never perish, spoil or fade. We confess that you are that portion allotted to us. Gladness now fills our souls because we have this whole day to savor you and the benefits you have secured for us through Christ’s mediation.

Let us therefore praise you with a joyous heart. Let us glory in the congregation of your delight. And grant that we might know the assurance of your love today, that we are your people, your treasured possession, created to be a holy nation and a kingdom of priests. Though we were once not a people, you have gathered us under the name of our dear Lord and Savoir to declare your praises throughout the world.

Let it be so this day. May this room be filled with adoration as we delight ourselves in you and experience your delight in us.

For we ask this in the Name of our great Savior, Amen.

Outward Religion

2009-06-14T07:18:00.000-05:00

O God,

You know how prone we are to cleanse the outside of the cup. We know the destiny of the good Pharisee. Yet we pride ourselves on how clean and moral we are in comparison to others. We even congratulate ourselves our outward piety. But such is wickedness and iniquity, for our true goal has not been the honor of your name. Rather we have been self consumed and we have sought by our ethical theatrics the applause of men.

O, what do we see when we open the cavity of our chest? Is it not rank putrefaction? Does not the evil that resides there compare to an aged tomb? Father we confess that these hearts of ours are still so filled with dead men’s bones. We acknowledge that this is the only place in the world where death is active, and ever so lively.

Father, we know that you find it even more foul than we do; for you see it as it is and its odor rises before you day and night. It is for this reason we seek your favor. We want you to forgive us, O God. Forgive us for using religion as a means of gaining recognition and concerning ourselves so much with externals only. And forgive us for being so deluded and failing to recognize the real (the pitiful!) state of our souls.

Lord, we want you to eliminate Pharisaical spirit and we want you to reign in us. But all we can do now is fall upon Christ and beg you for that which we do not deserve. Cleanse us from this mask of religiosity, and give us hearts that do manifest true godliness from the heart.

The Glory Due Him

2009-06-07T06:18:00.001-05:00

God Almighty,

What a pleasure it is to praise you, O God. What a joy it is to declare the glory of the Lord. For this we were created and for this reason we gather together.

Yet, how can we attribute to you the sum of what you deserve? No man has that capacity to sing the full measure of your praise. Even if our voices were amplified a thousand decibels over, it would not achieve a fraction of your worth. If all the starry host could speak and every grain of sand could cry out, still it would not be enough. Even eternity will not provide enough time to exhaust the riches of your greatness.

You are too wonderful, O God. Your glory exceeds the pomp of kings and your majesty is above that of the earth’s treasures.

But no matter how meager our worship may be this morning, though it be but a small portion of what you are due, we pray that you would find delight in it. Though we give what may only be counted as an offering of poor peasants, we pray that you would take great pleasure in it. And so be moved to lay your tender affection on us and affirm your love to us again.

For we ask this in the strong Name of Jesus, Amen.

Anomolies in Creation

2009-06-07T06:16:00.001-05:00

God,

We come to you again this morning, frustrated with our selves, and recognizing that you are frustrated with us.

We are so peculiar in comparison to all the rest of your creation. The birds sweetly sing your praises from morning to night. The heavens resound with an eternal chorus, never ceasing to declare the glory of God. All around us there is a loud crescendo of worship all the day long.

But we suffer from the paralysis of sin. Our hearts limp along at best. When we compare ourselves to the rocks that lie motionless on the ground and are trampled on by our feet, we recognize that they do a better job of paying homage to you than we do.

We admit before you Lord, that it is not our nature to honor you. Even when our souls are primed and our affections are ignited in the worship you, it is like a storm that quickly passes. The embers cool so rapidly and our enthusiasm fades away so quickly.

Lord, we know that a cool breeze in August lasts much longer than our zeal for the worship of your name. And we are greatly sorry for this. We are grieved by our own sluggishness, for we know that you are deserving of all our affection.

And we pray for your pardoning grace in this matter. We thank you that there is Jesus. We thank you that his love was undying and his passion was never tempered. We thank you moreover that this was for us and for our salvation. So we look not to our ourselves, but only to what he merited by his virtuous life. And we pray that our sins would be consumed in his perfect sacrifice.

For it is in His name we pray. Amen.

Christ and the Future: End Times Study at CRF

2009-05-27T11:23:00.003-05:00

Starting June 14 CRF will begin a new Sunday evening series on the end times. The basis of the study will flow from Cornelis Venema's latest book Christ and the Future.

Some of the topics will include how the future is now, the state of man between death and the resurrection, and the various millennial views.

Those curious or confused about future matters are invited to attend. Study time is 6:30 pm.

Calvin Study Forming

2009-05-27T11:11:00.007-05:00

What's on your summer reading list? How about John Calvin's magnum opus, The Institutes of the Christian Religion? Calvin's Institutes has been acclaimed as one of the most influential books of all time. Since 2009 marks Calvin's 500th birthday, it is a great time to dabble in its richness.

A study group is forming to discuss select portions of the Institutes. Plans are to meet each Friday at 1:30 p.m in the Circle at Grace Brethren Church. Sessions will start June 5th and run through the summer months.

Texts can be obtained on a loan basis if so desired. Contact Matt Timmons at covenantofgrace1@msn.com or 419-289-2552.

Your Children Gather for Worship

2009-05-24T08:36:00.003-05:00

Almighty and Awesome God,

How sweet it is to be your child. What a privilege it is to be drawn into your presence. You have passed over many others, but you have set your love upon us. Why this is so, we cannot fathom for there is nothing desirable about us.

But it is because of your steadfast mercy that we may stand here today as one body. As we gather in this great assembly we confess our love for you. You are our chief desires and we come to admire and adore you.

And as we draw near we pray that you might remind us that we are your children and you are our Father. We humbly pray that you might affirm your everlasting love for us and remind us of your faithfulness to us. Confirm to our weak and weary hearts that you shall never let us go.

Gracious God, come and descend upon us. Lead us in the way everlasting and stir us up to praise.

The Sin of Levity

2009-05-24T08:34:00.001-05:00

Almighty Father,

What use would it be to hide our sins from you? You see through us as through glass. Nothing is hidden from you. Even the night is as day to you.

So we admit before you that our sins are many and diverse. Our souls are full of deadness and pump out the sewage of evil in an ever flowing stream. But what wicked people we are! What should make us grieve is all too frequently comical to us. We make light of it as if our sin were no matter at all. We laugh and joke at it to mask its wickedness and pardon it in our own eyes.

Father, forgive us for making our sins out to be petty matters. Forgive us poking fun at it and pretending that foolishness is fun. Moreover, Father, we pray that you would instill in us the right feelings toward our sin. We humbly ask that you would give us a holy hatred for our sin. Let us grieve and bewail it. Allow us to see every transgression as vile as you do, and let us be deeply wounded when we offend the honor of your name.

And even now, as we sense how dreadful a thing it is to make our sins objects of amusement, let us rest in the pure blood of our dear Savior. His death shows us how horrid sin really is, and to him we fly—knowing that there we might find full deliverance.

In His Name we pray, Amen.

Our Life is in God

2009-05-16T13:58:00.001-05:00

Truly we see the work of your hand in the creation around us, O God. Trees have brought forth their leaves and the grass has sprung up. Were you to hold back your arm, the world would shrivel and dry up. Man and beast would languish and our bones would perish.

But each day you display your love. You tend to the needs of creation, you water the land and it produces. You supply food for the cattle, and you bless the toil of our hands.

Indeed, our life is in you. You are the source of our existence and the fountain of goodness.
So our souls bless you. We rejoice in God Almighty, and adore you for your daily grace.
Thank you for ministering to us each day. Thank you for sustaining us and making life to abound.

And let it be that we do minister unto you today. May we perform our service of worship by laying our hearts before you. Accept the offerings of our lips and our sacrifice of praise.

Putrid Springs

2009-05-16T13:57:00.001-05:00

God,

As we enter into your majestic presence, we acknowledge our frame. Who are we to ascend the holy mountain? We are small and vile, filled with all sorts of evil. We are like putrefied springs who pour forth all kinds of corruption. You see our inward state, you know that our hearts are clogged with sin and our lives have left a streak of black everywhere we have gone.

God we confess that we are poor sinners. And we are ashamed to think how the scales of judgment do tip because the mass of sin continues to grow hour by hour.

But this is why we fly to you. For you sent your one and only Son into the world to save sinners. And we do look to you for his redeeming grace. We pray that you might not look upon us as we are, but look upon us in Christ. Look upon the wounds of your Son, and let them not be without their worth.

We do pray that you would have compassion upon us and let the merits of our dear Savior abound to us. For this we ask in Jesus’ Name.

A Summer in Calvin's Institutes

2009-05-16T11:55:00.002-05:00

What's on your summer reading list? How about John Calvin's magnum opus, The Institutes of the Christian Religion? Calvin's Institutes has been acclaimed as one of the most influential books of all time. Since 2009 marks Calvin's 500th birthday, it is a great time to dabble in its richness.

A study group is forming to discuss select portions of the Institutes. Plans are to begin the first week of June and run through the summer months. There is no hurry to make it through. We're just going to take our time to mosey through Book 3, which is the section dealing with the prayer and Christian life.

Texts can be obtained on a loan basis if so desired. Contact Matt Timmons at covenantofgrace1@msn.com or 419-289-2552 to inquire more or express interest.

Text can also be found on the web here or purchased here.

Thy Kingdom Come

2009-05-08T12:29:00.001-05:00

God Above,

That is what we long to see. We long to see your reign extend throughout the earth. We long to see throngs of people praising your name and calling upon you with joy.

So we pray that your kingdom would come, O God. Let your Spirit descend and spread through all the earth. May Christ, our Exalted King, be victorious in the hearts of men, women and children all over the world. May legions of souls be subdued by your strong arm of grace, and brought out of the kingdom of darkness and into the kingdom of light.

But even in this hour, we pray that your heavenly rule would be mightily manifested among us. We pray that we might enter into the courtroom of the Most High. We ask that we might meet with the One who is robed in majesty and power. We desire to worship the One who has crushed the head of the Serpent and loosened death’s grip.

God, enter into us and confirm us your grace, comfort us with your love, and build us up in the faith. Stir us and strengthen us that we might go forth to do your will.

The Shame of Being Ashamed of God

2009-05-08T12:27:00.001-05:00

Our Father,

When we look into this Law, we recognize what we deserve. Here we find a perfect standard of love and devotion to you. But O, how terribly we have failed.

How you have not been our God. We have not walked in your ways or sought your guidance. We have rebelled and resisted, turned aside and turned away.

But even in our brighter moments we recognize that we have still failed you. We confess that we have so often been ashamed of you and afraid to vouch for you. Instead of being bold as lions, we have so often been reluctant in sharing the gospel, cowardly in our testimony and weak in our overall profession among men.

We recognize that we deserve to be shunned for having fear men more than God. But we pray that you would not deny us when you bring forth your kingdom. We pray that you would overlook our weakness and pardon all our transgressions.

Moreover we pray that you would crucify within us anything that hinders our profession of you. We know that we are not supposed to have a spirit of timidity, and so we pray that you would take it away. And fill us with a spirit of boldness and give us the courage to execute our duties without fear.

Let us be zealous for your honor, and may it be that the only real fear we have is the fear of offending you.

Amen.

He Is What He Is

2009-05-01T10:59:00.000-05:00

Because you are who you are, we worship you. And we bow ourselves before you in humble supplication. Our prayer is that we might arise from this miserable planet and ascend to the temple above. We pray that we might be taken up to the highest heavens and enter the gates of your dwelling. We desire to have contact with you this day, that we might give tribute to the God incomparable, and the King who rules over kings.

Who has all life, glory and goodness but you? Who alone is all sufficient, and the source of our being? Who else dwells in inexpressible light and fills the world with his glory.

All creation flourishes because of your kindness. We become merry and laugh because of your unfailing love. You’ve demonstrated patience, you’ve given grace. You’ve caused the sun to rise again.

So we arise to set our faces toward you. We cast off the world’s affairs and we come with high expectations of encountering our Divine Master. We come to you and seek your wisdom this day. So bless us in your grace today.

Our Word is Sand

2009-05-01T10:58:00.000-05:00

True and Faithful God,

You stand by your word through a thousand generations. You waver not from your decrees. And this is why we come to you, humbly seeking your favor and grace.

We have heard of your threats, and we have seen how they were fulfilled with great thoroughness. And we recognize that we are liable to all the curses that are laid out in Scripture for having offended you.

But we know you also to be one who holds out mercy and promises steadfast love. You look with pity upon the penitent and you lift up those who humble themselves before you.

And this is what we wish to do. We place ourselves in a vulnerable position. We come to you with all our sins exposed, confessing our need of your mercy and acknowledging our miserable offenses.

We admit that our word has not held the integrity that it should. In making agreements we have not always been true. Our yes has not always been pure and our no has not always been no. Instead, to our dishonor, our word has often been as firm as sand.

Yes, Father, though faithfulness is not a virtue well practiced by us, we know that it is perfect in you. And you will by no means cast out those who come to you with greif and sorrow in their hearts.

We pray that our offenses would be laid upon the cross. That they would be cast as far from you as the east is from the west. And in their place we ask that a better fruit would be grown. Make us more loyal, trustworthy and sincere. And may our walk be honoring to the profession that we have made.

Fearful Attractiveness of God's Holiness

2009-04-28T08:47:00.001-05:00

O God,

Like the angels, we bow before you in humble address. For we cannot gaze upon you and live. Your holiness makes you attractive. Our hearts leap at the mentioning of your perfect way and your transcendent being. But yet, our eyes cannot bear the sight. Our frame trembles to even think of entering your presence.

But lo, O God. We desire it. We long to be drawn by your hand into it. And we pray that we might partake of it.

So we call upon your name. We pray that your Spirit might minister to us and assist us as we enter into the holy of holies this hour. We praise you that through Christ our Savior we do have access to you this morning. And we pray that it would be effective for our greater sanctification.

But more than that, we pray that we might give to you the worship that is your due.

God Sees Us Looking Elsewhere

2009-04-28T08:45:00.001-05:00

God, you see through us. You see the very depths of us. Every thought is laid bear before you. Every action is recorded in heaven. Every motive is not hidden from you.

But we come before you because there is the promise of forgiveness with you. Though you see all, you will blot out the transgressions of those who come to you in faith.

Indeed our sin is that we have taken our eyes off of you. We have been distracted by many things and by many affairs. And we have failed to remember your Almighty arm, your sweet provision, and everlasting love.

Thus we have wasted ourselves and our time with worries. We could have rested in you, but instead we have gone the way of the heathen.

Lord, we acknowledge our foolishness before you and we pray that you would acknowledge it no longer. Forgive us and make us clean.

Covenant Fellows to Examine Respectable Sins

2009-03-24T08:38:00.005-05:00

After having considered what would be profitable for the Covenant Fellows (the men's group at CRF), I have settled on Jerry Bridges' book Respectable Sins. Bridges books are always highly recommended as they contain deep theology in simple terms (as a matter of fact the CRF ladies are currently studying Bridges book on the Fruit of the Spirit).

Respectable Sins certianly looks to be a probing study as the book addresses the more "acceptable" sins such as discontent, judgmentalism, and envy.

Feel free to join us Tuesday nights at 6:00 at my house (1010 Chestnut St.) whether or not you have a book. Or contact me for more information.

Great Multitude

2009-03-23T11:04:00.002-05:00

Praise is due you, O God. For you are drawing unto yourself a people of every tribe, tongue and nation. And we who are gathered here today are only a sample of the myriads who have been appointed to salvation. Indeed, who can number the legions who have gone before us. Who can tell how many will come after us? And who can count them that now populate the earth?

But this thread binds us all, that you have ordained praise from our lips. And we unite our voices today for that very purpose: to exalt you as our God, to worship you as our Savior divine.

We praise the Father, for you have ordained us to inherit everlasting life. We praise the Son, for he has purchased us with his own blood. We praise the Spirit, for he is the guarantee of our inheritance until we gain possession of it. Blessed is our God, and blessed be his Name.

Broken Fellowship

2009-03-23T11:02:00.000-05:00

Almighty God,

We have just confessed our common faith. We have voiced the fact that we are united in serving the true and living God. But we wish to confess how we have all failed to live up to that confession. We admit that we have acted foolishly and broken the bond of peace that is to exist among us.

Father, we are sorry for the times that we have majored in minors and have pitted ourselves against one another. Such is so unbecoming of those who belong to the household of faith. And we wish to ask your forgiveness for the times when we have failed to be gracious and forgiving.

We thank you that you are more gracious than we are, that you do not hold us to the same standard we hold others. And we pray that you would fill us with your Spirit, that we might become more like you. That in being united to Christ we would be more united to one another. That in tasting of the love of God we would be more apt to show the love, and strengthened to relish the communion of saints.