Stillwater Reformed Presbyterian Church: Recent Episodes
Solomon personifies Wisdom and in so doing prefigures Christ. As vs. 35 says, "Whoever finds me finds life, and obtains favor from the Lord." To find life, find Christ.
The lesson defines discipleship as the lifelong pursuit of holiness and a mature trust in God, emphasizing that it involves both private disciplines and corporate edification. It identifies prayer as a vital two-way conversation with God rather than a mechanistic ritual, highlighting Jesus Christ as the sole mediator. The teaching then introduces fasting as a spiritual discipline used to refine focus, express repentance, and seek divine direction for pressing needs. Specifically, the congregation is called to observe a day of prayer and fasting to intercede for faithful church leadership in light of recent moral failures within the broader association of denominations. This collective act aims to humble believers before God and request grace for purity and strength among those who shepherd the flock.
Wisdom calls you to put off rash obligations and put on generosity. Put off laziness and put on diligence. Put off discord and put on unity.
Put off the old self--the self that continually sins, lives in sin, and takes pleasure in sin. Put on the new self--the self being renewed according to the image of God, in truth, righteousness, and holiness.
Since you have been raised with Christ, seek and set your minds on the things above, where Christ is.
Let us respond to Jesus' Great Commission to make disciples of all the nations by going, baptizing, and teaching.
Since Christ has laid hold of you for a purpose, therefore, press on to lay hold of the prize.
Psalter selection 87B. Rev. Parnell, in Psalm 87, explains that the psalm reveals God's purpose to spread the gospel to the ends of the earth, beginning with His covenant love for the Jewish people, symbolized by His love for Jerusalem and His presence in the temple. God loves Zion because it is the city of His people, where He met with them and provided grace through the temple sacrifices, to which the people responded in worship ("all my springs are in you"). The middle verses were show that God's love also extends to non-Jewish peoples—including Israel's enemies such as Egypt (Rahab), Babylon, Philistia, Tyre, and Ethiopia—who are counted as "born" in Jerusalem among God's people. Rev. Parnell connects the census imagery to God recording and saving individuals by name, and points forward to Jesus Christ as the one who, through his sacrifice, brings people into the people of God. The meditation closes by referencing the Lamb's Book of Life as a final census still open to those who trust in Christ.
Since you are united to Christ in your salvation, put to death your old, sinful way of life.
Jesus is the author and finisher of your faith, therefore run the race of the Christian life with your ees fixed on Him.
God shows you mercy in Christ, who died for your sins, and was raised for your justification. Ask God for mercy and rest in Jesus.
If God be for us, who can be against us? Encourage yourself in the Lord with His character and worship, and then you'll have not only the weapons to fight the good fight but the courage to use them.
Psalter selection: 84B. This meditation presents Psalm 84 as a pilgrimage psalm, expressing the soul's longing for the courts of the Lord and the presence of God made possible through Christ the Anointed One. The psalm describes the Christian life as a journey through valleys of tears toward the goal of appearing before God's face, strengthened by Jesus our great High Priest.
Because Jesus is our great High Priest, let us persevere in faith, confessing the good confession.
In baptism, we focus on and celebrate not what we have done to deserve Christ, but what God has done. He saves the helpless sinners like you and me.
Psalter selection: 83. This meditation addresses the confederacy of ten enemy nations aligned to destroy Israel, teaching believers to pray urgently against God's enemies for their defeat or conversion. The psalm prefigures Christ, who was surrounded by enemies plotting His destruction, yet through the cross defeated Satan, death, and the kingdom of darkness.
Remember God's wonderful works as a foundation of assurance of your salvation now and for eternity.
Love of money and love of self can produce teachers who twist the truth to gain their own advantage. Withdraw from such false teachers.
Earthly worship is a participation in heavenly worship, joining the saints who have gone before and the heavenly angels all giving glory to the Lord.
You cannot stand against the enemy in your own strength, therefore be strong in the Lord who sends His angels to minister to you.
Like the angels in heaven, humble yourself before God who is holy, holy, holy. Humble yourself and He will cleanse you and lift you up to serve Him.
Psalter selection: 148A. Chosen to accompany the Advent season, this meditation traces Psalm 148's call for all creation to praise God, from angels and heavenly hosts through sun, moon, and stars, to earthly creatures and mankind. The high point is that redeemed men and women, created in God's image, join the angels in praising the Creator and Redeemer.
Listen and respond to the good news the angels announced - Jesus Christ has come into the world to save sinners.
Psalter selection: 82B. This meditation presents God as the supreme judge who holds earthly rulers accountable for perverting justice and neglecting the poor and fatherless. Jesus quoted this psalm in John 10 to defend His claim to be the Son of God, demonstrating His authority to judge and His works of mercy that confirm He is the Christ.
The Church is the Temple of God, a primary means that Jesus uses to accomplish His great saving purpose. Therefore, as living stones, build on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ being the chief cornerstone.
The church is the family of God, therefore, work faithfully to build one another up as brothers and sisters in Christ.
Be an example in Christian behavior by following the example of others, and by giving attention to God's Word.
Our mighty God is a consuming fire, destroying His enemies and lovingly chastening His elect. Worship Him!
Don't be surprised and do not despair. The Spirit has said expressly that some will depart from the faith.
This passage gives something of a creed, a simple statement of faith, about the person and work of Jesus Christ. You are called to accept and believe these great truths about the person and work of Jesus Christ.
Deacons are servants of the church who care for the physical and mercy needs of the congregation. They may be women as well as men.
Christ gave elders to care for the church, therefore pray for men of godly character to serve as elders.
Keep your eyes on Jesus, being wary of the sins of immodesty and disrespect. Rather, worship with modesty and respect.
With hands stretched out to heaven, and wary of the sins of anger and doubt, pray that the Lord of heaven would help.
God desires all men to be saved, therefore pray all kinds of prayer for all kinds of people to come to salvation.
Christ uses church discipline to rescue the spiritually shipwrecked; so take up the good fight of the faith by humbly embracing this gracious provision.
Jesus gives the ministry of the Word for the building up of the saints, therefore take advantage of the preaching and teaching offered by the church.
God chooses God's people according to God's plan. And because God is good and He does good, His plan is good and His people He will make good.
Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. Trust in Christ's love and work to give you the hope of salvation that Paul had, and to give confidence to serve Christ as Paul did.
If you get the law wrong, you'll get the gospel wrong, too. (David Murray) Therefore, get the law right.
Jesus' words help you understand the absolute necessity of Jesus's death and resurrection. He calls you to deny yourself, to deny Satan. He calls you to follow Him. Therefore, repent of your sins and believe that He is the Christ, the one who died on the cross for your sin and who rose from the dead for your salvation.
Who is Jesus? The answer to this question is not open to private opinion, or popularity polls. Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God. Repent and believe in Him as your Savior.
"But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him" (Romans 5:8-9) Therefore, look to Christ for His mercy and forgiveness.
The Lord chastises those He loves. Therefore, when convicted of sin, let God's character move you to pray as David, "Let me fall into the hand of the Lord, for His mercy is great."
Your life is not neutral, just a list of people, dates, and actions. It is much more. God is at work directing all things to His purpose. Recognize this spiritual purpose in your life so that you might faithfully serve the King of Kings.
God comforts us so that we may in turn comfort others. Therefore, find comfort in Him today. Minister comfort to one another today.
This psalm points to the justice and the judgment of the King. Beyond David himself, it points to the True King, the promised Redeemer, Jesus. The cup of the wrath of God is poured out against those who would lift up the horn of their own strength against Him. He reigns!
When even the weakest believer cries out in Jesus' name, God comes on the wings of the cherubim with infinite speed and matchless power to save.
The Lord saves and preserves His people through His anointed champion, therefore call on Christ to deliver you when you face fiery trials.
The fruit of the Spirit is self-control; therefore by God's grace bring every thought, every desire, into captivity to the obedience of Christ.
The fruit of the spirit is gentleness; therefore pray for the Spirit to give you strength to patiently and cheerfully serve the Lord.
The fruit of the spirit is faithfulness, therefore be diligent in all that God gives you.
In Jesus, you are a new creation, bearing the fruit of the Spirit. Therefore, let kindness replace animosity.
Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!
Our final lesson focuses on close communion with our Blessed Savior, the True Vine. He loves to have us united to Him! Apart from Him we can do nothing.
Christ our peace has come. He brings us to the Father through the Spirit. Therefore, in worship, celebrate this truth.
The channel through which obedience to the Law should run is faith in Christ. This is driven by love coming from a pure heart, all as the work of God. We also delve into the conscience.
The work of God in the believer, and not of the believer's own strength, is to produce godly living. We look at seven "sister graces" in the believer, from virtue to love, and are spurred on.
God's vengeance rises out of His holiness and justice. Christ's atoning sacrifice satisfies God's justice, therefore, call out to Him for deliverance.
The next warrant & motive stands firmly on the promise of God to save all who believe. The believer is fully and completely assured of eternal life NOW, and to come! The unbeliever is assured of the wrath of God.
A cry for God's justice and salvation from foes, and for the help of the Spirit, our Great Helper.
Having seen God's hearty invitation, we now see His stern and momentous command to believe in His Beloved Son. It is not optional.
The Lord raised up this wise woman of Abel to serve His righteous purpose, shedding light on David's limitations. We look to Jesus Christ the Son of God and the rightful heir of the house of David to bring us peace.
The Christian life is often plagued with the sin of selfishness, therefore, deny yourselves, take up your cross and follow Jesus.
The next warrant centers on reconciliation. What an incredible, unsearchable blessing from God! We find that He has initiated, has reconciled us to Himself, and entrusted to us the ministry of reconciliation.
Embarking into Part III (The Warrants and Motives to Believe), we study Isaiah 55:1-5 and find the Lord's hearty invitation to come, buy and eat! Christ and His grace are held out to all.
We continue to unpack the assurance of salvation worked in us through the power of the Spirit, in the last part of Chapter 2 of The Sum of Saving Knowledge. Romans 8:1-4 provides a rock-solid foundation.
A crucial practical use of these doctrines is for the strengthening of our faith and the increase of our assurance of salvation. We unpack several facets of this and consider feelings & introspection in the light of truth.
We dig further into the latter two aspects of the Gospel's work- convincing one of righteousness and judgment. Righteousness comes by faith alone in Christ alone, by God's grace alone, and He even supplies us with words to pray-
We now turn to the Gospel and see how the Spirit uses it to convince a man of sin, righteousness and judgment. We begin with the glorious grace of God in the offer of the Gospel and the sin of rejecting it.
Having seen that the Law ought to convince men of sin, we now delve into its use to convince them of righteousness and judgment. And we see that this applies to us, leading to thanksgiving for this warning-
God limits and even defeats evil in order to bring about His perfect will. Therefore, take hope in the valley of humiliation.
What is the use of the Law-- What function does it serve for the believer and for the unbeliever-- We delve into that. Hint- sin, righteousness, judgment.
David's responses to suffering provide searching direction to you in the valley of humiliation.
In Head IV, which draws heavily from the prior three, we see the work of the Holy Spirit actually applying salvation to believers, working a change in state and in person, by grace alone through faith alone.
In Head III we encounter the outward means by which the Lord saves, nurtures and strengthens His people. He doesn't -just zap us- but instead feeds us lovingly through these means. And we discover the blessing of hedges-
Selfish ambition is a sin of the flesh, therefore walk in the Spirit and crucify the flesh with its passions and desires.
Continuing in Head II, we see the work of the Son, our Prophet, Priest and King, Who has ransomed and redeemed us. We find that we are drawn into the covenant of love between Father and Son-
Baptism is a sign and seal of your relationship to God, therefore meditate on your baptism regularly.
We look into Head II, and out of our perilous state from the Fall we see God acting to redeem us- Not only redemption accomplished and applied, but planned and secured.
In Head I, points 2 and 3, we see God's work in creation and man's fall into sin, and how utterly foundational these are for understanding our lives - needs today.
We introduce the series and immediately see the high value of understanding these core doctrines as they apply to our real problems, real lives, real needs.
In affliction, take comfort in Christ, because He is God, because He will be glorified, and because He loves you.
Listen to Tamar. Realize the sinfulness of sin and make sure you hear the needy when they cry, and advocate for those who have no voice- for the Lord will rise up to defend them even though no one else does.
The forgiveness of sins does not guarantee relief from the consequences of sin. -Keddie- Nevertheless, even God's correction still demonstrates His grace.
Cry out to God in repentance sincerely, fully, promptly, and pleading with God for mercy.
Without repentance, one sin leads to another, therefore depend on Christ every day for the grace of repentance.
Jesus offers peace to all who would repent and receive Him as savior. But He warns of war that falls on all who reject Him.
As many as receive Christ, to them He gives the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name- who are born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor the will of man, but of God.
These teaching sessions come from the 2024 Midwest Women's Fellowship Retreat. Note- They are teaching sessions, not sermons. In them, Pastor David Hanson and his wife, Ruth, tell of their application of Psalm 128 to the vital ministry of hospitality.
These teaching sessions come from the 2024 Midwest Women's Fellowship Retreat. Note- They are teaching sessions, not sermons. In them, Pastor David Hanson and his wife, Ruth, tell of their application of Psalm 128 to the vital ministry of hospitality.
These teaching sessions come from the 2024 Midwest Women's Fellowship Retreat. Note- They are teaching sessions, not sermons. In them, Pastor David Hanson and his wife, Ruth, tell of their application of Psalm 128 to the vital ministry of hospitality.
Christ, our King, blesses His church. Therefore, let us serve God with reverence and godly fear.
The transfiguration of Christ was a revelation of His glory and also directs our minds and hearts toward what is to come, as well as our response. We delve into that as we wrap up the series.
Doctrine is for life, how to live, and we look at ramifications of the sight of God on our lives, centered on love, joy, and ultimately, glory.
We look into the Lord's glorification of Himself through us, and our own glorification in Him, and consider what we will see upon death vs. at the resurrection. And more.
God's many marvelous works of creation testify to His power and the work of the Spirit. Psalter selection 104D.
The covenant of grace has been accomplished by the promised Davidic King, the Lord Jesus Christ.
We drink deeply from Psalm 63, concerning meditation and satisfaction in God alone, and turn our attention to holiness in Him and setting our minds on things above.
Serve the Lord with joy because the Spirit dwells in you by virtue of Christ's resurrection.
We are not Stoics, not unaware, and must be sensible, yet content. Some discussion and takeaways to end the class.
We examine how contentment does not just happen, but must be striven for. Thankfulness and a pursuit of calling play important roles.
What are your desires-- Where do they actually come from-- What does that have to do with contentment-- We dig in.
In our day and age, we experience a material abundance unfathomable to the Puritans. The Lord calls us to live without covetousness.
Discontentment is not only foolish but is futile and torments the mind. It is driven by covetousness.
A murmuring spirit and a heart bent on complaining against the Lord are strong temptations. We dig into that and consider that God gives both stern warnings and great promises.
What are the key characteristics of those who find their true contentment in God-- We take our first look.
We begin with a survey of words and ideas, and whether Mick Jagger ever got any satisfaction.
Public worship is a crucial, God-ordained means for seeing Him in this life and preparing for the life to come. We delve into that and the fellowship of saints.
If you are hunting for a house, for an eternal home, look no further than the house Jesus prepares.
May you approach your life with humble, joyful, resolute devotion to God - that all you do would be done -before the Lord.-
We look at the incarnation of the Son, which is God made visible, and the mission of the Holy Spirit, transforming us into the image of the Lord. Also, the Holy One full of joy with God's countenance.
Psalm 73 shows us there is nothing on Earth to satisfy besides God. He is invisible, yet He has condescended to covenant with us -WCF 7-. Seeing Him in the OT, and more.
Psalm 27 shows us one chief thing to desire above all. WLC 90 mentions the immediate vision and fruition of God the Father, and we touch the tip of that iceberg, while WLC 1 states our chief and highest end is to glorify AND enjoy God forever.
We introduce the series and immediately see that only the sight of God can truly satisfy. Also, five good reasons for studying the Beatific Vision, and one bad one.
God displays His awesome power by creating all things out of nothing by the word of His power, by the breath of His mouth- therefore, let this truth motivate you to keep in step with the Spirit.
God -goes before you- as you engage in spiritual warfare. Therefore, pray for His direction and provision for all that you do.
Jesus is our covenant King and Saviour. We are His bone and flesh. Trust him for salvation.
God sovereignly rules over all things, therefore, wait on the Lord by shaping your actions around the trust you have in the Lord.
Jesus was born to save you, and has saved you to extend the gospel to the ends of the Earth.
God sovereignly rules over men and nations, therefore, be confident that God will bring about His promised victory and peace.
A lament is a thoughtful, meditative expression of grief. Let us meditate on Christ in the midst of our grieving.
David followed God's principles to guide him when he withheld judgment - when he executed judgment. This leads you to submit to Jesus who judges the living - the dead.
Jesus is the promised Son of David whose throne will endure forever. Let us worship and serve him.
-By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.- -1 John 3-16-
Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God- and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.
That you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you out of-darkness and into His marvelous light.
The Lord blesses you in and through your suffering- therefore commit your soul to Him in doing good.
Suffering cannot separate you from God, for Christ died for sins once-for all to bring you to God.
Even if you suffer for doing good, you are blessed. Pray that you would come to recognize God's blessing in your suffering.
The death of the body doesn't destroy your soul or deprive the soul of a home. Your soul will go immediately to heaven and your body will be raised when Jesus comes again.
Pray that the gospel would bear much fruit to the glory of God - in us and others around us and around the world.
The resurrection of Jesus Christ signals hope to lost souls. Will you believe in Jesus--
Let us pray, as Jesus has invited us, that the Lord of the harvest would send out laborers into His harvest..
God is our Father, Judge, Redeemer, and Planner of your salvation--therefore, give reverent worship and obedience to Him.
The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us -Rom. 8-18-- therefore, bless God.
You are pilgrims in this world, elected by the Triune God. Therefore, live as strangers in a strange land.
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins-and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
You have not arrived at perfection yet, so keep on running the race of-faith, knowing the glorious prize that awaits you-
God promises to watch over you, therefore, make the Lord your refuge and dwelling place.
The happy Christian is one who forsakes any carnal confidence. Rejoice in Christ by having no confidence in the flesh.
The gifts of the Spirit come from the gift of the Spirit. Use the gifts of the Spirit for the glory of God and the good of the church.
By faith remind yourself that God is at work in your life and that he is-accomplishing all His good purposes.
The consequences of sin often prompt self-protection. But faith responds to correction with humble contrition, with frank admission of sins and failures, and repentance to God and man.
Christ is the mediator of the new covenant- therefore pay-attention to His Word and pay attention to His discipline.
God has graciously covenanted to save sinners through faith in-Jesus Christ- let us therefore respond to the blessings and-warnings of the covenant with faith and repentance.
Godliness aims at personal holiness-walking before the Lord in genuine humility, dependence, and obedience.
Jesus came to save us from our sins. Let us celebrate the fact that you may find peace in Jesus.
Jesus came to save us from our sins. Let us celebrate the fact that Jesus humbled Himself to be our exalted Savior.
Jesus came to save us from our sins. Let us celebrate the fact that Jesus makes us holy and righteous.
Jesus came to save us from our sins. Let us celebrate the fact that Jesus has crushed the head of Satan.
Jesus is the Spirit-filled Savior, of whom Saul was just a-foreshadowing- therefore look to Jesus to deliver you from the-lifestyle and desires and habits of your former master, and to-pursue holiness through His victory.
The enemy, Satan, seeks to disable and humiliate you- therefore,-pray that God would deliver you from the evil one.
God's law regulates and guides government- therefore pray for our nation to know Christ as savior and to follow Him as Governor of the nations of the earth.
God equipped Saul to accomplish the task He had called him to do. And so we learn to look to God in faith and pray, -O Lord, command what you will and give what you command.-
God reveals Himself as providentially ruling over all things. Even-though God doesn't reveal a reason for all the bad things that-happen to you, you can be sure that He is at work.
What your heart desires may not be a good thing, if your heart-and your desires are not ruled by Christ. What king is your heart-asking for-
By nature you are a slave to sin, but by faith you become a slave of God. Whom will you serve-
As judge, Samuel served as a type of Christ who came to defeat the enemies of sin, Satan, and death- therefore, let your faith rest in the fact that the King is reigning.
God brought a great revival during Samuel's ministry as a demonstration of His mercy and faithfulness- therefore let us pray that God would bring revival once again - that He would bring light out of darkness.
The Lord who is holy is also full of mercy and grace- therefore, respond to His holiness by repenting of your sins and believing in Jesus as your Savior.
You cannot buy God's favor. The only sacrifice that satisfies God's just judgment comes from Jesus who laid down His life for us. Therefore, let your faith and hope rest in Christ.
Idolatry ensnares and enslaves you, but through faith in Christ, God sets you free to worship the Lord and to serve Him only.
God always has a purpose of love in his chastisements, therefore-thank Him that He does not withdraw His presence and pray that-the Lord would deepen your faith.
We get into trouble when we want the gifts of God, the peace of God, the power of God, but we don't want God. He alone is our refuge and strength.
The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
When God's Word has no place in your life you will wander further and-further from Christ. To counteract the wayward nature of your hearts,-listen to God as He speaks. Listen to His Word.
God is sovereign in His power to save and to judge. This all works-together to proclaim the gospel, that in Christ, God has delivered us-from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.
Christ, our great high Priest, communicates His redeeming grace to you through His sacraments- therefore, approach the throne of grace with boldness, through the new and living way opened up for us in Christ.
The priests, Hophni and Phinehas, did not know the Lord. Their corruption warns you against unbelief and presses you to the need of a better priest- therefore, look to Jesus our great High Priest.
God has given you many good gifts- therefore, respond in faith by giving back to God - using your time, talents, and money to serve God and advance His kingdom.
Making a vow is a means of grace, a spiritual discipline that God uses to deepen your faith and commitment to Him- therefore, when appropriate, seek God's blessing by making a vow.
Jesus died and rose again to prepare a place for you in heaven. He will come again to raise the dead so that you may be with Him forever. Therefore, believe in Jesus and you will be saved.
No matter what cares or fears burden you today, take them to God in prayer. Take them to the God who hears.
Jesus uses fellow believers to pursue and reclaim those who wander from the truth, therefore pray that we might practice this with wisdom and grace.
Jesus has given you His Word so that you may be His disciple- therefore, abide in His Word.
Spiritual barrenness produces a deep longing in our hearts- therefore, find rest and renewed fruitfulness by repentance and faith in Christ, the Son of God.
God uses fellow Christians to bring grace in your life, therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another.
Believers pray. By faith make every pleasure holy and every pain-sanctified through prayer.
Your money cannot save you, only Jesus can. In light of His coming again to judge the world, repent of your love of money.