church — Pastor's Corner — Providence Presbyterian Church

Daily Prayer for January 16, 2024: Psalm 129

Prayer: Our God, you who are great and glorious, the one true God of heaven and earth, we bow before your throne, acknowledging your majesty today, knowing that we are creatures of dust, prone to go our way and not yours. We are ashamed, our Father, at how easily we are turned aside to worthless things. We confess that we often give too much energy to things that will pass away. We confess that we often use our time for useless things and fail to seek your kingdom and righteousness with all our hearts. Father, please forgive us and help us. We are weak, but you are strong. The world, the flesh, and the devil easily overrun us. Yet, you have promised to help us, giving us your Spirit, protecting us from our enemies and ourselves. Father, we thank you that you love your church as a father loves the bride of his son. We thank you that you defend your church against those who hate her and seek to ruin her. We thank you for protecting your church from enemies within and without.

prayerWilliam HillJanuary 16, 2024church, prayer, Psalm 129

The Morning Devotional: WCF 31.1

The Morning Devotional for October 6, 2023
The Westminster Confession of Faith 31.1

I. For the better government, and further edification of the church, there ought to be such assemblies as are commonly called synods or councils: and it belongeth to the overseers and other rulers of the particular churches, by virtue of their office, and the power which Christ hath given them for edification and not for destruction, to appoint such assemblies; and to convene together in them, as often as they shall judge it expedient for the good of the church.

devotional, confessions, Westminster ConfessionWilliam HillOctober 6, 2023church, synods, councils, Acts 15

The Morning Devotional: WCF 30.4

The Morning Devotional for October 5, 2023
The Westminster Confession of Faith 30.4

IV. For the better attaining of these ends, the officers of the Church are to proceed by admonition, suspension from the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper for a season, and by excommunication from the Church, according to the nature of the crime and demerit of the person.a

The Morning Devotional: WCF 30.3

The Morning Devotional for October 4, 2023
The Westminster Confession of Faith 30.3

III. Church censures are necessary for the reclaiming and gaining of offending brethren; for deterring of others from the like offenses; for purging out of that leaven which might infect the whole lump; for vindicating the honor of Christ, and the holy profession of the gospel; and for preventing the wrath of God, which might justly fall upon the Church, if they should suffer his covenant, and the seals thereof, to be profaned by notorious and obstinate offenders.a

The Morning Devotional: WCF 30.2

The Morning Devotional for October 3, 2023
The Westminster Confession of Faith 30.2

II. To these officers the keys of the kingdom of heaven are committed, by virtue whereof they have power respectively to retain and remit sins, to shut that kingdom against the impenitent, both by the Word and censures; and to open it unto penitent sinners, by the ministry of the gospel, and by absolution from censures, as occasion shall require.a

devotional, confessions, Westminster ConfessionWilliam HillOctober 3, 2023censures, church, Matthew 16, Matthew 18

The Morning Devotional: WCF 30.1

The Morning Devotional for October 2, 2023
The Westminster Confession of Faith 30.1

I. The Lord Jesus, as king and head of his Church, hath therein appointed a government in the hand of Church officers, distinct from the civil magistrate.a

devotional, confessions, Westminster ConfessionWilliam HillOctober 2, 2023church, censures, Isaiah 9, 1 Timothy 5, Ephesians 4

The Morning Devotional: WCF 26.2

The Morning Devotional for August 30, 2023
The Westminster Confession of Faith 26.2

II. Saints, by profession, are bound to maintain an holy fellowship and communion in the worship of God, and in performing such other spiritual services as tend to their mutual edification;a as also in relieving each other in outward things, according to their several abilities and necessities. Which communion, as God offereth opportunity, is to be extended unto all those who, in every place, call upon the name of the Lord Jesus.b

devotional, confessions, Westminster ConfessionWilliam HillAugust 30, 2023church, fellowship, communion, Hebrews 10, 1 John 3

The Morning Devotional: WCF 25.5-6

The Morning Devotional for August 28, 2023
The Westminster Confession of Faith 25.5-6

V. The purest churches under heaven are subject both to mixture and error;a and some have so degenerated as to become no churches of Christ, but synagogues of Satan.b Nevertheless, there shall be always a Church on earth to worship God according to his will.c

VI. There is no other Head of the Church but the Lord Jesus Christ:a nor can the Pope of Rome, in any sense be head thereof.

The Morning Devotional: WCF 25.4

The Morning Devotional for August 25, 2023
The Westminster Confession of Faith 25.4

IV. This catholic Church hath been sometimes more, sometimes less visible.a And particular churches, which are members thereof, are more or less pure, according as the doctrine of the gospel is taught and embraced, ordinances administered, and public worship performed more or less purely in them.b

devotional, confessions, Westminster ConfessionWilliam HillAugust 25, 2023church, Romans 11, Acts 9, Acts 2, 1 Corinthians 5

The Morning Devotional: WCF 25.3

The Morning Devotional for August 24, 2023
The Westminster Confession of Faith 25.3

III. Unto this catholic visible Church Christ hath given the ministry, oracles, and ordinances of God, for the gathering and perfecting of the saints, in this life, to the end of the world: and doth by his own presence and Spirit, according to his promise, make them effectual thereunto.a

The Morning Devotional: WCF 25.2

The Morning Devotional for August 23, 2023
The Westminster Confession of Faith 25.2

II. The visible Church, which is also catholic or universal under the gospel (not confined to one nation as before under the law) consists of all those, throughout the world, that profess the true religion,a and of their children;b and is the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ,c the house and family of God,d out of which there is no ordinary possibility of salvation.e

The Morning Devotional: WCF 25.1

The Morning Devotional for August 22, 2023
The Westminster Confession of Faith 25.1

I. The catholic or universal Church, which is invisible, consists of the whole number of the elect, that have been, are, or shall be gathered into one, under Christ the head thereof; and is the spouse, the body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.a

The Pastor’s Corner

The blog of Pastor William F. Hill, Jr.