The Guide for the Week of October 23-29, 2022
Bible Passage for the Week
Deuteronomy 24:1-9
Matthew 24:1-36
Revelation 4
Psalm 46
Verse to Memorize
Psalm 19:7-10
Catechism Questions
Q. 72. How many commandments did God give on Mount Sinai?
A. Ten commandments.
Q. 73. What are the ten commandments sometimes called?
A. The Decalogue and also the Moral Law.
Q. 74. What do the first four commandments teach?
A. Our duty to God.
Q. 75. What do the last six commandments teach?
A. Our duty to our fellow men.
People to Pray for:
Church: The Church’s Around Us in Jeffersonville
Ministry: All Hallows’ Reformation Festival
Civil Magistrate: Jeffersonville City Council
Deuteronomy 24:1-9
Matthew 24:1-36
Revelation 4
Psalm 46
Verse to Memorize
Psalm 19:7-10
Catechism Questions
Q. 72. How many commandments did God give on Mount Sinai?
A. Ten commandments.
Q. 73. What are the ten commandments sometimes called?
A. The Decalogue and also the Moral Law.
Q. 74. What do the first four commandments teach?
A. Our duty to God.
Q. 75. What do the last six commandments teach?
A. Our duty to our fellow men.
People to Pray for:
Church: The Church’s Around Us in Jeffersonville
Ministry: All Hallows’ Reformation Festival
Civil Magistrate: Jeffersonville City Council
How blessed is the man who does not
Walk in the counsel of the wicked;
And where the boastful sinners talk
Will he refuse to stand;
He doesn’t join with men who scoff,
He dare not even sit among them,
But his delight is in God’s Law
It is his hope and prayer.
Chorus
In the Law he meditates
In the Law he meditates
In the Law he meditates
In the night and in the day
He’s planted like a tree that’s rooted
By the streams of living water,
That bears in season its good fruit
For other souls to share;
Its leaves won’t die away or wither;
All he tries to do will prosper,
For his delight is in God’s Law,
It is his hope and prayer.
(Chorus)
The wicked are not so, they’re like the
Chaff the autumn winds will scatter;
When judgment starts to blow
They’ll meet the fury of the Day.
The righteous God will know, He’ll see them
On to everlasting harbor;
The wicked, though, not so, God’s wrath
Will drive them far away.
(Chorus x2)
Walk in the counsel of the wicked;
And where the boastful sinners talk
Will he refuse to stand;
He doesn’t join with men who scoff,
He dare not even sit among them,
But his delight is in God’s Law
It is his hope and prayer.
Chorus
In the Law he meditates
In the Law he meditates
In the Law he meditates
In the night and in the day
He’s planted like a tree that’s rooted
By the streams of living water,
That bears in season its good fruit
For other souls to share;
Its leaves won’t die away or wither;
All he tries to do will prosper,
For his delight is in God’s Law,
It is his hope and prayer.
(Chorus)
The wicked are not so, they’re like the
Chaff the autumn winds will scatter;
When judgment starts to blow
They’ll meet the fury of the Day.
The righteous God will know, He’ll see them
On to everlasting harbor;
The wicked, though, not so, God’s wrath
Will drive them far away.
(Chorus x2)
Verse 1
Come, men of Christ, be strong!
Stand firm, and hold your ground.
Take courage: Though the battle’s long,
The Victor has been crowned.
Advance the cause of Christ!
Once more unto the breach!
Make sharp your swords and join the fight,
For triumph is in reach.
Verse 2
Come, men of Christ, enjoy!
God’s given all that’s fair.
The things of earth are for your joy,
Received with thankful prayer.
Take heart, glad men, have cheer!
Let loud your laughter ring!
And live as rowdy cavaliers
For covenant and King.
Verse 3
Come, join the Bridegroom’s feast!
The table’s set to dine,
Filled full with ale and fatty meats
And rich with bread and wine.
Lift up your glasses high,
And toast, “No king but Christ!”
Then eat your fill and fix your eyes
On Him, our sacrifice.
Verse 4
Sing, men of Christ, sing loud:
“Our banner is the Lord!”
First in, last out, and laughing loud,
We work for our reward.
One day we’ll hear, “Well done,”
And all our striving cease,
But ’til our lifelong race is run,
We’ll fight and laugh and feast.
Come, men of Christ, be strong!
Stand firm, and hold your ground.
Take courage: Though the battle’s long,
The Victor has been crowned.
Advance the cause of Christ!
Once more unto the breach!
Make sharp your swords and join the fight,
For triumph is in reach.
Verse 2
Come, men of Christ, enjoy!
God’s given all that’s fair.
The things of earth are for your joy,
Received with thankful prayer.
Take heart, glad men, have cheer!
Let loud your laughter ring!
And live as rowdy cavaliers
For covenant and King.
Verse 3
Come, join the Bridegroom’s feast!
The table’s set to dine,
Filled full with ale and fatty meats
And rich with bread and wine.
Lift up your glasses high,
And toast, “No king but Christ!”
Then eat your fill and fix your eyes
On Him, our sacrifice.
Verse 4
Sing, men of Christ, sing loud:
“Our banner is the Lord!”
First in, last out, and laughing loud,
We work for our reward.
One day we’ll hear, “Well done,”
And all our striving cease,
But ’til our lifelong race is run,
We’ll fight and laugh and feast.
Notes for Parents
Bible Passage for the Week
Deuteronomy
God knows our frame and deals with us as we are. We see this clearly in this passage regarding a certificate of divorce. Jesus commenting on this passage says that this was given because of the hardness of their hearts. The law was designed to protect the woman from the sinfulness of man. It is not an excuse for divorce. There is nothing in these verses which say that sending the wife away was good. God hates divorce. He allows it under only two exceptions- Sexual Immorality/Adultery and Abandonment. But no one ought to be looking for these exceptions. Rather we are taught to hold the marriage bed in high esteem. With that in mind, take time this week to strengthen your marriage. Husband, love your wife. Let her know you love her. And Wife, respect your husband. Let him know that you respect Him.
Matthew
Jesus’ instructions for his disciples during the time leading up the destruction of Jerusalem is still something we should learn from in our own time as we face trials and tribulations of our own. We must not be deceived but rather hold fast to the word of God. We must not be frightened and shrink back from the calling God has for us. Instead, we must fear Him and trust that He will reward us if we persevere. He will make sure our work is not in vain.
We also must be prepared. Jesus told his disciples about a sign that would show the impeding doom of Jerusalem. Part of being prepared is knowing the times you live in. A wise man sees evil and hides himself whereas a fool rushes in. Be wise.
Part of preparation is also being prepared to part with this world. The disciples were told that they should be ready to flee to the mountains. When they saw the sign, they were to leave all behind and go. In our day while we want to faithful stewards of what God gives us-that means being prepared for different emergencies- we should hold a loose grip on the things of this world. Those in love with the world are at war with God. Our treasure needs to be in heaven. Make use of the things that God gives us. The creation is to be received with joy-Be good stewards-but love Him and His word above all else. Then you won’t shrink back from the work He gives you.
Revelation 4
The book of Revelation paints the image of the throne room of God. It is a mind-blowing scene. It is terrifying and yet beautiful. We see the rainbow, so wickedly appropriated by Sodomites, around His throne. The LGBT flag mocks the judgement and mercy of God but God will not be mocked. There are 24 elders worshipping God. These represent the twelve tribes of Israel and the Twelve Apostles. This shows that God is to be worshipped by all of his people throughout history. And He is worshipped because He is worthy. “Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created.”
Let us join in with this heavenly scene and worship God. Let His will be done in our home, church, and all the earth, just as it is in heaven. Read Psalm 46 and join in the worship.
Psalm 46
God is in control. He sits over all the earth. He reigns over kings and nations. He raises up nations and He can tear them down. No one can stop His will. Therefore, just as this psalm teaches, He is a refuge and strength. He is a help in times of trouble. Reflecting back on the Matthew 24, this Psalm would certainly have been something those Christians fleeing Jerusalem would have sung. God is in control when the whole world seems to be falling apart. Whatever struggles you are facing, trust that God knows what He is doing. Take comfort in Him.
Catechism/ Memory Verse
We are going to be working through the ten commandments over the next few weeks in the family worship guide. This week we are looking at a broad overview of the law. The memory verse reminds us that God’s law is good. Christians love the law of God. Why? For several reasons:
1. The law of God points us to the perfect character of God. The ten commandments flow from who God is. Therefore, in the law, we learn about our great Creator and Savior.
2. The law of God reveals to us our deep need for a savior. The Holy Spirit uses the law to convict us of how far we fall from the perfection of God. When we study the Ten commandments, we shouldn’t think “yeah, I keep all that.” When you study the law, you know that you are a sinner that deserves death. You cannot hope to obtain heaven and all the promises of God by your own deeds. You must have Christ. When you read the law, never be far from Christ.
3. The law of God teaches us to fear disobedience. It acts as a deterrent to sin. Parents should not fear using the God’s law as the standard for disciplining their children. It is part of the use of God’s law to restrain evil.
4. The law of God teaches those in Christ, how we are to live in Christ. It teaches us what God expects of us and as we love God we will want to obey Him. Therefore while you cannot be saved by law keeping. You are saved so that you can keep God’s moral law. Love God and love his law.
People to Pray for:
Our church is located in an area filled with churches. Many of them are dying and some of them deserve to die out. The Apostle Paul wrote to the church in Corinth and called them saints. If you read his letter, you see that the church in Corinth was full of problems which included bad teaching, bad theology, and bad conduct. There were however still saints in the midst of all of that. We do not know the state of every church in Jeffersonville or even in our own neighborhood, but we do know generally that there is not a lot of salt and light in the area. Let us pray that God will awaken His church in Jeffersonville, that the church will repent of false teaching and false practice. Pray that God will send the Holy Spirit to instruct all the churches and to bring about real revival in Jeffersonville.
Please be in prayer for our All Hallows Reformation Festival this week. Pray that God will give us good weather and bring people from the surrounding neighborhoods to the festival. Pray that we can serve the community as well as proclaim the gospel. Pray for the workers that we will serve with joy and patience. Pray that God will be blessed.
We are also praying for the city council of Jeffersonville. Please pray that God will grant them repentance of sin. Pray that they will serve Him with their office.
Church History Spotlight
Joachim Neander 1650 -1680
Joachim Neander was a German Reformed Church teacher, theologian and hymn writer whose most famous hymn is “Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of Creation.” From 1674 to 1679, Joachim Neander was principal of the Reformed Lateinschule (grammar school) in Düsseldorf. During these years, he used to wander the secluded Düssel River valley, which was, until the 19th Century, a deep ravine between rock faces and forests, with numerous caves, grottos and waterfalls. Probably, Neander wrote and sang many of his poems there. In the early 19th Century, a large cave was named Neanderhöhle after him. In the mid-19th Century, the cement industry started to quarry the limestone, and the narrow ravine became a wide valley, which was now named the Neander Valley. Though his life was short, he produced 60 hymns that helped enrich the worship of German reformed Christians. Those who live by faith, know their work is not in vain in the Lord.
Praise to the Lord, who doth prosper thy work, and defend thee;
Surely his goodness and mercy here daily attend thee;
Ponder anew
All the Almighty can do,
He who with love doth befriend thee.
Highlight from the Westminster Shorter Catechism
Q. 9. What is the work of creation?
A. The work of creation is, God’s making all things of nothing, by the word of his power, in the space of six days, and all very good.
Revelation 4:11 “Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created.”
There is not one word of this catechism question that isn’t under attack by those outside and inside the church. Our secular humanist society denies that God is creator and that God made all things from nothing. Rather they ascribe the existence to the universe to a singularity that exploded from nothing causing all matter to come from that. Some argue that the universe has always existed while others even more crazily talk about multiverses as if that solves the problem. It is mythological and superstitious to argue that everything came about from nothing without a creator or that everything has self-existed forever.
Both Nature and the Bible teach us that God is the creator. He created all things. And they only exist by His will. He spoke them into existence by His Word.
He did so in the space of six days. This too is another teaching that is rejected and mocked. You can’t go to a museum or state park without seeing signs speaking about everything evolving over millions of years. The problem is that while we can observe in nature that species and even kinds of animals adapt to their environments, we do not see kinds of creatures changing into different kinds. The Dog kind is always the Dog kind whether it is a wolf or a wiener dog. The truth is that we have record from the one who created us about the creation. No one was there when it happened but God. He has told us. It is written into the very fabric of the week. There have been attempts through history to change the week. The French revolution tried to change the calendar to a ten day week. It failed miserably. There is something hardwired into nature and into humanity that makes for a seven day week. It is almost like that God told us the reason why He created in six days and rested the seventh. Oh, He did do that.
Lastly, there is even assault on the fact that God created all things very good. Man’s sin cast the universe into darkness and brought a curse on the earth, but this does not mean therefore that creation is bad. The Apostle Paul dealt with this during his ministry. He wrote to Timothy saying “But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron, men who forbid marriage and advocate abstaining from foods which God has created to be gratefully shared in by those who believe and know the truth. For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with gratitude; for it is sanctified by means of the word of God and prayer.”
Paul called it a doctrine of demons which forbids marriage or teaches that certain foods are somehow inherently sinful. In our day, we see this from those who assume that alcohol is always sinful or who promote veganism as inherently moral. There may be dietary reasons to avoid certain foods. Furthermore, we must be careful that we are not in love with the things of this world so that they hold us captivated. We must not be slaves to our appetites. But on the other hand, we must not be legalists who create laws that God has not established.
Deuteronomy
God knows our frame and deals with us as we are. We see this clearly in this passage regarding a certificate of divorce. Jesus commenting on this passage says that this was given because of the hardness of their hearts. The law was designed to protect the woman from the sinfulness of man. It is not an excuse for divorce. There is nothing in these verses which say that sending the wife away was good. God hates divorce. He allows it under only two exceptions- Sexual Immorality/Adultery and Abandonment. But no one ought to be looking for these exceptions. Rather we are taught to hold the marriage bed in high esteem. With that in mind, take time this week to strengthen your marriage. Husband, love your wife. Let her know you love her. And Wife, respect your husband. Let him know that you respect Him.
Matthew
Jesus’ instructions for his disciples during the time leading up the destruction of Jerusalem is still something we should learn from in our own time as we face trials and tribulations of our own. We must not be deceived but rather hold fast to the word of God. We must not be frightened and shrink back from the calling God has for us. Instead, we must fear Him and trust that He will reward us if we persevere. He will make sure our work is not in vain.
We also must be prepared. Jesus told his disciples about a sign that would show the impeding doom of Jerusalem. Part of being prepared is knowing the times you live in. A wise man sees evil and hides himself whereas a fool rushes in. Be wise.
Part of preparation is also being prepared to part with this world. The disciples were told that they should be ready to flee to the mountains. When they saw the sign, they were to leave all behind and go. In our day while we want to faithful stewards of what God gives us-that means being prepared for different emergencies- we should hold a loose grip on the things of this world. Those in love with the world are at war with God. Our treasure needs to be in heaven. Make use of the things that God gives us. The creation is to be received with joy-Be good stewards-but love Him and His word above all else. Then you won’t shrink back from the work He gives you.
Revelation 4
The book of Revelation paints the image of the throne room of God. It is a mind-blowing scene. It is terrifying and yet beautiful. We see the rainbow, so wickedly appropriated by Sodomites, around His throne. The LGBT flag mocks the judgement and mercy of God but God will not be mocked. There are 24 elders worshipping God. These represent the twelve tribes of Israel and the Twelve Apostles. This shows that God is to be worshipped by all of his people throughout history. And He is worshipped because He is worthy. “Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created.”
Let us join in with this heavenly scene and worship God. Let His will be done in our home, church, and all the earth, just as it is in heaven. Read Psalm 46 and join in the worship.
Psalm 46
God is in control. He sits over all the earth. He reigns over kings and nations. He raises up nations and He can tear them down. No one can stop His will. Therefore, just as this psalm teaches, He is a refuge and strength. He is a help in times of trouble. Reflecting back on the Matthew 24, this Psalm would certainly have been something those Christians fleeing Jerusalem would have sung. God is in control when the whole world seems to be falling apart. Whatever struggles you are facing, trust that God knows what He is doing. Take comfort in Him.
Catechism/ Memory Verse
We are going to be working through the ten commandments over the next few weeks in the family worship guide. This week we are looking at a broad overview of the law. The memory verse reminds us that God’s law is good. Christians love the law of God. Why? For several reasons:
1. The law of God points us to the perfect character of God. The ten commandments flow from who God is. Therefore, in the law, we learn about our great Creator and Savior.
2. The law of God reveals to us our deep need for a savior. The Holy Spirit uses the law to convict us of how far we fall from the perfection of God. When we study the Ten commandments, we shouldn’t think “yeah, I keep all that.” When you study the law, you know that you are a sinner that deserves death. You cannot hope to obtain heaven and all the promises of God by your own deeds. You must have Christ. When you read the law, never be far from Christ.
3. The law of God teaches us to fear disobedience. It acts as a deterrent to sin. Parents should not fear using the God’s law as the standard for disciplining their children. It is part of the use of God’s law to restrain evil.
4. The law of God teaches those in Christ, how we are to live in Christ. It teaches us what God expects of us and as we love God we will want to obey Him. Therefore while you cannot be saved by law keeping. You are saved so that you can keep God’s moral law. Love God and love his law.
People to Pray for:
Our church is located in an area filled with churches. Many of them are dying and some of them deserve to die out. The Apostle Paul wrote to the church in Corinth and called them saints. If you read his letter, you see that the church in Corinth was full of problems which included bad teaching, bad theology, and bad conduct. There were however still saints in the midst of all of that. We do not know the state of every church in Jeffersonville or even in our own neighborhood, but we do know generally that there is not a lot of salt and light in the area. Let us pray that God will awaken His church in Jeffersonville, that the church will repent of false teaching and false practice. Pray that God will send the Holy Spirit to instruct all the churches and to bring about real revival in Jeffersonville.
Please be in prayer for our All Hallows Reformation Festival this week. Pray that God will give us good weather and bring people from the surrounding neighborhoods to the festival. Pray that we can serve the community as well as proclaim the gospel. Pray for the workers that we will serve with joy and patience. Pray that God will be blessed.
We are also praying for the city council of Jeffersonville. Please pray that God will grant them repentance of sin. Pray that they will serve Him with their office.
Church History Spotlight
Joachim Neander 1650 -1680
Joachim Neander was a German Reformed Church teacher, theologian and hymn writer whose most famous hymn is “Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of Creation.” From 1674 to 1679, Joachim Neander was principal of the Reformed Lateinschule (grammar school) in Düsseldorf. During these years, he used to wander the secluded Düssel River valley, which was, until the 19th Century, a deep ravine between rock faces and forests, with numerous caves, grottos and waterfalls. Probably, Neander wrote and sang many of his poems there. In the early 19th Century, a large cave was named Neanderhöhle after him. In the mid-19th Century, the cement industry started to quarry the limestone, and the narrow ravine became a wide valley, which was now named the Neander Valley. Though his life was short, he produced 60 hymns that helped enrich the worship of German reformed Christians. Those who live by faith, know their work is not in vain in the Lord.
Praise to the Lord, who doth prosper thy work, and defend thee;
Surely his goodness and mercy here daily attend thee;
Ponder anew
All the Almighty can do,
He who with love doth befriend thee.
Highlight from the Westminster Shorter Catechism
Q. 9. What is the work of creation?
A. The work of creation is, God’s making all things of nothing, by the word of his power, in the space of six days, and all very good.
Revelation 4:11 “Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created.”
There is not one word of this catechism question that isn’t under attack by those outside and inside the church. Our secular humanist society denies that God is creator and that God made all things from nothing. Rather they ascribe the existence to the universe to a singularity that exploded from nothing causing all matter to come from that. Some argue that the universe has always existed while others even more crazily talk about multiverses as if that solves the problem. It is mythological and superstitious to argue that everything came about from nothing without a creator or that everything has self-existed forever.
Both Nature and the Bible teach us that God is the creator. He created all things. And they only exist by His will. He spoke them into existence by His Word.
He did so in the space of six days. This too is another teaching that is rejected and mocked. You can’t go to a museum or state park without seeing signs speaking about everything evolving over millions of years. The problem is that while we can observe in nature that species and even kinds of animals adapt to their environments, we do not see kinds of creatures changing into different kinds. The Dog kind is always the Dog kind whether it is a wolf or a wiener dog. The truth is that we have record from the one who created us about the creation. No one was there when it happened but God. He has told us. It is written into the very fabric of the week. There have been attempts through history to change the week. The French revolution tried to change the calendar to a ten day week. It failed miserably. There is something hardwired into nature and into humanity that makes for a seven day week. It is almost like that God told us the reason why He created in six days and rested the seventh. Oh, He did do that.
Lastly, there is even assault on the fact that God created all things very good. Man’s sin cast the universe into darkness and brought a curse on the earth, but this does not mean therefore that creation is bad. The Apostle Paul dealt with this during his ministry. He wrote to Timothy saying “But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron, men who forbid marriage and advocate abstaining from foods which God has created to be gratefully shared in by those who believe and know the truth. For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with gratitude; for it is sanctified by means of the word of God and prayer.”
Paul called it a doctrine of demons which forbids marriage or teaches that certain foods are somehow inherently sinful. In our day, we see this from those who assume that alcohol is always sinful or who promote veganism as inherently moral. There may be dietary reasons to avoid certain foods. Furthermore, we must be careful that we are not in love with the things of this world so that they hold us captivated. We must not be slaves to our appetites. But on the other hand, we must not be legalists who create laws that God has not established.