Hopewell Associate Reformed Presbyterian

What grieves a parent to death? Proverbs 17:21–25 looks forward to the midweek sermon. In these five verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that the unchecked folly of a child grieves a parent to death. Pastor's devotional lesson explores the profound connection between parental joy and a child's spiritual well-being, drawing heavily from Proverbs 17:21-25. It emphasizes the importance of parents providing biblical discipline and instruction, trusting God to remove folly from their children, while simultaneously urging children to seek wisdom and avoid behaviors that bring grief to their parents and ultimately, to themselves. The message underscores that a joyful heart, rooted in obedience to God's word, is a source of life and healing, contrasting sharply with the grief and death associated with foolishness and disobedience, ultimately calling for a commitment to both parental responsibility and a child's receptive heart.

Biblical obedience flows from loving remembrance of our loving God.

Biblical obedience flows from loving remembrance of our loving God.

Only God is exalted in Himself, and when He became a Man, He exalted Himself by humility, so we must do what Christ does and desire what He desires.

Only God is exalted in Himself, and when He became a Man, He exalted Himself by humility, so we must do what Christ does and desire what He desires.

What are believers to remember about God as they obey His commandments? Deuteronomy 8:1–10 looks forward to the evening sermon on the coming Lord's Day. In these ten verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that, as they obey God's commandments, believers are to remember His purposes toward them in those commandments, His preparation of them by bringing them through that obedience, and His praise from them which that obedience will produce. Pastor's devotional emphasizes the importance of remembering God's past actions and purposes as a foundation for obedience and blessing, drawing from Deuteronomy 8. It highlights that remembering God's provision in the wilderness, including both miraculous care and challenging trials, prepares individuals to trust Him and understand His fatherly discipline. Ultimately, the message encourages a life of grateful praise and faithful obedience, recognizing that true blessing stems not from personal achievement but from God's gracious promises and the steadfast pursuit of His will, mirroring the example of Jesus.

What is Jesus's message to us? Revelation 22:12–17 looks forward to the hearing of God's Word read in the public worship on the coming Lord's Day. In these six verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that Jesus's message to us is to come to Him for life. Pastor's devotional emphasizes the imminent return of Jesus, portraying Him as the eternal, rewarding, redeeming, sanctifying, returning, and welcoming God. Drawing from Revelation 22, the message highlights the promise of reward for those who obey His commandments, entering into a holy union with Him and gaining access to eternal life. It underscores the importance of personal holiness, urging listeners to come to Chris for forgiveness and escape from practices and ideologies that oppose God, and to actively participate in welcoming others to Christ, ultimately joining the chorus of the Spirit and the Bride in anticipating His return and freely receiving the water of life.

Why is wickedness dangerous for God's people? Micah 6:9–16 looks forward to the hearing of God's Word read in the public worship on the coming Lord's Day. In these eight verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that wickedness is dangerous for God's people because God is faithful to Himself and His covenant warnings. Pastor's devotional centers on God's unwavering holiness and faithfulness, particularly as demonstrated through Micah's warning to Judah regarding their persistent wickedness. It emphasizes that God's judgment, symbolized by the "rod," is not arbitrary but a consequence of covenant violations and a reflection of His righteous character, refusing to overlook deceit and injustice. The message underscores the heightened danger of sin for God's people, who are in a special covenant relationship with Him, and calls for repentance, faith, and a recognition of God's attributes to avoid the devastating consequences of covenant curses and ultimately, to experience peace by His grace.

If we are going to love truly, then we need to avoid having an incompetent heart, or a crooked heart, by avoiding the unteachable heart.

If we are going to love truly, then we need to avoid having an incompetent heart, or a crooked heart, by avoiding the unteachable heart.

How should we worship? Ecclesiastes 5:1–7 looks forward to the call to worship in public worship on the coming Lord's Day. In these seven verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that we should worship with obedient actions, humble attitude, and life-application. Pastor's devotional emphasizes the importance of approaching worship with reverence and intentionality, highlighting that true worship involves not only the right actions and attitudes but also a commitment to follow through on vows and promises made to God. Drawing from Ecclesiastes, the message cautions against rash words and hasty commitments, asserting that genuine worship involves mindful engagement with God's Word, a reserved and receptive heart, and a willingness to apply spiritual truths to daily life, ultimately fearing God and recognizing that His works endure while fleeting pursuits prove vain.

Why isn't love enough? Proverbs 17:16–20 looks forward to the midweek sermon. In these five verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that love, without wisdom, isn't even loving. Pastor's devotional explores the critical importance of a teachable heart, contrasting it with the folly of those who possess an unteachable, incompetent, and crooked heart. Drawing from Proverbs 17, it argues that true love and genuine help stem from a heart shaped by wisdom and fear of the Lord, rather than self-proclaimed understanding or prideful attempts to elevate oneself. The message cautions against defining love through personal desires or offering assistance that enables sin, emphasizing that a righteous character, humility, and adherence to God's law are essential for fostering genuine love and avoiding strife and destruction.

Pastor walks his children through Children's Catechism question 19—especially explaining how we have eternal souls because of our relation to the first Adam, and the state of those souls is determined by our relation to the last Adam. Q19. Have you a soul as well as a body? Yes; I have a soul that can never die. The catechism lesson emphasizes the profound significance of the human soul, asserting its eternal and indestructible nature, and connects it directly to the theological concept of federal representation. Drawing from the creation narrative of Adam, it explains that humanity shares a unified relationship with Adam, inheriting his status and consequences through covenantal ties. This understanding is then contrasted with the redemptive work of Jesus Christ, the 'last Adam,' who offers a path to conformity with his resurrected body and holy soul. Ultimately, the message underscores the critical choice facing every individual: to remain in the first Adam, facing eternal suffering, or to embrace the grace of the last Adam, in Whom there is everlasting favor and blessing from God.

Confidence from remembering YHWH combats the fear that is the enemy of faith and obedience

Confidence from remembering YHWH combats the fear that is the enemy of faith and obedience.

Jesus is the living God, Who teaches us about His glory by means of His gospel.

Jesus is the living God, Who teaches us about His glory by means of His gospel.

What is the Lord Jesus doing right now? Revelation 22:6–11 looks forward to the hearing of God's Word read in the public worship on the coming Lord's Day. In these six verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that the Lord Jesus is doing everything necessary for His soon return, and urging us to respond to His Bible in repentance and faith. Pastor's devotional emphasizes the urgency of engaging with Scripture as a direct response to the imminent return of Jesus, highlighting that His "coming quickly" is not a future event but already in process by His sovereign rule. It stresses the importance of actively hearing, reading, and applying God's Word, rather than seeking novel revelations or relying on personal feelings, as the written Word is Jesus's revelation to us. The message underscores the finality of one's spiritual condition at the time of Christ's return, urging listeners to embrace Christ for righteousness and holiness now, lest they remain unrighteous and filthy, under wrath, forever.

How should we repay God for all His goodness? Micah 6:1–8 looks forward to the hearing of God's Word read in the public worship on the coming Lord's Day. In these eight verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that believers should repay God for His goodness in the way that He says to in His Word. Pastor's devotional explores God's indictment of Israel, highlighting the contrast between divine grace and the people's unfaithfulness, ultimately revealing that true worship isn't what man comes up with, but what God has shown. Drawing parallels to Christ's redemptive work, the message emphasizes that God desires the people themselves, urging listeners to recognize God's goodness and respond with imaging Him, loving Him, and fellowship with Him.

Pastor walks his children through Children's Catechism question 18—especially explaining how God has created man with an eternal soul. Q18. What did God give Adam and Eve besides bodies? He gave them souls that could never die. The lesson explores the profound significance of the human soul, asserting that it is a unique creation of God, distinct from the spirit of beasts and possessing eternal life. Drawing from Genesis, 1 Corinthians, and Ecclesiastes, it argues that God's act of breathing into Adam's nostrils signifies the infusion of an immortal soul, guaranteeing both resurrection for the righteous, conformed to Christ, and a terrifying judgment for the unrepentant. Ultimately, the lesson emphasizes that the existence of this eternal soul underscores the paramount importance of caring for one's soul as the most vital responsibility entrusted by God, rooted in His covenantal purposes and the promise of redemption.

Proper handling of fools requires endurance, humility, and self-control.

Proper handling of fools requires endurance, humility, and self-control

Faithfulness is necessary for covenant blessing

Faithfulness is necessary for covenant blessing

God requires obedience that is covenantal, commitment, complete, comprehensive, and consequential.

God requires obedience that is covenantal, commitment, complete, comprehensive, and consequential.

Why is covenant faithfulness necessary? Deuteronomy 7:12–16 looks forward to the evening sermon on the coming Lord's Day. In these five verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that covenant faithfulness is necessary for covenant blessing. Pastor's devotional explores the intertwined concepts of unconditional election and covenant faithfulness, drawing from Deuteronomy 7 to illuminate God's character as both a gracious giver of blessings and a just sustainer of covenant relationships. It emphasizes that while God's love and promises are freely given, obedience is not meritorious but a necessary response to His grace, enabling the enjoyment of His goodness and preventing spiritual corruption. The sevenfold blessing detailed in the passage represents complete divine favor, highlighting that true blessing lies not merely in material prosperity but in enjoying the goodness of God Himself, ultimately fulfilled through the faithful covenant head, Jesus Christ.

What is glory? Revelation 22:1–5 looks forward to the hearing of God's Word read in the public worship on the coming Lord's Day. In these five verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that glory is God's people's experience of Him. Pastor's devotional lesson explores the vision of the New Jerusalem in Revelation 21-5, presenting it not as a physical city, but as a representation of the glorified church. Drawing parallels to the Garden of Eden and the tabernacle, it emphasizes the central role of God's presence and the continual flow of the Holy Spirit from the Father and the Son, offering life, healing, and fellowship. The ultimate reality is an experience of God's glory, marked by eternal reign and the absence of darkness, where believers will enjoy a perfected fellowship with Him, shaping their experience of the new heavens and the new earth and fulfilling God's ultimate design for redemption.

What does the Messiah do for His people? Micah 5:5–15 looks forward to the hearing of God's Word read in the public worship on the coming Lord's Day. In these eleven verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that the Messiah brings true peace to His remnant from all the nations. The devotional explores the nature of peace and security under the reign of King Jesus, moving beyond reliance on earthly defenses like chariots and strongholds. It emphasizes that the Messiah delivers His people from false security, false knowledge (including sorcery and false teaching), and false worship, ultimately leading them to true understanding and pure worship. The church, empowered by Christ, becomes a source of refreshing grace for the redeemed like dew and showers, while simultaneously acting as a formidable force against the unrepentant, like a lion among sheep, trusting in the ultimate execution of divine vengeance on those who reject God's message. Thus, Christ ushers in a new era of glory for the nations gathered into His kingdom.

A fool harms an entire community, not only himself.

A fool harms an entire community, not only himself.

How is love of money so evil? Ecclesiastes 4:7–12 looks forward to the call to worship in public worship on the coming Lord's Day. In these six verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that love of money rejects both the fellowship of God and the fellowship of man. The family devotional lesson explores the vanity and misfortune of pursuing labor solely for personal gain, emphasizing the necessity of fellowship with God and with others for a meaningful life. Drawing from Ecclesiastes 4, it argues that true purpose and strength are found not in isolated striving but in relationships—both human and divine—where mutual support and God's presence provide comfort, resilience, and lasting significance. Ultimately, the message underscores that God's presence is the essential third strand that binds human connections, transforming individual efforts into a source of shared blessing and enduring purpose.

We must choose between the world that hates God and will get us destroyed, and the God Who has chosen His people in love.

Pastor walks his children through Children's Catechism question 17—especially explaining how God humbles us, honors us, and gives us hope by the stuff of which He made us. Q17. Of what were our first parents made? God made the body of Adam out of the ground, and formed Eve from the body of Adam. The lesson explores the theological significance of humanity's creation, contrasting our earthly origins – formed from the ground like animals – with the unique gift of a spirit breathed into Adam, distinguishing us from the beasts and connecting us to God. It emphasizes the inherent dignity and eventual destiny of humanity, particularly through Christ's resurrection, where our bodies will be conformed to his glorified form, experiencing a transformation from earthly, decaying vessels to spiritual, immortal bodies devoted to God in the new heavens and new earth, ultimately offering hope and a call to live in anticipation of this glorious future.

We must choose between the world that hates God and will get us destroyed, and the God Who has chosen His people in love.

Every part of Scripture must be understood in the context of the message of the whole, centering upon Christ.

Every part of Scripture must be understood in the context of the message of the whole, centering upon Christ.

Why are the Sadducees deceived? Matthew 22:23–33 looks forward to the evening sermon on the coming Lord's Day. In these eleven verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that the Sadducees are deceived because of their own ignorance of God and His Word. The devotional lesson addresses the Sadducees' challenge regarding the resurrection, using their hypothetical scenario of seven brothers and one wife to highlight their flawed understanding of Scripture and God's power. It argues that their meticulous focus on minor details of the law obscures the grand narrative of God as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—a living God who redeems and covenants with humanity. Pastor emphasizes that true theological understanding requires recognizing the entirety of Scripture, particularly the overarching themes of God's election, covenant, and redemption, ultimately calling for a marveling at Christ as Himself the God-Man Who has revealed Himself and His gospel in the Bible.

Why should God's people choose Him? Deuteronomy 7:1–11 looks forward to the evening sermon on the coming Lord's Day. In these eleven verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that God's people choose Him, because He has chosen them in love. The devotional lesson emphasizes the critical importance of unwavering devotion to God, warning against any compromise or covenant with the world, particularly those who oppose Him. Drawing from Deuteronomy 7, it highlights that Israel's election is not based on merit but on God's sovereign love and faithfulness to His promises, demanding complete eradication of false religions and a rejection of worldly entanglements that could lead to idolatry. Ultimately, the message underscores that true safety and blessing lie not in covenant membership alone, but in a grace-given, faithful love and obedience to God, recognizing His faithfulness and the consequences of rejecting Him.

What is the glory of the church? Revelation 21:9–27 looks forward to the hearing of God's Word read in the public worship on the coming Lord's Day. In these nineteen verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that the glory of the church is her glorious God. The devotional presents the vision of the New Jerusalem in Revelation 21:9–27 reveals the glorified Church as the perfected bride of Christ, a divine city not of earthly dimensions but of eternal, spiritual reality, symbolizing the complete and glorious union of God's redeemed people. Rooted in God's eternal plan and built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, this city reflects the radiant glory of God and the Lamb, whose presence eliminates the need for sun or moon, as divine light now illuminates all. The imagery of precious stones, pure gold, and unshuttered gates signifies a community refined by divine grace—where only those whose names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life enter, and all that defiles, abominates, or lies is excluded. This vision calls believers to live with holy urgency, rejecting anything incompatible with God's holiness, while trusting in the certainty that every true glory of every nation will be gathered and transformed into eternal splendor. The ultimate hope is not a physical place, but the perfect, incorruptible fellowship of God's elect, fully sanctified and reflecting His infinite glory.

A wisely lived life is glorious, and gives instruction and hope for future generations of glory.

A wisely lived life is glorious, and gives instruction and hope for future generations of glory.

What else makes godless life vain? Ecclesiastes 4:4–6 looks forward to the call to worship in public worship on the coming Lord's Day. In these three verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that fallen labor makes godless life vain. The devotional lesson explores the futility of labor and achievement apart from a relationship with God, drawing from Ecclesiastes 4 and Psalm 73. It highlights how striving and skillful work often lead to envy and ultimately prove unsatisfying, while neglecting work results in a destructive laziness. The central message emphasizes that true contentment and peace—a "handful with quietness"—are found not in worldly pursuits but in knowing and worshipping God, allowing His grace to shape our work, and provide lasting fulfillment rather than grasping for fleeting, ultimately unattainable goals.

It is in the context of God's gospel that we should teach our children God's law.

It is in the context of God's gospel that we should teach our children God's law.

We must respond rightly to who our authorities are, by submitting to them; to who you are, by living for the glory and enjoyment of God, and to Who Jesus is, by worshiping Him and living by His Word.

We must respond rightly to who our authorities are, by submitting to them; to who you are, by living for the glory and enjoyment of God, and to Who Jesus is, by worshiping Him and living by His Word.