Missions of the Protestant Reformed Churches in America

Domestic Missions

Winter 2023 Updates

Zion PRC Jenison, MI

LaningJamesAfter issuing several calls for home missionary, on November 20, 2022 Zion PRC received an acceptance of a call to Rev. James Laning, then pastor of Hull PRC in Northwest Iowa. He has since completed his ministry in Hull, moved to West Michigan, and will be installed as PRC home missionary on Feb.5, 2023, Lord willing. He then plans to take some special classes and receive some special training for his work as home missionary.
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In accordance with the decision of Synod 2021, the Domestic Mission Committee (DMC) sought out a calling church for Domestic/Home Missions.
We joyfully report that Zion PRC has agreed to be the calling church for Home Missions and has been officially appointed to this role by the DMC on behalf of synod. Now the Council and Congregation of Zion PRC will take the lead in calling a missionary, caring for his needs, and overseeing and supporting his work to publish the gospel of Christ in North America. While Zion PRC takes the lead, the DMC looks forward to helping the congregation in this effort as much as possible with its help and advice.
Please pray that God will bless the efforts of Zion PRC and the DMC to take up the work of Home Missions again, especially praying that God will provide our churches with a man to serve as a Home Missionary. 
In the service of Christ,
the Domestic Mission Committee of the Protestant Reformed Churches
 

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With the organization of the Pittsburgh PR Fellowship into an established congregation in 2016 and the calling of missionary-pastor W. Bruinsma to serve as her pastor, the PRC appointed Byron Center PRC to be the calling church for a new home missionary. In September of 2017 Rev. Aud Spriensma accepted the call to serve this position.revaspriensma 1

Pastor Spriensma works out of the West Michigan area, where he assists Byron Center PRC's evangelism efforts (for example, the bi-weekly Bible study on the gospel of John held at Dorr Public Library on Thursdays) and other PRCs in the area in their evangelism work. But he is also involved in preaching, presenting mission/evangelism programs, and following up on contacts wherever requested and needed - in the PRCA and beyond.

In January of 2021 Rev. Spriensma took the call to Cornerstone PRC in Dyer, IN, thus ending his work as PRC home missionary.

At this time the PRC is working to appoint a new calling church and call another home missionary. Join us in prayer as we seek to be faithful to the Lord's call to take the gospel to our nation and beyond.

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Who Is Jesus?

Would you like to know who Jesus is and why He is the only Savior of sinners?

Pastor Spriensma has developed a series of brief, basic gospel tracts and podcasts explaining who Jesus is as set forth in the gospel according to John. The entire series may be found on this page and here (podcasts). The individual tracts and podcasts are also listed here with the link (with a printable pdf also attached).

1. Who is Jesus? The Word Made Flesh (podcast)

2. Who is Jesus? The Lamb of God (podcast)

3. Who is Jesus? The Bread of Life (podcast)

4. Who is Jesus? The Light of the World (podcast)

5. Who is Jesus? The Door of the Sheep (podcast)

6. Who is Jesus? The Good Shepherd (podcast)

7. Who Is Jesus? The Resurrection and the Life (podcast)

8. Who is Jesus? The Way, the Truth, and the Life (podcast)

9. Who is Jesus? The True Vine (podcast)

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Below you will find some of our home missionary's recent reports on his labors.

Secretary for Domestic Mission Committee: 

Rev. James Slopsema: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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What Are We Doing?

Report from PRC Home Missionary, Rev. Aud Spriensma

[This report was also published in the September 1, 2019 issue of the Standard Bearer.]

Notice the title of the article, “What are we doing?”  Missions is the work of the church.  In the year 2001, we had three home missionaries, working in three different declared fields with church plants:  Northern Ireland, the eastern United States, and the Western United States.  The calling of the church was to pray for our missionaries and, of course, financially support the work with their offerings.

In the year of our Lord, 2019, we have one home missionary, with no declared field of labor, except of course, the whole of the United States and Canada.  Are we doing anything?  Is it the case that eighteen years ago the PRC was considerably more involved with domestic mission work than we are today?  Have we lost our mission-mindedness?

First of all, the Domestic Mission Committee (DMC) does not jump in today and start a church plant immediately when we receive a call to “come over and help us.”  When we received these requests in the past year, the DMC sent their home missionary and others to investigate whether it was feasible to begin a church plant in those areas.

Second, the DMC, with diminished requests “to come over and help us,” is working with a new approach to establish a definite field of labor.  In this model, our congregations are more involved in starting evangelistic Bible studies in their communities and their outlying areas.  To date, we have or have had nine of our congregations busy establishing these outreach Bible studies in various areas along with teaching men in correctional facilities.  Our congregations are developing contacts that they can pursue or refer to our missionary to labor with.

Is this not the labor of home missions?  The congregations are doing the work of missions, not only praying for and financially supporting the work of paid missionaries.  The PRC, I believe, is becoming more evangelistic and energetic in this labor.  Mission work is a very important calling from Christ to His church, for He said, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations…” (Matt. 28:19).  In the Canons of Dordt we have a beautiful statement:  “And that men may be brought to believe, God mercifully sends the messengers of these most joyful tidings, to whom He will and at what time He pleaseth; by whose ministry men are called to repentance and faith in Christ crucified” (Canons I, Art. 3).  Again, in the Canons, we read, “Moreover, the promise of the gospel is, that whosoever believeth in Christ crucified, shall not perish, but have everlasting life.  This promise, together with the command to repent and believe, ought to be declared and published to all nations, and to all persons promiscuously and without distinction, to whom God out of His good pleasure sends the gospel” (Canons II, Art. 5).

How important this work is, especially for rather isolated churches!  The apostle Paul on his missionary travels preached, and the Holy Spirit established churches that were geographically close to one another:  Antioch, Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe.  These churches could encourage and labor together as the churches of Asia Minor.  In the Philippines, our missionaries labor not only with the first church that was organized, but with pastors and churches that are near the first congregation, so that we now have a federation of churches laboring together.  How important this work is for small churches that have been dependent upon synodical subsidy for many years. It is easy for an organized church, whether large or small, to be content with their church life, not bothering to go and seek to save the lost in the communities around them.  It is through missions that the Lord is pleased to add to His church such as should be saved.

You might ask, “Why have Bible studies in our areas when we already have Bible studies within our churches?  Why go out into the communities when others can come to our worship services?”  There are a number of reasons.  First, one cannot expect those who have little or no church affiliation to travel long distances to come to our churches.  It just will not happen.  Second, these community members would not feel comfortable in many of our church societies or services.  Many of them know little of our Reformed terminology or even Bible history that we take for granted and use.  Third, they do not know anyone else that goes to our church and who often huddle in small groups afterwards.  These people from the neighborhood are often intimidated.

The church and her members must obey Jesus’ command to “Go!”  As we live in different neighborhoods, work in the world’s workplaces, shop in their stores, and eat in their restaurants, we must be friendly, approachable, caring about and listening to our fellow human beings and their life situations.  As the Canons teach, “As to others, who have not yet been called, it is our duty to pray for them to God, who calls the things that are not, as if they were.  But we are in no wise to conduct ourselves towards them with haughtiness, as if we had made ourselves to differ” (Canons III/IV, Art. 15).  One way to reach those in our communities is to set up Bible studies and personally invite folks to join us in seeking the truth from the Scriptures.

And we might then ask, what is our missionary doing?  Your missionary seeks to encourage and inspire our churches in this work by preaching ‘mission sermons’ and doing mission presentations.  The missionary is also available to help the churches set up these Bible studies and pick material to be used. We are also writing material or tracts that will be more easily understood by those with a limited knowledge of the Bible.  Just finished is a series of nine tracts on the subject of the person of Jesus Christ.  It is entitled, “Who is Jesus?”  And when contacts come in to the missionary and the DMC, the New Fields Committee does investigative work to determine if this is where the Lord is opening up a door for us to labor.  The missionary then goes to such contacts and begins a Bible study there.

May the Lord Jesus be pleased to continue to cause His church to love the truth that we have been given and to love our neighbors as ourselves, to seek and to save the lost.  This is our work in home missions.

A Single Eye

This special meditation has been prepared by PRC home missionary, Rev. Aud Spriensma.

A Single Eye

Meditation on Matthew 6:22

The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.

What is your aim in life? On what have you set your eyes? Are you focused?

David’s son Absalom had his eye on his father’s kingdom. With that focus he plotted, planned, and curried the people’s favor. But later, in Jerusalem, he listened to the counsel of Ahithophel and then the advice of Hushai. Ahithophel suggested that Absalom send some men after his father David and strike him while he was tired and on the run. Hushai told Absalom to wait until a large army was gathered that Absalom himself could lead against his father. Absalom chose the advice of Hushai.

Certainly Absalom’s eye was on success! He wanted the kingdom of his father. But his eye was also focused on being seen as the leader of a mighty force, perhaps as great a leader as his father had been in his younger years. Pride was before his eyes. What pleases our sinful nature the most is often what seems best to us. Because Absalom was vain, he chose Hushai’s advice to his own destruction. In a worldly sense, Absalom did not have a single eye. Rather he had an evil eye. “But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!

Spiritually, you and I must have a single eye. “The eye,” says John Calvin, “is the torch or lamp of the body. If the hands and feet and mind are improperly directed, blame the eye.” The Greek word for ‘single’ means simple, uncomplicated, without speck, sound, and not double. This same word is at times applied to the heart (see Eph. 6:5; Col. 3:22). A single heart is sincere, has integrity and uprightness, and unmixed with ulterior or selfish motives.

What is to be our single eye? What is our life to be focused on? For those who are God’s children, washed by the precious blood of Jesus Christ, and indwelt with His Spirit, there can only be one focus: to promote the glory of God! We have in life one aim, one focus, one goal, and one eye.

But in the service of God, you are and will be grievously tempted to be distracted by the private feelings and interests of our old sinful nature. When these desires assert themselves, you will be tempted to lose the clear, simple, and single line of duty to do God’s will. You wish to do God’s will, but at the same time you are unwilling to sacrifice the sinful desires of the flesh. Other desires cloud your sight like cataracts. You do not have a clear sight of the right path.

Oh, the struggle that we have with the old sinful nature! We are called to crucify the old man. You are called to choose the cross. No one can combine two opposite goals: glorifying God and satisfying the yearnings of the flesh. Matthew 6:24 tells us, “No man can serve two masters.”

How we need to look to the Captain of our salvation. In the Garden, he cried out, “Nevertheless not my will, but thine be done.” We look at the grace of God at work in the Apostle Paul’s life when he was on the Damascus road. Paul cried out, “Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?” We see the singleness of eye, the utter disregard for personal interests in the Apostle Paul’s entire devotion to the service of his Master. In I Cor. 9:27, Paul says, “But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection.”

May we pray for a single eye for the glory of our God, and a single eye that we follow in Jesus’ footsteps. The Light of the Word of God must be held before our eyes, filling them with light. Pray for that single eye. Pray for that eye that you may see clearly. Our focus must be on our great covenant God and His marvelous love manifested towards us in Jesus Christ. Is it yours? When God fills our eye, all else fades in comparison A single eye: is it yours! “None of us liveth to himself; for whether we live, we live unto the Lord, or whether we die, we die unto the Lord. Whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s.”

“Take my life and let it be, consecrated Lord unto Thee, Take my hands and let them move at the impulse of Thy love, At the impulse of Thy love. Take my feet and let them be Swift and beautiful for Thee; Take my voice and let me sing Always, only, for my King, Always, only, for my King. Take my lips and let them be Filled with messages for Thee; Take my silver and my gold - Not a mite would I withhold, Not a mite would I withhold. Take my love- my God, I pour At Thy feet its treasure store: Take myself - and I will be Ever, only, all for Thee, Ever, only, all for Thee.”  ~ H. A. Cesar Malan, 1787-1864

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The Call to Servants of the Lord to Bless the Lord

This special meditation has been prepared by PRC home missionary, Rev. Aud Spriensma.

The Call to Servants of the Lord to Bless the Lord

Meditation on Psalm 134 

Behold, Bless ye the LORD, all ye servants of the LORD, which by night stand in the house of the Lord. Lift up you r hands in the sanctuary, and bless the LORD. The LORD that made heaven and earth bless thee out of Zion.

This is the last Song of Ascent, and the shortest. What progress has been made as these psalms were put together. At the beginning of these psalms, God’s people were far from the temple, seeing it from afar. But with joy, they kept on going till they were finally at the door of the temple. Entering the temple, they joined in unified worship. “Behold how good and pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in were they called to do? These temple servants were the Levites. They were the assistants to the priests. They worked in the temple unity.” Now it was time to go back home. In Psalm 134, there was a call to the temple servants, who serve at night, to bless the LORD.

Who are these servants, and what was their work? They were gate keepers, guards at the door, singers, janitors cleaning and preparing the temple for the next day’s activities. Theirs was a hard and menial work, working day and night. They would lodge at the temple so that the temple would be ready for the morning services. They “stand” , we read, being ready in their place of service.

They were called to “Bless the Lord.” The word means “to speak well of”. We do not give something to God. The word means to praise the LORD joyfully and willingly. In verse 2, they were told to “lift up your hands in the sanctuary.” In their work in the temple, as they prepare for the sacrifices, and clean the floors of the blood, they were to give themselves wholeheartedly in devotion of God. At night, the crowds and pilgrims are gone, but the activity of the temple was busy. How would these servants carry out their menial jobs? Would they half-heartedly clean the floor, or sleepily guard the doors, or slowly get the materials for the next day ready? No! Even though no one would observe them at their work, they were called to do their work with whole-hearted devotion and love to God!

The literal temple in Jerusalem is no more. What does this psalm say to you and me? Who are these servants, and how are they serving God still today in the night? Are they not the ministers of God’s Word? Yes, you hear them on Sunday as they proclaim the gospel. But as you leave the worship services, do you encourage and pray for your minister as he carries out his work during the week? A lot of the work is done out of your sight. It might seem rather menial: teach catechism, lead societies, lead consistory and council meetings, visit the sick and aged, spend long hours in the study immersed in God’s Word and preparing sermons. It is hard work. How is it done? Is it with the same zeal and devotion as the preaching of God’s Word on Sunday when everyone is watching and listening? “Lift up your hands in the sanctuary and bless the LORD.” Oh minister, be devoted to your God and his worship in all of your tasks!

Are not the servants of the LORD, which serve at night, God’s people as they leave the worship services and go back to their homes and their workweek? Whether it is cleaning the house or feeding the family, or working in the factory or field or office, perhaps our work seems so menial and insignificant. But God has called you to that service. Do it now with all the passion and devotion of serving the LORD. Bless the LORD in all of your labors, even if no one else sees or notices your work!

Why is this important? Did you notice how many times in this psalm the LORD is mentioned? Five times! It is His covenant name that is mentioned, even though that is not readily apparent in the psalm.(Sadly, the KJV authors followed the Jews by replacing the name Jehovah with the word LORD in all capital letters.) He is the great “I AM”. He is faithful even when we are not. He is the creator. He is the one who blesses His people “out of Zion.” He pours out His blessings upon his church through our Lord Jesus Christ! He is worthy of your and my wholehearted devotion, love, and willing service.

How we need to ask God for forgiveness when in our everyday work, we carry it out in a careless or detached way. Maybe at times we are even resentful that we have these callings. How often we can waste away our time. We are called to “lift up your hands in the sanctuary.” May we not just go through the motions without passion, or neglect opportunities to serve the Lord with gladness in our everyday occupations. Live consciously before the Lord, and speak well of Him. Whether worshipping in God’s house on Sunday or doing the rather menial tasks of the weekdays, do it for the Lord in loving, willing, and eager devotion! “Bless ye the LORD, all ye servants of the LORD, which by night stand in the house of the LORD.”

“Ye saints, your joy proclaim and glory in the Name, Of God above; And when the daylight dies, ere sleep shall close your eyes, Let praise to God arise for all his love.”  ~ Felice Giardini

 

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The Benefit of the Communion of Saints

This special meditation has been prepared by PRC home missionary, Rev. Aud Spriensma.

The Benefit of the Communion of Saints

Meditation on Psalm 133

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments; As the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.

What an ascent from the first Song of Ascent and this fourteenth Song. In Psalm 120, the psalmist wrote, “My soul hath long dwelt with him that hateth peace. I am for peace: but when I speak, they are for war.” David knew by experience the bitterness occasioned by divisions in families and members of his kingdom. From war and lament, we now have a song of peace and pleasantness. How good and how pleasant and how profitable is the blessing of love and unity. May we learn from this psalm. Two pictures are given to us: the perfume poured out upon Aaron’s head and the dew of Hermon that descends to the mountains of Zion. “Behold!” We are to pause and gaze upon how good and pleasant it is when brethren dwell together in unity. God looks on with approval.

How good it is. How much better was the love between David and Jonathan than the envy in Jacob’s house, the hatred of the brothers against Joseph. What comfort when there is no strife. Yet we see all too often strife in families and in the church. This is not good nor pleasant. In the church there should be the communion of saints in fellowship and love. Unity reigns because of our oneness of life, oneness in Christ, and oneness of faith. Christian unity is good for ourselves and is good for our brethren. What a testimony it is for those outside that we are striving to bring in. It is hard to invite someone to our churches if we are busy beating each other up in the church. How pleasant when loving hearts can freely associate with others of like nature.

What is this love and unity like? The first picture is of oil poured out on Aaron the high priest’s head. It is a sweet perfume. It is the Spirit that came down upon our Lord Jesus. And that oil flows down to all of Christ’s body, the church. Its blessedness and pleasure is enjoyed by every member of his body. Love flows from the head and falls to the feet.

The second picture is of the dew that fell upon the higher mountain of Hermon. The moisture wafted down to the lesser hills, Zion. How refreshing and enlivening it was in its course. It gave life and growth for all the plants of grace. How copious and far reaching this dew is. It is God’s love to us in Christ Jesus. It enables us to love Him and love one another. How pleasant when God’s saints are one in opinion and judgment. They commune together and join together in duty, serving and glorifying God.

How profitable when God’s saints are bound together in love, instead of making war through strife and bitterness. We read, “for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore." God commands His blessing where peace is cultivated. The blessing of blessings is “life evermore.” Do we desire the Lord’s blessing?

The Apostle Paul by the Spirit enjoins us, “Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace: and the God of love and peace shall be with you” (II Cor. 13:11).

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An Habitation for the Mighty God of Jacob

This special meditation has been prepared by PRC home missionary, Rev. Aud Spriensma.

An Habitation for the Mighty God of Jacob

Meditation on Psalm 132: 4,5 13,14     

I will not give sleep to mine eyes, or slumber to mine eyelids, until I find out a place for the LORD, an habitation for the mighty God of Jacob...For the LORD hath chosen Zion; he hath desired it for his habitation. This is my rest for ever: here will I dwell; for I have desired it.

What a beautiful psalm this was for God’s people as they travelled up to the temple to worship. May it be so also for us. The Israelites knew that David desired to build the temple. He desired to build the house for God to dwell in. God came to Nathan the prophet, saying that David was not to build that house. God said that He Himself will build a house for David!

The desire of David was a good desire. God had given David rest from his enemies, and David was now living in a beautiful palace. But the ark of God had no abiding place. It was resting in a tent that David had put up for it in Jerusalem. The ark of the covenant had been in Philistia. When the wicked sons of Eli had tried to force God to go out in battle for them, the Philistines had captured the ark and put it in the houses of their gods. Do you remember how the idol god, Dagon fell down into pieces before the ark? The Philistines endured various plagues, and were only too eager to get rid of the ark. They put the ark on a cart with milk cows and sent it back to Israel. There it rested in Kirjah-jearim (the city of the woods). David finally was successful in bringing the ark to Jerusalem, placed in a tent. But the glory of the Lord never settled upon that tent. The Shekinah of glory had come upon Moses’ tent, the Tabernacle. Later the glory of God came upon Solomon’s temple. But there was no heavenly glory on David’s tent.

David desired a glorious house to be built for Israel’s glorious God. But he was a man of war, his hands full of  blood. God would build the house. He would use David’s seed. Solomon, David’s son will build the temple. But Solomon could only put up a physical building. It was a beautiful building, but a building that could be torn down, as it was later by the Babylonians. God’s people needed to look for the Son of David who would build a temple not made with hands. The temple destroyed  would in three days be raised up. This was the temple of His body. The house of David would come to a dismal stump, the stump of Jesse. But from a lowly maiden, Mary, came ‘The Seed of David’. The Lord Jesus, the ‘Son of God’ and the ‘Son of Man’ would raise up the house of David. This is the church of the Lord Jesus.

This house that God builds is a spiritual dwelling place in the hearts of God’s people. The temple that Solomon built was a type of the church. What does the psalmist say about it? He says, “For the Lord hath chosen Zion.” That, my friend, is sovereign election! He has chosen for himself a people. What music in the ears of afflicted David! Zion is chosen by God, and therefore God desired it for His habitation. This is his rest for ever. Here God is pleased to dwell for He says, I have desired it. Does God dwell in your heart?

David’s resolution to establish a place for God’s holy presence teaches us that the one great purpose of God’s King is to build God’s temple. Nothing is more important to the kingdom of God than the worship of God. God’s presence with His people is their joy and God’s glory.

Jesus was born in Bethlehem Ephratah (the field of woods). He would have no house to call His own. He would create it. By His atonement, suffering, death, and resurrection, the temple destroyed is the temple raised up in three days. Jesus declared, “I will build my church” (Matt. 16:18). Jesus gathers and builds His church by His Spirit and Word. What a house for God!

As we go up to God’s house this coming Sunday, may we rejoice!  The Lord hath chosen Zion. We are His church by sovereign election and grace. The Lord Jesus desires His church for His habitation. He is pleased to dwell in our hearts and be worshipped by us. Jesus Christ rested from His work, having defeated sin, Satan, and death. He arose from the dead.

May we enjoy our Sabbath; we rest from our labors. We rest  in the accomplished work of our Savior. God’s worshippers no longer gather around one physical location. We worship Christ in the Holy Spirit regardless where they meet for public worship, for we are the temple of God.  That is wonderful to hear in this time with government restrictions because of Covid-19. The Samaritan woman asked Jesus if the correct place of worship was in Samaria or Jerusalem? Jesus answered, that yes, it was Jerusalem. But the day was coming when that no longer mattered. What mattered was that one worship in Spirit and in truth.

Christ dwells in the hearts and lives of His people! Let us pray on this coming Lord’s Day, “Thy kingdom come.” May it be that Christ’s kingdom comes more and more in my own heart. May it be that Christ’s kingdom comes as Christ continues to gather more and more of His people.

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Portrait of a Weaned Child

This special meditation has been prepared by PRC home missionary, Rev. Aud Spriensma.

Portrait of a Weaned Child

Meditation on Psalm 131

LORD, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty: neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me. Surely I have behaved and quieted myself, as a child that is weaned of his mother: my soul is even as a weaned child. Let Israel hope in the LORD from henceforth and for ever.

Travelers going up to worship at the temple in Jerusalem came in contentment and trust. What beautiful words, “My soul is even as a weaned child.” In this psalm, David paints the picture of a little child. This is not a fussy or crying infant needing or rooting to suckle, hungry or perhaps wet and uncomfortable. No, this little child has been weaned, no longer being suckled at his mother’s breast. Here is a child of two or three years of age that is resting on mothers lap with his head upon her breast. He is just happy and content as a clam to be near his mother, to be held by her, enjoying her love.

This portrait shows the child of God, simply trusting in the Lord, no matter the noise or troubles, calamities or circumstances around him. This was David’s situation. Oh, the calm times when David contemplated and sang songs to his God while he cared for his sheep. When a bear or lion came to snatch up one of his little lambs, or as he stood before the giant Goliath, he had a perfect trust in his God. What a nice picture of the full blown believer in the face of painful and trying circumstances. Does this picture tug at your heart? Do you say, “This is how I want to live and die?” Or do you find yourself often fretful moody, upset, frustrated, or even grumpy too often? May God give us grace that we may be able to say, “My soul is even as a weaned child.” May you have a calm, resigned, peaceful frame of mind, walking in faith and trust in Jehovah’s safe-keeping.

Oh, the weaning process for David was not easy. He was hunted by Saul who wanted to kill him. He had to hide all alone in the wilderness. He even resorted to living among the his enemies, the Philistines. He had multiple troubles with his children, even having to flee for his life from Absalom., The weaning of the little child is a process. The little child does not know why he cannot suckle anymore. He might even be upset that mother is not doing that anymore. Things have changed. The weaning was not to hurt the child, but to help him on life’s journey. So also peace and calm of the soul does not just happen. There is a process to go through in order to sit and be content in our Father’s arms.

Pride must be subdued and driven away. David writes, “My heart is not haughty.” We are all proud by nature. But we have nothing to be proud of before God. The proud heart gives way to lofty eyes. We look down at others in a condescending way. We think ourselves so much better. We think that we do not deserve God’s chastening hand or the trials that He gives to us. David confessed that he, by God’s grace, has given up his proud heart and lofty eyes. He will not depend upon himself anymore in his difficulties and sin. He will give himself to trust in his Lord and in the Lord’s mercy and love.

We too must confess our sin and wretchedness. We need to humble ourselves before God. We are so undeserving of all that He gives. We must look to our covenant God for our salvation and trust Him in His leading us in our life. We do not need to understand everything that happens in our lives. We want to shout at times, “Why Lord? Why are these things happening to me? We are tempted to question His providence in our lives and in the world around us. David confesses, “Neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me.” If David has learned this living in the Old Testament, how much more should this be true of you and me who live in the New Dispensation. We have God’s Word. We know God’s great love in the giving of His only begotten Son for our salvation. “We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28). How beautifully it is put in Psalm 46:10, “Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.” I need this in the trying times and circumstances in my life, when I am tempted to fuss, grumble, be fretful, or grumpy. Instead of being angry and asking, “Why LORD?” I will contently state that my Father in heaven knows best. Do I trust Him? This is the way of rest and peace. This is the way to live and die. “My soul is even as a weaned child…Let Israel hope in the LORD from henceforth and for ever.” Am I a portrait of the weaned child to those who know and see me?

Be still my soul – the Lord is on thy side! Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain; Leave to thy God to order and provide –In every change He faithful will remain. Be still, my soul -- thy best, thy heavenly Friend thru thorny ways leads to a joyful end.  ~ Jean Sibelius 1865-1957

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The Penitential Psalm

This special meditation has been prepared by PRC home missionary, Rev. Aud Spriensma.

The Penitential Psalm

Meditation on Psalm 130: 3,4

If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand. But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.

This is the eleventh psalm of the Songs of Ascent. As we go up to the Lord’s house to worship Him in the beauty of His holiness, immediately there is, should be, the sense of our unworthiness because of our sin. The psalmist begins this psalm with the acknowledgment of depths. This could be the depths of the ocean or sea. It could be the depths of a dungeon or an empty cistern , (like the ones in which Joseph and Jeremiah were thrown by those who hated them. The depths is a position of helplessness and great need. Think of Jonah when he was in the belly of the great fish. The psalmist, aware of the depths of his sin and perversity cried “Out of the depths!”. His iniquities were against God! Surely, he has earned punishment; he is in these depths justly. The depths refer to guilt, the objective result of sin that brings a person under God’s condemnation. He deserves and experiences a sense of God’s wrath.

Affliction and guilt can bring a person very low. But in these depths, one must not give into despair or hopelessness. We must pray with great earnestness to the One who alone can rescue us. Notice, the psalmist cried unto the LORD. God gave him awareness of his sin. Faith makes us aware that we have earned what we received. Our sins bring God’s wrath! Faith cries; it does not whisper. Oh, the loud penetrating voice arises out of the depths. We have no right to be heard. Why should we be brought out? We cry out and supplicate Jehovah, our covenant God to look down in His mercy and hear our cry. Who can stand before the holy God who cannot endure iniquity? But if we do not want God to “mark our iniquities”, what do we wish for Him to do? Do we wish for Him to wink at our sin or pretend it is not there? To mark is literally to “watch over, tally up and keep a record of.” How awful and how long would be such a list! One sin against the holy God would damn us to hell, let alone the pile of sins heaped up. Who will be able to stand up and defend himself? No sinner can be justified before God by his own efforts. It is a cry of supplication, pleading for grace and favor. The guilty must pray for salvation.

Verse four begins with a significant “but”. Faith sees that with God there is forgiveness. This means that God lifts off from us the responsibility to pay for our sins. God also restores to us the right to live before Him. God alone can pardon the guilt of sin. What is the basis of this forgiveness? How can a holy God forgive? The answer is found in verses seven and eight. “Let Israel hope in the LORD: for with the LORD there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption. And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.”

There is forgiveness by the redemption that God gives. Mercy is God reaching down to us, in our helplessness, and helping. He delivers us from the depths. With God is plenteous redemption. A redeemer was a near kinsman who was willing and able to pay the debts of a person or family, like Boaz did for Naomi and Ruth. Redemption is with God. It is never something that we have earned or merited. God pays the debt that we have accrued. The cost of our redemption was the blood and death of our Lord Jesus Christ. He bore the wrath that each and every sin of ours deserves. No, God does not wink at our sin or ignore it. He is holy and just. God provided for our redemption. In I Cor. 1: 30 we read, “But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption.” We must acknowledge that we cannot stand before God on our own merits. We in faith look to God as the God who forgives sin through Christ. How gracious is that forgiveness! It is not deserved by us. It is graciously given. Faith focuses its hope and desire upon Jesus Christ. He gave Himself as “a ransom for all” (I Tim. 2:6). Are you trusting in Christ alone for salvation? If so, then how has your faith evidenced itself in a childlike fear of the Lord?

God forgives us by redeeming us. The purpose is that you and I may always stand in awe of Him and His grace. Oh, the wonder that God loved me! Have you stood in wonder at your redemption? Aware of the great punishment that your sins deserve, are you made speechless that God forgave you? Instead of standing in the rags of your sin, you have been cleansed and clothed with the perfect righteousness of Christ Jesus. O, the wonder of it all! God’s salvation is abundant. Do you rest your hope entirely in Him?

“My sin -- O the bliss of this glorious thought! -- My sin, not in part, but the whole, Is nailed to the cross and I bear it no more; Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul. It is well…with my soul; It is well, it is well with my soul.” Philip Bliss 1876

 

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The Farmer's Psalm

This special meditation has been prepared by PRC home missionary, Rev. Aud Spriensma.

The Farmer's Psalm

Meditation on Psalm 129: 3

The plowers plowed upon my back: they made long their furrows.

The psalmist is making a picture of the afflictions that come to God’s people. The picture is that of a field which the famer is plowing in springtime. He is making the field ready for planting and of course, a field prepared for harvest. Today  there is a lot of no-till farming. But as a boy, our Case tractor could only pull a four-bottom plow through the heavy clay. In the psalmist’s day, the plowman had oxen pulling a single blade plow through the soil of Israel.  Maybe you remember Elisha, who was plowing his field with twelve yoke of oxen. When the call came to follow Elijah, Elisha took a yoke of oxen and killed them and boiled the flesh with fire made from the plow. Elisha fed the people and went after Elijah and ministered unto him.

In this psalm, the furrows plowed in the field are  a picture of the afflictions brought upon God’s people, Zion. The entire history of God’s people is one of suffering . The song sung was “Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth.” Their youth was their early days in Egypt when they were made slaves for Pharaoh. Heavy tasks were thrown upon them, with taskmasters taking their whips upon their backs. Furrows were dug into their back by bits of bone or metal on the ends of the whips. The little male babies were to be thrown into the Nile River. Coming into Canaan, Israel was surrounded with wicked neighbors. Israel brought trouble against themselves with their idol worship. The remnant of true worshippers suffered also.

We should not be surprised when we too, for the sake of the gospel,  suffer, hated and persecution.  Here in the States, it is mainly ridicule. In many other countries, it is prison or death.  The entire history of the church is that of martyrs for the faith. The apostle Paul tells young Timothy about the persecutions and afflictions which had come upon himself. He writes, “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” (II Tim. 3:12). Do you remember to pray for the martyred church today in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East? Do you have scars for serving Christ? Maybe it is family that reject you or co-workers that mock you for your faith.

Did you notice how personal this psalm is? “Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth… the plowers have plowed upon my back.” This singular pronoun is used collectively for the church.  But the psalm is not ultimately about Israel. It is the voice of Jesus Christ, the suffering servant, the true Israel.  He suffered for us. He came down from heaven, born in a cattle stall, suffered from His youth, yea, His whole life. He had to flee with His parents from Herod. “He is despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief” (see Isa. 50:5,6  52:13,14  53: 3). Do you see the whip upon His back tearing furrows into it and the blood flowing? Do you see the crown of thorns upon His brow? Do you see Him hanging upon the cross, and the spear that is thrust into His side? Why did He suffer so? He suffered not  merely  at the hands of wicked men, He suffered the wrath of God in our place. “Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows…but he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him: and with his stripes we are healed…Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him: he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed…” (Isa. 53:4,5,10). But God raised Him from the dead. “The LORD is righteous: he hath cut asunder the cords of the wicked” (Psalm 129:4)

What is the result of this plowing of the field?  The wicked grow up like grass on a rooftop, which amounts to nothing when the hot sun of summer beats upon it. Those who belong to Jesus Christ are like the  luxurious  wheat  fields being harvested this week. “By his stripes we are healed…He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities” (Isa. 51: 5,11).

The furrows upon the back of Jesus bear rich fruit. It is a field white unto harvest. Sinners such as you and I are by faith alone made righteous by the blood of Jesus. What about the afflictions that we as God’s people are made to suffer? Oh, the blood of martyrs is the seed of the church. God turns for good what is meant for evil. Think of Joseph’s brothers’ treatment of him, selling him. God used it for the preservation of  His people during the great famine.  Though the Sanhedrin and the Roman soldiers  put Jesus to death, God saved us through that death.  So let us say with the psalmist, “Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth: yet they have not prevailed against me” (Ps. 129:2). Let us learn the lesson of the plowed field!

Affliction has been for my profit, that I to thy statutes might hold;
Thy law to my soul is more precious than thousands of silver and gold. (Charles H. Gabriel)

Sure as thy truth shall last, to Zion shall be given the brightest glories earth can Yield, and brighter bliss of heaven. Amen  (Aaron Williams  1731-1776)

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Our Need for the Lord's Blessing

This special meditation has been prepared by PRC home missionary, Rev. Aud Spriensma.

Our Need for the Lord's Blessing

Meditation on Psalm 127:1

Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it; except the Lord keep the city, the watchmen waketh but in vain.

This psalm is listed as “A Song of degrees for Solomon”. Obviously it was written by Solomon, the great builder of the temple to which the people went up to for worship. Solomon wrote the book of Ecclesiastes in which we read, “Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher; all is vanity…Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man” (Eccl. 12: 8, 13).  Psalm 127 lays before us the necessary activity of faith.

The activity described is that of building houses and keeping the city. God builds and God keeps through our activity. Without God’s blessing, all is in vain. Building the house is important. The sovereignty of God never minimizes our responsibility. As Wolfgang Musculus (1497-1563) wrote, “The Holy Spirit is not the patron of lazy and inert men; but he directs the minds of those who labor to the providence and power of God.” In our activity, we seek and acknowledge not only the providence and power of God but our need for God’s blessing and grace upon our activity. Our duty is to build and keep, as instruments in God’s hands. Activity is necessary.

The activity is building homes. These are covenant dwelling places. The city is a collection of homes. These must be built and kept and guarded. Physically, we do this by godly marriages, God-fearing homes, having and raising children, filling our homes. We do it through our worship on Sunday and planting churches.  The spiritual activity is caring for the hearts and souls of believers so that they love, serve, and obey the Lord. This takes place through the preaching of the gospel from Sabbath to Sabbath and from house to house. It is through the gathering of God’s children in missions. We do it through the Christian instruction of our children and the study of God’s Word in devotions and family worship. As fathers, we not only teach our children, but set a godly example. The house and church are built upon the foundation of God’s Word. This house-building is not easy but involves diligent, strenuous labor. Are you laboring?

How we need God’s blessing upon our labors! Twice in our text, we read the words, “in vain.” Without the Lord’s blessing, our labor is worthless, empty, for nothing, and a colossal waste of time and effort. We need the grace of God, His gracious hand blessing our homes and our churches. Only by His grace can our homes be houses of covenant fellowship. Only by His grace can His church be a communion of saints dwelling in blest friendship. That is the opposite of bickering, fighting, strife, and bitterness. May our homes and may our churches be places where God makes His abode!

How we as sinners need our Lord Jesus Christ. It is only by the work of our Lord Jesus, our Mediator, that our sins are forgiven and we receive God’s blessing. Is not this what we confess in Lord’s Day 1? “My only comfort in life and death is that I am not my own, but belong,  body and soul, to my faithful Savior Jesus Christ”? How desperately we need God’s blessing. Otherwise our building will be like the building of mighty Nimrod in the tower of Babel! Without God’s grace in Jesus  Christ, all of our marriages, child rearing, preaching, and mission work is meaningless. “Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it.” Do you see your and my need for the LORD’S blessing?

We need to pray for God’s blessing upon our labors. My father would always quote to us children the Latin phrase, “Ora et labora!” Pray and labor. That is what this and many of the psalms are - prayers. The pilgrims to Jerusalem would go up to God’s house, praying. We are nothing. We need God’s blessing! Are you a praying saint? Do you start your labors at the beginning of the day only by calling upon Jehovah to bless and establish your work? That prayer is uttered in joyful expectation! We say with the Apostle Paul, I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Phil. 4:13).  It is, as we sing in Psalter # 246,

So let there be on us bestowed the beauty of the Lord our God; The work accomplished by our hand establish thou, and make it stand; Yea let our hopeful labor be established evermore by thee, established evermore by thee.

Let us labor for the Master from the dawn till setting sun, Let us talk of all his wondrous love and care; then when all  of life is over and our work on earth is done, And the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there! James Black, 1856-1938

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The Lord Blesses the Home That Fears Him

This special meditation has been prepared by PRC home missionary, Rev. Aud Spriensma.

The Lord Blesses the Home That Fears Him

Meditation on Psalm 128:1

Blessed is everyone that feareth the LORD; that walketh in his ways.

This is another song sung by pilgrims on their way to Jerusalem for worship. Psalm 127 and 128 are known as “family psalms”. Each psalm has one musical rendition in our song book. Invariably, as I made ‘baby calls’ in my pastorates, I would read one of these psalms. For little sons given, I  usually read  Psalm 127:4, “As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man.” For little daughters given I would often refer to  Psalm 128:3,”thy children like olive plants round about thy table.” Psalm 144 is a prayer “that our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth; that our daughters may be as corner stones, polished after the similitude of a palace.” What a blessing children are! I would like to call them, “gardens of the Lord.”

But while these psalms rejoice over family happiness, notice that our text states, “Blessed is everyone that feareth the LORD.” That “everyone” is inclusive: husbands, wives, children, those who are single, those couples that are childless, those who are healthy, and those with special needs. The everyone in the text are blessed in the families given because as the family of God, God continues to save in the line of our generations. He adds daily to the church such as should be saved.

The ”everyone” of our text is also particular. It is not everyone in the world, and not even everyone in the church. It is everyone that feareth the LORD. What does that mean? Do you fear the LORD? We should cultivate ‘fear of the Lord’. We should cultivate child-like fear of Jehovah. Stand in awe and reverence of our God. Like children, we should be afraid to offend Him. We should be anxious to please. We should be quick to submit to and obey him. We, as believers, are children of God, children by grace which have been adopted as sons and daughters through his only begotten Son, Christ Jesus.

This fear of the Lord is the fit foundation of holy living. Apart from this fear of the Lord, there is no holiness. None but those who fear the Lord can or will walk in His ways. That life which God declares  to be blessed must be practical. It is foolish and vain to talk about fearing the Lord if we act like there is no God in our work or recreation. God’s ways will be our ways if we fear Him. If our heart is joined to Him, our feet will follow after Him. Or, to put it another way, one’s heart is seen in His walk! What does your  walk say about you?

Faith is that bond that we have with God that God Himself works in us. But that faith is also a wonderful activity; we love God, trust Him, believe on Him, submit and obey Him. It is the activity of saying no to sin, and saying yes to His good commandments. It is in the way of obedience that we experience the smile, the favor, and the blessedness of the Lord. God whispers to us, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

Those who are blessed by the Lord are blessed indeed! Undeserved blessings, all flowing to us through our Lord Jesus Christ. The Psalmist emphasizes in vs. 5, “The LORD shall bless thee out of Zion: and thou shalt see the good of Jerusalem all the days of thy life.”

I said that this is a family psalm. “Yea, thou shalt see thy children’s children” (vs.6). How wonderful to see one generation passing down to the next generation knowledge of and love for the LORD , our Creator and Redeemer! May we experience in this way “peace upon Israel.” There is no peace for the wicked. They should be afraid of God, for He is a consuming fire. But to them that love Him, are called according to His purpose, there is supreme happiness, no matter the circumstances of their lives. Do you know this happiness? Is it evident in your life, your work, and in your family?

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The Lord Hath Done Great Things

This special meditation has been prepared by PRC home missionary, Rev. Aud Spriensma.

The Lord Hath Done Great Things

Meditation on Psalm 126:1-3     

When the LORD turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream. Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The LORD hath done great things for them. The LORD hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad.

It is so easy for us to feel sorry for ourselves and complain. But instead of looking at the negative, we, like Israel, need  to count our blessings. Israel had been in captivity in Babylon because of her sins. But God did not leave her there. Through chastisement, He corrected His people who were worshipping other gods, and then brought them back into their homeland.

What things had the LORD done? He created the world in six days. When Adam and the human race fell into sin, God came to Adam and promised that the Seed of the woman would crush the head of the serpent. He translated Enoch up into heaven and saved Noah and his family with a flood. He gave to Abraham the promised son that was impossible, for Abraham and Sarah were unable to conceive. God delivered His people from Egypt and brought them into the Promised Land. With David and Solomon, God gave His people a great kingdom and prosperity and peace. More recently, God brought His people out of Babylon. With godly leaders, the temple was rebuilt and the walls of the city restored.

Our text exclaims that the LORD has done “great things”. The work of God was great because it was life changing. God’s people were once again in their own land, with the temple rebuilt and worship reestablished. These things were great because of what it revealed about Israel’s God. He is Jehovah. Even the heathen nations around Israel acknowledged His greatness: “then said they among the heathen, The LORD hath done great things for them” (vs.2). The name Jehovah is His covenant name. He is all-sufficient, unchanging, wise, all-powerful, righteous, and He has chosen us for His people. Great things are done for us because He is great: great in His love, goodness, mercy, and faithfulness.

Can you list some of the great things He has done for you? He gave His only begotten Son for our salvation! Think of the work of Jesus Christ: the wonder of His incarnation, His suffering and death, His resurrection, ascension, and His ruling at God’s right hand. Think of the Holy Spirit as He gives life to all things, works spiritual life in each of His children, and leads the church in the truth. God has done great things. When the church falls into apostasy, He brings reformation. Psalm 126 is another song of ascent sung when God’s people were traveling together up to Jerusalem. Let’s get even more personal. Can you hear one saint saying to another, “Come, hear, all ye that fear the Lord, while I with grateful heart record what God has done for me; I cried to him in deep distress, and now his wondrous grace I bless, for he has set me free” (Psalter 175 stanza 2)? Have you struggled with a besetting sin, and crying to the Lord, He set you free from that captivity? Have you or a loved one gone through a difficult illness or walked through the valley of the shadow of death and found that the Lord was a “very present help in trouble?”

How great it is that God says to you and me, “I will be your God. You are my beloved sons and daughters. God says that to us each Sunday morning and evening in the votum and salutation. How great is His mercy for us poor sinners, that He stoops to help and save. How great is His work of taking dead sinners and making them alive in Jesus Christ. By His Spirit He calls us, gives us faith, works our conversion, justifying, sanctifying, and preserving us.

Our response, when we think on these great things, is that of joy, laughter, and gladness. It is the laughter of true faith. It is the joy of salvation. It is not only a joy in the good things God has and is doing. It is gladness in God himself. He is faithful to me even though I am so unfaithful. What a God we know, love, and serve. So go forth; “Count your many blessings, name them one by one. And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done” (Edwin O. Excell, 1851-1921).

“Come, all ye people, bless our God and tell his glorious praise abroad, who holds our soul in life,          who never lets our feet be moved and , though our faith he oft has proved, upholds us in the strife.” Psalter 175, stanza 1

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