Covenant Protestant Reformed Church
83 Clarence Street, Ballymena BT43 5DR
Rev. Angus Stewart
Lord’s Day, 22 February, 2026
“Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone,
a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste” (Isa. 28:16)
Morning Service – 11:00 AM
Knowing God Our Creator [youtube]
Scripture Reading: Genesis 1
Text: Heidelberg Catechism, Lord’s Day 9
I. The Knowledge of Creation
II. The Knowledge of the Creator
III. The Usefulness of This Knowledge
Psalms: 90:1-7; 14:1-7; 104:19-27; 19:1-8
Evening Service – 6:00 PM
Jews and Gentiles United in Christ (5)
The Enmity! [youtube]
Scripture Reading: Colossians 1:9-29
Text: Ephesians 2:16
I. Its Meaning
II. Its Death
III. Its Opposite
Psalms: 107:1-9; 15:1-5; 8:1-9; 65:1-5
For CDs of the sermons and DVDs of the worship services, contact Stephen Murray
If you desire a pastoral visit, please contact Rev. Stewart or the elders
CPRC Website: www.cprc.co.uk • Live Webcast: www.cprc.co.uk/live-streaming
CPRC YouTube: www.youtube.com/cprcni
CPRC Facebook: www.facebook.com/CovenantPRC
Quote to Consider
D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones on Ephesians 2:16: “The teaching here is fundamental and vital, and especially as regards this whole question of unity and of peace. In its general form we can put it like this. All the minor and secondary divisions and separations and quarrels among men are ultimately due to the fact that all men are separated from God. Now that is a fundamental and a universal proposition. The world is full of divisions and distinctions, countries, nations, blocs, groups, curtains, one side and the other side. In the nation, classes, industrial groups, capital and labour, master or employer and servant, and so on; and within all these groups again, divisions, rivalries, envies. The world is full of divisions and separations. But according to the teaching of Scripture the really significant thing is that all these minor and secondary, third-rate, fifth-rate, tenth-rate divisions and separations and quarrellings are due to one thing only, namely, that all men are separated from God and are in the wrong relationship to him” (God’s Way of Reconciliation, pp. 287-288; italics Lloyd-Jones’).
Announcements (subject to God’s will)
Monday night catechism classes:
5:00 PM: Felicity & Sophie (Juniors NT)
5:45 PM: Grace, Jonas, Liam & Sammy (Beginners NT)
6:30 PM: Eleanora, Hannah, Jorja, Penelope & Xander (Seniors NT)
7:15 PM: Jason, Maisie & Sebastian (Heidelberg Catechism – Book 2)
8:00 PM: Abbie, Jack, Josh, Samuel & Taylor (Essentials)
Tuesday Bible study will meet this week at 11 AM to consider apologetics and God’s existence.
The Belgic Confession class meets at 7:30 PM on Wednesday to discuss the Old Testament and the general resurrection.
The Reformed Witness Hour broadcast next Lord’s day (Gospel 846 MW at 8:30 AM) will be by Rev. Haak.
Offerings: £1,560. Donations: £200 (Co. Down).
Translation Additions: 3 Polish, 1 Russian and 3 Urdu.
PRC News: Rev. Eriks (Unity, MI) declined the call to Calvary PRC. Grace PRC called Rev. Langerak (Trinity, MI). Grandville PRC called Rev. Spronk (Faith, MI). Heritage PRC (Sioux Falls, SD) formed a trio of Revs. Bleyenberg (Immanuel, AB), D. Holstege (Wingham, ON) and Maatman (Southeast, MI). Hope PRC (Redlands, CA) called Rev. D. Holstege. Southwest PRC called Rev. Engelsma (Crete, IL).
Thou Hast Dealt Well, O Lord! (2)
Herman Hoeksema in the Standard Bearer, vol. 13, issue 14
“Thou hast dealt well with thy servant, O Lord, according unto thy word. Teach me good judgment and knowledge …” (Ps. 119:65-66a).
For, He that gave us His only begotten Son, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things!
Surely, the multitude which no man can number, in the new creation, where there shall be no night, where the battle shall be finished and the victory shall be attained, shall, when they look back upon the way that often seemed so dark and wrong, cause heaven and earth to rebound forever with the song: O Lord, Thou hast dealt well with Thy servants!
For, such is His Word! The Word of Jehovah unto His servants! Faithful and true!
Why, then, art thou cast down within me, O my soul? And why art thou disquieted within me? Why, if this is the Word of Jehovah, that He always will deal well with His servant, dost thou not always hope in God and praise Him at all times, who is the health of thy countenance and thy God?
For, thus it often is! And thus it need not be!
And thus it must not be, for the fear and murmuring of His servants in the world is not to the praise of Him that called them and that gave them His Word.
Oh, frequently the acknowledgement that the Lord has dealt well with His servants flows from our lips, when the night is past and the affliction is over. Thus we find it with the poet. Thou, O Lord, hast dealt well with Thy servant! he exclaims in worship and thankful adoration. He looked back upon a stretch of the way that was characterized by affliction, and he could see that affliction had been for his profit. And thus we may find it often in our own experience. Not, indeed, as if, even when the affliction is a matter of the past, we can always discover God’s particular purpose with the particular way in which He led us. God’s ways are higher than ours. But, nevertheless, when the affliction is sanctified unto our hearts by the grace of God’s Spirit, and we may reap the peaceable fruit of righteousness being exercised by the chastisement of the Most High, we may recognize that the sufferings of this present time were intended for our spiritual good and acknowledge that affliction was for our profit. Before our affliction we wandered, but now we keep His Word! Or, when the powers of darkness rage against the church and storms of persecution pass over her head and the blood of the saints is shed; when for a time it appears as if the world shall triumph over her and God has forsaken His covenant; and when, after the storm is passed, it appears that the hostile powers have but served to purify and strengthen and establish the church in the world, we may, indeed, acknowledge that the Lord had dealt well with His servants …
But m the affliction our soul is often cast down! And as long as the way is dark and the billows of trouble pass over our soul she is frequently disquieted within us!
The reason is: we do not hope in God! We do not hear His Word!
O, we are earthy and of the earth! Our desire is to possess and enjoy earthly things. And, therefore, we are always inclined to judge the “good” from an earthly viewpoint. And, besides, we are carnal by nature. In us there is a principle, a beginning of the new life, of the new obedience, and according to it we are spiritual and judge spiritually and discern spiritual things; but it is small even in the very holiest of God’s children in the world. And as a result we seek carnal things and the true, spiritual good of the kingdom of heaven we do not seek or desire according to our carnal nature. We seek the things that are below, not the things that are above! And when we are dominated by this carnal nature we must needs judge that the Lord deals well with us when He sends us prosperity in the earthly sense of the world.
How, then, shall we hope in God? How shall we hear His Word, assuring us that He always deals well with His servant? How shall we praise Him and witness of His lovingkindness and mercy upon us, when the billows of the sufferings of this present time go over us.
And yet, these sufferings must needs come!
There are the sufferings which God’s people have and endure in common with the world. We are still in the midst of death and in a world that is subject to death. The suffering of physical death is our lot, as long as we are in the earthly house of this tabernacle. And there is the suffering God’s people are called to endure for Christ’s sake; because they are in but not of the world. And the more we actually are willing to be servants of the Lord, the more we shall have to suffer this tribulation in the world.
The world hated Him; shall they not hate us? And in all these afflictions God is dealing with His servants! And He is dealing well with them!
We may know! For, we have His Word, faithful and true! And knowing we may trust. And trusting we may confess, to the glory of His most holy Name, even in the midst of suffering and tribulation: We know, O Lord, that thou dealest well with Thy servants!
More than conquerors are we!
Teach me, then, O Lord! Instruct me rightly to know and clearly to discern!
By Thy Word and Spirit teach Thou me good judgment and knowledge!
Of that instruction I have need! The light of that instruction I need in all my life, on all my way, at every step!
For, not only am I carnal by nature and inclined to think and will, to judge and to desire carnally; but I must walk in a carnal world, where all about me clamour for the things that are below, for the lust of the eyes and the lust of the flesh and the pride of life, for earthly treasures and carnal pleasures, for worldly power and the honour of men!
Good knowledge I need!
Knowledge of what is truly good, of the things of Thy kingdom, of the goodness and blessedness of Thy house, of Thy lovingkindness which is better than life, of Thy blessed precepts, the knowledge of which is better than gold, sweeter than honey and the honeycomb; knowledge of the things which are above, where Christ sitteth at Thy right hand, of the treasure which is in heaven, of the things spiritual and eternal. These things I need to know with a true, spiritual knowledge, with a knowledge that involves my whole being, my heart and mind and soul and strength, so that I may see them, keep them before me, taste them, love them, desire them above all, seek them, strive for them and am willing to count all things but loss for their excellency!
And possessing this knowledge I need good judgment!
That keen, spiritual discernment, whereby I may judge all Thy dealings with me in the light of that eternal good!
That I may not foolishly go astray after carnal things!
Then I will know, that Thou, O Lord, dealest well with me!
And my hope shall be in Thee!
O God of my salvation!
