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God: "I looked for someone to take a stand for me, and stand in the gap" (Ezekiel 22:30)

The excellence of the church does not consist in multitude but in purity.
John Calvin

All of our discussions of the style and mechanics of worship must be anchored in a deeply biblical and richly gospel-centered understanding of what worship is. We might be tempted at a worship conference to focus exclusively on the style and mechanics of worship. And these are important! But a larger challenge is to link how we approach the week-in, week-out task of planning and leading worship with our theological understanding of worship. Do our planning and leading habits, mechanics, and techniques enable people to experience worship in the deepest, most profound, most Christ-centered way? Does our work form our congregations in a deeply biblical faith? We need a high-octane theology of worship - and one that is not simply articulated in writing, but enacted in our worship and lived out in our lives (John Witvliet).
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Month: August 2019

The Golden Censer

PRAYER

Holy, blessed, and glorious Trinity, three Persons and one God, to whom I was dedicated in Holy Baptism, and to whom I am now about to devote myself in confirmation: I desire to renew the solemn vows made in my…

The Golden Censer

DAILY DEVOTION FOR THE CATECHUMEN. SOLEMN RENEWAL OF BAPTISMAL VOWS

To be used every day, with the Morning and Evening Devotions, from the commencement of catechization till the day of Confirma- tion. When thou shalt vow a vow unto the Lord thy God, thou shalt not slack to pay it;…

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HYMN

Lord, ’tis a pleasant thing to stand In gardens planted by Thy hand; Let me within Thy courts be seen, Like a young cedar fresh and green. There grow Thy saints in faith and love, Blest with Thine influence from…

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SEVENTH MEDITATION. HIS PROMISES TO MY YOUTH

I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring. And they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water courses. One shall say, I am the Lord’s; and another shall call…

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SIXTH MEDITATION. THE ENEMY OF MY YOUTH

Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart. — II Tim. ii. 22. Youthful lusts! O how full of danger are they! They come in many…

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FIFTH MEDITATION. THE YOKE OF MY YOUTH

It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth. Lam. iii. 27. Take my yoke upon you. These are Thy words, Lord Jesus. It is good to bear Thy yoke in youth. By Thy yoke…

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FOURTH MEDITATION. THE MONITOR OF MY YOUTH

Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them. — Eccl. xii. 1. Affectionate words! My heart is…

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THIRD MEDITATION. THE GUIDE OF MY YOUTH

“Wilt thou not from this time cry unto me, My father thou art the guide of my youth. — Jer. iii. 4. From this time! From this time, Thou wilt have me cry unto Thee. Solemn and blessed time, when…

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SECOND MEDITATION. THE HOPE OF MY YOUTH

Thou art my hope, Lord God: Thou art my trust from my youth. — Ps. lxxi. 5. Now I am a Catechumen. Thus far, Lord Jesus, Thou hast brought me. If Thou hadst not taught me from my youth, and…

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FIRST MEDITATION. THE TEACHER OF MY YOUTH

God, Thou hast taught me from my youth. — Ps. lxxi. 17. Thou hast taught me from my youth. Through my parents, through my teachers, through the pastors of Thy Church, Thou hast taught me. I can neither remember nor…