The Heidelberg Catechism

Question 6. Did God, then, create man so wicked and perverse1?

Answer: By no means. God created man good, (a) and in his own image, (b) in true righteousness and holiness, so that he might rightly know God his Creator, heartily love him, and live with him in eternal happiness to glorify and praise him. (c)

1Inclined by nature to hate God and neighbor (Answer to Question 5).

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Sunday's Hymn: Near the Cross

Jesus, keep me near the cross,
There a precious fountain
Free to all, a healing stream
Flows from Calvary’s mountain.

Refrain

In the cross, in the cross,
Be my glory ever;
Till my raptured soul shall find
Rest beyond the river.

Near the cross, a trembling soul,
Love and mercy found me;
There the bright and morning star
Sheds its beams around me.

Near the cross! O Lamb of God,
Bring its scenes before me;
Help me walk from day to day,
With its shadows o’er me.

Near the cross I’ll watch and wait
Hoping, trusting ever,
Till I reach the golden strand,
Just beyond the river.

—Fanny Crosby

Two choirs:

Other hymns, worship songs, sermons etc. posted today:

• Update: To God Be the Glory at Graces Daily
• Under His Wings at The Happy Wonderer
• Be Still My Soul at Gospel Grace
• The Lord’s Prayer: The Seventh Petition at Tried With Fire 
• Calvin’s Prayers - Lifting Up Our Hearts at The Upward Call
• Lord’s Day 40, 2013 at The Thirsty Theologian
• You Weekly Dose of Spurgeon at Pyromaniacs: Reviviscence

Have you posted a hymn (or sermon, sermon notes, prayer, etc.) today and I missed it? Let me know by leaving a link in the comments or by contacting me using the contact form linked above, and I’ll add your post to the list.

Status Report: October

Sitting…on the couch in the living room. 

Drinking…a cup of coffee. 

Anticipating…my oldest granddaughter’s birthday party this afternoon. She turned two on Tuesday. 

Loving…the perfect fall we’ve had. I don’t remember ever having such colorful leaves in October. If only all falls were like this!

Still picking…carrots, lettuce, swiss chard, kale and brussels sprouts from the garden. I plan to get everything but the kale in over the next few days because the forecast says it’ll be quite cold overnight next week. I’ve been told that kale can survive (and even thrive) in cold temps, so I’ll leave it for a while. 

Collecting…swiss chard recipes to use up my abundance of swiss chard—like Cranberry-Orange Swiss Chard, Swiss Chard Bean Soup, and Roasted Butternut Linguine.

Not planning…a big Thanksgiving dinner this year because I still have only a makeshift kitchen. I’m not sure what we’ll be doing as a family to mark the holiday.

Reading…Covenantal Apologetics by K. Scott Oliphant. It’s interesting, and easier to understand than many works on presuppositional apologetics, but still, it’s not an easy read. And the arguments are not as linear as I expected. (You’ll notice I’m still calling it presuppositional apologetics. I’m not convinced that Oliphant’s term, covenantal apologetics, will become the new name). 

Thanking…God for bright yellow leaves, a two-year old granddaughter, and an abundance of swiss chard.

Wishing…you a blessed October with those you love.