Rev. Dr. Terry L. Johnson is the speaker at our 2019 Semper Reformanda Conference.

Semper Reformanda is an annual conference sponsored by Classis Eastern United States of the United Reformed Churches in North America (URCNA). It is held every year in October, usually on the Tuesday before the meeting of our churches in Classis. www.urcna.org

Semper Reformanda means "always reforming." It expresses the historic Reformed concern that the Church continually be examining its doctrine and life in the light of God's Word.

This free conference is open to all but it is especially

important for officers and leaders to avail themselves of

this opportunity to be instructed and challenged about the

life and health of the church. We hope to see you there.

Rev. Dr. Terry L. Johnson is the speaker at our 2019 Semper Reformanda Conference.--Semper Reformanda is an annual conference sponsored by Classis Eastern United States of the United Reformed Churches in North America -URCNA-. It is held every year in October, usually on the Tuesday before the meeting of our churches in Classis. www.urcna.org --Semper Reformanda means -always reforming.- It expresses the historic Reformed concern that the Church continually be examining its doctrine and life in the light of God's Word.--This free conference is open to all but it is especially-important for officers and leaders to avail themselves of-this opportunity to be instructed and challenged about the-life and health of the church. We hope to see you there.

Mark 4-10ff--And when he was alone, those around him with the twelve asked him about the parables. And he said to them, -To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything is in parables, so that---'they may indeed see but not perceive,- and may indeed hear but not understand,-lest they should turn and be forgiven.'--And he said to them, -Do you not understand this parable- How then will you understand all the parables- The sower sows the word. And these are the ones along the path, where the word is sown- when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that is sown in them. And these are the ones sown on rocky ground- the ones who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy. And they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while- then, when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away. And others are the ones sown among thorns. They are those who hear the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. But those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.---And he said to them, -Is a lamp brought in to be put under a basket, or under a bed, and not on a stand- For nothing is hidden except to be made manifest- nor is anything secret except to come to light. If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.- And he said to them, -Pay attention to what you hear- with the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and still more will be added to you.

Mark 4--Again he began to teach beside the sea. And a very large crowd gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat in it on the sea, and the whole crowd was beside the sea on the land. And he was teaching them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them- -Listen- Behold, a sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it. Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and immediately it sprang up, since it had no depth of soil. And when the sun rose, it was scorched, and since it had no root, it withered away. Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. And other seeds fell into good soil and produced grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.- And he said, -He who has ears to hear, let him hear.---And when he was alone, those around him with the twelve asked him about the parables. And he said to them, -To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything is in parables, so that---'they may indeed see but not perceive,- and may indeed hear but not understand,-lest they should turn and be forgiven.'---And he said to them, -Do you not understand this parable- How then will you understand all the parables- The sower sows the word. And these are the ones along the path, where the word is sown- when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that is sown in them. And these are the ones sown on rocky ground- the ones who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy...

Mark 3-7ff--Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the sea, and a great crowd followed, from Galilee and Judea and Jerusalem and Idumea and from beyond the Jordan and from around Tyre and Sidon. When the great crowd heard all that he was doing, they came to him. And he told his disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd, lest they crush him, for he had healed many, so that all who had diseases pressed around him to touch him. And whenever the unclean spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, -You are the Son of God.- And he strictly ordered them not to make him known.--And he went up on the mountain and called to him those whom he desired, and they came to him. And he appointed twelve -whom he also named apostles- so that they might be with him and he might send them out to preach and have authority to cast out demons. He appointed the twelve- Simon -to whom he gave the name Peter-- James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James -to whom he gave the name Boanerges, that is, Sons of Thunder-- Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.--Then he went home, and the crowd gathered again, so that they could not even eat. And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for they were saying, -He is out of his mind.---And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem were saying, -He is possessed by Beelzebul,- and -by the prince of demons he casts out the demons.- And he called them to him and said to them in parables, -How can Satan cast out Satan-

Mark 2-1-12--And when he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. And many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door. And he was preaching the word to them. And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay. And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, -Son, your sins are forgiven.- Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, -Why does this man speak like that- He is blaspheming- Who can forgive sins but God alone-- And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, -Why do you question these things in your hearts- Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Rise, take up your bed and walk'- But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins--he said to the paralytic- -I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.- And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, -We never saw anything like this--

Brian Lee continues his summer in the Psalms series with Psalm 61: "A Prayer for Divine Protection."

Psalm 61--To the choirmaster- with stringed instruments. Of David.--Hear my cry, O God,- listen to my prayer--from the end of the earth I call to you- when my heart is faint.-Lead me to the rock- that is higher than I,-for you have been my refuge,- a strong tower against the enemy.-Let me dwell in your tent forever-- Let me take refuge under the shelter of your wings- Selah-For you, O God, have heard my vows-- you have given me the heritage of those who fear your name.-Prolong the life of the king-- may his years endure to all generations--May he be enthroned forever before God-- appoint steadfast love and faithfulness to watch over him--So will I ever sing praises to your name,- as I perform my vows day after day.

Brian Lee continues his Summer Psalms series with Psalm 60: "God Makes Us See Hard Things."

To the choirmaster- according to Shushan Eduth. A Miktam of David- for instruction- when he strove with Aram-naharaim and with Aram-zobah, and when Joab on his return struck down twelve thousand of Edom in the Valley of Salt.--O God, you have rejected us, broken our defenses-- you have been angry- oh, restore us.-You have made the land to quake- you have torn it open-- repair its breaches, for it totters.-You have made your people see hard things-- you have given us wine to drink that made us stagger.-You have set up a banner for those who fear you,- that they may flee to it from the bow. Selah-That your beloved ones may be delivered,- give salvation by your right hand and answer us--God has spoken in his holiness-- -With exultation I will divide up Shechem- and portion out the Vale of Succoth.-Gilead is mine- Manasseh is mine-- Ephraim is my helmet-- Judah is my scepter.-Moab is my washbasin-- upon Edom I cast my shoe-- over Philistia I shout in triumph.--Who will bring me to the fortified city-- Who will lead me to Edom--Have you not rejected us, O God-- You do not go forth, O God, with our armies.-Oh, grant us help against the foe,- for vain is the salvation of man--With God we shall do valiantly-- it is he who will tread down our foes.