The Semper Reformata Podcast

Bible Study ReviewPhilip and Mara discuss some of the sermons and studies from Ballymacashon Church, referring to posts on Bob's Blog includingSpiritual Readiness in the Last Days andLiving with Integrity When Life Is Manifestly Unfair

TableTalk – Living in Egypt – Living In Integrity Text Genesis 39.Life’s not fair, is it? The prophet Jeremiah must have felt this when he wrote Jeremiah 12:1. One of those who might have had some right to complain about the unfairness of life, humanly speaking, was Joseph. Yet in the midst of the unfairness of his circumstances, Joseph remembered that even in the worst possible scenarios of life, God is always with us, and his purposes are always being worked out.Read the NOTES HERE.

Stand Firm On God’s Word Alone2nd Thessalonians 2:13-15Paul challenges the Christians, in verses 13-15, to stand fast, and as he explains why they should stand fast, he roots this challenge in doctrine and truth. Let’s see:-Inception. How they were made members of God’s kingdom. Intention. Why they were brought into God's kingdom.Impetus. What is their motivation to stand for od in persecution.Our response to our election and redemption, and in anticipation of our coming glorification in Christ, we should willingly hold fast to what the apostles actually taught – now authoritatively contained and transmitted to us in Holy Scripture.Recorded LIVE at Ballymacashon Congregational Church, 78 Saintfield Road, Killinchy, Co.Down, Northern Ireland, BT23 6RN.Read the NOTES HERE.

The Antichrist - (Part 2) His Chains, His Destiny, His Resources and His Supporters.2nd Thessalonians 2:3-12Follow up on the study on 'The Antichrist.'This sermon was preached in Ballymacashon Congregational church and Templepatrick Reformed Church. This recording was made at TRC, and is reproduced here with their kind permission.

The Antichrist (Part 1) - The Man of Sin2nd Thessalonians 2:1-8s this age draws to a close, there will be a very gradual slide into total chaos, – a falling away. Another feature of this slide will be the progressive rise of evil men, satanically driven, until they find their embodiment in one final man of sin. Who might this ‘Man of Sin’ be?  The Reformed Catechisms are unanimous. For example, the Savoy Declaration, “There is no other Head of the Church but the Lord Jesus Christ; nor can the Pope of Rome in any sense be head thereof; but is that antichrist, that man of sin, and son of perdition, that exalteth himself in the Church against Christ, and all that is called God, whom the Lord shall destroy with the brightness of his coming.”So, is the pope the antichrist? And if so, which pope!Read the NOTES HERE.Recorded live at Ballymacashon.

Blog Summary! Philip and Mara discuss and summarise Bob's last two posts on the Semper-Reformata.com website, - basically the last two sermons or Bible studies at Ballymacashon. Give it a listen and tell me what you think!Philip and Mara are AI voices generated by WordPress - you can read the transcript HERE Bob

Who Was Joseph? The Coat, the Dreams and the Pit.Genesis 37We are going to start our look at Joseph with Genesis chapter 37, which is set in Joseph’s teenage years. Think about the content of the chapter. What a dysfunctional, tragic family these people are – beset with favouritism, hatred, conspiracy, betrayal and a father’s broken heart. But when we read this passage we do so from the perspective of our understanding of the God who works all things according to his perfect will and purpose. Ephesians 1:11 Read the NOTES HERE.

The Great Apostasy2 Thessalonians 2:1-3 for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first,One of the features of the end of the age must be a season of great apostasy. The word apostasy, in a biblical sense, is the act of falling away or abandoning the true faith in God (or Christ) after having once known or, (and this is important), having merely professed it. Hebrews 6:4-6. So, what will this apostasy, this falling away involve?Recorded live at Ballymacashon Congregational ChurchRead the NOTES HERE

Jacob - Love at First Sight!Genesis 29Genesis 29 is a love story, but it’s more than that, it’s a salutary life lesson for Jacob, who has beat a hasty retreat from Canaan, fearing the anger of his Esau. But it is more than that, for it illustrates a more general principle – that nothing happens by chance or coincidence. God is sovereign and as Christians we should be aware of the guiding providence of God. We simply trust him, whatever comes our way.Read the NOTES HERE.Recorded live on an iPhone on the kitchen table at Ballymacashon - so apologies for the poor sound quality!