Our weekly devotional and e-newsletter THE COVENANTER is named for the Covenanters of Scotland, 17th Century heroes of the faith, who laid down their lives defending the Crown Rights of King Jesus to rule His Church on earth. Today we join with them and others as modern Covenanters who cherish Jesus as the Chief Head, Cornerstone, and King of His Church on earth.
THE COVENANTER is emailed to our members and friends every Friday morning and always brings a rich gospel message along with current church news. If you appreciate the messages below, subscribe at the bottom of this page in order to receive THE COVENANTER in your own inbox.
Have you ever walked through a season of life that felt like standing under a relentless, scorching sun? Scripture often uses vivid imagery to speak to our real-life struggles, and Psalm 121 offers a comforting promise for just such times. In it, we’re reminded that the Lord is our shade—a cooling, protective presence when life’s heat becomes too much to bear.
Have you ever noticed how rarely we stop to simply think about Jesus—who He is, what He’s done, and how He’s revealed throughout all of Scripture? Remarkably, even in the Old Testament, Jesus is present—promised, foreshadowed, and gloriously revealed. When we read the Bible with this in mind, every passage becomes alive with meaning, drawing our hearts to know and love Him more deeply.
Scripture points us to a simple but radical paradigm: Jesus first, Others second, Yourself last — J-O-Y. When we live with this order in mind, we not only reflect Jesus to the world, but we also discover a deeper joy in the Christian life.
Today we will conclude our look at some common Christian vernacular by considering the role of Scripture in the life of the Church and the role of the Church in the unfolding of Redemptive History. Scripture, as the very Word of God, carries divine authority and is the ultimate standard for what we believe and how we live, both as individual Christians and as a covenant community. The Church is the “Israel of God,” composed of all who, throughout history, have trusted in the promises of God through Christ.
This week, we’ll explore the meaning of God’s sovereignty and grace in salvation. Scripture teaches that God reigns over all things, including the hearts of men, and that our salvation is not left to chance or human effort but is rooted in His eternal will and gracious purpose. As we consider what the Bible says, we’ll see that God's sovereign grace is not only true, but deeply comforting.
Words have incredible power—to bless or to harm, to build up or to tear down. This week, we’re pausing our series on the topic of “Christianese” to reflect on the biblical call to guard our speech, using three timeless diagnostic questions: Is it true? Is it necessary? Is it edifying? Rooted in Scripture, these questions offer practical help in choosing our words wisely.
Today we’re exploring what it means to be both confessional and covenantal. To be confessional is to adhere to a historic Confession of Faith—specifically, the Westminster Confession—and to publicly declare our beliefs through Scripture, creeds, and catechisms. To be covenantal is to understand the Bible as a story primarily governed by covenants, principally the Covenant of Works (which Adam failed to keep) and the Covenant of Grace (which Christ perfectly fulfilled).
This week, we’ll discuss the term “Reformed Tradition,” which is a biblical, historic, and orthodox expression of the Christian faith that emphasizes God’s sovereignty, the authority of Scripture, and the centrality of the Church in His redemptive plan. Rooted in the Protestant Reformation of the 16th century, it draws from the teachings of early church fathers and sees itself as a recovery of biblical doctrine.
We Christians, especially in Reformed and Presbyterian circles, often use familiar church language without realizing how unfamiliar it may sound to others. Over the next few weeks, we’re going to pause and define some of our “Christianese” to clear up any confusion. We begin with the term “Redemptive History,” which describes God’s intentional plan to save His people, unfolding through real events in human history that fulfill His purpose in Christ. This grand narrative offers believers deep assurance, reminding us that every moment in history is part of God’s redemptive work for His glory and our salvation.
When hardship strikes, how do you respond? Do you turn inward, backward, outward—or upward to the Lord? In the darkest moments of His life, Jesus sang—and His song leads us in how we, too, can respond to suffering with praise.
Many played a role in Jesus’ crucifixion, but the blame ultimately rests with each of us. The 17th-century Dutch theologian Jacob Revius captured this sobering truth in his poem He Bore Our Griefs, turning the spotlight from Roman soldiers and Jewish crowds to his own guilt—and ours. His words remind us that it was not merely their sin, but ours, that nailed Jesus to the cross. Yet, Jesus willingly died for us because He loves us with an everlasting love.
We all know what a fair-weather friend is—someone who stays close when life is easy but disappears when hardship comes. Unfortunately, some have experienced not just fair-weather friends but also fair-weather family—relatives who support and encourage them only until they choose to follow Christ. Yet, Scripture assures us that true friendship is not broken by adversity. The ultimate example of this is Jesus, the friend who never forsakes us, even in our darkest moments.