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15th March 2024
Pray (ACts) Read (Exodus 20v8-11) Message (Scott Woodburn) If there is a commandment which our legalistic souls love it is the fourth commandment. We see a brother in Christ using the Lord's day in a manner we do not like and we inwardly condemn him. My friends the Sabbath is not for self-righteousness but the Gospel. What is forbidden in the fourth commandment? "The sins forbidden in the fourth commandment are, all omissions of the duties required, all careless, negligent, and unprofitable performing of them, and being weary of them; all profaning the day by idleness, and doing that which is in itself sinful; and by all needless works, words, and thoughts, about our worldly employments and recreations." As we respond to the Gospel with gratitude it is good to do business with our own soul. What does the Lord require? That I won't be lazy on the Lord's day but instead do my duty. It is careless, negligent and unprofitable for me to be absent from worship. It is a sin for my heart to grow tired of the things of God. The Lord once rebuked the priests who had grown bored with the worship of God (Malachi 1v13) and often we are no different. We yawn our way through worship, we attend once in a blue moon and when we do show up our hearts are hard. How often do we do needless works on the Lord's day! We are excellent at barely considering Jesus but Liverpool's big match on Sky gets our full attention! Brothers and sisters, if our fellowship lacks passion, if our Christian walk is a chore and if we simply can't be bothered then we must repent. I will not come to your home to lock up your swing on Sunday morning and I'd urge you not to give attention to what I do or don't do on the Lord's day. Instead, may each of us consider the state of our own soul in relation to the fourth commandment. May the Lord sanctify us and swap our sloth for zeal, our weariness for wonder and our negligence with diligence. The Lord has given us a day to consider the greatness of the Gospel. May we never swap it for something less. Pray (acTS) Sing WSC Q32 What benefits do they that are effectually called partake of in this life? They that are effectually called do in this life partake of justification, adoption, sanctification, and the several benefits which, in this life, do either accompany or flow from them.
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14th March 2025
Pray (ACts) Read (Ezekiel 26 focus v19-21) Message (Alan Burke) These last verses of this Judgement against Tyre portray something akin to a post apocalyptic scene. The city has been laid waste with its inhabitants gone. It was the Lord’s judgement that would make these words become a reality. The sea would cast up it’s waves, and when wave after wave of the nations had stoped, when Tyre had fallen, when the city was desolate, uninhabited, it would be covered by the ocean, the imagery that is used here speaks of a burial. Tyre was coming to an end, she will go down to the pit as those who have already died, it will be as if she dwells in hell never to be found. The judgment that the Lord would bring and brought on Tyre would mean that she would never recover, such is the judgment of the Lord upon the people. Of course it is true that Tyre still exists today but the name does not mean that this prophecy of judgement failed for Tyre was destroyed, the ancient city is gone, the people slaughtered. Tyre fell, the impregnable city was gone, the people were no more. The Lord’s judgement is complete, it would have eternal consequences for the people of Tyre for while they faced the Lord’s pre-wrath wrath, his pre-judgement justice they would face his eternal wrath and perfect justice. Tyre were a people who sent help to build the temple, servants, skilled tradesmen, they were responsible for some of the finery in the temple, working of metal and stone, along with that Tyre sent cedars for the building and around 4 tons of gold (1 Kings 9:14). Tyre were not the enemies of God’s people and the Lord blessed them and now years have gone by and what do they do, they celebrate, they curse the people of God. The Lord God was bringing his judgement upon them and his judgement was one that acted as a warning to the coastlands. The coastlands that would tremble at the sound of their fall. The Lord judges nations and the people in them, he holds them to account, nations will fall and rise by the hand of the Lord, but his promises to Abraham are being fulfilled in the midst of it all, for all the people of the earth have been blessed through him, through his offsprings as we are told in Genesis 22:18, ” And “In your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.” (Gen. 22:18). The fulfilment of these promises, the blessing that goes out to all the people of the earth is fulfilled in Christ. The gospel was announced in advance to Abraham, throughout history God has been working out his purposes to bring salvation through Jesus Christ. For those who oppose the people of God and his church, they will know his judgement for their enmity is against God himself. For all those who do not repent who have a hard heart, who have heard and know that Jesus is the son of God the only one through whom there is salvation and have rejected him then they will face greater punishment on the day of their judgment than Tyre did. The punishment is more severe in Hell for those who have heard and rejected the gospel. To the people of Tyre the judgment of the Lord God against them wouldn’t have given them any sleepless nights, they would have dismissed it as a nonsense but the Lord was bringing his judgment upon them and he will bring his judgment on all. Pray (acTS) Sing WSC Q31. What is effectual calling? A. Effectual calling is the work of God’s Spirit, whereby convincing us of our sin and misery, enlightening our minds in the knowledge of Christ, and renewing our wills, he doth persuade and enable us to embrace Jesus Christ, freely offered to us in the gospel. 13th March 2025
Pray (ACts) Read (Exodus 20v8-11) Message (Scott Woodburn) There was a period in the history of Northern Ireland that it wasn't uncommon for the swings in town parks to be locked on the Lord's Day. Those days are long gone and it seems that locks are no longer placed on anything when Sunday comes. But what is required by the fourth commandment? "The fourth commandment requireth of all men the sanctifying or keeping holy to God such set times as he hath appointed in his word, expressly one whole day in seven; which was the seventh from the beginning of the world to the resurrection of Christ, and the first day of the week ever since, and so to continue to the end of the world; which is the Christian sabbath, and in the New Testament called The Lord’s Day." The Lord requires us to put one day aside to attend to matters of the soul. Life is increasingly busy, phones buzz incessantly and many of us are just pure done out. What is to be done? Set aside the Lord's day, worship the Lord and consider His majesty. The Larger Catechism argues that the Lord's day is a day to rest from our usual work and hobbies. I think it is a real tragedy that so many are now called to work seven days a week. I'm certain that many of our personal troubles come from the fact that the world doesn't seem to stop. The Lord in His wisdom calls us to set aside our work, our sport, our usual activity and to rest in Him. Is the Lord's day for either sitting in the house or church? By no means. We should delight in the worship of God on the Lord's day but we shouldn't be afraid to do works of necessity and mercy. In other words if your cows need to be milked then you should milk them and if granny falls out of bed you shouldn't leave her until Monday morning. But ordinarily and ideally the Lord's day is for the Lord and for our soul. There is a saying that those who fail to prepare, prepare to fail and so it is a wise person who prepares for the Lord's day. We are to ready our affairs and our hearts so that we can make the most of the day the Lord has given us. Do you remember when we said that Covid would teach us to value what is really important? As I reflect on these past five years I don't think Covid changed anything. We are as busy as ever, life moves at one hundred miles per hour and increasingly we are exhausted all the time. Brothers and sisters, stop running so hard. The Lord knows your frame and He understands our frailty. Equally He knows that the things which charm us have no eternal significance. When the Lord's day comes again, receive it with great joy. The Lord has established it so that you can worship Him and rest from all your labours. It isn't optional but it is for your good - call the Lord's day a joy. Pray (acTS) Sing WSC Q30 How doth the Spirit apply to us the redemption purchased by Christ? The Spirit applieth to us the redemption purchased by Christ, by working faith in us, and thereby uniting us to Christ in our effectual calling. 12th March 2025
Pray (ACts) Read (Ezekiel 26 focus v7-18) Message (Alan Burke) The power of the sea is not something to be trifled with. There were many days I’ve seen the furious waves so violent that when they hit the promenade in Portstewart those really wise people trying to take photos in the midst of the storm were knocked over. I have a in my study large photo taken my grandad who was from Portstewart taken from the Harbour hill with the waves crashing below because he knew better than to get to close. The power of the sea is not something to be trifled with and here the imagery of the seas power is uses figuratively to speak of the Lord’s judgement that was coming upon Tyre who is described as a ship in the seas, with wave after wave that would crash against it. The waves would be the might of Babylon. King Nebuchadnezzar would come and lay siege to the city, thirteen years it lasted but the coming of the Babylonians was only one wave to crash, there would be others. The language helps us to see that this is more than just the Babylonians as it moves from they to I and then they again and then v13 the Lord say I will, this isn’t that Nebuchadnezzar himself would do this but it would be the Lord. The final wave that crashed that the Lord brought in Judgement was the wave that saw Alexander the Great come and fulfil what the Lord had promised. The waves would come crashing on Tyre, while it was safe as a rock on the rock would see the settlements ravaged with sword, the waves continued to come as siege works would be built, it would face blow after blow, wave after wave, not all at once but that would continue until the walls were broken through (8-10). The people would be played, the strong pillars would fall. It was the coming of Alexander the Great that spelt the end of Tyre, because he levelled the city on the shore used the demolished buildings, every stone and rock that and filled the half a mile stretch, the water around it to this day has the submerged remnants of the ruins that was used to build this causeway across to the fortress, a causeway built from the conquered city which has since become a permanent land connection. While the wave of the Lord in the Babylonians lasted 13 years the wave of the Lord in Alexander the Great lasted but seven months before it was reduced to rubble. Tyre would fall, and with its fall the city states of the Phoenicians that extended throughout the Mediterranean on the coastland would tremble. Tyre which was the jewel in the crown as such, the strongest of the all having fallen would send a clear message that their power strength and might would not save them. While the people of Tyre had delighted in the downfall of the people of God of Jerusalem and of the Temple the coastlands would not delight or be filled with joy. While Tyre celebrated the coastlands would be and were filled with shock and fight hearing of the fall of Tyre. They were in mourning because of what had happened, shocked, saddened (16). Those who oppose the Lord he will oppose and they will come to know the consequences of what they have done. Tyre had rejoiced in the fall of Jerusalem but it too would fall, they had been fools not to see the warning that the fall of Jerusalem portrayed, the just judgment of the Lord and because of this they would experience his pre-wrath wrath, his pre-judgement justice, the cities of the coastland around who hear of the fall of Tyre were not fools, they knew what it meant for them where they were, they knew that this was the Sovereign Lord at work. Sin has its consequences, sometimes those consequences are far reaching not only for us but for those around us and those that we love. The sin of Tyre had far reaching consequences. We might never think that sin will do so much damage but it does, it impacts us, those whom we love and even those who are far off. Do not treat it lightly, do not dismiss it, do not toy with it, feed it, play with it, feed it but most of all repent of it and trust in Jesus for the forgiveness of sins. Pray (acTS) Sing WSC Q29. How are we made partakers of the redemption purchased by Christ? A. We are made partakers of the redemption purchased by Christ, by the effectual application of it to us by his Holy Spirit. 11th March 2025
Pray (ACts) Read (Exodus 20v8-11) Message (Scott Woodburn) Have you ever wondered why we meet to worship on Sunday and not Saturday? The fourth commandment requires us to set aside “the Sabbath day” (v8) and keep it holy. The church in the Old Testament would have followed this command by setting aside the last day of the week which for Jews was Saturday. The Lord God rested from His work on the seventh day and from Eden to the Resurrection God’s people were to put aside the seventh day which was Saturday. Even so, we would do well to always remember that the impact of the Cross was monumental. Jesus came in the flesh to fulfil the demands of the Covenant of Works. He was the first man to have ever earned His rest and He found Himself in the tomb on the seventh day. Seven in Scripture denotes perfection and as Christ lay in the tomb His work was finished and it was perfect. The Lord rose from the dead on the first day of the week which is Sunday, it was on the first day of the week that He appeared to His disciples, Paul urged the Corinthians to set gifts aside on the first day of the week (1 Corinthians 16v1-2) and the church gathered on the first day of the week to break bread (Acts 20v7). The Church which long ago met on Saturday looked forward to the finished perfect work of Christ. The Church which now meets on Sunday looks back to the finished perfect work of Christ and patiently waits for His return. The people of God have always been blessed with a day to put aside trivial nonsense, to rest from our work and to spend time contemplating the greatness of our God. Each Lord’s Day is a blessing not a chore and it is to be received gladly by God’s Church. Brothers and sisters, if you are worn out then the Lord has given you a day. Come to Him, run to Him and rest in the presence of your risen Lord. Pray (acTS) Sing WSC Q28 Wherein consisteth Christ’s exaltation? Christ’s exaltation consisteth in his rising again from the dead on the third day, in ascending up into heaven, in sitting at the right hand of God the Father, and in coming to judge the world at the last day. 10th March 2025
Pray (ACts) Read (Ezekiel 26 focus v1-6) Message (Alan Burke) In the summer I was made to go to Wales on an extended family holiday and yes made. Anyway the reason I bring this up is that we went to a place called Tenby not a particularly exciting place and it was inundated with tourists just like me and what made it worse is that I was forbidden to enter Dales Music Store incase I came out with an armful of vinyl that I didn’t need. Honestly this devotion is not just a cheep version of therapy for me so I’ll get to the point. When in Tenby we went to the castle and from there I spotted an absolutely idillic place to live, somewhere you wouldn’t have to worry about the neighbours, you could walk around in your birthday suit all day and at the right time of the day it is only a short walk to go get some groceries in. If you have ever been to Tenby you’ll likely know I’m talking about St Cathrines Island Fort. It’s not actually habitable at present but if someone wants rid of me enough to finance me to make it a wonderful home I’d have to give it some consideration. That’s never going to happen but if you do a search for the island and see an aerial photo of it you’ll see how it’s only connected with Tenby by Tenby beach, as the tide comes in it is cut off and it’s about 0.12 miles long and 0.037 miles wide so it ain't very big. The city of Tyre, Tyre meaning rock referred to the fortress that was located on an offshore island that was about a mile long, half a mile wide and stood there ominously on the coast on a key shipping lane. It didn’t have a beach connecting it to the mainland, instead you could sail right the way round. There was Tyre on the rock and there was Tyre on the shore, both though were seen as one. The fortress on the rock being the strength of Tyre the city and became of its strength and strategic importance in the Mediterranean this city was like an octopus of which the tentacles reached far and wide across the region. Historic Tyre makes St Cathrines Island Fort look like a Childs play house. Here the imager that used of the many nations coming against Tyre, like the sea casting up its waves, the Lord grounds would come in an image that was familiar to them with Tyre, the fortress on the rock and the city on the shore with the waves not lapping against it but crashing against it, while they had seen it all before the waves would come again and again and pound the city into submission. Tyre in its location was like a ship on the sea, while it was a fortified city it would not withstand the constant barrage of wave after wave against it. The result would be that the walls of Tyre would be destroyed, the towers fallen, left as if it had never been there, back to bare rock. The Lord had spoken, Tyre became plunder for the nations even though it had sought to benefit from the plunder of Jerusalem and it was ravaged by the sword. The picture here of the coming judgment was complete, it would be desolation. They had taken delight in the downfall of Jerusalem, they rejoiced at the Lord's justice, the island fortress of Tyre, all the strength of men was no defence against the Sovereign Lord, they would know that he is Lord. Their Power, Strength, Might, could not prevent his judgment, they would know that he is the Lord as the waves finally ceased crashing against them and they were left a desolate rock all so that they would ‘Know that the Lord is God’, not by his grace, his compassion, his love but in his wrath that he would pour out upon them in his justice. For each and everyone of us as well as everyone who has ever lived we will know that the Lord is God, either by his grace, compassion, his love that is shown to us in the Lord Jesus Christ who experienced the wrath of God for us. Or we will know that the Lord is God not by his grace, his compassion, his love but in his wrath that he would pour out upon them in his justice. For all who call upon the name of the Lord they will be saved, for all who refuse, no power, strength or might will save them, preventing the Lord’s judgment, from experiencing the waves of his judgment for all eternity. Pray (acTS) Sing WSC Q27. Wherein did Christ’s humiliation consist? A. Christ’s humiliation consisted in his being born, and that in a low condition, made under the law, undergoing the miseries of this life, the wrath of God, and the cursed death of the cross; in being buried, and continuing under the power of death for a time. 8th March 2025
Pray (ACts) Read (Exodus 20v7) Message (Scott Woodburn) The Larger Catechism asks "What is forbidden in the third commandment?" with the answer "The sins forbidden in the third commandment are, the not using of God’s name as is required; and the abuse of it in an ignorant, vain, irreverent, profane, superstitious, or wicked mentioning or otherwise using his titles, attributes, ordinances, or works, by blasphemy, perjury; all sinful cursings, oaths, vows, and lots; violating of our oaths and vows, if lawful; and fulfilling them, if of things unlawful; murmuring and quarrelling at, curious prying into, and misapplying of God’s decrees and providences; misinterpreting, misapplying, or any way perverting the Word, or any part of it, to profane jests, curious or unprofitable questions, vain janglings, or the maintaining of false doctrines; abusing it, the creatures, or any thing contained under the name of God, to charms, or sinful lusts and practices; the maligning, scorning, reviling, or any wise opposing of God’s truth, grace, and ways; making profession of religion in hypocrisy, or for sinister ends; being ashamed of it, or a shame to it, by unconformable, unwise, unfruitful and offensive walking, or backsliding from it." If we take this seriously then we realise that the third commandment is about much more than blaspheming in the car when we realise that the police have caught us speeding. That scenario is certainly an abuse of the third commandment but did you ever realise that breaking the promises you made to the Lord is also forbidden? The church member who promises to work for unity breaks the third commandment when he gossips consistently in the carpark. The parent who takes baptismal vows with no intention of keeping them is a law breaker and a blasphemer. The person who believes that Christ was not sinless maintains a false doctrine and therefore takes the Lord's name in vain. Indeed even to be ashamed of our faith breaks the third commandment and causes us to fall far short once again of what the Lord requires. The American Presbyterian Ligon Duncan puts it this way "If we dishonour the name of the Lord in how we live, whether it be through our lips, whether it be through unfaithfulness in our vocation, whether it be through unloving behaviour which bears poor witness to the world, then we are breaking the third commandment." Brothers and sisters, in this series we have made it clear that it is not within our ability to keep God's law. We therefore thank God for Jesus and His active and passive obedience - there's no hope without it. Even so, I often pray a prayer of Robert Murray M'Cheyne who called out "Lord, make me as holy as a pardoned sinner can be." I think this is a useful petition to make when we realise our great inability. I often break my promises, my words fail the Lord and I treat His name with contempt in a multitude of ways. May He forgive me and may He take this unprofitable servant and make me holy. May my many faults be covered by His abundant grace and may the Lord use my imperfect witness to lead many to Jesus. Soli Deo Gloria. Amen. Pray (acTS) Sing WSC Q26 How doth Christ execute the office of a king? Christ executeth the office of a king, in subduing us to himself, in ruling and defending us, and in restraining and conquering all his and our enemies. 7th March 2025
Pray (ACts) Read (Ezekiel 25) Message (Alan Burke) Believe it or now, our life choices can impact not only our lives but the lives of the generations that follow us. Looking back in my family history things could have been very different for me because my Granny and Granda Burke in the 1950s had made the decision to take advantage of the ‘Ten Pound Poms’. If you’re young enough you’ll have no idea what that is but for some of you, you will know immediately because you maybe considered it or knew someone who made the move to Australia. Basically the Ten Pound Poms were British citizens who took advantage of the scheme ran by the Government of Australia to emigrate to Australia on Australian government scheme and it was known as Ten Pound Poms because the charge of processing your application and travel to Australia. In 1955 that £10 processing fee works out about £222.91 in today’s money according to the Bank of England inflation calculator. Circumstances changed and my grandparents remained here, their choice is the reason that I am here today. Let’s think of the Ammonites and the Moabites. They were both descendants of Lord and his daughters. Genesis 19:30-38 gives us the account that explains that how the Ammonites were decided from a man called Ben-Ammi he was a man whose father and grandfather were the same man. Lot’s younger daughter had a son to her father. The Moabites descended from Moab was a man whose father and grandfather were the same man. Lot’s eldest daughter had a son to her father. This makes the Moabites, just as the case for the Ammonites related to the people of God, their line descended from Terah Abraham’s father. Both these people were descendants of Terah, were related to Abraham. They had though turned from the ways of the Lord when their forefather Lot, Abraham’s nephew choose Sodom. He went their with his family, he didn’t think how it would impact him and his family to be surrounded by such and his daughters were so impacted by the ungodliness of Sodom that when they left they took matters into their own hands. The origin of the Ammonites and the Moabites is a testimony to the sinfulness of the human heart, they could have looked to the Lord God, Lot’s daughters could have sought refuge with Abraham, looked to him for their help and started a family with one of the many people who were with him but they did not they instead conspired to have children by their father. Our life choices can impact not only our lives but the lives of the generations that follow us. Lot would've never imagined what going to Sodom would have resulted in, not only for his daughter’s, but also for his descendants who hated God people, even though they came from the same line, Terah Abraham’s father was the grandfather of Lot, he was a nephew of Abraham. I wonder if Lot had have known how his choice would have impacted his daughters and future generations would he have gone the same way? I doubt it, but nonetheless he made the choice. This is a warning that should make us think twice about the choices that we make for we might not think they will but they can will impact not only us but the generations that follow us not only in this life but for all eternity. I see this every Lord’s day when I walk down to the meetinghouse, Crossgar is bunged with cars as parents bring their wains to football. The chance of any one of them becoming a professional football is 0.012% — that is 3/25,000, do they sound like good odds? No they don’t but what are the chances that they will die and stand before the Lord Jesus Christ, well it is the same odds for us and it is 100% or 1/1. What matters is not how well we did at football or any other sports but have we repented and believed in the one who came to bring us salvation Jesus Christ. Our choices matter for us and our children for now and for generations to come. Pray (acTS) Sing WSC Q25. How doth Christ execute the office of a priest? A. Christ executeth the office of a priest, in his once offering up of himself a sacrifice to satisfy divine justice and reconcile us to God, and in making continual intercession for us. 6th March 2025
Pray (ACts) Read (Exodus 20v7) Message (Scott Woodburn) As always the Larger Catechism disabuses us of any notion that we can keep God's law perfectly. You and I may never swear using the Lord's name but there is much more required than that. What else? "The third commandment requires, that the name of God, his titles, attributes, ordinances, the word, sacraments, prayer, oaths, vows, lots, his works, and whatsoever else there is whereby he makes himself known, be holily and reverently used in thought, meditation, word, and writing; by an holy profession, and answerable conversation, to the glory of God, and the good of ourselves and others." Amazingly, the third commandment makes demands of our thoughts, words and writing. In other words we don't just take the Lord's name in vain with our lips. Imagine the man who writes a book denouncing the Gospel and calling Jesus wicked. Consider the woman who says she loves the Lord but quietly thinks the exact opposite. Ponder the individual who calls the Lord's Supper "superstitious nonsense". These three imaginary people are united by the fact that they have taken the Lord's name in vain - in writing, in thought and in spoken word. How then should we speak, think and write about the Lord? For God's glory and the good of ourselves and others, we are to speak of God by holy profession and answerable conversation. In simple terms, the majesty of God's name is to have an impact in every area of our lives. When we open our mouths to speak of the Lord we should do so with a holy fear, as we sit pondering the things of God we should leave no room for contempt to slip into our thought life and when we gather to worship Christ on the Lord's Day we should not treat God's ordinances as if they empty dead rituals. As I write this devotion I am struck by how far short I fall. My words are not always God honouring and that's before I turn to my thoughts or written words. Even at my best I am an unprofitable servant and I know all too well that my words about the Lord have often been desperately unprofitable. Brothers and sisters, if you feel the weight of this particular failure let us run to Christ praying together "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer." (Psalm 19v14). Pray (acTS) Sing WSC Q24 How doth Christ execute the office of a prophet? Christ executeth the office of a prophet, in revealing to us, by his Word and Spirit, the will of God for our salvation. 5th March 2025
Pray (ACts) Read (Ezekiel 25) Message (Alan Burke) For a different tact today rather than looking at who the Moabites where let’s think of the big picture here that is being conveyed to us in this chapter as we have the word of the Lord coming against Ammon, Moab, Edom and Philistia. If you’re interested and you get google maps out these are all places in the United States of America. You could go on a wee holiday to Ammon, Moab, Edom and Philistia this summer if Trump hasn’t closed the borders by then but you’re not going to be able to take a trip to visit the Ammonites, Moabites, Edomites and Philistines of old that the Lord’s judgment came against in this passage. This was a prophetic word of the coming judgment of the Lord how they would face his pre-wrath wrath, his pre-judgement justice and it was all because of the just judgement of the Lord. Each of these people would and have faced the consequences for their sin. The Lord had brought judgment upon his own people but he does not overlook the sins of the nations, he is not blind, he will hold all to account. He is also sovereign over the affairs of the nations, nations will rise and fall at the decrees of the Lord but he will remain and so will his church. The Lord here did all of this, bringing his pre-wrath wrath, his pre-judgement justice on these people so that they would know that he was and is the Lord. He is the one who has the power to judge and the power to deliver not us. For all people on this earth, while they may not know the Lord’s pre wrath wrath, his pre judgment justice they will all know that he is the Lord, and for all of us we must look to the deliverer, the Lord Jesus Christ, it is through him alone that we may be saved from the judgement that comes. Let us all look to him for our salvation, our deliverance, knowing that vengeance is the Lord’s not ours, loving our enemies, praying for those who persecute us, that they too may know the salvation of the Lord, his salvation, his deliverance through his Son the Lord Jesus Christ. But it is not only our enemies but our neighbours, our friend's, the strangers in the street. The Lord had shown to his rebellious people his pre-wrath wrath, his pre-judgement justice as well as rebellious nations around them. While many do not face his pre-wrath wrath, his pre-judgement justice they will all be held to account for what they have done by the Sovereign Lord and they will know that he is God as they face the second death. While we like to think we are good there is not one of us who are good, we are all by nature the enemies of God and deserve his wrath and his justice, but for all who turn from their sin, for all who repent they will live (Ez 18:32), let us repent of our sin so that we may live, for if we do not, while we may not face the Lord’s pre-wrath wrath, his pre-judgement justice you will face the second death for all eternity, facing the wrath and justice of a Holy God. Pray (acTS) Sing WSC Q23. What offices doth Christ execute as our Redeemer? A. Christ, as our Redeemer, executeth the offices of a prophet, of a priest, and of a king, both in his estate of humiliation and exaltation. |
Alan
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