1. Praise the blessed Name of Jesus, Prophet, Priest and reigning King; Bow before the mighty Sovereign, Unto Him our praises bring. Hallelujah, He’s our Savior, Let our thanks to Him ascend; Trust Him only for salvation, Jesus Christ the sinner’s Friend.
2. Praise the blessed Name of Jesus, Who upon Mount Calvary; Shed His blood to save His people, Died to set the captives free. Let the ransomed sing His praises, Till we see Him face to face; Then throughout the endless ages, Praise Him for His love and grace.
Today’s Speaker: Brother Jim Casey will conduct the 11:00 am service today. Pray for him as he delivers God’s word.
Television Broadcast: Our Reign of Grace Television program is being broadcast on WFXL Fox 31, Channel 4. The program will air every Sunday morning at 11 AM.
Radio Broadcast: Sunday morning at 9:30am on 98.7 FM –WISK. To hear sermons click here
Web Sites: Visit our newly designed web site at: www.rofgrace.com
Birthdays: Sarah Hall – May 27th – Alex Wages – June 1st
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ." (Ephesians 1:3)
God has blessed his people from the beginning with every needful new covenant blessing, treasured up in Christ Jesus their covenant Head. There is not a single blessing of grace and salvation which is not secured and deposited in him. Ah, my friends, it is well for us they are treasured up in Christ Jesus, because in him they are safe and secure. The Holy Spirit, in his appointed time, convinces the heart of the poor sinner of the need of these spiritual blessings; he gives him deeply to feel his need, and puts a cry in his heart after them. The Lord says, "I will yet for this be enquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them." The poor sinner will never come to Christ, bow down before him and seek the Lord's blessing, until he is brought into poverty, destitution and indigent circumstances. He will never flee to Christ for refuge until every other resource fails him, and he is at his wits' end and knows not what to do. But, blessed be his name, Christ is a refuge for the helpless and the destitute.
We have these things blessedly set forth and traced out in the history of Joseph. He was a type of Christ. "Let the blessing come upon the head of Joseph, and upon the top of the head of him who was separated from his brethren." (Gen. 49:26) The spiritual Joseph is to be seen in it. When was it, my friends, that Joseph's brethren went to him, and made application for food? Not until they were in famine, when need and starvation stared them in the face. But why did they go to Joseph? Because all the supplies in Egypt were treasured up by him, and there was no getting them but through an application to Joseph. And when the sons of Jacob came to Joseph, they entered into his presence just like the poor sinner does into the presence of Jesus – they fell down before him. But Joseph knew his brethren; he remembered his dreams, and thought of the time when in the simplicity of his heart he told them how he dreamt they were all binding sheaves in the field, and how his sheaf arose and stood uppermost, while all the sheaves of his brethren fell down before him; and in consequence of revealing this dream to them, how they had envied him and conspired together to take away his life. But now he sees the fulfillment of it. In the time of their destitution and famine they come to him and fall down at his feet, entreating him to supply them with provision.
And just so it is with the convinced sinner. He comes in his poor and needy circumstances and falls down before the Lord Jesus Christ, our spiritual Joseph. Now Joseph knew his brethren and felt for them; they were near his heart; and though he appeared to speak roughly at first, yet he could not long refrain from acknowledging them. He quickly turns aside to weep, for his affections of compassion were moved towards them. (continued)
But, however strong the feeling of love and affection might have been that Joseph had towards his brethren, it was not one ten thousandth part so strong as Christ, our spiritual Joseph, has towards his people. Bless his precious name, he has made provision for them and treasured it up in himself. He brings the poor soul to his blessed feet, to fall down and supplicate for mercy.
It is the hungry that are filled with good things, while the rich are sent empty away. And when the sinner is brought to feel his spiritual destitution, wretchedness, guilt and misery; when he finds that the world cannot afford him any help, and that he cannot help himself; when all creature refuge fails him; when all the streams of earthly comfort dry up, and they are proved to be broken cisterns that can hold no water, then it is that he comes and falls prostrate before the Lord at his blessed feet. The Lord draws him to himself, and says, "All that the Father gives me shall come to me; and him that comes" – in a destitute, lost, ruined and undone condition – "I will never cast out." (John 6:37)
--- John Kershaw – preached April 18, 1853
LET NOT YOUR HEART BE TROUBLED
"Let not your hearts be troubled..." It is clear from scripture, and it is our day to day experience, that in this world, God's children, like the rest of Adam's race, will have trials, troubles and difficulties. Though we are the elect of God, chosen in eternal love and redeemed by the almighty blood of Jesus Christ, yet we have many a bitter cup of trouble and trial to drink before we finally enjoy everlasting glory and rest. But there is a sure remedy for this heart trouble. "Ye believe in God, believe also in me." The only real medicine for troubled hearts is - faith - confidence in the sovereign Christ! This is the only prescription our Lord gives in the fourteenth chapter of John to eleven bewildered, troubled, distressed disciples. In essence He says, "Believe more thoroughly, trust more entirely, lean on Me more unreservedly, lay hold of Me more firmly, lean on Me more completely, that is the cure." We may at all time, whether in sickness or in health, in poverty or in wealth trust the providential wisdom of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. He has the power, ability and know-how to cause all things to actually work together for our good and his glory. Children of God, hear me - NO - hear Him, "Let not your heart be troubled."
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