Psalms 33:8

“Let all the earth fear the LORD; Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him.”

“There is therefore now no condemnation.”

Romans 8:1

Come, my soul, think thou of this. Believing in Jesus, thou art actually and effectually cleared from guilt.  Thou art led out of thy prison. Thou art no more in fetters as a bond-slave.  Thou art delivered now from the bondage of the law.  Thou art freed from sin, and canst walk at large as a freeman.  Thy Savior’s blood has procured thy full discharge.

Thou hast a right now to approach thy Father’s throne. No flames of vengeance are there to scare thee now, no fiery sword.  Justice cannot smite the innocent. Thy disabilities are taken away.  Thou wast once unable to see thy Father’s face: thou canst see it now. Thou couldst not speak with him: but now thou hast access with boldness. Once there was a fear of hell upon thee; but thou hast no fear of it now, for how can there be punishment for the guiltless?

He who believeth is not condemned, and cannot be punished. And more than all, the privileges thou mightst have enjoyed, if thou hadst never sinned, are thine now that thou art justified. All the blessings which thou wouldst have had if thou hadst kept the law, and more, are thine, because Christ has kept it for thee. All the love and the acceptance which perfect obedience could have obtained of God, belong to thee, because Christ was perfectly obedient on thy behalf, and hath imputed all his merits to thy account, that thou mightst be exceeding rich through him, who for thy sake became exceeding poor.

Oh! how great the debt of love and gratitude thou owest to thy Savior!

- C.H. Spurgeon

COVID-19 Crisis Prayer - Pastor Mike

Today's Prayer
Psalm 67

Today’s Subject: Jesus is Our Rest 

 Even with extended hours and days spent sheltered in place for many, rest is not a guaranteed product of our being at home on quarantine.  We can be tempted to be full of unrest in our homes.  In fact, rest can be one of the first realities set aside in crisis for those in Christ.  Many of us are weary of this crisis and heavy laden with its devastation upon our lives and upon our community.  Jesus commands us to come to Him and He will give us rest.  The writer of Hebrews clearly records that Jesus is our Sabbath Rest.  Therefore, the rest that Jesus promises in Matthew 11 is a rest based wholly upon Himself, His Person, His peace.  Jesus is our Rest. 

Pray that we would be obedient to the direction and declaration of Jesus in His call to us to come to Him.  Pray we would not be overcome by our labor and heavy laden.  Pray that we would desire the rest that comes only from Jesus in communion with Him and by faith in Him.   

Pray we would unburden ourselves with the cares of this world and the potential yokes of bondage which would easily ensnare us.  Pray that we would learn from Jesus what is needed to learn from Him each and every day of our lives.  Pray that we would consider the character of Jesus as we respond and react in this crisis.  To remember that He is gentle and lowly in heart.  Pray that in taking up the yoke that Jesus offers us we would find rest for our souls which are vexed daily by this crisis.   

Pray that we would experience and know the easiness of the yoke of Jesus.  That we would know the blessing and freedom from the yoke of bondage and fear and doubt and frustration that is nothing like Jesus.  Pray that we would appreciate and embrace the lightness of the yoke of Jesus.  How in coming to Him and taking Him upon ourselves we would exist in the lightness and ease of a life spent daily trusting in Him.  

“God be merciful to us and bless us, and cause His face to shine upon us, that Your Way may be known on earth, Your Salvation among the nations.  Let the peoples praise You, O God; Let all the peoples praise You” Psalm 67: 1-3