Posts from March 2020

Psalm 91:7-8 “A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. You will only look with your eyes and see the recompense of the wicked.” The promise in this text is massive. The world, the flesh and the devil cannot harm God’s people. In self-deception we often shut our eyes to the reality of our mortality. Then calamity hits and the reality of our weakness comes in full force…

Nearer My God to TheeWords: Sarah F. Adams (1805-1848); Music: Lowell Mason (1782-1872); Public Domain Behold Our GodWords & Music: Ryan Baird, Jonathan Baird, Meghan Baird and Stephen Altrogge (2011); Used with permission Be Still My SoulWords: Katharina A. Von Schlegel (1752), trans. Jane L. Borthwick (1855); Music: Jean Sibelius (1899); Public Domain Dear Refuge of My Weary SoulWords: Anne Steele (1716-1778); Music: Matt Merker (2013); CCLI #11472200 used with permission

Holy, Holy, HolyWords: Reginald Heber (1783-1826); Music: John B. Dykes (1861); Public Domain Before the Throne of God AboveWords: Charitie Lees Bancroft (1863); Music and alt. lyrics: Vikki Cook (1997); Used with permission No, Not OneWords: Johnson Oatman, Jr. (1856-1922); Music: George C. Hugg (1848-1907); Public Domain Nothing but the BloodWords & Music: Robert Lowry (1826-1899); Public Domain

Psalm 91:5-6 “You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness, nor the destruction that wastes at noonday.” Silent and invisible threats strike terror in our hearts. Terror by night. We are often like children afraid of the dark. We hear things we can’t see. Things happen around us that we don’t know about. If we hear things at night we become afraid in a way…

Psalm 91:4 “He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.” The two metaphors in this verse—wings and shield—underscore the certainty, power and loving promise of God’s protection. He will cover, He shall cover, those who trust in Him. It is fixed and cannot be moved. The truth of His promises, the reliability of His Word, the immutability of His faithfulness provides the protective covering that is…

My Hope Is Built on Nothing LessWords: Edward Mote (1834); Music: William B. Bradbury (1863); Public Domain The Gospel SongWords: Drew Jones (2002); Music: Bob Kauflin (2002); Streaming with permission by Sovereign Grace Make Me a Captive, LordWords: George Matheson (1842-1906); Music: George Martin (1828-1881); Public Domain All I Have Is ChristWords & Music: Jordan Kauflin (2008); Streaming with permission by Sovereign Grace It Is WellWords: Horatio G. Spafford (1873); Music: Philip P. Bliss (1876); Public Domain

March 21, 2020 Dear Brothers and Sisters:  I pray that you are all well in Jesus Christ. Lord willing, it is my aim to keep in regular contact with you to inform you about how we can work together as a church to make needed temporary adjustments related to COVID-19. Beloved church, we have nothing to fear in illness and death, because we know that God will bring us safely to Himself (Philippians 1:21). This said, we seek to preserve…

Psalm 91:3 “For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence.” Though we face difficulty and death in this life we have great confidence in God’s covenant to deliver His people. Some translations have “surely” instead of “for” at the beginning of the verse. Why? Because it’s showing another ground for the Psalmist’s proclamation of trust at the end of verse 2. Our confidence of final deliverance from enemies and pestilence comes from…

Psalm 91:2 “I will say to the LORD, ‘My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.’” I am afraid; El Elyon (God Most High) is my hiding place. I am anxious; El Shaddai (God Almighty) is where I find shade from exposure to the brightness of what threatens me. I am threatened; Yahweh (the LORD, I AM) is where I find refuge and shelter from the rain and storm that comes upon me. I am weak; Elohim…