Good morning again. I hope you all plan to come over
this afternoon. Trisha will be sorely disappointed
if you don't. I couldn't care less, but she's put in a lot of work, so
please come. Revelation chapter 22, if you'd
like to look at these couple of verses with me. Revelation
22, beginning verse one. Now the water of life and the
tree of life are references to the Lord Jesus Christ himself.
And so when John says he showed me, that's what you and I are
dependent upon. for God to show us. He's got
to open the eyes of our understanding. He's got to give us believing
hearts and listening ears. We'll be listening to and looking
at everything else unless the Lord shows us. He showed me a
pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding
out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. And in the midst
of the street of it, on either side of the river, was there
a tree of life, which bear 12 manner of fruits, and yielded
her fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree were
for the healing of the nations." Now, you and I are on one side
of the river now. Soon we'll be on the other side
of the river. The tree of life's on both sides. The fruit. feeds our souls and the leaves
heals our sin. I hope tonight or this morning
is that the Lord will be pleased to show us to show us who Christ
is and what he's done. So let's stand together. Tom, you're going to come and
lead us in the hymn on the back of your bulletin. What sacred fountain yonder springs,
Up from the throne of God, And all the covenant blessings brings,
Is Jesus' precious blood. What mighty sum paid all my debt,
when I a bondman stood? And has my soul at freedom set,
tis Jesus' precious blood? What stream is that which sweeps
away my sins just like a flood? Nor lets one guilty blemish stay
to his Jesus' precious blood. What voice is that which speaks
for me in heaven's high court for good? And from the curse
has set me free to his Jesus' precious blood. Please be seated. Good morning. Our reading of
scriptures is going to be found in Isaiah 66. Isaiah 66. We'll read the first few verses
of Isaiah 66. Thus says the Lord, the heaven
is my throne and the earth is my fusto. Where is the house
that you have built onto me? Here he's saying that he has
built everything and man has not built anything for him, has
not built his house. And where is the place of my
rest? For all those things have my
hand made and all those things have been have been, says the
Lord. Meaning all these things are
works of God, not works of men. And they have been there before
we were. But to this man I will look,
even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit. and then
tremble at my word. The reason he looks at him because
this too is his work. This is the work of God and his
spirit when he chooses someone and he looks to Christ. That's
how he is. He's poor. He has no righteousness
of his own. He's contrite in spirit due to
his sin and he trembles at God's word. He that killeth an ox is
as of he slew a man. He that sacrifice a lamb as he
cut off a dog's neck. He that offereth an oblation
is as he offereth swine's blood. And he that burneth incense as
he blesses an idol. This is man's work. This is man's
worship. They do sacrifices, and this
is sin to them, unto them. It's even more, he says, as a
year, they have chosen, look what they have chosen, their
own ways. This is their own way of them
worshiping God. And this is where free will is
you, to choose your own way, not God's way. And they are so
delighted in their abominations. They look to those things that
they do. They look to that worship, those sacrifices, and they delight
in them, meaning that they are not delighting in God, not delighting
in Jesus, but they delight in their works. I also will choose
their delusions. God will give them delusions.
He will choose what lie they will believe. and will bring
their fears upon them because when I call, none did answer. When I spoke, they did not hear. That's the rejection of the gospel. When the gospel is preached,
they do not hear it. They reject it. They'd rather
have their own ways. the delight in what they do instead
of delighting in what God delights. Remember in the Mount of Transfiguration,
this is my son in whom I'm well pleased, hear him. But they did evil before my eyes
and chose that in which I delighted not. Father God, we come before you
the only way we know how and the only way we can. Lord Jesus
Christ, by his grace, by his work, by his person, we come
before you. We give you thanks for bringing
us here. We give you thanks for all the blessings that we have
in Christ. But even though we are here,
it is not enough, Lord. We need your spirit to be with
us. We need your eyes. Our eyes to be open, our ears
to be open to see Christ clearly, to see his glory, Father. So
we pray, even though we thank you that we're here, we plead
with you that you might fill Greg with his message, that we
might be able to see Christ more clearly, Father God. We also
pray this for the rest of the churches that preach your gospel.
We also pray for those that are sick. We pray for Jennifer, Lord. May you be glorifying her. May
you heal her. And may you use this to increase
her faith as well as also Pastor Don Fortner also father
be with him be with his family and and use this for your glory
father Once again, we thank you and we pray that your spirit
may be with us in Jesus name. We pray amen Let's all stand together. Once
again, we'll sing hymn number 239 from the hardback hymnal.
239. Art thou weary, art thou languid,
art thou sore distressed? Come to me, saith one, and coming
be at rest. Hath he marks to lead me to him
if he be my guide? In his feet and hands are wound
prints and his side. Is there diadem as monarch that
his brow adorns? Yea, a crown in very surety,
but of thorns. If I still hold closely to him,
what hath he at last? Sorrow vanquished, labor ended,
Jordan passed. If I ask him to receive me, will
he say me nay? Not till earth and not till heaven
pass away. Finding, following, keeping,
struggling, is he sure to bless? Saints, apostles, prophets, martyrs,
answer yes. Please be seated. We're going
to have special music now from Adam Charon and Caleb Pickman. More about Jesus would I know,
more of His grace to others show, more of His saving fullness see,
more of His love who died for me. More, more about Jesus. More, more about Jesus. More of His saving fullness see. More of His love who died for
me. More about Jesus, let me learn. discern Spirit of God, my teacher
be, showing the things of Christ to thee. More, more about Jesus. More, more about Jesus. More of his saving fullness see. More of his love who died for
me. More about Jesus in his word,
holding communion with my Lord, hearing his voice in every line,
making each faithful saying mine. More, more about Jesus. More, more about Jesus. More of His saving fullness see. More of His love who died for
me. More about Jesus on his throne,
riches and glory all his own. More of his kingdom sure increase,
more of his coming Prince of Peace. More, more about Jesus. More, more about Jesus. More of His saving fullness see. More of His love who died for
me. Thank you, man. I really enjoy
when either one of those men do special music, but when they
do it together, it's a double blessing, isn't it? Will you turn with me in your
Bibles to Malachi chapter 3? We're going to look at a verse
of scripture in God's Word that I think probably most all of
us are familiar with. You've heard me quote it many
times. It's very familiar. It's also a passage of scripture
that's very foundational. What God is saying to us in this
one verse of scripture, this poignant truth of His immutability
is foundational to everything that we believe. and everything
that's true about our God. It's also a passage of scripture
that's extremely comforting. It's extremely comforting. It's
found in Malachi chapter 3 verse 6. I am the Lord and I change
not. Therefore, you sons of Jacob,
are not consumed. The hope of our salvation is
not founded in the fact that God's love and grace is unconditional. It's founded in the fact that
the condition based on which we have his grace and his love
cannot be changed. It is immutable as is our God. An ancient Greek philosopher
once said, the only thing constant is change. And trying to make
sense of this ever-changing world, he looked to everything but God. And in desperation, ended up
taking his own life, not being able to make sense out of all
the change that there is in this world. This world is changing. You're changing. I'm changing. Everything about our experience
is in flux all the time. And how much of our time and
energy do we spend in trying to control those changes? The problem is we can't anticipate
what's going to happen because We're not omniscient. And we
don't have the resources to control what's happening because we're
not omnipotent. But our God is both omniscient
and omnipotent. And so there's no possibility
that he would be like us, unable to anticipate future change or
unable to control the circumstances around that change. Jacob said
of his son Reuben he said you're weak as water And I thought well,
that's me. You could call me Reuben You
know just just always trying to take the path of least resistance
and that what water does Know what we do. We just resist change
and someone has said if we had if we had the power of God we
would change everything in our lives and I think that's probably true.
If we had the wisdom of God, we'd change nothing. Our God changes not, and he is
the one in control of this ever-changing world in which you and I live.
We don't have to be like that Greek philosopher in desperation
trying to figure out and make sense of these changes. One hymn writer said, change
and decay all around we see. May he who changes not abide
with me. Our God is saying to us. I change. Not. All the comfort of knowing that
our God is immutable. It's what Paul spoke of in Romans
chapter 8 verse 28. You know that verse. And you
know. And you know that all things
work together for good. And I hear people quote that
verse, well, you know, there's some good's going to come out
of it for everybody. No, that's not what that verse says. For
some, nothing's going to turn out for good. For some, everything's
going to be to their utter eternal destruction. That verse says,
you know that all things work together for good for them that
love God and those that are the called according to his purpose.
Everything that God's doing in this world. is for his people
and for the glory of his son, the salvation of his children.
That's the, that's the meaning behind it all. Psalm 146 verse
three, put not your trust in princes or in man with whom there is
no help. But that's what we do, don't
we? We try to thwart and control the changes about us by putting
our trust in man, whether it be in ourselves or in someone
else. Isaiah said in Isaiah chapter
54, for the mountains shall depart and the hills shall be removed,
but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the
covenant of peace be removed, saith the Lord." The covenant of peace cannot
be removed. That's what David was talking
about when he said, he has made with me an everlasting covenant.
That covenant cannot change. It's ordered in all things and
it is sure. What else can we say is sure?
You know, things we thought were sure turned out not to be so
sure. Change all about us. God says, I am the Lord. I change
not. Oh, there's my hope. There's
a place I can sit and rest. Our God changes not. Paul spoke of this in Philippians
when he said the peace of God, the peace of God. passes understanding. Now that word passeth means it
is better than. He's not saying that the peace
of God cannot be understood. That's not what that verse is
saying. The peace of God, which is better than understanding
shall keep your heart and your mind in Christ Jesus. There's
our hope. You see, we've got peace in knowing
that our God is in control. Our God says, I change not. Our
God is immutable. Our God is the one controlling
all the events of this world for his own glory and for our
good. And he says that peace, the peace
that enables you to trust me and rest in me is higher than,
it's better than being able to understand this ever-changing
world. And you're ever changing life.
You can't understand it, can you? But you don't have to understand
it. The Lord doesn't call on us to
understand it. He calls on us to believe him, to trust him. I am the Lord and I change not. And that's the only reason you
sons of Jacob are not consumed and overwhelmed with depression
and discouragement and fear. All the changes that go about
you would consume you. And your own sin. You think,
well, I'm not going to do that anymore. And the next thing you
know, you turn around, you've done exactly the same thing you
said you weren't going to do. Why? Because your resolve changed. You thought you weren't going
to do this. And God says, I'm the Lord and I change not. And that's the reason why you
sons of Jacob are not consumed. We have a God who's never changed. There never was a time when he
was not and there never shall be a time when he will cease
to be. He is the same yesterday, today,
and forever. I am the Lord. I change not. We can't conceive of that. Our
God's never learned anything. He's never asked a question. He didn't evolve. He's not derived
from something like we are. He's not dependent upon anything. That's his name. He said, I am. I'm the self-existent one. I
possess everything within myself. I've never asked a question.
I've never changed my mind. I've never learned anything.
I've never improved on anything. I'm completely contained within
myself. I change not. Now in this ever-changing
world in which God shakes the foundation of our lives on many
different levels. What is the purpose of that?
You see, this passage goes with that Hebrews 12 passage, doesn't
it? This is the reason why he shakes
our foundations, why he shakes those things which are made in
order that those things which are not made might remain. If we could believe Genesis chapter
1 verse 1 everything else would fall in place. In the beginning
God. Just believe those four words. In the beginning God. And then in John chapter 1 we
read that In the beginning, turn with me
to John chapter 1. In the beginning was the Word, see that was the
God. Let there be light. Christ is
that light. In the beginning was the Word
and the Word was with God and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning
with God. All things were made by him and without him was not
anything made that was made in him was life and the life was
the light of men. Usually we think of light being
necessary for life. And the Lord says, you're not
going to get any light until you get life. The life of the
Lord Jesus Christ is the light of men and the light shine in
the darkness. The darkness comprehended it,
not skip down with me to verse 10.
He was in the world and the world was made by him and the world
knew him, not. He came into his own, his own
received him, not. But as many as received him to
them, gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them
that believe on his name. Now you might stop right there
and say, well, if I believe that I can become a son of God. which
were born not of blood, nor of the will of flesh, nor of the
will of man, but of God. And the word became flesh and
dwelt among us. And we beheld his glory as the
glory of the only begotten of the father. He's the one full
of grace and full of truth. He's changing the heart. Our
God changes not. I am the Lord, I change not. Turn to me to Psalm 102. Psalm
102. I want you and me to be encouraged. To know that. In this ever changing world.
In the. Ever changing circumstances of
our lives. Most of which we have no control
whatsoever over. Our God. Is on his throne. And he's never changed. He's
never changed. Look at Psalm 102 verse. 25.
Of old. Thou hast laid the foundation
of the earth, and the heavens are the work of thy hands. They
shall perish. Heaven and earth shall pass away.
But my word shall never pass away. They shall perish, but thou shalt
endure. Yea, all them shall wax old like
a garment. As a vesture shalt thou change
them, and they shall be changed. but thou art the same. And thy years shall have no end. The children of thy servants
shall continue and their seed shall be established before thee. All things were made by him and
without him was not anything that was made, made. James tells
us that he is the father of lights with whom there is no variableness,
neither shadow of turning. He doesn't change. You say, well,
doesn't prayer change God? Prayer changes you. Prayer changes
me. It doesn't change God. God sets
our hearts to pray about something, is to pray for something he's
already determined he's gonna do. In him, the Lord Jesus Christ
dwelleth the fullness of the Godhead bodily and you are complete
in him. He is the head of all principalities
and all powers. So when God says, I am the Lord
and I change not, therefore you sons of Jacob are not consumed.
He's talking about his essential nature. He's talking about his
attributes. He's talking about who he is
as God. He cannot change. He cannot be
improved on. He cannot change his mind. He cannot learn or grow or mature
or evolve. He's not like us in any way. He said, I'm the Lord. He's always
been and always shall be. And the Lord Jesus Christ is
in perfect union with the Father. And all the attributes of God
are true of Christ Jesus, the Lord. Not only does he not change in
his essential nature, but he cannot change in his purpose
or in his decrees. Turn with me to Proverbs chapter
16, Proverbs chapter 16, verse four. The Lord hath made
all things for himself, yea, even the wicked for the day of
evil. The wrath of man shall praise
me, and the remainder I will restrain. In other words, whatever
wrath I can't use for my glory, I'm going to keep it from happening. God, he said, I changed not. I'm the one that's controlling
all of this. It is of him and through him
and to him are all things. In other words, he's the creator,
the sustainer, and the purpose of everything. And he's saying
to us in Malachi chapter three, verse six, I am the Lord and
I change not. I'm not like you, not like your
circumstances. I'm not like this world. The Lord tells us in Revelation
thou hast created all things and for thy good pleasure they
are and do exist. Everything is for the purpose
of God. Everything is for his glory. Psalm 33 verse 11, the
counsel of the Lord standeth forever. The thoughts of his
heart are to all generations. We change our thoughts, we change
our purposes, we change our ideas. Why? Because our circumstances
change. And God says, I change not. I change not. There are many devices in man's
heart. Proverbs chapter 19, verse 21. Nevertheless, the counsel of
the Lord shall stand. Oh, we've got our plans, don't
we? Man makes his plans and God orders
his steps. I am the Lord. Child of God,
this is the truth that comforts our hearts to know that our God
is immutable. He's omniscient. He's omnipotent. He's sovereign. He cannot change. In all these changing circumstances
that so oftentimes disturb us, They're being controlled by the
hand of our God. Turn with me to Proverbs chapter
3. Proverbs chapter 3. Now just turn one more book to
the right and go to Ecclesiastes chapter 3. Ecclesiastes chapter
3. Oh, I wish that ancient Greek
philosopher would have heard these words. He tried to figure
out the changing world through other means. To everything there
is a season and a time to every purpose under the heaven. A time
to be born, a time to die. A time to plant, a time to pluck
up. that which is planted, a time
to kill and a time to heal, a time to break down and a time to build
up. Skip down with me to verse 10.
Solomon says, I have seen the travail which God hath given
to the sons of men to be exercised in it. God has given us these travails
that we might be exercised in it. What's he doing? He's shaking
that which is made in order that that which is not made cannot
be shaken. And Solomon says, I've seen the
travail which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised
in it. He, God, hath made everything
beautiful in his time. Also, he has set the world in
their hearts so that no man can find out the work of God that
makes from the beginning to the end. Yeah. You can't figure out
what God's doing. How much time we spend trying
to understand our circumstances and God says, believe. I put
the world before you, you can't figure it out. You don't know
what's coming next. You don't know what I've accomplished
in the past. I know that there's no good in them but for a man
to rejoice and to do good in his life. Skip down with me to
verse 14. And I know, and I know, can you
say this? I know that whatsoever God doeth,
it shall be forever. Nothing can be put to it nor
anything taken from it. And God do with it that men should
fear before him. Now that's true of everything,
but that is mostly true of the atoning work of the Lord Jesus
Christ on Calvary's cross. That's his, that's his crowning
work. That's the work that brings him
the most glory. is the sacrifice that Christ
made to the Father on the cross to satisfy the demands of God's
justice. And he says, I know that whatsoever
God doeth, it shall be forever. That work of redemption was an
eternal work. It was an eternal work. Nothing
can be put to it. You can't add to what Christ
did. You can't throw your two cents worth in. You can't make
your decision cause what he did to become effectual. It was effectual. It accomplished what God We read
in the study before the service, my word shall not return unto
me void. It shall accomplish the purpose
for which I send it. And that's a great comfort every
time we preach and every time we share God's word to know that
God will use his word. But it's also speaking of the
living word, the word that became flesh and dwelt among us. When
he ascended back into glory, he didn't return void. He took
with him the names of those for whom he lived and died. He's
seated at the right hand of the majesty on high. He's a successful
savior. Nothing can be added to and nothing
can be taken away. And God's people say, I know.
That's my hope. My hope is that I am the Lord
and I change not. And that's the only reason why
you sons of Jacob are not consumed. You'd be consumed by your sin.
You'd be consumed by your circumstances. You'd be consumed by Satan if
what I had done was not sure and steadfast. I change not. I'm the Lord. I'm God. Turn to
me to, uh, The last phrase in verse 14,
God doeth it that men should fear him. Turn over a few pages
to Isaiah chapter 14. Isaiah chapter 14. Look at verse
24, the Lord of hosts hath sworn How many promises have you made
that either you didn't anticipate a circumstance that kept you
from being able to keep your promise, or you didn't have the
resources necessary to fulfill your promises? We swear all the
time, we make promises, don't we? We make promises to God,
we make promises to one another. That's not true of our God. He's
the Lord. He changes not. The Lord of hosts
hath sworn, saying, surely, As I have thought, so shall it come
to pass. And as I have purposed, so shall
it stand. Oh, how glorious is that? You
know, we process thoughts trying to come to the best conclusion
on what to do under certain circumstances, don't we? We've got all these
different scenarios and we try to work them out. Well, this
is probably the best way to do it. You know, God doesn't think
like that. Whatever thought he has, it's
done. It's done. As I have thought, so have I
done. God doesn't have vain thoughts
like you and I do. He doesn't have to try to figure
something out like you and I do. He said, I'm the Lord and I change
not. And it's the only reason you
sons of Jacob are not consumed. It's my immutability and my ability,
not yours. Look at verse 27 in that same
chapter of Isaiah 14. For the Lord of hosts hath purposed,
and who shall disannul it? And his hand is stretched out,
and who shall turn it back? Now who's the strong right hand
of God? The Lord Jesus Christ is. He
is. He said, I've stretched out my
hand. Who's going to disannoy my work? Who's going to turn
back what I've done? Isaiah chapter 46, I am the Lord and I change not. Therefore, you sons of Jacob
are not consumed. You know, sometimes we're referred
to as Israel, which is a prince, a translated prince. God has
made his people to be priests and kings. We have royal blood
being in Christ. And in that sense, we're referred
to as Israel. But the scripture also refers
to us oftentimes as Jacob, sons of Jacob. What was Jacob? Jacob was a deceiver. It's a
reference to our two natures. Jacob's the old man. Israel's
the new man. And, but we still have both natures.
And the Lord says that if I didn't, if I wasn't immutable, if I didn't
change, not then Jacob would consume you. You'd be deceived
by him. You'd be led astray. Isaiah chapter
46. Look at verse, look at verse
nine. But these two things, I'm sorry,
Isaiah 46, remember the former things of old, for I am God and
there is none else. I am God and there is none like
me. Declaring the end from the beginning. And from ancient times, the things
that are not yet done, saying, my counsel shall stand and I
will do all my pleasure. That's so clear. That's God's
Word. That's God speaking. What else
do we need to know? In all the flux and change that
we go through in this world, we have a God who says, I have
a purpose. My purpose is my thoughts. All
I got to do is think it. And here's the glorious thing
about our God. He's never had a new thought. He's never had
a new thought. He's never changed his mind.
He's never learned anything. Calling a ravenous bird from
the east, the man. Christ Jesus the Lord
is the God-man. And here he says, I'm going to
call the ravenous bird from the east, the man that executeth
my counsel from a far country. Yea, I have spoken it. I will also bring it to pass.
I have purposed it. I will also do it. Everything that God's purposed,
he's accomplished. He's purposed to love his people
with an everlasting love. He said in Jeremiah chapter 31,
I've loved you with an everlasting love. Nothing can change that. We fall in and out of love with
each other all the time, don't we? We were talking this morning
about unconditional love. There's a little article in your
bulletin about unconditional love. It doesn't even really
exist among men. You know, it personally loved
the most can potentially, they could do something that would
cause you to stop loving them, become indifferent toward them. Um, God's love is based on the condition
of Christ and that cannot change. I am the Lord and I change not. I've purposed it. My word has
gone out. It will accomplish the purpose
for which I sent it. And that's the reason you sons
of Jacob are not consumed. Oh, what comfort, what hope.
We've got a God in this ever-changing world. Yes, the only thing constant
is change, as we can see it with a natural eye. But there is one
thing constant that never changes. Never changes. Our God. Our God is the same yesterday,
today, and forever. I've loved you with an everlasting
love. Paul said, when it pleased God,
who separated me from my mother's womb, In other words, he's confessing
my birth was ordained of God. When it pleased God who separated
me from my mother's womb and called me by His grace to reveal
Christ in me. That's all purposed of God. And our death is purposed of
God. It is appointed, it is purposed, it is ordained of God that all men shall die. And after that, the judgment, the Lord Jesus Christ seated
at the right hand of God has presented himself to the father
on behalf of his people. So that all the judgment for
their sin fell on him on Calvary's cross. And God says, I change
not. I can't go back on that. Turn to me to Job chapter 23.
Job chapter 23. Verse 13. But he is in one mind, and who
can turn him? And what his soul desireth, even
that he doeth. For he performeth the things
that is appointed for me, and many such things are with him. Therefore, am I troubled at his
presence when I consider I am afraid of him. For God maketh my heart soft,
and the Almighty troubleth me." To fear God is to love him, is
to trust him, is to believe him. And what Job's saying here is,
in all these circumstances, they're outside of my control, and I
am left with nothing with no options other than being able
to fear God. Other than be able to trust him,
other than be able to believe him, to rest in him, to rely
upon him, to believe that he changes not. He changes not. I am the Lord. I change not. If it was not true, you'd be
consumed. Guilt, judgment, shame, discouragement,
everything that this changing world has to offer would consume
you if you did not have a God who changed not. Our blessed heavenly father,
we're so very thankful for the clear declaration of your word. We ask Lord that you'd be pleased
now to give us the faith to believe you. Well, we prayed in Christ's
name and for his sake. Amen. Number 12 in the spiral hymnal.
Let's stand together number 12. We sing this acapella number
12. Upon my great and sovereign God,
I cast my soul and rest. My Father's hand controls the
world, and what he does is best. So be still, my heart, and doubt
no more. Believe and find sweet rest. God's wisdom, love, and truth,
and power combine to make thee blessed. In raging storms and
fiery trials, He keeps me from all harms. He walks with me and
holds me in His everlasting arms. So be still, my heart, and doubt
no more. Believe and find sweet rest. God's wisdom, love, and truth
and power combine to make thee blessed. My God with skill infallible
and great designs of grace. With power and love that never
fail, shall order all my ways. So be still, my heart, and doubt
no more. Believe and find sweet rest. God's wisdom, love, and truth
and power combine to make thee blessed. My life's most minute
circumstance is ordered by my God. Who promised that in all
things He will ever do me good. So be still, my heart, and doubt
no more. Believe and find sweet rest. God's wisdom, love, and truth,
and power combine to make thee blessed.