Welcome to our Sunday service.
Today we will be on Nehemiah 12, verse 43. I'll give you a moment to open
your Bibles. Also that day they offered great
sacrifices and rejoiced, for God had made them rejoice with
great joy. The wives also and the children
rejoiced, so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard ever far
off. Let's pray. Heavenly Father,
through these hard times, continue to show us your strength, and
your grace, and your mercy. Lead us away from fear, away
from all the panic, and closer to your gospel. It's times like
these that many of us that have put you on a back burner, Heavenly
Father, need to call to you again. Give us the strength and the
courage to do so, to come back to your Word, to come back to
your grace. We ask this in your name. Amen. Well, thank you, Mark. How good
is our God and how big is our God? You know, I was thinking
this week, I know many of you are maybe in a state of fear
and panic. I want to direct my thoughts
and message today to those of you who are perhaps in that state. First of all, I would say this,
if I were not a believer, I would be filled with fear, I can tell
you that. This virus situation is a fearful
thing and it has brought this nation to its knees. But the
truth is, I am a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. And I
believe that he's in control and that he has not dropped the
reins to this world. We are so sure of this fact that
we know that all things work together for good to them that
love the Lord. We are so often quoting that
passage here from Romans 8, but it's true that all things are
working for the good of the believer to those who are called according
to his purpose. Our God is a God of planning
and purpose. The scripture says that He is
a God who foreordains and He brings to pass His plans and
purposes. So you can rest assured of that.
Here in Nehemiah, there's a passage that's quoted often by the ministers
of God, and it's this, the joy of the Lord is our strength. I'm sure if you're feeling panicky
and fear, there's not a lot of joy in your heart. The scripture
assures us so many, many times that we're not to be afraid.
The Lord tells us, be not afraid, little flock. And we have no
reason to be afraid because he only does good and works good
for his people. So I wanna assure you of that
and hope that I can give some comfort here today. Here at Grace
Gospel Fellowship, we're looking to Him. And over at Grace Centers
of Hope, with over 250 people that are totally dependent on
us over there for food, clothing, and shelter, we are looking to
our God. Between now and the end of June,
we need a million dollars to sustain this part of the ministry. So I hope those of you who do
not attend Grace Gospel I know many are watching. You watched
last Wednesday evening. Please remember that we have
Wednesday evening services and we'll be filming those as well
as Sunday morning and tune in. I think those of you who do not
attend here will find great comfort in what's happening. The apostle
Paul in the book of Romans said, we joy in God. The truth is that
I, as a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, and knowing that
I have been justified in his sight, that there's no condemnation,
no judgment, that's awaiting me, that He has ordained and
predetermined and is working for my good, and that nothing
can separate me from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus,
I have a lot of peace. Quite frankly, I am concerned
about are doing the things we need to do as instruments in
getting rid of this virus, but at the same time, I know who's
in charge. And that gives me a great sense
of joy. Actually, today, I've been rejoicing
in the goodness of God. Paul said, we joy in God. I hope
that's your state today. And if it's not, that today,
the message will bring you comfort and you will find yourself at
peace in your heart, believing that he's in control and he has
not dropped the reins. Scripture says in Psalm 14 that
the fool has said in his heart, no God for me. I don't want a
God. There's no God rules over me.
I'm the captain of my own ship. I'm running my life. I'm in control
of my life. Well, I want you to take notice,
if that's your state, that there's a tiny little virus that is going
around the world and has brought the world to its knees. I hope somebody's in charge of
that. And I believe there is one who's in charge. And he knows
what's happening down here. And he's working for the good
of his people. I know him and he knows me. And
we're going to get through this. In the book of Nehemiah, they'd
just gone through such great trial and had rebuilt the wall. And the people of God were happy
and rejoicing. And the scripture says, they
sang loud. I love that passage. They offered
great sacrifices and rejoiced for God had made them rejoice
with great joy. Think about this. First of all,
just think about the fact that there is a God. there is a mighty
God, there is a creating God, the God who said, let there be
light, and it was true. And that he's your God, that
ought to bring a sense of peace, that you have a God who is almighty,
he is the creator, he created the heavens and the earth, and
he is holding the reins to this universe. So you have someone
in charge. someone that is mighty, someone
that's all-powerful, someone that's sovereign. The scripture
says, none can stay his hand, nor say unto him, what doest
thou? I know that there are many out
there that may not follow me exactly on what I'm about to
say, But the truth is, this God is a predestinating God. He is a God who predetermines
and brings to pass what He has predetermined. I'm glad that's
true. I know this, nothing can harm
me until that appointed time that God has made in His sovereignty
for me to go to be with Him. How comforting it is to have
a mighty God. This God has elected a people. He has chosen a people. The Bible
says, and you hath he chosen. The Bible says you did not choose
him, he first chose you. The Bible says that he loved
you before you ever loved him. that before he formed you in
your mother's belly, he knew you by name and loved you, and
that your name was written in his book. What a comforting truth
the doctrine of election is, that you know God chose you,
not because of any merit in you or I, but out of his unmerited
favor, in his grace and mercy, he elected you. Ephesians 1.4. Blessed be the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual
blessings in heavenly places, according as he hath chosen us
in him before the foundation of the world. And 2 Thessalonians
2.13, but we're bound to give thanks to God for you, brethren
beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen
you to salvation. He is a God of election and then
he's a God of redemption. God Almighty found a way to be
just and justifier of ungodly people. God found a way to go
into the coal mine of sin and take hold of you and I and bring
us out of that coal mine of sin and justify us without getting
himself dirty. What a glorious truth the message
of redemption is. His name shall be called Jesus,
for he shall save his people from their sins. God is not trying
to do anything. God doesn't need you or me. He's sovereign, and he's sovereign
in salvation. He redeemed us. You know, I think
of what Job said. He had lost his children, he
had lost his cattle, he had lost his health, and literally had
lost his wife. And she said to him, oh man,
just curse God and die. And here's what Job said, and
this is what we ought to be saying, and what we can say, "'I know
my Redeemer liveth, "'and though the skin worms destroy this body,
"'yet in my flesh shall I see God. "'I shall see God for myself
and not another.'" The crucifixion of Christ. We're nearing Easter
when all minds and hearts will be upon his death, burial, and
resurrection. Think about God invaded history
in the person of his Son and went upon Calvary and satisfied
his own justice by himself being a sacrifice for sins. I hope you can rejoice today
as I preach to you the gospel. And he has not only redeemed
us, but in time we're born into this world. He watches over us. The truth is many of you could
have been stillborn, but you weren't because God had loved
you with an everlasting love and predetermined you to salvation. And many of you had lost your
lives maybe out there using in the world. using drugs, and God
came after you. He let you run as far as you
could run, and go as low as you could go, and you ended up in
a homeless shelter that had a church that preached the gospel of Jesus
Christ. And God, through that gospel,
called you to himself, and you have repented of your sins, and
you have believed on the Lord Jesus Christ. Now is just such
a great time for Christians to step up and be counted, and to
say with Job, I know my Redeemer liveth. I know whom I have believed
and am persuaded that he's able to keep that which I've committed
unto him against that day. I want to say to you in closing,
if you have not believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, if you have
not come to him, if you have not raised the white flag and
laid the shotgun of rebellion down, now would be a good time
for you to do that, to trust Christ and to know in this crazy
world of ours, where an epidemic proportion is taking place, that
you know Him, and that you'll be able to say, with the redeemed
of the Lord, absent from the body, present with the Lord.
The truth is, I'm going to leave this world one day, but I'm persuaded
and I know where I'm headed after this life. Things only get better
for the Christian after this life. We're in the bud stage
of endless joy and happiness. Jesus said this, "'Let not your
heart be troubled. "'You believe in God, believe
also in me. "'In my Father's house are many
mansions, "'many dwelling places. "'I go to prepare a place for
you, "'that where I am, there you may be also. "'Let me encourage
you. "'Put a smile on your face, "'trust
Jesus Christ from the heart, "'believe He is the Lord and
Savior of poor sinners. "'And I guarantee you, this too
shall pass. We're going to go through some
things here. And it's an exciting time, actually,
and an opportunity for us to see the mighty power of our God. May God bless you. And if you
can help us as far as expenses, I told you early on that we need
your help. over a million dollars between
now and the end of June, needs to come in to keep Grace Centers
of Hope open. We're seeing so many people do
such great things in times like these. People step up and come
to the forefront, especially God's people, those who are believers
in Christ. God bless you.