Thank You Lord

"I thank you, LORD.  Though you were angry with me, your anger turned away and you comforted me."  Isaiah 12:1 CEB

Thank You... our position with and attitude towards God should always be one of Thankfulness.  God owes us nothing.  God isn't required to give us nor provide anything for us... in fact, God has every right and is fully justified in being angry with us and giving us nothing but wrath.

That is a lot to take in, isn't it?  But, it is the truth.  We often act as though "how dare God be disappointed or angry with me or anyone else (that I like, anyway).  But it is the truth that God, who is just, owes us nothing.  We have no claim on His kindness, mercy or love.

The Good-news, however, is that God wants us to know His love, His mercy, and His kindness.  He  has chosen to "turn His anger away" from us and instead offer us His comfort.  While we deserve His anger and wrath He has provided for us a way to not be on the receiving end.  He has turned His anger away from us and toward Jesus.  Jesus bears the brunt of God's anger.  Jesus absorbs or takes it all upon Himself and gives to us His righteousness, blessing, and comfort.  We receive God's love, mercy and kindness that was deserved by Jesus.  To quote the country song... we "Got the goldmine and He got the shaft". 

2 Corinthians 5:21 says, "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."  It is in and because of Jesus' righteousness that we receive God's mercy and comfort.  It is in Jesus that we receive the blessings, grace and gifts of the Spirit.  Gifts that Jesus deserves not us! 

So, our position and attitude towards God is one of thankfulness!  Thank You Lord Jesus
Pastor Bill Johnson

When the Time is Right!

When the right time finally came, God sent his own Son.           Galatians 4:4

When the time was right... not sooner, not later... when the time was right.  Jesus will come again... when the time is right, no sooner, no later. We can't force it, we can't  keep it from happening.  It wil happen when the time is right.  God is not in a big hurry.  It will happen in his time, at his pleasure.  Sometimes we are like little children who can't wait for Christmas.  We lay awake all night trying to figure out if it's time to get up yet, only to be told by grumpy parent's to "shut up and go to sleep... Christmas will be here when I say so!" Jesus will come again when God says so!

Joy in Jesus!  Amen!
Pastor Bill