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The Psalm writer wrote: Open my eyes, that I may behold Wonderful things from Your law. As we come before a Holy God and hear his word, may we have eyes open to the wonderful and fearful things from his law. May it move us to repent and seek forgiveness, fear disobedience, and live in light of the grace we have received. This is the word of God. It is eternally true and applicable for all of life.  Proverbs 14:31-35 He who oppresses the poor taunts his Maker, But he who is gracious to the needy honors Him. The wicked is thrust down by his wrongdoing, But the righteous has a refuge when he dies. Wisdom rests in the heart of one who has understanding, But in the hearts of fools it is made known. Righteousness exalts a nation, But sin is a disgrace to any people. The king’s favor is toward a servant who acts wisely, But his anger is toward him who acts shamefully.
“Better to remain silent and be thought of as a fool, than to speak and remove all doubt”. Ever heard this quote before? It is frequently attributed to Abraham Lincoln. Some say it was uttered by Mark Twain. Either way, it’s a pretty profound statement which points to the biblical truth that we are called to be “quick to listen and slow to speak” (James 1:19). Today’s Proverb proclaims that “Wisdom rests in the heart of one who has understanding, But in the hearts of fools it is made known” (Prov 14:33). Idle babbler comes to mind in regards to the fool who must share every thought, make known every feeling, verbalize each and every opinion on all matters. Matthew Henry States regarding the fool who must make his “wisdom” known, "Openness and ostentation are a mark of folly. If fools have a little smattering of knowledge, they take all occasions, though very foreign, to produce it, and bring it in by head and shoulders. Or the folly that is in the midst of fools is made known by their forwardness to talk. Many a foolish man takes more pains to show his folly than a wise man thinks it worth his while to take to show his wisdom." One example of the type of foolishness displayed by the idle babbler can be seen on social media. For instance a Pastor, who has studied God’s Word most of his adult life, whose sole job it is to rightfully divide the Word of God, shares a verse of scripture online along with a brief commentary and application, both of which are in accords with scripture and 2000 years of tradition in Church history. Suddenly, every fool with a keyboard chimes in to share their wisdom and tell said Pastor just how wrong and dumb he is for holding that particular theological position. Another area of life in which this type of foolish talk can be seen is in how oftentimes we are very slow to recognize when we are engaged in casting pearls before swine, and in our sharing of “wisdom”, we wind up looking like the fool we are engaged with. I think of conversations with coworkers with whom I have shared the gospel many, many times. Over the course of 6 years and dozens of conversations, each discussion devolves into an opportunity for said coworker to mock, scoff, twist words, and make a spectacle of the whole affair, while never having a genuine desire to hear the truth or engage in an actual conversation. What ends up happening is that in my own pride to be right and not made a fool of, I wind up trying to tear down strongholds and lofty opinions with my own might and wisdom, rather than the word of God, and as the Proverb tells us: “In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise” (Proverbs 10:19). One last application that may hit close to home, is directed towards us as parents. To be sure, God’s Word is clear that we are to train our children up in the way they should go (Prov 22:6). In Deuteronomy 6, when it states “And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up” (verse 7), there is no ambiguity when it comes to the issue of whether or not we are to teach our children the things of God. However, hand in hand with this doctrine, is the reality that in our teaching, instructing, and disciple, we are to NOT provoke our children to wrath (Eph 6:40. I am reminded of all the times this happens when, instead of applying God’s Word to a situation in the home because I fear for the soul of my Child, I, having been personally offended, browbeat said child with the multiplication of the words of the father, me, rather than lovingly applying God’s Word to the situation, which may mean not saying anything, and allowing natural consequences to be the teacher. Brothers and sisters, the Proverb tells us that wisdom rests in the heart of one who has understanding. If you are a child of the Most High, you are indwelt with the Holy Spirit and have intimate access to the One in Whom are hidden ALL the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Why waste an opportunity with your child or an unbeliever sharing your finite wisdom and displaying folly, when you can hold up the wisdom of God found in Christ Jesus? Consider that when we exercise restraint with our words, in the power of the Holy Spirit, we may well be removing a stumbling block from before our neighbor, taking away an opportunity for them to sin with their words. Our Lord Jesus was a lamb led to the slaughter, who was oppressed and afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth (Isaiah 53:7). Let us repent of the ungodly multiplication of our words,and ask our Father to grant us wisdom and restraint in conversation. If you are able, please kneel as we confess our sins before God Almighty, whose lovingkindness extends to the heavens, and faithfulness to the skies (Psalm 36:5). Father God, maker of heaven and earth. We come before You this morning, only by the blood of Your precious Son Jesus, not in our power, strength, or wisdom, but by the power of the Holy Spirit dwelling within us. Father, we oftentimes act and speak with zeal, but no knowledge. We frequently multiply our words in haste, feigning a defense of our faith, when in reality we seek to guard our own pride. We argue and strive with our neighbor under the guise of advancing the Kingdom, claiming to be doing your will, but in reality we are seeking to build our kingdom and are tacitly saying “Our will be done”. Please forgive us Father, for our arrogant use of words. Forgive us when we have sought to defend our pride, rather than to give a defense for the hope that is within us. It’s in Jesus name we pray, Amen. Please join me in standing, and listen now to the comforting assurance of the grace of God, promised in the gospel to all that believe: Psalms 126:5-6 They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him. To all those who thus repent and seek Jesus Christ for their salvation, your sins are forgiven in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Lift up your hearts! (From the 03/15/2020 liturgy of Sovereign King Church written by Aaron Sabie.)
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The Psalm writer wrote: Open my eyes, that I may behold Wonderful things from Your law. As we come before a Holy God and hear his word, may we have eyes open to the wonderful and fearful things from his law. May it move us to repent and seek forgiveness, fear disobedience, and live in light of the grace we have received. This is the word of God. It is eternally true and applicable for all of life.  Proverbs 14:21-30 He who despises his neighbor sins, But happy is he who is gracious to the poor. Will they not go astray who devise evil? But kindness and truth will be to those who devise good. In all labor there is profit, But mere talk leads only to poverty. The crown of the wise is their riches, But the folly of fools is foolishness. A truthful witness saves lives, But he who utters lies is treacherous. In the fear of the Lord there is strong confidence, And his children will have refuge. The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, That one may avoid the snares of death. In a multitude of people is a king’s glory, But in the dearth of people is a prince’s ruin. He who is slow to anger has great understanding, But he who is quick-tempered exalts folly. A tranquil heart is life to the body, But passion is rottenness to the bones.
I once heard in a workplace prayer group years ago that the fear of the LORD didn’t really mean to “be afraid”, because our God does not want anyone to fear Him the way we oftentimes think of fear, but rather means a “Holy reverence” or a fear akin to that which a child may have for their parent. I do not disagree with these notions. In fact a case for this perspective could be made from scripture that these are aspects of the fear of the LORD. However, in this case, the “fear” of the LORD as spoken here does not merely mean “holy reverence” or “parental fear”, it means literally, to be terrified, or in awe of. Years ago in my early 20’s I went skydiving. Just prior to jumping out of the plane the “jumpmaster” had me and the instructor strapped to my back step out of the open hatch of the plane at 15,000 ft and place one foot on a little step about 8 inches wide with our other foot still planted on the floor of the planes cabin. We stood there, leaning out of this moving plane for what seemed like an eternity, until we received the command to “Jump!”. Terrifying does not begin to describe those 5-10 seconds of standing half in and half out of the plane, or the 8 seconds of acceleration which followed my exit from the plane. As with any analogy which seeks to explain the attributes of God in human terms, the fear I have described here is insignificant to that which the LORD and His Holiness and hatred of sin ought illicit within us. My fear as I stood on the step of that plane pointed to the reality that it is not natural for a man to be dangling outside of a plane at 15000 feet, and should have driven me to fight, kick, and scream my way back into the relative refuge of the plane. Now, had I been without a parachute, that is exactly what would have happened. In a similar, but far greater way the fear of the LORD, coupled with His commands, ought to lead us to flee temptations and sin right into the arms of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The fear of the LORD in the heart of a Christian ought not only be a Holy reverence or paternal fear, but a fear which recognizes how complete and perfect God’s hatred for sin is, and not only sin, but workers of iniquity. A biblical fear of the LORD will lead a believer to recognize the very present danger they are in as they skirt the edges of temptation and sin, outside the refuge of God’s Son Jesus. God hates workers of iniquity brothers and sisters. Practitioners of sin. Those that walk in darkness whose manner of living is void of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Is this you? In regards to the fear of the LORD, Matthew Henry states that: “It is a sovereign antidote against sin and temptation. Those that have a true relish of the pleasures of serious godliness will not be allured by the baits of sin to swallow its hook; they know where to obtain better things than any it can pretend to offer, and therefore it is easy to them to depart from the snares of death and to keep their foot from being taken in them.” One of the telltale signs that a person has a genuine, biblical fear of the LORD, is in how they respond to the commands of God. Consider Noah. In Genesis 6:11-13 we read: “Now the earth was corrupt in the sight of God, and the earth was filled with violence. God looked on the earth, and behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way upon the earth. Then God said to Noah, ‘The end of all flesh has come before Me; for the earth is filled with violence because of them; and behold, I am about to destroy them with the earth.’” Here we see God communicating to Noah that because of sin, destruction was coming upon the sons of men. What follows are a series of commands issued by God to Noah regarding the construction of the ark: make the ark out of gopherwood; make it with rooms; cover it with pitch; make it 300 cubits long, 50 cubits wide, and 30 cubits tall; make a window, a door in its side, with lower, second, and third decks. After these commands, God then issues a promise to Noah “But I will establish a covenant with you”. The chapter concludes with “Thus Noah did; according to all that God had commanded him, so he did” (Gen 6:22). Noah was a man who had found favor in the eyes of the LORD (Gen 6:8), and because of this grace God had shown him, he recognized the bible truth that the wages of sin is death. He recognized that God was Holy, Holy, Holy, and hated sin, while man was corrupt and sinful. When God told Noah that He was going to destroy mankind from the face of the earth, pouring His wrath out upon man by means of a terrifying global flood, Noah believed Him, feared Him, and responded accordingly in faith, without which it is impossible to please God. God commanded, and “Thus Noah did”. It is so simplistic. It is so very basic to what our relationship with God ought to be, is it not? God commands. We obey. There is a line from C.S Lewis’ book A Horse and His Boy that goes “To hear is to obey”. It is uttered by subjects of the Calormen leader called the Tisroc in response to any command or request made. This isn’t how we respond to God though, is it? Our obedience is far too often predicated with a bunch of “yeah buts and what about that's?” Jesus asks “Why do you call Me Lord, Lord, and do not do what I say?” (Luke 6:46). The answer is simple really. We do not fear the LORD. We fear man. We fear looking foolish in front ofman. We fear rejection by men. We fear losing our reputations. We fear how obedience to God may affect our standing among our coworkers. We fear that family and friends will turn their backs on us. We fear how the world will respond to us, and view us. But we do not obey the commands of God or fear Him, the One Who can throw both body and soul into hell. If you are able, please kneel and let us repent of this treason against God Almighty. HEAVENLY FATHER, Save me entirely from sin. I know I am righteous through the righteousness of another, but I pant and pine for likeness to thyself; I am thy child and should bear thy image, Enable me to recognize my death unto sin; When it tempts me may I be deaf unto its voice. Deliver me from the invasion as well as the dominion of sin. Grant me to walk as Christ walked, to live in the newness of his life, the life of love, the life of faith, the life of holiness. I abhor my body of death, its indolence, envy, meanness, pride. Forgive, and kill these vices, have mercy on my unbelief, on my corrupt and wandering heart. When thy blessings come I begin to idolize them, and set my affection on some beloved object —children, friends, wealth, honour; Cleanse this spiritual adultery and give me chastity; close my heart to all but thee. Sin is my greatest curse; Let thy victory be apparent to my consciousness, and displayed in my life. Help me to be always devoted, confident, obedient, resigned, childlike in my trust of thee, to love thee with soul, body, mind, strength, to love my fellow-man as I love myself, to be saved from unregenerate temper, hard thoughts, slanderous words, meanness, unkind manners, to master my tongue and keep the door of my lips. Fill me with grace daily, that my life be a fountain of sweet water. From The Valley of Vision, titled “A cry for deliverance”. Please join me in standing, and listen to the comforting assurance of the grace of God, promised in the gospel to all that believe: Revelation 21: 1-4 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. 2 And I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, 4 and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.” To all those who thus repent and seek Jesus Christ for their salvation, your sins are forgiven in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Lift up your hearts! (From the 03/08/2020 liturgy of Sovereign King Church written by Aaron Sabie.) The Psalm writer wrote: Open my eyes, that I may behold Wonderful things from Your law. As we come before a Holy God and hear his word, may we have eyes open to the wonderful and fearful things from his law. May it move us to repent and seek forgiveness, fear disobedience, and live in light of the grace we have received. This is the word of God. It is eternally true and applicable for all of life.  Proverbs 14:11-20 The house of the wicked will be destroyed, But the tent of the upright will flourish. There is a way which seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death. Even in laughter the heart may be in pain, And the end of joy may be grief. The backslider in heart will have his fill of his own ways, But a good man will be satisfied with his. The naive believes everything, But the sensible man considers his steps. A wise man is cautious and turns away from evil, But a fool is arrogant and careless. A quick-tempered man acts foolishly, And a man of evil devices is hated. The naive inherit foolishness, But the sensible are crowned with knowledge. The evil will bow down before the good, And the wicked at the gates of the righteous. The poor is hated even by his neighbor, But those who love the rich are many. As you work your way through the pages of scripture, what you will see unfolding is a grand tale of two families on two very different trajectories. Each family can be identified by who their representative is: one family living under the headship of Adam, the other of the Lord Jesus Christ. One family toils away vainly, trusting in the work of their hands, building a kingdom grounded in the world, which is passing away, while the other family trusts in the One Who said “It is finished”. The family of Adam is one who is born of the flesh, whose works are evident: “Immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the Kingdom of God” (Gal 5: 19-21). Conversely, those in the family of Christ, born of the Spirit, can be recognized by their fruits, “Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control” (Gal 5: 22-23). While all found in the household of Adam die, 1 Corinthians 15:22 tells us “Even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” The Proverb today, Chapter 14 verse 11, states in unambiguous language that those who turn from God and seek their own way will be brought to ruin, while those who look to the Lord Jesus Christ will live. The house of the wicked will be destroyed, But the tent of the upright will flourish. Matthew Henry had this to say regarding the contrast between these two families: “Note, 1. Sin is the ruin of great families: The house of the wicked, though built ever so strong and high, shall be overthrown, shall be brought to poverty and disgrace, and at length be extinct. His hope for heaven, the house on which he leans, shall not stand, but fail in the storm; the deluge that comes will sweep it away. 2. Righteousness is the rise and stability even of mean families: Even the tabernacle of the upright, though movable and despicable as a tent, shall flourish, in outward prosperity if Infinite Wisdom see good, at all events in graces and comfort, which are true riches and honours.” The household of Adam is built upon a foundation of sinking sand, with its members trusting in their weak arm of flesh, fallible wisdom, and in a savior that is not the Christ of the scriptures. The cares of this world, the trials and temptations of this life, and the flaming darts of satan easily shake and destroy those found in Adam. Those found in this house stumble and “there is not another to lift him up” (Ecc 4:10). Those in Christ Jesus however have no such worries. Jesus says of those in His house that “no one can snatch them out of the Father’s hand” (John 10:29). As Christian’s we have received the Holy Spirit of adoption, by which we are able to cry out “Abba! Father”! As Christians, because of our faith which was granted to us as a gift, we can rightfully say that we are Abraham’s descendants, because like Father Abraham, we believe and it is accounted to us as righteousness. While those living under the headship of Adam perish, those in the family of God flourish, are fruitful, and can rest assured that the gates of hell will not prevail. The distinctions between the household of Adam, and that of God are clear, and here is the caveat. Each and every one of us who calls upon the name of the Lord, who have been adopted into the family of God: work with, live with, and have relations with members of that other household which has Adam as the head. Each and every one of us, whether in our workplace, our homes, or in the marketplace have entanglements with those whose household will be destroyed because of sin. In the words of Francis Schaffer, “How should we then live”? God says that we must be separate, to come out from among them. “Be Holy because I am Holy”, says God. We are called to expose the unfruitful works of darkness, rather than participate in them. In our separation from the things of this world, our pursuit of holiness (without which no one will see the Lord), and our exposing of the sin in our different spheres of life, we must remember above all else to have faith in the Lord Jesus, and to love the Lord our God, and our neighbor as ourselves. Without faith it is impossible to please God, and without love, we are nothing more than noisy gongs and clanging cymbals. In our workplaces, this may look like you doing all of your duties without grumbling and disputing. It may mean you as a servant submitting to the authority of an incompetent, tyrannical boss. At home, it may mean you fathers disciplining your children despite your wife telling you to ease up, that it was just a little disobedience. Or perhaps it means that the family peace all your relatives long for, so that thanksgiving and Christmas pass by smoothly, gets disrupted because you as a man of God speak truth and expose sin in the camp. Where in your life might there be compromise in this area? How might you be declaring “peace peace” with the household of Adam, having one foot in his camp, and attempting to keep the other in Christ’s? If you are able to, please kneel as we pray to our Heavenly Father, in the name of Jesus our Savior. Heavenly Father, We long for peace. Each and every son of Adam who ever lived desires peace above all else. As fallen men, women, boys, and girls, we sought refuge in the perishable things of this world: wealth, food, clothes, relationships, hobbies, careers, and the like. As lost men and women, we pursued the desires of the flesh, our sinful human nature, to no end. A vain pursuit. But now, as your children, we have access to the peace which passes all understanding. Father, please help us to remember that we have been transferred from the domain of darkness, into the kingdom of Your Glorious Son. Help us to remember, and live our lives in such a way that the light we have is used to expose the unfruitful works of darkness, rather than participate in them. Please be merciful to us Lord. Please strengthen us in the inner man for this battle, and forgive us where we fall short of your Glory. In Jesus name we pray, Amen. Please join me in standing and listen now to the comforting assurance of the grace of God, promised in the gospel to all that believe: Psalm 32:1-2 How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, Whose sin is covered! How blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity, And in whose spirit there is no deceit! To all those who thus repent and seek Jesus Christ for their salvation, your sins are forgiven in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Lift up your hearts!
(From the 03/01/2020 liturgy of Sovereign King Church written by Aaron Sabie.) The Psalm writer wrote: Open my eyes, that I may behold Wonderful things from Your law. As we come before a Holy God and hear his word, may we have eyes open to the wonderful and fearful things from his law. May it move us to repent and seek forgiveness, fear disobedience, and live in light of the grace we have received. This is the word of God. It is eternally true and applicable for all of life.  Proverbs 13:21-25 Adversity pursues sinners, But the righteous will be rewarded with prosperity. A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children, And the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous. Abundant food is in the fallow ground of the poor, But it is swept away by injustice. He who withholds his rod hates his son, But he who loves him disciplines him diligently. The righteous has enough to satisfy his appetite, But the stomach of the wicked is in need. My paternal grandmother, Gladys Peavler, was a throwback homemaker who kept a tidy home, did not tolerate foolishness, and always displayed the highest standards of modesty, with a gentle and quiet spirit. By worldly standards, my grandmother did not leave behind very much. I remember the day of her funeral, when my father and I went to her home to collect a few belongings, all we left with was an old blue oil lantern. Years later however, a study bible that belonged to my grandmother was handed down to me from my parents, who had given the bible to her as a gift after her third marriage to my grandfather Mr. Nelson Peavler. An old 4 inch thick, large print, 15lb King James, this bible was designed for some serious thumping. Contained inside you can find a short family history, newspaper clippings, and several full color pictures chock full of second commandment violations. One thing that I found interesting about this particular bible, was the fact that in many places all throughout are handwritten notes scribbled here and there which my grandmother transcribed as she read through the text. One phrase in particular can be found repeated dozens of times, and seems to have been a sort of prayer that grandma would utter as she read through the text: “Holy Spirit teach”. Now, my extended family is a very tight-lipped, closed, uncommunicative bunch. As a child growing up I knew grandma was a Christian, but never knew the extent of her faith. This bible has blessed me with not only another opportunity to read God’s Word and to share it with my family, but has given me a glimpse into the Christian heritage of my family that has been partially buried by the sands of time. Having sat in a box for a decade and a half, and winding up in my hands a few years after my own conversion, recovering this old bible has taught me among other things the value of leaving behind a tangible legacy for my children, and my children’s children. A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children, And the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous. If God blesses me with fifty more years I want those of my family who come after me to know whose disciple I was. If in His providence today is my last, I want those left behind to know that above all else, I depended upon the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and His righteousness for my salvation. If my next breath is my final breath, I want my children’s children to hear of how all my hopes, trust, faith, and assurance was in the risen savior. I want the legacy I leave behind for my posterity to be a legacy which declares “Christ alone”. Many, many in our land have fallen into a pattern of leaving behind a legacy for their children which can be eaten by moths, destroyed by rust, or stolen by thieves. Is this you, brother and sister? Have you fallen into the worldly trap which says “My goal in life is to ensure my children have a better life than I did”, so you toil, and labor, and strive for that which does not satisfy, nor has any eternal value? Matthew Henry says this of Proverbs 13:22: See here how a good man's estate lasts: He leaves an inheritance to his children's children. It is part of his praise that he is thoughtful for posterity, that he does not lay all out upon himself, but is in care to do well for those that come after him, not by withholding more than is meet, but by a prudent and decent frugality. He trains up his children to this, that they may leave it to their children; and especially he is careful, both by justice and charity, to obtain the blessing of God upon what he has, and to entail that blessing upon his children, without which the greatest industry and frugality will be in vain: A good man, by being good and doing good, by honouring the Lord with his substance and spending it in his service, secures it to his posterity; or, if he should not leave them much of this world's goods, his prayers, his instructions, his good example, will be the best entail, and the promises of the covenant will be an inheritance to his children's children, Ps. 103:17: “But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear Him, and His righteousness to His children’s children;” Something both sad and frustrating which highlights in clear terms what legacy a person leaves behind can be seen in a person’s obituary. I have scrutinized the obituaries of distant relatives, family acquaintances, and strangers, and conclude that there is nowhere else you can observe what folks hold in high regard and dear to themselves, and the legacy that they leave behind. “Member of the local VFW” “Volunteered at the food bank” “Lifetime member of the NRA” “Coached basketball for 25 years” “Family man” “Always made people laugh” On and on the moth laden, rusty legacies can be seen on display. As a Christian, is there anything more disturbing in an obituary than a write up void of something to the effect of “Brother or sister so and so, loved Jesus till their final breath. Trusted in Christ alone and His finished work on the cross for their salvation. Leaves behind a family who loves Jesus Christ, having been blessed by years of faithful gospel proclamation.” Isn’t this the heritage that matters? Ought not the inheritance we leave our posterity be one which endures unto all generations? What will be the inheritance you leave behind for your children’s children? What will be your legacy? Where has compromise, worldliness, or the troubles and cares of this world crept in to tarnish the gift you will leave your children’s children? If you are able, please kneel as we confess our sins to God Almighty, knowing He is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins. O Sovereign Lord, Thou art the Creator-Father of all men, for thou hast made and dost support them; Thou art the special Father of those who know, love and honour thee, who find thy yoke easy, and thy burden light, thy work honourable, thy commandments glorious. But how little thy undeserved goodness has affected me! how imperfectly have I improved my religious privileges! how negligent have I been in doing good to others! I am before thee in my trespasses and sins, have mercy on me, and may thy goodness bring me to repentance. Help me to hate and forsake every false way, to be attentive to my condition and character, to bridle my tongue, to keep my heart with all diligence, to watch and pray against temptation, to mortify sin, to be concerned for the salvation of others. O God, I cannot endure to see the destruction of my kindred. Let those that are united to me in tender ties be precious in thy sight and devoted to thy glory. Sanctify and prosper my domestic devotion, instruction, discipline, example, that my house may be a nursery for heaven, my church the garden of the Lord, enriched with trees of righteousness of thy planting, for thy glory; Let not those of my family who are amiable, moral, attractive, fall short of heaven at last; Grant that the promising appearances of a tender conscience, soft heart, the alarms and delights of thy Word, be not finally blotted out, but bring forth judgment unto victory in all whom I love. Amen Please join me in standing, and listen to the comforting assurance of the grace of God, promised in the gospel to all that believe: Matthew 19:28-30 And Jesus said to them, “Truly I say to you, that you who have followed Me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man will sit on His glorious throne, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or farms for My name’s sake, will receive many times as much, and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last; and the last, first. To all those who thus repent and seek Jesus Christ for their salvation, your sins are forgiven in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Lift up your hearts!
From the 2/16/2020 liturgy of Sovereign King Church written by Aaron Sabie. The Psalm writer wrote: Open my eyes, that I may behold Wonderful things from Your law. As we come before a Holy God and hear his word, may we have eyes open to the wonderful and fearful things from his law. May it move us to repent and seek forgiveness, fear disobedience, and live in light of the grace we have received. This is the word of God. It is eternally true and applicable for all of life.  Proverbs 13:1-10 A wise son accepts his father’s discipline, But a scoffer does not listen to rebuke. From the fruit of a man’s mouth he enjoys good, But the desire of the treacherous is violence. The one who guards his mouth preserves his life; The one who opens wide his lips comes to ruin. The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, But the soul of the diligent is made fat. A righteous man hates falsehood, But a wicked man acts disgustingly and shamefully. Righteousness guards the one whose way is blameless, But wickedness subverts the sinner. There is one who pretends to be rich, but has nothing; Another pretends to be poor, but has great wealth. The ransom of a man’s life is his wealth, But the poor hears no rebuke. The light of the righteous rejoices, But the lamp of the wicked goes out. Through insolence comes nothing but strife, But wisdom is with those who receive counsel. Being a man who must frequently repent of being prideful, believing that the warnings of disobedience we see in scripture must surely be meant for someone else, my first inclination when reading verse 1 of Proverbs 13 was to immediately focus upon the disobedient, stubborn, impenitent son, the scoffer, who would reject the rebuke of his father. How dare he dishonor his father? Secondarily, my thoughts turned to another obvious application: that we ourselves, as sons of God, His children, ought not despise the discipline of the Lord. Jesus asks “Why do you call Me Lord, Lord, and not do the things I command?”. But after a few minutes of mulling over this verse, an application sprung from the text which impacts each and every one of us, and if you are prideful, as am I, you may miss it. A wise son accepts his father’s discipline, But a scoffer does not listen to rebuke. The glaring assumption in this verse that we likely pass over because we are very quick to recognize the sins of others, yet are very slow to realize our own, is that a father must discipline and rebuke his son. The principle of “There was no king, so the people did what was right in their own eyes” applies here, in that, as a father whose calling is to rule your home well, it falls squarely upon your shoulders to discipline your sons and daughters from the Word of God. This responsibility cannot fall first to sunday school teachers, daycare workers, public school teachers, the government, or sesame street. The burden of this responsibility falls first upon you fathers. Just yesterday I saw a meme on the always truthful, light-filled, glorious social media platform facebook which stated: 25,000,000 children live in homes with absentee fathers, and most crimes committed in America are committed by people who grew up in single parent homes. Now, it is a fact that anyone can stand here and spew out a long list of statistics to support an argument on any number of positions where crime, delinquency, and fatherlessness are concerned, so I am not going to give you tons of data to sift through. What I will tell you is this: the link between fatherlessness and crime is growing more and more clear. The government, culture, media, feminists, and society at large turn a blind eye to the dangers of fatherless homes, promoting lifestyles which directly destroy families. Generations of children are growing up in homes led by deceived, bitter women, with weak men hanging out in basements content to let mom, her boyfriend, and her girlfriends raise little Johnny, so long as he gets to keep his boat, play x-box on weekends, and can afford season tickets to the local basketball teams home games. A wise son accepts his father’s discipline. The implication is that you are disciplining your son in the first place. Men, do you often wonder why your sons do not respond as wise sons? Are you left scratching your heads as to why your children can’t seem to do the right thing before God? Maybe a big part of the problem, is you. You see, being an absent father isn’t simply one who does not live in the same home as his children. It isn’t just the men we see murdering their children at the abortion clinic who are absent from their childrens lives. Absentee fathers aren’t just the men we see walking around like dogs having been whipped by the big mean feminist machine, chewed up and spit out by the #METOO movement. No. You can be at home 24/7, always physically around, present for the family photos 1x/year, and yet be totally checked out and absent from your child’s life. You can have more children than the Duggar’s, rake in money from your employment which allows all the desires of your family’s collective heart be satisfied, and still be an absent father. You can be the loudest mouthpiece for the patriarchy, and tradition, yet if your days are spent in frivolous pursuits, mindless endeavors, and worldly distractions, to the neglect of disciplining your children, you are essentially an absentee father, who will reap what he has sown: undisciplined children who reject your teachings, have no stomach for your hypocritical rebukes. Children who hate God. You sons will grow up to be unwise, and unwilling to hear a rebuke. May our Heavenly Father have mercy upon us men who shirk our responsibilities before God in disciplining our sons and daughters. Gentlemen, disciplining your son in not an easy endeavor. It is not for the faint of heart. It is tiring, frustrating, dirty work which demands consistency, repetition, firmness. The discipline of your son demands that you gird up your loins for battle, against the world, the flesh, the devil, the culture, and sometimes your own father, mother, and wife. None of the battling, none of the striving, can be done by the weak arm of flesh, but must instead be waged by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, remembering that His promises are to you and your offspring. Please kneel as we confess our sin to our Heavenly Father, who disciplines the son whom He loves. O GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT, That which I know not, teach thou me, Keep me a humble disciple in the school of Christ, learning daily there what I am in myself, a fallen sinful creature, justly deserving everlasting destruction; O let me never lose sight of my need of a Saviour, or forget that apart from him I am nothing, and can do nothing. Open my understanding to know the Holy Scriptures; Reveal to my soul the counsels and works of the blessed Trinity; Instill into my dark mind the saving knowledge of Jesus; Make me acquainted with his covenant undertakings and his perfect fulfillment of them, that by resting on his finished work I may find the Father’s love in the Son, his Father, my Father, and may be brought through thy influence to have fellowship with the Three in One. O lead me into all truth, thou Spirit of wisdom and revelation, that I may know the things that belong unto my peace, and through thee be made anew. Make practical upon my heart the Father’s love as thou hast revealed it in the Scriptures; Apply to my soul the blood of Christ, effectually, continually, and help me to believe, with conscience comforted, that it cleanseth from all sin; Lead me from faith to faith, that I may at all times have freedom to come to a reconciled Father, and may be able to maintain peace with him against doubts, fears, corruptions, temptations. Thy office is to teach me to draw near to Christ with a pure heart, steadfastly persuaded of his love, in the full assurance of faith. Let me never falter in this way. Amen Please stand and listen to the comforting assurance of the grace of God, promised in the gospel to all that believe: Hebrews 4: 14 -16 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. To all those who thus repent and seek Jesus Christ for their salvation, your sins are forgiven in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Lift up your hearts!
(From the 02/03/2020 liturgy of Sovereign King Church written by Aaron Sabie.) The Psalm writer wrote: Open my eyes, that I may behold Wonderful things from Your law. As we come before a Holy God and hear his word, may we have eyes open to the wonderful and fearful things from his law. May it move us to repent and seek forgiveness, fear disobedience, and live in light of the grace we have received. This is the word of God. It is eternally true and applicable for all of life.  Proverbs 12:21-28 No harm befalls the righteous, But the wicked are filled with trouble. Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, But those who deal faithfully are His delight. A prudent man conceals knowledge, But the heart of fools proclaims folly. The hand of the diligent will rule, But the slack hand will be put to forced labor. Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs it down, But a good word makes it glad. The righteous is a guide to his neighbor, But the way of the wicked leads them astray. A lazy man does not roast his prey, But the precious possession of a man is diligence. In the way of righteousness is life, And in its pathway there is no death. Where will we live? When will my child repent and trust Jesus? What will I do after college? Will I find a spouse? Why do the wicked seem to prosper? Does God hear my prayers? Will I ever have relief from my physical ailments? When will I see the fruit of my labors? Why can’t I seem to find any peace? Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs it down. Jesus in the parable of the sower warns us of the dangers of being troubled by the cares of this world: the Word is choked out and becomes unfruitful. Anxiety is apprehensive uneasiness or nervousness usually over an impending or anticipated ill (Merriam Webster’s online dictionary). It is tension which exists when you are at the crossroads of a decision in which the ramifications are not clear. Being finite, with limited knowledge, and unable to predict the future, fallen man descends into a bottomless abyss of despair when confronted with the reality that for all of our planning, strategy, and seeking to head trouble off at the pass, we are at the mercy of the unknown when we lack a proper perspective of Who it is directing our steps. When we forget that all things are working together for our good, we are quickly overwhelmed by situations in our workplace. When we fail to remember that Jesus said in this world we will have tribulations, every little shift in the winds of favor seem like life ending ordeals. When we do not bring to remembrance that James in his epistle warned us to not be surprised by the fiery trial, we wither when trouble comes. We worry about the future. We fret over things we have no control over. We sigh and moan over problems we see in other people’s lives. We see all the humble brags on facebook and grow anxious about things like “Why isn’t my wife like that”? “Why don’t my children respond that way”? “I work hard, why am I not successful like so and so?” The ways in which we allow anxiety to dominate our lives are innumerable. Jesus asks “And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?” (Matthew 6:27) Yet worrier’s we are. Matthew Henry says this about Proverbs 12:25: “The cause and consequence of melancholy. It is heaviness in the heart; it is a load of care, and fear, and sorrow, upon the spirits, depressing them, and disabling them to exert themselves with any vigour on what is to be done or fortitude in what is to borne; it makes them stoop, prostrates and sinks them. Those that are thus oppressed can neither do the duty nor take the comfort of any relation, condition, or conversation. Those therefore that are inclined to it should watch and pray against it.” Anxiety in a man’s heart leads him to doubt his course of action. He becomes double-minded, unstable in all his ways. An anxious man will be driven more by instinct and what may most quickly bring about a sense of peace in his flesh, than by the Holy Spirit of God. Anxiety is a paralyzing pastime in which we make war on God’s sovereignty in ordering our lives. When we are anxious, fretting, and incessantly worrying about tomorrow, we show that our faith is not in a Holy God Who gives good gifts like trials and tribulations to His children, but rather in our ability to bring about peace in our life apart from Him. So, what is the remedy for anxiety? God’s Word says for us to “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” (Philippians 4:6). The Proverb is clear: Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs it down, But a good word makes it glad. Matthew Henry says: “The cure of it: A good word from God, applied by faith, makes it glad; such a word is that (says one of the rabbin), Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee; the good word of God, particularly the gospel, is designed to make the hearts glad that are weary and heavy-laden, Mt. 11:28. Ministers are to be helpers of this joy.” Brothers and sisters, would you be free of anxieties and fears? Cast your cares upon the Lord, knowing that you have a Great High Priest Who understands your weaknesses. Philippians 4:7-9 NASB “And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.” Friends, you have a Savior in the Lord Jesus Christ Who loves you, died for you, has taken yours sins as far away as the east is from the west. Your Redeemer has rose from the dead, giving you the hope of eternal life, and has sat down at the right hand of the Father, making His enemies, your enemies, such as those things which seek to rob His people of peace, a footstool. Take heart brothers and sisters. Repent of your anxieties. Repent of your fears. Repent of your ungodly worrying. Lay aside the weight, and the sin that so easily ensnares you, and look unto Jesus, the author and finisher of your faith. If you are able, please kneel as we confess our sins before a Holy and Just God: Heavenly Father, We are like chaff before the wind, blown here and there by every trial of life, attempting to stand upon the sinking sand of our limited wisdom and strength. Please forgive us for our foolishness, and help us to stand firmly upon the rock. Far too often we make plans, devise schemes, and arrive at conclusive certainty about future events apart from Your counsel, and we land squarely in the slough of despond because we have trusted in ourselves, rather than in the Great I AM. Please forgive us for our arrogant pride, and help us to be lowly and humble in spirit as is Your Son Jesus. Father, please help us to set our hearts and minds upon You, to remember Your sovereignty over all things, to remember that all Glory, honor, and power belong to You, and that we are but mere men. In Jesus’ Name we pray, Amen. Please stand and listen to the comforting assurance of the grace of God, promised in the gospel to all that believe: Hebrews 4: 14 -16 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. To all those who thus repent and seek Jesus Christ for their salvation, your sins are forgiven in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Lift up your hearts!
(From thee 1/26/2020 liturgy of Sovereign King Church written by Aaron Sabie.) The Psalm writer wrote: Open my eyes, that I may behold Wonderful things from Your law. As we come before a Holy God and hear his word, may we have eyes open to the wonderful and fearful things from his law. May it move us to repent and seek forgiveness, fear disobedience, and live in light of the grace we have received. This is the word of God. It is eternally true and applicable for all of life.  Proverbs 12:11-20 He who tills his land will have plenty of bread, But he who pursues worthless things lacks sense. The wicked man desires the booty of evil men, But the root of the righteous yields fruit. An evil man is ensnared by the transgression of his lips, But the righteous will escape from trouble. A man will be satisfied with good by the fruit of his words, And the deeds of a man’s hands will return to him. The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, But a wise man is he who listens to counsel. A fool’s anger is known at once, But a prudent man conceals dishonor. He who speaks truth tells what is right, But a false witness, deceit. There is one who speaks rashly like the thrusts of a sword, But the tongue of the wise brings healing. Truthful lips will be established forever, But a lying tongue is only for a moment. Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil, But counselors of peace have joy. “Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men”. Heading out the door for your 9-5? Do your work heartily. Changing a dirty diaper? Work heartily. Preparing a meal plan for your family? Work heartily. Playing with your children? Work heartily. God has planted each of us in a place to work: our homes, at our place of business, in public and private. God has blessed each one of us with gifts, talents, skills, and wisdom to use in the work to which we were called, and we are called to work mightily. If a man is not willing to work, he will not eat (2 Thess 3:10). Jesus was always about His Father’s business, reminding His disciples as He worked and they sought for food, that He had food which they did not know about (John 4:32). Work and sustenance are intrinsically linked to one another, as our Proverb today points out: “He who tills his land will have plenty of bread, But he who pursues worthless things lacks sense”. Worthless things. Work which leads to sustenance is juxtaposed with the pursuit of worthless things. What could the text mean by worthless things? Worthless as used here is an adjective used to describe a pursuit which is vain, or futile. A vain or futile pursuit would be one that is pointless, has no purpose, is fruitless and barren. Pursuing a worthless endeavor could be said to be operating outside the will of God, doing work which will not supply sustenance for your journey. Isaiah, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, asks this question: “Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? And your labor for that which satisfieth not?” Could these “worthless things” be subjective, differing from one person to another? Could something that is a worthless pursuit for you or I, be a worthwhile pursuit for another? Sure. If the gifts and talents given me by God are such that a certain course in life would clearly be the path I ought to be on, yet pride or a lack of contentment has led me down another course, another path for which I am not gifted, am not skilled, am not called, I may quickly find myself outside the will of God for my life and engaged in the pursuit of worthless endeavors. Perhaps you are gifted in an area, but are in a season of life which will not permit tilling, sowing seeds, and toiling in this calling, and God seems to have you busy in another direction. Work mightily unto the Lord brothers and sisters, as a husband, father, manager, employee, son, or daughter. Our Father loves us and gives us only that which is meant for our good. “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask Him?” The scripture tells us that those who pursue these worthless endeavors lack sense. Lacking sense in this regard is more than simply not having common sense, or not having the foresight to recognize their error, but is describing one who void of the counsel of God, being led by their heart and will, rather than the Holy Spirit. They are a person not trusting in the Lord their God with all their heart, but are instead being led along by their passions and appetites. The one void of sense is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed (James 1:6). Laboring for that which satisfieth not, the one void of sense has their mind set on worldly pursuits. In our striving and toiling, if our sight is set upon the perishable things of this world, our deaths will bring about the realization that it was all for naught, as all our vain toiling and the fruit of it, dies with us. Vanity of vanities, all is vanity, and that includes worthless pursuits. If however, our minds have been set upon the things above, laboring for that which is imperishable, storing up our treasures where moth and rust do not destroy and thieves do not break in and steal, we will be satisfied. Brothers and sisters, where are you toiling? Are you doing the Lord’s work in your life, satisfied by the things that come to you in this life from the hand of your Father? Are you content, at peace, saying with a clear conscience “Thy will be done”? Or are you toiling in vain, essentially not doing the work God has given you, and find yourselves in a dry, weary, land, famished and being led along by every appetite of your stomach? God speaks to us this day, saying “Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and delight yourself in abundance. Incline your ear and come to Me. Listen, that you may live” (Isaiah 55: 2,3). Brothers and sisters, in the Words of Christ, “Repent lest you likewise perish”. Let us kneel together at this time, and lift up our hearts to the Lord in prayer, going boldly to the throne of grace. O MY LORD, Forgive me for serving thee in sinful ways -- by glorying in my own strength, by forcing myself to minister through necessity, by accepting the applause of others, by trusting in assumed grace and spiritual affection, by a faith that rests upon my hold on Christ, not on him alone, by having another foundation to stand upon beside thee; for thus I make flesh my arm. Help me to see that it is faith stirred by grace that does the deed, that faith brings a man nearer to thee, raising him above mere man, that thou dost act upon the soul when thus elevated and lifted out of itself, that faith centres in thee as God all-sufficient, Father, Son, Holy Spirit, as God efficient, mediately, as in thy commands and promises, immediately, in all the hidden power that faith sees and knows to be in thee, abundantly, with omnipotent effect, in the revelation of thy will. If I have not such faith I am nothing. It is my duty to set thee above all others in mind and eye; But it is my sin that I place myself above thee. Lord, it is the special evil of sin that every breach of thy law arises from contempt of thy Person, from despising thee and thy glory, from preferring things before thee. Help me to abhor myself in comparison of thee, And keep me in a faith that works by love, and serves by grace. Please stand and listen to the comforting assurance of the grace of God, promised in the gospel to all that believe: 1 John 1 :5-9 This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. To all those who thus repent and seek Jesus Christ for their salvation, your sins are forgiven in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Lift up your hearts!
(From the 1/19/2020 liturgy of Sovereign King Church written by Aaron Sabie.) The Psalm writer wrote: Open my eyes, that I may behold Wonderful things from Your law. As we come before a Holy God and hear his word, may we have eyes open to the wonderful and fearful things from his law. May it move us to repent and seek forgiveness, fear disobedience, and live in light of the grace we have received. This is the word of God. It is eternally true and applicable for all of life.  Proverbs 12:1-10 Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, But he who hates reproof is stupid. A good man will obtain favor from the Lord, But He will condemn a man who devises evil. A man will not be established by wickedness, But the root of the righteous will not be moved. An excellent wife is the crown of her husband, But she who shames him is like rottenness in his bones. The thoughts of the righteous are just, But the counsels of the wicked are deceitful. The words of the wicked lie in wait for blood, But the mouth of the upright will deliver them. The wicked are overthrown and are no more, But the house of the righteous will stand. A man will be praised according to his insight, But one of perverse mind will be despised. Better is he who is lightly esteemed and has a servant Than he who honors himself and lacks bread. A righteous man has regard for the life of his animal, But even the compassion of the wicked is cruel. If you have visited my home, you have surely had the pleasure of meeting the family dog, Piper. Piper is a beagle. As such, she is a slave to her instincts. Squirrels, food, and lap-nap, in that order. Her nature is to have her appetite satisfied immediately, and to resist any attempts at being corrected. Attempting to withhold any of these things from her results first in the staredown. After that comes violent tail wagging. Next, whimpering. Fourth in line is a combination of whelping, barking, and what my family calls the “slinky dog”. “Slinky dog” is when Piper strangely folds her body in half, tail tucked, head down, combined with the whimpering and whelping previously mentioned. If Piper is not humored at this point, what follows has become affectionately known as the “zoomies”, a frantic, maniacal running, jumping, and scampering around, with Piper frequently left lying in the middle of the floor, panting, totally spent. She doesn’t like to wait, be told no, have what she wants withheld, or receive something that is contrary to her will at the moment. Why? Because she is an animal, and as such, is stupid. The appetites of her stomach, and her desire to pounce on squirrells overrides any sense of what may be safe, prudent, or in her best interests. To catch the squirrel, Piper would dash into oncoming traffic and NEVER take heed of my command to stop. To fill her belly, she would gladly lick up the antifreeze leaking under my van, not caring in that moment that the food I provide to her in her dish is good for her, and all other such delicacies found outside the food dish could kill her. She does not willingly accept reproof, because it is completely contrary to her nature as a beagle. Men, women, boys, and girls who have not been born again, are no different than Piper the beagle. They are what the scripture here today calls brutes in the KJV. Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, But he who hates reproof is stupid. Stupid, or brute as used here, is meant to convey the idea of someone which consumes by fire or by eating up. It relates to the idea that a person is a Natural Man, who does not understand the things of God, and when the truth of God is spoke in a fashion meant to correct, a consuming fire of mocking and scoffing ensues. Atheists Richard Dawkins and Stephen Hawking come to mind. Brilliant men in their respective fields of study. Very, very intelligent men capable of communicating complex ideas. Yet, they were essentially highly educated brutes who professed to be wise yet were fools. Brute, it’s the essence of man. For the brute, a word of correction from THE Word is answered with scoffing and mocking. An attempt to reprove a stupid person will lead to hatred, dishonor, and insults (Proverbs 9:7, 8). Matthew Henry says this of those who hate reproof: “ He that hates reproof is not only foolish, but brutish, like the horse and the mule who have no understanding, or the ox that kicks against the goad. Those that desire to live in loose families and societies, where they may be under no check, that stifle the convictions of their own consciences, and count those their enemies that tell them the truth, are the brutish here meant.” So the question is for you, young man: Do you despise the discipline of your father? When you are being disciplined through chores and a strict homeschool regimine, do you recognize that this is for your good, or long for the endless days of cartoons, video games, and entertainment of your peers? Men, when you are reminded to love your wife and remember that she is the weaker vessel, that you are to honor her as a co-heir of the grace of life (1 Peter 3:7), does this lead you to kick against the goads? Does a constant reminder that you are to lay down your life for her, the crown of your head, turn you into a brute? Young ladies as your Pastor, father, and mother encourage you over and over to look to God’s word for a picture of godly adornment, is your instinct to run instead to the world and the examples you may find there? Are you seeking God’s will for your life in regards to your sexuality, marriage, career, and future, or, are you longingly observing your less than godly friends, waiting for that day you may show yourself to hate reproof? Older young ladies, does God’s command for you to be subject to your husband cause you to cringe and blush? Do you find yourself lovingly accepting the leadership of your husband as head, or, do you read all the chatter on social media about how deprived you are, oppressed you are, and enslaved you are, and start to believe it rather than the eternal word of God? Do we hate reproof, or love it? Let us kneel together at this time and ask God to forgive us where we have despised correction in our lives. O THOU THAT HEAREST PRAYER, Teach me to pray. I confess that in religious exercises the language of my lips and the feelings of my heart have not always agreed, that I have frequently taken carelessly upon my tongue a name never pronounced above without reverence and humility, that I have often desired things which would have injured me, that I have depreciated some of my chief mercies, that I have erred both on the side of my hopes and also of my fears, that I am unfit to choose for myself, for it is not in me to direct my steps. Let thy Spirit help my infirmities, for I know not what to pray for as I ought. Let him produce in me wise desires by which I may ask right things, then I shall know thou hearest me. May I never be importunate for temporal blessings, but always refer them to thy fatherly goodness, for thou knowest what I need before I ask; May I never think I prosper unless my soul prospers, or that I am rich unless rich toward thee, or that I am wise unless wise unto salvation. May I seek first thy kingdom and its righteousness. May I value things in relation to eternity. May my spiritual welfare be my chief solicitude. May I be poor, afflicted, despised and have thy blessing, rather than be successful in enterprise, or have more than my heart can wish, or be admired by my fellow-men, if thereby these things make me forget thee. May I regard the world as dreams, lies, vanities, vexation of spirit, and desire to depart from it. And may I seek my happiness in thy favour, image, presence, service. Amen Please stand and listen to the comforting assurance of the grace of God, promised in the gospel to all that believe: Isaiah 40:1-2 Comfort, O comfort My people,” says your God. “Speak kindly to Jerusalem; And call out to her, that her warfare has ended, That her iniquity has been removed, That she has received of the Lord’s hand Double for all her sins.” To all those who thus repent and seek Jesus Christ for their salvation, your sins are forgiven in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Lift up your hearts!
(From the 1/12/20 liturgy of Sovereign King Church written by Aaron Sabie.) The Psalm writer wrote: Open my eyes, that I may behold Wonderful things from Your law. As we come before a Holy God and hear his word, may we have eyes open to the wonderful and fearful things from his law. May it move us to repent and seek forgiveness, fear disobedience, and live in light of the grace we have received. This is the word of God. It is eternally true and applicable for all of life.  Proverbs 11:23-31 The desire of the righteous is only good, But the expectation of the wicked is wrath. There is one who scatters, and yet increases all the more, And there is one who withholds what is justly due, and yet it results only in want. The generous man will be prosperous, And he who waters will himself be watered. He who withholds grain, the people will curse him, But blessing will be on the head of him who sells it. He who diligently seeks good seeks favor, But he who seeks evil, evil will come to him. He who trusts in his riches will fall, But the righteous will flourish like the green leaf. He who troubles his own house will inherit wind, And the foolish will be servant to the wise hearted. The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, And he who is wise wins souls. If the righteous will be rewarded in the earth, How much more the wicked and the sinner! As Sovereign King Church moves further into 2020, one thing you will notice is that we have a pretty busy calendar. The men of the Church, led by Pastor Joseph and our provisional Elder Stephen Baker, have laid out a bold course for Sovereign King Church, from fellowship opportunities, to evangelism, routine duties, and even issues as seemingly insignificant as selecting carpet meant to help beautify the area around the pulpit. The men of SK have stepped up to lead, and all who are members will be asked to serve where their time, talents, resources, and desires may permit it. In all of the planning, coordination, and vision casting, it was our desire to lay plans which glorified God. There are many moving parts to what we are seeking to do this year. Looking back over my notes from the retreat it became clear to me that one of the biggest changes from last year to this, comes in the way we have handled the division of labor in the Church. Many more people will have opportunities to serve, lead a ministry, coordinate an event, and use their gifts to serve the body. Along with this, will come more opportunities for conflict: “So and so forgot to send out the email” “I don’t like the backdrop, wrong design and terrible color” “Why didn’t the Pastor pick me for the task? Doesn’t he know how gifted I am?” “Why do I have to do everything?” “So and so doesn’t contribute anything around here” “It always has to be his way” If we are going to start off 2020 by casting vision, let us not kid ourselves by thinking that sin is not lurking around the corner waiting for an opportunity to pounce upon us and bring division into our little Church. Anyone who has been a Christian for any length of time knows that fights over the color of the carpet are not fantasy. They happen. Petty squabbles can divide and destroy churches, and our schedule this year will provide many opportunities for conflict among us. As we begin to work the plan in 2020, let us consider a verse from our passage today: “The desire of the righteous is only good”. Matthew Henry says this regarding verse 23: “The righteous would have good, only good; all they desire is that it may go well with all about them; they wish no hurt to any, but happiness to all; as to themselves, their desire is not to gratify any evil lust, but to obtain the favour of a good God and to preserve the peace of a good conscience; and good they shall have, that good which they desire” In 2020, as we serve alongside one another to the glory of our Great God, let us think good of one another. Let us see the good in others. Let us not be bent towards nit picking, psychoanalyzing, and tearing apart someone’s motivations for doing this, or approach to doing that, but let us rather believe that we all truly are brothers and sisters with the same loving Heavenly Father, and we are all working together for the good of the body. Let us bless, rather than curse. Let us help build rather than tear one another down. Let us desire only good for others, think good of others, and love one another as Christ loved us, giving himself as a sacrifice for our sins. You know the temptation for strife and conflict is there, let us entrust our souls to our faithful Creator. Please kneel as we confess our sins to Almighty God, Who remembers our frames, that we are but dust. Heavenly Father, Your Word tells us that man makes plans, and You direct our steps. We have made many plans Father, and we pray that You would bless them. We pray that in all our doing, you would grant us grace, that we may see the good in others. We ask for Your grace so that in all we say, do, and think, our hearts are bent toward doing good. Father, please help us to seek only what is good for others, and to think charitably of other people’s intentions. Father, for us to ignore the threat of division caused by sin would be foolish. Please help us to maintain the bond of peace within Sovereign King, and to live peaceably with all men so much as it depends upon us. Please forgive us for not wanting what is good for others, and not seeing the good in others. Please forgive us for any selfish desires, or wicked ambitions which would seek to elevate our desires above your will and the good of others. Father, please help us to love one another as your Son loves us. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen. Please stand, and listen to the comforting assurance of the grace of God, promised in the gospel to all that believe: Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. Revelation 21:3 To all those who thus repent and seek Jesus Christ for their salvation, your sins are forgiven in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Lift up your hearts!
(From the 1/51/2020 liturgy of Sovereign King Church written by Aaron Sabie.) The Psalm writer wrote: Open my eyes, that I may behold Wonderful things from Your law. As we come before a Holy God and hear his word, may we have eyes open to the wonderful and fearful things from his law. May it move us to repent and seek forgiveness, fear disobedience, and live in light of the grace we have received. This is the word of God. It is eternally true and applicable for all of life.  Proverbs 11:12-22 He who despises his neighbor lacks sense, But a man of understanding keeps silent. He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets, But he who is trustworthy conceals a matter. Where there is no guidance the people fall, But in abundance of counselors there is victory. He who is guarantor for a stranger will surely suffer for it, But he who hates being a guarantor is secure. A gracious woman attains honor, And ruthless men attain riches. The merciful man does himself good, But the cruel man does himself harm. The wicked earns deceptive wages, But he who sows righteousness gets a true reward. He who is steadfast in righteousness will attain to life, And he who pursues evil will bring about his own death. The perverse in heart are an abomination to the Lord, But the blameless in their walk are His delight. Assuredly, the evil man will not go unpunished, But the descendants of the righteous will be delivered. As a ring of gold in a swine’s snout So is a beautiful woman who lacks discretion. If you follow the narrative promoted by the major news outlets, listen to the drone of subjectivism from your increasingly androgynous co-workers, or get ambushed by the intersectionality mafia on social media, you may be tempted to walk away believing that the wicked are winning. Abortion mills continue hacking away at the fabric of civilization. People who speak for the unborn are demonized as bullies and terrorists, while the real terrorists, people like Tanya Franklin and Jeffery Glazer, are considered upstanding citizens, pillars of the community who are providing a valuable service to women in need. The rule of Law has completely derailed in America, with folks who burn LGBT flags being sentenced to15 years in prison, for “hate crimes” (see footnote for background), while the LGBT community, despite all the evidence to the contrary, is heralded as a safe, legitimate lifestyle choice while leaving a mountain of destroyed bodies and souls in its wake. George Orwell could not write a better script than the one which happens to be reality as 2019 comes to a close. Sometimes I feel like Charleton Heston in Planet of the Apes, who declared “It’s a madhouse!”, while being hosed down by an ape wearing men’s clothing. Do you ever feel this way? As your day comes to a close, and it’s just you and the Almighty, are you sometimes tempted to believe this nutty narrative? As you are increasingly bombarded by a never ending string of gender pronouns, subjective truths, and calls to self loathing because of your whiteness, is it tempting for you to question your eschatology? Is your post-millenialism, or optimistic amillenialism taking a hit, leading you to long for that helicopter ride out of here at the rapture? Do the worries of this world seem to choke out the fruitfulness in your walk with Christ? Sure they do. Thankfully there is good news for us, and it’s twofold: “Assuredly, the evil man will not go unpunished, But the descendants of the righteous will be delivered.” Our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, is a Man of War, with eyes like a flame of fire, and He must reign until ALL His enemies are made a footstool. Brothers and sisters, the world and its lusts are passing away. The reprobate is being given over to their degrading passions and depraved minds. They are condemned already, without help in the world because of their unbelief. Jesus encouraged us to remember that we are to fear not the one who can destroy the body, but to fear the One who can destroy both soul and body in Hell. Abraham faced a precarious future: old, with an old barren wife. Time, that ever present enemy. Barrenness and age were no match for God, because nothing is impossible for Him, and all the nations on earth have been blessed. Saul and his armies trembled before Goliath in the face of what they believed was certain defeat. David shows up and slays Goliath like a dog and goes on to have his ten thousands, and the promise of One who would sit on His throne and reign forever. The Centurion, a man of authority, was not deterred by the severity of his servants illness, nor Jesus’ distance from him, imploring Christ to “Just give the word”. Jesus gave it and the servant was healed that very hour. The common thread among all these stories, was faith. It is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. We have the promise of Christ to never leave us nor forsake us. To defeat our enemies. That nothing can separate us from His love. We hope for these things, yet frequently what we see in real time looks like the opposite. We see death. We see suffering. We experience heartache and setbacks. We are abandoned by friends and family. Our own bodies fail us. We do not FEEL victorious. And everybody knows that our feelings determine truth, right? Wrong. Jesus promised these things, did He not? He said that in this world we will have tribulations but fear not I have overcome the world. Paul told us that it has not only been granted to us that we would believe, but also to suffer for His namesake. These enemies that trouble you, who seem to be gaining victory after victory, leaving you feeling cast down, are working together for your good. They are light, momentary afflictions which God grants you to walk through, having faith in the finished work of Christ, being conformed to His image. Psalm 73:1-28 NASB Surely God is good to Israel, To those who are pure in heart! But as for me, my feet came close to stumbling, My steps had almost slipped. For I was envious of the arrogant As I saw the prosperity of the wicked. For there are no pains in their death, And their body is fat. They are not in trouble as other men, Nor are they plagued like mankind. Therefore pride is their necklace; The garment of violence covers them. Their eye bulges from fatness; The imaginations of their heart run riot. They mock and wickedly speak of oppression; They speak from on high. They have set their mouth against the heavens, And their tongue parades through the earth. Therefore his people return to this place, And waters of abundance are drunk by them. They say, "How does God know? And is there knowledge with the Most High?" Behold, these are the wicked; And always at ease, they have increased in wealth. Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure And washed my hands in innocence; For I have been stricken all day long And chastened every morning. If I had said, "I will speak thus," Behold, I would have betrayed the generation of Your children. When I pondered to understand this, It was troublesome in my sight Until I came into the sanctuary of God; Then I perceived their end. Surely You set them in slippery places; You cast them down to destruction. How they are destroyed in a moment! They are utterly swept away by sudden terrors! Like a dream when one awakes, O Lord, when aroused, You will despise their form. When my heart was embittered And I was pierced within, Then I was senseless and ignorant; I was like a beast before You. Nevertheless I am continually with You; You have taken hold of my right hand. With Your counsel You will guide me, And afterward receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but You? And besides You, I desire nothing on earth. My flesh and my heart may fail, But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. For, behold, those who are far from You will perish; You have destroyed all those who are unfaithful to You. But as for me, the nearness of God is my good; I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, That I may tell of all Your works. If you are able, please kneel as we confess to our Heavenly Father how we have sinned and fallen short of His glory. Heavenly Father, We are frequently embroiled in the everyday struggles of life, and in our striving, we take our eyes off Jesus. We focus all our attention on the enemy, while Your Word tells us to look unto Jesus. We wrongfully believe that we can do all things in our own strength, utilizing our own finite wisdom, and in the end will rightfully receive the praise and honor for it, and we forget that it is You Who supplies all our strength, grants us wisdom, and is the only One worthy of praise. Though we know You have saved us, that Your promises of refuge, deliverance, and sustainment are sure and true, we so quickly forget when the day of trial comes. When the cares of this life pile on, we quickly revert back to our default position, which is to hunker down and try to make the best of it. Father, this response is not the abundant life You promised. It is not the victory that Your Son purchased for us on Calvary. It is a defeatist attitude rooted in a lack of faith and unbelief. Father, please forgive us for our sins. Please grant us repentant hearts which will seek Your face in both times of famine and times of plenty. In the Name of Jesus we pray, Amen. Please stand with me, and listen to the comforting assurance of the grace of God, promised in the gospel to all that believe: Titus 2:11-14 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, 13 looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds. To all those who thus repent and seek Jesus Christ for their salvation, your sins are forgiven in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Lift up your hearts!
Footnote: A man stole a flag from a "church" and burned it outside of a bar while making threats against the bar. He was a known felon. He deserved to pay restitution for stealing and any punishment for threats. However the majority of his prison sentence was based upon hate crime legislation which is unjust and being used to protect sexual perversions. (From the 12/29/19 liturgy of Sovereign King Church written by Aaron Sabie.) |
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