Immanuel Baptist Church           

Proclaiming God's Inspired Word

A Word in Season

A monthly message from our Senior Pastor.

"God's Goodness"

There have been many theories set forth regarding the adversities that are common to all men and have plagued man since the early days of man’s existence.  It’s sad that so much time and effort has gone into explanations like evolution, poverty, poor education, cultural and industrial deprivation, etc.  The great thinkers and theorist started out to answer the great questions of man’s troubled history by looking to man but man does not have the answers.  Only God has the answers and He told us in His Word, the Bible.  God revealed in the opening pages of scripture that all adversity, problems, calamities and tragedies can be traced back to man’s sin.  Yes pain, sorrow, grief, depression, sickness and ultimately death are a result of human beings breaking God’s laws.  That’s not a theory!  It is a truth revealed by God in His infallible Word.  Knowing this allows us to deal with all the problems of life by God’s means instead of theorizing and hoping some pill or program will make everything better.

 God not only revealed the cause of our problems but He provided the remedy also.  There was a day when God came down from heaven and became a man.  Two thousand years ago the divine Son of God became the human Son of man and all the solutions to man’s problems were bound up in the One who was God and Man in one person.  Ultimately, this God-Man, Jesus Christ would become a sacrifice for sinners and take upon Himself the penalty for guilty sinners.  On the cross where Jesus was crucified, all the problems that man’s sins had caused were solved; Jesus removed the anger of God, the alienation of sinners from God, the bondage of sinners to sin, Satan and the Law’s curse, and the guilt of sin.  Whoever believes that Jesus did this for him receives a pardon from God and the promise of eternal life.  This is the highest expression of love that can ever be:  a holy, righteous, offended God makes perfect provisions for unworthy, ungrateful, miserable creatures.  What a gracious, merciful God.

 You might be struggling with many issues in your own life.  You might have medical problems, feebleness from aging, financial concerns, difficulties with your children or spouse, problems with anger, pride, jealously, addictions, etc.  There is no problem that you can have that Jesus did not conquer on the cross.  You can still have peace, joy and victory in the midst of your adverse situation if you will put your faith in God’s Son, Jesus and trust Him to help.  You see, Jesus not only saves us from the penalty of our sin but also from the power of sin while we’re on earth.  He gives us hope every day in every situation because He knows what it’s like to go through these trials and He understands our weaknesses.

 Today, take a moment to think about God’s love and goodness and His mercy toward sinners.  Look beyond your circumstances to the cross where Jesus died and then to the empty tomb.  Then look into the heavens; Jesus is there praying for all those who have faith in Him.  He will give you power and hope to overcome every problem.

 Faith is the victory that overcomes the world (1 John 5:4).

 
By His grace alone,
Pastor Bob Dennis