Happy New Year!

'Happy New Year!'

I just heard this the other day and thought it was really strange thing to hear at the end of January.

That made me realise that this year there was not even a simple 'new year salutation' posted on this poor blog.
 Well... here we go, I will no post a happy new year salutation or encouragement message but will share some of the Bible verses, sermon notes and quotes  that have been and encouragement and blessing to me since the start of the new year...keep reading!

...because the Lord was with him [Joseph]; and whatever he did, the Lord made it prosper. Genesis 39:21

[Christ] calls sinners into covenant with Him and saints into communion with Him. Those whom He loves He will not let alone in their carelessness but he will find some way or other to awaken them, to rebuke them  and chasten them. 

(MHC  on Song 5)

1. To this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembles at My Word!" (Isaiah 66:2)

God will have broken hearts with which to build His kingdom. Sooner or later, the Lord God will bring us to nothingness before His presence. God's people, all of God's people are a broken people. No man has ever experienced the grace of God in salvation, until his heart is thoroughly broken before the holy Lord God, revealed in the crucified Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. If ever a man finds out:

who he is,
who God is,
who the Lord Jesus Christ is,
and what He has done for sinners -- he will be a broken man!

Don Fortner

How blest Thy saints! how safely led!

How surely kept! how richly fed!

Savior of all in earth and sea,

How happy they who rest in Thee.

The year is with Thy goodness crowned;

Thy clouds drop wealth the world around;

Through Thee the deserts laugh and sing,

And nature smiles and owns her King.

Henry F. Lyte

Christ has taken our nature upon Him in his Incarnation, that we may be made partakers of His nature in our Sanctification. 

Matthew Henry

True worship is understanding and knowledge of God. These determine how we approach Him. How do you view God? What are your thoughts regarding Him?

sermon notes (Sunday 5th January)

 What is thy beloved more than another beloved, O thou fairest among women? what is thy beloved more than another beloved, that thou dost so charge us? (Song 5:9) "Carnal hearts see nothing excellent or extraordinary in the Lord Jesus, in his person or offices, in his doctrine or in his favours, as if there were no more in the knowledge of Christ, and in communion with Him than in the knowledge of the world and its conversation".( MHC on Songs 5)

Remember this day in which you went out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage, for by strength of hand the Lord brought you out of this place. Exodus 13:3

Since faith has its origin with and its object in God it matters what knowledge we have of God. Everything stands or fall on who is Jesus.
(...) We have been called to godliness. God has given us all things to live godly lives: Faith and the promises are in order that we may be enabled to partake of the divine nature. These are exceedingly great promises because of Him who has promised.
 (...) Brothers and sisters we have not been called to live an impossible life!

sermon notes Sunday 12th January

Oh love the Lord all you his saints!

For the Lord preserves the faithful, 

and fully repays the proud person. 

Be of good courage, 

and he shall strengthen your heart, 

all you who hope in the Lord. 

Psalm 31:23

In Christ,