July 2, 2023
July 2 — 11 AM Worship
You can find the order of worship and songs here.
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Psalm 71 shows God's tender love for us in every stage of our lives. In verse 6 the psalmist writes, "Upon you I have leaned from before my birth". But how can anyone lean on God before he is even born? The meaning of that phrase is made clear in what follows: "you are he who took me from my mother's womb." The psalmist realizes that God loved him long before he was even born, long before he had any conscious thought of loving God.
The psalmist's thoughts now take him to the opposite end of his life. Verse 9 he writes, "Do not cast me off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength is spent." The latter years of his life have brought him once again to the place of utter dependence. But knowing that God loved him even before he was born makes all the difference. "O God, from my youth you have taught me, and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds. So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all those to come."
In effect, the psalmist is saying, "God loved me long before I ever loved him. And he who loved me before I was born, and he who has loved me every day since, will continue to love me all the way up to my last day on earth, and beyond."
Could we have such a faith? Could we face life's hard trials as confidently as he did? Indeed, that is what our God desires for all of us, and gives us the resources that we may live with such hope. Think, first of all, about your baptism. Many of us were baptized as infants. Long before we could say to God, "I love you," and long before we were conscious of faith, God spread his wings over us. He set his covenant promises upon us long before we could take our first steps towards him. And since then he has nourished us with the Lord's Supper. Through it he tells us he will never forsake us. Rightly they are called the "means of grace." For through them we see the tender love our Father has for us. And so we can also say:
"God loved me long before I ever loved him. And he who loved me before I was born, and he who has loved me every day since, will continue to love me all the way up to my last day on earth, and beyond."
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Growth Resources
This Year: Please see the full list of 2023 books as well as Bible reading plans on our church webpage: gracefallbrook.church/12-for-23
This Month: For June we are reading "The Screwtape Letters" by C.S. Lewis.
This Week: We encourage you to make use of:
- Kevin DeYoung's "The Good News We Almost Forgot" pages 130–134, Lord's Day 27, for personal or family devotions.
- "Select Letters of John Newton," Letter 22 (pages 141–145), "The Believer's Inability on Account of Remaining Sin."
Hymn of the Week: "We Will Feast in the House of Zion" by Sandra McCracken is a beautiful hymn of hope. "We will feast in the house of Zion. We will sing with our hearts restored. "He has done great things," we will say together. We will feast and weap no more." YouTube | Apple Music | Spotify.
Last week's sermon is available on our church webpage: gracefallbrook.church/sermons.
Upcoming Events and Notices
July 2 (Lord's Day): Please join us for the "Essential Truths of the Christian Faith" for Sunday School lesson: Ch.9 "Private Interpretation." Also July 16 & 23.
July 31–August 3: The Southwest Reformed Youth Camp will take place at Palomar Christian Conference Center in Palomar Mountain. This Reformed Christian Youth Camp is for junior high and high school students. This year's focus will be on Christ - the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
Thank you for your continued support of Grace Fallbrook (PCA). Your loving support makes the proclamation of the gospel and the building up of the saints possible. Please visit gracefallbrook.church/give and click on "Give Online Now." You will be directed to the PCA Foundation where you can give towards Grace Fallbrook (PCA).