February 9, 2025
You can find the order of worship and songs here.
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If there is one thing that we can never spend too much time thinking about, but which task we find both daunting and dreadful, is God's holiness. It is easy enough to see why. It is only those who really don't know God that talk glibly about "the big guy upstairs" or other similarly odious ways. But the common experience of those who have had a true encounter with God is to fall before him with a sense of doom. So Isaiah cried out upon meeting the LORD, "Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the king, the LORD of hosts!" (Isaiah 6:5) Indeed, how can any sinner stand before the LORD? We are utterly unmasked before God. There are no secrets before God. God sees us exactly as we are. And that, of course, means trouble!
Yet God's holiness also drives him to give us a new life. "And he touched my mouth and said: "Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for." (Isaiah 6:7) The holy LORD took Isaiah's guilt away and made him a new person.
God's holiness means hope for weary saints in their struggle against sin. We are too nearsighted. Our struggle against sin is hard, and we often feel defeated. This, in turn, sinks our souls in despair. But we need to see that all that God is, including his holiness, is for us and for our joy. Yes, the cross of Jesus displays perfectly that holiness of God which pours out wrath upon sinners. But the meaning of the cross is exactly that — God's wrath has been poured out and no wrath remains against God's people now. And because Jesus bore God's wrath, now God's holiness is the assurance that he will make us new men and women.
Think often, then, of God's holiness. And rejoice in God's holiness. He will not leave us to sin's misery. He will make us holy and free.
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Growth Resources
This year: Please see the full list of 2025 books as well as Bible reading plans on our church webpage.
This month: We are reading "Letters to Malcolm: Chiefly on Prayer" by C.S. Lewis.
This week: We are reflecting upon Shorter Catechism Q. & A. 6.
Everyday: Noted pastor and theologian Sinclair Ferguson posts a short reflection every day, each around 5 minutes long. "Things Unseen" cover various aspects of the Christian life, worship, and theological topics in a very accessible and edifying way. We encourage you to incorporate this into your daily life. Please see this page for more information. There you will find links to various podcast platforms as well as YouTube page.
Upcoming Events and Notices
February 5 (Lord's Day): Please join us for fellowship meal after the worship service.
February 12 (Wednesday 7 PM): The Zoom study of the Pentateuch will resume. Meeting ID: 885 5287 2349 / Passcode: 711992
February 16 (Lord’s Day): Please join us for Sunday School lesson from “Essential Truths of the Christian Faith” Ch. 45 “Human Beings Created in the Image of God.”
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).