March 23, 2025

You can find the order of worship and songs here.

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Pica is a condition that causes compulsive eating of things that have no nutritional value. People with pica eat things like dirt, clay, ashes, hair, etc. They even eat paint, metal, or glass. This is a seriously harmful condition. This is also how God describes idolatry: Isa 44:20 "He feeds on ashes; a deluded heart has led him astray…" Idolatry is spending gold and silver to eat ashes. But God invites us to a sumptuous banquet.

See the Lord's invitation in Isaiah 55:1–9. "Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price." How do you buy anything without money? The blessings come freely to us because someone else has paid the price. It costs us nothing only because God has made the payment. And what exactly did he purchase? "Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters…" Water is an essential necessity. But God does not give us the bare minimum: "Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price." God has purchased for us rich and abundant blessings for the utter satisfaction of our souls.

"Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy?" What can truly nourish our souls and satisfy our hunger? Only the blessing we receive freely through Jesus when he is our Redeemer and Lord. To the world knowing Jesus as the only Savior and a matchless King is a tremendous loss. But it is actually a great gain.

All the talk about blessings can sometimes lead us to separate the blessings from the God who blesses. Idolatry is essentially separating the blessings from God, and then desiring the blessings over God. We need to make two perspective adjustments in order to escape idolatry. First, no blessings remain blessings when separated from God. Second, it's not so much we are supposed to love the blessings in God, but that God is himself our blessing and banquet. Come, then, to the feast. God give himself to you.

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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 "To Seek and to Save: Daily Reflections on the Road to the Cross" by Sinclair Ferguson.

This week: We are reflecting upon Shorter Catechism Q. & A. 11.

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

March 30 (Lord’s Day): Please join us for Sunday school on the topic of Lent.

April 2 (Wednesday 7 PM): Join us as we study Exodus via Zoom. Meeting ID: 885 5287 2349 / Passcode: 711992.

April 6 (Lord’s Day): Please join us for our annual congregational meeting for the purpose of adopting the budget for fiscal year 2025–26. All communicant members are requested to attend.

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).