Family Focused
Pembroke First Baptist’s mission is to minister to the whole family.
O God, Thou art my God; early will I seek Thee: my soul thirsteth for Thee, my flesh longeth for Thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is. Ps 63:1
It is amazing to see how a newborn babe learns to hunger and thirst. Not long after the child’s birth, the infant is taught to nurse its mother’s milk. Soon the babe begins to hunger and thirst for the filling and satisfying taste of its mother’s nourishment. The Psalmist understood that all humans thirst and all have a thirst that only God can quench. Some are more aware of this thirst than others, and some deny that they thirst at all. Whether we deny or admit it, every person has thirst for God. Those who do not know Him or yet to know Him, attempt to quench it with someone or something other than God. We all need a relationship with God more than we need food to eat, air to breath, or water to drink. Physical death will surely come without food, air, and water, but without God, there is an eternal death of the soul (Gen 2:17). The scripture passage reminds us of the continued thirst and longing within our souls that only God can satisfy. There is a deep yearning thirst within the soul of man that presses him as “the deer pants for the water brooks” (Ps 42:1). There is a yearning within every man’s soul that can only be satisfied by the cool refreshing, life-giving flow of “living water” (Jn 4:10) from God. Unknown to the natural man, the soul thirst for the nourishment from “Immanuel…God with us” (Mt 1:23). The true longing of man’s soul can only be satisfied by the God of peace through His Son, Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace. Pastor F. B. Meyer wrote, “God has set Eternity in our heart, and man’s infinite capacity cannot be filled or satisfied with the things of time and sense.” Dear friend, do you thirst for the presence of God? Does your heart cry out “O God, Thou art my God” and declare “early will I seek Thee, my soul thirsteth for Thee, my flesh longeth for Thee?” As a newborn babe learns the satisfaction of its mother’s nourishment, it soon finds the mother’s bosom as its quiet place for nurturing, comfort, safety, peace, and rest. The Bible declares to us, “O taste and see that the Lord is good” (Ps 34:8). The Lord is good to all who come to Him by faith in Jesus Christ, that in Him “shall never hunger, and he that believeth on Me shall never thirst” (Jn 6:35). My friend, nourish yourself in the word of God and find satisfaction for your thirsty soul. God promises to all who come to Him, “delight yourself also in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart” (Ps 37:4). He receives all who come to Him through His Son, Jesus, and in His presence, you will find everything your heart desires. Father thank You for Your love. I will delight in Your presence and in Your Son, Jesus. In the blessed Name of Jesus. Amen.
Praise ye the LORD: for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant; and praise is comely. Ps 147:1
Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that Great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant. Heb 13:20
Take a moment and consider the world that surrounds you. What may come to mind are images of people going and doing, voices calling and crying out, places filled with activity, excitement, and any other thing that may be used to fill us, comfort us or complete our desires. Much of our time and energy are spent in attempts to make peace with our surroundings. Whether it be to avoid an undesirable event and to cause something desirable, much time and energy is devoted on these things. The scripture passage reminds us of a settling peace that is “through the blood of the everlasting covenant.” The anxious and troubled heart can only be settled and satisfied by “the God of peace.” He knows everything that we are going through and with that, He knows what is best. He guides us and comforts us with peace “which surpasses all understanding” (Phil 4:7). The peace of God is eternally settled through “that Great Shepherd of the sheep,” “the Prince of Peace” (Is 9:6), Jesus Christ. A shepherd knows each of his sheep, lives among them and abides with them. Jesus, the “Great Shepherd” knows and understands the troubles, weaknesses, fears and anxieties of His children who follow Him by faith. He fills and gives a peace that is not the same as the world gives, but His peace gives the strength to not let our hearts be troubled and afraid (Jn 14:27). Dear friend, what do you seek and search for most of all for your life? Is it pleasure in things or even peace in a worried and troubled world? The God of peace knows your every desire, every troubled thought, every worry and wanting. He desires fill you with the power “that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus” and to settle and comfort your heart with His peace “through the blood of the everlasting covenant” of His Son, Jesus. My friend, allow the God of peace settle, satisfy, and comfort the desires of your heart that you may be indwelt with the peace “which surpasses all understanding” and know His peace “through the blood of the everlasting covenant” by Jesus Christ. Father thank You for Your love and Your mercies that are new every day. I give You praise through Jesus who is my hope, my salvation, and eternal peace. In the blessed Name of Jesus. Amen.
The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee. Jer 31:3
I pray that you had a wonderful worship with your local church on the Lord’s Day. There is a growing sense of anticipation among God’s people to celebrate the birth of the Christ Child, the Savior of the world at Christmas. Houses of worship fill with joyful songs of praise celebrate the Christ Child. Luminaries and greenery fill the halls and windows as message to the world that the Eternal Light of the world has come to save His people from their sin. The scenes of the nativity demonstrate how “God so loved the world that He sent His only begotten Son” (Jn 3:16) to be born “the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world” (Jn 1:29). Christmas is the delivery of God’s message of love to the world. The scripture passage reminds us that God’s message to world is “I have loved thee with an everlasting love.” Everlasting love has no beginning nor has it any end. Everlasting love never fails (1 Cor 13:8) nor forsakes (Heb 13:5). Everlasting love is always faithful. God’s everlasting love existed before the foundation of the world and by His love He created man in His image and gave him dominion over all creations on the earth (Gen 1:28). God’s everlasting love is no more evident than in His Son Jesus. He is “Emmanuel…God with us” (Mt 1:23). God in His everlasting love step out of heaven’s glory to be born in a lowly manger cover in darkness to draw all men to Himself “with lovingkindness.” God, by His everlasting love and lovingkindness desires that none should perish but have everlasting life (Jn 3:16). The birth of the Christ Child is God’s everlasting love to the world that all who believe on Him might have everlasting life. Dear friend, the lonely star of Bethlehem showed the way to the Christ Child. Jesus is the light of the world that shows us the way to the Father, that all may know “with lovingkindness have I have drawn thee.” Father thank You for Your everlasting love and Your lovingkindness through Your Son Jesus. In the blessed Name of Jesus. Amen.