Anchor of Hope Reformed Church

God is so good!  He displays his justice, mercy, and love.  God brings about His vengeance, His glory, His love and truth.  The attributes of God are on display on the cross of Jesus Christ!  Let us praise God -- he so loved the world that He sent His only begotten Son so that whoever would believe in Him would not perish but have eternal life. Amen!

Everyone who exalts themselves above God will be humbled by God.  A person will either be humbled by being made alive by the Holy Spirit to repent and have faith in Jesus Christ as their true Lord and Savior or a person will be humbled by being cast down into eternal death and punishment.  Let us humble ourselves in the sight of the Lord that He may lift us up by His grace and mercy!  Amen!

God is holy!  God is just!  God is love!  God is angry!  God pours out his grace and mercy as refreshing rain on the elect!  God pours out His wrath and fury on the condemned!  The elect praise your name o Lord, for you have poured out the wrath and fury we deserved on your Son Jesus Christ so that we could receive your grace and mercy!  Praise the Lord!

Every person needs a savior!  Before we are saved we are under God's condemnation, wrath, anger, and punishment.  If you have faith in and are alive in Jesus Christ you are saved from God (from his just wrath), you are saved by God (by his sacrifice) and you are saved for God (for his delight and praise).  God is our Salvation in every way. Let us boast in the Lord our strength and salvation!

There was no other way for us to have salvation -- than for Jesus to die the cursed death we deserved, than for Jesus to have our sin imputed to Him and His righteousness imputed to us, than for Jesus to receive the full wrath of God against sin on Himself so that we could be reconciled with God, than for Jesus to be raised from the sin in victory over sin, death and the Devil. There was no other...

There was no other way for us to have salvation -- than for Jesus to die the cursed death we deserved, than for Jesus to have our sin imputed to Him and His righteousness imputed to us, than for Jesus to receive the full wrath of God against sin on Himself so that we could be reconciled with God, than for Jesus to be raised from the sin in victory over sin, death and the Devil. There was no other...

We long for the day when there will be no more sin, no more pain, no more sadness, no more sickness, no more death, and no more disobedience to God for all of God's people.  We desire heaven and to be with all of God's people and God Himself face to face.  Our passion is for the New Heaven and New Earth when Christ returns to be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the s...

In Isaiah, God is pronouncing His judgment and His grace for His people.   The tree that was Israel will be judged by being chopped down because of its prideful rebellion and self exaltation.  Yet, from that very stump is promised the True Israel, the always faithful Son of God who will live in complete union with His righteousness and the Holy Spirit.  We were all dead stumps in our sins and in n...

God is Sovereign!  As Psalms 115:3 states "Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases."  There is only room in the created order for one Sovereign God.  We fall into the original deception when we think we can be like God or be God over our own lives and the lives of others.  God is God and we are not. It is a gracious work of God to be humbled by Him into belief and trust in...

Four times in our passage it is stated "For all this his anger has not turned away and his hand is stretched out still."  God is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.  God is love. God is holy. God is just.  When God's just wrath and anger is kindled against those who are not in Jesus Christ through faith alone, by God's grace alone -- they will be destroyed.  This is...

"Wonderful Counselor-" Jesus is the source of all wisdom, knowledge, truth, comfort and love. "Mighty God"- Jesus is the eternal Begotten Son of God, God with us, fully human and fully God.  "Everlasting Father"- Jesus will reign over, intercede for and protect believers. "Prince of Peace"- Jesus in His death on the cross and resurrection makes peace between...

For all of us who are saved in Jesus Christ, this is our reality: We were dead in our sins, yet thought we were living.  We were in darkness, yet thought we could see clearly. We were lost, yet thought we were on the right track.  Then Jesus Christ!  Jesus saves us from our sins and the darkness, death, and punishment they bring about.  Let us walk in the Light because Jesus Christ is the light, H...

Is Jesus Christ your only hope, savior, comfort, and life or is he of no concern or only a minor part of your life?  Jesus wants all of you.  He says pick up your cross, die to yourself and follow and trust Him completely.  If we are not willing or able to do this then we stumble over our own pride.  O Lord, humble us so that we might by your grace be lifted up by your grace!  Amen!

God is good. God is perfect.  God is wise.  Believing in, living in, and following Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior is life!  Living according to the Holy Spirit rather then according to our fallen flesh is freedom and life. If these things are true (they are true) then why would we ever want to disobey, turn-away from, or rebel against the Lord?  O Lord help us to live in the life, victory, love,...

We need to be made holy as God is holy.  We cannot do this in our power, strength, or ability.  We need a Savior -- Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world. He is the Immanuel, God with us. Jesus makes holy all who the Father gives to Him, all who He dies for on the Cross, all who will believe and have faith in Him as Lord and Savior. There is no greater sign of God's love for His people than...

In Isaiah 7, God gives two powerful statements concerning placing all our hope, faith, security, peace... in Him and Him alone: "Be careful, be quiet, do not fear, and do not let your heart be faint" and "If you are not firm in faith, you will not be firm at all."  God is our only rock, fortress and strength!  All other ground to build our lives on is sinking sand. Let us place...

If it were not for God's will and purpose to save a people for His glory we would all be destroyed.  If Jesus did not obediently die on the cross for our sins we would be destroyed.  If the Holy Spirit did not make us spiritually alive and give us the gift of faith and new life in Jesus Christ we would be destroyed!  When the people of Judah were chopped down and reduced to a stump due to the...

God is holy, holy, holy!  We are people of unclean lips!  How is it that we are not all instantly destroyed?  Because God is holy, only he can make us holy. God in His grace has sent his holy Son Jesus Christ who was conceived in holiness in Mary's womb by the Holy Spirit. Everyone who believes in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior are made holy in him.  Praise God that He has made a way f...

It is a gracious thing to be humbled by the Lord into repentance and faith in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.  At the name of Jesus every knee will bow and tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord! A person will be brought low into faith and obedience in Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit according to the elective will of God the Father.  OR A person will be brought low and int...

We owe God everything!  He is to receive all praise, glory, honor, love, and worship! We should seek to follow His word and serve Him out of gratitude and thanksgiving as the Creator, Redeemer, and Savior.  Jesus is the only way, truth, and life -- to live in Him is to have eternal life -- to live outside of Him is to be dead.  If we neglect such a great salvation then we will be destroyed. Let us...

Jesus Reveals Every Heart!  Every thought, word, and action is peeled down to the deepest core and center -- exposing what is our greatest treasure, desire, passion, and love.  If our greatest love is Jesus, or some idol we have fashioned in our hearts.  Praise God that Jesus gives us a new heart so that we can worship Him and love Him more than any one and any thing else!  Amen!

Matthew 2:19-23 New International Version (NIV) The Return to Nazareth 19 After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt 20 and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child’s life are dead.” 21 So he got up, took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that...

The darkness will never overcome the Light of the world!  No one and nothing will thwart God's plan to save His people through the perfect life, atoning death, victorious resurrection, ascension to His right hand and glorious return of His Son Jesus Christ! God is sovereign over every moment and every detail of His plan of salvation.  We who are saved in Jesus Christ can boldly live out the g...

Jesus is King of kings and Lord of lords. He deserves all the praise, glory, honor, worship, love, and devotion from all people of every nation, tribe, language, and people.  The wise men rejoiced at the coming of Jesus Christ and fell down and worshiped Him. This is what Christmas celebrations are to be all about: joy-filled gratitude and thanksgiving for Jesus the King who came to serve not be s...

Everyone needs a savior!  Only God can save.  In the incarnation we see God the eternally begotten Son of God so humbling Himself that he takes on flesh and is born.  Our sinfulness brings about our death and we are under a curse.  Jesus is born under the law so that he and only he will keep the law perfectly so that he can take the curse for us.  The greatest gift we can receive is forgiveness in...