Anchor Of Hope Christian Reformed Church

Isaiah 48:11 For my own sake, for my own sake, I do it, for how should my name beprofaned? My glory I will not give to another.

Scripture Reading: Isaiah 48:1-11 Hear this, O house of Jacob, who are called by the name of Israel, and who came from the waters of Judah, who swear by the name of the LORD and confess the God of Israel, but not in truth or right. (2) For they call themselves after the holy city & stay themselves on the God of Israel; the LORD of hosts is his name. (3) “The former things I declared of old; they went out from my mouth & I announced them; then suddenly I did them, and they came to pass. (4) Because I know that you are obstinate, and your neck is an iron sinew and your forehead brass (5)  I declared them to you from of old, before they came to pass I announced them to you, lest you should say, ‘My idol did them, my carved image and my metal image commanded them.’ (6) “You have heard; now see all this; and will you not declare it? From this time forth I announce to you new things, hidden things that you have not known. (7) They are created now, not long ago; before today you have never heard of them, les

Isaiah 48:9

Isaiah 48:1-8  Hear this, O house of Jacob, who are called by the name of Israel, and who came from the waters of Judah, who swear by the name of the LORD and confess the God of Israel, but not in truth or right.  (2)  For they call themselves after the holy city, and stay themselves on the God of Israel; the LORD of hosts is his name.  (3)  “The former things I declared of old; they went out from my mouth, and I announced them; then suddenly I did them, and they came to pass.  (4)  Because I know that you are obstinate, and your neck is an iron sinew and your forehead brass,  (5)  I declared them to you from of old, before they came to pass I announced them to you, lest you should say, ‘My idol did them, my carved image and my metal image commanded them.’  (6)  “You have heard; now see all this; and will you not declare it? From this time forth I announce to you new things, hidden things that you have not known.  (7)  They are created now, not long ago; before today you have never heard of them, lest you sho

Isaiah 47:1-15  Come down and sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon; sit on the ground without a throne, O daughter of the Chaldeans! For you shall no more be called tender and delicate.  (2)  Take the millstones and grind flour, put off your veil, strip off your robe, uncover your legs, pass through the rivers.  (3)  Your nakedness shall be uncovered, and your disgrace shall be seen. I will take vengeance, and I will spare no one.  (4)  Our Redeemer—the LORD of hosts is his name— is the Holy One of Israel.  (5)  Sit in silence, and go into darkness, O daughter of the Chaldeans; for you shall no more be called the mistress of kingdoms.  (6)  I was angry with my people; I profaned my heritage; I gave them into your hand; you showed them no mercy; on the aged you made your yoke exceedingly heavy.  (7)  You said, “I shall be mistress forever,” so that you did not lay these things to heart or remember their end.  (8)  Now therefore hear this, you lover of pleasures, who sit securely, who say in your heart

In such times as these when the things of this world are so unstable and uncertain it is of vital necessity to remember God is Sovereign, all-powerful, all-knowing, and working all things for the ultimate good for those who love Him. We see this again in Is. 45:8-10 (8) "Remember this and stand firm, recall it to mind, you transgressors, (9) remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, (10) declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, 'My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,' God's has a perfect purpose and a plan to lift up His Son Jesus Christ, the only savior, and redeemer! Amen!

God gives a powerful invitation, declaration, and command in Isaiah 25:22-23- "Turn to me & be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God & there is no other. By myself I have sworn; from my mouth has gone out in righteousness a word that shall not return: 'To me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear allegiance.'" Jesus makes a similar declaration in John 14:6- "Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." Either a person bows before Jesus Christ in humble repentance and true faith, belief, and devotion to Him as Savior, Redeemer, King or a person remains in their prideful unbelief and is ultimately humbled and brought low by God's just and holy eternal Conscious torment. Worship Jesus and live, worship oneself and die!Amen

Isaiah 45: 14-19

Isaiah 45: 7-13

A beautiful verse that speaks about God saving us by His grace alone is Isaiah 45:4 "For the sake of my servant Jacob, and Israel my chosen, I call you by your name, I name you, though you do not know me." This truth is at the center of the following verses: John 15:16 "You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you." John 10:16 "And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd." 1 John 4:19 "We love because he first loved us." God saved us in His Son Jesus Christ when we did not know Him, did not desire Him, and only hated Him and our neighbor! Thank you, God, for your grace! Amen!

Only in the Lord is wisdom and understanding And truth and life and love... It is a fool who would look for these things in the fallen creation rather than in the Holy perfect Creator. As God promised that he would use Cyrus to rebuild Jerusalem and the temple, Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of all God's promises who saves God's people through his substitutionary atonement on the Cross so that we, who are in Christ, are the body of Christ and the temple of the Holy Spirit! Amen!

One of the most amazing and precious declarations of the Gospel of Jesus Christ by God to His elect children is found in Isaiah 44:22 "I have blotted out your transgressions like a cloud and your sins like mist; return to me, for I have redeemed you." Salvation is only by God's grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. Jesus redeems us from the curse of the law by dying in our place and satisfying the wrath of God we deserve. The light of Jesus Christ burns away the cloud and mist of our sins when we are made alive by the power of the Holy Spirit! Amen!

Who or what you worship; desire; love with all your heart, mind, soul and strength; place your security in, and or derive your peace and joy and life from will decide what you become. Those who worship unseeing, unhearing, lifeless idols of any kind will be blind, deaf to the truth of Jesus Christ and remain dead unless God makes them and gives them the gracious gifts of belief in obedience to and love for Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. If you worship an idol you become like that Idol; If by God's grace you worship Jesus Christ then through the power of the Holy Spirit you are able to become Like Christ in His righteousness and holiness! Amen! What a gift! What a Savior! What a God!

John 3:16 "For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him." Due to the sin on Adam and Eve every human being is conceived in sin and under condemnation, wrath and judgement unless they are saved by God's grace the holy and righteous life, substitution death and victorious resurrection of Jesus Christ! God made a way when we could find no way! Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. If you want to be saved then you need to come into the light of Jesus Christ so that it is made visible that He is your only hope, strength, holiness, and goodness. Only God is good! Amen!

Jesus makes clear in John 3:6 "That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." If a person is to have eternal life and be in right relationship with God then they must be holy as God is holy, righteous as God is righteous, and perfect as God is perfect. Because we are conceived and born with a corrupt, fallen, unrighteous, sinful nature it is impossible for us to be in a right relationship with God unless we are born again by the Spirit of God and receive the gracious gifts of repentance and belief in the holiness, righteousness, and perfection that we can only find in Jesus Christ crucified and risen! Amen!

"Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." Jesus prophesied that Herod's earthly temple was to be destroyed in the near future after His death. The church is to be the temple of God, indwelt by the Holy Spirit because of Jesus' sacrificial death on the cross. Jesus is alive! Eternal life is only found in Him! Amen!

Jesus is the Word, the light, the Son of God, God, the Beginning and the End, Life, the Lamb of God, the Son of man... Everything was made through and for Him, it makes sense that Jesus could turn water into wine. Jesus needs no seeds, soil, vines, grapes, or wine press. God made everything that has been made from nothing! As Rev. 19:9 says "Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb." The greatest miracle of all is that while we were still dead in our trespasses and sins, Jesus Made us alive in Himself! Amen!Praise the Lord!

John Testifies About Jesus29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ 31 I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.”32 Then John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. 33 And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 I have seen and I testify that this is God’s Chosen One.”[a]John’s Disciples Follow Jesus35 The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. 36 When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!”

John 1:16-1816 Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and[a] is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.

O, how we need Jesus! The law speaks of our condemnation, the wrath of our holy God because of our unholiness, our disobedience, our rebellion, our curse, our unrighteousness, and God's just judgement! O how we need the Grace and truth of God in the gospel of Jesus Christ! Galatians 3:13-14 (13) Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us--for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree"-- (14) so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith. Praise the Lord!