Thank You and Farewell, GBC

The following is my address to the body of Christ at Grace Bible Church on my final Sunday fellowshipping with them:

"I would like to take a quick minute to say thank you and farewell to my church family. I started attending grace at 9 months old. I wasn't dedicated here, however my mom informed me that Mrs. Culbertson came over to welcome our family to Grace and I christened here by throwing up all over her.

"But in the baby dedication we do as a church family, we promise to allow God to work through this community, the body of Christ, to raise a child in the fullness of the Gospel. I praise God, I thank God that by God's grace I am a product of that. Drowned in the love and unity of Grace Bible and surrounded by the Gospel. So many of you have played a part in that and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for that. God through all of you has made me who I am today.

"Galatians 6:2 tells us to "bear one anothers burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ." You have borne my burdens many times. Maybe more so, you have borne my parents burdens by watching me and teaching me and loving me throughout my life.

"I love this place, but I love this church even more. This building is awesome, this organization does some good stuff. But that is not the church. You are the church. And I am a product of God working through the church to further His gospel, make known Christ, and promote His kingdom throughout the earth. Thank you so much for everything. I envy your prayers as I move forward, and know that you all will be in mine. Thank you."

I will certainly miss Grace Bible Church after 22 years of sharing in their fellowship. I am only beginning to understand the full impact God has had on my life through the body at GBC. I will most likely see many of my brothers and sisters from GBC again. If not on Earth, then once again fellowshipping and worshipping our Savior in that wonderful eternity. And it may not be until then that they and I realize how God has used that community to impact my life and the world for the glory of Jesus Christ. 

Farewell, Grace Bible Church.

The Gospel in Micah

"But as for me, I will look to the LORD;
I will wait for the God of my salvation;
my God will hear me.
Rejoice not over me, O my enemy;
when I fall, I shall rise;
when I sit in darkness,
the LORD will be a light to me.
I will bear the indignation of the LORD
because I have sinned against him,
until He pleads my cause
and executes judgment for me.
He will bring me out to the light;
I shall look upon his vindication."
Micah 7:7-9

Over the past several days, I've been chewing my way through the wonderful and obscure book of Micah. The Holy Spirit has indeed been lighting my way. What a beautiful picture of the Gospel this minor prophet has presented in seven short chapters! Jesus Christ could not be any clearer in these pages of Scripture. Below, I would like to list some verses from Micah that demonstrate how the people of Israel were longing for a Savior, much greater than any man, in whom they would find the following things. We find all of these and more in Christ as well, as shown in the New Testament verses in parentheses.

-1:6 Jesus Christ is our foundation (I Cor. 3:11)
-2:10 Jesus Christ is our rest (Heb. 4)
-2:13 Jesus Christ is our conquering king (Rev. 19:11-16)
-3:6 Jesus Christ is our light (II Cor. 4:6)
-3:9-12 Jesus Christ is our head (Col. 1:18)
-4:2 Jesus Christ is the way (John 14:6)
-4:2 Jesus Christ is the word (John 1:1-4, 14)
-4:3-4 Jesus is our peace (John 14:27)
-4:9 Jesus Christ is our counselor (Heb. 4:15)
-4:10 Jesus Christ is our redeemer (Titus 2:13-14)
-5:4 Jesus Christ is our shepherd (John 10:11)
-6:8 Jesus Christ is our kindness (Titus 3:4)
-6:8 Jesus Christ is our justice (I John 2:2)
-6:8 Jesus Christ is our humility (Phil. 2:3-8)
-6:14 Jesus Christ is our satisfaction (John 6:35)
-7:7 (above) Jesus Christ is our salvation (Titus 2:11)
-7:9 (above) Jesus Christ is our advocate (I John 2:1)

How awesome is our Savior! Christ certainly is our everything. As the people of Israel heard and read the book Micah had presented to them, the longing in their hearts must have been overwhelming, "I will wait for the God of my salvation." As their foundations were laid bare, as their heads were chopped off, as immorality and injustice prevailed in a peaceless land, those that avoided despair did so by waiting on the Lord. How much more we find in Christ now that He has appeared and provided the way. That much more our hearts should be overwhelmed to respond to the great Gospel through worship, obedience, fellowship and sharing, all in eager expectation to live eternally with Him.

God, by Your grace, give us this patient overflowing, this anxious and abundant response.