Greetings from the Pastor

From the Pastor’s Desk.....

April 2012

Providence, we are blessed during the month of April to be encouraged by and through the powers of God to stand on His Promises and know that our King is coming.

Now! First of all, we must know that every thing God promised from Genesis to Revelation is true, and has been or are being fulfilled.

God promised through the word of Isaiah in 62:11 and Zechariah 9:9 that the King would come, riding on a donkey and the colt of a donkey.

When you look at the Palm Sunday story as recorded in the book of Matthew the 21^st chapter we can see that God promise is fulfilled.

Now! Through the fulfillment of this promise, we know that if we would stand firmly on the promises of God all things will work for our good.

I know it will because as Jesus entered the town of Bethpage, near Jerusalem, He said to two of His disciples, “Go to the town you can see there. When you enter it, you will quickly find a donkey tied there with its colt. Untie them and bring them to me.” He went on to say to the two disciples, “If anyone asks you why you are taking the donkeys, say that the Master needs them, and he will send them at once."

Now! All of this was done to fulfill what was written in Isaiah 62:11 and Zechariah 9:9.

Providence, because God is a God that stands behind His promises, we must take heed and go about our lives standing on the promises because God will never let us down.

The Bible said, as Jesus received the donkey and colt as requested of His two disciples, garment were laid upon the donkey as a means of a temporary saddle, and clothes and palm branches were laid along the road way as of means royalty.

And my King and your King road into Jerusalem to establish the fact as it was written your King is coming.

Providence, we need to know that Jesus is a different kind of king. Most Kings comes determined to rule, Jesus comes determined to serve. Most kings ride white stallions or fly in Boeing 747, but King Jesus rides a donkey. He knew what He was doing.

See, the white stallion stands for war; that's what the people wanted. They awaited a leader who would set them free from the yoke of Rome. Instead, Jesus rode a donkey, a symbol of meekness and peace.

Jesus, unlike other Kings who set themselves up for a royal and hero’s death, He prepared Himself for the cross whereas He was marked by the insulting inscription: "King of the Jews."

Providence, Jesus knew precisely who He was. He knew He was the Messiah promised in Old Testament Scriptures. Critics may deny this, but the record is clear. Jesus knew He was that promise, therefore, He dressed for the occasion, preparing Himself for the kind of entrance into Jerusalem described by Isaiah and Zechariah.

He declared in no uncertain terms, by his posture and bearing, "I am the King

Providence, as Jesus made that triumphant entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, your King and my King is making that same triumphant entry into the hearts of those who are lost by and through the prayers of those of us who are standing on the promises of God.

I don’t know about you! But if God said it, I believe it and I am going to take him at His word.

For God Himself said, “My word shall not go and return void. It shall accomplish everything it set out to do.”

Jesus came with compassion. He wanted to transform us through the regenerating power of His Holy Spirit. He wanted to touch our life and make us a whole person where our body, soul and spirit fit together eternally. Therefore, Isaiah described Him in these words: “He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his stripes we are healed.

Isaiah went on to say, “We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way, and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.

All of this was promised by God to happen and it did happen so that you and I would be delivered from the yoke of bondage.

So, let us join our force and know that our King, who is coming back for us as he promised, wants us to stand firm on His promises and not allow Satan to steal our joy and make us two weak to fight.

Let us stand firm in the promises of God and watch God change us by and through the blood shed, the death and resurrection of our Lord and savior Jesus the Christ.

Happy Easter and to God be the glory!

Palm Sunday should remain in your heart as the day your King, above all Kings, came to set free those who were captivated by sin by and through the promises of God.

Look at somebody and say, your king and my king is coming again. So, let us take a stand by standing on the promises of God.

Because of Calvary,

Rev. Dr. Alexander Pope, Jr.

Positive Thought for April

The truth that needs proof is only half true

Sermon Theme for April

Standing on His Promises

Remember the 3 Ps for 2012:

Be Present

Be Prompt

First Providence Baptist Church
315 Barton Road
North Augusta, SC 29841
Phone: (803) 279-8836
Fax: (803) 441-8666
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