December 16, 2007
Sunday 10:00am WLEX TV Channel 18

Before the throne of God above
I have a strong, a perfect plea
A great High Priest, whose name is love
Who ever lives and pleads for me.

My name is graven on His hands
My name is written on His heart
I know that while in heav’n He stands
No tongue can bid me to depart.

Because the sinless Saviour died
My sinful soul is counted free
For God, the Just, is satisfied
To look on HIM and pardon me.

One with Himself, I cannot die
My soul is purchased with His blood
My life is hid with Christ on high
With Christ, my Saviour and my God.

(Tune: “When I Survey” p. 118)


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All of the adults are invited to a get-together this Friday night at the Hartland Club House from 7:00-11:00. Bring an appetizer or dessert.
(Out Tates Creek Rd. about 1 mile past Man-O-War - Left into Hartland entrance - Clubhouse is several blocks down on right.)


Seth Daniel has a new address:
PVT Daniel, Seth
536th Maintenance Company 6021
Camp Taji, Iraq
APO AE 09378


Birthdays
16th – Cindy Farmer 19th – Amanda Carver 21st – Erik Charron

 

 

“Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil.” - Proverbs 3:7

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IF GOD IS SOVEREIGN - HOW ARE MEN RESPONSIBLE?
God is sovereign. You cannot take that too far or overstate it. Everything that happens, happens according to the sovereign will of God. “He worketh all things after the counsel of His own will” (Eph. 1:11).
If God’s will determines everything, how can men be responsible for their actions? Paul addressed this question in Romans 9:18-19, “Therefore hath He mercy on whom He will have mercy, and whom He will He hardeneth. Thou wilt say unto me, why doth He yet find fault? For who hath resisted His will?” A paraphrase would be, “If God hardened my heart, how can I be responsible? I am only acting from the heart that God hardened.” I do not know how to answer that question, other than to say, that is just the way it is. God is sovereign. We are responsible. If my understanding of God’s sovereignty makes me conclude that men are not responsible for their actions, I really do not understand God’s sovereignty. But did you know that a belief of human responsibility is an essential part of spiritual life. We have never confessed our sin before God unless we believe our sin is wholly our fault. There is no confession of sin if we lay the blame on God’s sovereign will. We have never truly asked for mercy if we do not believe we are responsible for our sins. If we deny human responsibility, we must also deny salvation by grace. Grace is for the guilty, not for victims of God’s sovereignty. God is sovereign and men are responsible. It is impossible to believe the Gospel if either of these truths are rejected.


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It is hard to say which is worse – the atheist who says, “There is no God” or the religionist who maintains that God cannot do as He pleases.
Since all men by nature have stony hearts, all the threatening in the world will do no good; the stony heart of natural man must be pierced by THE POWER OF GOD in order to be tender! One with a tender heart desires to know the will of God, has a readiness for spiritual things, has a disposition to obey revealed truth, and has a desire to make the things of God his chief business. – Pastor Scott Richardson

 

 

BEFORE YOUR EYES
“At that time will I bring you again, even in the time that I gather you: for I will make you a name and a praise among all people of this earth, when I turn back your captivity before your eyes, saith the Lord” (Zephaniah 3:20).
Through faith given to me by the saving grace of God, I see right before my eyes Christ hanging on that cross, setting me free from the dominion of sin and the law – “For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace” (Rom. 6:14). Turn your eyes upon Christ – trusting in His life as your righteousness, His blood as your atonement. Salvation is by grace, salvation is free! This glorious truth of a free salvation in Christ is set before your eyes through the preaching of the Gospel. Simply look and live – “…and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived” (Numbers 21:9).
– Brian Dufour


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“For my flesh is meat INDEED, and my blood is drink INDEED!” (John 6:55). It is not just eating that nourishes and gives life, but eating good food. If a man eats poison, he will die. It is so spiritually. Christ’s flesh is true life-giving meat, and His blood is saving blood. A person is not saved because he believes and receives something or someone. But “CHRIST IN YOU is the hope of glory.” “He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternal life….dwelling in me and I in Him.” - Pastor Henry Mahan


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Where grace reigns, there will be in the attitude, conduct, and conversation that which betokens its presence. - C. H. Spurgeon