February 17, 2008
Sunday 10:00am WLEX TV Channel 18

Sovereign grace o’er sin abounding
Ransomed souls the tidings swell
Tis a deep that knows no sounding
Who its breadth or length can tell?
On its glories, on its glories
Let my soul forever dwell.

What from Christ my soul can sever
Bound by everlasting bands?
Once in Him, in Him forever
Thus th’ eternal covenant stands
None shall pluck me, none shall pluck me
From the strength of Israel’s hands.

Heirs of God, joint heirs with Jesus
Long ere time its race begun
To His name eternal praises
Oh! What wonders love hath done!
One with Jesus, one with Jesus,
By eternal union one.

On such love, my soul still ponder,
Love so great, so rich, so free
Say, whilst lost in holy wonder
Why, O Lord, such love to me?
Hallelujah, Hallelujah,
Grace shall reign eternally!

(Tune: “Come Ye Sinners”)


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Pastor Donnie Bell will preach for us tonight. Pastor Henry Mahan will preach here next Sunday for both services.


Birthdays
18th – Kevin Bailey 19th – Brooklyn Bigelow 20th – Megan Harries
21st – Tim Daniel 22nd – Zachary Byrd 22nd – Evonne Kincer
“It is not good to eat much honey: so for men to search their own glory is not glory.” - Proverb 25:27

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THAT WHICH IS LACKING IN YOUR FAITH
Paul said he wanted to see the Thessalonians face to face that he “might perfect that which is lacking in your faith.” All of us have that which is lacking in our faith. We read in the Scriptures of “weak faith”, and “little faith”. I daresay all of us are aware that our faith is not as strong as it should be.
In John 11, the story of the resurrection of Lazarus from the dead, we see what constitutes whole faith. Martha and Mary were believers. But we see what was lacking in their faith. (1) They did not view Christ highly enough. They both said, “If Thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.” He could have prevented it even if He had not been there. They did not view Christ as highly as they should. (2) They did not have a clear view of union with Christ. When the Lord told Martha her brother would rise again, she replied that she knew he would rise at the last day. She understood the resurrection as an event that would take place. The Lord replied, “I am the resurrection and the life.” Because of union with Christ, I was raised with Christ and His life is my life. My biography is the life of Christ. How it strengthens our faith when we see we are one with Him. All He is, we are. “As He is, so are we in this world.” (3) They looked too much at circumstances. When He commanded them to roll away the stone, Martha said, “Lord, by this time he stinketh, for he hath been dead four days.” But is anything to hard for the Lord?
Would we have our faith strengthened? View Christ highly. “He is able” to dominate our thoughts of Him. Believe union with Him. That creates confidence and boldness. Don’t look at circumstances, “For with God nothing shall be impossible.”

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“I WILL, BE THOU CLEAN” - Matthew 8:3
As desperate as his case was, this leper knew Christ COULD heal Him. The only question remaining was WOULD Christ heal? Christ had the power: did He also have the heart? The blessed answer, of course, was yes. And it is “yes” for every sin-leper who yet comes to Him who has both power and willingness to save. Christ CAN save you, and if you come to Him, you will find Him also WILLING to save you.
- Pastor Joe Terrell

A CLEAR CONSCIENCE
In I Peter 3:21, he describes baptism as “the answer of a good conscience toward God, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.” All men crave a clear conscience. Our self-justifying heart is always trying to figure out a way to pin the blame on someone else. Few are willing to admit to their sins, and none will carry the load of guilt for very long. And yet, no human effort has ever set a man free from the fear of standing before a Holy God. But, Peter speaks of some who have a guilt-free conscience, not only before men, but toward God Himself! How is that? It’s not that they have no reason to have a bad conscience. No, quite the contrary. They view everything they do as offensive to God! But, with just one recollection, all the black stains of sin are completely cleared from their conscience: By the resurrection of Jesus Christ! That single glorious act is all the proof they need that their sins are gone, completely hidden from the all-seeing eye of God, under the blood of their successful Savior. Now, that’s a good conscience!
- Mark Daniel

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“So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts to wisdom” (Psalm 90:12). This heavenly arithmetic is seldom considered, even by the wise! But in light of the fact that “the days of our years” are passing away so quickly, wouldn’t we be wise to so think of and measure our time that we may apply our hearts to Jesus Christ, who is true wisdom. “For whoso findeth Me findeth and shall obtain favor of the Lord” (Proverbs 8:35).
– Pastor Henry Mahan

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ONE THING
Grace, love, faith, repentance, prayers, and doctrines are all good and necessary things…but they did not live and die for me….Christ did. Christ alone is my salvation. He is who I trust, He is who I love.
“But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:42). Christ is the one thing needful for the salvation of a sinner.
– Brian DuFour