March 9, 2008
Sunday 10:00am WLEX TV Channel 18

When Christ was nailed to the cursed-tree
My sins were laid on His body there
In Him I suffered the just penalty
So never shall God’s fury bear.

When Christ was buried in the tomb
My sins were buried with Him there
Death, its Victim did consume
My sins, I’ll never have to bear.

When Christ arose from Death’s dread home
My sins were gone! Not one was there!
Sinless like Him I’m seen from God’s throne
And in His righteousness I share.

When Christ ascended to His throne
My soul was seated with Him there
Praise be to Him! God’s glorious Son
All glory be to Him for e’er.

Surely as Christ’s in heaven now
I will arise to be with Him there
I’ll see His face; my knee shall bow
And I shall all His likeness wear!

(Tune: “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross” p. 118)


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Birthdays
10th – Sean Bigelow 11th – Bill Dent 12th – Chance Borders
13th – Renee Brice 13th – Nicholas Creamer
13th – Isaac Hands 14th – Aaron Greenleaf


“Every word of God is pure: He is a shield to them that put their trust in Him.” - Proverb 30:5

AMBASSADORS FOR CHRIST
Paul spoke in II Corinthians 5:20 of being Ambassadors for Christ. The word is taken from the word which means elder, aged, advanced. It carries with it the idea of experience in the things of God. We all know what an ambassador is. He represents his nation and the interest of his nation to another country. What that other country knows of the country the Ambassador represents is seen in what they see and know in the ambassador himself. Every believer is an ambassador of Christ to this world. What does the world see of my Master through me? What does my employer and fellow employees see? They should see the hardest working, most friendly, helpful and considerate person in the workplace. They should find me to be a kind, gracious, compassionate, merciful person. What does my spouse and children see? They above all others see if I really believe what I say I do. How does the church of God see me? If they were all like me, what kind of church would it be? What about the enemies of the Gospel? Do they see what I stand for uncompromisingly with regard to my Master and His Truth? Oh for grace to reflect the glory of my Master, as the moon reflects the glory of the sun, as a good ambassador of Jesus Christ.


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When knowledge of the truth does not lead us to worship the Lord in love with a sense of awe, it is evidence that our knowledge of the truth has not gone beyond our brains – it has not penetrated our hearts. Divine truth was not given to make us intelligent, but to make us WISE unto true salvation manifested in a heart-felt worship of the God who made us and redeemed us by His Son. It is true there is no getting to the heart without going through the brain; for the heart cannot receive what the brain does not know. But we must strive so that the truth does not get stuck in our brains and go no further. Truth in the brain puffs up with pride; truth in the heart bends the knee to Christ. – Pastor Joe Terrell


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By the light of nature we see God as a God above us; by the light of the law we see Him as a God against us; but by the light of the Gospel we see Him as Emmanuel, God with us. – Matthew Henry


“For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak, we in Christ.”
– II Corinthians 2:17
We should aim to speak as “IN THE SIGHT OF GOD.” We are to ask ourselves not, “What did the people think of me?” but, “What was I in the sight of God?” Latimer was once called upon to preach before Henry VIII, and he began his sermon in the following manner (I quote from memory and do not pretend to verbal accuracy). He began: “Latimer! Latimer! Do you remember that you are speaking before the high and mighty King Henry VIII, before the one who has power to command you to be sent to prison, before the one who can have your head chopped off if it pleases him to do so? Won’t you be careful to say nothing that will offend royal ear?” Then, after a pause, he went on: “Latimer! Latimer! Don’t you remember that you are speaking before the
KING OF KINGS and LORD OF LORDS, before the One at the bar of whose judgment HENRY VIII WILL STAND, before the One to whom one day you will have to give account yourself? Latimer! Latimer! Be faithful to your Master and declare God’s Word.” Oh, that this may be the spirit in which we may always step down from our pulpits, not caring whether men are pleased or displeased, not caring whether men say we were eloquent or a poor speaker, but going away with a conscience which testifies that “I have spoken as in the sight of God.”
- J. C. Ryle, 1856, Helmingham, England



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The Holy Scripture is the only rule of faith and practice. The true Christian was intended by Christ to prove al things by the Word of God, all churches, all ministers, all teaching, all preaching, all doctrines, all sermons, all writings, all opinions, all practices. These are his marching orders. Prove all by the Word of God; measure all by the measure of the Bible; compare all with the standard of the Bible; weigh all in the balances of the Bible; examine all by the light of the Bible; test all in the crucible of the Bible. That which can abide the fire of the Bible- receive, hold, believe, and obey. That which cannot abide the fire of the Bible- reject, refuse, repudiate, and cast away. - Wycliffe