May 18, 2008
Sunday 10:00am WLEX TV Channel 18
It is requested that children under the age of five stay in our nursery
so there will be no distractions during the preaching of the Gospel.
Sovereign grace o’re sin abounding!
Ransomed souls, the tidings swell
‘Tis a deep that knows no sounding
Who its breadth or length can tell?
What from Christ that soul can sever
Bound by everlasting bands?
Once in Him, in Him forever
None can pluck thee from His hands.
Heirs of God, joint-heirs with Jesus
Long ere time its race begun
To His name eternal praises
O what wonders Christ hath done.
On such love, my soul shall ponder
Love so great, so rich, so free
Say, while lost in holy wonder
Why, O Lord, such love to me?
(Tune: “Jesus Calls Us” p. 374)
*****
We welcome Pastor Tim James and his wife Debbie of the Sequoyah Baptist Church
in Cherokee, North Carolina. He will bring both messages today. I am preaching
in California and will return Monday.
Birthdays
18th – Dave Burton 19th – Dylan Daniel
19th – Kay Sligh 20th – Melanie White
“For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked
shall fall into mischief.” - Proverbs 24:16
PATIENCE
We would all like to have more patience. But remember, it only comes through
trials – “Tribulation worketh patience” (Rom 5:3). It means
“to abide under”. It is the fruit of faith, really believing that
God is in control, therefore we are patient. We are to run the race set before
us with patience (Heb. 12:2). To walk worthy of God is to walk with patience
(Col. 1:11). It was only the good ground hearer that brought forth fruit with
patience (Luke 8:15). It is patience that perfects Christian character. “But
let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting
nothing” (James 1:4). Understanding the Scriptures brings patience.
“For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning,
that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.”
God is called “the God of patience” (Rom. 15:5), and we read of
“the Kingdom of patience of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rev. 1:9).
Patience is our response to this promise, “But there shall not a hair
of your head perish. In your patience possess ye your souls” (Luke 21:18-19).
I dare say all of us feel we are severely lacking in the grace of patience.
But be encouraged. According to Col. 1:11, we are “strengthened with
all might according to His glorious power unto all patience.” “We
have need of patience” (Heb. 10:36), and we are to pursue it (I Tim.
6:11). When we are not patient, we are practicing unbelief. Lord, by your
grace, make us patient.
*****
ONE AND ANOTHER
It is one thing to preach about the Gospel. It is another to preach the Gospel.
It is one thing to know about Christ. It is another thing to know Christ.
It is one thing to agree that the Bible teaches grace. It is another thing
to believe grace. It is one thing to say the Bible is the Word of God. It
is another thing to know and to believe what it actually says. It is one thing
to say you love Christ. It is another thing to love Him. It is one thing to
go to worship services. It is another thing to worship. It is one thing to
hear the preacher’s voice. It is another thing to hear God’s voice.
It is one thing to say you are a sinner. It is another thing to believe you
are a sinner. It is one thing to believe there is a Saviour. It is another
to rely on the Saviour! It is one thing to be indoctrinated. It is another
to know the Doctor - Jesus Christ!
QUENCHING TEMPTATION
“Above all, taking the shield of faith wherewith ye shall be able to
quench all the fiery darts of the wicked” (Eph. 6:16). If you are a
believer, you can count on Satan hurling the fiery darts of temptation at
you. The lust of the flesh (the appetite of fallen nature), the lust of the
eyes (the concern over what others see), and the pride of life (the temptation
to look somewhere other than Christ alone as everything in salvation) (I John
2:16).
We do not quench the fiery darts of temptation by resolutely determining to
not give in to them, nor are there certain buttons we can push, or religious
formulas we can use to douse them. The only thing that will quench the fiery
darts of the wicked is faith in Christ. The appetites of the flesh loose their
appeal when we see Christ as all! The concern over what other men see in us
evaporates when we are concerned about what Christ sees. The temptation to
rob Christ of His glory in salvation is taken away when we behold the sufficiency
of our Redeemer.
The fiery darts of Satan; the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and
the pride of life has such an appeal to the flesh that these things cannot
be resisted…..unless we are given grace to see something better…..Christ
crucified! A view of Him is all that will quench the fiery darts of the wicked
one.
*****
Those who have been saved are those who are “being saved” (I Cor.
1:18; Phil 2:12, 13). Those who have learned of Christ are those who “are
learning” of Him (John 6:45; Matt. 11:29). Those who truly know the
Lord are those who “desire to know Him” (Phil 3:7-10). Those who
have seen the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ are those who continue
to cry unto the Lord, “I beseech Thee, show me Thy glory” (Ex.
33:18). These are the people who say, from the heart, “ As for me, I
will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake
with thy likeness” (Psalm17:15). – Pastor Maurice Montgomery