January 11, 2009
Sunday 10:00am WLEX TV Channel 18

It is requested that all children under the age of five stay in our nursery
so there will be no distractions during the preaching of the Gospel.

HYMN OF THE DAY
Sons we are, through God’s election
Who in Jesus Christ believe
By eternal destination
Sovereign grace we here receive
Lord Thy mercy, Lord Thy mercy, Does both grace and glory give.

Every fallen soul, by sinning
Merits everlasting pain
But Thy love, without beginning
Has restored Thy sons again
All Thy people, All Thy people, Shall by grace through Jesus reign.

Pause my soul! Adore and wonder!
Ask, “O why such love to me?”
Grace has put me in the number
Of the Saviour’s family
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Thanks, eternal thanks to Thee.

When the Ang el sounds the trumpet
When my soul and body join
When my Saviour comes to judgment
Bright in majesty divine
Let me triumph, Let me triumph, In Thy righteousness as mine.

(Tune: “Angels, from the Realms of Glory” p. 99 )

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We rejoice with Jim and Pam Murphy who were baptized last Sunday. Kristy Burton will confess Christ in believer’s baptism after the service this evening. If anyone else would like to be baptized tonight, please let me know.

Birthdays
12th – Aaron Sligh 13th – Keith Bailey &nbs p; 13th – Wilma Warta
15th – Mike Rigsby 16th - Kelli Harries 17th – Bernita Singleton
“Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth.” - Proverb 26:20

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ARE PEOPLE ASKING?
“Be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason for the hope that is in you.” (I Peter 3:15)
Our lives should be such that when people see how we treat them, how we respond to adversity, they will be forced to ask us… “What is the reason behind the hope you have?” They should experience us as caring, gracious, non-judgmental, merciful people. They should see the peace we have in trouble because of our faith in our God. They should see us as possessing something that the world does not have, and make them interested enough to ask us the reason for the hope that is in us.
But isn’t this a high ideal? It is to be sure, but does not our Lord deserve this? Is not His grace sufficient to enable us to live like this? Rather than being discouraged over how little we live up to this, let’s ask our Gracious Redeemer to enable us to “adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things,” in such a way that those around us will ask us the reason for the hope that is in us.

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T.U.L.I.P
The old truth preached by Spurgeon, Bunyan, the=2 0reformers, and the apostles, is the truth that we must preach today or else be liars to our consciences and to our God. We dare not try to shape truth or smooth away the sharp edges of the doctrines. Mankind is still DEPRAVED (totally), God has ELECTED a people. Christ sufficiently and EFFECTUALLY REDEEMED the elect, the Holy Spirit will CALL out His sheep through the preaching of the Gospel, and all whom He justifies and calls will PERSEVERE! Some ministers profess to be SOUND in grace, but it does not sound like grace when they preach it.
- Pastor Henry Mahan

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“My Son, give me thine heart.” - Proverb 23:6
You may impose all sorts of rules and regulation, requirements, rituals, and organizations on churches and individuals; but if the Lord does not have their hearts, it is all futile. However, a heart devoted to Christ is a heart in love; and true love needs none of these things. I am His and he is mine. – Pastor Henry Mahan

WHICH “GOD” WAS PRAYED TO?
Many people lay claim to salvation through reciting of a sinner’s prayer, saying they “believe in God”, and have asked God for mercy and forgiveness. So if a man or woman, with tears and sincerity cries, “God be merciful to me a sinner!” just like the publican, will they go down to their house justified, not guilty? The answer really depends on two things…..1) Which God was prayed to? 2) Who offered the prayer?
1)…Was the God prayed to a god of man’s natural religion, that loves everybody, died for everybody, so helpless than he can’t do anything until you walk an aisle and decide to accept him as your savior?
…..Or was the God prayed to the God of Scripture, the Creator, the Lord and King, sovereign in power, choosing whom He will save and justly leaving all others20to their condemnation?
2)…Was the person who offered the prayer “a sinner” of man’s religion, once pretty bad but now straightened up, getting better everyday, able to come up with strong enough faith to make it to heaven?
…..Or was the person who offered the prayer “the sinner” described in Scripture, spiritually dead, nothing but evil, a worm, unable to do any good in thought, word, or deed?
The salvation of “the sinner” occurs under the sound of the Gospel, the truth…where a man is taught who the God of Scripture is, and who the sinner of Scripture is. If you have asked for mercy from a god of man’s religion, repent! Cast yourself down as the sinner at the feet of our sovereign God, and ask for mercy! The God of Scripture delights in showing mercy to the sinner. – Brian DuFour



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In spiritual things all your temptation, all your darkness, all your wanderings God will overrule. It shall be well with you. There shall never be a night, but that morning shall come; there shall never be a day of trouble, but a day of prosperity shall follow; there shall never be an emptying, but there shall be a filling; there shall never be a bringing down, but that He will raise you up again. Let it be either darkness or light, sorrow or grief, night or day, life or death, time or eternity, “It shall be well with the righteous.” - Pastor Scott Richardson