January 25, 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
Come, Thou Almighty Comforter
And bring upon Thy wing
Sweet consolation to each soul
That we may praise and sing.

We want to hear, we want to see
We want to know Christ more
We want sweet foretastes of His love
As we have had before.

And shall we come in vain to God?
O Lord, that cannot be
Thy promise stands engaged to come
And bless e’vn two or three.

Lord, give more love, more sincere faith
More confidence in Thee
Break off our legal chains, O God
And l et our souls go free.

(Tune: “Come Holy Spirit, Heavenly Dove” p. 158)



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Birthdays
26th – Brian Bailey 26th – Mike Farmer 26th – Lynn Nibert
27th – Judy Borders 28th – Ryan Rozeboom 29th – Ophelia Mosley



“Better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith, than an house full of sacrifices with strife.” - Proverbs 17:1

IF BAPTISM DOES NOT SAVE, WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?
Baptism is a ceremony, and nothing more. There is no saving efficacy in it nor is it a means through which grace is conveyed. But, that does not take away from its importance. The marriage ceremony does not cause a man and woman to love one another. They love each other before they participated in the marriage ceremony. But if they refuse to participate in the marriage ceremony, and live together without it, they say by that, that they do not love one another enough to be totally committed to one another. This shows how important the marria ge ceremony is. There is no true love without it. Baptism is the same. It does not cause salvation. It speaks of a relationship that was already there before the ceremony. And that relationship was caused by what baptism depicts: Union with Christ. For someone to refuse Baptism is like someone who refuses the marriage covenant and ceremony. That person says by their actions, “I do not love Christ enough to commit to Him.” Love like that is not love at all! Yes, Baptism is important. “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved” (Mark 16:16).





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“Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right.” This is what Abraham said to the Lord when he found out the Lord was going to destroy Sodom. Abraham had prayed that Sodom might be preserved for the sake of ten righteous men. Abraham was sure of this…whatever the Lord does is right! He does not do it because it is right, it is right because He does it!
There are so many questions that arise in our mind. “Why did the Lord let that happen?” “Why does it seem that so few are saved?” What happens to infants and mentally disabled people when they die?” We could go on and on with questions that arise in all of our minds. But there is no need to become stressed concerning any of them because we have this blessed assurance. “Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right.” Yes, He shall! Whatever He does is right. I may not understand what He is doing, but I do understand that whatever He does, and however He does it, is right!

 

Preachers today are licensed and ordained by the church; men of old were ordained and sent by God. Preachers today go forth armed with degrees and credentials; men of old went forth anointed by the Holy Spirit. Preachers are questioned by committees and hired to preach what the church believes; men of old came preaching, “Thus saith the Lord.” Preachers today give themselves to programs, visitation, church business; men of old “gave themselves to prayer and the ministry of the Word.” Preachers today preach and men are persuaded to move their membership; men of old preached and, “they were pricked in their hearts and cried, Men and brethren, what shall we do?” Preachers today pray and the organ plays softly; Elijah prayed and the fire of God fell. Preachers today are afraid that they will offend someone; Paul was afraid that he would not. If there is no offence, the cross has not been preached.
- Copied


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I have often been amazed by how utterly blind people can be to their own sins, faults, hypocrisies, and inconsistencies, and yet they have the eye of an eagle in seeing the same things in other people. Oh, my soul, what am I blind to in myself? “Cleanse Thou me from secret faults” (Psalm 19:12)…..sins that I am not even aware that I am guilty of committing.