August 9, 2009
Sundays 11:00 am Channel 36 WTVQ
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

I bless the Christ of God, I rest on love divine
And with unfaltering lip and heart, I call the Saviour mine
His cross dispels each doubt, I bury in His tomb
Each thought of unbelief and fear
Each lingering shade of gloom.

I praise the God of peace, I trust His truth and might
He calls me His, I call Him mine, My God, my Joy, my Light
In Him is only good, in me is only ill
My ill but draws His goodness forth
And me He loveth still.

‘Tis He Who saveth me, and freely pardon gives
I love because He loveth me, I live because he lives
My life with Him is hid, my death has passed away
My clouds have melted into light
My midnight into day.

(Tune: “This is My Father’s World” p. 39)


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We will observe the Lord’s Table tonight.


Birthdays
10th – Eric Wilson 13th – Megan Davis 15th – Jan Carver
15th – Delphus Grubb 15th – Anna Grace Meek



“He that walketh in his uprightness feareth the Lord: but he that is perverse in His ways despiseth Him.” - Proverb 14:2
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DECIDE FOR CHRIST
I assert that no sinner ever really “decides for Christ”. That term “decides” has always seemed to me quite wrong. I have often heard people use expressions which have disturbed me and made me feel very unhappy. They have generally done so in ignorance and with the best intentions. I can think of an old man who often used the following expression: “You know friends, I decided for Christ forty years ago, and I have never regretted it.” What a terrible thing to say! “Never regretted it!” But th at is the kind of thing people say who have been brought up under this teaching and approach. A sinner does not “decide” for Christ, the sinner FLIES TO CHRST in utter helplessness and despair, saying: “Foul, I to the fountain fly, wash me Savior, or I die!”
No man truly comes to Christ unless he flies to Him as his only refuge and hope, his only way of escape from the accusations of conscience and condemnation of God’s holy law. Nothing else is satisfactory. If a man says that, “having thought about the matter and having considered all sides,” he has on the whole “decided for Christ,” and if he has done so without any emotion or feeling, I cannot regard him as a man who has been regenerated. The convicted sinner no more “decides for Christ” than the poor drowning man decides to take hold of the rope that is thrown him and suddenly provides him the only means of escape. The term is entirely inappropriate! &nbs p; - Martin L. Jones




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The Holy Spirit does not try to draw sinners to Christ. His power is not defeated by the power of man’s free-will. The Holy Spirit invades the hearts of those dead sinners, who were chosen in eternal love and redeemed by the blood of Christ, giving them eternal life, creating faith in their hearts toward Christ. He draws sinners to Christ by the power of His irresistible grace. “Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power.” “Blessed is the man whom thou choosest and causet to approach unto Thee.” This is the God of the Bible. This is the God whom we worship. He is the eternal, triune God, the God of sovereign power and irresistible grace. This is our God. We acknowledge no other!” - Pastor Donnie Bell
IS OUR MESSAGE OFFENSIVE?
Paul called his message “The offense of the cross” (Galatians 5:11). Again and again he warned that the true Gospel of God’s grace and glory would meet with great opposition from the religious world and the natural world. “The preaching of the cross is foolishness” (I Cor. 1:18). “The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God” (I Cor. 2:14). Our Lord said, “Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you” (I John 3:13). He also said, “They shall put you out of the synagogues (organized religion): yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killed you will think that he doeth God service” (John 16:2). If what we preach is NOT offensive to the religionist and to the worldling, then it is NOT THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST. I repeat…it is not the Gospel!
1.GOD’S ABSOLUTE SOVEREIGNTY in creation, providence and redemption offends man’s claim to free will! “We will not have this man to REIGN over us” (Luke 19:14).
2.The preaching of TOTAL DEPRAVITY AND INABILITY offends man’s dignity and claim to personal righteousness. “We be not born of fornication”, that is “We be not (they say) born in sin.” “We may not be perfect, but we are not totally corrupt in God’s sight.”
3.The Gospel of Christ comes by REVELATION, and this offends man’s natural wisdom. The college professor knows as much about the mysteries of grace as the farmhand, which is nothing apart from the Spirit of God.
4. EFFECTUAL REDEMPTION through the Person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ, our Substitute and Sin-offering, offends man’s pride. Men would have God do all that He wants to do and all that He can do, but there must be a work left for the sinner to perform, that we might share somewhat in the glory.
5. THE LORDSHIP OF JESUS CHRIST offends man’s desire for recognition here and hereafter. “They said unto Him, Grant unto us that we may sit, one on Thy right hand, and the other on Thy left hand, in Thy glory” (Mark 10:37). “Let us have a system of rewards to distinguish us in some way from the beggar.” We have established our social levels here and choose to continue them in heaven.
& nbsp; - Pastor Henry Mahan