November 1, 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
Chief of sinners though I be
Jesus shed His blood for me
Died that I might live on high
Lived that I might never die
As the branch is to the vine
I am His and He is mine.
Oh the heights of Jesus’ love!
Higher than the heav’ns above
Deeper than the depths of sea
Lasting as eternity
Love that found me – wondrous thought
Found me when I sought Him not.
Jesus only can impart
Balms to heal the smitten heart
Peace that flows from sin forgiv’n
Joy that lifts the soul to heav’n
Faith and hope that walk with God
In the way that Enoch trod.
Chief of sinners though I be
Christ is All in all to me
All my wants to Him are known
All my sorrows are His own
Safe with Him from earthly strife
He sustains the hidden life.
Oh, my Savior, help afford
By Thy Spirit and Thy word!
When my wayward heart would stray
Keep me in Thy narrow way
Grace in time of need supply
While I live and when I die.
(Tune: “Rock of Ages” p. 126)
*****
WE WILL OBSERVE THE LORD’S TABLE THIS EVENING.
We all had a good time at the pig roast last weekend and want to say a special
thanks to Lissie, Jean, and Joe for making it all possible!
Birthdays
1st – Charles McGuire 2nd – Amy Tudor 3rd – Jeff Sullivan
4th – Laura Benton 4th – Steve Sligh
6th – Lauren Burton 6th – Chris Rozeboom
“Let not thine heart envy sinners; but be thou in the fear of the Lord
all the day long.” - Proverb 23:17
*****
MARY’S CHOICE
Life is filled with choices. There are many things set before us, all of which
have a measure of importance. Martha had the Lord Jesus as a dinner guest in
her home. There were many things that needed her attention. Luke tells us, “she
was cumbered about with much serving.” Who could criticize her for that?
But her sister Mary simply set at Jesus’ feet, and heard His word as He
taught. This irritated Martha and she said, “Lord, dost not Thou care
that my sister hath left me to serve alone? Bid her therefore that she help
me.” She was indignant about her sister’s choice. The Lord replied,
“Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things; (sound
like anybody you know?) but one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that
good part, which shall not be taken from her.” And what was the one thing
needful that Mary chose? She “sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word.”
Both of these women were believers. And one of them made a better choice. May
we never forget, with all the choices before us, that nothing is as important
as hearing His Word.
*****
God’s grace is completely unmerited. It is not God’s response to
anything in us or about us. It is not His reaction to us; our faith, our feeling
or need, or even our sin. God does not need to see a reason in us to be gracious.
If He did, it really would not be grace! His reason for being gracious is found
in Himself. He is gracious! David put it this way. “Have mercy upon me,
O God, according to Thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of Thy
tender mercies blot out my transgressions.” (Psalm 51:1)
A SPIRITUAL EYE
“Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh….”
II Corinthians 5:16
What makes for a pleasant, enjoyable church? What can we do to enhance the enjoyment
of our worship and fellowship? One thing we can do is quit passing a fleshly
or worldly judgment on our brethren. The word translated “know”
means regard or perceive. So long as we perceive our brethren according to the
same standard the world does, we will find fault with them and create a discord.
But if we perceive them according to the rule of grace, as new creatures in
Christ, then their faults will not be so obvious to us and the faults we yet
see will be easy to forgive. This is not a “Polly-Ann-ish” attitude
than denies that there are faults and offenses; but a sober realization that,
despite the fleshly faults present in every one of God’s people, they
are God’s people none-the-less. We are to perceive one another as though
these old things have “passed away”, (for in God’s eyes, they
have) and all things have become new. The slate is clean and is ever being cleansed
by God. So, take off the worldly spectacles that cause us to see only weakness,
failure and flesh in our brethren, and put on the spectacles of grace, which
enable us to see the handiwork of God in them. – Pastor Joe Terrell
*****
GOD DID IT
To be saved by grace means that God did it all and I had no hand in it at all.
Can I elect, choose, and select myself to be one of His chosen sheep? No….God
did it – “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you” (John
15:16). Can I keep God’s holy law perfectly, then die under the wrath
of God as one who had never kept His law, then raise myself from the grave and
seat myself at the right hand of God? No…Christ did it – “But
this man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the
right hand of God” (Hebrews 10:12). Can I give myself spiritual life as
a dead sinner, of my own will believing and repenting? No…the Holy Spirit
did it – “A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will
I put within you: and I will take away the stony (dead) heart out of your flesh,
and I will give you an heart of flesh (alive)” (Ezekiel 36:26).
If I am saved, God did it…He didn’t do it with help from me, He
did it in spite of me. – Brian DuFour