November 22, 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
Oh, love beyond the reach of thought
That formed the sovereign plan
Ere Adam had our ruin wrought
Of saving fallen man!
Chosen in Christ, His ransomed flock
Th’ eternal purpose prove
By nature of a sinful stock
Made blameless now in love.
Ransomed by price, by blood redeemed
Restored by power divine
Though lightly by the world esteemed
They as the stars shall shine.
Blessed be the Father of our Lord
From whom all blessing spring
And blessed be the Incarnate Word
Our Saviour and our King!
(Tune: “O For A Thousand Tongues” p. 46)
*****
Beginning December 6th, our television program will air at 7:00am Sunday mornings
on WKYT channel 27.
Birthdays
24th – Martin Weinstock 25th – Sarah Lynn
26th – Adam Charron 28th – Lydia Lynn
“The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the
Lord.” - Proverb 16:33
IF GOD IS SOVEREIGN – IS MAN RESPONSIBLE?
Yes. I do not understand how God is absolutely sovereign, the first cause of
everything, yet I do neither more nor less than what I want to. My actions are
mine. I do not understand how both of those things are true, but they are. And
if you do not believe in both God’s absolute sovereignty and man’s
complete responsibility, in reality you believe neither.
A belief in God’s absolute sovereignty and man’s complete responsibility
is essential in a sinner asking for mercy. You have never asked for mercy until
you see you are in the hands of a sovereign God and you have no control. If
you fail to see your own responsibility for your actions, you become a victim
of God’s sovereignty. You will not truly ask for mercy when it is not
your fault. But when you see that you are in the hands of an absolute Sovereign,
and that all your sin is all your fault, then and only then will you sue for
mercy.
*****
DEAD TO THIS WORLD
A young student asked his Bible teacher this question, “How is the believer
dead to the world when he lives in the world, works a regular job, raises a
family, and owns property in the world?” The teacher sent him out to the
gravesite of a friend with instructions to criticize the dead friend, harass
him, and find fault, and then praise him with glowing terms and brag on him
to excess. Upon his return, the teacher asked, “What did your friend say
when you criticized him?” “Nothing.” “How did he react
when you praised him?” “It made no difference to him; he is dead!”
“That is what it means to be dead to this world,” said the teacher.
Its APPLAUSE means nothing and its HATRED means nothing. We neither ADMIRE the
people of this world nor do we FEAR them. The riches of this world are but the
fancy of fools, and the honors of this world mean little or nothing; for to
be a child of God is the highest calling. The religious traditions and ceremonies
of the world have no attraction nor meaning when CHRIST IS ALL! That which was
once important to us we now consider loss for the excellency of the knowledge
of Christ, our Lord. This spiritual life in Christ cannot be explained; it must
be experienced.
- Pastor Henry Mahan
It is almost invariably the case that when persons grow skeptical who once professed
to be religious, and begin picking at this and that, there is a secret evil
in their lives which they thus try to cover from their own consciences. The
devil tempts them to rail at the ministry because the Gospel presses hard upon
their guilty consciences, and makes them feel uneasy in their sins. If you are
to hear God’s word with pleasure and profit to yourselves, you must “lay
apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness”; for these things
will prejudice you against the Word of God, and render you incapable of the
lively appreciation of it which is so needful to profiting thereby. –
Charles H. Spurgeon
*****
The strongest Christians do scarcely show their own weakness in any one thing
more than they do in hearing their own praises. Christian, thou knowest thou
carriest gun-power about thee, desire those that carry fire to keep at a distance
from thee. It is a dangerous crisis when a proud heart meets with flattering
lips. – John Flavel