t                   oPastor John and wife Kathy  
 

 
 

Preaching God's Sovereign, Electing Grace   

 

RESCUE BAPTIST CHURCH

2021 Weekly Bulletin


WELCOME TO RESCUE BAPTIST CHURCH

SCHEDULED MEETINGS

      Sunday Morning Bible Study                      10:00 AM

      Sunday Morning Worship                           11:00 AM

      Friday Night Bible Study                                7:30 PM


JANUARY 3, 2021

Hebrews 12:2

Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

OPENING HYMN                              PAGE 262

HOLY! HOLY! HOLY


SCRIPTURE READING

PSALMS 62 
WORSHIP HYMN                             PAGE 43

GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS


DEVOTIONAL


MESSAGE

 Great Faith 

 
CLOSING HYMN                              PAGE 405

 MY FAITH HAS FOUND A REST PLACE


Colossians 1:2 

To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colose: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.  


Come, Sup With Us

“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”    Revelation 3:20                                                    

The door of this house is open, blessed Savior. Come, sup with us and cause us this day to sup with you! If you will come here today, and sit at your table, in your house, our spikenard shall send forth their smell, “because of the savor of thy good ointments” (Song 1:12, 3).

        Mary gave a sweet, instructive testimony of her faith in, gratitude to, and love for the Son of God when she anointed his feet with her costly, fragrant spikenard. Our Savior accepted her worship and publicly honored her for it. As Mary broke open her alabaster box of ointment and the fragrance filled the room, so God’s servants break open the golden casket of Holy Scripture and the sweet aroma of Christ crucified fills his house. As Mary broke open her alabaster box just for Christ, purely for his honor, let us, this day, break open our hearts to him in the confession of our sin and his grace, our emptiness and his fullness, worshipping him, anointing him with praise, devotion, and love; and he will honor us with his manifest approval, visiting us with his grace.

        God the Father anointed his dear Son as our Surety, Savior, Mediator, and King. Surely God’s Anointed should be our Anointed, his Chosen our Chosen, and his Delight our Delight!

Christ our King here spreads his table by the preaching of the gospel and calls his redeemed as his guests. While the King sits at his table, reigning in the hearts of ransomed sinners, his beloved, his graces will flow forth into our hearts by his Spirit. Where two or three gather in his name, there he is. While he sups with them and they with him, the spikenard of his grace flows forth to us and the spikenard of our love, devotion, faith, and deep gratitude flow forth to him. This is worship! 

He says, “Eat, O friends; yea, drink abundantly, O beloved!” The table is his. Indeed, the table is Christ himself! He is our Bread of Life, our Water of Life, and the “Wine that maketh glad the heart.” May he be pleased this day to pour out his Spirit upon us and cause us to hear his voice and see his countenance, making “his name as ointment poured forth” to our hearts. Then (Blessed prospect!), eating his flesh and drinking his blood, possessing eternal life and salvation by his grace, our hearts shall pour forth the spikenard prepared for him. “Return, we beseech thee, O God of hosts: look down from heaven, and behold, and visit this vine; And the vineyard which thy right hand hath planted, and the branch that thou madest strong for thyself.” Come into your garden, blessed Savior, to the beds of spices, gather your lilies and feed among them!

                                                                    Don Fortner


Living in Unity

Psalms 133

“Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments; As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.”

The unity of the brethren begins with a common faith: “There is one faith,” says the Scripture. But David speaks, not only of believing in unity, but of living in unity. This requires effort on our part, for there are natural differences among us, which war against the pleasant unity David so enjoyed. One’s temperament, upbringing, and life experiences give him a perspective on life that differs from those around him. This could prove helpful to the body of Christ as each contributes his level of wisdom to the whole. But more often than not, pride makes our differences into a wedge that divides us. Pride makes a god of our own opinions, and by that “god” we condemn those who differ from us and banish them from our close fellowship.

How sad! That which could prove so pleasant is forfeited so that we may cling to our self-aggrandizing ways! Oh, for a gracious dose of that humility that binds us to one another in that sweet and pleasant fellowship of God’s people! Such humility begins with recognizing that all men of the same faith are, indeed, brethren, despite what other differences may exist. Such humility allows us to rejoice in one another, enjoy one another, and fellowship with one another in a sweet and happy unity. Such humility breaks down the walls of suspicion and opens the way for open and free friendship. Such humility draws us out of the dark, cold places in which we hide from others for fear of being found out and brings us into the warm and inviting community of loving brethren who, with similar humility, dwell in peace with their brethren.

How the church is anointed with grace when such a spirit prevails! How the blessings of God flow down from heaven to us when we live with our brethren in unity! God grant it to be so.                                                   

                                                      Pastor Joe Terrell



 ANNOUNCEMENTS

·       Our FELLOWSHIP DINNER will be following this morning service

·       We will come to THE LORD’S TABLE during our afternoon worship service, Lord willing

·       Our workday is scheduled for January 16th at 10:00 AM
 



FOOD FOR THOUGHT

A PRAYER FOR THE NEW YEAR:  

  "May the Lord bless you and lift up the light of His countenance upon you all and give you peace. May you, during this new year of grace, receive much grace; and may you grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. May we as a church, as pastor, elders, and brethren, mutually strive together to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace, boldly proclaim the gospel of His free and sovereign grace, love, encourage, and support our missionaries and sister churches; and may the Lord save His sheep through the Gospel preached from this place. Whatever trials and sorrows by His divine providence may come our way, whatever mercies and blessings may fall upon us, may we be given the Grace to recognize His hand and purpose in THEM ALL and sing from the heart, ‘Unto Him who hath loved us and washed us from sin, unto HIM BE THE GLORY FOREVER, AMEN!’”

                                                   Pastor Henry Mahan


“The Bible was not given to teach me history, but to teach me grace; not to teach me worldly wisdom, but the wisdom of God!  Therefore, salvation and the way to God is to be found in the Scriptures and in the Scriptures only.  He who does not always preach and teach the Scriptures ought not to be called a minister of God.”

                                                               C. H. Spurgeon


 “It is as bad to invent a god in the imagination as it is to make one with the hands.  The old form of idolatry had its gods made with hands; the new form of idolatry has its gods spun out of the imagination and harbored in the mind.  The unknown God is still the true God.”

                                                                       C. D. Cole


A WILLING SUBSTITUTE

  “Christ did not die on the cross trying to save his people.  HE DIED SAVING HIS PEOPLE!  He was given the name Jesus for that very purpose:  For he shall save his people from their sins (Matt 1:21).  If you believe that God loves every one and died for everyone, then your idol is a failure as all idols are.  The God of scripture is not trying to do anything. HE IS ACCOMPLISHING HIS PURPOSE (Isa. 14:27).  He willingly became a man, laid down his life, paying the price of sin, for his sheep (John 10:15).  We have all sinned and came short of the glory of God; we all deserve the wrath to come, yet there is a people, chosen before the world was (Eph 1:4), who are to be the recipients’ of His Love.

    Because he first loved us, we have a substitute.  One who has paid the price for us, one who stood in our place.  One who willingly received our just reward.  One who laid down his life for us.  No man taketh it from him (John 10:18). 

    Dear reader, I pray that The Lord of Glory is Your Substitute. Today is the day of salvation!  Believe on the LORD JESUS CHRIST and thou shalt be saved.”

                                                                                    Pastor John Reeves



 WHAT IS MEANT BY SOVEREIGN GRACE?

   “Sovereign Grace is God’s grace.  And God’s grace is Sovereign Grace.  If it is not Sovereign Grace, it is not saving grace.  Sovereign Grace is the truth.  Sovereign Grace is the message that declares the electing love of the Father, the redeeming love of the Son, and the invincible love of the Holy Spirit.  Sovereign Grace is the Gospel.  Any message that does not declare the Sovereign Grace of God in Christ Jesus is ‘another gospel!’  Sovereign Grace is saving grace!”                                                                            Pastor Todd Nibert



“I believe men will argue about the new nature up until the time that they have one, and then they will just be grateful to the God of all grace who makes all things new.”

                                      Pastor Christ Cunningham


The Revelation of Faith

    “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.  But God hath revealed them unto us by his spirit:  For the Spirit searcheth all things, yeah, the deep things of God” (I Corinthians 2: 9 - 10).

     “By the sanctification of the spirit and belief of the truth the believer is given spiritual eyes.  Spiritual eyes are eyes that see what others cannot and will not see.  The apostle, Paul describes this vision in II Corinthians 4: 18, saying…‘We look not at things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen:  For the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.’  The faith of God’s elect is the gift of God that enables the believer to see through the eyes of God.  John said of Christ, ‘What he hath seen and heard, that he testifieth; and no man receiveth his testimony.  He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true’ (John 3: 32-33).   The eyes of faith see through God’s eyes.   They see God as He is, man as he is, and Christ reconciling the two.  They see the eternal, immutable, purpose of God in redemption.  They see the everlasting covenant of grace and the one mediator between God and men accomplishing the will of God concerning these things.  The eyes of faith see a bleeding substitute satisfying the justice of God concerning their sins and His righteous obedience as their own righteousness making them ‘holy, unblameable and unreprovable in His sight’ Colossians 1:22

   Seeing through His eyes we see the perfection of God in all He has done and find as God did when he looked upon His work that it is good and complete and sufficient to cease from our labors and enter into His rest.”                                                                           Pastor Darvin Pruitt


“Men do not KNOW Christ the Light by coming to the 5 points of Calvinism any more than they KNOW the darkness of their hearts by memorizing the 10 Commandments.                                                                                                                                               Pastor Clay Curtis

____________________________________________

SUNDAY JANUARY 24, 2021

Proverbs 11:2 

When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom. 

 

WELCOME TO RESCUE BAPTIST CHURCH

SCHEDULED MEETINGS

      Sunday Morning Bible Study           10:00 AM

      Sunday Morning Worship                11:00 AM

      Friday Night Bible Study                    7:30 PM


OPENING HYMN                                    PAGE 526

ALL THAT THRILLS MY SOUL

 
SCRIPTURE READING

PSALMS 65

 
WORSHIP HYMN                                  PAGE 358

I AM THINE O LORD

 
DEVOTIONAL

 
MESSAGE

 
CLOSING HYMN                                 PAGE 404

THE SOLID ROCK


Psalms 31:1 – 4

In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed:

deliver me in thy righteousness. Bow down thine ear to me; deliver me speedily: be thou my strong rock, for an house of defence to save me. For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name's sake lead me, and guide me. Pull me out of the net that they have laid privily for me: for thou art my strength.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Our Winter conference begins this Friday at 7:00 PM
FOOD FOR THOUGHT


CONTENDING FOR THE TRUTH

  “Contending for the truth against the errors of modern religion is the duty of God's servants. I hope our spirit is one of genuine love to all the chosen of God; but today's rule of charity which requires us to keep silent on certain points in order to avoid controversy, I utterly despise. It is treason to the Lord Jesus to be silent on any point where He has spoken, and the honor of His gospel is concerned. It is easy on the flesh to deal in generalities, to denounce hyper-this or hyper-that, and to claim to be a friend to all; but it is required of the loyal servant of King Jesus to maintain His crown-rights and to stand up for His gospel of glory and grace.”                                                   

Pastor Henry Mahan


“It is impossible for a man to be a Christian without having Christ. And if he has Christ, he has at the same time all that is in Christ.  What gives peace to the conscience is that by faith our sins are no more ours, but Christ’s, upon whom God hath laid them all and that on the other hand all Christ’s righteousness is ours.  I call that the great exchange.  Our sin was placed upon him.  His righteousness was placed upon us.  Christ lays his hand on us and we are healed.  He casts his mantle upon us and we are clothed, for he is the glorious Savior, blessed forever.”             

                                                                                         Martin Luther


 “THOSE who have been saved are those who are being saved (I Corinthians 1: 18; Philippians 1: 6; 2: 12 - 13).  Those who have learned of Christ are those who are learning of Him (Matthew 11: 29; John 6: 45).  Those who know the Lord are those who desire to know Him (Philippians 3: 7-10).  Those who have seen the glory of God, in the face of Jesus Christ, (II Corinthians 4: 6) are those who continue to cry, ‘Lord, I beseech thee, show me thy glory’ (Exodus 33: 18).   These are the people who by the grace of God can say, ‘As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness:  I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness’ (Psalm 17: 15).”
                                        Pastor Maurice Montgomery

 JANUARY 10, 2021

Psalms 115:1

Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth's sake. 

OPENING HYMN                    PAGE 201

GRACE GREATER THAN OUR SIN

 
SCRIPTURE READING

PSALMS 63

 
WORSHIP HYMN                  PAGE 350

TIS SO SWEET TO TRUST IN JESUS

 
DEVOTIONAL

 
MESSAGE

 The Hope of the Gospel

 
CLOSING HYMN               PAGE 195

 NOTHING BUT THE BLOOD


Titus 1:1-4

Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness;  In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began; But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour; To Titus, mine own son after the common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour.
 


ANNOUNCEMENTS

·       We will come to THE LORD’S TABLE next Sunday following our morning worship service, Lord willing

·       Jan. 16th 10AM Saturday Church workday


 FOOD FOR THOUGHT

 “Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are children of promise”  

       Galatians 4:28

Dear Friends,

This is truly a wonderful declaration, is it not?  This is a statement worthy of the gospel!  Everyone who is born of the Spirit through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is born, like Isaac, according to a promise given.  The glory of this promise is that it is rooted in eternity past, before space and time ever were.  This promise was made to Christ as a covenant “that was confirmed before by God in Christ” (Galatians 3:16, 17).  This promise has as its final climactic fulfillment the Lord of Glory, standing in the midst of the heavenly congregation, singing praise to God and saying: “Here am I and the children whom God has given Me.”  (Hebrews 2:10-13).

Missionary Lance Hellar


WHAT IS YOUR HOPE?

“Lay the foundation of your hope in Jesus Christ.  Begin with Christ and end with Christ.  As Christ Jesus becomes more to you, self will grow less and less.  If your faith puffs you up – it is not the faith of Christ.  God will help us when we are weak.  He will bless us as long as we confess our dependence upon His blessing. He will fill us when we are empty.  He will feed us when we are hungry.  He will be our all when we are nothing.  He will forgive us when we are guilty.  But the moment we begin to boast in ourselves and feel sufficient, we will be left to learn, in no uncertain terms, that we are naked, poor, blind, and miserable. Terrible will be the day when proud rebels discover, too late, the dust and ashes of human merit.”

            Pastor Henry Mahan

JANUARY 17, 2021

John 3:36

“He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him.”  


OPENING HYMN                                                  PAGE 495

HEAVEN CAME DOWN

 
SCRIPTURE READING

PSALMS 64

 
WORSHIP HYMN                                                 PAGE 338

AT CALVARY

 
DEVOTIONAL

 
MESSAGE

Faithfull Brethren in Christ  


CLOSING HYMN                                                 PAGE 511

 NOW I BELONG TO JESUS


Psalms 133:1-3 

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments; As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.


ANNOUNCEMENTS

·       A sincere “THANK YOU” to all who were able to contribute to yesterday’s Workday.  The fellowship was good as was your labor of love, much was accomplished.  Once again, THANK YOU!

·       Immediately following our Morning Worship, we will come to the Lord’s Table.


 FOOD FOR THOUGHT

“Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost” (Titus 3:5).

  “There are only two kinds of people in the world--the righteous and the wicked.  Interestingly, the righteous believe themselves to be wicked.  That is why they need the Gospel.  The wicked believe themselves to be righteous. That is why they do not need the Gospel.”

Pastor Todd Nibert



Philippians 3:20 For our conversation (citizenship) is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: 21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

I love the present tense assertion here that we believers are already, right now, no longer truly citizens of this world, but of Heaven itself, and from here we look for Him. Being here, but being citizens there, we look for Him to come and get us from where we don't belong (John 15:19), from this place where we are strangers and pilgrims (Hebrews 11:13), from this world we are dead to, and it to us (Galatians 6:14), and bring us home, to be in His glorious presence forever. And as the verse says, to be like Him. He will wipe away the last tear from our eyes, that we will ever shed. And we will have a glorious body like Him, that no enemy or disease can ever touch. With Him and like Him. That's Heaven. That's glory. O how we look for Him. Even so come quickly, Lord Jesus.

Chris Cunningham                              **************************************             

30th ANNUAL SOVEREIGN GRACE WINTER CONFERENCE

 

 

JANUARY 31, 2021

SUNDAY MORNING CONFERENCE

ISAIAH 43:1-3

But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour:

 

WELCOME TO RESCUE BAPTIST CHURCH

30th ANNUAL SOVEREIGN GRACE WINTER CONFERENCE

 

 SCHEDULED MEETINGS

              Sunday Morning Bible Study                   10:00 AM 

              Friday Night Bible Study                             7:30 PM

OPENING HYMN          HEAVEN CAME DOWN        PAGE 495

 
SCRIPTURE READING

PSALMS 66

 
 HYMN      GRACE GREATER THAN OUR SIN            PAGE 201

SPECIAL MUSIC
 

MESSAGE

Pastor Norm Wells


HYMN                   I WILL PRAISE HIM                        PAGE 525

SPECIAL MUSIC
 

MESSAGE

Pastor Clay Curtis 

CLOSING HYMN       IT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL      PAGE 493


"WAITING FOR THE COMING OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST"

(1Cor. 1:7)

"WHAT A HEART-WARMING, EXCITING TRUTH TO MEDITATE UPON! The coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The wicked may make ugly, blasphemous remarks in hateful mockery about the return of our Saviour, but those who love the Lord Jesus Christ long for His promised return with joyful anticipation. He Himself said, "I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am ye may be also" (John 14:3). True faith delights in the God-given hope of eternal bliss with the true and living God, the Lord Jesus Christ.

But how do God's children conduct themselves while waiting for that glorious, bright day when Christ Jesus shall return? Do we stand around gazing up into heaven? No! The early disciples of Christ were gently rebuked for this (Acts 1:9-11). Do we sell our personal property and foolishly robe our-selves in white garments, and on a certain day that some religionist foolishly predicted, place ourselves in some elevated position (roof tops; high mountains; etc.)? Many have been sadly disappointed by aligning themselves with those false deceivers. So much so, that many committed suicide afterwards.

While waiting for the inevitable return of our Majestic King, we should live each day as if it is our last and make plans as if we had another one hundred years before Christ comes again. We are laborers together with God: we are God's husbandry; we are God's building. We should be about our Father's business! The songwriter expressed this God-honoring truth with these words: "Living for Jesus, a life that is true Striving to please Him, in all that I do, yielding allegiance, glad-hearted and free This is the pathway, of blessing for me."

Brethren, this is how we should conduct ourselves while "Waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." By living for the honor and glory of the One who loved us and gave Himself for us. By proving the sincerity of our love by delighting ourselves in continual, cheerful obedience to our Lord's commands. By being filled with praise and adoration to Jesus Christ our Lord, the One who will present us FAULTLESS before Himself when He returns.

                                             Pastor Gene Harmon


Ezra’s Gospel

When studying Ezra chapter nine, we see that Ezra had much to say in his prayer. He details his concern for the folks that had married people of the land. Those who married the land’s inhabitants, really were saying that the worship of God was equal, and just as beneficial, as the worship of the religions of the land. 

     The scripture says, Ezra was “astonied.” (Ezra 9:3-4) That means he was “appalled,” “awestruck,” or “stunned.”  His prayer is a confession of his sins, the people’s sins, the priest’s sins, the prophet’s sins, the king’s sins, and these sins are “since the days of our fathers.” This sinful nature can be traced back to the Garden and Adam’s sin.  We are all ruined by the fall. (Ezra 9:6-7)

     Ezra knew the only solution—the gospel—and describes the very elements of the gospel in his prayer. (Ezra 9:8-9)

     Ezra speaks of grace, and the grace of God is given to this earth for such a short time, compared to eternity.  Grace was made known when God dealt with Adam and Eve by covering them with the coats of skins.  They deserved not only spiritual death, but also physical.  Grace!  Grace will be extended for a very short time. When the last, lost sheep is saved, grace shall be finished.  The benefits of grace are eternal to the church, but the earth day of grace is coming to an end. (2 Peter 3:8-10)

     Ezra spoke of election—a remnant. “A remnant according to the election of grace.” (Romans 11:5) There would be no hope without Got being the first cause, without God taking an interest before the foundation of the world, without God writing names down in the Lamb’s book of life, without God giving a gift of the elect to the Son. Without the “old eternity” activity of God, not one person would have been saved, as the fall caused each one to have no interest in God at all.

     Ezra spoke of a gospel that made the recipients of grace, secure in Christ.  He is our “nail in His holy place.”  By nature we are on slippery places, (Psalm 73:18), but in Christ, we are anchored to Him. He is our “anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast. (Hebrews 6:19)

     Ezra spoke of the grace of God to “lighten our eyes,” lightening our eyes, or revealing this grace. Again, it’s a miracle of God and His grace. No one can produce it.  Blind eyes will not see without a miracle. Regeneration—the new birth—is a gift of God with which we have nothing to do. We have as much to do with our first birth, as we have to do with the new birth. This new sight changes our view of God, Jesus Christ, the Bible, sin, heaven, hell, the gospel, grace, election, predestination, purpose of grace, and all things spiritual. 

     Ezra spoke of the grace of God that gave “us a reviving.”  This is new life in Christ; spiritual life we never had by nature.  God’s people are raised to spiritual life, yet he did nothing for the flesh.  We are thankful that our Savior restrains our flesh, but it will not be until the Lord returns for His elect, that we will get a new body, totally apart from sin.  Thanks be unto God for His all-sufficient Savior who has a Salvation that actually Saves.

     Ezra knew this great God, His great Savior, and His great Salvation, and that is what he preached.

                                                                                                             Pastor Norm Wells


ANNOUNCEMENTS

·        Our FELLOWSHIP DINNER will be following this morning service.

·         A sincere “THANK YOU” to all who contributed to this year’s winter conference.  And words cannot express our appreciation to the labor of love God’s servants put into the preparation and the preaching of His glorious gospel.  May He be pleased to make that gospel effectual for the glory of Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour

·        Our Friday Night Bible Study this week is canceled

·        Our February Fellowship Dinner is canceled

·        February 7th we will come to the Lord’s Table following the morning message.


 Joy and Peace Through Believing

  “I think that very often unbelievers sit under the preaching of the gospel, waiting and hoping for some kind of experience or feeling of peace and joy before believing the testimony of God concerning His Son (1 John 5:9 - 13; John 3:21 - 36, 8:24).  If you are doing this, then you have, to use an old proverb, ‘Put the cart before the horse’, and are actually looking to yourself rather than to Christ for your soul’s salvation!  Believing is the key which opens the door (Christ) through which sinners enter in ‘rejoicing’.  Thus, the great apostle to the Gentiles writes, we obtain ‘joy and peace through believing’.”

                                 Pastor Maurice Montgomery



“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).

  “The carnal heart is a fortification of resentment against the God of all hope.  If left to himself, the natural man will gladly go to hell rather than bow to the goodness of the Judge of the universe.  For there to be a change in the natural course of a rebel’s path of opposition, God Himself must intervene.  God must (by His own power and purpose) remove that heart of rebellion and put back a new heart.  This new heart is one that loves the Word of God (Christ).  It longs to bow to the Son as He is set forth in the Scriptures and seeks to serve Him in ALL THINGS.  This miraculous change is wrought by that which is all living, all powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword ... Christ the Redeemer (the Word of God Himself).”

                                        Pastor Marvin Stalnaker


Christ’s Glory in Gospel Preaching 

Acts 16: 6: Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia, 7: After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to

go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not.

Eventually, the Lord would send the gospel to these places but not at this time. They were forbidden OF THE HOLY SPIRIT TO PREACH THE WORD. Do you remember who received the glory for sending Paul with the gospel on his first missionary journey? Acts 13: 4: So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus. Now the Holy Spirit forbids them to preach the word. This tells us clearly that if we have heard the word of Christ preached unto us according to the scriptures--IN TRUTH-it is because Christ, through the Holy Spirit, guided his messenger to you to preach his word.


The same that descended to work judgment and justice in the earth is now ascended and gives his messengers to preach in truth (Eph 4: 9-13.) The thing that differentiates Christ's messengers from the false prophets (which is so clearly pointed out in scripture) is Christ's messengers declare that salvation is entirely, totally, only in Christ Jesus the Lord. God put us in Christ. And God through the Spirit makes Christ unto us Wisdom, Righteousness, Sanctification and Redemption (I Cor 1: 30, 31.) Those who say that man has a part in making Christ any of these or in making himself these things is anti-christ--plain and simple--they have taken away the daily sacrifice (Christ) and replaced him with the abomination that maketh desolate (man.) Those who preach that Christ is All are sent by Christ because he will receive the glory for filling all in all as well as for all spiritual blessings given us by God in him. In other words, Christ receives all the glory as our Surety, our Substitute and our Prophet, Priest and King. The latter includes the fact that he sends his vessels through whom Christ teaches his children his word in truth.

                                                 Pastor Clay Curtis


"NOW ARE WE THE SONS OF GOD."
(1 John 3:2)
When may it be said of the Lord’s people, "now are we the sons of God?" At all times and under all circumstances, in trials, in difficulties, in disappointments, in losses, in crosses, in adversities, in temptations, in persecutions, "now are we the sons of God." Nothing can alter this love. "Though we believe not, He abideth faithful; He cannot deny Himself." Were He to deny the objects of His love, He would deny Himself; for they are one with Him, "bone of His bone and flesh and His flesh." "Now are we the sons of God." It was "now" when the apostle wrote his epistle, it was "now" in eternity past, and it will be "now" in eternity to come.

  From a sermon preached September 19, 1827 by

                                                     William Gadsby



Great Things He Hath Done!

I recently read a quote from a famous preacher of the 1800's. He said that the world has not seen what God could do with one man completely devoted to Him. I thought, "Well, I know what God can do with a rebellious and angry prophet (Jonah): bring an entire pagan city (Nineveh) to its knees in repentance." On the one hand, I understand the value of a devoted heart. On the other hand, I do not want to give the impression that God is helped by us - that He is in need of something we provide. Our dedication to God must arise, not from hope of doing great things for God, but from a realization of what great things He has already done for us.

                                          Pastor Joe Terrell


Faith a Work of God


My faith is not a part of the righteousness in which I am justified any more than my mouth is a part of the food which sustains my body. Faith is God's gift (Eph. 2:8). It is the fruit of the Spirit in me, whereby I see, feed upon, and glory in Christ as He is revealed to me and in me. Faith is not a work performed by us in order to be justified; but it is a work of God in us by which we apprehend and glory in our justification.

                                            Thomas Bradbury