t                   oPastor John and wife Kathy  
 

 
 

Preaching God's Sovereign, Electing Grace   


 

RESCUE BAPTIST CHURCH

August 4th, 2019

“And, behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth: and ye know in all your hearts and in all your souls, that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spake concerning you; all are come to pass unto you, and not one thing hath failed thereof.”                

                                  Joshua 23:14

Message

“Eternal Love”

“True faith is built upon the strongest evidence possible--the WORD OF GOD!  True faith is a total dependence upon the LORD JESUS CHRIST for all our needs; such as forgiveness, sanctification, peace, and eternal life.  The believer renounces all confidence in his flesh, rejoices only in Christ Jesus, and worships God in spirit.  He feeds upon Christ as the Bread of Life, embraces Christ as his wedding garment, derives all strength and comfort from Christ, and trusts himself to the care of Christ as his shepherd, teacher, priest, and king.  This is the life of faith.”

                         Pastor Henry Mahan

 
‘The Lord is great ... above all gods!’  

--Psalm 135:5--

  “Most people today do not know who God is.  The modern idea that religious people have about God is that he is an old man, sitting in a rocking chair somewhere above the earth, weak, frustrated and defeated, because he is not able to accomplish his purposes.  The preachers and religious leaders of our day have persuaded this generation that God is good but not powerful, God is gracious but not great, God is merciful but not majestic.  The god of the twentieth century has a purpose, he has a will, he has a plan, but his hands are tied.  Man, they say, will not let God have his way.  Satan, they tell us, has God’s creation in chaos.  Such a god as this is not worthy of worship, trust, reverence and submission.  Such a god as this merits nothing but man’s contempt.  Such a god as this is no god at all.  He is but the idolatrous figment of man’s depraved imagination.

    My God is not at all like that.  My God is worthy of worship.  My God merits my trust, confidence, reverence and submission.  You see, my God truly is God.  He is the God of the Bible.  The God whom I worship, trust and serve is an absolute sovereign.  When I say that God is sovereign, I am simply saying that God does what he will, when he will, with whom he will, in the way he will.  He does not ask anyone’s permission to act.  He simply does as he pleases. And he does not stand before anyone in judgment to give an account of his actions.  He is God, ‘who liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation: and all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, what doest thou?’  This is ‘the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase’ (Dan. 4:34,35,37).   My friend, either God is absolutely, totally, universally sovereign, or he is not God.”

                                    Pastor Don Fortner

The Spirit of God Moved

Genesis 1:2

And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

   We all are made from the earth and have nothing to offer God. Deep in darkness, buried in the depths of this world, when God comes, by His will, to “them” that are His own, bringing salvation by Jesus Christ the “living water.” 

(James 1:18)

Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

(Matthew 14:25-26)

And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.

[26] And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, it is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. 

(Genesis 1:3)

And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.

 (Matthew 14:27-28)

But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.

These two verses are very similar in that the bring power, comfort, understanding, trust, and faith which are all attributes of our Lord.

[28] And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.

  This is Salvation, Peter asking not demanding of the light of the world. Lord, draw me, command me, to come to you, by water, by the gospel, which is brought by your Holy Spirit.

[29] And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. [30] But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.

  As we walk with our Lord we still are on the face of the deep and will begin to sink under without our Lords continuing care for us. [31] And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, where didst thou doubt?

(Matthew 26:41)

Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

                                                                                    Elder Bill Silva

The Word of God plainly, clearly and throughout, teaches that man by nature is contrary and opposed to God in every way.  For example, God by nature is infinitely and immutably holy – man by nature is unchangeably and incurably sin; God is light – man by nature is darkness; God is truth – man’s whole life by nature is a lie; God is infinitely good – man by nature is inherently and unchangeably bad.  In a word, man is a natural born enemy of God (Rom. 5:6-11).  In fact, the natural man’s mind is enmity against God – not merely at enmity but enmity itself! (Rom. 8:5-7). Thus men by nature love darkness and deception rather than God’s Word, God’s truth (John 3:19).  Therefore man’s greatest need is to be reconciled to God. 

     It is a continual burden on my heart that so many preachers of our day, rather than preaching God as He is to sinners as they are (“Sinners in the hands of an angry God), are preaching a god who is palatable to fallen human nature, a god whose chief attribute is love rather than holiness, a god who loves everybody the same, a god who gave his son as a sacrifice for the sins of all mankind, a god who is trying to save all men, These preachers, for personal advantage and gain (the good opinion of man and numbers), are preaching a false god, a false gospel; thus giving their hearers a false hope.  Their disciples have never been brought to bow before God as mercy seekers.  How could they?  They have never heard the truth about God, and thus do not realize their awful condition and desperate need as they stand before the true God of the Bible.  God can only be worshiped by beggars, broken and bowed down before His sovereign throne of glory and grace.

     Dear brothers and sisters, “Pray the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest” (Matt. 9:38).

                                                                                  Maurice Montgomery

The Prince Of Peace”

 (Isaiah 9:6)

  “Everything connected with Christ as the Prince and King of the universe shows him to be the Prince of Peace.  His kingdom lies not in meat and drink but in joy and peace in the Holy Ghost.  The Sceptre of his kingdom is the golden sceptre of mercy and grace.  His Throne is the throne of grace.  His Royal Proclamation is the gospel of peace.  The Fruit of his Spirit is love, joy, and peace.  And the Subjects of his kingdom are both peaceable and peacemakers.  He is called the Prince of Peace because it is his sovereign prerogative to speak peace to his people.  And there is no real peace in the world but that which he bestows.  Christ the Prince of Peace gives ‘peace which passeth all understanding’ to those who trust him.  He who made peace with God for sinners by the blood of his cross (Col. 1:20; II Cor. 5:18-21) freely gives peace to sinners by his almighty grace.

    CHRIST BESTOWS PEACE UPON ALL WHO COME TO GOD BY HIM THROUGH THE GRACIOUS INFLUENCE OF HIS SPIRIT (Rom. 5:1-5).  ‘He is our Peace.’   No one will ever apply to Christ for peace until they are in trouble and distress of soul, made to feel the danger, bitterness, and consequences of sin, and made to see the impossibility of helping themselves.  But when weary, heavy laden sinners seek him, Christ hears their prayers and gives them peace. He steps out upon the bow of their troubled, tempest tossed ship, reveals himself in boundless, almighty grace, and says to their raging souls, ‘Peace be still.’  And immediately there is a great calm.

    CHRIST MAKES PEACE BETWEEN PEOPLE WHO ARE NATURAL ENEMIES (Eph. 2:14-20; Col. 3:11).  In Christ racism, social prejudices, and natural barriers are broken down.  His people dwell together in peace.  Where the Prince of peace reigns there is peace.

THE PRINCE OF PEACE GIVES PEACE TO ALL THE SUBJECTS OF HIS KINGDOM BY GRACIOUSLY INVITING AND ENABLING US TO CAST ALL OUR CARES UPON HIM (James 5:6-7; Prov. 3:5-6).  

He manages and rules all things for our good.  Even his afflictions are tokens of his love, and as such yield to us the peaceable fruit of righteousness.  Christ teaches us how to live in peace by his Word, his Example, and his Spirit.  When his people draw near to death he floods their hearts with peace (Psa. 37:37).  And when he calls his ransomed home the Prince of Peace will bring us into heaven, the kingdom of his eternal peace (Heb. 4:9-11).”

          Pastor Don Fortner

August 11th, 2019

“Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore”

                                                     Psalm 16:11

Message

“Gleaning 1 Timothy ”

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Our sincere and most heartfelt condolences go out to our dear sister Cheryl and family for the loss of her daughter Jeni, may God comfort her in her great sorrow, as only He can!

In this world RIGHT NOW (with all we see around us), ... there is really only one thing worthwhile going on!

The quickening of our Lord's lost sheep, ... one foreordained lamb at a time! All the rest is simply supportive to THAT end. Through all of the high-drama, political scrambling, wars and weddings, .... Our Lord's real focus is making known to His own what He had determined to do for them (and finished completely at the cross) from before the world began.

Esau is STILL serving Jacob by God's great design and plan, ... and His promise is STILL going forward in unfailing power!

Whatever else we feel, see everywhere around us, and has our immediate attention, KNOW that all things promised are worked together for Christ's sake as He has mercy on the sons of Jacob in our day! Because HE CHANGES NOT therefore, they are not consumed, and will EACH come to the final FULL knowledge of the TRUTH!

That Truth IS the Lord Jesus Christ and what He completed at Calvary!

                                               Elder Mike Loveless

TWO VITAL THINGS

  “There are two vital things the Holy Spirit reveals to all whom He brings to faith in Christ Jesus.

1. He will reveal our NEED OF CHRIST! ‘I need Thee, precious Jesus, for I am full of sin, My soul is dark and gloomy, My heart is dead within; I need the cleansing fountain, where I can always flee, The blood of Christ most precious, The Sinner’s perfect plea.’

2. He will reveal that CHRIST IS ALL WE NEED! ‘In him dwelleth all the fullness of the godhead bodily, and ye are COMPLETE in Him’.”

                                                   Pastor Henry Mahan

August 18th, 2019

I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth. and earth.

             Psalm 121:1-2

Message
Gleaning  II Timothy part 2

“No Other Doctrine”

“WHEN LIGHT IS BLACK”

   What if everything you were ever told about the Lord Jesus Christ was wrong? What if the only hope that you ever had, believed in, and counted on, turned out to be a lie and false? How great would be your loss?

(Matthew 6:22, 23)

“The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single: thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!”   (HOW GREAT WOULD BE YOUR LOSS)

LIGHT FROM GOD:

   All light from God is TRUTH, but much so-called light masquerades for truth in our day. And belief of that false light runs rampant in our world. Trusting in a false light is no light whatsoever! There is no darkness blacker than a false hope!

   We live in a time of great deception! Grand delusion! A time when MOST of the so-called Christian world runs headlong to hell singing hymns of worship side by side in halls of great swelling numbers! This is that time… and this is our world today!

 

(Revelation 13:3) (2 Thessalonians 3:3-12) “and all the world wondered after the beast,”

MAKE YOUR CALLING AND ELECTION SURE:

   Unless a person is born again the eye with which he attempts to view such matters of faith is evil! He can’t possibly perceive the kingdom of God through a wicked eye! His single source of light is darkness! Yet he walks in that darkness THINKING himself safe. Thinking his path is right!

SO THEN WHAT?

Read the word, prayerfully, carefully, and often. Take God at His word! Cry out for His mercy. The only hope any of us have is that God would have mercy upon us and give us LIFE! We MUST be born again! Make your calling and election SURE! If man is glorified (in ANY way whatsoever) then your hope is a FALSE HOPE!

Excerpt from "FREEWILLARD"

Elder Mike Loveless

August 25th, 2019

“A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh”.

                                                        Ezekiel 36:26

Message
Gleaning 1 Timothy part 3

“Godly Edifying

“Grace is not merely a doctrine, but an unstoppable force of God.  It is never without effect!  We are chosen by grace with the undeniable effect that we are His.  We are redeemed by grace with the certain effect that we are free.  We are called by grace with the inescapable effect that we shall be with Him forever.”

                                                                 Pastor Joe Terrell

THE POWER OF THE WORD

 “Things will make us moral, but they will not last. If man's wisdom, learning, eloquence, or religious persuasion could reform, we would be a reformed people.  But, in spite of all the churches and religion we have today, wickedness abounds on every hand. Religion has very little influence on our life. Napoleon said, ‘Religion is to keep the poor from murdering the rich.’  Things cannot change the heart.  They cannot put into the heart the love and peace of God.  They will not cause the heart to bow to His will. The only thing that will do this is the Gospel, the Word which the Lord has given.  The Gospel alone shows sin in its true light and gives us hope of mercy.  When the Gospel is preached in the power of the Spirit of God, and it is received and believed, an immediate and wonderful change takes place. The sinner leaves all his other false hopes; he is freed from the slavery to this world and becomes the willing servant of Him who redeemed him.”

                                                              Pastor Milton Howard

“The atonement does not change the nature and character of God, but rather, the atonement honors and magnifies the character of God.  The death of Christ is not the cause of God’s love, but the result of it.  God is not merciful because Christ died.  Christ died because God is merciful.  In order that every attribute might be expressed, glorified, and honored, God gave His Son to be the Savior of His chosen people!  Thank God!  There is an atonement BEFORE THE LORD!”

                                                                       Pastor Henry Mahan


 

 

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