April 2020

April 5, 2020

The LORD of hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass;

and as I have purposed, so shall it stand:

Isaiah 14:24

SCHEDULED MEETINGS

Sunday Morning Bible Study 10:00 AM Simon Peter an Apostle of Christ

Sunday Morning Worship 11:00 AM

Friday Night Bible Study 7:30 PM

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OPENING HYMN

It Took A Miracle Page 524

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SCRIPTURE READING

PSALMS 25

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OFFERTORY

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WORSHIP HYMN

Jesus Paid It All Page 210

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MESSAGE

Not Willing

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CLOSING HYMN

When The Roll Is Called Up Yonder Page 543

SUGGESTED SCRIPTURE READING FOR THE WEEK

Sunday 1Cor 11-12 Monday Ex 1-4 Tuesday 1Sam 16-20

Wednesday Ps 39-41 Thursday Job 27-28

Friday Jer 7-11 Saturday Mark 7-8

"If In This Life Only..."

--I Corinthians 15:19—

“I live in hope of the resurrection. With Paul, I say, ‘If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.’ In making that statement the Apostle does not mean that (1) The believer's life in this world is a sad, morbid existence; or (2) It is really more delightful and pleasurable to live in the world without faith in Christ; or (3) Were it not for the hope of eternal glory the saints of God would really prefer not to live as they do, in obedience and submission to their Lord. God's people do not serve him for gain!

Paul simply means for us to understand that if there were no eternal life in Christ, no eternal bliss of life with Christ in glory, and no resurrection of life in the last day, then believers would be the most miserably frustrated people in the world. We would never have that which we most earnestly desire. We would never enjoy that for which we are most ambitious. We would never see the end of our hope. We would never embrace Christ, or be embraced by Christ. We would never see our Redeemer!

I cannot imagine entertaining more distressing thoughts. Nothing could be more cruel and miserable than to live in hope of seeing Christ, being like Christ, and spending eternity with Christ, only to die like a dog! ‘If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable!’ What a horrible thought! What a tormenting supposition! But it is not so.

Believers live in hope of the resurrection; and that hope is both sure and stedfast. ‘For we know that our Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: and though after our skin worms destroy our bodies, yet in our flesh shall we see God; whom we shall see for ourselves, and not another; though our reins be consumed within us’ (Job 19:25-27).

This is not some fool's philosophy. It is not a mere religious tranquilizer by which we are able to cope with the trials of life. This is the calm, confident assurance of the believer's heart. It is the necessary, inevitable result of faith in Christ, who is the Resurrection and the Life (John 11:25-26). ‘Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power’ (Rev. 20:6).

Pastor Don Fortner

April 12, 2020

Philippians 2:12 – 15

Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;

SCHEDULED MEETINGS

Sunday Morning Bible Study 10:00 AM Simon Peter an Apostle of Christ

Sunday Morning Worship 11:00 AM

Friday Night Bible Study 7:30 PM

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OPENING HYMN

Revive Us Again Pg 295

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SCRIPTURE READING

PSALMS 26

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OFFERTORY

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WORSHIP HYMN

Hiding In Thee Pg 389

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MESSAGE

Lights In The World

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CLOSING HYMN

All Hail The Power of Jesus Name Pg 97

SUGGESTED SCRIPTURE READING FOR THE WEEK

Sunday 1Cor 13-14 Monday Ex 1-4 Tuesday 1Sam 21-25

Wednesday Ps 42-44 Thursday Job 29-30

Friday Jer 12-16 Saturday Mark 9-10

“God can only be known by means of a supernatural revelation of Himself. Apart from the Scriptures, even a theoretical acquaintance with Him is impossible. It still holds true that ‘the world by wisdom knew not God’ (1 Cor. 1:21).

But something more than the Scriptures is required before the soul can know God, know Him in a real, personal, vital way. This seems to be recognized by few today. The prevailing practice assumes that a knowledge of God can be obtained through studying the Word, in the same way as a knowledge of chemistry may be secured by mastering its textbooks. An intellectual knowledge of God maybe; not so a spiritual one. A supernatural God can only be known supernaturally (i.e. known in a manner above that which mere nature can acquire), by a supernatural revelation of Himself to the heart. ‘God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 4:6). The one who has been favored with this supernatural experience has learned that only ‘In the light shall we see light’ (Psalm 36:9).”

A. W. Pink

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“HE MUST INCREASE – I MUST DECREASE”

As the years pass, I come to a greater and greater realization of how much I must depend upon the grace of God for my salvation. My righteousness appears less and less acceptable in my sight: and if it looks poor in my sight, how awful it must appear in God’s sight! My will and determination do not appear half so strong as they once did, and I feel a greater need to rely upon the unchangeable will of God if I am to persevere. This business of growing in grace is not at all what I once thought it would be. Rather than growing stronger, it seems I am growing weaker. Rather than growing more self-sufficient, it appears that I am growing more Christ-dependent. My utter dependence on Christ for all things is more evident to me now than before. I suppose this is why Peter united growing in grace with growing in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus. So, if your desire is to grow in grace, then prepare yourself to diminish; prepare yourself to reduce in the flesh, for growth in grace is a growth in “Christ being formed in you” which always follows the old pattern, “He must increase, I must decrease.”
Joe Terrell

Sunday April 19, 2020

The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust: my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower Psalm 18:2

SCHEDULED MEETINGS

Sunday Morning Bible Study 10:00 AM Simon Peter An Apostle of Christ

Sunday Morning Worship 11:00 AM

Friday Night Bible Study 7:30 PM

OPENING HYMN

Come Thou Almighty King pg 267

SCRIPTURE READING

PSALMS 27

OFFERTORY

WORSHIP HYMN

It Took A Miracle pg 524

MESSAGE

A Requisite of God

CLOSING HYMN

It Is Well With My Soul pg 493

SUGGESTED SCRIPTURE READING FOR THE WEEK

Sunday 1Cor 15-16 Monday Ex 9-12 Tuesday 1Sam 26-31

Wednesday Ps 45-47 Thursday Job 31-32

Friday Jer 17-21 Saturday Mark 11-12

THINGS THAT PROMOTE PEACE

“Let us therefore follow after the things which promote peace, and things wherewith one may edify another”

(Romans 14:19).

1. Be careful to LOVE one another with a true heart. “Love covers a multitude of failures.”

2. Avoid a spirit of ARGUMENT AND DEBATE. One may win an argument and lose a friend.

3. Beware of JEALOUSY. Jealousy destroys happiness and builds suspicion.

4. Beware of ENVY. Let us learn to rejoice in another’s gifts, blessings, and happiness. God gives as HE will!

5. Do not MEDDLE in the private lives and domestic affairs of others.

6. Guard against a TOUCHY TEMPER: “For every trifling thing to take offense shows either great pride or little sense.”

7. Learn to KEEP A CONFIDENCE. “He that repeateth a matter separateth very friends.”

8. Strive to HEAL DIFFERENCES. “Blessed are the peacemakers.”

9. Be always ready to FORGIVE ANYTHING. “Forgive us our sins AS we forgive those who sin against us.”

Henry T. Mahan (1926-2019) pastor in Ashland, Kentucky, USA

Faith

Faith . . . is not life giving, but proof of life.

Faith is not a work for salvation, but a work of salvation.

Faith is not what saves us, but is certain proof God has saved us. Faith is not a condition we meet, but the condition God’s Spirit puts in us to “make us meet” (Colossians 1:12).

Is all this important? Do we split theological hairs here? NO! NO! For the Glory of God is at stake! That other (false) gospel says faith is man’s work, man’s will. But no, faith is “not of yourselves, but the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8).

Faith is “according to the working of His mighty power”

(Ephesians 1:19).

Therefore, it is “to the praise of the glory of His grace”

(Ephesians 1:6) . . . and not rather “to the praise of our faith.”

Pastor Paul Mahan

Sunday April 26, 2020

SCHEDULED MEETINGS

Sunday Morning Bible Study 10:00 AM Simon Peter an Apsotle of Christ

Sunday Morning Worship 11:00 AM

Friday Night Bible Study 7:30 PM

OPENING HYMN

SCRIPTURE READING

PSALMS 28

OFFERTORY

WORSHIP HYMN

MESSAGE

SANCTIFICATION

JUSTIFICATION

GLORIFICATION

CLOSING HYMN

Solid Rock Pg 404

SUGGESTED SCRIPTURE READING FOR THE WEEK

Sunday 2Cor 1-3 Monday Ex 13-16 Tuesday 2Sam 1-4

Wednesday Ps 48-50 Thursday Job 33-34

Friday Jer 22-26 Saturday Mark 13-14

‘Fulfilled in us’

--Romans 8:4--

“The law of God is holy, just and good. We love the law and honor the law, as the revelation of God’s righteousness and justice. But we recognize the fact that fallen men can never fulfill the requirements of God’s holy law by their own works. ‘Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight’ (Rom. 3:20). Yet we know also that until the law is perfectly fulfilled, no sinner can be saved. ‘The soul that sinneth, it shall die’ (Ezek. 18:20). God will not lessen his requirements, or bend his law, even to save his own elect. The law must be fulfilled. Both its requirements of righteousness and justice must be satisfied. The only way fallen, sinful men can ever fulfill the law and be saved is by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, the sinner’s Substitute.

We fulfill the law’s purpose by faith. The law of God was our schoolmaster. Its one and only purpose was to bring us to the Lord Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by faith in him. Once we come to Christ, once we trust the Son of God, as our Lord and Savior, the law has nothing more to do with us. Its purpose has been served (Gal. 3:24-26).

By faith in the Lord Jesus Christ we fulfill the law’s requirement of perfect righteousness. We have no righteousness of our own. But we trust the Lord Jesus who lived in righteousness as our Representative. And trusting him, the righteousness of Christ is imputed to us (Rom. 3:22; 5:19).

And we fulfill the law’s demand that justice be satisfied by faith in Christ. Sin must be punished. The sentence of the law must be fully executed upon every transgressor. And it is done. Divine justice was fully satisfied for every believer by Christ, the sinner’s Substitute (Rom. 8:1-4). Since Christ died, God is both just and the justifier of all who believe (Rom. 3:24-26). Faith in Christ does not ignore the law, defile the law, lessen the law, or make the law void. Indeed, by faith ‘we establish the law’ (Rom. 3:31).”

Pastor Don Fortner