SUNDAY NOVEMBER 1, 2020
Ephesians 4:1-8
I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.
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 176
LEAD ME TO CALVARY
SCRIPTURE READING
PSALMS 54
WORSHIP HYMN PAGE 220
HE LIVES
DEVOTIONAL
MESSAGE
CLOSING HYMN PAGE 460
THE WAY OF THE CROSS LEADS HOME
SUGGESTED SCRIPTURE READING FOR THE WEEK
Sunday 1 Pet 12-3 Monday Deut 10-12 Tuesday 2Chr 33-36
Wednesday Ps 128-130 Thursday Eccl 5-6
Friday Haggai Saturday Acts 13-14
Isaiah 40:1
God takes great care to comfort his people in their many trials and sorrows in this world. He commands his preachers to have for one of their goals the comfort of his people. He says, “Comfort ye, comfort ye my people.” Here are three things described in the Word of God that should be of great comfort to every believer.
A Bag
God has made a bag for our sins. Job said, “My transgression is sealed up in a bag, and thou sewest up mine iniquity” (Job 14:17). In ancient times, when men died at sea, their bodies were placed in a weighted bag, which was sewn together and sealed. Then they were cast into the depths of the sea. That is what God has done with our sins. They are cast “into the depths of the sea.” When Christ died, by his one sacrifice for our sins, which were imputed to him, he put away all our sins. They were buried in the sea of God’s infinite forgiveness, put away, never to be brought up again. God almighty will never charge us with sin, impute sin to us, remember our sins against us, or treat us any the less graciously because of our sin. That is forgiveness! “Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.”
A Book
The Lord has written a book for our names. Take heart, child of God. Your name is written in the book of God! Before the worlds were made, the Lord God inscribed the names of his elect in the Lamb’s book of life. In that book, God has recorded, not only the names of the chosen heirs of heaven, but also all things pertaining to them. — “In the book all my members were written” (Psa. 139:16; Phil. 4:3; Rev. 13:8; 17:8). The Lamb’s book of life is the book of God’s eternal purpose of grace, predestination, and election. The fact that our names are written in that book means that our salvation is a matter of absolute certainty and that all things work together for our good by God’s arrangement to secure our predestined end, which is perfect conformity to Christ (Rom. 8:28-30). When our Lord says, “Rejoice because your names are written in heaven,” he is telling us that we have nothing to fear. All is well for those whose names are written in heaven.
A Bottle
Moreover, the Lord God keeps a bottle for our tears. — “Thou tellest all my wonderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book?.This I know; for God is for me” (Psa. 56:8-9). It was customary at ancient Egyptian funerals for mourners to have a small cloth or sponge to wipe away their tears. Then, they were squeezed into a small vial, a tear bottle, and placed in the tomb with the dead, symbolizing the care the mourners had for the one who had died. Even so, the Lord our God, our heavenly Father, our almighty Savior, and our holy Comforter tenderly cares for us. In all our afflictions he is afflicted. We are the very apple of his eye.
Could anything be more comforting in this world of sin, sorrow, and death? The Lord our God has put our sins in a bag and buried them, our names in a book to remember them, and our tears into a bottle to show his tender care for us.
Don Fortner 12/2006 Freegraceradio.com blog
“Consider the work of God: for who can make straight which He
hath made crooked?” - Ecclesiastes 7v13
Behold how the work of God seems crooked in the eyes of natural human reasoning and wisdom. “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. (Proverbs 14:12) Consider the work of God in salvation.
1. Consider the work of God the Father. He has from eternity chosen a people and put them in union with Jesus Christ. Consider that the Father purposed them to be holy, not by their works or merits, but by the work of Jesus Christ His Son. (Ephesians 1:3-6: 2 Timothy 1:9)
2. Consider the work of the Son of God. The Son was made flesh to represent all the Father gave him to save. Behold Jesus has accomplished all the righteousness and redemption of His people as their federal head and High Priest. (Hebrews 10:12-14:Isaiah 53:6-11) And having accomplished salvation God raised him from the dead and sat Him upon the throne of God. (Ephesians 1:20-23) All power is given to Jesus Christ for the purpose of giving eternal life to his elect. (John 17:1-3)
3. Consider the work of the Holy Spirit. All men by nature are spiritually dead and cannot come to Christ by faith. The Spirit of God will quicken every elect and redeemed sinner to spiritual life and faith and none of them will fail to believe on Christ. (John 3: 3-8; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; John 6:37-40:44; 2 Peter 3:9;Ephesians 2:8-10) And everyone that believes on Christ will persevere in faith only because we are kept by the power of God. (1 Peter 1:5; John 6:37-40) Therefore consider that “Salvation is of the LORD!” Consider that “Salvation belongeth to the LORD” (Jonah 2:9; Psalm 3:8) So then every believer rejoices when we consider God’s Work of Salvation.
But in the mind of the natural man God’s Salvation by grace is crooked. (Romans 1:18-25) Behold the vanity of the carnal mind to try to straighten out God’s Work of salvation in order fit their scheme of works and free will religion. O vain man will you straighten God’s salvation when He has made it crooked in your mind? The truth is that God’s work of Salvation is straight and its man’s depraved mind and heart that is crooked. See then how God has made foolish the wisdom of men by His gospel of salvation by grace!
(1 Corinthians 1:20)
Pastor Fred Evan
ANNOUNCEMENTS
· Join us for our FELLOWSHIP DINNER concluding this morning service.
· We will come to THE LORD’S TABLE during our afternoon worship service, Lord willing
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
“WHO MAKETH THEE TO DIFFER?”
“From the Scriptures and experience, I have learned that whatever is in the worst of men and women is in the best of them, and whatever is in the best of them is in the worst of them. In the very best and worst of Adam’s children there is a mind which is enmity against God, and there is in each of them a heart which is deceitful above all things and desperately (incurably) wicked (Rom. 8:7; Jer. 17:9; Gen. 6:5; 8:21).
As Mr. Newton said, ‘There is indeed a difference amongst men, but it is owing to the restraints of Divine Providence, without which earth would be the very image of hell ... education and interests, fear and shame, human laws, and the secret power of God over the mind, combine to form many characters that are extremely decent and respectable, but none can praise himself, for WHO MAKETH THEE TO DIFFER?’
’I am what I am’, said the apostle Paul, ’by the grace of God’. It is owing to the mercy and grace of God alone that all of us are not already in hell; and whatever degree of human dignity and decency, morality and manners which we may possess and manifest, is due to the mercy and grace of God. How much more, then, must we ascribe all spiritual knowledge and understanding, gifts and enjoyments to the sovereign, free grace of God in Christ. ’WHO MAKETH THEE TO DIFFER?’ The children of God cry with one voice, ’TO GOD BE THE GLORY’!”
--Maurice Montgomery
I CHANGE NOT
“For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed” (Malachi 3:6).
“What a comfort these words are to a child of God. We, by Gods grace, have been shown through the preaching of his word our need of a Savior. Due to our fallen nature we have nothing within ourselves, worthy to stand before a Righteous and Holy God. As a matter of fact, the only thing we are worthy of is His wrath! His Judgment! Yet there is a people declared to be chosen before the foundation of the world, (Eph.1:4). People such as Isaac, and his father Abraham. When Isaac said to his father, ‘Behold we have fire and wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?’, Abraham’s response was, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering. (Gen. 22:7 & 8). This is the very one John the Baptist declared, saying:
Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. (John1:29), when he saw Jesus approaching. We also see that the Apostle John called him the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world, (Rev.13:8). So why do these words, (I CHANGE NOT) bring comfort to sinners? The LORD JESUS CHRIST HAS BEEN OUR SACRIFICE FROM THE BEGINNING! And because he is unchanging, then we who were chosen in Christ, purchased by Christ, called in Christ, can never lose our salvation in Christ! Therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.”
Pastor John Reeves
“I am so glad the apostle Paul by Divine inspiration wrote, ‘Christ is all and in all.’ For though I am self-righteous, proud, and altogether vanity, by the grace and mercy of God, Jesus Christ is made unto me all I need to stand perfectly holy and righteous before the Divine Justice of God.”
Pastor David Eddmenson
“Can anything be added to the righteousness of Christ? Can anything make the sinner more approved of God? The Lord Jesus Christ is ALL the believer’s justifying righteousness (1 Cor. 1:30; 2 Cor. 5:21).
Pastor Henry Mahan (Excerpt)
“… If God be for us, who can be against us? …”
(Rom. 8:31).
NOBODY! Absolutely nobody! Nobody! Nobody! Nobody! NOTHING! Absolutely nothing! Nothing! Nothing! Nothing! Amen! Amen! and Amen! WHY? Because God’s blood-bought children are “.. more than conquerors ..” through Jesus Christ who loved us and gave Himself for us (Rom. 8:37); “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose” (Rom. 8:28). Amen! Amen! and Amen!
Gene Harmon
Christ Our Hope 1Timothy 1:1
“What is hope? Hope is expectation with a reasonable basis. What the world calls hope is an empty wish. It's like a child holding a present on their birthday hoping to find what they want. But, hope in the scriptures is defined as a person: Christ in you the hope of glory. This hope comes through a Godly persuasion, "...I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day. (II Timothy 1:2) also "For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8: 38-39)
The believers hope is not I hope, I hope, I hope. But it is hope founded upon the Lord Jesus Christ. Our expectations fully depend on His appointments, His coming as the God man, His obedience, His suffering, His death, His resurrection, and His present reign in glory. "He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. (I John 5: 12)
Paul said “he was an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Savior, and the Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope. (I Timothy 1: 1)
May the Lord be pleased to make Him our hope for the glory of His own name.”
Pastor Darvin Pruitt
SUNDAY NOVEMBER 8, 2020
Philemon 1: 4-7
I thank my God, making mention of thee always in my prayers, Hearing of thy love and faith, which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all saints; That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus. For we have great joy and consolation in thy love, because the bowels of the saints are refreshed by thee, brother.
SUNDAY NOVEMBER 8, 2020
SCHEDULED MEETINGS
Sunday Morning Bible Study 10:00 AM CONTRAST by Elder Mike Loveless
Sunday Morning Worship 11:00 AM
Friday Night Bible Study 7:30 PM
OPENING HYMN PAGE 506
I WILL SING OF MY REDEEMER
SCRIPTURE READING
PSALMS 55
WORSHIP HYMN PAGE 359
JESUS IS LORD OF ALL
SPECIAL MUSIC
DARRYL STARKS - Trust and Obey
DEVOTIONAL
MESSAGE
IN HIS RIGHT MIND
CLOSING HYMN PAGE 493
IT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL
SUGGESTED SCRIPTURE READING FOR THE WEEK
Sunday 1 Pet 4-5 Monday Deut 13-15 Tuesday Ezra 1-5
Wednesday Ps 131-133 Thursday Eccl 7-8
Friday Zechariah1-7 Saturday Acts 15-16
November 15th next Sunday Lord willing we’ll come to the Table of Remembrance. Following the morning message
CONDOLENCES TO THE STARK FAMILY
Our dear brother Darryl Starks has gone HOME to be with our Lord this morning. Prayers of comfort and peace.
Final Greetings
2Corinthians 13:11 Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you.
Finally, brethren, farewell,.... Or "rejoice", with spiritual joy in Christ, their Saviour and Redeemer; in his person, in whom they were accepted; in his righteousness, by which they were justified; in his blood, by which they were washed and cleansed; and in his fulness, from which they were supplied; and particularly, that they had such a faithful monitor, such an hearty well wisher of their souls' welfare, and who was so naturally and affectionately concerned for their good: John Gill
LORD KEEP OUR EYES AND HEARTS ON YOU
There is a song in our hymn book that says, “Stayed upon Jehovah, hearts are fully blessed - finding, as He promised, perfect peace and rest.” Oh, how true that is!
When our hearts are sincerely, fervently looking to Christ, we see a God who TRULY IS GOD. We see a purpose that is ordered and sure. We see a salvation that is forever settled in heaven. And we see an eternal home that is so much better than the pilgrimage we’re passing through now. We see a Husband who loves us and gave Himself for us. We see a Friend that will stick closer to us than a brother. We see a Shepherd who will watch over our every move, keeping His all-seeing eye on everything concerning us. We see safety. We see mercy. We see grace. We see help in our time of need. Every time we look to Christ, we see lasting joy. We see contentment. We see perfect peace and rest.
The great blessing that God’s people have on this earth is the God given ability to look to Christ. That will forever be our blessing. The more we can look to Him, the more joy we will have, the more contentment we will have, the more peace we will have, and the more rest we will have.
Lord, keep our eyes and our hearts on you.
Gabe Stalnaker
SUNDAY NOVEMBER 15, 2020
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.”
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 305
MY FAITH HAS FOUND A RESTING PLACE
SCRIPTURE READING
PSALMS 56
WORSHIP HYMN PAGE 43
GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS
DEVOTIONAL
MESSAGE
CLOSING HYMN PAGE 345
BLESSED ASSURANCE
SUGGESTED SCRIPTURE READING FOR THE WEEK
Sunday 2 Peter Monday Deut 16-19 Tuesday Ezra 6-10
Wednesday Ps 134-136 Thursday Eccl 9-10
Friday Zechariah 9-14 Saturday Acts 17-18
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Lord willing, we will come to the Table of Remembrance, Following this morning message
"How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! How great is the sum of them!" (Psalm 139:17).
“Have you thought what a comfort it is to have a God we can trust, a God who condescends to think on us, to consider our needs, and then supply them? What if all we had to believe in was ‘the laws of nature’, ‘mother nature’, ‘the big Guy’, ‘a Supreme Being’, or, ‘the man upstairs’? What if all we had to look forward to was some set of ‘laws’ and ‘powers’ acting apart from God? There are many who try to get away from the thought of a personal God; One who redeems, preserves, and provides for His people. The Bible declares a personal God who takes a special interest in His people, and thinks on them with a tender, gracious consideration. This is what David said, ‘How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! How great is the sum of them!’ What a blessing it is to be able to pray, ‘Our Father, who art in Heaven.’ The greatest blessing is to know God thinks on us.”
Pastor Milton Howard
TRUE FAITH
“It is not true faith to trust Christ only when you feel you are saved. True faith is to trust Christ at all times, whether you feel like you are saved or not; when you have a deep consciousness of your sin and when you don’t; when you have assurance of faith and when your faith is so weak you wonder if you have faith at all. A person is not saved because he feels saved nor because he is aware of his sinfulness. A person is saved when he trusts Christ--His blood for redemption and forgiveness of sin, His righteousness for acceptance with God; when he commits all to Him as the ‘Author and finisher of our faith. Our feelings may change by the hour, but our salvation is not dependent on our feelings; it is dependent solely on Him who never changes--‘Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today and forever!’”
Pastor Charles Pennington
SUNDAY NOVEMBER 29, 2020
-- Psalm 107:8--
“O that men would praise the Lord for his goodness,
and for his wonderful works to the children of men.”
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 201
GRACE GREATER THAN OUR SIN
SCRIPTURE READING
PSALMS 57
WORSHIP HYMN PAGE 198
WONDERFUL GRACE OF JESUS
DEVOTIONAL
MESSAGE
CLOSING HYMN PAGE 175
HALLELUJAH WHAT A SAVIOR
SUGGESTED SCRIPTURE READING FOR THE WEEK
Sunday 1 John 1-3 Monday Deut 20-22 Tuesday Neh 1-4
Wednesday Ps 137-139 Thursday Eccl 11-12
Friday Malachi Saturday Acts 19-20
ANNOUNCEMENTS
· Ellis Grace Garlock was born 11/19/2020 – 8lbs 15oz. 21 inches blessing to Trevor & Anna and little brother Larsen.
· Our Fellowship dinner is scheduled for next Sunday Dec. 6th
· We will come to the Lord’s Table during our afternoon worship service, Lord willing
“If ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.”
--Galatians 5:18--
“He who looks at his own character and position from a legal point of view, will not only despair when he comes to the end of his reckoning, but if he be a wise man he will despair at the beginning; for if we are to be judged on the footing of the law, there shall no flesh living be justified. How blessed to know that we dwell in the domains of grace and not of law! When thinking of my state before God the question is not, ‘Am I perfect in myself before the law?’ but, ‘Am I perfect in Christ Jesus?’ That is a very different matter. We need not enquire, ‘Am I without sin naturally?’ but, ‘Have I been washed in the fountain opened for sin and for uncleanness?’ It is not ‘Am I in myself well pleasing to God?’ but it is ‘Am I accepted in the Beloved?’ The Christian views his evidences from the top of Sinai, and grows alarmed concerning his salvation; it were better far if he read his title by the light of Calvary. ‘Why’, saith he, ‘my faith has unbelief in it, it is not able to save me.’ Suppose he had considered the object of his faith instead of his faith, then he would have said, ‘There is no failure in Him, and therefore I am safe.’ He sighs over his hope: ‘Ah! my hope is marred and dimmed by an anxious carefulness about present things; how can I be accepted?’ Had he regarded the ground of his hope, he would have seen that the promise of God standeth sure, and that whatever our doubts may be, the oath and promise never fail. Ah! believer, it is safer always for you to be led of the Spirit into gospel liberty than to wear legal fetters. Judge yourself at what Christ is rather than at what you are. Satan will try to mar your peace by reminding you of your sinfulness and imperfections: you can only meet his accusations by faithfully adhering to the gospel and refusing to wear the yoke of bondage.”
C. H. Spurgeon
