“I BELIEVE GOD”

“Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me.” Acts 27:25

Like the apostle Paul, my peace in every storm is in what God has said! Whether it is in the storm of realizing and feeling the danger of my sins or in one of the many stormy circumstances of life, it is the same, I rest in what God has said. If I am in doubt of what God says in His word in one place, what is to keep me from not believing what He says in another? Faith is believing what God says concerning what He has done and will do AND what He says that I am! If I were Noah and had lived in his day, could I have believed that I was what God called me? Would I have been what God said he was? Was it a future thing He spoke of when he said to Noah, “for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation.”? (Gen. 7:1) Did God the judge of all the earth do right when He destroyed all the inhabits of Sodom and Gomorrah? Yes, they were unrighteous. Did He deliver “righteous Lot” because he was actually righteous then or not? (Gen. 18) If the Bible says that “the Lord is righteous,” is that to be taken at face value but not that Abraham was righteous who was made the righteousness of God in Christ? Abraham who believed God, who looked by faith to Jesus Christ the Righteous for everything? What is justification but God declaring us righteous in Christ? The only righteousness there is for a sinner is that righteousness which is the gift of God, imputed to the sinner and received by faith. It is in Christ and only Him and the righteous have been so for a long time because God put them in Christ and sees them in Christ! This may not fit a man’s theological timetable but it is what God says! Thank God, His people are what He says they are in Jesus Christ through His cross death and they have been since He made them the righteousness of God in Him. What amazing joy they experience when He reveals this to them by His Spirit through the gospel and enables them to believe! God, help us to believe what you say.

GS

Jim Byrd preaching June 27—29th

Missionary Jean—Claude Souillot of France — August 24th

THE WORSHIP SERVICE

Worship is the adoration of God alone. This makes true worship to be centered around God and not man. What passes for worship in our day exalts men and women. It is a showcase for their talents and a forum in which they can be praised for everything from being present to giving a gift! I have heard people use terms like “style of worship” and “contemporary worship.” Such terms are not applicable to true worship. God is not worshipped in a style and He is the same immutable God in all generations. God can only be worshipped by the aid of the Holy Spirit and through the Word of the truth in which He declares how He is and what He’s done. The worship of God in scripture is the only worship there is. God’s people worship Him in our great High Priest and Mediator, the Lord Jesus Christ. We gather to hear what His gospel says of Him. We gather to sing hymns that are true to His word and glorify Him. We gather to pray to Him. It’s not about the preachers abilities or gifts. It’s not about someone’s ability to sing. It’s not about how many we have or what we’ve done. In short, it’s not about US or how it makes us feel. If it’s about us we’re not worshipping! GS

GOOD WORKS

Paul gives us a description of the people who perform good works in reality. “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation to all men, hath appeared, teaching us, that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; looking for that blessed hope, and glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ, who gave HIMSELF FOR US, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works” (Titus 2:11-14). These are the people who perform good works.

William Huntington

THE SOVEREIGN GRACE OF GOD

Mans entre apostasy and death in sin, so that he cannot save himself, and God’s entire supremacy, so that He saves whom He will, are doctrines exceedingly distasteful to human pride. But they are Scriptural. Why was one thief saved and the other lost? “Even so Father for so seemeth it good in Thy sight “(MT 11:25-27). God was not bound to save the one and He had power enough to have saved the other, and neither could save himself. What made the difference? The Sovereign Grace of God!

Horatius Bonar

THINGS FREELY GIVEN

Eye has not seen, ear has not heard,

Nor heart alone received:

The things that God in grace prepared,

For those His love conceived.

But by His mighty Spirit’s work,

To us He has revealed:

His purposed grace in Christ alone,

Which was to us concealed.

So we now know and now receive

The things He freely gives

By grace alone through Jesus’ blood,

Who for us ever lives.

Each quickened soul with life now sing.

Let praises fill this place.

Behold by faith through Gospel eyes

The God of sovereign grace!

Gary Shepard

(0 God Our Help In Ages Past 86.86)

The dead are always wanting a preacher that will tell them how to live. The living are always wanting a preacher that will tell them about Christ the Life!

GS

“HE KNOWETH THEM THAT TRUST IJ HIM”

Nahum 1:7

He knows our frame, and bears patiently with us.

He knows our temptations, and brings His succour (help).

He knows our transgressions, and forgives them.

He knows our sorrows. and sweetly soothes them.

He knows our accusers, and confounds them.

He knows our enemies, and scatters them.

He knows our tears, and will wipe them away.