June 29, 2014

The Old, Old Story

I love the old, old story, Of our Lord's sov'reign grace.

Twas purposed eternally. Those chosen give Christ praise.
This is for God's own glory; And spans all time and space.
Tis salvation's sweet story, For those of Adam's race.

The author of this story, Is the God of all grace.

All are sinners, ungodly; Tis what each man must face.
The Lord made Himself surety. Alone He pled our case:
Upon the cross of Calv'ry, The God-Man took our place.

Eternal is this story. Christ freely loved His sheep.
He bore the wrath twas due me; The death I should have reaped.
In Christ I am completely, Accepted by His deeds;
Redeemed me for His glory; In His love He will keep.

By Gary Spreacker

Tune: The Church's One Foundation, #186

The law offends us because it tells us what to do; grace offends us even more because it tells us we can’t do anything!” - Copied

Sometimes God calms the storm...and sometimes He lets the storm rage, and calms his child. - Copied

WHICH ONE IS TELLING THE TRUTH?

Two men profess to believe the same thing. One is lying, and one is telling the truth. Is there a way that we can tell?

They both profess to be sinners. When they are confronted with their sin, one grows angry, and the other is broken-hearted. Which man really believes he is a sinner?

They both say they believe sovereign grace. One attends a church where grace is preached. The other attends a church where grace is not preached. Which one really believes grace?

They both say they want to see people saved. One is active in the promotion and spread of the Gospel. The other is not. Which one really desires to see people saved?

They both say they love to hear the Gospel preached. One is faithful in attendance. The other is sporadic. Which one really loves to hear?

They both profess to love Christ, One gives generously and sacrificially. The other merely gives if he has a little to spare. Which one really loves Christ?

Both of them say they love the church. One is always there. The other is occasionally there. Which one really loves the church?

They both say they hate sin. One fights and struggles against his sin, crying for grace to overcome it, The other is half-hearted at best in his battle with sin.

Which one really hates sin? Even so, faith, if it hath not works is dead, being alone. - Pastor Todd Nibert

“Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus (Acts 8:35).”　 It does not matter where you begin in the word of God, the message is a Person. The Bible is “the record that God gave, of His Son (1 John 5:10).”

- Pastor Chris Cunningham

Matthew 11:27

“…no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.”

There are two words in this verse of scripture that overwhelms the believer’s heart—and he. If not for these words then all would be excluded from ever knowing the God of all grace. The words and he could just as well be interpreted, ‘and the helpless sinner’ for the natural man is unable to know God apart from the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Adam secured, for every man, a gulf between God and man, which none but Christ could cross. We may imagine a god. We may worship a god with all sincerity. But unless the living God quickens the dead by his Spirit, giving life where there was no life, then we are like men groping about in darkness. The revelation of the triune God in the face of who we are and what we were, is the very reason why every true believer bows in complete submission ever thankful for God’s grace to helpless sinners.

– Pastor Clay Curtis

WHO CAN TAME THE TONGUE?

"The tongue can no man tame: it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison" (James 3:8). Obviously, no man can tame the tongue. I have tried to tame mine, and out come words of criticism, hurt, and self justification. But God can and does tame the tongue. I cannot tame my tongue, but I want my tongue to be tamed by the grace of God! Lord, tame my tongue, so that the words that come out of my mouth are true, gracious, kind, and encouraging. Somebody once said that everything that passes through our lips ought to go through these three checkpoints. (1) Is it true? (2) Is it necessary to say? (3) Is it kind? When, by the grace of God, our words go through those three checkpoints, we are speaking with a tamed tongue. Tamed by the grace of God