“According To His Purpose” - Romans 8:28

Everything that comes to pass in time is brought to pass “according to his purpose,” according to the sovereign, eternal, unalterable purpose of God “who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will” (Ephesians 1:11). The Word of God assures us that behind and beneath all the apparent confusion of this world lies the purpose of God. It is God’s purpose to perfect the people he has chosen and restore the world he made to himself through the mediatorial work of the Lord Jesus Christ. To this end, he arranged all the affairs of human history from eternity and sovereignly brings them to pass in time. History is, “His Story!” Nothing happens in His story by accident. Nothing comes to pass that He has not purposed. Nothing can thwart, or even hinder his purpose (Rom. 11:33-36).

Pastor Don Fortner

Preach The Word

“I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;

Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine” (2 Timothy 4:1-2).

“It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe” (1 Cor. 1:21). There can be no substitute for preaching the Word; and all who attempt to attract followers by any other means only weaken their ministry and build wood, hay, and stubble. Good music, well-written bulletins, personal fellowship, socials and dinners, visitation, and Sunday School classes all serve a good purpose; but these efforts are to no avail without “THE POWER OF THE PULPIT.”

When the disciples instructed the early church to, “Look out men whom we may appoint over THIS BUSINESS, and we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to THE MINISTRY OF THE WORD,” they were setting the example for all of God’s preachers. A preacher once said, “I didn’t have time to properly prepare for my sermon.” My friend, you don’t HAVE time to prepare, you TAKE the time to prepare.

Preaching the Gospel is what we are called to do; anything else is secondary. One does not trust his physical wellbeing to a physician because he is friendly, nice-looking, has proper credentials, and has a lovely office, but because his MEDICINE HEALS! Even so, sinners with whom God is dealing care only for the healing Word preached in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Give men and women the Bread of Life and they will return for more.

Pastor Henry T. Mahan (bulletin 1991)

IS THERE NOT A CAUSE?

“And David said, what have I now done? Is there not a cause?” (1 Samuel 17:29).

“Is there not a cause?” This was David’s response to his older brother, Eliab’s false accusation against him of pride, irresponsibility of keeping their father’s sheep and naughtiness of heart (1 Sam. 17:28). David came to the battlefield that day being sent by his father, Jesse. He was sent with provision for the three brothers that had followed Saul to the battle against the Philistines (1 Sam. 17:17-18). David heard the ungodly rants and rages of the Philistine giant and the challenge that Goliath had issued to the armies of Israel (1 Sam. 17:8-10) and was concerned for the glory of God. “Is there not a cause?

Yes, there is a cause! God’s glory! When we hear the rants and rages of the religious ungodly against the gospel of Christ it stirs our hearts with zeal for His glory. How can we sit by idly and not pay any attention to what is being said today in most churches about the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is utter blasphemy against the God whom we love and the gospel we believe to hear some say, “Salvation rests upon the sinner and God has done all He can do, the rest is up to you!”

Is there not a cause in our day to take a strong stand for the cause of God and the gospel truth of redemption actually accomplished by Christ, not merely an attempt made (Heb. 9: 11-12; 26)?

Is there not a cause in our day to, “Earnestly contend for the faith once delivered unto the saints” and not to compromise to satisfy the feelings of some(Jude 1:24)?

Is there not a cause in our day to boldly proclaim the unvarnished truth that salvation is of the Lord, not by the will of man (John 1: 11-12; Rom. 9:15-16; 2 Tim. 1:9)?

Is there not a cause in our day to proclaim the good news that the Lord Jesus Christ “came to seek and to save the lost” that He came to save sinners and shall not fail (Isa. 42:1-4; 1 Tim. 1:12-15; Luke 19:10; John 10:27-30)?