The merciful man doeth good to his own soul: but he that is cruel troubleth his own flesh. The wicked worketh a deceitful work: but to him that soweth righteousness shall be a sure reward. As righteousness tendeth to life: so he that pursueth evil pursueth it to his own death. Proverbs 11:17-19

Our Assemblies

“Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching” (Heb. 10:25).

By God’s all-wise appointment, our assemblies are the life, the food, and the nourishment of our souls. It is the main way whereby we publicly identify with Christ and His Gospel. We evidence our love for Christ by our loyalty and support of one another in opposition to all false worship. Many things will rise up in competition to the diligent attendance of our assemblies. We must recognize and refuse to give in to anything that is opposed to what Christ commands. The total falling away of a graceless professor always begins with this neglect, this disassociation with God’s people.

John Owen (1616-1683)

What Is It To Confess Christ?

Our Lord said, "Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven" (Matthew. 10:32). What is it to confess Christ?

1). It is to have an understanding in the mind of WHO Christ is, WHAT Christ did, and WHERE Christ is. "The Son of God has come and given us an understanding..."

2). It is to believe Christ in the heart (Romans 10: 9‑10), to receive Christ with a sincere and genuine heart love and committal as Lord and Saviour, Prophet, Priest, and King.

3). It is to confess Christ openly and publicly in believer's baptism. "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved." Baptism does not save nor add anything to the Saviour's work; but it is a confession of, identification with, and testimony of the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord, and our own death to sin and resurrection TO WALK WITH HIM.

4). It is identification with the church of our Lord Jesus, the people who love Him, and the preachers who preach His gospel of free and sovereign grace. Paul said to Timothy, "Be not ashamed of the testimony (gospel) of our God, nor of me His servant, but be ready yourself to partake of (be identified) the afflictions of the gospel." Where the gospel is preached, where the true people of God meet to worship, where the name of Christ is worshipped and exalted, THERE I WANT TO BE! And if I truly love Christ and confess Christ, THERE I WILL BE!

5). It is to speak of Christ daily in conversation, prayer, and as a faithful witness. Pastor Henry T. Mahan

A Coal Mine Disaster

These last few weeks I have been watching with great interest the tragic events unfold in the coal mining disaster in Carbon County Utah. I grew up in this area and still have family living there. I now live in the coalfields of eastern Kentucky and have many friends that are coal miners. Here are six men trapped 2,000 feet underground with no possible escape for them. I grieve with the families of those miners and I have prayed for a successful rescue. Many attempts have been made to save them; drilling holes through solid rock to find them and other attempts were made. Some even volunteered to go underground and dig them out. I applaud all these heroic attempts to rescue them. Recently, three men died trying to dig their way to the trapped miners. Sadly, their noble and valiant efforts failed in their rescue mission. What a compounded tragedy this has grown into, how frustrating all this must be to the families of all involved.

While I was thinking about the miners and their condition I also thought about the rescue mission of the Lord Jesus Christ coming to save His people from their sin (Matt. 1:21; Luke 19:10). Here we are trapped under the mountain of our sin, without any way of escape by our efforts. Digging our way out is not a remote possibility. In sovereign mercy, our Lord Jesus Christ volunteered to dig us out and save us by His marvelous grace. In doing so, He gave His life to save us (1Peter 3:18). His efforts to rescue us did not fail (Isa. 42:4; 53:11). He put away our sin by the sacrifice of Himself (Heb. 9:26). We give thanks to our most gracious God for such a sacrifice of infinite love (1John 4:9-10) irresistible and fetching grace (2Sam. 9:5). His death for His people was not a miserable tragedy but absolute victory and completely successful (John 6:37-40; 1 Cor. 15:57).

Consider these blessed words of our DELIVERER (Rom. 11:26).

“He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities” (Isa. 53:11).

“I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep” (John 10:10-11).