Unto thee, O LORD, do I lift up my soul. O my God, I trust in thee: let me not be ashamed, let not mine enemies triumph over me. Yea, let none that wait on thee be ashamed: let them be ashamed which transgress without cause. Shew me thy ways, O LORD; teach me thy paths. Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day. Remember, O LORD, thy tender mercies and thy lovingkindnesses; for they have been ever of old. Psalm 25:1-7

CHRIST CRUCIFIED
The cross of Christ is the strength of the minister; it is the heart of the gospel. I would not preach a sermon without preaching CHRIST CRUCIFIED. I would feel like a soldier without a weapon, like an artist without a brush, like a ship without a rudder, like a laborer without tools. Let others, if they will, preach law and morality; let others drench their congregations with baptisms and church laws; but GIVE ME THE CROSS OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST! This is the lever which has turned the world upside down. This is the only gospel that will cause men to repent and forsake their sins. This is the only message which can give peace to a troubled soul. And if the cross of Christ will not do it, nothing will. A man may begin preaching with a perfect knowledge of Latin, Greek, and Hebrew; but he will do his hearers no good unless he knows Jesus Christ and Him crucified. A missionary may go forth with compassion for the POOR, tenderness for the SICK, and pity for the ENSLAVED; but he will never relieve poverty of SPIRIT, sickness of SOUL, nor bondage of WILL unless he takes them the gospel of Christ crucified. This is the preaching the Holy Ghost will bless. HE HONORS THOSE WHO HONOR CHRIST CRUCIFIED! J.C. Ryle (1816-1900)

THOUGHTS ON WORSHIP
Paul wrote in Heb. 10:25, "Let us not forsake the assembling of ourselves together." It is the duty of all believers to meet together for worship, praise, study, and fellowship.

1). BECAUSE OF GOD, Who has appointed worship, Who approves of it, Who is glorified in it, and Who should be worshipped.

2). BECAUSE OF OURSELVES. We need to "draw nigh to God," to "seek His face," to praise, pray, and be refreshed and comforted - with other believers.

3). BECAUSE OF OTHERS--our families, friends, and neighbors who may, by our example and encouragement, be brought to seek the Lord.

But worship is not only a duty and commandment, worship is a BLESSED PRIVILEGE. David wrote, "Blessed is the man whom Thou choosest and causest to approach unto Thee, that he may dwell in Thy courts." We are blessed to have the DESIRE to worship God and hear His word . We are blessed to have the FREEDOM to go to the place of worship. We are blessed to have a FAMILY OF BELIEVERS with whom to meet and worship. We are blessed to have ELDERS AND PREACHERS called of God to preach to us and teach us the word. We are blessed to have the PHYSICAL STRENGTH to go to the house of the Lord and worship. "Blessed INDEED is the man whom Thou choosest and causest to approach unto Thee." Pastor Henry Mahan

WHY CHRIST CAME
Jesus Christ came into the world not only to reveal the Father, but to redeem the sinner. He came not as the President of our country who would go into a disaster area to look upon the poor, helpless victims, but to redeem victims of depravity whom the Father gave him in the covenant of redemption. Christ came not to redeem by appointed methods, but by Himself. He came not to stand by and prescribe, but to minister and provide the means of salvation. The Savior came not only to provide salvation, but to be that Salvation (I Pet. 1:18; Rev. 1:5). Pastor Scott Richardson

“For if any man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself” – Galatians 6:3
If we can learn that we are NOTHING, then we have learned something. But if we think we are something, then we have learned nothing. Scripture says so. Scripture says if we think ourselves to be “something when (we) are nothing, we are deceived. In other words, we are not special, unique, invaluable, nor irreplaceable (in spite of what our mothers may think). Each of us is just one sinful human being among billions of others just like us. We are born sinful, rebellious, ignorant and totally dependent upon the grace and mercy of God to teach us, change us, and give us any value or worth in this life. Apart from God’s revealing, teaching grace we know nothing. Apart from God’s constraining grace we can do nothing. Apart from God’s regenerating grace we will amount to nothing. Man is an absolutely worthless creature until God saves him and makes something out of him.

Matthew Henry once said, “Since God made everything out of nothing, if He is going to use us, we are going to have to be nothing.” God made everything from nothing, that way He gets all the glory. There were no natural materials to work with, no means to use, which might share in His creative glory. He simply spoke everything into existence. So it is in salvation. God finds nothing in the sinner to work with. No faith, no knowledge, no mind or heart to seek Him. As in creation, God must speak (by His Word) our salvation into existence. He must simply (yet powerfully) command us to hear, see, repent, come . . . LIVE! God gets all the glory! There was nothing to work with and no one helped Him in the work of our salvation. If any think they ‘made a decision’ . . . ‘let God into their heart’ . . .’made Jesus lord’ . . . ‘accepted him as savior ‘, that person “DECEIVETH HIMSELF.” One more time, “For by GRACE ARE YE SAVED through faith; and THAT NOT OF YOURSELVES: IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD” (Ephesians 2:8). Pastor Paul Mahan

May 13th, 2007
Sunday Worship
Bible Study 10:30 A.M.
Morning Service 11:15 A.M.
Kingsport service 3:00 P.M.
Wednesday Worship 7:00 P.M.

Radio (Sundays):
WXCC 96.5 & 98.1 FM (new time and staion) 8:15 A.M each week