Good News

“Unto you is born a Saviour which is Christ, the Lord” (Luke 2:11).

This is the good news, that the Saviour born is none other than Christ the Lord. There is no good news if He is not the Lord God. It is not good news that a great prophet is born. Moses was a great prophet, but he is dead. It is not good news that another priest is born. Aaron was a great high priest, but others have taken his place by reason of his death. It is not good news that a good king is born. David was a good king, but he sleeps even as do the wicked kings.

But if you tell me that the one born in Bethlehem is none other than the eternal God who is PROPHET, PRIEST, and KING – that is good news! He ever lives to make intercession. He eternally reigns with all authority. He will never leave nor forsake me. If the God-man is my Saviour, THAT IS GOOD NEWS!

Pastor Henry T. Mahan (Bulletin 1985)

IN EVERYTHING GIVE THANKS

A pastor was talking to the mother of a little girl who had just recovered from a near-fatal illness. The woman said, “Wasn’t God good to give us back our child?” The minister was about to voice his agreement when an arresting thought entered his mind. The woman was surprised when he answered, “Yes, but would not God have been just as good, or just as kind, if your child had not been spared?” The mother hesitated. Her face clouded over. At last, though half-heartedly and without conviction, she conceded that her pastor was right.
It takes an unshakable confidence in the wisdom, power, and love of God to give “thanks always for all things” (Ephesians 5:20). This does not mean we delight in pain and suffering. We simply cling to His unchanging attributes. It’s easy to be happy when everything seems to be going our way. We readily express thanks to God when we receive the things we desire. But there’s often an opposite response when we find ourselves in adverse situations and our heavenly Father does not grant our requests. The trusting child of God, however, learns to praise the Lord in every circumstance.
Romans 8:28 has become so familiar to many of us that we sometimes fail to appreciate it. But it’s a comforting truth that; “All things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.”

“Thanks for thorns as well as roses
Thanks for weakness and for health
Thanks for clouds as well as sunshine
Thanks for poverty and wealth!”

Pastor Todd Nibert

God cannot forgive me of my sins just because I ask Him too. Sin must be atoned for, justice satisfied. Here is the good news of the gospel. The sins that I ask to be forgiven of, the blood of Christ answers the justice of God for them. That being so, God can forgive me of all my sins through the blood of Jesus Christ. No better news than this. Pastor John Chapman

Sufficient Grace

“And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me” (2 Cor. 12:9).

When Paul was given a special messenger of Satan to buffet and beat him down in the flesh he asked the Lord Jesus Christ for immediate relief (2 Cor. 12:8)). Instead of removing the thorn in the flesh, the Lord in His infinite wisdom instructed and encouraged Paul that His grace was sufficient or enough to sustain him in the time of trial.

Surely this is true for all of the Lord's people, although we often think in our time of despair and doubt that there is no way we can survive our trouble, heartache, grief and pain. Yet, the answer of the Lord is always the same, "my grace is sufficient." His grace is sufficient to choose us unto salvation (Eph. 1:3-6). His grace is sufficient to save us by His mighty power (Acts 15:11; 2 Tim. 1:9). His grace is sufficient to keep us from falling (1 Peter 1:5; Jude 1:24). Surely, His grace is sufficient to sustain, comfort and bless us in the time of trial (Isa. 41:10; 43:1-7; John 16:33; Rom. 8:28).

The essence of this is that the Lord Jesus Christ is sufficient, He is enough, "Christ is all and in all" (Col. 3:11). The Lord's salvation and strength is perfect and complete at all times but especially in and for our time of need and weakness (Psalm 46:1; Phil. 4:19). He instructs us to come boldly unto His throne of grace. Why? The Lord's grace is sufficient. Read this precious promise found in Heb. 4:16, "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."