As we have heard, so have we seen in the city of the LORD of hosts, in the city of our God: God will establish it for ever. Selah. We have thought of thy lovingkindness, O God, in the midst of thy temple. According to thy name, O God, so is thy praise unto the ends of the earth: thy right hand is full of righteousness. Let mount Zion rejoice, let the daughters of Judah be glad, because of thy judgments.

Psalm 48:8-11

Jonah said, “Salvation is of the Lord” (Jonah 2:9). If that statement is true, and it is, then you did not make a decision to follow Jesus. You did not give your heart to Him, nor did you make Him Lord of your life. The simple truth is, if salvation is of the Lord, then it is not of man. Our salvation not only reveals who God is, but it also reveals who and what we are. We ARE nothing, we HAVE nothing and we can DO nothing to save ourselves. Why? Because “Salvation is of the Lord.” If we ARE nothing but sin, we will die in that sin because God will by no means clear the guilty. (Exodus 34:7) If we HAVE no righteousness that God will accept, we will die in our sin, “for our righteousness must be perfect to be accepted.” (Leviticus 22:21) If we can DO nothing to obtain the perfect righteousness that we need to be accepted, then we remain dead in our trespasses and sin. Aren’t you glad that salvation is of the Lord?

Pastor David Eddmenson

Reflections on Thirty-Six Years

“If any man serve ME, him will my Father honor” (John 12:26).

It was thirty-six years ago that God was pleased to reveal His Son and the gospel of His glory and grace in me and to this church. Since that time we have endeavored to preach the gospel of His free and sovereign grace regardless of the cost, the consequences, or the results. Our message, our doctrine, and our emphasis on the person and effectual work of the dear Redeemer is totally unchanged from that time in 1950 to this day and, by His mercy, will not change!

The Lord has been pleased to bless us; oh, how He has blessed us, enlarged our borders, and extended our ministry around the world. To God be the glory! I encourage you to pray for me, for the television ministry, and for the conferences and church meetings here and abroad. God opens the doors without our promotion, He supplies the need without our begging, and He reveals Christ to sinners without any compromise of His truth.

If I could leave one strong, solemn word to young pastors and preachers, it would be, “Preach, without compromise, the divine, incarnate, crucified, risen, victorious, exalted Christ! Look not to, nor lean upon, the arm of flesh in any way. Know no man after the flesh. Enter not into the ways and means of well-meaning religionists who suggest shortcuts to success.”

There are no shortcuts nor doors which we can open by fleshly methods. God will honor the SON, and He will honor and use men who honor the Son.

Pastor Henry T. Mahan (Bulletin 1986)

Circumcision Made Without Hands.

“In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ” (Col. 2:11).

When I was born this first time in the flesh, my parents made a decision to have me circumcised, I had nothing to do with my birth in the flesh or with my circumcision in the flesh. It was totally out of my hands. The surgeon wisely used a sharp instrument to perform his task and to operate upon me.

When I was born the second time by the Spirit of God; I was circumcised in the heart. The Lord operated and circumcised my heart inwardly with the sharp sword of His word without humans hands (Heb. 4:12). I had nothing to do with my regeneration and my spiritual birth it was all of God and I had nothing to do with my circumcision in the heart either, it was all because of the Lord’s sovereign purpose and grace (John 1:12-13; 2 Tim. 1:9; James 1:18).

The apostle Paul put it this way, “For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God (Rom. 2:28-29).