Radio WXCC 96.5 fm (internet wxccfm.com) 8:30 A.M.
Radio WPKE 98.1 fm; SuddenLink TV (channel 9) 10:30 A.M.
Bible Study 10:30 A.M.
Morning Service 11:15 A.M.
WPRG Channel 5 (Pastor Henry Mahan) 8:00 P.M.
Wednesday Worship 7:00 P.M.
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
Psalm 51:7-10
He Laid Down His Life For Us
(1 John 3:16)
Here is the most profound, sublime, and glorious truth that human tongue can speak, proclaimed in seven simple, one-syllable words. There is not a long, complicated word in the entire sentence!
GREAT THOUGHTS can always be expressed in simple words, such as “Thank you,” or “I love you.” But FEEBLE THOUGHTS need to be dressed up in rhetoric and fine language. Someone said, “Today’s intellectuals need Latin words and confusing sentences to express their feeble ideas, but God’s servants are always content to preach the gospel in the Spirit and WITH THE UNDERSTANDING!”
We do not preach for admiration but for edification. We do not preach to impress men but to instruct them.
Pastor Henry T. Mahan (bulletin 1986)
Where is the Fear of God Today?
Where is the fear of God today? Is this not what is wrong with us? Is not this the whole story? This present generation is so taken up with the idea of our own importance and so occupied with the dignity of man, that we no longer fear God, if we ever feared Him. We are presumptuous, self-willed, unruly and dying a slow but sure death, and on the verge of complete ruin.
If there is one word that describes this generation of religious people, it is “irreverence.” Sophistication will yet kill this present generation. Men go to church today to patronize God, not to worship God. The majority of church-going people, judging from their attitude, believe that in attending church, they are conferring a great honor upon God. Church attendance is an excuse for a fashion parade and a show of pride. Men go to church to be entertained and amused. They insist that the preacher be a good mixer, entertainer, actor, and pulpit clown. The preacher who dares to declare the gospel of Christ is one thought of as one being hopelessly out of date.
I hear everywhere I go this statement, “He sounds like an old country preacher,” whatever that means. Read through the whole sermon in Acts 2; there is nothing in it but the Word of God, not one thing except the Scripture. How embarrassing this man would be to this generation; he would be considered odd. He didn’t even have on a clerical robe. What did he preach? The sovereignty of God, the Lordship of Christ, and salvation by grace. By modern standards, this was a bad sermon; this man preached Divine election. The cry of this religious generation is that you must not preach election—you will confuse sinners. How are you going to confuse sinners when they are already confused? They are dead to God. The result of the preaching in Acts 2 resulted in God calling some, maybe enough to try preaching this way.
“Behold your God!” (Isa. 40:9) The God of the Bible, that great God with whom we have to do, is a God of will, purpose and determination, and His will is never thwarted. “He doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou? (Dan. 4:35) “He is of one mind, and who can turn him? And what his soul desireth, even that he doeth.” (Job 23:13) He declares, “My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure.” (Isa. 46:9-10) “He worketh ALL THINGS after the counsel of his own will.” (Eph. 1:11) “For of him, and through him, and to him, are ALL THINGS.” (Rom. 11:35)
Whatsoever comes to pass in the whole creation is under God’s rule and dominion. Whether something comes to pass by Divine, efficient cause or by Divine permission, it is under God’s control and a part of His overall will and purpose; and, “Known unto God are all His works from the beginning of the world.” (Acts 15:18) God is so sovereign and wise in His rule over all things, in His mysterious providence, that His people bow down in awe, wonder and admiration. All of the “misfortunes” in the life of Joseph were under the rule of this great God, to fulfill His wise and loving purpose of covenant grace (Gen. 45:4-8; 50:20). All of the terrible “catastrophes” in the life of Job (1:20); and every hand that moved against the darling of His heart, His only begotten Son, were under His rule and control (John 19:11; Acts 2:23; 4:23-28).
No wonder the apostle Paul could write, “All things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” (Rom. 8:28) What safety and security, peace and rest it is to be in His loving almighty hands. And take it to heart, believers, those things which befall you in this life come not only from the almighty hand of God, but from the infinite heart of God, your infinitely wise and loving Father. Now read Psalm 23 – The LORD is my shepherd – The LORD is MY shepherd – what peace these words should bring to our hearts. –
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