Our midweek service will be on Thursday evening. Our speaker will be Pastor Kevin Thacker. He is from Pike County and is currently the Pastor of San Diego Grace Fellowship, Jamul, California.

Do Not Praise Yourself

We have no reason at any time to glory in ourselves nor in our works, but only to thank, praise, and give glory to God who is pleased to redeem such worthless creatures and to use us in some way to accomplish His purpose. Matthew Henry once said, “As much against the grain as it is for a proud man to acknowledge his infirmities, so much is it against the grain of a child of God to speak in his own praise.”

It is not the man who praises and commends himself who is approved and accepted, but it is the person whom God accepts and approves in Christ. “Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips” (Prov. 27:2).

Pastor Henry T. Mahan (bulletin 1987)

Grace Alone, Christ Alone

If any man thinks that he is justified before God by his good works he is tragically and dreadfully mistaken (2 Tim. 1:9; Titus 3:5). What a horrible rebuke of the effectual, substitutionary sacrifice and perfect obedience of the Lord Jesus Christ, to entertain thoughts of self-glory, self-righteousness and self-salvation (Phil.2:6-9; Luke 16:15). Paul made this very argument to the Galatians church. "I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain" (Gal. 2:21).

The Lord Jesus Christ alone is all any sinner needs to stand in God's presence justified (Jude 24; Col. 1:19-22; Rom. 8:1). Those in Christ by sovereign adoption, effectual calling, powerful regeneration and saving faith have no other hope (2Thes. 2:13-16) nor ground on which to stand (Acts 4:12; Isa. 28:16). Some might ask, "Is the Lord Jesus Christ enough?" If the Lord Jesus Christ is all you have, God says that is enough (John 1:16; Col. 2:9-10; Col. 3:11)!

Salvation Is In Christ

Being safe from the waters of God’s justice and wrath is not you being in the right place- it is you being in a person! Christ!

Sitting in an assembly where Christ is preached is not eternal salvation – resting in the person, The Lord Jesus Christ, is eternal salvation.

Our Lord asked the disciples “Will ye also go away?” Peter did not respond with “to WHERE shall we go?” he said “to WHOM shall we go?” I pray we hear our Savior say, “come unto ME”!

When we are drawn to the person and work of Christ- like David, we will be “glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD.”! Because that is where HE is preached.

Pastor Kevin Thacker

The Judgment Throne Of Christ

“He shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world” (Matt. 25:33-34).

In this great and notable day of judgment, the Great Shepherd of the sheep shall make a just distinction between His elect, chosen and blessed in Christ and those left to justly perish in their sins (Matt. 25:41). As the sovereign Lord of all He has the supreme knowledge and divine right to make these exact distinctions between the sheep (believers) and the goats (unbelievers) (2Tim. 2:19). I want you to notice carefully the words of commendations and grace given to His church, "The King shall say unto them…"

1). "Come." The great Shepherd calls His sheep unto Himself, ten thousand welcomes (John 17:24). Come to Me, come unto my dearest embraces, come into my sweet and eternal communion, come into my spiritual kingdom and take possession of all covenant mercies ( Rom. 8:32; Matt. 25:21). Come unto my throne of glory (Rev. 5:10).

2). "Come, ye blessed of my Father." The reason of our coming and blessing is found in the eternal covenant of grace (Jer. 31:3; Psa. 65:4; John 6:44-45). As the Spirit glorifies the Son (John 16:14), so the Son glorifies the Father by referring the salvation of His sheep to the eternal purpose of God (Rom. 11:36), He is the first cause and last end in justifying His elect (Eph. 1:3-14; Eph. 3:10-11).

3). "Inherit the kingdom prepared for you." This is the eternal inheritance of God's grace (1Peter 1:3-5), bought with the precious blood atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ (Rev. 1:5-6; John 14:1-6). Not acquired by our merit, but rather by His free grace (Rom. 3:24). This inheritance is freely given to all those made heirs of God and joint-heirs with the Lord Jesus Christ (Rom. 8:17; Rev. 21:6-7).