“He that is of God heareth God’s word”(John 8:47)

Sometimes we get so frustrated and depressed because men and women deny the truth which is so evident and reject the counsel of God so plainly declared in His Word. Well, I can tell you this; if a person belongs to God by eternal election, has been born of God by divine regeneration, and is truly indwelt by the Holy Spirit of truth, he will hear God’s Word and receive it with affection, reverence, and obedience!

“His commandments are not grievous” (I John 5:3)

It is more profitable and enjoyable to love than to hate, to forgive than to hold a grudge, to smile than to quarrel, to behave kindly than to act ugly. The way of the transgressor is hard, not the way of the believer. The life of faith and love is the good life.

Pastor Henry T. Mahan (bulletin articles 1988)

“That’s Dangerous Doctrine!”

How often I have heard those words from preachers who are trying to excuse their compromise of the gospel and persuade others to be less dogmatic in their assertions of gospel truth. When we preach the believer’s absolute security in Christ (“And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand” - John 10:28), the Arminian cries, “That’s dangerous doctrine!” If we assert God’s sovereign election (“According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love” - Ephesians 1:4), the free-willer cries, “That’s dangerous doctrine!”

As soon as we affirm the believer’s freedom from the law (“For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace” - Romans 6:14), the legalist cries, “That’s dangerous doctrine!” When we declare the eternal justification of God’s elect in Christ (“Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified” - Romans 8:30), the works monger cries, “That’s dangerous doctrine!”

Understand this: - No truth of God is dangerous! All truth is blessed, delightful, and encouraging to the faith and holiness of God’s elect. In over 40 years of pastoring I have heard many excuses for the ungodly acts of men. But I have never heard even one believer attempt to justify any evil thing by the doctrine of God’s free and sovereign grace in Christ! Those who suggests that free grace is dangerous or will promote licentiousness, simply know nothing of the grace of God.

Pastor Don Fortner (1950-2020)

Jesus Christ Is The Alpha and Omega

“I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.” (Rev. 1:8).

What glorious, powerful and true statement this scripture proclaims. The Lord Jesus Christ is sum and substance, the beginning and the ending of all the Holy Scriptures. The whole message of the Bible is all about the person and work of Christ from Genesis to the Revelation (Luke 24:27, 44; John 5:39; Acts 10:43).

The Lord Jesus Christ Himself is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end of all the law of God. He is the law giver and the very one who fulfilled every demand of the law for His people (Isa. 42:21; Matt. 5:17; Rom. 10:4; Gal. 3:13).

The Lord Jesus Christ is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end of all creation. He is the one that created all things by the word of His power and sustains all things (Col. 1:16). He is the one that will end this world and create a new heaven and earth wherein dwells righteousness (John 1:1-3; 2 Peter 3:10-13).

The Lord Jesus Christ is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and ending of all our salvation (Col. 3:11). It starts with Him from eternity past (Rev. 13:8) and is carried out to its full completion in eternal glory (Rom. 8:29-30; Phil. 1:6).