A Lasting Interest In Christ

“No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me”

(John 6:44-45).

Man in his natural state has no desire for the things of God, no interest in the gospel of saving grace; and, when circumstances of sickness, sorrow, or fear do generate some interest, it is usually NEITHER SINCERE NOR LASTING!

But when God is pleased to cross a person’s path, awaken his sleeping soul, and create an interest in spiritual matters, that interest and desire is not only sincere and genuine, but will certainly result in salvation and eternal glory.

Christ said, “Every man that hath heard and learned of the Father, COMETH UNTO ME!” Pastor Henry T. Mahan (bulletin 1992)

God Is True To His People

“It is of the LORD’S mercy that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:22-23).

Believer, have you not in your own life’s experience proved the truth of the Lord? His love is unfailing! His faithfulness is unabated! His goodness is unchangeable! God is true! He promised to do us good, nothing but good, all the days of our lives. And his providence has fulfilled his promise. He promised to forgive the sins of all who trust his Son. And he has so fully forgiven us that he will not impute sin to us. He promised to keep and preserve us in life and grace in Christ. And we are kept by the power of God. God is true in all things and deserves to be believed. He is worthy of implicit faith and confidence.

Pastor Don Fortner

Christ Is Our Peace

“Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword” (Matt. 10:34).

At first glance this statement the Lord Jesus Christ makes seems to be contradictory to other places where the gospel is called, the gospel of peace (Rom. 10:15). We also read about our God being called the God of peace (Heb. 13:20). The Lord Jesus Christ is also called the Prince of peace (Isa. 9:6).

The Lord Jesus was instructing His apostles before He sent them to preach the gospel of the kingdom (Matt. 10:7) and He tells that His message is not one that would bring world peace among all men or all nations. We are not to expect that. Christ did not come to give His life to bring peace among nations. But rather the Lord Jesus Christ gave His life as a sacrifice for sin to bring peace and reconciliation between God and His covenant children (Eph. 2:12-18; Col. 1:12-23). We do have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ now and forever because Christ is our peace (John 16:33; Rom. 5:1).

Godly Sorrow and Worldly Sorrow

“For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death” (2Cor. 7:10).
There is a vast difference and stark contrast between true godly sorrow, and a mere worldly sorrow. The source from which they spring, being opposite as light and darkness, so also is their effect and consequences of them.

Godly sorrow and true repentance comes from the grace of God and is the sovereign gift of the risen Lord (Acts 5:31; 11:18). “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning” (James 1: 17). “A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven” (John 3:27). This godly sorrow comes from God, leads to God and salvation in Christ (1John 5:12-13).
“The sorrow of the world worketh death.” The worldly sorrow is altogether of the fallen flesh, it can rise no higher than its source, sinful flesh. The worldly sorrow comes from the carnal, worldly, fleshly and totally depraved mind. This worldly sorrow only leads to the end of all unbelief, which is eternal condemnation and eternal death (John 3:36). When sin is finished it brings death (James 1: 15).