January 7^th 2024

9:30 am -------------------------------------------------- The Life of God – Ephesians 4:17-24

10:00 am ---- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ---- I Will, And They Shall – Ezekiel 36

Wednesday: 7:00 pm

God Takes Away -- “The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away” – Job 1:21

God takes away uncertain riches so that His people may the more prize certain riches (which are Christ). God takes away natural strength so that His people may the more prize spiritual strength. God takes away the creature (people and things) that His people may more prize their Saviour. Only spiritual things will abide with you, but all else changes. Spritual and heavenly things can alone satisfy the soul. The language of a soul saved by grace is this: “Ah, Lord! The good things that I have from you, though they refresh me, yet they cannot satisfy me. “Whom have I in Heaven but Thee? And there is none upon earth that I desire beside Thee” (Psalm 73:25)– Thomas Brooks

Family Worship

‘And Jethro, Moses’ father in law, came with (Moses’) son and his wife unto Moses in the wilderness, where he encamped at the mount of God’ – Exodus 18:5

In this story, Jethro, the father in law of Moses, heard the gospel (probably from Moses), believed, and came to Moses, the man of God, to worship the Lord and fellowship with his people around the gospel. Jethro believed the true and living God and wanted his family to hear and believe Him as well, so he brought his daughter and two grandsons to hear and worship. He left his home in Midian, his wife (if living . . .was she an unbeliever?. . . and didn’t want to come?); nevertheless, Jethro had to come and being the priest and spiritual leader of his home, he made sure everyone under his rule and roof was under the sound of the gospel. In the end of this story they were all together around the burnt offering and (blood) sacrifice (vs.12).

And so it is with all who hear the Truth and truly believe and love the truth. They will come to hear God’s man, hear the gospel, worship with God’s people around Christ and Him crucified, and will bring their family with them. It (the gospel) is a matter of love, a matter of life or death, a matter of the utmost importance. Nothing else really matters.

Divorce

“And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, let not the wife depart from her husband: But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife” (but and if he put her away, let him remain unmarried, or be reconciled to his wife) – I Cor. 7:10-11.

Divorce and remarriage have become the accepted practice in our country. But it is not now and has never been condoned nor accepted among believers! Neither husband nor wife is at liberty to separate from nor cast aside the other. Our marriage vows are unto God, and they are not to be taken lightly. When believers divorce, they declare to the world, “The God and gospel we preach is not sufficient to enable us to love one another more than we love ourselves, to enable us to deny our desires and flesh for the sake of our homes and our children, to consider the reproach our divorce will bring upon our church and its fellowship!” ONE QUESTION REMAINS: If our command is “whatever you do, do all for the GLORY OF GOD” (I Cor. 10:31), can you cast aside your wife and children for the glory of God? Or is God’s glory better served by being faithful unto death? – Henry Mahan

Grow in Grace -- “Grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior” (II Peter 3:18).