THANK GOD FOR HIS WORD

The angel said to the shepherds, "And this shall be a sign unto you; ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, LYING IN A MANGER" (a manger is a box or trough to hold hay for cattle to eat).

If the angel had not given these specific instruc­tions, the shepherds would never have thought to look for the King of Israel, the Messiah, in such a lowly place. They might have looked for Him in the temple of religion, or the palace of the king, or in the halls of learning, but never in a stable. And (without the words of God's servants) if the only babe born that night was found in a manger, they would not have believed him to be the Messiah!

THANK GOD FOR HIS WORD which reveals the glory of our Redeemer AND HIS HUMILITY in becoming poor, that we, through His poverty, might be rich (2 Cor. 8:9)! Don't try to seek Christ except "according to the scriptures."

Pastor Henry T. Mahan (bulletin 1994)

HE HATH MADE HIM TO BE SIN

(2 Corinthians 5:21)

A most amazing statement; the sinless one was made to be sin. God made the perfectly innocent One to be sin for us. I bless His holy name and adore Him that He is not unjust in order to be merciful; that He does not spare the guilty in order to indulge His gentleness. Every transgression and disobedience has its just recompense of reward. I bless His holy name that to vindicate His justice, He determined that, while a free pardon should be provided for all believers, it should be grounded upon an atonement which satisfied all the requirements of His holy law. Pastor Scott Richardson

"BLESS THE LORD, O MY SOUL"

"Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities;" (Psalm 103:2).

Every time I read this Psalm, I must stop in wonder at the very first of God's benefits mentioned, "Who forgiveth all thine iniquities." There are many blessings mentioned afterward, but none can rival the glory and sheer wonder of this first one. That He should be willing to forgive my "smaller offenses" is a wonder; or that He should be willing to forgive an offense once or twice. But that He would, yea, does forgive all my iniquities each and every time they appear is more than this poor sinner can grasp.

He has not dealt with me according to my transgressions, nor shall He ever. He has removed my transgressions as far from me as the east is from the west. Having withdrawn the frowning face of a Judge, He has shown me the merciful face of a loving Father. Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all the redeemed of the Lord, bless His holy name with me. Forget not this one wonderful benefit, and it shall give strength to your heart and health to your bones. All that is within me bless His holy name!

Pastor Joe Terrell

Salvation Is Of The Lord

The elect are not born again because they believe; rather, they believe because they have been born again (1 John 5:1). The new birth is a sovereign gift, and so is faith (Eph. 2:8-9). Repentance is also a free gift that is sovereignly bestowed (2 Tim. 2:25). Because the elect now have faith, God justifies them and they are saved. “Salvation is of the Lord” (Jonah 2:9) If any man is ever to be saved, it is only by God’s free grace from first to last. Pastor Don Bell

GOD OUR SAVIOUR

“But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared” (Titus 3:4).

Three times in this epistle to Titus the Lord Jesus Christ is called, “God our Saviour.” Paul believed in and preached a divine Saviour, not just a mere man, but rather the Saviour, Who is Almighty God. His name is Jesus, Saviour who shall save His people from their sins, that declares His office (Matt.1:21). But let us not forget that His name is also, Emmanuel God with us, that declares His nature (Matt. 1:23).