March 30, 2025

Sunday Worship

Radio WXCC 96.5 fm (internet wxccfm.com) 8:30 A.M.

Radio WPKE 98.1 fm 10:30 .M.

Bible Study 10:30 A.M.

Morning Service 11:15 A.M.

WPRG TV Channel 5 (Henry Mahan) 10:00 A.M. 8:00 P.M.

Wednesday Worship 7:00 P.M.

For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem.

Psalm 51:16-18

A DAILY PRAYER

"Hold up my steps in thy path, that my footsteps slip not" (Psalm 17:5).

WHO? "O Lord, attend unto my cry, hear my prayer." (Psalm 17:1).

WHAT? "Hold up my steps," my walk, and my talk; order my steps (Psalm 37:23).

WHERE? "In Thy paths," in the paths of righteous­ness, godliness, and truth (Psalm 23:1-3).

WHY? "That my footsteps slip not." (1 Peter 1:5).

If you do not hold me, keep me, and give me grace, I will fall.

“Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen” (Jude 1:24-25).

Pastor Henry T. Mahan (bulletin 1994)

One Message

The Bible, the Word of God, is a Book with one message, and that one message is redemption, righteousness, and eternal life in Christ. The gospel of Christ is the message of Holy Scripture. Substitution is the message of the gospel. Substitution is not one doctrine among many. Substitution is the gospel. All true doctrine arises from and is based upon the gospel doctrine of substitution. It is impossible to understand election, redemption, justification, sanctification, baptism, the Lord’s Supper, preservation, the great white throne judgment, or eternal glory until you understand these things in the light of substitution.

The gospel of Christ, this message of substitution, is the message God sends his servants to preach to all who hear them. “For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel” (1 Corinthians 9:16). Our message never varies. We preach Christ to draw lost sinners to him, and to draw believing sinners to him. We preach Christ to convict, convert, and correct, and to comfort, console, and consecrate. Our message is Christ.

In a word, I would say to all who stand before eternity bound sinners to speak to them in the name of the eternal God --- preach Christ, or don’t preach! Pastor Don Fortner

WHATSOEVER THE LORD PLEASED

(PSALM 135:6)

There are many precious truths taught throughout the Bible, but there is one that seems to gleam and radiate on every page of Holy Scripture, that of divine sovereignty, our God is God (Isa. 46:9-12). He is on a throne of absolute and universal dominion directing, controlling, ruling, regulating all things after His wise and eternal counsel (Eph. 1:11). "Whatsoever the Lord pleased, that did He in Heaven above and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places (Psalm 135:6). What does the scriptures teach that it pleased the Lord to do? There are many things we could consider, but there are five that are plainly revealed in scripture.

1). It pleased the Lord to make you His people! (I Sam. 12:22).

Israel of old provides us a good picture of God's sovereign electing love. He passed by all the other nations and set his heart upon Israel. Did they merit His favor? No! He set His love on them because of a covenant made with Abraham. Likewise, we do not merit God's electing love. He chose His spiritual Israel unconditionally; there was nothing in them to merit His love. He set His love on us because of the eternal covenant of grace made with our Surety, Jesus Christ (Heb. 7:22; Heb. 13:20; 2Thes. 2:13).

2). It pleased the Lord to bruise His Son! (Isa. 53:10). Jesus Christ stood as the Mediator of the people that were given Him in eternity (John 6:37). In order to redeem them and save them He had to shoulder their sin debt; that is what happened at Calvary, substitution and satisfaction (2 Cor. 5-21; 1 John. 3:5). He made an effectual atonement for the sin of His covenant people (Heb. 2:17).

3).It pleased God that all the fullness of God should dwell in the God Man, Jesus Christ (Col. 1:18; Col. 2:9-10). Every blessing that the Lord our God has for His covenant people is found in Christ. “Of His fullness have we all received grace for grace” (John 1:16).

4). It pleased God by the preaching of the gospel to effectually call out His elect! (I Cor. 1:17-24). God in His perfect wisdom purposed to reveal the gospel through the very means this world calls foolishness (2 Cor. 4:5-7). His sheep are made to hear the effectual call of the gospel through the preaching of the Word and the revelation of the Holy Spirit (John 10:27-30; I Cor. 2: 10-14).