ZEBULON BAPTIST CHURCH
Weekly Bulletin
Sunday, March 23rd, 2008

Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast. I will cry unto God most high; unto God that performeth all things for me. He shall send from heaven, and save me from the reproach of him that would swallow me up. Selah. God shall send forth his mercy and his truth. Psalm 57:1-3

SURE TO ALL BELIEVERS
Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also that shall believe in me through their word. (John 16:20).

The whole of salvation is sure to all believers, even the weakest of all, from the covenant, from Jesus, from the Spirit, and from the oath and promises of God. Though there is a sea of corruption and sin in thy nature; a world of temptation around thee; legions of devils in battle-array against thy poor soul; yet as thou hast the faith of God's elect in thine heart, be it ever so weak, thou art possessed of a precious jewel, which is the inestimable gift of God's holy Spirit. And verily, as sure as Jesus prayed this prayer unto his Father on earth, thou, even thou, wast in his all-seeing eye; hadst a place in his loving heart, and hast an interest in his finished salvation: therefore be assured thou shalt most certainty be brought to glory, to ascribe salvation to God and the Lamb, through the happy, happy ages of a never-ending eternity. For so is the righteous challenge of our Saviour, "Father, I WILL that they also whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory." William Mason

WHAT IS THE LORD'S WILL?
James 4:15
"If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this or that" (James 4:15).

The Apostle does not condemn the buying and selling of merchandise nor the lawful practice of going about one's business. He is rebuking those who plan and promote those things without consulting the will of God or considering the uncertainty of human life. We must not say that we are going here or there, that we are going to do this or that as if these things are in our power and that we have no dependence on the providence and will of God.

You and I know nothing of tomorrow, nor even if we shall live until then. Therefore, it is foolish and even haughty to determine what we shall do and where we shall go without considering the will of God, in whom we live and move and have our being. "WHAT IS YOUR LIFE?" or, what is the NATURE of your life? We are but a wisp of vapor, a puff of smoke, a mist that is visible for a short time and then disappears. Instead of saying we will go to such and-such a place, or we will do this or that, it should be said, "IF THE LORD IS WILLING, WE SHALL LIVE AND WE SHALL DO THIS OR THAT."

We must be careful not to boast presumptuously of tomorrow, nor of the continuance of life, nor of going to certain places and doing certain things. All such boasting and planning, without regard to the will and providence of our Lord, is evil. Pastor Henry Mahan

LOOK TO JESUS CHRIST
An old preacher once said, "If you wish to be disappointed, look at others; if you wish to be disheartened, look at yourself; if you wish to be encouraged, look to Jesus Christ." Copied

THE EFFECTS OF TRUE PREACHING
Acts 26:16-18
When Paul stood before King Agrippa he plainly declared unto him the experience of God's grace in his soul. He recalls what he was before he met the Redeemer, "after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee" (Acts 26:5). Paul had religion, however he did not know God and he hated the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ; he said, "I truly thought with myself that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus Christ" (Acts 26:9). Then he describes how he was confronted and conquered by the very person who he persecuted, the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 26:13-16). Paul also declares before King Agrippa the purpose God had in raising him up out of religion and teaching him the gospel of His sovereign grace. "To make thee a minister and a witness both of the things which thou hast seen, and those things in the which I will appear unto thee" (Acts 26:16). God has ordained the salvation of His elect (Rom. 8:29-30). But remember, that He has also ordained the means to call them out (1 Cor. 1:21). I would not exalt the messenger, but I would exalt the means and make much of the preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul and any other man sent to preach the gospel are only earthen vessels (2 Cor. 4:7). God uses the word preached by sinful creatures to the salvation of His sheep (Rom. 10:14-17). Paul also describes to Agrippa the effects of true peaching to the elect of God, "To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me" (Acts 26:18). Here is a plain description of the work of grace in us through the gospel being preached. Notice these things:

1). God opens the blind eye! All men are spiritually blind to the truth and dead in sin. God must command that spiritual sight be given so we can see the truth as it is revealed in the Word (Eph. 2:1; James 1:18).

2). God turns us from darkness unto light! Men love darkness rather than the light (John 3:19). Through the Word preached God commands the Light to shine in us, which turns us from self to Christ (2 Cor.4:6).

3). God grants mercy to sinners! We see in Christ crucified, how God can be a just God and Saviour, how He freely gives us the just forgiveness of sins according to the riches of His grace through Christ Jesus (Rom. 3:24; Eph.1:7;1Jn 1:7).

4). God gives unto us an eternal and rich inheritance! By His almighty grace He has chosen and adopted us into His family making us heirs of God and joint heirs with the Lord Jesus Christ (Rom. 8:15-17; 1 Peter 1:3).

5). God gives us faith to receive Jesus Christ (Eph. 2:8-9). Faith is not something that is native to the sinner's heart, it is planted there by the hand of God thru the gospel (Rom. 10:13-17). Pastor Tom Harding

Bible Study 10:30 A.M.
Morning Service 11:15 A.M.
Kingsport service 3:00 P.M.
Wednesday Worship 7:00 P.M.

Radio (Sundays):
WXCC 96.5 & 98.1 FM (new time and staion) 8:15 A.M each week