ZEBULON BAPTIST CHURCH
Weekly Bulletin
Sunday, August 10th, 2008

He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass: as showers that water the earth. In his days shall the righteous flourish; and abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth. He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth. They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him; and his enemies shall lick the dust. Psalm 72:6-9

PASTOR'S NOTE
There will be no mid-week service this Wednesday. Bridgett and I will be on vacation this week. Bro. Dan Culver will be with you next Sunday to bring the good news of Christ and His salvation to sinners.

"O my God , I trust in Thee." Psalm 25:2
Early in his prayer, David proclaims his trust in God. Trust is a confident and firm reliance upon the character, faithfulness and ability of God. The faith of God's elect is characterized by believing God and trusting Him (Rom. 4:20-21; Eph. 1:13). That so-called ‘faith' which believes there is one God but does not trust Him for all of salvation in Christ Jesus is not saving faith and no better than the faith of devils (Jas. 2:19). Trusting God in Christ for salvation and all things is not only honoring to God, but it is a strong plea to God which He will not disregard. If, upon the word of a man, you commit a thing into his hand and trust him for the safe-keeping it, then, he is duty bound to keep it safe because his honor and integrity is at stake. This being so with men, how much more so with God? The Lord redeemeth the soul of His servants: and none of them that trust in Him shall be desolate (guilty). (Psa. 34:22; read also Psa. 5:11 & 37:40). Let us believe God, trust Him and commit to Him ...I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day (2 Tim. 1:12). I say with David, "O my God, I trust in Thee." Pastor Charles Pennington

THE FOUNDATION
The foundation upon which we rest is this, "God was in Christ reconciling us unto Himself, not imputing our trespasses unto us." (2Cor. 5:19). The great fact upon which all saving faith rests is that, "the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us" and that, "Christ also hath suffered for sin, the just for the unjust that He might bring us to God."

In one word, the great pillar of the believer's hope is substitution. The vicarious sacrifice of Christ for the guilty. He was made sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. This is that cardinal fact of the gospel. If this foundation is removed, what could we do? But it standeth firm as the throne of God.

In these days, as always, a direct attack is made on the atonement. Men hate substitiution. Even many who profess to believe that salvation is by grace still rebel at the idea that Christ is sufficient and is made unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption. There are even those who say, "Yes, we believe in election; yes, we believe in effectual call; yes, we believe in total depravity; yes, we believe in perseverance, but we do not believe that the death of Christ along with His other works as Surety, is sufficient effectual and all that is necessary for the redemption of His elect." My friends, this is the offense of the cross. It is here that men part company and the "works choir" goes forth to sing praises of man and the "grace choir" goes forth to sing the praises of "Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own precious blood." Pastor Henry Mahan (copied from 13th Street Baptist Church Bulletin 1956)

WHO IS A FOOL?
A fool in religion is one that is ignorant of the corruption of his own nature; of the enmity, rebellion, deceit, and hypocrisy, of his own heart; of his being destitute of all righteousness, holiness, wisdom, strength, and power, either to will or to act for God; he is ignorant of the sting of death that is in his heart, and of the strong man armed that keeps his soul in a false peace; and therefore he never was chased out of his refuges of lies; he is in covenant with death, and with hell at an agreement, and rests carnally secure in flesh and blood; and "he that trusts in his own heart is a fool." William Huntington

CONCERNING SPIRITUAL GIFTS
1 Cor. 12: 1-11
Those who are chosen by God's grace, redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ and quickened and made alive by the Holy Spirit have no reason to boast of any personal achievement. The apostle Paul uses this powerful phrase, "no man" two times in one verse to exclude any from exalting the deeds of the flesh. We were ignorant Gentiles, carried away unto dumb and dead idols, until the grace of God set us free in Jesus Christ our Lord (Eph. 2:11-13). Consider these three statements:

1). All that every believer knows; God, in His mercy taught us! The gospel of God's grace and glory is not something that the natural and carnal mind reasons out. The gospel must be revealed by the Holy Spirit. Salvation is not by education, but rather by revelation. The world by wisdom does not know God (1 Cor. 1:21). God, the Holy Spirit must take the things concerning Jesus Christ and shew them unto us, or we will never understand the true gospel. "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit" (1 Cor. 2:9-10).

2). All that every believer has; God, in His love gave us! There is not a single spiritual blessing that the believer enjoys that has not been freely given to us (1 Cor. 1:30). We are justified freely by His grace (Rom. 3:24). God has loved His people freely in Christ Jesus before the foundation of the world (Hosea 14:4). Although all the spiritual blessings are freely given to us, they came at a great price to our Lord. He fully paid our sin debt with a great price, His own blood (Acts 20:28). "He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?" (Rom. 8:32).

3). All that we are; God, in His grace made us! By nature we are born in sin and shapen in iniquity (Psalm 51:5). By His grace we have been made trophies of His love and mercy (Eph. 2:4-8). Every believer can truly say with the apostle Paul, "by the grace of God I am what I am" (1 Cor. 15:10). We are saved from our sin by His grace (Rom. 4:16). We are redeemed from the curse of the Law through Christ Jesus (Gal. 3:13).

Therefore every believer can rightly boast of what God has done for us through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Salvation is all of God's grace, all in Christ Jesus and all for His glory. We say with the apostle, "God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Gal. 6:14). Pastor Tom Harding

Bible Study 10:30 A.M.
Morning Service 11:15 A.M.
Kingsport service 6:00 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