ZEBULON BAPTIST CHURCH
Weekly Bulletin
Sunday, August 31st, 2008

We see not our signs: there is no more any prophet: neither is there among us any that knoweth how long. O God, how long shall the adversary reproach? shall the enemy blaspheme thy name for ever? Why withdrawest thou thy hand, even thy right hand? pluck it out of thy bosom. For God is my King of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth. Psalm 74:9-12

PASTOR'S NOTE
We welcome Pastor Daniel Parks and wife, Sandy to our worship service today. Bro. Daniel will bring our morning message and will be preaching in Kingsport today at 6:00 pm!

Our missionary from Yucatan, Mexico, Bro. Cody Groover will be meeting with us and preaching for us on Tuesday evening, Sept. 09. If you would like to designate a gift to his missionary work, put your gift in the offering envelope and mark it for Bro. Cody.

WHEN YOU HEAR
When you hear contemporary preachers talking about what God is ‘trying to do,' or what He ‘wants to do' and ‘would do' if people would but cooperate; often accompanied with a plea to men and women: ‘Won't you let God' do this or that, it is important that you understand that they are not talking about the God of the Bible, the true and living God. They are talking about a different god, a god of their own imagination, a god of their own making. They are idolators! The God of the Bible is described and set forth as One who does what He pleases, only what He pleases, and always what He pleases (Psalm 15:2,3; 135:5,6). HE IS GOD! "What His soul desireth, even that He doeth" (Job 23:13). From Genesis 1:1 throughout the whole of the Inspired Volume, the Holy Bible, GOD is set forth as the only true and living God, the Almighty One, absolutely sovereign, independent and free. "Working ALL THINGS after the counsel of His own will" (Eph. 1:11). "For of Him, and through Him, and to Him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen." (Romans 11:36). "Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth" (Revelation 19:6) Pastor Maurice Montgomery

THE WILL OF GOD
God has a will. His understanding guides His will and His will determines all His actions. God's will is eternal, "Known unto God are all His works from the beginning of the world" (Acts15:18). God is eternal, no new will can arise or there would be a change in God. God's will is unchangeable, "I am the Lord, I change not" (Mal. 3:6). God's works in time were planned in eternity. God's will is always efficacious. It is His omnipotent will. His will is always carried out, "None can stay His hand or say unto Him what doest Thou?" (Dan. 4:35). "My word shall accomplish that which I please and shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it" (Isa. 55:11).

The will of God is not conditional, Jacob was chosen and Esau rejected before either had done any good or evil (Rom. 9:11). The will of God has no cause outside of itself. His is the planning, the calling, and the applying and in none of this does He await the fulfilling of conditions, but rather He makes the condition.

The will of God is sovereign. In the making of the world; the number of worlds, what is in them, how long in the making, all of this as it pleased Him (Psalm 135:5-6). From spiritual things, it is, "Even so Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight" (Matt. 11:26). (Taken from 13th Street Baptist Church bulletin 1957) Pastor Henry Mahan

Imparted Righteousness
The children of God are righteous by the implantation in their bosom of a righteous nature, which, as being born of God, is as pure as God is pure and as holy as he is holy. For this reason we are said to be "partakers of the divine nature" (2 Peter 1:4), and to "put on the new man which after God [that is, after the image of God] is created" - it being a divine and new creation, "in righteousness and true holiness" (Ephesians 4:24.) This pure and holy nature, John tells us, cannot sin, because it is born of God (1 John 3:9), and is "the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus," which makes the soul free from the law of sin and death (Romans 8:2), being that kingdom of God in the heart, which is "righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost" (Romans 14:17.) This is an imparted righteousness, and its very essence is that sweet spirituality of mind, which is life and peace, and that holiness without which no man shall see the Lord (Romans 8:6; Hebrews 12:14). J. C. Philpot

TRUE OR COUNTERFEIT FAITH
"Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God" (Heb. 3.12).

Here, the Holy Spirit gives us the evidence of that God-given faith of God's elect, and the evidence of counterfeit faith which the flesh produces. True faith will take heed to the warnings of scripture, and search the heart for evidences of unbelief and cry out to God for aid. On the other hand, sham faith is full of presumption and looks to something other than Christ for assurance. True faith will persevere to the end because it is fastened to a living person, Jesus Christ (1 Peter 2:4), while imitation faith will end in failure because it is resting on some false grounds of hope (Isa.28.17). True faith in time of trial will bring the believer closer to His Lord, knowing the trial is from His hand and for our good (Rom. 8:28). On the other hand bogus faith in time of trouble will result in the person departing from the gospel and from those who believe. An evil heart of unbelief is always manifested by departing from the living God. John said, "They went out from us, but they were not of us; for had they been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us, but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us" (John 2:19). Let us not be afraid to examine ourselves to see whether we be in the faith (2 Cor. 13:5). True faith is willing to submit to the word of God because it is the foundation of faith (John 6:66-69). Pastor Tom Harding

THE BODY OF CHRIST
Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular (1Cor. 12:27).

All of God's elect make up the body of Christ, His church (Matt. 16:18; Eph. 1:3-6). All who Christ Jesus redeemed with His precious blood, make up the body of Christ (Acts 20:28; 1Peter 1:18; Rev. 5:9-12). All who are regenerated by God the Holy Spirit, make up the body of Christ (1Cor. 12:13; Eph. 2:1-4; 1Peter 1:23). All who are made to believe the true gospel, make up the body of Christ (John 5:24; Gal. 3:26).

Therefore, any earthly organization or religious cult that sets itself as the "body of christ" proclaiming they have authority to put sinners into Christ or remove them at their own discretion and power to wash away sin, is truly an abomination to Almighty God, a discredit to the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and totally contrary to the whole testimony of God. Salvation, as it is taught from Genesis to Revelation is of the Lord; from election, to justification, to sanctification, to reconciliation, to regeneration and to glorification (Rom. 8:28-30; 1Cor. 1:30-31; 2Tim. 1:9: Titus 3:5-7). 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