ZEBULON BAPTIST CHURCH
Weekly Bulletin
Sunday, November 1, 2009

Deal bountifully with thy servant, that I may live, and keep thy word. Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law. I am a stranger in the earth: hide not thy commandments from me. My soul breaketh for the longing that it hath unto thy judgments at all times. Thou hast rebuked the proud that are cursed, which do err from thy commandments. Psalm 119: 17-21

Special Meeting in Kingsport, Tn. Nov. 6-8; with Pastor Rupert Rivenbark:
http://www.sermonaudio.com/event_details.asp?eventID=ma10310912828

SCARCELY SAVED
The righteous are said to be scarcely saved; not with respect to certainty of the event, for the purpose of God in their favor cannot be disappointed, but with respect to their own apprehensions, and the great difficulties they are brought through. But when, after a long experience of their own deceitful hearts, after repeated proofs of their weakness, willfulness, ingratitude, and insensibility, they find that none of these things can separate them from the love of God in Christ, Jesus becomes more and more precious to their souls. They dare not, they will not ascribe anything to themselves, but are glad to acknowledge, that they must have perished (if possible) a thousand times over, if Jesus had not been their Saviour, their Shepherd, and their Shield. When they were wandering He brought them back, when fallen He raised them, when wounded He healed them, when fainting He revived them. By Him, out of weakness they have been made strong: He has taught their hands to war, and covered their heads in the day of battle. In a word, some of the clearest proofs they have had of His excellence, have been occasioned by the mortifying proofs they have had of their own vileness. They would not have known so much of Him, if they had not known so much of themselves. John Newton

What Is Your Hope Right Now?
When I stand before my holy and just God and Judge on the great day of judgment, my hope in that hour, by the grace of God, will be exactly what it is RIGHT NOW – “to be found IN HIM (the Lord Jesus), not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith” (Phil. 3:9). Lost, guilty sinners are saved by the free grace of God, through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:8-9; 2 Timothy 3:15; Acts 10:43; 26:18). This faith - true saving faith - brings the sinner to renounce all confidence in himself, and to look to Christ for all of his needs, for time and eternity. This simple faith looks from its guilt to Christ’s innocence, from its disobedience to Christ’s perfect obedience, from its unrighteousness to Christ’s righteousness, from its death to Christ’s resurrected life, from its weakness to Christ’s strength, from its shame to Christ’s eternal glory, and trusts HIM and HIM ALONE! Saving faith lays hold of Christ, who is not only the sinner’s Saviour, but is Himself the sinner’s salvation. Pastor Maurice Montgomery

COMMITMENT OR INDIFFERENCE
We see so little true commitment, so much indifference, and so few dedicated people in today’s religious world that we may be prone to accept this attitude as normal. But it is not so! David wrote in Psalm 147:18, “He sendeth out His word and MELTETH THEM.” Paul wrote in Romans 8:6, “To be carnally minded is death; but to be SPIRITUALLY MINDED is life and peace.” If God is pleased to move in love and grace upon a person, the very life of Christ is formed in him and UNBELIEF is driven out by God-given-faith. INDIFFERENCE departs at the revelation of God’s glory in the face of Christ. IGNORANCE vanishes as Christ is revealed in His work of redemption as Just and Justifier. SELF-PRIDE disappears before His grace and mercy. SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS has not the slightest claim in the light of His perfect obedience. SELF-LOVE takes an awful beating in the light of His love for us. No! It would be IMPOSSIBLE for a true child of His great, invincible grace to be indifferent or uncommitted after the melting of His word and the revelation of His love. Pastor Henry Mahan

ONE THING NEEDFUL
But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her. (Luke 10:42)

A few weeks ago a young couple moving to the area stopped by the office to ask some questions about the church. The first thing they asked was "what do you have for the kids?" Having been asked the same question before, I was somewhat prepared to answer. I told them, “We have something for the children and adults alike, that most churches do not offer; the Truth of the Gospel. We have Sunday School classes for the children and the adults which taught the truth of God concerning Jesus Christ.”

After explaining “Not every church tells the truth about God, Christ and sinners”, I explained “We concentrate all our efforts on telling people the truth concerning Jesus Christ. We do not have passion plays, Christmas programs or softball teams. We have the truth. The one thing that is needful.” God has given us the good part, which can never be taken away from us or our children; Christ Jesus and Him crucified. This is the one thing needful for sinners. I haven’t seen or heard from them since. It may not have been what they wanted to hear, but I know it was what they needed to hear. Pastor David Eddmenson

The Fools Heart Says No
The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. (Psalm 14: 1).

Psalm 14 does not speak of an atheist who denies the very existence of God. To be an atheist in the true sense would be a denial of God’s testimony in Romans chapter 1. There we are plainly told that conscience and creation are both received by natural men who actively engage in rebellion against Him. The truth of the text is that the fool says in his heart – NO to God. No matter what the revelation is, be it conscience or scripture, his answer is NO. NO to his attributes, NO to his authority, NO to his gospel, NO to his grace, and NO to his preachers. To be saved his heart must be turned from NO to YES. He must be, of God, reconciled to God and that can only be accomplished by the preaching of the gospel in the power of God’s spirit. Paul’s gospel was not yea and nay; but in Christ was yea. “For all the promises of God in Him are yea and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us (2 Corinthians 1: 20).” Pastor Darvin Pruitt