"Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." (Acts 4:12) *************************************************************************** THE BOOK OF ETERNAL PURPOSE Tune to "THERE IS A FOUNTAIN" CM/DOUBLE Words by JIM BYRD
1. A book there is of God’s decrees, Which Christ our Savior holds; And every page of that great book The Lamb of God unfolds. Throughout the world our Savior rules, To execute God’s will; And all creation, great and small, His purpose shall fulfill.
2. Within the pages of the book, Recorded by His pen; Are all appointments and decrees, For angels and for men. Into that volume none can look, To learn our destiny; Be it enough that Christ our Lord, Shall reign eternally.
3. What God has written in the book, Is perfect, just and fair; And so we lift our praise to Him, His glories to declare. Though all unworthy we approach And bow before His throne; And ask through Jesus Christ our Lord, That grace to us be shown. ******************************************* CONGREGATIONAL SCRIPTURE READINGS TODAY: MORNING: REVELATION 5 EVENING: LUKE 12:1-21
Daily Readings - April 1 - 7 Sunday - 1 Samuel 4-7 Monday - 1 Samuel 8-11 Tuesday - 1 Samuel 12-14 Wednesday- 1 Samuel 15-16 Thursday - 1 Samuel 17-18 Friday - 1 Samuel 19-21 Saturday - 1 Samuel 22-24 ******************************************* "SO MANY HYPOCRITES" "I don’t go to church because there are so many hypocrites in the church." "My life is as good as most church people!" These are common statements heard everyday - to which I reply: "Don’t judge the Lord by the faults of His people and don’t judge the whole body by the faults of some." It is our responsibility to worship and follow the Lord Jesus, not men. If our brethren have faults, let us pray for them and patiently bear their infirmities as we ask them to overlook ours. The church of the Lord Jesus Christ welcomes all who are lame, halt and blind. We look not for a perfect church this side of heaven. It is better to sit beside the hypocrite in church than to suffer with him eternally. –Henry Mahan *************************************************************************** TODAY’S PREACHERS Preachers today are licensed and ordained by the church; men of old were ordained and sent by God. Preachers today go forth armed with degrees and credentials; men of old went forth anointed by the Holy Spirit. Preachers are questioned by committees and hired to preach what the church believes; men of old came preaching, "Thus saith the LORD." Preachers today give themselves to programs, visitation, church business; men of old "gave themselves to prayer and the ministry of the Word." Preachers today preach and men are persuaded to move their membership; men of old preached and "they were pricked in their hearts and cried, Men and brethren, what shall we do?" Preachers today pray and the organ plays softly; Elijah prayed and the fire of God fell. Preachers today are afraid that they will offend someone; Paul was afraid that he would not offend. If there is no offence, the cross has not been preached. –copied *************************************************************************** THE POWER OF THE CROSS The death of the Lord Jesus Christ upon the cross was not an effort to save all men without exception, but the accomplishment of the redemption of those given to Him in covenant grace before the world began. "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ loved the church, and gave Himself for it" (Ephesians 5:25). The substitutionary sacrifice of the Savior did not merely render salvation possible; His death was an offering that "saved His people from their sins" (Matthew 1:21). His work of redemption really redeemed: "...having obtained eternal redemption for us" (Hebrews 9:12). His death was a reconciliation that actually reconciled. "We were reconciled to God by the death of His Son" (Romans 5:10). His sacrifice was an offering which "perfected forever them that are sanctified" (Hebrews 10:14).
It is a commonly held belief that the everlasting salvation of sinners hinges upon their willingness to accept what Jesus Christ did for them upon the cross. My friend, the cross-death of the Son of God is not up for the acceptance or rejection of men. His blood was offered to the Lord as the full payment price required for the liberation of His people from the claims of divine justice due to their sinfulness. The resurrection of Christ is testimony that God accepted our Savior and His sacrifice for sin. Yes, His people will be brought to turn from their idols and believe Christ, but faith does not make the death of the Savior effectual, it does not put away sin, it does not make sinners acceptable to God nor does it not bring in everlasting righteousness. Actually, it is the exact opposite. Faith in the blessed Savior is the result of His redemptive work; it is the effect of His removal of sin; it is the consequence of righteousness having been brought in. Belief on Christ flows out of the power of the cross. –Pastor Jim Byrd
Older
Top
