January 13, 2013
All Things New
Our God doth make all things anew.
Old things will pass away.
All this is for those He foreknew,
Who are called to His Way.
They are new creatures in the Lord,
Made in true holiness.
The Maker speaks and by His word
Made them His righteousness.
The new testament in Christ's blood
Was shed for remission.
He will not fail His own in love.
He saves them from all sin.
His love's renewed ev'ry morning,
This Covenant of Grace,
Their new spirit in Him living
Until they see His face.
He put a new song in my mouth.
Tis praise to the "I AM",
Of glory, honor, and of power.
O, "Worthy is the Lamb."
A new heaven and earth He gives;
And New Jerusalem.
God tabernacles and He lives;
He's in the midst of them.
By Gary Spreacker
(Tune: ‘My Faith Has Found a Resting Place’, #228)
Men's breakfast next Saturday here at the church. We always have a good meal and time of fellowship. Please plan to come!
Enjoying Christ Our Lord
When the Lord Jesus comes to take his people home to be with him they will enjoy his presence without sin or flesh for eternity.
But we enjoy and delight him even now while in this world, we enjoy his presence, his word, his forgiveness, his justification, his righteousness imputed to us. We greatly enjoy his intercession for us, and we especially enjoy the gospel of free and sovereign grace that gives him all the glory for the salvation he accomplished for all whom he died.
What joy fills our hearts to know we are complete in him, that we are without spot or blemish in him, that our sins are gone that he put them all away by “the sacrifice of himself”, and that God remembers them no more.
Yes we will enjoy him through out eternity…but our enjoyment of him starts here. - Pastor
Prepare yourselves, my younger brethren, to become weaker and weaker; prepare yourselves for sinking lower and lower in self-esteem; prepare yourselves for self-annihilation; and pray to God to expedite the process.” --C. H. Spurgeon
The preaching of the Gospel is not a PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT to which no one pays attention. The Gospel is a personal word to you. I am not here to show off my learning and abilities. I must speak to your heart. I must deal with your problem before the Holy God. This is not the time to hold your hand and speak soothing words to you. It is time to take out the sword and strike a straight blow to your heart. This is not the time for me to tell you to take 2 Aspirins and get some bed rest. It is time for the surgeon's knife. You are dying, so this is not the time for jokes. I cannot be ashamed to "Preach the word; be instant (constant/consistent) in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine." - Pastor Milton Howard
"Mine eyes are ever toward the LORD." -- Psalm 25:15
The Lord directs us to look to Him for all that we need--and look away from all that we fear and all that troubles us. Looking to man dishonors the Lord--and ends in disappointment. Looking to ourselves fills us with gloom, sadness, doubts, and fears. It was wise, therefore, of the Psalmist to keep his eyes fixed steadily and habitually on the Lord. Beloved! In all your sufferings, let your eyes be ever on the Lord. Look to Him . . .
. . . for ease in pain,
. . . for strength in weakness,
. . . for comfort in sorrow,
. . . and for relief in distress.
Keep your eye fixed on Him as your Father and your God--who has pledged in His Word to do you good. Friends may fail you, relatives may neglect or be unkind to you, and those you love most may be unable to help you--but look to the Lord! He will never fail you or neglect you. He will prove Himself both able and willing to help you.
Let nothing divert your attention, then, from the Lord--but carry everything to Him and exercise implicit confidence in Him.
-James Smith
~~~ O ~~~
Brethren, At All Costs, Press On!
Brethren, as redeemed sinners, we have the greatest privilege in all the world: to be counted among the people of God and gather with them to worship our God and Savior, Jesus Christ. As enlightened sinners we have the greatest work to do: make known in this world the glories of the Savior who has saved us. As children of God, we have the most glorious destiny in all the world: to be made like the Lord Jesus Christ. In light of these things, do not the troubles and disappointments of this life become small? O, let us, with sincere hearts, press on to lay hold of the wonderful salvation for which God has laid hold of us, letting nothing distract us from the goal. We will never regret the loss of anything which is lost for the sake of Christ. But, O, the regrets of the Esaus of the world who for comfort, riches, worldly success, self-vindication, or anything else, draw back from their dedication to Christ and His gospel. Brethren, at all costs, press on! The end is glorious to those who persevere!
– Pastor Joe Terrell