April 7, 2013

We will have a Fellowship Dinner today. Everyone is welcome to stay. No service tonight.

Congratulations to Darrin and Kim Boring on the birth of a son, Grayson.

Hymn for the Day

Joseph Hart - 1759

The moon and stars shall lose their light,
The sun shall sink in endless night,
Both heav'n and earth shall pass away,
The works of nature all decay.

But they that in the Lord believe,
By grace His righteousness receive,
Shall see the danger overpast,
Stand ev'ry storm, and live at last.

What Christ has said must be fulfilled;
On this tried Rock believers build;
His word shall stand, His truth prevail,
And not one jot or tittle fail.

What God has promised we implore,
Supplies from His exhaustless store;
O heav'nly Father, just and true,
Give us BOTH GRACE AND GLORY TOO!

(Tune: "When I Survey"Pg.118 )

Counting Dung

Phil. 3:8

...and do count them but dung . It was my nauseous displeasure to view a celebration of Billy Graham's birthday. This great happening was viewed on the most heretical, obscene religious station this world has ever known called T.B.N. The epitome of bragging on this Dr. Rev. was the comment made about the "rewards" he would receive. One said Mr. Graham's rewards would be grander than can be imagined. Another said he would be waiting to help carry "the world's greatest evangelist's" rewards.

We could just let this go by and if I had good sense, I would. But I don't! It is such a sickening display of God-dishonoring, man-deifying hog wash, that it must be addressed.

I am fully aware of what religion is teaching. They say there are many crowns that some believers will strut around heaven, and they sing, "Will There Be Any Stars in my Crown?" This an evilsmell in the nostrils of the Almighty.

Salvation is all of grace from start to finish. He chose me by His grace and through His longsuffering He brought me throughrebellion and sin and evil and revealed to me that He had chosen me. If it were not for the grace of God, I would tell nothing but lies even as I stand preaching.

It doesn't make a bit of sense for anyone to expect a reward for something he didn't have anything to do with. Faith is the gift of God, and everything is the gift of grace from start to finish. All good works are of God. From God's eternal purpose all the way to eternal glory, it is all God's grace in Christ.

You can count your dung if you want to, but it sure smells bad.

- Pastor Jack Shanks

THE POWER OF THE WORD

Things will make us moral, but they will not last. If man's wisdom, learning, eloquence, or religious persuasion could reform, we would be a reformed people. But, in spite of all the churches and religion we have today, wickedness abounds on every hand. Religion has very little influence on our life. Napoleon said, "Religion is to keep the poor from murdering the rich." Things cannot change the heart. They cannot put into the heart the love and peace of God. They will not cause the heart to bow to His will. The only thing that will do this is the Gospel, the Word which the Lord has given. The Gospel alone shows sin in its true light, and gives us hope of mercy. When the Gospel is preached in the power of the Spirit of God, and it is received and believed, an immediate and wonderful change takes place. The sinner leaves all his other false hopes; he is freed from the slavery to this world, and becomes the willing servant of Him who redeemed him.

~~~ O ~~~

Religion and Eternal Life - The Difference
Romans 8:38-39

Religion is to know biblical facts; life is to know God (I John 5:20). Religion is to know what I believe; life is to know Whom I believe (II Timothy 1:12). Religion is to be baptized into the church; Life is to be baptized into Christ (Romans 6:3). Religion is to be reformed, life is to be regenerated (John 3:3). Religion is to be a new convert; life is to be a new creature in Christ (II Corinthians 5:17). A man was asked, "And what is your religious persuasion?" He replied, "I am persuaded that nothing can separate me from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:38-39).