November 17, 2013

Our God Has Never Failed Us

Sometimes I fall into despair.
I may not understand.
Sometimes God leads me through the fire.
Always, He has my hand.

Our Father is too wise to err,
Never failing He stands.
He bids me cast on Him my care.
His grace for me commands.

His providential care for me
Is always for my good.
Those chosen from eternity
In Him have always stood.

The Lord's my strength, the Almighty,
Christ Jesus, my dear Lord.
His grace is sufficient for me.
He told me in His Word!

By Gary Spreacker

(Tune: ‘Majestic Sweetness’ Pg.52)

~~~ O ~~~

“The law offends us because it tells us what to do; grace offends us even more because it tells us we can't do anything!"

- Copied

DIVINE PREDESTINATION

A lady in a church I previously pastored expressed to a co-worker her appreciation for divine predestination. That gentleman, although a professing Christian, denied that doctrine, and bet her a sum of money she could not find it in the Bible. She had listened to me preach on that doctrine, and rejoiced in it, and therefore immediately showed it to him in God's Word. (She did not accept the money he bet against divine predestination.) It is not surprising that even professing Christians are unaware of the doctrine of divine predestination.

Many preachers deny divine predestination is in God's Word. Many preachers, while admitting divine predestination is in God's Word, do not preach it because they do not understand or believe it. Many preachers deny the Biblical doctrine of divine predestination because they know it is contrary to their own doctrine of man's "freewill". Many preachers deliberately misrepresent divine predestination as heathenish fatalism and determinism. But faithful Christians praise God for divine predestination. We praise the Father for predestining us to be His children, and therefore choosing us unto salvation in Christ before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:3-7). We praise God for predestining our eternal inheritance in Christ (Ephesians 1:11). We praise God for predestining us to be conformed to Christ, whom we desire to be like (Romans 8:29). We praise God that through His predestination "all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28-31). We praise God for predestining every event (Ecclesiastes 3:1-15).

For example, Jesus Christ was born at the predestined moment for the predestined purpose which He fulfilled as predestined (Galatians 4:4f). We praise God for predestining even the wickedness of evil men to redound to His glory and our salvation (Acts 4:27-28). As God predestined, wicked men shed the blood that redeemed, saved, justified, and sanctified us as God predestined. We praise God for predestining that His wisdom be revealed to us, for otherwise we would be ignorant of Him (1 Corinthians 2:7ff). And we praise God that we believe His gospel and trust in Christ because He predestined us to do so (Acts 13:44 48). Do you? - Pastor Daniel Parks

TRAINING A CHILD IN THE WAY HE SHOULD GO

Getting "The cart before the horse" is such a vivid picture of the backwards way of trying to do things. It just simply won't work. Yet the wisdom of man is always trying in vain to deliver the goods in just that fashion. We've been told that the way to build our children's self esteem is by telling them how wonderful they are (even when they're bad), making them feel like winners (even when they lose), and always rewarding them (even when they are lazy). The result is that we have raised a generation of self-absorbed brats with an entitlement mentality. Truth is, self esteem is the by-product of good decisions, hard work, and showing a genuine interest in others. Teach your children by example, precept, and correction to choose right over wrong, to respect others (especially authority), and to work hard. Then, they will grow up feeling good about themselves. Parenting is hard work. It will keep you on your knees. It's a battle against the flesh. Many mistakes will be made along the way. But, if we take the easy way out, you can be sure that their Adamic nature will not only turn the cart over, it will kill the horse.

Now, all that being true, there is but one thing that really matters in the end. Has the Lord been pleased to save my child? Do they know Christ? Here is where our God given responsibility must not falter. If the Lord is pleased to save our children He will use the preaching of the gospel to do it. There is no greater thing we can do for our children than to have them in public worship. May God give us the grace to make this THE priority in our homes. Again, some get the cart before the horse. They wait for the child to want to come. Remember, faith comes by hearing, not hearing by faith. Always have them where they can hear and pray the Lord will give them ears to hear.