MARK YOUR CALENDARS

Pastor Mike Walker, pastor of the Millsite Baptist Church in Cottagevile, WV will be preaching for us April 24-25.

Bible School for ages 4 through high school will be held June 10-12.

GOD LOVES SINNERS

God loves sinners. The human mind cannot comprehend the glory of that statement. Sinners are unlovable. There is nothing lovely in sinners, so the reason for God’s love cannot be found in the sinner. The reason for God’s love must be found in the character of God. God has the capacity to love sinners because God is love (I John 4:8). God loved sinners when He elected them in Christ (Deut. 7:7-8). God loved sinners when He promised to send the Savior of sinners. God loved sinners when He sent His Son incarnate to be their substitute (I John 4:10). God loves sinners when He calls them by His grace through the preaching of the gospel (Jer. 31:3). God loves sinners when He causes them to be born again (Eph. 2:4). God loves sinners when He implants the fruit of the Spirit in them. God loves sinners when He sees His people through trials (Heb. 12:6). God loves sinners when He calls His people home to be with Him.

No sinner would have even one of these blessings unless God loves sinners. Thank God that He loves sinners with a love that passes all human comprehension (Eph. 3:19).

Suffer Little Children - Mark 10: 13-16

Due to the wicked and ungodly practice of false religion preying upon the unsuspecting children of this world, we who see the danger of it may have a tendency to go too far the other direction. The gospel call has no age limit. The gospel of Jesus Christ is by the revelation of God’s Spirit and is effectual to both young and old. You do not have to be an intellectual to believe but only taught of God. Faith is believing God’s testimony concerning His Son. It is to see yourself as the sinner and Him as the Savior. It is to see yourself guilty before God in your sins, but justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. Faith is seeing the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. This faith is the gift of God. Maturity has nothing to do with the gift of faith. Faith is the gift of God not of works lest any man should boast. “Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of God.” (Mark 10: 14)

We do not use ungodly movies to entice or scare our young children into professions of faith. We do not pressure them or threaten them in any way. In fact, we say nothing different to them than to anyone else; except, perhaps, to make it more understandable. We encourage them, as we do their fathers and mothers, to confess their faith in believer’s baptism.

Pastor Darvin Pruitt

According to Eli’s instruction, this was to be the answer of young Samuel if he heard the Lord call again in the night …"speak Lord; for thy servant heareth." This was Samuel's response and it is the response and longing of every regenerated saint made sensitive to the voice of the Lord Jesus. The believer truly desires to hear from his great Shepherd as He speaks to the heart through His word. The hearts of God’s sheep burn with gratitude and appreciation for His mercy as He opens unto them the Holy Scriptures. The realization that God Almighty, in the power of His Holy Spirit, through the blessed Scriptures would graciously speak peace and comfort to an undeserving sinner for the sake of the Lord Jesus Christ is a glowing ember of joy to the redeemed saint. Truly, He speaks and those that are of the truth hear His voice (John 18:37).