February 19^th , 2017

9:30 am -----------------------------------------------------Knowing If Doctrine is True – John 7:14-31

10:00 am -------------------------------------------The Captain & His Sorry Crew – 1 Samuel 22:1-2

Preaching

The apostle gave thanks unto God because as he preached Christ, God always made him to triumph and made manifest the savor of Christ (spread abroad the knowledge of Christ) as the savor of a sacrifice. This savor is unto God a sweet savor of Christ in them that are saved. The preaching of Christ is a savor of life and death, and as Christ is preached, he is life to them who believe, receive, bow to, and rejoice in Him as their only plea and righteousness before God.

But even as Christ is preached, He is a savor unto death in them that perish – to them who won't believe, won't receive, won't bow to, and don't rejoice in Christ. They feel they don't need the savor of a sacrifice before the holiness and justice of God. When the gospel is preached, there are two things always taking place (even though most are unaware of it); some are being prepared for glory, others are being hardened. Some are being brought to the light; some are left sitting in darkness. Some see Christ and His glory; others see no beauty about Him. Some who hear the gospel have their hearts made tender towards sin; others have their hearts hardened in sin. No wonder we say, "Who is sufficient for these things"? The question we should all be asking is, "How is the preaching of the gospel affecting me"? – Don Bell

Predestination – “Instead of shrinking back in horror from the doctrine of predestination, the believer, when he sees this blessed truth as it is unfolded in the Word, is filled with gratitude and thanksgiving such as nothing else affords, save the unspeakable gift of the Redeemer Himself.” -- Arthur Pink (1886-1952)

Election--I Thessalonians 1:4

IT is striking how the holy truth of election was woven into the common speech of the early church. When Paul greets

the Thessalonians, he writes, "Knowing brethren beloved your ELECTION of God" (I Thess. 1:4). Peter begins his

epistle with, "ELECT according to the foreknowledge of God;" and when he closes the same letter he says, "The church that is at Babylon, ELECTED together with you, saluteth you." John writes, "The elder unto the ELECT lady," and closes the letter with, "The children of my ELECT sister greet thee."

It was not at all awkward for election to come out even in these greetings and good-byes. Why? Because election was not merely a doctrine which they believed the Bible taught, but they worshipped the God of election. Election tells us God is God! and election tells us that salvation is all of grace. This was doctrine that not only a few of the more mature believers believed, but it was woven into the warp and woof of the thinking of the early church. It was the first thing Ananias told Paul about: "The God of our fathers hath chosen thee" (Acts 22:14). Remember this; you cannot separate election and God Himself. He is the God of election. The early church knew this, and the church of the 20th century knows it also! -- Charles Nibert

Joy And Peace In Believing– By Maurice Montgomery