November 26^th , 2017

9:30 am ----------------------------------------Romans; The Gospel of God – Romans 1:1-7

10:00 am ------------The Lord’s Prayer (part 2); Things Given To Christ – John 17:4-10

*** NO WEDNESDAY SERVICE THIS WEEK ***

Today we begin studying through the book of Romans. It was the first book we studied together 28 years ago; then again 14 years ago, and now I feel led to study it again, another 14 years later. May the Lord bless it.

As noted above, NO WEDNESDAY SERVICE THIS WEEK, for I have another unpleasant dental surgery scheduled for Wednesday. I am sorry to cancel again,, but I appreciate your understanding.

(Another) Remedy For Division Among God’s People– By Thomas Brooks, English preacher, 1608-1680

Dwell upon the miseries of discord. . . Ah, how doth the name of Christ and the way of Christ suffer by the discord of saints! Many that are entering upon the ways of God are hindered and saddened . . . and the mouths of the wicked opened and their hearts hardened against God and His ways . . . by the discord of His people! Remember this: the disagreement of Christians is the devil’s triumph. What a sad thing this is, that Christians should give Satan cause to triumph!

It was a notable saying of one, “Take away strife and call back peace, lest thou lose a man, thy friend . . . and the devil, an enemy, joy over you both.”

ELECTION UNTO SALVATION – By Frank Tate

God’s election of a people to save is a doctrine clearly proclaimed and dogmatically insisted upon in God’s Word. All of God’s purpose of salvation begins with God electing a people to save. Everything God has ever done has been for the redemption of His people by His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. God created the world and put man in it so men could be redeemed by Christ. God allowed Adam to fall so there would be sinners saved by Christ. God preserves people who are yet in their sin so His elect will be saved when Christ is revealed to them and in them. God will allow this world of sin and rebellion to continue until all of His elect have been brought to faith in Christ. None of that would be possible without God’s election of a people. Thank God for His electing love!

“ I believe the doctrine of election, because I am quite sure that if God had not chosen me I would never have chosen Him; and I am sure He chose me before I was born, or else He never would have chosen me afterward.”-- Spurgeon

We Have To Wait On God – By Clay Curtis

When I was thirteen years old I planted my first garden. I tilled the ground, planted the seed then waited. The rains came and I waited. But I grew impatient. I was so excited, one day I dug around to try to see what was happening with the seed underground. Where I tampered with the seed, not one seed produced any fruit. But with those I left alone, in time, the little green leaf peeked itself out. When we sow the seed of God’s word we must not interfere. There is an unseen work only God can work beneath the surface. God alone can and must give the increase. We have to wait on God.

THE PLAN TODAY – By Scott Richardson

The plan today is to make the church as much like the world as possible, so that unregenerate people will not feel uncomfortable and will be attracted to its ministry! Turn the church into a theater; worship into a musical display; ministers into actors and clowns to amuse and entertain; sermons into political, patriotic or philosophical essays; and the living God into a good buddy whose attributes are adjustable to any culture or creed. This will attract the flesh and successfully quench the Spirit.

Our Lips And Our Ears -- If you your lips would keep from slips, five things observe with care:

Of whom you speak, to whom you speak, and how and when and where.

If you your ears would keep from jeers, these things keep humbly hid: