September 16^th. 2018

10:00 am -------------------------------------------------------Knowing Your Faith – 1 Thessalonians 3

Wednesday: 7:00 pm ---------------------------------------Knowing God’s Will – 1 Thessalonians 4

Let us go to Calvary to learn how we may be forgiven;

and then let us linger there to learn how we may forgive. -- Spurgeon

Effects Of Belief In Election – by Henry Mahan

When we truly realize that the Lord of heaven and earth CHOSE US in Christ to salvation, REDEEMED US by His blood, and CALLED US by His gospel, it will have a seven-fold effect on us.

1. It will cause us to REJOICE! “O blessed is the man whom Thou choosest and causeth to approach unto Thee.” Praise Him from whom all blessings flow.
2. It will promote HUMILITY! “Who maketh thee to differ?” Grace and pride are incompatible, impossible to exist together. We rejoice in Christ and have no confidence in this flesh.
3. It will COMFORT us in hard trials! “The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away.” Even these work together for our good and His glory. When we trust Him, we don’t have to understand.
4. It will SUPRESS self and sin! “We are not our own”; we are bought with so great a price. Therefore, we desire to glorify our Lord in our souls and in our bodies.
5. It gives us ASSURANCE! If God foreknew us, predestinated us to be like Christ, justified us, called us by His Spirit, if Christ redeemed us, interceded for us and is for us, who can be against us?
6. It makes DYING easier! The eternal covenant of grace in Christ was David’s pillow of rest and peace when he lay dying (2 Sam. 23:1-5). He sought no other source of comfort and hope than the sovereign love of God in Christ.
7. It will assure us that our PREACHING IS NEVER IN VAIN! “So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth; it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it” (Isa. 55:11). This cannot be applied to all preaching, ONLY TO THE PREACHING OF HIS WORD!

Pity and Pray For the Preacher– By Robert Trail, Scotland, 1642-1716

I took the liberty of putting the following article by Robert Trail in our modern language. Brother Robert wouldn’t mind. Some of the old preachers and writers spoke in a way that is hardly understood in this modern day. I love the old brethren and wouldn’t dream of misquoting or misrepresenting them. Brother Trail wrote a lengthy article on 1 Timothy 4:16; an address to preachers. It was a great blessing and highly instructive to me. He then ended his address to preachers with a brief note to the people; which follows. . .

. . .“ Pity us (the preacher). We are not angels, but men of like passions with yourselves. Be more full of love than criticism. We have enough troubles dealing with ourselves, along with trying to help you in your troubles. We have all the difficulties which you have, and some you are not acquainted with (temptations and trials only ministers have).

Help us in our work. If you can do anything, help us. What can you do? O’ a great deal. Just be a believer and we will rejoice. Seeing you in Heaven will be our joy and rejoicing ( 1 Thess.1:19).

Pray for us. How often and how earnestly doth Paul beg the prayers of the churches! And if he did so, much more do we need your prayers . . . for our necessities and weaknesses are greater than Paul’s.”