February 6^th - 2022

9:30 am ---------------------------------------------------------Christ: The Prophet – Deuteronomy 18:15-19

10:00 am ----------------------------------------------------------------------------Saved by Hope – Romans 8:24

The Gospel: A Savor of Life & Death – by Donald Bell

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"?

Religion And Eternal Life - The Difference – by Henry Mahan

Religion is to know biblical facts; life is to know God! I John 5:20

Religion is to know what I believe; life is to know Whom I believe. II Timothy 1:12

Religion is to be baptized into the church; life is to be baptized into Christ. Romans 6:3

Religion is to be reformed; life is to be regenerated. John 3:3

Religion is to be a new convert; life is to be a new creature in Christ. II Corinthians 5:17

A man was asked, "And what is your religious persuasion?" He replied, "I am persuaded that nothing can separate me from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord". -- Romans 8:38-39

Think on Things Above, Not on Earth – by John Calvin (1509-1564)

WHATEVER be the kind of tribulation with which we are afflicted, we should always consider the end of it to be, that we may be taught to despise the present, and thereby stimulated to aspire to the eternal life. For since God well knows how strongly we are inclined by nature to a slavish love of this world, in order to prevent us from clinging too strongly to it, He employs the fittest ways for calling us back, and shaking off our lethargy.

Every one of God’s people, indeed, desire and aim at heavenly immortality during the whole course of his life. We would be ashamed to be no better than brute beasts, had we not a hope of immortality beyond the grave. But when you examine our plans, wishes, and actions, you see nothing in them but the earthly. Hence our stupidity; our minds being dazzled with the glare of wealth, power, and honour, that we can see no farther. The heart also, engrossed with greed, ambition, and lust, is weighed down and cannot rise above earthly things. In short, the whole soul, ensnared by the allurements of the flesh, seeks its happiness on the earth.

To deal with this wickedness in us, the Lord makes His people sensible of the vanity of the present life, by a constant proof of its miseries. Thus, that we may not promise ourselves deep and lasting peace in this world, God often allows us to be assailed by war, tumult, or robbery, and injuries. That we may not long too much after fleeting and fading riches, or rest in those which we already possess, He reduces us to want, or, at least, restricts us to very little wealth, by failures, fires, sickness or by other means. That we may not indulge too complacently in the advantages of married life, He either vexes us by the misconduct of our spouses, or humbles us by the wickedness of our children, or afflicts us by bereavement. In all our trials the Lord is thoughtful of us . . . to keep us from swelling with vain-glory, or self-confidence; He sends diseases and dangers and makes us to know and feel how unstable and fleeting are all the good things that come to us mortals.