June 12^th. 2022

10:00 am ---- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- Message by Luke Coffey

Welcome brother Luke Coffey from Kingsport Sovereign Grace Church. We appreciate Luke coming to preach for us.

Mr. Spurgeon once said, “In Christ alone true and eternal joys are to be found; and we only begin to live when we begin to live in Him, live on Him, live with Him, and live for Him.”

The Lord Gave And The Lord Hath Taken Away

“Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.” (Job 1:20-21).

When we really believe the above statement and are confident that by the providence, power, and purpose of God "all things work together" for our good and His glory, it keeps us from blaming others, from bitterness, and from depression. With that in mind, I repeat an article.

“It is GOOD for me that I have been AFFLICTED; that I MIGHT LEARN thy ways" (Psalm 119:71). God's ways and God's word are best learned by experience and in time of trouble. When our Lord is pleased to lay His hand heavily upon us, we do not soon forget the lessons learned. When the Lord singles out a believer or a church for special affliction and adversity, it is not for punishment nor lack of love for them; it is for eternal blessings and because He does love them. "Whom the Lord loveth" he chastens, corrects, and teaches!

When Job sat before his friends, who was afflicted? THE ONE GOD LOVED! When Paul stood before King Agrippa, who wore the chains? THE ONE GOD LOVED! Humanly speaking, which path of life would you prefer to live on earth, that of Esau or Jacob? Esau had the life of prosperity and ease; Jacob was full of trouble and conflict, BUT GOD LOVED JACOB! Thank God He has loved us in Christ and is pleased to teach us His ways by dealing with us in such a way that we are weaned from the world and find our life, comfort, and hope only in Him.

A person who measures his blessings and relationship with God by his prosperity, health, happiness, and worldly comforts makes a fatal mistake. "If ye be without chastisement, whereof all believers are partakers, then are ye bastards and not sons" (Heb. 12:8). Paul said, "Most gladly therefore will I glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me" (II Cor. 12:9-10). He who sends the trial for His glory and my good will supply the grace sufficient. Those who know the Redeemer, also know that when we are weak, we are strong; when we are poor, we are rich; when we are empty, we are full; when we die we live! -- Henry Mahan

ADOPTED – by David Eddmenson

“Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself,

according to the good pleasure of his will.” -- Ephesians 1:5

I know a little about the subject of adoption. I was adopted into the family of Leo and Maggie Eddmenson in 1956. They decided to adopt me before I was ever born. Before I ever took my first breath, they chose me to be their own. I had no voice in the matter. I had no decision to render. I couldn't speak, I couldn't communicate. I had no ability to rationalize or think for myself. I was totally oblivious to everything that was going on. I had no will whatsoever in what they purposed. They picked out my first name and gave me their last name. They made a commitment for the rest of their lives, to the best of their ability, to see that only good things happened to me. When they left this world, they left me everything that they had. From my personal experience I can say that adoption was and is a wonderful thing.

This is the story of all God’s elect children. “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.”(Gal.4:4-5) “Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.” (Galatians 4:7)

“ Grace turns lions into lambs, wolves into sheep, monsters into men and men into angels.” – Thomas Brooks

“The surest mark of true conversion is humility.” – J.C. Ryle