February 19^th 2023

9:30 am --------------------------------------------------------Christ: The Light – John 12:35-36

10:00 am ------------------------------------------------------------------Faith & Baptism – Acts 8

Wednesday: 7:00 pm --------------------------------------- I AM THAT I AM – Exodus 3:7-15

The Lord willing, Cara Johnson will confess the Lord in believer’s baptism this morning. We rejoice with her and joyfully receive her into the fellowship of this church. May the Lord give us many years of fellowship together.

True Mourning For Sin

True mourning for sin has a distinct and constant reference to the Lord Jesus. If I hate sin because I am exposed, I have not repented; I merely regret that I have been found out. If I hate sin because of judgment and hell, I have not repented; I merely regret that God is just. But if I see sin as a hateful offense against my Lord, and I see my sin as crucifying Him, then I mourn with a truly broken and repentant heart (Psalm 51:3-4). True mourning is a great bitterness, as one mourns the death of his firstborn (Zach 12: 10.) Someone said…‘Lord, let me weep for naught but sin; And after none but Thee; Then I would (Oh, that I might!); A constant weeper be!’ A broken heart over sin is a work of the Spirit of God and will be healed (Psalm 51:17; 34:18).

-- Henry Mahan

God’s Discriminating Grace

The doctrine of God’s discriminating grace is not fashionable among a certain body of professors; but it is nonetheless true. According to their views, Jehovah Himself is the only being in existence who is not allowed to make a choice. To talk of God making a choice, and setting apart a people for Himself . . . they say He is an unjust God and the fault of damnation is His; He is not a holy and just God in that case. According to them, God is unjust because He chooses; yet you find these very characters vindicate their own right to make a choice, in almost every instance. They think they have a right to choose a companion for life; to choose their own food; to choose or reject God; and yet Jehovah has no right to make a choice. He is the only being without the right. Consequently they sink God lower than the lowest beggar in existence, they make Him lower in their estimation than the poorest sinner under the heavens. But when they have used all their arguments and spent all their pride and enmity against God’s right to make a choice, He still chooses as He sits on His unshakable throne; and, in His electing, immortal, and everlasting love, chooses a people for Himself; a people that shall glorify Him and be His portion forever. “The Lord’s portion is His people, and Jacob is the lot of His inheritance.” -- William Gadsby (1773-1844)

Good News for the No Good

The man who trusts so much as a single hair’s breadth to his works has missed Christ!!! We cannot trust partly to our works and partly to Christ. We must feel that we are utterly stripped of everything. I love to find those who have nothing good about them. Some preachers like to find something good in men before they preach to them, but I like to find men who know there is nothing good in them and then preach God’s sovereign mercy to them. If you were in the hospital and wanted the attention of the physician, what would you do? Would you write over your bed or tell your doctor you were in pretty good condition? Actually, you would be inclined to appear worse than you really are. You certainly cannot exaggerate your low and sinful condition, for we are all “chief of sinners.” – Spurgeon

Quotes from John Flavel – England, 1627-1691

“No doctrine is more excellent, or necessary to be preached and studied, than Jesus Christ, and him crucified.”

“Did Christ finish His work for us? Then there can be no doubt but He will also finish His work in us.”

“Christ is bread to the hungry, water to the thirsty, a garment to the naked, healing to the wounded; and whatever a soul can desire is found in Him.”