August 11^th 2024

10:00 am ----------------------------------- GOD On Earth – 1 Timothy 3:16

The greatness of man's sin does but magnify the riches of God's free grace. Sins are debts, and God can as easily blot out a debt of many thousands as he can a lesser one. Therefore, let not the greatest sinner despair, but BELIEVE; and he shall find that where sin hath abounded, grace shall much more abound. -Thomas Brooks

Behold, How Good And How Pleasant It Is For Brethren To Dwell Together In Unity! - Psalm 133:1

This is one of many evidences and descriptions of the Lord’s family (John 13:34-35). Believers do dwell together in love, being made one with Christ (John 17:21-22), serving each other out of a motive of love (2 Cor.5:14), bearing one another’s burdens (Gal. 6:1-2), forgiving each other with a tender heart as the Lord has forgiven us (Eph. 4:32; Col. 3:13), praying for one another (1Thes. 5:25), encouraging each other in the gospel of Christ, unto love and good works (Heb. 10:24), endeavoring to keep the harmony and unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace (Eph. 4:3). Behold, how good, excellent and how pleasant and how satisfying is this blessed fellowship around the gospel of Christ. It is according to the will of God and the command of Christ. It is also pleasing to our God and satisfying to his people. Should we not at all cost avoid argument, debate and divisions to satisfy our own selfish way (Proverbs 6:16-19; 14:12) and truly, whole heartily and pursue peace (Rom. 12: 18; Heb.13: 1), seeking the greater good and glory of God in the matter of harmony among believers, to the furtherance of the gospel of Christ and the good of the family of God (Col 3:23; 1 Cor. 10:31)? – Tom Harding

What Are Works of Righteousness? – by Don Fortner

Works of righteousness have nothing to do with religious separatism and isolation. “For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost” (Romans 14:17). Rather, they are things done for the benefit of men and the glory of God. They are works of love, charity, kindness, and thoughtfulness rising from a willing heart. They are works of self-denying generosity. They are works of devotion to God.

Years ago on a rainy night, while I was still visiting with folks after the service, one of our men spotted a flat tire on my car. When I came out, he had changed the tire for me in the rain. That night I had been preaching on this very subject; and one of our ladies, who saw what had happened, said, “That’s a work of righteousness.” I am glad to know she understood the sermon. Changing a dirty, flat tire on a rainy night to save a friend the trouble can be a work of righteousness! Let us each do

what we can for the people of God and the glory of Christ.

“Being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he (Christ) sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head. And there were some that had indignation...and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made?....And they murmured against her. And Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble ye her.....She hath done what she could” (Mark 14:3, 4, 5, 6, 8).

Don’t Yield to Sin, Yield to God – Romans 6:12-13,19 – from Henry Mahan’s commentaries

“Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God . . . for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.

v. 12. Since Christ is our Lord and Master, his way is pleasing to us and his commandments are not grievous. We desire to live for his glory and to manifest his grace. Sin remains in the believer (to his dismay and regret), but it does not reign as his master. Sin is a struggle; it tries us and troubles us, but does not dominate or control us. Sin is said to be obeyed when we make provisions for it without struggle or opposition.

v. 13. The Amplified Version reads, 'Do not continue offering or yielding your bodily members and faculties to sin as tools of wickedness. But offer and yield yourselves to God as though you have been raised from the dead to life, and your bodily members to God, presenting them as implements of righteousness.' Our hearts ought to be filled with love and kindness – not hatred, envy and complaints. Our thoughts need to be on things pure, lovely and of good report – not on flesh, materialism and the world. Our tongues should be used in praise, encouragement and witnessing – not in gossip, criticism and murmuring. Our hands and feet should be serving others – not employed only in selfish pursuits.