June 15^th, 2014

Today’s Services:

9:30 am ­ ;.... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ... From Cephas to Satan -- Matthew 16:21-23

10:00 am ...........................................................................................If Any Will Come After Me -- Matthew 16:24

Birthdays: June: 22^nd -- Nancy Parks, 23^rd -- James Holland, 24^th -- Patrick Holland, 25^th -- Walter Groover

The Remedy For The Fear of Man

THE FEAR OF GOD . . . drives away the fear of man , which brings a snare. Christ says, "Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear Him, which, after He hath killed, hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear Him" (Luke 12:4-5). Christ Himself proposes the fear of God as the great remedy for the fear of man. Nor is there any other that is found adequate. But this is enough. How justly does God rebuke that fear of man: "Who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die, and of the son of man which shall be made as grass; and forgettest the Lord thy Maker, that stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth; and hast feared continually every day because of the fury of the oppressor?" (Isa.51:12-13). It is not possible for us to fear God too much or man too little. So surely as we have just conceptions of the eternal power and majesty of God, we shall have no tormenting fear of the puny arm of mortals. -- William Plumer1802-1880

CHRIST'S ATONEMENT

Some people love the doctrine of universal atonement because, they say, "It is so beautiful. It is a lovely idea that Christ should die for all people on the earth." They say, "Universal atonement commends itself to the instincts of human nature; there is something in it that is beautiful." I admit there are some times when beauty may be associated with error; but while natural men admire the doctrine of universal atonement, I will show you what such a supposition involves.

1. If Christ on the cross intended to save every person by His death, then He intended to save people who were already dead and in eternal condemnation; for there were myriads already cast away because of their sins for which (you say) He died.

2. If it were our Lord's intention to save all people, how deplorably has He been disappointed; for we have His own testimony, "Broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and MANY THERE BE WHICH GO IN THERE AT."

3. To imagine for a moment that our Lord was the substitute for the sins of all men and that God, the Father, having poured out His wrath on their substitute, afterwards will punish the sinners themselves for the same sins for which Christ died, seems to conflict with ideas of divine justice. In fact, to hold that Christ offered an atonement and satisfaction for the sins of all men, and that some of those people will be condemned for those same sins, appears to be monstrous inequity! God forbid that we should attribute such conduct to our just and wise God! - C. H. Spurgeon

The Miracle of Salvation

The Lord Jesus Christ performed many miracles while upon this earth. He cast out devils, healed lepers, gave sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf; He raised the dead. While these miracles certainly prove Him to be the Christ, they are also illustrations of how the Lord saves sinners. Every sinner the Lord saves, is all these things . . . possessed by a devil, a sinful leper, deaf, dumb, blind and dead in sin. Salvation is a miracle of God's sovereign grace and power. Nothing more or less can save a sinner but the power of Christ; the Word Truth, the gospel. May the Lord be pleased to perform a miracle today.

The Purpose of the Church

". . . An House for the Name of the Lord God of Israel . . . a place for the Ark" -- I Kings 8:20-21