September 7^th, 2014

Today’s Services:

9:30 am ­............................................................................................ The Daughters of Canaan - Genesis 28:1-5

10:00 am .... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... .... Jacob's Ladder -- Genesis 28

FThe Lord willing, brother Clay Curtis will be preaching for you next Sunday. Then brother Marvin Stalnaker will be with you on Sunday, 21st. I am taking some needed time off this month.

Church Cleaning: This Week: Bobbitts Next Week: Hudsons

Nursery Today: 1^st Service - Cherrie , 2^nd Service - Lauren P. ( Jill - alternate) Wednesday: Debra

* The following article is in Philpot's daily devotional 'Through Baca's Vale' (Sept.2). It is why I love this man so and why he speaks to my heart so often. It will be a great comfort to 'self-condemned sinners.'

Unto you that fear my Name shall the Sun of Righteousness arise with healing in His wings. - Malachi 4:2

Oh, what a mercy for the Church of Christ that the God and Father of the Lord Jesus has not left her as He might justly have left her, to perish in her sins, but has provided for her a Saviour, and a Great One, and does from time to time encourage every poor, self-condemned sinner to hope in His mercy! The very things, poor, exercised soul, that most try your mind are the very things that make such a Saviour suitable to you. You are dark; this makes the Sun of righteousness exactly suitable to enlighten you. You are cold; this makes you want the Sun to warm you. You are cheerless and cast down; this makes the Sun to gladden you. You are barren and unfruitful, and lament that you cannot bring forth fruit to God's glory; so you want the Sun to fertilize you. You are, at times, very dead in your feelings, and can scarcely find any inclination to pray, meditate, or read the Scriptures; you want the Sun to enliven and revive you.

Are not, then, these very trials and temptations necessary to make you feel that the Lord Jesus is the Sun you need, the very Sun that David felt Him to be, when he said: "For the Lord God is a Sun and a Shield" (Psa.84:11)? What value do those put upon the Lord Jesus who make a fire for themselves, and walk in the sparks of their own kindling (Isa.50:11)? What is the Lord Jesus to those who know no trouble of soul? What real and earnest prayer or fervent longing for His appearing? what breathings to see and feel His blood and righteousness?

Oh! it is sharp exercises, manifold trials, and powerful temptations that make the soul really value the Lord Jesus.

-- J.C. Philpot

Sick of Love

"Lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God" -- 2 Timothy 3 1-4

Love is a word that is one of the most abused words in the world no matter what language it is spoken in. I for one am sick to death of the love of this world and its abuse. What kind of love is it that causes men and women to live together without marriage? God calls it fornication.

Then there is the love that causes a couple to stand before a preacher, enter into a covenant before God and men, promising to love, and cherish, till death do us part. In a few months or a few years the love dies or even turns to hate. I am sick of this kind of love.

What about mothers and fathers who have children and tell them how much they love them, then start using drugs and would rather give up their children than their drugs or alcohol. I am sick of this sad excuse for love aren’t you? A couple gets married, one of them meets someone else and brings their new lover in over their children, who abuses them, verbally or physically, and they allow it for fear of losing their lover. Oh how sick am I of this love.

The world now rejoices in men loving men and women loving women, when on its face it is perverted and unscriptural, it is against nature itself. Are you as sick of this kind of love as I am?

One thing all these “loves” I have mentioned have in common is a love of self…….a love of pleasure.

But there is LOVE that makes my heart full and thankful. The love of God for His elect that was manifested in the Son of His love. I rejoice that He loved us with an everlasting love, and that He commended His love to us while we were yet sinners.