October 23, 2016

HYMN OF THE DAY
God's Precious Stone

God's precious Stone has been laid,
Jesus Christ, the living Stone.
All who fall on Him are made
Righteousness in Him alone.
The debt of their sin is paid
By His blood for all His own.

He's the Rock on whom we stand.
Disallowed indeed of man,
Taken by our wicked hands:
Crucified God's Perfect Man.
Whom God raised up by His hand.
Fall on Him is God's command.

We, also, are living stones.
Those to whom mercy is shown.
Now acceptable to God
By His blood shed on the cross.
Trusting in this precious Stone.
Justified by faith alone.

Christ, the Man, approved of God,
To whom men will stand in awe.
At His name all men shall bow,
Surely those by grace endowed.
Now in hope my flesh shall rest
In the Savior's righteousness.

Tune: Rock of Ages p. #126
By: Gary Spreacker

LIVING ON LOVE

It has been said that people cannot live on love, that love won’t pay the bills. I say that you cannot live without it. Now I am not talking about what the world calls love, the scriptures tells us that “men are lovers of self, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God”.

(2 Tim.3:1-5)

I am talking about those to whom the “love of God is shed abroad in their hearts,” those who love Christ because Christ first loved them.

It is love that causes men and women to get up every day and go to work to provide a comfortable home, to provide food and clothing to see that the ones they love have the best they can provide. Love seeks the best for those they love. Where there is love it will do without itself to give to those whom they love.

It is love that causes parents to discipline their children and to instruct them in the truths of God’s word.

What but love would make men and women come to hear a man tell them that their “righteousness is as filthy rag“, tell them have no works or worth to commend them to God? It is love that causes sinners to deny themselves, causes them to lay no claim to anything in themselves and to find that Christ is all their righteousness. It is love that makes souls count everything they were and all they did before in religion as dung.

What but love would cause men and women to bring their hard earned money and give it to support the ministry of their assembly, to support one another to give to those in need?

Can’t live on love, I say you cannot live without it. Our Lord said; “By this shall all know you are my disciples, if you love one another”. (Jn.13:35).

“Beloved, let us love one another; for love is of God; and everyone that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God”. (1 Jn.4:7)

Men can counterfeit many things but Love cannot be imitated. Either you have or you don’t. – Pastor

Listen to this question by Isaiah: Isaiah 39:4: Then said {Isaiah}, What have they seen in thine house?

What a question? What have they seen in thine house?

1. Have you declared to them the glory of God?

2. Have you told them that God is our salvation? That God has freely saved us by his grace?

3. Have you told them for whose sake God did these things—the LORD said, “for mine own sake and for my servant Christ’s sake.”

4. Have you told them the utter uselessness of your own flesh—no strength in you, no strength in them?

5. Have you told them that these riches pale in comparison to the unsearchable riches you have in Christ

Jesus?

6. Do they behold a man spending and being spent for the glory of God or a man heaping up treasures for himself?

7. Did you make it appear you are in leagues with God are willing to be in leagues with these Babylonians?

Isaiah 39:4:…And Hezekiah answered, All that is in mine house have they seen: there is nothing among my treasures that I have not shewed them.

Application: When our hearts are lifted up in pride these are two great dangers we face:

1. Thinking our possessions are our salvation