Hymns for service: Amazing Grace – p. 236 There Is a Fountain – p. 222
I am preaching this morning and this evening for our brethren at Thirteenth Street Baptist Church in Ashland, KY, where Brother Jim Byrd is pastor. Brother Jim and his wife, Nancy, are in Hawaii where he is preaching to a group of believers. The Lord willing, Debbie and I will return home tomorrow. – The Pastor
A WILLING AND ABLE SAVIOR
The Bible says, “the soul that sinneth, it shall die” (Ezek. 18:4,20), and “the wages of sin is death” (Rom. 6:23). So the issue that must be settled between God and His chosen people and their salvation is the issue of sin. How is this possible? Not by works of righteousness we have done, do, or plan to do. It has to be accomplished by the work of a God-appointed substitute who is not only willing but also able to pay the debt of sin to God’s justice through death. The only one who fits these qualifications is God’s only-begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. There is no other – “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). Only Christ is willing AND able to pay for sins, establish righteousness for us, give us spiritual and eternal life, and sustain us throughout eternity. If we have the gift of faith, our faith is neither in ourselves nor our faith. Our faith is in the Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord our Righteousness – “for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that HE IS ABLE to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day” (2 Tim. 1:12). – Pastor Bill Parker
Amazing grace is revealed in its fullness when God brings a sinner to see that in His way of saving sinners through the Lord Jesus Christ “mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other” (Psalm 85:10). Read the following article written by Horatius Bonar (1809-1889) concerning the glory of God’s grace in Christ –
But now mercy and truth have met together (Psalm 85:10); now grace is righteousness and righteousness is grace. This satisfies the sinner's conscience by showing him righteous love for the unrighteous and unlovable. It tells him, too, that the reconciliation brought about in this way shall never be disturbed, either in this life or that which is to come. It is righteous reconciliation and will stand every test, as well as last throughout eternity. The peace of conscience, thus secured, will be trial-proof, sickness-proof, deathbed-proof, judgment-proof. Realizing this, the chief of sinners can say, "Who is he that condemneth?"
ANNUAL BUSINESS MEETING WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 16 AT 7:30 P.M. This will follow our regular Bible Study. All members of the church can attend.
WHATSOEVER IS NOT OF FAITH IS SIN
And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin. (Romans 14:23)
Writers and preachers do something that is just not scriptural. They glorify unbelief! They write or preach as if it is a good thing to live in darkness, doubt and despair. They sometimes say, “I only despair in myself.” Yet, God has not told us to look to or in ourselves! We are to look to Jesus Christ the Light! It will always be darkness, doubt and despair looking to ourselves and our feelings. I realize and know from experience that the believer will have dark days, fits of unbelief and be found at times in despair. But that is not the tenor of our lives. Unbelief is just that, unbelief! It is sin, not to be glorified but recognized for what it is and condemned. To not believe God, what He says, is sin. The scriptures call upon us to believe God, to trust Him, to delight in what He’s done, to rejoice and be glad. Why? Because He has made Christ the Light to be light to us! He has called us out of darkness into His marvelous light. It is the light that reveals His mercy, grace and the gift of righteousness to us in His beloved Son. We are loved with an everlasting love, chosen by grace in Christ, redeemed by His blood and called to Christ in faith by the Spirit of light. He has forgiven us our sins and blessed us with all spiritual blessings. We are to walk in His light and the light of His word. In Christ there is no darkness. “For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:” (Eph 5:8) Believing God is not presumption, it is FAITH! -- Pastor Gary Shepard
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