Bulletin Scripture: The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Proverbs 1:7

Words of Wisdom from the Proverbs

Proverbs 1:1-4 The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel; To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding; To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity; To give subtilty (prudence) to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion.

Christ Our Savior!

Faith is not our Savior. It was not faith that was born at Bethlehem and died on Golgotha for us. It was not faith that loved us, and gave itself for us; that bore our sins in its own body on the tree; that died and rose again for our sins. Faith is one thing—the Savior is another. Faith is one thing—and the cross is another. Let us not confound them, nor ascribe to a poor, imperfect act of man—that which belongs exclusively to the Son of the Living God.

Horatius Bonar

God designs that those whom He sanctifies, shall tarry awhile in this present evil world, that their own experience of temptations may teach them how great the deliverance is, which God has wrought for them.

David Brainerd

Psalm 107:14 "He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and brake their bands in sunder."

This is what God has done for His born again, redeemed people as darkness mentioned here is a picture of the unconverted life. In darkness we are ignorant of God; we are unaware of the atoning work of Christ, we are unaware of the regenerating power of God the Holy Spirit.

What darkness we are in! It is an intellectual darkness, it is a darkness of our understanding, it is a darkness of the heart and will, which acts and reacts upon one another. Darkness of the heart results in darkness of the understanding; we are dead in trespasses and sins and are guided by a dead nature, a nature veiled in darkness! Now we see that there is no human help, no human ability that can change that state, but Oh the mighty power of our great God! Who can take one who walks in darkness and bring them into the light which is the light of Christ Jesus our Lord. Salvation is in Him and Him alone.

Wayne

Gems from John Flavel

The whole world is not a theater large enough to show the glory of Christ upon, or unfold the one half of the unsearchable riches that lie hidden in Him!

Jesus is . . . bread to the hungry, water to the thirsty, a garment to the naked, healing to the wounded. Whatever a soul can desire—is found in Him.

He chose us not because we were lovely—but that He might make us lovely.

As God did not at first choose you because you were high—He will not now forsake you because you are low.

The law wounds—the gospel cures!

Christ is the very essence of all delights and pleasures, the very soul and substance of them! As all the rivers are gathered into the ocean, which is the meeting-place of all waters in the world—so Christ is that ocean in which all true delights and pleasures meet.

No doctrine is more excellent, or necessary to be preached and studied—than Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.

Did Christ finish His work for us? Then there can be no doubt but He will also finish His work in us.