Articles

Bulletin - September 19, 2021

Hymn of the Day

(tune: "Who Is on the Lord's Side?" p.)

 

By the Father's mercy we are sanctified,

Set apart for glory, in the Crucified;

Chosen to be given to the Son of God,

Destined to eternal joy in heav'n above.

 

Chorus:

By the Father's choosing, By Christ's precious blood,

By the Spirit's calling, We belong to God!

 

By Christ's blood outpouring, we are sanctified;

Put in Him Divinely, we with him have died.

Thus, from wrath delivered by the price He paid,

We are His and not our own. His name be praised!

 

By the Spirit's calling we are sanctified;

Drawn to Christ by gospel; with Him to abide.

Stubborn wills were broken, dead hearts made to live,

Christ revealed, blind eyes unveiled, and faith was giv'n.

 

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Today's Hymns

 

Why? - # 122

Stricken, Smitten, and Afflicted – cb14

How Can It Be? - 67

 

Special Dates:

Amy Van Der Brink – 20 ~ Jason Vlastuin - 27

 

We resume our adult Bible Classes this morning at 9.45 AM CT.

 

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Whatever a man values, promotes, and admonishes others to seek and follow which is not the righteousness of CHRIST is not the message which Paul preached.  This is exactly what he confronted the Galatians with as he said, "I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you and would pervert the gospel of Christ" (Gal 1:6-7).  To preach any other message than JESUS CHRIST and HIM crucified is a "perversion" of the TRUTH, however morally upright those may be who declare it or how otherwise Scriptural their teaching may be  -Mike McInnis

 

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I will give unto him that is athirst.  -Revelation 22:17

 

It is not good for people to spend their lives seeking God yet not finding peace in Him. It is not good that we should be ever learning and never able to rest in the knowledge of Christ. It is not good to be always doubting, and when asked about our doubts, to make the untrue excuse, "Oh, I am not doubting God, I am only doubting myself," No! It is God who promised life in Christ, so it is God whom we are doubting. He said, "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, I WILL GIVE UNTO HIM THAT IS ATHRIST OF THE FOUNTAIN OF THE WATER OF LIFE FREELY." (Revelation 21:6). And let him that is athirst come, and whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely" (Revelation 22:17). Of this promise, Bonar wrote, "Thirsty one, it is with the WATER and not the VESSEL that our souls need to be concerned! It is not the quality of your vessel, but the quality of the water of life (Christ Jesus) that satisfies, sanctifies, and purifies! And he whose pride will not allow him to drink from a weak, soiled, and broken vessel (such is the best faith) must die of thirst, and he who puts away the promise of reconciliation because of imperfect faith must die the death." He who says, "I believe the right doctrine, but I don't believe it in the right way, therefore, I can't have peace" is looking totally in the wrong direction and will never find peace.  -Henry Mahan

 

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As much as we desire act righteously in this world, every time we look for such righteous living, we will be disappointed if we look honestly. There is no question that we should strive to do what is right in every situation and we must never excuse our sinful actions by any method. But we must never found our hope or our peace of mind upon such a shaky foundation behavior. No, at all times, whether we appear to be doing well or are failing miserably, our hearts must be established with grace, not works. When we feel we have failed miserably, we must look to Christ upon the cross as a testimony of our sins paid for, or we will surely despair. And when it seems to us we are doing well, we must gaze at Christ upon the cross as a testimony of our great sinfulness (for why else was He there?) or we shall surely fall. -Joe

 

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I will love them freely. -Hosea 14:4

 

Do you understand "freely'?" This is the message of salvation in Christ Jesus our Redeemer. Love flows from heaven in this way. If God did not love us "freely" then He would not love us at all. We did not deserve His love, we did not purchase His love, and we did not even seek after His love.

 

What does "freely" mean? We use it for that which is given without money and without price. There is no bargaining in it. A man gives "freely" when he gives hoping for nothing in return. This is how God gave. He said, "I will not accept their works in exchange for my love; I will not receive their love as recompense for mine; I will love them all unworthy and sinful though they be."

 

Men give, but no man ever gives freely. There is always some return or honor or recognition attached to men's giving. But God gives to those who can confer no honor and have no position to cause the giving. They are destitute paupers with nothing in their pockets and no pockets to put anything in.

 

The Lord gives that which is unsought. He does not give grace to those who seek it, because none ever seek grace until grace has already come. Sovereign grace does not wait for man. Religion says that man is running after God. We say that man is running after all manner of sin and evil, and they do not seek God until His love comes upon them. As the effect of God's love, men begin to seek Him. We do not entreat the Lord, because we hate Him. His love comes "freely."

 

Have you ever asked the sun to shine? No, the sun shines its rays on the earth "freely." It comes on the blasphemer as well as the child of God. It falls on the farm of the wicked as well as the righteous. The rain falls upon the rock as well as upon the field. Such is the grace of God. It does not come because we ask it, much less because we deserve it. His love is always first. God does not love because Christ died; Christ died because the Father loved. It comes from His own infinite heart of goodness, simply because He chose to do so. Thank God, He loves me FREELY. I can live with that.  -copied