Hymn of the Day
(tune: Jesus Shall Reign, p.142)
Hark! how the gospel trumpet sounds!
Christ and free grace therein abounds;
Free grace to such as sinners be;
And if free grace, why not for me?
The Saviour died, and by his blood,
Brought rebel sinners near to God;
He died to set the captives free;
And why, my soul, why not for thee?
The blood of Christ, how sweet it sounds,
To cleanse and heal the sinner’s wounds!
The streams thereof are rich and free;
And why, my soul, why not for thee?
Thus Jesus came the poor to bless,
To clothe them with his righteousness;
The robe is spotless, full, and free;
And why, my soul, why not for thee?
Eternal life by Christ is given,
And ruined rebels raised to heaven,
Then sing of grace so rich and free,
And say, my soul, why not for thee?
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Today’s Hymns
Stricken, Smitten, and Afflicted – cb15
He Surrendered All – cb12
Hallelujah, God Has Saved Me – cb11
Special Dates:
Jared Vlastuin – 20 ~ Amy Koedam – 21
Garen Rozeboom – 22 ~ Steve and Gail Jensen – 23
Gerard Van Beek – 26 ~ Joe Terrell – 28 ~ Nathan Koedam – 2
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We have been having some problems with the lights in our auditorium and I think I have discovered what is causing it. We no longer have access to a ladder tall enough to reach the lights, so we have bought the scaffolding you see at the rear of the auditorium. The scaffolding will stay visible like that until we get all the chandeliers fixed. Afterward, it can be easily disassembled and stored in the balcony until needed again.
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Religious men are always thinking they can improve on the plainly-spoken gospel. They seek ways to communicate it without offending people. Some have said we need to make the gospel relevant to our day, as though God or man has somehow changed requiring an adjustment in our message and methods. But God is still the unyieldingly holy and righteous God that He has always been, and man is still the same wicked rebellious creature he has been since Adam’s fall. So, the gospel of Christ, just as it was first delivered, is still the power of God unto salvation, and it needs no “improvement” by us. It just needs preaching! -Joe
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And I will bring the third part through the fire,
and will refine them as silver is refined,
and will try them as gold is tried;
they shall call on my name, and I will hear them:
I will say, It is my people:
and they shall say, The Lord is my God.
-Zechariah 13:9
Grace transmutes us into precious metal, and then the fire and the furnace follows as a necessary consequence. Do we start at this? Would we sooner be accounted worthless, that we might enjoy repose, like the stones of the field! This would be to choose the viler part -- like Esau, to take the pottage and give up the covenant portion. No, Lord; we will gladly be cast into the furnace rather than be cast out from Thy presence!
The fire only refines; it does not destroy. We are to be brought through the fire, not left in it. The Lord values His people as silver, and therefore He is at pains to purge away their dross. If we are wise, we shall rather welcome the refining process than decline it. Our prayer will be that our alloy may be taken from us rather than that we should be withdrawn from the crucible.
O Lord, Thou triest us indeed! We are ready to melt under the fierceness of the flame. Still, this is Thy way, and Thy way is the best. Sustain us under the trial and complete the process of our purifying, and we will be Thine forever and ever. -C.H. Spurgeon
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In Our Latter Years
In our latter years . . . there is a keener sense of sin! Older believers are more aware of the NATURE of sin than the acts and deeds of sin. Attitude and spirit occupy the mind more than the acts and deeds.
In our latter years . . . our prayers begin to change. There is less asking and more thanksgiving . . . less petition and more praise. We do, however, ask things for our children, but our needs are different than theirs.
In our latter years . . . there is a clearer understanding of the FRAILTY OF LIFE. It is more difficult to think of death when we are young, but when this flesh begins to crumble and the keepers of the house tremble, the strong men bow themselves, we begin to think more and more of our house not made with hands. –Henry Mahan
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We do not motivate God’s people by guilt, fear of punishment, or promise of reward. God’s people are motivated by love, gratitude, and grace. Anything given or done for the service of God that is performed out of a sense of duty, because of fear, or in hope of reward is an abomination to God. It would be better left undone. God will have a willing people to serve him, a people who give and do what they can for the honor of his name because they want to. -Don Fortner
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You say you are unworthy of the least of God’s mercies. Aren’t you glad Christ is worthy and that the redemption He accomplished was for the unworthy? You say you have no goodness or merits to claim. Aren’t you thankful God accepts sinners based upon the goodness and merits of His Son? You say the law affords you no hope. Right you are, but the gospel declares that the mercy and grace of God is freely given to sinners because of the doing and the dying of His dear Son! This is the only salvation worth having and the only one worthy to be proclaimed. Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. –Jack Shanks