Hymn of the Day
(tune: "Who Is on The Lord’s Side" p.372)
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.
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, in 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
Beneath the Cross of Jesus - #309
We Would See Jesus - #311
I know Whom I Have Believed - #224
Special Dates: Les Veen – 24 ~ Dianne Vander Velde – 27
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I will be preaching for Sovereign Grace Church of Jackson, MO next week. Eric Van Beek will bring you the gospel in my absence.
Beginning next week, our Bible Classes will be suspended until Fall.
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We are often disappointed in our pursuit of worldly values, but we are never disappointed in our pursuit of Christ! I am often disappointed with myself when I discover how little of the things of God I have pursued, but, when I have pursued them, I have never been disappointed with the result.
Knowing this, let us give our most devoted attention to “pressing on.” Let us use what time and energy the Lord gives us to set our affections on things above, looking to Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith! -Joe
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Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory,
for thy mercy, and for thy truth’s sake. -Psalm 115:1
We are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth.
-2 Thessalonians 2:13
In [considering] this momentous truth, let us begin where God himself began, namely, with election. To whom are we indebted for that first of all spiritual blessings? Pride says, “To me;” self-righteousness says, “To me;” man’s unconverted will says, “To me.” But faith joins with God’s word in saying, “Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name” be the whole glory of thy electing love ascribed. Thou didst not choose us on supposition of our first choosing thee, but through the victorious operation of thy mighty Spirit, we choose thee for our Portion and our God, in consequence of thy having first and freely chosen us to be thy people.
It is no easy lesson to say from the heart, “Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us!” Self-righteousness cleaves to us as naturally and as closely as our skins; nor can any power, but that of an Almighty hand, slay us of it. I remember an instance, full to the point, and which I give, on the authority of a clergyman, now living, and eminent above many for his labors and usefulness. This worthy person assured me, a year or two since, that he once visited a criminal, who was under sentence of death for a capital offense, I think for murder. My friend endeavored to set before him the evil he had done, and to convince him that he was lost and ruined, unless Christ saved him by His blood, righteousness, and grace. “I am not much concerned about that,” answered the self-righteous malefactor. “I have not, to be sure, led so good a life as some have; but I am certain that many have [been sentenced to death] who were much worse men than myself.” So, you see, a murderer may go to the gallows trusting in his own righteousness! And you and I should have gone to hell, trusting in our own righteousness, if Christ had not stopped us by the way. -Augustus Toplady
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Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace (Luke 7:50)
We know that strictly speaking, it is not our faith that saved us. Faith did not keep the law for me. Christ did! Faith did not die on the cross for my sins. Christ did! Faith was not raised from the dead, Christ was! Yet the Lord says, “Thy faith hath saved thee.” Why does the Saviour put this high honor on our faith? Because faith looks to Christ alone! It rests in Him only, and looks nowhere else! It gives all the honor of salvation to Christ! A faith that does not do that is not saving faith to begin with. Christ puts such honor on faith because true faith puts all honor on HIM! -Todd Nibert
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Yours they were, and you gave them to me. -John 17.6
I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed
and am persuaded that He is able to keep
what I have committed to Him until that Day.
-2 Timothy 1.12
The Father could not display any greater confidence in His Son than to give His people to His Son. This giving was not merely a gift; it was a trust. This is shown by our Lord’s boast, “Of all you have given me, I have lost none.” It would not make any sense to make such a statement were it not that He had been given these chosen ones as a trust. God entrusted the salvation of His people to Jesus Christ.
Many attempts have been made to define faith. But there can hardly be any better definition of saving faith than: Saving faith is the act of doing with one’s soul just what the Father did – entrust it to Christ.
Many in religion speak of the need for us to be God-like in our conduct. Being God-like certainly begins here: entrusting our soul’s care to Christ. Indeed, the work of God is, “that you believe in (trust) the One whom He has sent.” -Joe