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The Country Baptist Church Newsletter July 20, 2008 Pastor: Bro. Harace Hammond Pastor E-Mail: cbcpastor@toast.net Web Site: www.countrybaptist.org "The Voice Of The Country Church" |
| You Were Asked To
Pray For: Larry Platt, Bro. Archie & Barbara Griffin, Waylon & Pat Abercrombie with their daughter and son, Randy & Donna Johnson, Loyce Smith, Junior Potts, Roberta Bruce and family, Barbara Fails, Jim & Linda Meier, Dina and The Boys, Troy Wiler, Bro. Sergey Mochalov and the Churches in Russia, Kathy Rosinbaum, Don & Wynell Hammond, Brenda Galusha, Baby Tucker Walker, Helen Stone, Bro. & Mrs. Pinson, Leta Ellis, Chet Reagan, Sidney Strawn, Amanda Tomlin, Brother Keith & Susie Kennison, Helen Rowe, Kimberlee McCool, Brother David and Anne Shortt, Jewell Mathis, Justin Horne, Janette Sims; Richard Swan, Jean and Cheryl, Letha Langford, David Ellis and family, Beatrice and Virgil Young, Gwen Davis, Allison Rodgers Clay, Angela Hutson, Tiffany and Shannon Lemmon, Bob Ellis, Elaine Woodall, Reese Carrington, Jack Whittle, Ronda Douglass, Bonita Petty, Nancy, Rosa Tomlen, Pastor and Sister Hammond, and all of our Troops and their Families. |
| A Thought From C. H.
Spurgeon:
"For I will surely deliver thee, and thou shalt not fall by the sword, but thy life shall be for a prey unto thee: because thou hast put thy trust in Me, saith the LORD" Jeremiah 39:18 Behold the protecting power of trust in God. The great men of Jerusalem fell by the sword, but poor Ebed-melech was secure, for his confidence was in Jehovah. Where else should a man trust but in his Maker? We are foolish when we prefer the creature to the Creator. Oh, that we could in all things live by faith, then should we be delivered in all time of danger! No one ever did trust in the LORD in vain, and no one ever shall. The LORD saith, "I will surely deliver thee." Mark the divine "surely." Whatever else may be uncertain, God's care of believers is sure. God Himself is the guardian of the gracious. Under His sacred wing there is safety even when every danger is abroad. Can we accept this promise as sure? Then in our present emergency we shall find that it stands fast. We hope to be delivered because we have friends, or because we are prudent, or because we can see hopeful signs; but none of these things are one-half so good as God's simple "because thou hast put thy trust in me." Dear reader, try this way, and, trying it, you will keep to it all your life. It is as sweet as it is sure. |
| A Thought For The
Week: Pleasing God or Man? Beloved this week we would like to draw your attention to an area so many today have failed in, they are seeking to please man rather than God. I often wonder why there are so many Preachers and Christians that have fallen away from the truth of God’s word. There has to be a reason why, doesn’t there? I believe the answer is simple, God’s word tells us; in fact God said it is not a matter of "if", but "when". 2 Timothy 4:3-4 "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; [4.] And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables." Paul said they "shall be turned unto fables." That is myths or fiction or non-existent teachings. Non-existent as in there is no truth in their teachings. They teach about a mythical salvation, a mythical church, a mythical Jesus, and etc. It is not that these teachings do not exist, oh no they all do, however not in the way they teach them. They teach mythical teachings because truth no longer appeals to the people they preach too. These men are simply teaching to please men rather then God. Paul has a very strong warning to the men teaching mythical doctrine "for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ." Vs. 10b Paul just said these men are not servants of Christ which means they are not being used by the Lord. People tend to measure a Minister on his ability to collect hears and on his ability to collect money. I must admit both of these are wonderful but not a measuring stick in which to measure a servant of Christ. The true measuring stick to measure a servant of Christ is how much truth he teaches. 1 Timothy 5:17-18 "Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine. [18.] For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer is worthy of his reward." The word honor means money, and the Lord said he is worth double money. This is fact my beloved brethren a man that teaches truth is a man that teaches to small assemblies and small assemblies have small bank accounts and that equals small pay checks. However with all that math being done it does not eliminate the churches responsibility to give their pastor all the support they can. If you have a Pastor that speaks truth after the Lord Jesus Christ then you are indeed a blessed church. Paul goes on to say in Vs. 11b "that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man." Paul is saying, what I preach is not from man but from God. I do not seek to please man nor did my education come from man but rather the Holy Spirit. This is why Paul said "Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn." Vs. 18 of 1 Tim. The ox is used here for his strength to tread down the corn and the reason they were not muzzled is so they could eat while they worked and they would work harder and longer. So Paul went on to say in Vs. 18 of 1 Tim. "The labourer is worthy of his reward." The powerful ox did such a wonderful job he was worth all that he can eat and it was never too much. Folks the man that preaches truth is worthy of all a church can afford to give him. In order for this man to be so strong in teaching truth countless hours goes into study time and as Paul compared him to an ox, please do not under feed you ox. Just as a Pastor must continually ask himself "am I pleasing God or man" a church must also ask themselves the same question when they pay their Pastor. By Randy Johnson, Pastor Sovereign Grace Missionary Baptist Church, Texarkana, Tx. |
| Happy Birthday:
Edna Garvin July 21st |
| We still need HIM: We needed Christ as a life-buoy when we were sinking in the waves of sin, but we need him to be our food and our drink now that he has brought us safe to land. When we were sick through sin, we needed Christ as medicine; but now that he has restored our soul, we need him as our continual nourishment. There is no lack which a Christian ever has which Christ cannot fully supply, and there is nothing in Christ which is not useful to a Christian. From Spurgeon's, "Preaching Christ Crucified" |