June 20, 2010

 

ŇThe old man is never made better. The new man cannot sin. ÔHe cannot sin, because he is born of God.Ő The new man cannot sin. The old man is not born of God. When you are brought to see the two distinct natures it will afford you a clearer view of spiritual life.Ó

— William Tiptaft

 

Daily Readings for the Week of June 20-27

Sunday                     Psalm 60-68                                     Thursday                   Psalm 87-92

                        Monday                     Psalm 69-73                                     Friday             Psalm 93-102

                        Tuesday                    Psalm 74-78                                     Saturday                    Psalm 103-106

                        Wednesday  Psalm 79-86                                     Sunday                      Psalm 107-113

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Bill Rolley-21st June Roundtree-21st Evan Rolley-22nd

Bob Duff-24th Josh Peterson-25th Ruth Peterson-25th Walter Groover-25th

 

NURSERY DUTY THIS WEEK

Today: Vicci Rolley (AM) Anne Peterson (PM) Tuesday: Ruth Wall

 

When Christ Ascends His Judgment ThroneDon Fortner

(Tune: #268 — My Faith has Found a Resting Place — CMD )

 

1.    When Christ ascends His judgment throne,

And bids all worlds draw near;

MenŐs hearts shall melt, with sighs and groans;

And trembling souls shall fear. —

Then as the solemn, opened books

Disclose the dreadful day;

JehovahŐs frowns and angry looks

Will wicked souls dismay.

 

2.    Omniscience will, with truth, expose

Their secret thoughts to view;

Their crimes GodŐs justice will expose,

And conscience own them true.

GodŐs wrath shall seize the guilty souls

Of unconverted men,

While all GodŐs books, the judgment scrolls,

Accuse, convince, condemn!

 

3.    But, there in JesusŐ gracious hand,

The Book of Life is placed.

The names of His elect there stand,

Nor can they be erased!

As He unfolds the sacred seals,

With GodŐs decrees all done,

With one decisive word, He will

Welcome His ransomed home!

 

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Mephibosheth — A Picture of Grace

 

ŇBut the king spared Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan the son of Saul, because of the LORDŐS oath that was between them, between David and Jonathan the son of Saul.Ó (2 Samuel 21:7)

 

Who was this prince Mephibosheth? He was JonathanŐs son, the last living survivor of the royal house of Saul. When the news of SaulŐs death and of the death of his sons on the battlefield of Gilboa reached the royal palace, Mephibosheth was only five years old. His nurse took JonathanŐs little boy up in her arms and fled down to Lodebar. In her panic Mephibosheth fell from her arms and was crippled. From that day on, he was lame on both of his feet.

 

Sixteen years had passed since David made a covenant with Jonathan. Now, the time had come for David to fulfill his covenant promise to Jonathan (1 Samuel 20:14-17). Now established as King over Israel by the hand of God, David is determined to fulfill his covenant promise to Jonathan. So he sought out the last survivor of his dear friend and companion, Jonathan. David sent for Mephibosheth, and brought him to the palace. When Mephibosheth first learned that the king had found him, he must have been terrified. He knew what had become of SaulŐs sons. Fearful and trembling, he came into DavidŐs presence, expecting to be slain. What a blessed surprise he found! David showed him nothing but kindness and mercy. He was made to be as one of the kingŐs sons.

 

DavidŐs kindness to Mephibosheth for JonathanŐs sake is a beautiful picture of GodŐs lovingkindness and tender mercy to sinners for ChristŐs sake. We read the story in 2 Samuel 9.

 

MephiboshethŐs Condition

 

Mephibosheth became lame through a fall (2 Samuel 9:3; 4:4). Even so, ŇGod created man upright,Ó but we became helpless, lame cripples through the fall of our father Adam (John 6:44).

 

MephiboshethŐs Call

 

      Mephibosheth was called by the king (2 Samuel 9:4-5). David sought Mephibosheth and fetched him to the palace. I love that word Ňfetched.Ó DonŐt you? Here again we see GodŐs marvelous grace toward sinners. He seeks his own sheep. And when he finds his sheep, he fetches them home (Psalm 65:4).

 

      Mephibosheth was received in all his deformity for the sake of another. Just as he was, without any improvement, David received the poor cripple. And the Lord our God receives sinners in all their deformity for ChristŐs sake. And when Mephibosheth came to David, he learned to have a proper estimate of himself (2 Samuel 9:8). So, too, it is only after we come to Christ that we truly have a proper view of ourselves. Do not expect to find repentance until you come to Christ by faith. In a word, Mephibosheth was reconciled to the King by an act of the kingŐs own mercy (2 Samuel 9:9-10).

 

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Under the kingŐs table MephiboshethŐs crippled feet were covered. He was still lame on both his feet, but his deformity was covered under DavidŐs table. Now, blessed be God, in Christ all the deformities of his people are covered!

 

MephiboshethŐs Communion

 

      Next, we see that Mephibosheth was granted perpetual fellowship and communion with the King. The kingŐs house was his house. He dwelt with David. He was always accepted in DavidŐs presence. — It is the privilege and joy of believing sinners to dwell with the King, Christ Jesus. We walk in his company. We are allowed to speak freely to him. We live upon his riches. We rest under his protection.

 

Because of the grace he had received, Mephibosheth loved the king above everything (2 Samuel 19:24-30). So it is with GodŐs elect. — ŇWe love him because he first loved usÓ (1 John 4:19).

 

MephiboshethŐs Covenant

 

      All of this was done for Mephibosheth, because of a covenant made long before he was born (1 Samuel 21:7). When the King returned and finally destroyed all the sons of Saul (all seven of them), Mephibosheth was spared because of DavidŐs love for Jonathan. David loved Mephibosheth because of his relation to Jonathan and because of the covenant he made with Jonathan.

 

            That is the way it is with us. All that we have in Christ and all that we have experienced of divine grace has been given to us because of a covenant made between God the Father and God the Son long before we were born. Mephibosheth did not know anything about the covenant, but David did! God our Father loves us and deals graciously with us because of Christ and our relation to him. Indeed, he loves us as he loves his dear Son! Oh, may God the Holy Spirit fill our hearts with love for Christ.

 

 

Forgiveness — Free, Just, and Complete

 

By his one great sacrifice for sin, the Lord Jesus Christ has forever removed all sin from all his people. When he was made sin for his elect, the Lord Jesus Christ, our great Substitute, took the shame, the guilt, and the curse of our sin upon himself, and died under the penalty of GodŐs holy law and justice for us. Pouring out his lifeŐs blood unto death, he Ňobtained eternal redemption for us.Ó ŇChrist hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is everyone that hangeth on a tree.Ó Because God has transferred sin from his people to his Son, and punished sin in his Son to the full extent of his own infinite justice, he freely forgives us of all sin.

 

 

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Don Fortner

 

 

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