Shelby County Today

May 2, 2016 - Paul writes, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:” (Eph. 2:8). God has given man many things but the greatest of these is His Son as a sacrifice for sin. All that we have is by grace. Grace is not merely “unmerited favor” for all men everywhere each day receive unmerited favor from God in many different ways.

Grace when it comes to salvation is also coupled with our faith. For it is by faith that we are purified (Ac. 15:9), sanctified (Ac. 26:18), receive the propitiation (Rm. 3:25), are justified (Rm. 3:28), have access into grace (Rm. 5:2) and we are the children of God by faith (Gal. 3:26).

So how are we saved by grace and our faith? Paul said, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Rm. 10:17). So if we are saved by faith and grace then the Word must have something to do with this.

Paul also writes, “But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God. …And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified” (Ac. 20:24,32). Now notice that he said according to the “word of his grace” we are built up and are sanctified, which we noticed earlier that we are sanctified by faith (Ac. 26:18).

It was also this “grace” that Paul would testify to (Ac. 20:21; Ac. 14:3) and which he also said teaches us (Tit. 2:11-12). It is also this same grace that saved Noah (1 Pet. 3:20-21). Noah found grace in the sight of the Lord (Gen. 6:8) and that grace consisted of the word of God by the giving of the blueprint of the ark (Gen. 6:13-22).

It was Noah’s faith in the revealed grace of God (His Word) that saved Noah (Gen. 6:22; Heb. 11:7; 1 Pet. 3:21). Noah was saved by grace through faith such as men are today. As Peter wrote, “Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: 23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever” (1 Pet. 1:22-23).

God’s grace is found in the gospel and when we have faith in it and obey it then we are saved by grace through faith. As Jesus said, “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned” (Mk. 16:15-16). Being saved by grace is dependent upon men having an active obedient faith in the gospel of grace which is able to sanctify us.

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May 2, 2016 - “…that I may know Him…”  (Philippians 3:10)

While I was a pastor in Lumberton, Texas in the seventies, deacon Glen Thornton  called saying  that eight year old Donna Storm  had been badly burned and taken to the John Sealy Burn Center  in Galveston.  A container of gasoline had exploded near a hot water heater where she was playing.

This little girl rode our church bus regularly to Sunday School and had been converted and baptized during VBS that year. Alice Weeks, her Sunday School teacher, and I went to visit her at the hospital. Her body was burned beyond recognition.  Her lips were burned away and pig skin had been grafted around her eyes to help retain body moisture.  It was the most heart-rending thing I’d ever seen.

Alice sobbed, “We’ll see you soon, honey.” “We want you to get well soon”. But when I realized she was dying, I said, “Donna, you’ll soon be going to a wonderful place.” “Don’t be afraid….”  “There’ll be no strangers there and everyone will be your friend….”

And as I spoke to her, she whispered three words, slowly….quietly …but distinctly…   “I…know…Jesus…”  Soon after we returned home that day, we got the call that Donna had died. 

Forty years have passed since her death and remembering her still brings tears to my eyes…… tears of sadness because of her suffering….and tears of joy…

…Because she knew Jesus. 

April 26, 2016 - On Thursday, April 28, 2016 at the Lakeside Village Assisted Living Mrs. Joyce Hughes and Mrs. Emily Taylor will present a variety of music. They play their harps for churches, schools, weddings, civic clubs, and in String Power's Super Group String Orchestra.

The United Methodist Churches of Paxton-Tenaha are delighted to have these special ladies at this month's program at Lakeside Village from 2pm until 3pm.

April 26, 2016 - Jeremiah tells of a man who is blessed by the Lord as he walks in the way of the Lord, he trusts the Lord and keeps His will. 

(Jeremiah 17:7-8) NKJV "Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose hope in the Lord. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out it's roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes; but it's leaf will be green, and it will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit."

These verses were written by Jeremiah but they closely mirror David's writings in Psalm 1:1-3, the tale of the "blessed man".

Look at both accounts and see that the blessed man delights - finds happiness - in his relationship with our Lord and his life is enriched by that relationship. 

Jeremiah 17:13 and Psalm 1:4-6 tell an opposite story, a tale of those who do not follow the Lord's wishes, but a story of those who may consider themselves  rich in the things of this world and not in need of Christ's help in their daily lives. You will see from these verses that their end is much different from that of the blessed man.

In both books the blessed man found the mystical "fountain of life" - the Lord Jesus. By following our Lord he is transplanted by the "river of Life" - God's Word. His mind then stays focused on God's will and his days are spent meditating upon God's precious Word.

He draws his nourishment from the "river of life" and as he studies it he glorifies God in all his ways. The Holy Spirit dwells within him and leads him in a better understanding of God's Word.

He is no longer conformed to the world for he has been transformed by the renewing of his mind and spirit so that he can now prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

The blessed man knows that God has a plan for his life and he spends his days following that plan. He knows that his true strength comes from Christ and that with Christ' help he can do all that God wills for him to do each day.

The blessed man is a bearer of good fruit and he understands the reason Christ has transplanted him by the "river of living water" is so that he can bear good fruit for the Lord every day. He draws from the "river of life" and beckons others to come and also drink from it's living waters. By his fruit others know that he is a disciple of the Lord.

The blessed man is focused daily on God's will and not his own wishes nor the wishes of the world. He bears good fruit daily and not just on special occasions. He knows that true happiness comes only by accepting our Lord Jesus Christ as sovereign Lord and Savior.

Please feel welcome to join us each week in the study of God's Word. 

For info call: 936-615-1427 May God Bless All...