Bulletin for October 05, 2025
Devotional Verse
“Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious. Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter2:1–5
2025 Church Theme
Living in reverential awe of God—“But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, and His righteousness to children’s children, to such as keep His covenant, and to those who remember His commandments to do them.” Psalm 103:17–18
Announcements
Today is Communion Sunday, please prepare your heart.
Ladies’ Bible Study is Tuesday at 9am and the Men’s Bible Study will be Saturday at 8am. The Bible study workbook is available for the men in the foyer.
Pastor and Wife appreciation fellowship is next Sunday following the morning service. Please bring a side dish and a dessert to share.
Order of Worship
Hymn: 503 Since Jesus Came into My Heart (1,2,3)
Hymn: 329 There Is Power in the Blood (1,2,4)
Hymn: 324 When I Survey the Wondrous Cross (1+2,3+4)
Humor in the Pew and Pulpit
One Sunday a cowboy went to church. When he entered, he saw that he and the preacher were the only ones present. The preacher asked the cowboy if he wanted him to go ahead and preach.
The cowboy said, "I'm not too smart, but if I went to feed my cattle and only one showed up, I'd still feed him." So the minister began his sermon.
One hour passed, then two hours, then two-and-a-half hours. The preacher finally finished and came down to ask the cowboy how he liked the sermon.
The cowboy answered slowly, "Well, I'm not very smart, but if I went to feed my cattle and only one showed up, I sure wouldn't feed him all the hay."
Great Preaching from the Past
George Whitefield on “Jeremiah 18:1-6, "The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, Arise, and go down to the potter's house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words. Then I went down to the potter's house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels. And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make [it]. Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay [is] in the potter's hand, so [are] ye in mine hand, O house of Israel.
“The present BLINDNESS OF NATURAL CONSCIENCE makes this appear in a yet more glaring light; in the soul of the first man Adam, conscience was no doubt the candle of the Lord, and enabled him rightly and instantaneously to discern between good and evil, right and wrong. And, blessed be God! Some remains of this are yet left; but alas, how dimly does it burn, and how easily and quickly is it covered, or put out and extinguished. I need not send you to the heathen world, to learn the truth of this; you all know it by experience. Was there no other evidence, your own consciences are instead of a thousand witnesses, that man, as to his natural conscience, as well as understanding, will and affections, is much marred clay.
Nor does that great and boasted Diana, I mean UNASSISTED UNENLIGHTENED REASON, less demonstrate the justness of such an assertion. Far be it from me to decry or exclaim against human reason. Christ himself is called the "LOGOS, the Reason;" and I believe it would not require much learning, or take up much time to prove, that so far and no farther than as we act agreeably to the laws of Christ Jesus, are we any way conformable to the laws of right reason. His service is therefore called "a reasonable service." And however his servants and followers may now be looked upon as fools and madmen; yet there will come a time, when those who despise and set themselves to oppose divine revelation, will find, that what they now call reason, is only REASON DEPRAVED, and an utterly incapable, of itself, to guide us into the way of peace, or show the way of salvation, as the men of Sodom were to find Lot's door after they were struck with blindness by the angels, who came to lead him out of the city. The horrid and dreadful mistakes, which the most refined reasoners in the heathen world ran into, both as to the object, as well as manner of divine worship, have sufficiently demonstrated the weakness and depravity of human reason: nor do our modern boasters afford us any better proofs of the greatness of its strength, since the best improvement they generally make of it, is only to reason themselves into downright willful infidelity, and thereby reason themselves out of eternal salvation. Need we now any further witness, that man, fallen man, is altogether a piece of marred clay?”
From the Mission Field
Theological Education in Malawi—“In late July,” writes the Malawi Team, “you were asked to pray for a volunteer team from Oklahoma that joined us for an evangelism training in an area of Malawi that is predominantly populated by Yao (pronounced yah-woo) Muslims. Several church leaders in attendance expressed to the local home missionary how they desperately wanted us to return with more training, specifically in theological education and leadership development, so that they could lead their churches better. This month, we’ll be returning to that same area to hold a two-day leadership development training specifically addressing the doctrine of salvation. Please pray for these leaders and for those coming from the United States to help us with the training. Continue to pray for the home missionary working in this area to be encouraged in his ministry through this training, as well. Pray for continued commitment from these leaders as they persevere in ministry among a very closed-off people group. Intercede for healthier churches and discipleship to be a result of this leadership training.”
Just Common Sense
“The reason why many fail in battle is because they wait until the hour of battle. The reason why others succeed is because they have gained their victory on their knees long before the battle came. Anticipate your battles; fight them on your knees before temptation comes, and you will always have victory.” R. A. Torrey
Weekly Bible Reading Schedule
Monday: Matthew1–4
Tuesday: Matthew 5–8
Wednesday: Matthew 9–12
Thursday: Matthew 13–16
Friday: Matthew 17–20
Tip for Witnessing
“Father, make of me a crisis man. Bring those I contact to decision. Let me not be a milepost on a single road; make me a fork, that men must turn one way or another on facing Christ in me.” Jim Elliot
Quotable
“It seems to me that doubt is worse than trial. I had sooner suffer any affliction than be left to question the gospel or my own interest in it.” C. H. Spurgeon
