Verse for the month

Lk.2:10,11 "And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord."

Verse for the month

Heb.13:15 "By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is,the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name."

Verse for the month

Gal. 2:20 "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me."

Verses for the month of September

Rm. 12:1,2 "I beseech you therefore, brethren by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God."

Verse for the month

ICor. 10:13 "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able: but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it."

Thousands of Bikes in Hedrick Park

On Friday morning,July 24 th their were thousands of bicycles in the park right across from us.17 t0 20,ooo to be be exact. This was the annual Ragbrai tour of bicycles across Iowa. They happened to stop in our little town and had breakfast. They had all kind of venders set up for them.Anyway It was fun to see all the different kind of bikes and their riders. They ended up in Burlington, Iowa dipping their tires in the Mississippi River. They were very well organized and every one was very
respectful.

Verse for the month

Psalm 40:2 "He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings."

Verses for the month

I John 3:2,3 "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be; but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as He is pure."

Verses for the month

Titus 2:11-13 "For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,Teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;"

Verse of the month

Col. 3:1,2 "If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth"

Verse of the month

Phil. 4:8 "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."

Continuing on the Grace of God

No one has ever been saved except by the grace of God. But no matter how plain the Bible puts it there are millions trying to get to Heaven through their own good works (Eph. 2:8,9).

A few generations a go over in England. During the reign of Queen Elizabeth. A French woman attempted to assassinate the Queen and in her attempt she was apprehended and brought before the Queen and fell at her feet. The Queen looked at her and said, "If I were to pardon you, if I were to forgive you, If I were to cancel all your debt would you be my loyal subject forever." It is said the French woman answered in an unusual way, "If your were to pardon me because of my promise that would not be grace. For your pardoning would depend upon my promise to be your subject for ever." It is said the Queen meditated a moment and said, "I pardon you without reservation, with out reason, and without merit." The French woman then stood to her feet and humbly said,"That dear Queen is grace." She then fell and grasped the Queen"s feet and through her tears she said, "Because of your grace I will be your loyal subject forever."

The truth is there is only one way to come out of darkness into light, sin to salvation and that is only by the grace of God.

Verse of the month

Eph. 5:2 "And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given Himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour."

God's grace in salvation

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and not of yourselves: it is the gift of God; not of works
lest any man should boast"(Eph. 2:8,9).
"A sinner saved by grace through faith"
At this particular time I would like to share how I was saved by grace through faith.I happened to be stationed at Camp Lejeune, N.C. I had joined the Marine Corps three months after I graduated from high school.

Before this time perhaps I should tell a little something about my earlier life. I had some wonderful parents. My mother who was religious at the time but not saved (later on she got saved). Any way I had great parents who took us to S.S. and church every Sunday.My mother would teach me to say the Lord's prayer and make sure I said my prayers at night. She also read from the best Bible story book in the world (anyway I thought so). It had a lot of good pictures along with the Bible story. (I recommend parents to read the Bible stories to their children with the pictures). Anyway this was a great help in understanding the plan of salvation in my future.

Then another big help in coming to know the Lord was my wonderful wife. When we started dating I was not saved which was not a good idea (she being saved and me not). But I could tell their was something different about her. She would be reading her New Testament at school in her spare time. This did have a big influence on me. Anyway these were some of the people leading up to my conversion.

Then going back to the Marines I happened to meet two Christian Marines, one from Penn. and one from Peoria,Ill. who asked me to go to church with them. I started to go to about every service they had. On one Saturday night they were holding a special service and a Bob Jones University student was preaching there that night and I felt the need to go forward at the invitation, but was a little afraid. There were several Marines that did. Any way I talked to the speaker afterwards and he went through the Romans road with me, realizing I was a sinner by showing me Rm. 3:23 and realizing Christ died for my sin Rm. 5:8. I was shown Rm. 10:9, "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead thou shalt be saved." This verse really opened my eyes of understanding through the power of the Holy Spirit. I then received Christ into my heart. This was the greatest decision I ever made. I cannot Praise Him enough for saving my soul.

The Doctrine of Grace

This is one of the greatest doctrines in the Bible to study! None could be wider,none could reach higher, none could go deeper than the infinite Grace of God.

Some great preachers have given various definitions to this subject which are quite interesting to read: For instance C.I. Scofield says, "Grace means unmerited, unrecompensed favor of God." John Calvin said, "Grace is the pure liberality of God." Dr. R.E. Neighbor said, "Grace is the immeasurable and the unmerited favor of God."

Truly it is immeasurable, one cannot even begin to comprehend it. Only when we get to heaven will we really begin to understand it. Charles Spurgeon said, "Grace is something in God which is at the heart of all His redeeming activities, it is God reaching down to touch and grasp our insignificance and poverty."

This is just a few comments I read on the subject and later on maybe I can go into it a little farther. Some of my comments are from other commentaries I have read along with some of the sermons I have been blessed with.

Verse of the month

Joshua 1:8,9 "This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth;but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest."