Another Lord's day to enjoy blessings! We were very happy to have visitors again this week.
We had three wonderful special songs this morning. Sister Linda Gardner sang, "I Bowed on my Knees and Cried Holy." She has such a great spirit when she sings. Then Brother Tim Tucker blessed us with the old hymn, "The Old Rugged Cross." We are so glad God sent him and his precious wife to be part of our church family. "Just Hold on a Little Longer" was sung by Sister Joyce Walters.
Pastor Bob began his message with a word from Ephesians 1:6-7. This scripture refers to the acceptance of us, being Gentiles, into the family of God through the shed blood of Jesus Christ, which gave us redemption and forgiveness from sin. Do we really realize what this means? God sent his only son to be hanged and die on a cruel cross. We are so blessed to be among those receiving the blessings of the true and living God.
As Brother Tim sang this morning, we will cling to the old rugged cross and exchange it someday for a crown. After we are forgiven, we are told in 2 Timothy 2:15, "Study to show thyself approved unto God a workman that needeth not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." In verse 19 of 1 Timothy, we read that the "Lord knoweth them that are his. And let everyone who nameth Christ depart from iniquity."
We are given a road map in the Word which will guide us through this walk. We must walk uprightly before God if we plan to make Heaven our eternal home. Next, we went to 1 Peter 4:18, where we are reminded that if the righteous are scarcely saved, where will the sinner and ungodly appear? Where do you feel you are standing? I would pray that we would not be among those who rejected the call to salvation.
You very seldom hear where those lost souls will spend eternity because nobody wants to say that, as sure as there's a Heaven, there is a Hell prepared for the wicked that choose to take their own path and feel they don't need God. As children of our Heavenly Father, we know that one day we will hear him say enter in thou good and faithful servant. In John 15:16, he proclaims that we have not chosen him, but he has chosen us. And he ordained us that we should go and bring forth fruit and that our fruit should remain steadfast -- that whosoever produces lasting fruit can ask anything in the Father's name, and it shall be done if it is the Lord's will. He even said, in due time, He will give us the desires of our hearts. 1 Corinthians 5:10 confirms that we will all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. Also in Romans 14:11, it is written, "As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God." We were bought with a price, God sent his only son Jesus to hang on a cruel cross and die for our sins. What a glorious day it will be when we can see the face of Jesus!
In closing, Pastor Bob Cartwright once again told us that we are the temple of the Holy Ghost and he is the protector of our minds. So when Satan tries to torment you, all you have to say is: "Devil, you and your demons cannot touch me. I am covered by the blood of Jesus, and you cannot come through the blood.
If you enjoyed our church news, we invite you to join us for more of the truths taught at the Cove Mission of Hope. Our Sunday services are 10:30 a.m. and 6 p.m., and we have a great Bible study at 6 p.m. on Wednesday evening. We are located in Lanagan, Mo., on top of the hill. Our church is the one with the steeple pointing souls to Calvary.
The opinions expressed are those of the author.