When does the Kingdom come?

It seems that every New Testament author and believer lived expecting to personally see the bodily return of Christ. Just one example from Paul’s inspired pen is 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 Savior Jesus Christ;”
 
So, when will that be? Scripture does not supply an exact date and time, but there are certain things that will come to pass as that day draws near. Tonight at 7pm we will run them down from Daniel seven. After a time of prayer, we will open our Bibles together. There will not be G.O.E. Teens this evening since they are at church camp in Dayton, TN. Continue to pray for them. Our SHinE Kids’ ministry (K-5) will be meeting in the Family Life Center at 7 pm.

Watch. Pray. Proclaim.

While we expect the Lord’s return at any moment, no one knows exactly when that moment will be (Mark 13:32-37). That is no cause for idleness or foolishness. While we watch for our Lord’s return, we are to continue with the work He commissioned and equipped us to accomplish. The stakes are high. His First Coming was cause for singing “Peace on earth and good will to men” because the Savior had come.
 
At His Second Coming there will be judgment on sin and sinners who refused to repent and receive the grace He freely offered.
 
So, while we wait and watch for His return, let’s work by praying and proclaiming the Good News, calling on all men and women everywhere, from every ethnicity, to repent and believe the gospel, because the time is fulfilled and the Kingdom of God is at hand.

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The Promise of God’s Presence

Isaiah 43:2, “When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.”
 
Ever felt as if you were drowning or about to be consumed by fire? In this promise from God He lets you know that you are not going through the water or the fire by yourself! The greatest treasure in this verse is the promise of God’s presence. “I will be with you.” God says. Are you in deep water? God will be with you! Are you crossing a raging river? God will be with you! Walking through fire? God will be with you! Don’t look for ways around the water or the fire. Trust God to carry you through on to the other side.

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Roll with It

Psalm 37:5, “Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.”
 
Trust equals commitment. There is no commitment apart from trust. To trust God, regardless of the situation, no matter how you feel, means that you will be committed to Christ, regardless of the situation, no matter how you feel. It is worth noting that the Hebrew word translated “commit” – galal – is more often translated “roll,” as in roll on or with something. Ever heard the phrase “Roll with it”? Depending on your company, that may or may not be sound advice, but when it comes to Christ, trust Him and be committed to His Word. God will act on your behalf and for His glory. Roll with that.

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Missionary to Suriname Michael Kelley

Acts 1:8, “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”
 
We are blessed to have Michael Kelley with us for this morning’s service. Bro. Kelley has been called by God to take the gospel to Suriname out of the Calvary Road Baptist Church of New Albany, IN. He and his wife Danielle were married in 2015, and have been blessed with a son, Donovan, and a little baby girl, Lael.
 
Bro. Kelley will preach and present his work this morning. He will also take your questions. Following this morning’s service we will receive a love offering for the Kelley’s.

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Saturday with Spurgeon

Remain Unshaken

“That those things which cannot be shaken may remain.” Hebrews 12:27

We have many things in our possession at the present moment which can be shaken, and it ill becomes a Christian man to set much store by them, for there is nothing stable beneath these rolling skies; change is written upon all things. Yet, we have certain “things which cannot be shaken,” and I invite you this evening to think of them, that if the things which can be shaken should all be taken away, you may derive real comfort from the things that cannot be shaken, which will remain. Whatever your losses have been, or may be, you enjoy present salvation. You are standing at the foot of his cross, trusting alone in the merit of Jesus’ precious blood, and no rise or fall of the markets can interfere with your salvation in him; no breaking of banks, no failures and bankruptcies can touch that. Then you are a child of God this evening. God is your Father. No change of circumstances can ever rob you of that. Although by losses brought to poverty, and stripped bare, you can say, “He is my Father still. In my Father’s house are many mansions; therefore will I not be troubled.” You have another permanent blessing, namely, the love of Jesus Christ. He who is God and Man loves you with all the strength of his affectionate nature—nothing can affect that. The fig tree may not blossom, and the flocks may cease from the field, it matters not to the man who can sing, “My Beloved is mine, and I am his.” Our best portion and richest heritage we cannot lose. Whatever troubles come, let us play the man; let us show that we are not such little children as to be cast down by what may happen in this poor fleeting state of time. Our country is Immanuel’s land, our hope is above the sky, and therefore, calm as the summer’s ocean; we will see the wreck of everything earthborn, and yet rejoice in the God of our salvation.


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His Holy Spirit

John 16:15, “All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you” 
 
Of all God’s promises, the promise of the indwelling Holy Spirit is the sweetest. Only those who have repented of their sin and trusted Christ to save them are indwelt by the Spirit, and only the Holy Spirit is able to take the words of scripture and apply them to our hearts. All the promises and doctrinal instruction of God’s Word are useless unless God’s Spirit applies them to your hearts. He will comfort, instruct, and enable you to obey the scriptures and experience victory. Trust the Spirit’s leadership. He will lead you to walk in the Word. Following His Holy Spirit will NEVER lead you to contradict or disobey the Book He inspired.

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The King is Coming!

Daniel 7:13-14, “I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.”
 
On Wednesday evenings we have steadily walked through the book of Daniel. The first six chapters of that Old Testament prophecy have either taught or reminded us to cooperate with the culture without compromising on God’s Word. Daniel and his friends demonstrate the need to stand
  • out from the world.
  • up for God.
  • still for the solution He will provide.

A Prophetic Voice

In chapter seven the prophetic visions of Daniel begin, and they continue through the end of the book. Like last week, we will be in chapter seven again tonight. This chapter is pure prophecy. We learn that history will culminate with Christ receiving His kingdom. The Ancient of Days will grant to the Son of Man the Kingdom.
 
Daniel seven presents the history of man from Daniel’s time (in our past) to the time when Christ Jesus the Lord will receive and establish His Kingdom (in our future). This is a monumental sweep of prophetic history from Daniel’s day forward. So, we’ve been taking our time. Here is our outline for this evening.
  • The King is Crowned
  • The Kingdom’s Character
  • When is the Kingdom?

Join Us!

We hope that you will be with us at 7pm this evening. Our G.O.E. Teens (6th-12th) and SHinE Kids (K-5th) will be meeting in our Family Life Center at 7pm also. There is plenty of room for them to be responsibly distanced. We will meet in our sanctuary. If you have not felt comfortable returning to our in-person Sunday morning services, Wednesday night is a great option for you. There will be enough space to spread out. We hope you will be with us tonight as we sing, pray, and open God’s Word together.

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Funeral Arrangements for Retha Thompson

Church family, we ask you to continue praying for Retha Thompson’s family as they mourn their loss and celebrate her homegoing. We grieve but we do so full of hope because our trust is in the Lord.
 
Follow this link to read her obituary and know the full account of the arrangements for her funeral visitation and service.
  • Visitation is here on Friday, July 10 from 6-9pm
  • Funeral service will also be here on Saturday, July 11 at 1pm

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Like to Brag?

1 Corinthians 1:27-29, “But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence.”
 
Never brag. At least, do not ever boast in your intelligence or your strength or your resources. Human wisdom, might, and riches are fleeting. They are here today and gone tomorrow. No matter how much you may have of one or all of them, you cannot retain wisdom, might, and riches forever. There is something, someone really, in which to glory, the Lord Jesus Christ and His gospel. Depend on the steadfast love, the pure justice, and the perfect righteousness of Jesus. Then go ahead and brag (v. 31). Glory in the Lord, the source of everlasting wisdom, power, and redemption.

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Back to Sunday School!

We hope that today is a 🇺🇸  Happy Independence Day! 🇺🇸 Our nation has been truly blessed, and ALL those who are citizens of and residents in this land are privileged.
 
This by no means suggests that the USA is now, ever has, or could possibly be perfect. The high ideals which undergird our nation and are codified in our founding documents have never been perfectly fulfilled.
Despite our many shortcomings, we have been a nation that provides freedom and opportunity for all like no other. Compare this nation with other nations instead of utopian notions. Actively and consistently treat all people with dignity and respect. I cannot undue my past, let alone my nation’s. I can act now and lay a precedent for the future that is one of honor and respect for others, including the rule of law.
 
As believers in America, let’s be thankful for our freedoms, and, most importantly, take advantage of our liberty for the cause of the gospel locally, nationally, and globally. Only the gospel is able to truly make men and women free. Let’s hold true to that faith, and be courageously committed to that cause.

Sunday school, Children’s Church, and SHinE are back!

Don’t forget as you celebrate the USA’s birthday that tomorrow is the Lord’s Day. He is the One from whom all blessings flow, and He is worthy of our worship. Don’t miss out, using the holiday as an excuse!
 
Tomorrow, July 5, also marks the return of our Sunday school classes, Children’s Church (pre-school ages), and SHinE (K-5th) ministries. The teens and kids will have their classes at 10am in the Family Life Center, and that is where Children’s Church and SHinE will meet at 11am.
 
Since tomorrow is the first Sunday back to Sunday school since the middle of March, as well as the Sunday following Independence Day, Pastor Travis will teach all the adults combined in the Fellowship Hall. That class will begin at 10am. We hope to see you there!

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