We have a brand new eBook available for instant download (just CLICK HERE).

“All of Grace” by Charles Spurgeon is a classic. It’s plain gospel presentation has been used to lead many people to Christ over the years since it’s publication, and has inspired generations of soulwinners.

In this short, no-fluff little book (just 96 pages), Spurgeon powerfully lays out the plan of salvation and the doctrines of grace. You can read it in an evening, and every Christian ought to do so at least once.  It’s also a great book to give to a friend or loved one that you’ve been witnessing to.

My hope in creating this eBook in pdf format is that it will make it able to be distributed freely and widely. Just email it, or send a link for people to get it right here on the blog.  It will remain available here on our download page.

Phil

Each day of this week, leading up to Resurrection Sunday, we are emailing an early morning devotional out to First Assembly from our Pastoral Team. You can read them all right here.

The 4th Saying of Jesus on the Cross

 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? (Matthew 27:46) Read the rest of this entry »

Each day of this week, leading up to Resurrection Sunday, we are emailing an early morning devotional out to First Assembly from our Pastoral Team. You can read them all right here.

The 3rd Saying of Jesus on the Cross

“When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, ‘Woman, behold your son!’ Then He said to the disciple, Behold your mother!’ And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home.”  (John 19:26-27)

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Each day of this week, leading up to Resurrection Sunday, we are emailing an early morning devotional out to First Assembly from our Pastoral Team. You can read them all right here.

The 2nd Saying of Jesus on the Cross

Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, “If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.” But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? “And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”  (Luke 23:39-43)

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Each day of this week, leading up to Resurrection Sunday, we are emailing an early morning devotional out to First Assembly from our Pastoral Team. You can read them all right here.

The 1st Saying of Jesus on the Cross

Then said Jesus, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.”  (Luke 23:34)   

Jesus said these words right at the beginning of the crucifixion.  Many commentators have suggested it might well have been said whilst they were driving the nails in His hands and feet!   

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Today the Western Connecticut Sectional Royal Ranger Pinewood Derby was held at Brookfield. We’re very proud of Ewan who won 1st place for his age division (Discovery Rangers), and 2nd place overall for the whole day!

Way to go!  Check out the vid.

“So he (David) shepherded them according to the integrity of his heart, And guided them by the skillfulness of his hands.” (Psalm 78:72)

So often this verse has been used to focus on the 2 needs of leadership … heart and hands - integrity and skill. A valid point, I’m sure.

But Psalm 78 is not about human leadership in any sense. It’s not about David. This glorious Psalm is all about God’s mighty faithfulness to rebellious Israel. It’s a reminder to every successive generation to look back and see God’s hand in history and remember HIM.

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by Pastor Aeron Morgan

Many hymns and songs of worship constantly impress us, inspiring us with their comfort and encouragement, and often presenting a timely challenge. One such hymn, for me, was written by George Matheson (1842-1906).

Matheson was a brilliant and promising young student in Scotland. The call of God was on his life and he was preparing for the preaching and teaching ministry. However, when he was just eighteen years old he lost his sight almost completely. Apparently he only saw shadows, so that such visual impairment necessitated him having to give up his research and scholarship in the field of apologetic theology.

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Last Summer, 4 guys from our church hit the streets of New York City with Change Collegian Network’s “Repent And Witness (R.A.W.)”   They had a great experience for 4 straight days witnessing, and open air preaching on the streets and subways of the Big Apple.

Well, this year they’re going even BIGGER … and YOU’RE invited to join them!  New York City, Philadelphia, Washington DC and Baltimore.

I caught up with Paul Cortese and Dave Hawkins to find out what’s driving them, and how others can get involved.

So, guys, give us a little background. Tell us what led you to organize this trip.

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Each Sunday we post a short classic piece from someone signally used by God down through the history of the church. Today we look to Samuel Chadwick (1860-1932).  

The Church Without the Spirit

by Samuel Chadwick 

 The Church is the creation of the Holy Spirit. It is a community of believers who owe their religious life from first to last to the Spirit. Apart from Him there can be neither Christian nor Church. The Christian religion is not institutional but experimental. It is not an ordained class, neither is it in ordinances and sacraments. It is not a fellowship of common interest in culture, virtue, or service. Membership is by spiritual birth. The roll of membership is kept in heaven. Christ is the Door. He knows them that are His, and they know Him. The Church Roll and the Lamb’s Book of Life are not always identical. “No man can say Jesus is Lord, but in the Holy Spirit,” and confession of the lordship of Jesus Christ is the first condition of membership in His Church. The command to tarry in the city until there came enduement of power from on high proves that the one essential equipment of the Church is the gift of the Holy Ghost. Nothing else avails for the real work of the Church.

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by Pastor Bill Randles 

I very recently have been accused of thinking that babies are evil – by Jesse Morrell, an open air preacher, and Moral Government proponent. How did he possibly arrive at such a conclusion?  After all, I have 6 children and 10 grandchildren, (my secret plan for taking over the world…shhhhh!). I love babies, and celebrate the birth of every one of them as gifts of God. Where did Jesse Morrell ever get the idea that I pastor a church that thinks babies are evil?

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James, the brother of Jesus, gives us a clear little prescription for how to not only keep our heads above water when we’re going through a trial, but how to thrive and grow.  If you don’t need it this minute, file it away because you’re sure to need it soon enough.

James 1:2-8 …

“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.”

James says we should anticipate “various trials” (v2). That tells me that I will be tested numerous times, and that the trials will come in an assortment of ways. So I need to be prepared for them in advance.  Whatever the type of trial I wake up to tomorrow morning, James gives me (and you) 3 instructions:

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Malawian women rejoicing over receiving their own copy of God’s Word.  How many copies, bindings, versions, colors and styles, do you have on your shelf?  I hope you will crack just one open today and read it?  Maybe even get a little excited that you hold in your hands the eternal Word and Self-revelation of the True and Living God, Creator of all things.

“Your words were found, and I ate them, And Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart; For I am called by Your name, O LORD God of hosts.”  (Jeremiah 15:16)

Phil

There is no alternative program for the building up of God’s Church to replace preaching. It is God’s ordained means (1 Corinthians 1:21; Titus 1:3; 2 Timothy 4:2.) So, the Bible gives us quite a bit of instruction about how to preach, including prescriptions on the content of our preaching and examples of powerful sermons.

In particular, two striking and very memorable pictures of what good preaching is should keep us on track.  One is from the Old Testament, and the other from the New.

1. Giving the sense

“And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was standing above all the people; and when he opened it, all the people stood up … So they read distinctly from the book, in the Law of God; and they gave the sense, and helped them to understand the reading.”  (Nehemiah 8:5,8)

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