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Kitchens Creek Baptist Church
7231 Monroe Hwy @ Kitchens Creek Rd
Ball, Louisiana 71405

Email: Pastor Milton W Howard
PO Box 740
Ball, LoUiSiAna  71405

Newspaper Articles
The Town Talk

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02/17/19
"God's Salvation" 

(Luke 2:25-30) "There was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon...waiting for the consolation of Israel...he came by the Spirit into the temple...he took him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said...mine eyes have seen thy salvation" 

Simeon found Christ in the temple, according to the promise of God.  It was the gracious promise of God that brought him to the right place.  They find Christ who are led by the Spirit to Him.  We never come of our own will or understanding.  We must be drawn by the Spirit to Christ. 

Simeon shows us that Christ is God's Salvation.  He is Salvation itself.  The essence of what He is lies in Who He is.  He is God's Salvation.  There is no Salvation when the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ is left out.  Had He not been man, He could not have died.  Had He not been God, His death would have had no value to redeem us.  He is the only Salvation there is.  This is God's Salvation. 

Simeon came to the temple day after day looking for God's Salvation.  There were many who rose up in that day saying they were the Messiah.  But when God the Holy Spirit moves on us, we will never be content with another salvation. 

A man as devout as Simeon could have had Salvation by the Law if there were any there.  If church going could save him, he would be saved.  He almost lived in the Temple.  He saw the sacrifices every morning and evening.  He did not find Salvation until he found it in Christ.  Christ is God's Salvation. 

Here is the Salvation which God has promised from all eternity to bestow on His people.  This is the Salvation of which the prophets spoke.  This is the Salvation to which all those symbols pointed.  This is the Salvation to which the Law pointed.  The Law of God was never given to save us, but to point us to Christ.  The Lord Jesus Christ fulfilled all that Law for us. 

If you have seen Christ you have seen all His work of redemption.  You know who He is, you know why He came, you know how He came, you know what He did, you know where He is now, and WHAT He is doing for us. 

He is complete Salvation.  "He that believeth in Him hath everlasting life."  We are saved from sin.  He purchased with His blood all that was required for our redemption.  Because He lives we live.  "The Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all." 

Do not look for any part of this Salvation to finish yourself, for this is God's Salvation.  This is Good News.  This is the Gospel. 

So, take God's Salvation into your arms as your own, embrace Him, and you will have all the life you need.  No wonder Simeon could say, "Lord, now lettest Thou thy servant depart in peace…For mine eyes have seen thy salvation." 

May you find all your Salvation in Christ.  To Him be glory forever and ever. 

Milton W. Howard is pastor of Kitchens Creek Baptist Church in Ball

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01/13/19
"Who Is This?" 

(Matthew 21:10)  "And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this?" 

My constant prayer is that something will move this great area in which we live! 

The greatest danger we face is indifference to the power of the Gospel.  We need our heart our home, our church, and this area moved to worship God.  And there is only one thing that will do this – a reigning Saviour riding in triumph.  Jerusalem was never moved until the Lord Jesus Christ rode into is as King. 

There is a lot of Jesus preaching today, but not the Lord Jesus Christ of the Scriptures.  There is a lot of salvation preaching, but not the salvation of the Scriptures.  There is a lot of God preaching, but not the God of the Scriptures. 

On most religion today, you can write Ichabod, for "the glory of the Lord is departed."  There is no glory in a place unless Christ alone is preached as the sinner's only hope. 

All down through the ages, that which disturbed this world was when people put their lives on the line for this Gospel – when people stood up and preached in the middle of the night to the few who had the courage to come together to see Christ lifted up in the preaching of the Gospel. 

What will stir this place is to cry, "Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord."  When Christ is exalted in the pulpit, and in the hearts of the congregation, people will come to hear, and the Gospel will get hold of them. 

A reigning Christ will move this town.  A reigning Christ will become important to our children, friends, and neighbors.  A reigning Christ will be worth living and dying for.  This is when they will ask the question, "Who is this?". 

Do we know who Christ is?  Is what we believe according to the Scriptures?  Will we stake our life on it?  Will we stake the eternal welfare of our soul on it?  Will we stake the eternal welfare of our children on what we believe?  Is it according to the Scriptures? 

The best and only good thing we can do for our fellow-man is present Christ to him.  But, to do this, we will have to know Who this is. 

If I have one more sermon to preach before I die, I want it to be about my Lord Jesus Christ. 

I love to tell sinners that "God was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the Only-begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth."  I love to declare that Christ came to this earth as a Substitute for His people.  I love to declare that His holy life is accounted our righteousness – that His sufferings and death constitute a complete atonement, satisfying the wrath of God for all our sins.  I love to declare substitution, for this is the heart of the Gospel – the sinner in Christ's place, and Christ in the sinner's place – our debts to God paid by Christ – "the chastisement of our peace laid upon Him" that we might "be justified by faith." 

Milton W. Howard is pastor of Kitchens Creek Baptist Church in Ball

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12/30/18
"Why Christ Came" 

(1 Timothy 1:15)  "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief." 

There are a lot of things in this world that are very doubtful.  Sadly, we must realize that a lot of what people are telling sinners is suspicious and questionable. 

It will be in our best interest to search the Scriptures and try and prove what we are being told.  There are no contradictions in the Scriptures.  The eternal welfare of our soul depends on what is written in God's Word. 

The faithful saying of God's Word is, "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners" – and it never changes.  The God with Whom we have to do never changes.  Salvation never changes.  Christ Jesus never changes.  Man never changes.  The way of salvation never changes.  The way we meet God's requirements never changes. 

This "saying" is the same in any culture, any society, and any walk of life.  I can say to all men every where, without any fear of saying something wrong, "that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners." 

I have learned some things in my life that I want to share with you this morning 

The first thing I want to tell you is that I am a great sinner.  I am not proud of this, but it is true.  I pay my debts.  I am a preacher of the Gospel of Christ.  But, nevertheless, sin is mixed in everything I do.  In my life, I have never had a thought, never spoken a word, and never done one thing that was not stained with sin.  I have been saved by the grace of God.  I have been redeemed through the shed blood of Christ, yet sin is always present with me.  The foolish imaginations of my mind increase with the years.  I open this Bible to read the blessed Word of God and sin grabs me.  I bow to pray, and my mind wanders up and down every road of iniquity.  I join together with the saints of God to worship the Lord, and my heart is filled with unholy imaginations.  With Paul, my soul cries, "O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" 

But I have learned something else, and that is that God is love.  That gives me a hope.  By nature I am guilty, without hope, lost, and condemned, and sentenced to death for sin.  Divine justice demands the death of every sinner.  But, "God is love."  There is hope for sinners like me.  Because of His great love for sinners, God sent His Son into this world to die on that Cross so that the sinners that He loves with an eternal love, can be eternally saved by Him. 

Then I learned that the Lord Jesus Christ is the all sufficient Substitute and Saviour of sinners.  The Lord Jesus Christ has never saved a good person.  Christ did not die for just and holy people.  Christ does not show mercy to those who according to their own thoughts have no need of His mercy.  "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners."  God shows mercy to me in Christ.  God saves me in Christ.  God pardons me in Christ.  God accepts me in Christ. 

If you come to Christ as a sinner, a poor bankrupt sinner, He will save you also.  As a guilty sinner, simply trust in Him – the all-sufficient Saviour – and you have eternal life. 

Milton W. Howard is pastor of Kitchens Creek Baptist Church in Ball

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12-16-18
"Jesus - Saviour"

(Matthew 1:21)  "Thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins." 

It was the angel of the Lord that spoke this Name to Joseph.  The angels bow at the mention of this Name.  They regard this Name with reverent love.  Here is a Name that has with it a peace that passes all understanding.  The angel said, "fear not," for no name can remove fear like that Name.  Here is the end of despair and the beginning of hope.  Let a sinner hear of "the Saviour" and he sees a reconciled God and fears no longer. 

The Name Is Of The Lord.  It was the Lord God of Heaven that chose the Saviour, that appointed Him, and the sent Him to save.  The Christ of God has other names – but this Name sums up His Person and Work. 

This is the best Name He could have.  To the best born of woman, God gave the best Name a person could have.  The Father knew all about Him, and gave Him the best Name for His work.  Our Lord is most of all a Saviour, and it is His glory to be a Saviour.  It was the Father that "made Him both Lord and Christ."  It was the Father that "set Him forth to be our propitiation." 

This Name identifies Him with us, and this is what we most need.  This Name, chosen by infinite wisdom, must be true, for it is verified by facts.  In giving Him this Name God authorized Him to do a work; and because He did that work, God accepted it. 

We are given the reason for this Name – "He shall save His people from their sins."  The Name means Saviour.  The angel said, "He shall save."  "Save" means deliverance and preservation.  By using this great word, the eternal God guarantees the success of the Saviour, for God Himself declares that He "shall save His people from their sins." 

We know He can fulfill His mission because of who He is.  The next verse tells us "They shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us."  He alone can be Jesus our Saviour because He is "Emmanuel, God with us."  Being God He is able to save, being man He is willing to save.  Man cannot satisfy Divine justice, and God cannot suffer for sin.  But the God-Man suffered the penalty of sin, and satisfied the divine justice of God. 

The Name, which is given by God, is accepted by those who know it.  Those who are taught of God recognize that Christ is salvation.  When Simeon saw Him that day in the temple, he declared, "Now let Thy servant depart in peace, for my eyes have seen Thy Salvation." 

He "saves His people".  He saves all that come to Him.  He saves all that the Father gave Him – all that belong to Him. 

Who are they?  They are sinners.  For, "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners."  These are those who need to be saved.  The self-righteous are not His people.  If you are not a sinner you are not His people.  He came to save sinners, not to give Himself as a reward for our righteousness.  He comes not to reward virtues, but to forgive sins. 

Go up to Heaven and ask every one there how they got there, and without exception they will say, "They overcame by the blood of the Lamb."  They will tell you "They washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb", for "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners." 

Milton W Howard Is Pastor Of Kitchens Creek Baptist Church In Ball

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12-09-18
"They Testify Of Me"

(John 5:39)  "They are they which testily of Me.

 The Lord Jesus Christ is the Alpha and Omega of Hole Scripture.  There is only one theme in this Bible.  It is the Lord Jesus Christ.  He is the constant theme in every one of its sacred pages.  Every page speaks of a Substitute.  Every page speaks of a Saviour.  Every page speaks of a Redeemer.  Every page speaks of the Christ of God.  From Genesis 1:1 to Revelation 22:21, the whole Bible speaks of Him.

 At Creation we see Him as one of the sacred Trinity.  We catch a glimpse of Him in the Promise of the woman's seed.  We see Him Typified in the Ark of Noah.  We walk with Abraham as he sees the Messiah's Day.  We dwell in the Tents of Isaac and Jacob, feeding upon and trusting in the gracious promises.  We hear Israel talking about Shiloh.  And in all the types of the Law – the ceremonies, rituals, and sacrifices – we find our Redeemer pictured, promised, and prophesied.

 Whether we found them to be Prophets or Kings, whether Priests or Preachers, they all looked the same way.  They all looked one way.  They all stood as the Cherubims did over that Ark of the Covenant, desiring to look inside, and to read and know the great mystery of God's great Propitiation, which is in Christ Jesus.

 But in spite of all this, still in the New Testament we find in greater clarity our Lord Jesus Christ, the one pervading Subject.  He is not like a gold nugget the gold miner might find occasionally, just scattered around in some places, but He is the Mother Lode.  He is the Solid Gold Foundation upon which the whole thing stands or falls.

 The whole Substance of the New Testament is Jesus Christ and Him crucifies.  Even in the last Words of the closing sentence of the Bible we find it graced with the Redeemer's name.

 This is how we ought to read Scripture.  This is the light by which it must be read.  We should consider the Word of God to be as a mirror into which Christ looks down from Heaven; and then when we look into that mirror we see His face reflected.  We do see it darkly no doubt, but one day we will see Him face to face.

 This Bible contains the Love Letters of the Lord Jesus Christ which He wrote to us.  They have the sweet fragrance of His love to us on them.

 The pages of this Bible are the garments of our great King.  They speak of Him.  Tell of His  person, of His holiness, of His love.

 The Scriptures are as the Royal Chariot in which the Lord Jesus Christ rides, and it is paved with love for the Daughters of Jerusalem.

 The Scriptures are as the Swaddling Bands of the Holy Child Jesus.  They are all wrapped around Him.  When you unroll them, you find the Saviour.

 The Heart of the Word of God is the Lord Jesus Christ.  He is the key that will unlock this Treasure Chest to us.  If you miss Him you miss it all, for "They are they which testily of Me.

 Milton W Howard Is Pastor Of Kitchens Creek Baptist Church In Ball

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11-04-18

"Having This Hope" 

(1 John 3:3)  "And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure." 

There is not much possibility of unhappiness, when we know that "now are we the sons of God."  A knowledge of this relationship brings joy to our soul.  Moses sang, "Happy art thou, O Israel: who is like unto thee, O people saved by the Lord!" 

Those who are the sons of God are a blessed people.  But the believer's joy is not so much in what he has, as in what he shall have.  "We know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is."  To the unbeliever, all that is to come is in darkness, but to the believer, only the present is darkness.  All the future is light.  There is a glory which is yet to be revealed.  So, when you are down, refresh your soul with the thoughts of the future.  We do get comfort when we see how God has dealt with us – how He brought us out of that pit, and set or feet on that Rock.  But most of our comfort comes from seeing what shall be revealed.  John speaks of that man that hath this hope in him. 

This is hope in the Lord Jesus Christ.  This is that hope of the one in Christ.  This hope is being like Christ.  The thoughts of many concerning glory are very strange.  They speak of sitting around in an eternal party.  Seldom is Christ mentioned.  The Heaven the believer looks for is the Heaven of being like his Lord – to be free of sin.  He desires perfect holiness. 

This hope is based on divine love.  Look how this chapter begins, "Behold, what manner of love the, Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God."  It is because of the love of God that we have been "called the sons of God".  We have been adopted into the family of God, so we will be like our Elder Brother.  We will have what He has, and be what He is. 

This hope is to be like Christ.  The world does not know Him.  If He came now it would still not know Him.  He is hidden from the world.  He will be manifested to angels and men; and when He is manifested, we will be manifested too.  Knowing that we are united to Christ, when we see Him as He is, we will be like Him. 

This hope lies completely in Him.  If hope lies in us it is a delusion.  If our hope lies in this church it is a lie.  If our hope stands with one foot on the work of Christ and the other foot on our own merits, it will fail us.  Hope in Christ is the only hope which can be acceptable to God.  Our only hope of Heaven will be through Him alone.  Here our hope begins, and here our hope ends. 

This hope does not puff up, but purifies.  It will not let you pat yourself on the back.  It stops all boasting.  When the Lord makes a person His child, when He shows a person His great love to him, He humbles him.  An expectation of Heaven and absolute perfection never exalts a person.  If your religion gives you something to brag about, it is not of God. 

"And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure." 

Milton W Howard Is Pastor Of Kitchens Creek Baptist Church In Ball

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10-14-18

"Salvation by Grace" 

(Ephesians 2:8-10)  "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:  Not of works, lest any man should boast.  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." 

In this passage of Scripture, the Apostle Paul tells us HOW God saves sinners, WHY God saves sinners the way He does, and WHAT is the sure result of God's saving grace. 

HOW does God save sinners?  Paul says, "By grace are ye saved through faith."  Salvation, from start to finish, is the work of God's free grace in Christ.  Grace planned the way of salvation by the Substitutionary Sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ.  Grace chose those who would be saved in eternal election.  Grace brought the Lord Jesus Christ down from Heaven to die in our place at Calvary.  Grace calls sinners to Christ by its irresistible power.  Grace gives us life.  Grace preserves us in life.  And that same grace of God will present us holy and without blame before the presence of His glory in Heaven. 

All the many blessings of Grace in Salvation come to all of God's chosen "Through faith."  Faith is not our Saviour.  Christ alone is the Saviour of His people.  But faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is necessary unto salvation.  Every one of God's elect people looks to Christ in faith and receives salvation from Him.  Faith is the channel through which salvation comes. 

Paul further declares that this faith is "Not of yourselves: it is the gift of God."  He is telling us that Grace is the gift of God – Salvation is the gift of God – and Faith is the gift of God.  None of these things are or can be attributed to us.  We believe according to the working of God's almighty power within us.  Faith is not the work of the sinner.  It is the work of God in the sinner.  

WHY does God save sinners by grace, and not by works?  It is "That no flesh should glory in His presence."  Salvation is "not of works, lest any man should boast."  If there was anything, which we as sinners could do, that would contribute anything toward our salvation, then we could claim a part of the glory of our salvation for ourselves.  But, God will have all the glory.  He will not share His glory with another.  Salvation is by grace alone, without works.  It is not the work of man; neither is it a co-operative work of God and man together.  It is not God doing His part and man doing his part.  Salvation is the work of God alone.  "We are His workmanship."  God has made us "New creatures" in Christ Jesus by the almighty power of His Sovereign Grace.  Let all the proud, foolish thoughts of self-salvation by the works of the flesh be forever put out of your heart and mind. 

WHAT is the sure result of God's saving grace?  "We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."  Even if we could do some good works, they will not save us.  But we can rest in this, that when the grace of God comes to us, bringing salvation to our heart, good works will follow.  When grace reigns in the heart it produces good works. 

Salvation is accomplished by the grace of God – it is given through faith in Christ – and is not the result of good works by us, but produces them. 

Milton W Howard Is Pastor Of Kitchens Creek Baptist Church In Ball

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09-09-18

"Have Mercy On Me" 

(Mark 10:46-47)  "They came to Jericho: and as he went out of Jericho with his disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the highway side begging.  And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me." 

Bartimaeus is an example provided by the mercy of God, for all who desire to see Christ in all His glory.  He is a picture of what the sinner is by nature – hopelessly blind, unless the healing Saviour intervenes, and gives sight.  He was a man that was prepared to do everything necessary for the sake of his soul's salvation.  He would not be discouraged. 

He had heard that from the seed of David there had arisen a great Prophet who worked miracles, and preached glad tidings to the poor.  He was convinced that this One who was passing by was the Christ of God.  This blind man could see the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecy.  He was convinced that Jesus was the promised Messiah. 

He was determined that if Jesus came his way, he would cry out for mercy, because he knew that the Messiah would come to open blind eyes.  So, when he heard that Jesus passed by, he cried out to Him, "Thou son of David, have mercy on me." 

Every example in the Scriptures of Christ healing a person is a picture of how He saves a soul.  I wish you would consider the claims of Christ, and that you would cry out to Him.  You have done a lot of commendable things in the name of religion, but have you cried to Christ for mercy? 

You may not be able to see, but you can cry for mercy.  You may not be able to get up and get into that pool of Bethesda, but you can claim hopelessness and helplessness.  You may not be healed of your issue of blood, but you can touch the hem of His garment.  You can hear this Gospel when it is preached.  You can believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Bartimaeus had no sight, but he had ears and a voice, and he used what he had.  When the Saviour passed by, he cried to Him with all his might.  And the cry of a sinner for mercy never disturbs God's preacher.  When the Spirit of God brings this Gospel home to your heart, nothing will stop you from crying for mercy. 

It was after he continued to cry that Jesus "stood still".  If you think He does not hear you, "cry the more a great deal."  Do not give up in despair.  Do not be afraid to come, for, "He calleth thee."  The only reason we cry for mercy is because He calls us. 

When He calls you, you will come to Him.  You will not go to another.  When the Spirit of God brings Jesus near you, and brings you near to Jesus, then this word is for you, "Be, of good comfort, rise; he calleth thee." 

And Christ said,  "All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out." 

Milton W Howard Is Pastor Of Kitchens Creek Baptist Church In Ball

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08-12-18

"He Shall Glorify Me"

 (John 16:14)  "He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you." 

The Lord Jesus Christ is speaking of the Holy Spirit.  In the Acts of the Apostles, their Epistles, and in the Revelation, we have the full revelation of the truth of God by the Holy Spirit taking the things of Christ, and revealing them to us. 

The different offices of the Father, The Son, and the Holy Spirit are usually distinct and clearly defined, but they are joined.  It is the work of the Godhead.  The Lord Jesus Christ bears witness to the Spirit, and the Spirit of God continually bears witness to the Lord Jesus, and glorifies Him. 

When the Spirit convinces the world of sin, it is that the convinced sinner may learn the preciousness of that Saviour of whom the Spirit bears witness.  When He convinces the world of judgment, it is not only that the Judge may be honored as He deserves to be, but also to make clear to the sinner how that judgment may be avoided through the substitutionary sacrifice of Christ.  When He convinces the world of righteousness, it is the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ by which alone saved sinners are able to appear before God without spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing. 

The Holy Spirit always works to lead sinners to admire, and adore, and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ.  His omnipotence bows to this end, that the Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in the hearts and lives of sinners saved by His grace.  And any teaching, which does not glorify the Lord Jesus Christ, is not the teaching of the Holy Spirit of God. 

This is the greatest, yet simplest test, by which we can judge what is right and what is wrong.  Never be afraid to judge all preaching by this test, and to reject that which does not meet this test perfectly.  We can safely listen to any preaching which lifts up the Lord Jesus Christ, and close our ears to all other. 

The Holy Spirit does not go outside of Christ to find things to use to honor Him.  He uses that of Christ to honor Him.  "He shall glorify me: for he shall receive, of mine."  We can never honor Christ by bringing anything to Him.  If we want to honor Him we must honor Him with that which is His own already.  We can do it no better than by the preaching of His own Person, His own Manhood, His own Godhead, His own life, His own death, His own resurrection, His own ascension, and His own coming again in the glory of His Father with the holy angels. 

He glorifies Christ by taking what is His and presenting it to the hearts of believers.  "He shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you."  The work of the Holy Spirit of God is to shine upon the beauties of Christ so that we can see them. 

"He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you," no matter who or what you are.  If you are one of His, you will see Him – see Christ as the Spirit shows Him to you – and God is glorified in the believer by their seeing the Lord Jesus Christ as He is revealed to them by the Holy Spirit. 

The desire of the believer is that the Lord Jesus Christ be glorified in this world.  To glorify Christ we must rely on the Holy Spirit.  We need His help.  We need this Word.  We need the Spirit of God to teach us this Word.  Without the Spirit we will see words, events, historical facts, religious icons, ceremonies, rituals, and priesthoods, but the Spirit of God will show us Christ in everything. 

Milton W Howard is Pastor of Kitchens Creek Baptist Church in Ball

(Luke 24:47)  "And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem." 

These are some of the last words spoken by our Lord to His disciples before He returned to Heaven, impressing on them His purpose and desire that their lives be devoted to the preaching of His Gospel to all the nations of this earth.  Throughout the New Testament, the stress is laid on preaching, which is the great battering ram that shakes the gates of Hell.  It is God’s chief method of calling souls to Himself.  “It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.” 

Today many rituals, ceremonies, human learning and literature, have the place of the preaching of the Gospel.  But God’s purpose and way has never changed.  Until we are given different instructions, “repentance and remission of sins” are to “be preached in his name among all nations” in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

We are to preach repentance as the gift of God.  Christ, was exalted, with His Father’s right hand, to be a Prince and a Savior, “to give repentance” and “forgiveness of sins.”  When you find a sinner turning from his sin to Christ, you can rest assured the power to do it came from God.  It is a gift of Grace.  It is not in our heart to repent. 

We first learn what sin is.  We learn something about what God requires of us.  We learn that Christ alone, through His shed blood alone, can do for us what must be done.  We learn that it was our sin that nailed Christ to that cross, so we come to Christ.  And coming to Christ is a turning from sin; and that is repentance. 

Repentance is the token of the pardon of sin.  If any person’s heart is turned away from sin, if he prostrates himself in the dust before God because of his offenses, if he looks with true sorrow for sin to Christ on the cross, crying, “Lord, remember me,” “Lord, save me,” “God be merciful to me a sinner,” it is not a question whether forgiveness may or may not be granted to him, but it is a fact that he is already forgiven.  “The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.” 

I can only declare to you that sin is taken away, when I have declared to you repentance in His name.  To those who come to Christ, there is the promise of full pardon of every sin you have ever committed, whether in thought, word, or deed.  This is true pardon.  Pardon for everyone.  “The blood of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, cleanseth from all sin” all who repent and believe in Him.  It takes away every sin that closed to us the way to God. 

The believing sinner turns his weeping eyes to Christ on the cross, gazes with both sorrow and joy on the blood that flowed from His wounds, and puts all his hope in God’s appointed propitiation, “the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.”  Then we sing with David, “Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits who forgiveth all thine iniquities.”  “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.” 

This blessing of God never changes.  God never goes back on His promise, and the saved never goes away from Christ.  He never goes back to sin.  “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow met: and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of my hand.” 

06-03-18

"Him Hath God Exalted"

(Acts 5:31)  "Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins." 

The Apostles had been asked, "Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us."  They replied, "We ought to obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree."  They were witnesses for the risen and reigning Prince and Saviour.  They were the representatives of the Messiah the Prince.  They acted under His authority.  Their preaching and teaching was done by divine command.  They declared that that Jesus, whom, the chief priests had crucified, was still alive reigning in glory, enthroned at the right hand of God, and that they were only fulfilling His royal commands when they were "standing in the temple, and teaching the people." 

They also declared that Jesus was both Prince and a Saviour.  He had been exalted with His Father's right hand to "give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins."  This was the reason they were preaching in His name.  This is our authority.  That is the sinner's hope.  "We ought to obey God rather than men."  And we will continue preaching repentance and remission of sins, by Christ Jesus, until we have filled the whole world with this message of hope. 

God has exalted Jesus that He may be both a Prince and a Saviour.  As a Prince, He is worthy of all praise and honor.  As a Prince, His every word is to be instantly and implicitly obeyed.  He is a prince before whom all who love Him bow.  The Lord Jesus Christ is a Prince among men, a Prince in His Church, and a Prince in the highest heavens.  He is "King of kings and Lord of lords."  And He is also a Saviour to be trusted – a Saviour who exactly meets our need.  His name is called Jesus, because He came to save His people from their sins.  That is why He took on Himself our nature, lived in perfect obedience to the Father's will, died a shameful death on the cross to offer the one sacrifice for sins that alone could bring salvation to all who believe in Him. 

God exalted Him, to be a Prince and a Saviour, and we must receive Him in both characters, or not at all.  Some want Christ as Saviour who will not have Him as Lord.  It is not possible for anyone to receive Christ as Saviour and not receive Him as Lord.  One of the first instincts of a redeemed soul is to fall at the feet of the Saviour, and cry, "Lord, who wilt thou have me to do?"  A person who is saved by grace does not need to be told that he is under an obligation to serve Christ.  The new life in him tells him that.  Instead of looking on it as a burden, he gladly surrenders himself – body, soul, and Spirit – to the Lord who has redeemed him, which is his reasonable service. 

To receive Christ as our Saviour depends on Him being our King, for salvation includes deliverance from sin's dominion over us.  To be delivered from the power of the prince of darkness, the Prince of light and life and peace must come into our soul.  He casts out the intruder, and sets up His throne in His own rightful place as our Lord and Master. 

He would not be our Prince if He were not our Saviour, and He would not be our Saviour if He were not our Prince.  But what a blessed combination these two offices make.  The believer who receives Christ both as Prince and Saviour has the blessed experience of bowing to the will of His Prince, and, at the same time he daily realizes in his soul the cleansing power of the precious blood of Jesus.  God hath exalted Him "to give repentance and forgiveness of sins." 

Milton W Howard is Pastor of Kitchens Creek Baptist Church in Ball

"Grace Abounding" 

(Romans 5:20)  "Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound."  

Since the Garden of Eden, there have been 2 forces working in the world – sin and grace.  All the sorrows, sicknesses, and deaths in this world are the result of sin.  It rules our every action, thought, and word.  The only power to overcome sin is described in the Word of God as grace.  Grace is not something we do.  It is the free favor of God, who, delighting in mercy is always ready to pass by transgression, iniquity, and sin, and to save His people from the consequences of their guilt.  This favor of God never changes; and when once it purposes to bless a person, it will bless him, and none can take that blessing away. 

But Paul says, "The law entered, that the offense might abound.  But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound."  Though the Law was given by Moses to show us the holiness of God, and His hatred of sin, and how it is removed, by blood sacrifice, the text speaks of the Law coming to our hearts.  The Law engraved on the two tables of stone – the Law recorded in the Bible does very little for us.  But when the Law enters our heart, it does some things to us. 

The first thing the Law does is reveal our sin.  It does not create sin, but it shows what is there.  Paul says, "I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet."  But, as soon as he found that there was a Law against a certain sin, he wanted to do the very thing that he was forbidden to do.  Our wicked heart is full of enmity against God, while all the time we think that we are good.  But the Law comes, and the sin in us is revealed.  You never know a wall is crooked until you put a plumb-line on it.  The plumb-line does not make the wall crooked; it just shows it to be.  That is when we see our true condition, and that is what drives us to Christ.  The Law will not allow us to rest in our self-righteousness, because it shows us we have none. 

The Law causes grief.  When the Law came, it did not just come with a plumb-line as the pattern of straightness, but it also came with a heavy whip – and that whip was laid on us – and every time it fell it stung to the quick. 

The Law shuts our mouth.  We no longer criticize God's justice.  There is no comfort in the Law.  It kills us.  It strips us.  It brings us down.  But it does this so that God can make us alive – clothe us with Christ's righteousness, and lift us up. 

The Law drives us to despair of ourselves.  Until the Law comes we think we can keep it as good as everybody else, and with a little polishing, we can be good enough to win the favor of God.  But the Law enters and smashes all our hopes. 

The Law curses us.  The Law can only say to the sinner, "Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them." 

But the Gospel comes to that person, and replies to the curse of the Law, "Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile."  The Gospel says, "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ."  It says, "there is therefore now no condemnation to them, which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." 

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"A Man With A Need"
(Mark 10:47)  "And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth" 

I have spoken to you several times concerning this man, Bartimaeus – a blind man of Jericho, who was sitting by the side of the road begging when Jesus passed by on His way to Jerusalem. 

Mark says of him that "when he heard it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou son of David have mercy on me."  Those around the Lord Jesus Christ tried to quieten him down, but the Word of God tells us that "he cried the more a great deal, Thou son of David, have mercy on Me."  There was no stopping this man who knew something of his need, and that his only hope was a word from the Lord of Glory. 

Whenever a sinner gets to the door of mercy and begins to cry out unto the Lord, all the beasts of Hell set themselves against him.  Satan will do all he can to drive that seeking sinner away.  And if Satan gets his way, the sinner will do all he can to flee from the only One who can "do him good." 

One of the first weapons used by Satan is trying to convince the sinner that this Bible is not true – that there is no God, no Heaven, no Hell, and no life after death.  But if the Holy God of Heaven has started you seeking the Saviour, all of Hell will not prevail against you. 

Another weapon used by Satan is pleasure.  Once you start to seek Christ, you will be invited to places that you never even heard about before.  You will suddenly have friends you never heard of before.  But if the Lord put the cry in your heart, you will cry out even louder. 

Another weapon used by Satan is the ridicule of this world.  You will be called a fanatic.  You will be scorned.  "But what shall it profit a man if he should gain the whole world and loose his soul?" 

Another weapon used by Satan is religious people you have always looked up to.  The religious will tell you that you are not good enough to be saved by Christ.  The religious hates for a person to get a true sense of sin and to see his need of a Substitute to come before God, because the religious is looking to his religion to help him out in need.  His religion is a system of works and ceremonies performed by the flesh.  A believer is one who looks to Christ alone as his only hope. 

How this world hates for a man to come to his senses.  How this world hates for a person to start putting the correct value on eternal things.  That is why Heaven is taken by force.  A seeker must overcome all these obstacles.  Never give up until you have taken hold of Christ to the saving of your soul. 

This man Bartimaeus took these weapons that Satan used against him and turned them to his own use.  He knew that the Word was true.  He cared not for the cares of this world, when he compared them to the value of his soul.  He knew that "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners."  He knew that "This man receiveth sinners."  He knew that being a sinner was the only qualification he needed to come to Christ.  

The more you can prove your case hopeless before God, the more right you have to come.  Sinners are the only ones who can come and who will be received and saved. 

So look away from yourself and look to Christ "all the ends of the earth, and be ye saved."  

Milton W. Howard is pastor of Kitchens Creek Baptist Church in Ball
www.KitchensCreek.com
Radio Broadcasts Monday-Friday: 7:45 a.m. on KWDF AM 840

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"He Forsakes Not" 

(Psalm 9:10)  "Thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek thee."  

In spite of the fact that we are a "Christian" nation, few know anything about the God we claim to worship.  I hear so much about "our tradition", "our belief", "our church", and "my concept" but so little about what God's Word says. 

We are afraid to take a stand because of the fear of hurting feelings – the fear of offending.  But, where is the fear of offending God in all of this?  This is the best sold book in the world, yet the least known, the least read.  It is bought as a table decoration, or a place to keep family records, but not to know the One of whom it speaks. 

Oh, to know the mighty workings of God.  What a comfort to us to know something of what God did in days gone by.  The more you know of God's attributes, the more you understand of His acts – the more you know of His promises and His covenant, the more difficult it will be for Satan to tempt you to despair. 

Satan is constantly attacking God's people.  And the greatest attack he uses is the one referred to in these words of the Psalmist – to think that God has forsaken us, and will be gracious no more.  David had been there.  He saw his enemies and it looked like they were winning.  They seemed to be more than his friends.  

But always remembering this comforting promise – "When thou passest through the waters I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee."  He says to us, "Fear not, for I am with thee; be not dismayed, for I am thy God."  The Lord has not forsaken them that seek Him. 

(Isaiah 49:15)  "Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee." 

If we could ever find a hint in this Word that He has ever forsaken one of His own, then we might shut our Bible in despair.  Trusting a God that cannot and will not keep a promise is not worth trusting.  The shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ would be worthless if it failed to bring one blood-bought soul safely home to glory.  The Holy Spirit of God would be powerless if He could not cause us to hear when He calls. 

It is an unchanging God, an everlasting covenant, a sure mercy that delights our soul.  Take that away and we have just another religious organization – a foundation of wood, hay, straw, and stubble.  But this foundation stands sure.  "The Lord knoweth them that are his," and He will bring them to glory. 

So when Satan comes and tells you God has forsaken you, send him on his way.  "Thou Lord hast not forsaken them that seek thee," nor will He ever do it.  So, seek the Lord.  Peace is only found in God through His mercy and grace to us in the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Take this promise home with you, go to bed tonight with it, get up in the morning with it, and carry it with you to work. 

Milton W. Howard is pastor of Kitchens Creek Baptist Church in Ball
www.KitchensCreek.com
Radio Broadcasts Monday-Friday: 7:45 a.m. on KWDF AM 840

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11/19/16
"Something I Know"

(Jeremiah 10:23)  "O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps." 

Jeremiah says, "O Lord, I know" – and he uses his knowledge as a source of comfort in his hour of need.  What Jeremiah knew was this – The affairs of this world are not under the control of men – no matter how much we think they are.  There is a power which rules – and overrules – and works according to its own perfect will – no matter what we may desire or determine to do.

At this time Nebuchadnezzar was about to carry the Jews away into captivity to his own country.  But the Prophet comforted himself with the knowledge that whatever Nebuchadnezzar would do – he was only the instrument in the hands of God for the accomplishment of the divine purpose.  Jeremiah knew that every step of Judah's way was mapped out, and that the Lord God would make it all work for His own glory and the good of His people in the end.

Though the responsibility of our actions lies at our own door, at the same time, God is omnipotent.  He is still working out His wise designs – as He has always done.  He is all the time manifesting His sovereign will among men – even as the potter forms the vessels on the wheel according to his own will.

This truth ought to be remembered by us – because it tends to take from us all fear of man.  Why should we be afraid of a man that will die?  If we are a child of God how could we ever fear harm when we remember that ancient promise – "No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord" (Isaiah 54:17).

(Proverbs 21:1)  "The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will."

Suppose that the Lord does allow Nebuchadnezzar to destroy the land that He gave to His people by covenant – it is God who permits it – so do not think so much of the instrument employed by Him as of the Hand in which that instrument is held.  Do not be angry or afraid of the second causes of your trouble – but believe that the Lord permits this to be for our good – so we submit ourselves to Him.

It is an easy thing to trust God when everything goes smoothly – but true faith trusts God in the storm.  Faith in a calm may be, or may not be, genuine faith – but faith in the storm is true faith – that is the faith of God's elect.  It proves it has divine life in it.  Circumstances will crush that faith, which has to do only with flesh and blood.

It is still true that "all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose" – and that "no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly".

Milton W. Howard is pastor of Kitchens Creek Baptist Church in Ball
Radio Broadcasts Monday-Friday: 7:45 a.m. on KWDF AM 840

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11/12/16
"He Cried Out"

(Mark 10:47)  "And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me."

This is the third time I have spoken to you from this passage of Scripture.  The message here is very important. 

This man began to cry out when "he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth."  He had a great desire to be heard of the Lord – such a desire that he forgot everything else in order to be heard. 

We tend to make a lot of excuses as to why we will not seek the salvation of our souls.  This man could have blamed his lost condition on his hard luck at being born blind – and looked to that as making him worthy to receive mercy from the Lord.  God does not pity people who are down on their luck.  He has mercy of those who come to Christ.  Nor are those who are down and out the only ones who need salvation from the Lord. 

We who possess all of our faculties tend to think we are OK, and that the only ones who need salvation are those who are worse off than we are.  We tend to think that because we have fine buildings to go to on Sunday, fine clothes to wear to church, and fine robes to dress the choir in, we are doing all right.  We even carry this to the extent that if one comes along who does not meet up to our standard of finery, we will not let him in the door. 

But the Lord Jesus Christ receives sinners.  That is the only qualification for coming to Christ – being a sinner.  Rich sinner, poor sinner, seeing sinner, blind sinner, clean sinner, and dirty sinner – they all come to Christ.  "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners."  And sinners are the only ones who can come to Christ. 

This man was a beggar in the streets.  He was looked down on by all the hard workers of his day.  We have been led to believe that dirty hands manifest a clean heart.  That the harder we work here the better place we will have in Heaven. 

This man's business was begging, and he was going about his business the day Jesus passed by.  But, had he stuck to his begging this day, and not cried out to the Lord when He passed by, he would still be blind, he would still be standing before the Holy Bar of God, unable to see God's Glory in Christ.  He would still be lost in his sins.  But, he forgot his begging in order to find his eyesight – a picture of how we forget our doing in order to find mercy. 

When will you have time to stop all of your doing in order to find Christ, and when you find Him, cry out to Him for mercy?  It would be worth your while to stop your doing, trying to please God by your doing, and come to the Lord Jesus Christ.  Religious doing will not put us in good standing with God, but will only leave us without Christ.  

This soul salvation – pictured here – will never be a hindrance to you in this life.  It will never be a burden to heavy to bear.  It will make life worth living.  It will bring joy and rejoicing to your heart. So, do as Bartimaeus did, cry out to the Lord, "Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me." 

Milton W. Howard is pastor of Kitchens Creek Baptist Church in Ball
Radio Broadcasts Monday-Friday: 7:45 a.m. on KWDF AM 840
Look for Kitchens Creek Baptist Church on Facebook and at www.KitchensCreek.com

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10/22/16

                                                                                               "And When He Heard"

 (Mark 10:47)  "And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me."

 The last time I spoke to you it was concerning Bartimaeus' cry for mercy.  Today I want us to look at what he heard that brought him to cry for this mercy.

 Did you notice how short this sermon was that this man heard?  We tend to think that the length of the sermon has something to do with its importance.  We tend to think that for a person to be saved, he must almost become a theologian.  But this is all that this blind beggar heard.  "He heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth."  That was enough – and what he heard caused him to cry out to God for mercy.

 This is so different from us.  Some of us have heard preaching so long that we could probably give a pretty good imitation of it.  We have heard so much teaching that we are probably the most biblically instructed people in the world today.  We know the letter of the Law almost to perfection, but with all of our learning, we have not been led to cry out to the Lord.

 What we have learned is only theory if it does not cause us to cry out to the Lord to save our souls – to cry out as this poor blind beggar, "Thou Son of David, have mercy on me."  We hear these same things repeated so many times that they become unimportant to us, and indifference is the greatest danger to our soul.

 What is done in our churches today is nothing more than a theatrical performance which we judge with a critical ear.  What we hear in the sermon is so soon forgotten.

How I wish that the message of the Gospel of God's Grace would pierce your heart in such a way that you would cry out unto the Lord who alone could heal it.  What good is a cloud if it brings no rain?  What good is the sun if it gives no light or heat?  What good is smoke if there is no fire?  This poor beggar, with but one short sermon, never quits crying out until the Lord meets His need.

He cried for mercy for himself – "Have mercy on me."  Can you see your own need before the Holy God of Heaven?  Do not pass this off to someone else.  I am the one with sin.  I am the one who cannot stand before the Lord God of Heaven.

I pray that God would make this effectual to your heart.  I am responsible for the faithfulness of my preaching, but you, as the hearer, are responsible for your hearing.  I cannot hear for you.  I cannot cry out for you.  I cannot believe for you.  I cannot wash away your sins.

I pray that you can see "Jesus of Nazareth passing by," and will cry out to Him as the "Son of David" to "have mercy on you".

When he cried out, the Scriptures say that, "Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called."  And when he came, Jesus said to him, "Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way."

Milton W. Howard is pastor of Kitchens Creek Baptist Church in Ball
Radio Broadcasts Monday-Friday: 7:45 a.m. on KWDF AM 840
Look for Kitchens Creek Baptist Church on Facebook and at www.KitchensCreek.com

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10/08/16

"Have Mercy On Me" 

(Mark 10:47)  "And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me." 

I love this passage of Scripture – so much so that one day between 7:30 AM and 8:30 PM, I preached from this passage thirteen times to thirteen different groups of people.  It is a passage that speaks to every one of us – everyone who is blinded by sin – and in need of a Saviour to give sight to the spiritually blind. 

One thing we can learn here is that where we find the Lord Jesus Christ, a great work is going to be done.  We do not worship a God who sits by helplessly wondering what we are going to do.  When the Lord has a lost sheep that He is going to save, He always sends the Shepherd. 

When the Lord Jesus Christ is present, there is a great change in those around Him.  Even blind beggars are touched by His presence.  Even the most worthless to society is moved to cry out with hope when he hears the Good News that Jesus of Nazareth passes by. 

When Christ is present, all cry out to Him.  There is not one mouth that is silent.  If there is no spiritual movement in our hearts and in our congregations, it is because the Lord of Glory, the Lord Jesus Christ is not present.  When He is not exalted, He leaves.  But when the Lord Jesus Christ works among us, we will soon see our hearts revived – raised from the dead. 

Wouldn't you like to know when He passes by?  Wouldn't you like to feel His holy influence on all this that we call religion?  Wouldn't you like to see the spiritually blind eyes opened?  Wouldn't you like to know that the spiritually deaf ears could now hear?  Wouldn't you like to see the spiritually lame and halt, jumping with joy before the Lord of Glory?  Wouldn't you like to see the Lord Jesus Christ working effectually to make hopeless sinners feel their need for Him, and come to Him that they might be saved? 

These things do not just happen.  It was providence that brought this poor blind beggar to the place where grace brought the Lord Jesus Christ to pass by.  Four things were necessary.  First – the Lord had to be passing by this place.  Second – this blind beggar had to be sitting by the road to Jericho begging.  Third – this blind beggar had to have a need.  Fourth – the Lord Jesus Christ had to be willing and able to provide for his need. 

All of these things came together to give this poor beggar his sight.  He did live in Jericho, he was by the wayside begging, he was blind, the Lord was passing that way, and He was willing and able to meet the need of that one who cried out to Him.  Had the blind beggar not cried out, Christ would not have stopped to help him.  "He is able to save to the uttermost, all that come unto God by Him." 

As you read this today, the Lord is passing by one more time.  Do you have a need?  Are you blind and unable to "see the kingdom of God?"  There is only ONE who can give us light.  Christ alone can "give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace." 

Milton W. Howard is pastor of Kitchens Creek Baptist Church in Ball.
Radio Broadcasts Monday-Friday: 7:45 a.m. on KWDF AM 840
Look for Kitchens Creek Baptist Church on Facebook and at www.KitchensCreek.com

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09/24/16

"Power To Forgive" 

(Matthew 9:6)  "The Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins."

Did you hear what these words said to us?  The great Physician's mightiest and greatest works have been seen by the people.  He has the power to forgive sin!  Even while He lived on this Earth – even before He poured out His life's blood on that Cross as a ransom for us – even before that blood was sprinkled on the mercy-seat – He had power to forgive sin.  Does He not have power to forgive sin now that He has died? 

What power He must have if He can forgive sin – if He can discharge and take away the sin debt of His people.  Only the one to whom the debt is owed can discharge the debt.  Only the God of Heaven can write on that debt, Paid In Full!  The Lord Jesus Christ has the power to "forgive sins," because He has finished transgression and made an end of sin.  He has destroyed sin by His death on the cross. 

If you ever doubt this, look at the fact that He rose from the dead.  Look where He is raised to.  "He is seated at the right hand of God in Heaven."  He is there pleading before the eternal Father, pointing to His wounds, pleading the merit of His suffering as our Substitute, for us. 

(Acts 5:30-31 "Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins." 

(Isaiah 1:18)  "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool." 

The crimson fountain of His blood removes our sins that are "red like crimson".  But it matters not how great our sin may be, the Lord Jesus Christ has the power to pardon us, and many more such as we are. 

(1 Timothy 1:15)  "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners." 

He only has to speak a word to pardon us.  He needs not do any thing else but this. He has done it all.  He cried, "It is finished." All the atoning work is done.  He can today forgive your sins and cause you to know that your sins are taken away.  He can breath into your soul today a peace with God "Which passed all understanding" – a peace which can only come from a perfect pardon.  Do you believe that?  Do you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ to forgive sin?

(Romans 10:9)  "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." 

Did you hear what Jesus said to me, They are all taken away!

 Milton W. Howard is pastor of Kitchens Creek Baptist Church in Ball.
Radio Broadcasts Monday-Friday: 7:45 a.m. on KWDF AM 840
Look for Kitchens Creek Baptist Church on Facebook and at www.KitchensCreek.com

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08/27/16

"They Testify Of Me"

(John 5:39)  "They are they which testily of Me. 

The Lord Jesus Christ is the Alpha and Omega of the Bible.  There is only one theme in this Bible.  It is the Lord Jesus Christ.  He is the constant theme in every one of its sacred pages.

Every page speaks of a Substitute.  Every page speaks of a Saviour.  Every page speaks of a Redeemer.  Every page speaks of the Christ Of God.  From Genesis 1:1 to Revelation 22:21, the whole Bible speaks of Him.

At Creation we see Him as one of the sacred Trinity.  We catch a glimpse of Him in the Promise of the woman's seed.  We see Him pictured in the Ark Of Noah.  We walk with Abraham as he sees the Messiah's Day.  We dwell in the tents of Isaac and Jacob, feeding upon and trusting in the Gracious Promises.  We hear Israel talking about Shiloh.  And in all the types of the Law – the ceremonies, rituals, and sacrifices – we find our Redeemer pictured, promised, and prophesied.

Whether we found them to be Prophets or Kings, whether Priests or Preachers, they all looked the same way.  They all looked to Christ.  They all stood as the Cherubims did over that Ark of the Covenant, desiring to look inside – to read and know the great mystery of God's Great Propitiation, which is Christ Jesus.

But in spite of all this, still in the New Testament we find even in greater clarity our Lord Jesus Christ, the one pervading subject.  He is not like a gold nugget the gold miner might find occasionally, just scattered around in some places, but He is the Mother Lode.  He is the Solid Gold Foundation upon which the whole thing stands or falls.

The whole substance of the New Testament is "Jesus Christ and Him Crucified".  Even in the last Words of the closing sentence of the Bible we find it graced with the Redeemer's name.

This is how we ought to read Scriptures.  This is the light by which it must be read.  We should consider the Word of God to be as a Mirror into which Christ looks down from Heaven; and then when we look into that Mirror we see His face reflected.  We do see it darkly no doubt, but one day we will see Him face to face.

The pages of this Bible are the garments of our great King.  They speak of Him.  They tell of His person, of His holiness, of His love.

The Heart Of The Word Of God Is The Lord Jesus Christ.  He is the key that will unlock this Treasure Chest to us.

If you miss Him you miss it all.  "They are they which testily of Me."

Milton W. Howard is pastor of Kitchens Creek Baptist Church in Ball.
Radio Broadcasts Monday-Friday: 7:45 a.m. on KWDF AM 840
Look for Kitchens Creek Baptist Church on Facebook and at www.KitchensCreek.com

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07/16/16

"The Shepherd Of The Sheep"

(John 10:2)  "He that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep." 

In the Word of God, the Lord Jesus Christ is described as our Shepherd, and three words are used to describe the characteristics of our Shepherd.  These words describe His relationship with us as the Shepherd of the redeemed – and His work of redemption for us. 

The three words used are the Good Shepherd – the Great Shepherd – the Chief Shepherd. 

He is the Good Shepherd – "I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep" (John 10:11).  As our Good Shepherd the Lord Jesus Christ is presented as the Redeemer.  It is as the Good Shepherd that He "gives His life for the sheep."  He has done it.  He came into this world and worked out our redemption by His obedience and sufferings on the cross. 

He is the Great Shepherd – "The God of peace that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant" (Hebrews 13:20).  When the Word of God speaks of Christ as being our Good Shepherd, the emphasis is on the Death of the Lord Jesus Christ, and that work which He accomplished for our redemption by means of this death.  But here in this passage of Scripture, we see the Resurrection of Christ and the present Administration of this salvation – the application of all the benefits of this salvation. 

He was raised by virtue of the "blood of the eternal covenant," because the blood of Christ – His death by which He paid our sin debt, suffering the wrath of God for the sheep – was the evidence that the justice of God had been satisfied completely.  That is why God raised Him from the dead.  The resurrection was God's seal of approval on all that Christ did. 

With this sin debt completely paid, Christ was raised from the dead, because all the terms of the Covenant of Grace had been fulfilled, and now all in Him were justified before God.  Christ now lives in the Glory of the Resurrection as our Great High Priest to administer grace to "those whom the Father gave Him." 

He is the Chief Shepherd – "And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away" (1 Peter 5:4).  Here the Word says that Christ is the Chief or Prince of the Shepherds.  

As the Good Shepherd, Christ is our Redeemer, "giving His life for the sheep."  As the Great Shepherd, Christ is resurrected from the dead, giving to us the benefits of this saving work.  And now in this passage as the Chief Shepherd, He is manifested in the consummation of that work of redemption at His second coming. 

At this time He will bring His sheep into the Glory of final salvation.  Then "this corruption will put on incorruption, this mortality will put on immortality." 

 Milton W. Howard is pastor of Kitchens Creek Baptist Church in Ball.
Radio Broadcasts Monday-Friday: 7:45 a.m. on KWDF AM 840
Look for Kitchens Creek Baptist Church on Facebook and at www.KitchensCreek.com

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05-28-26
"Why Do The Heathen Rage"

(Psalms 2:1-3)  "Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us."

Most people will agree that Christianity sets forth a beautiful system of morals, and that if obeyed will have a good effect on society.  Even the infidels have not contradicted the common sense of mankind so far as to deny this.  None will deny that the Author of these precepts obeyed these same rules. 

We know that though the Lord Jesus Christ suffered many things, yet never do we find Him working one miracle for His own use.  He gave sight to the blind.  He gave health to the sick.  He wiped away the tears of the sad.  He gave life to the dead.  He fed the hungry.  Though He was ridiculed and scorned, yet He continued to do good. 

So the question is, Why did men hate Him so?  Why did all the political and religious leaders of His day rage so furiously against Him who did no wrong?  Why did those who were so opposite in interests, politics, and sentiments – who could agree on nothing else – all join together in agreement in opposing the Messiah, whose message teaches us "that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world"? 

This world now wears the name of Christian, but it still has the same spirit as those of the Psalmist's day – as those of Christ's day.  What is that one common principle which unites people of all ages who differ so much in other things?  It is that unified hatred of God, His Messiah, and His Gospel. 

The Gospel of God's mercy and grace, through the Lord Jesus Christ, has always produced a happy change in those who receive it.  And it has always provoked the same opposition and hatred in those who do not receive it.  The way the Gospel is opposed may differ as the circumstances change, but the principle is the same – Hatred of God! 

The Gospel offends the pride of men, by considering them all on the same level – as sinners in the sight of God – and by declaring only one Way of salvation. 

The Gospel offends the Dignity of men because of its strictness.  Like Herod, we might agree to obey in some things, if we have the liberty to please ourselves in others. 

The Gospel allows for no sin, but demands a perfect righteousness. 

We preach a free salvation by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and proclaim His obedience unto death as the only grounds for our acceptance with God.  We proclaim the words of the Apostle Paul to the vilest of sinners, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved."  Though not believed, the words are still true. 

This is our only hope of eternal salvation.  This is our only access to the Father.  The Lord Jesus Christ said, "I am the way, the truth and the life.  No man cometh unto the Father but by me." 

Milton W. Howard is pastor of Kitchens Creek Baptist Church in Ball.
Radio Broadcasts Monday-Friday: 7:45 a.m. on KWDF AM 840
Look for Kitchens Creek Baptist Church on Facebook and at www.KitchensCreek.com

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"Sheep Going Astray"
05-07-2016

(Isaiah 53:6)  "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all." 

God's people are called sheep throughout the Scriptures.  It is a good picture.  Salvation is not the conversion of goats to sheep.  Salvation is a calling of God's sheep to Christ through the preaching of God's Word, through the operation of God's Spirit.  Now, all illustrations will break down if we carry them too far, so we must learn to use the illustration to learn a point and then leave it before we pervert it. 

When wandering sinners are compared to wandering sheep, we have a good picture of the danger they are in, and of their inability to recover themselves.  Sheep, wandering without a shepherd, are exposed to great danger and without defense.  They become easy prey for their enemies.  They may even die for a lack of pasture.  Sheep are unable to provide for themselves, or to find the way back to the place from which they strayed.  No matter what they suffer, they continue to wander, and if not sought by the shepherd, they will be lost. 

Now that is a good illustration of God's people.  "All we like sheep have gone astray."  Having known the goodness of God, we have willfully rejected Him.  We have renounced His protection.  We have voluntarily chosen to plunge ourselves into danger, rather than remain with God any longer.  Our Wandering is rebellious.  God made man "upright," but man has "sought out" to himself "many inventions" (Ecclesiastes 7:29). 

God has appointed for mankind a safe and pleasant way.  If we walk in this way, we "shall find rest for our souls."  But we declare that we will not walk in this path. 

(Jeremiah 6:17)  "They said, We will not walk therein.  Also I set watchmen over you, saying, Hearken to the sound of the trumpet.  But they said, We will not harken." 

The Lord God of Heaven has made us capable of knowing the consequences of going astray. We are repeatedly warned of the consequences.  When we wander away, we are repeatedly shown the way to return.  But we refuse. 

We mock His messengers.  We prefer the misery we bring upon ourselves to the happiness of being under His care.  That is why the Lord Jesus Christ deserves the name of the Good Shepherd, for He freely lays down His life for His sheep.  "The Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all." 

Have you noticed the personal and possessive pronouns used in the text I have read today?  These words spoken by the Prophet Isaiah are words spoken only by those who have seen the misery of their fallen condition before God – who have a deep concern for their wicked ways – and see and receive the way that God has provided for their deliverance and recovery. 

In these words is a confession of our guilt, and an acknowledgment of our misery before the Holy God of Heaven.  Here alone is our only hope of recovery.  In Christ alone is our only hope of acceptance with God. 

(Isaiah 53:6)  "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all." 

Milton W. Howard is pastor of Kitchens Creek Baptist Church in Ball
Radio Broadcasts Monday-Friday: 7:45 a.m. on KWDF AM 840

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"Awake Thou That Sleepest"

(Ephesians 5:14)  "Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light." 

The light of the Gospel not only shows the most important things to those who can see, but the Gospel has the wonderful power to open the eyes of the spiritually blind – to awake those that are spiritually asleep – to raise the spiritually dead.  The Gospel is the appointed instrument of Divine Power for this purpose. 

All of the work and hope of the farmer would be in vain if God did not send the rain to water the earth, and the life-giving influence of the sun, to cause the seed to germinate and the plant to grow and to ripen the fruit. 

This is the same way it would be with the preaching of the Gospel to sinful men.  Though in itself it is the truth and wisdom of God, and just what the sinner needs, and that thing which is so important to the eternal welfare of our souls, it would be useless if the Lord God of Heaven did not send His Spirit to make it effectual to our hearts.  And He promises that He will, and this is what encourages God's preachers to go into all the world and preach this Gospel. 

(Isaiah 55:10-11)  "For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:  So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it." 

It is a great sorrow, but no surprise, that the Gospel is so neglected.  Because it says that "salvation is of the Lord," it offends man's pride.  Because it requires absolute "holiness, without which we shall not see the Lord," it contradicts man's desires and passions.  We love this present world.  There is no desire in us for communion with God here, and we do not desire the Heaven proclaimed in the Scriptures for the here-after. 

When the Lord of Glory is pleased to send forth this Gospel, clothed with the influence of the Holy Spirit of God, it is as quick, powerful, penetrating, and irresistible.  It speaks to the deaf ear.  It gives light to the blind eye.  It gives life to the dead. 

We are aware of the impossibility on our part to save the souls of those who hear us, if all we have to depend on is our own power of argument and persuasion.  Our business is to deliver the message, and water it with the tears of our prayers.  When we have been faithful to do this, we can do no more.  "God must give the increase." 

Like the prophet Ezekiel, we are commanded to preach and prophecy to dry bones.  And He who sends us can cause the dry bones to live. 

In His name we proclaim pardon and peace to all who will seek Him.  But seek Him today, while it is called today.  Tomorrow is not yours.  Seek Him now while He may be found. 

Milton W. Howard is pastor of Kitchens Creek Baptist Church in Ball.
Radio Broadcasts Monday-Friday: 7:45 a.m. on KWDF AM 840
Look for Kitchens Creek Baptist Church on Facebook and at www.KitchensCreek.com

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"Thy Light Is Come"

(Isaiah 60:1-3)  "Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee.  For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.  And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising."

One of the strongest proofs that the Bible is the divine revelation of God, is its subject matter.  The Bible is the only book which teaches us to think highly and honorably of God, for there is no correct knowledge of God where the Bible is not known.

What are all of these little gods that have been worshipped by the people of the ages of this world compared to the God of Israel, as He is declared to us by His prophets?  To have any right thoughts of God, it will be by the Lord God of Heaven making Himself known to us by divine revelation.

All of the greatly admired writings of antiquity, are unspeakably inferior when compared to the Bible.  These writers of the Bible could only speak as they did because they were inspired by Him who alone can speak worthily of Himself.  Everything else is as dust in the balance compared with the great Creator.

His Purpose is final, and His Voice is power.  He speaks, and it is done.  That is how He called this universe into being.  And that is how He still maintains and governs it.  The great God of Heaven is seated on His throne, directing all of nature – every particular event – to the honor of His glory, and for the good of His people.

The greatest of all His purposes was the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.  All of the prophecies announced this event.  As the time of His appearing approached, the prophesies became clearer.  And in the text of this message, the Prophet Isaiah is announcing the effects of His actual appearance.

This earth is looked upon as in a gross state of darkness.  But the Sun of Righteousness is about to rise.  But the effects of His coming will not extend to all, "For many will love darkness rather than light."

But Christ will not shine in vain.  There will be a people prepared to receive Him, and to rejoice in His light.  They will arise as though waking up from a sleep, as though rising from the grave, and His light reflected in them will cause them to shine also.

Darkness will still cover those who reject Him, and this darkness will even increase.  But the glory of the Lord shall be seen upon all who believe.  Nations shall come to Him.  Kings will bow at His feet.

Darkness is used in the Scriptures to describe the state of ignorance, sin, and misery.  Light is used in the Scriptures to describe true knowledge, holiness, and happiness.  And as the sun is the source of light to this natural world, so is the MESSIAH to the moral and spiritual world.

 Without Christ, we "walk in darkness," but when the Light of this world comes, "We who were at times darkness now are we light in the Lord."

Milton W. Howard is pastor of Kitchens Creek Baptist Church in Ball.

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"Saving Knowledge"

"For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." (Romans 10:13)

 My word for you today is the same that Paul gave to the Philippian jailer – "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house" (Acts 16:31).

This world is full of preachers who are not giving sinners any hope.  They are telling us that we have to do something which we are not capable of doing.  One of Adolf Hitler's closest associates is credited with saying, "If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it."  This is the message of today's religion.

But, in this whole context of Romans 10, Paul tells us that true faith and true salvation come as the result of knowledge.  I do not suggest that you must become a theologian to be saved, or that you can obtain salvation through your own mental powers.  What I am saying is that where there is no knowledge of the Gospel there is no true saving faith.

God's messengers are sent into the world to declare unto all men the Gospel of Christ – the accomplishment of salvation through Him – so that they might believe unto the saving of their souls.

If salvation is simply believing that there is somebody in Heaven who is willing, by some means, to forgive my sins, then all religious people everywhere are saved, Hell is a joke, God's holiness is a joke, and the preaching of the Gospel is a fraud.  That is religion, but you can get religion and never know Christ as Saviour.  It is not enough to simply believe; you must believe the Testimony of God revealed in His Word.  In order to believe in Christ you must know who He is and what He has done.

I Must Know Who He Is.  Salvation begins with a knowledge of Christ's Lordship.  He is the God-Man – the Lord of Glory.  In the Scriptures, men and women sought mercy from the hand of the Lord and called upon the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ.  It is not possible for me to trust Christ as the all-sufficient Saviour of my everlasting soul until I know Who He Is – the Lord Jesus Christ.

I Must Know What He Has Done.  Being both God and man, by His one great sacrifice, through the shedding of His blood unto death, the Lord Jesus Christ has put away all the sins of all who trust Him, and now the risen exalted Christ reigns in Heaven to save sinners.

This saving knowledge that produces faith comes by divine revelation through the preaching of the Gospel.  Anyone who is ignorant of the Gospel cannot believe the Gospel.

(Romans 10:13)  "Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.  How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?  And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!"

There are no exceptions, no qualifications, and no limitations.  The proclamation is as free as the salvation it proclaims.  Anyone in the whole wide world who will call upon Christ as Lord will be saved.  EVEN YOU!

 Milton W. Howard is pastor of Kitchens Creek Baptist Church in Ball.

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"Jesus: King Of Kings"

(John 18:37)  "Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice."

 Customs – traditions – society – require us to remember at this time the birth of the Jesus.  But today I want us to skip forward to Calvary – hoping we might learn something from what our Lord said concerning the Kingdom over which He rules, and by this be led to appreciate more His coming to this world. 

When our Lord stood before Pontius Pilate, He was truthful, gentle, prudent, patient, and meek, but uncompromising and courageous.  He was not cowed by Pilate's power, nor was He frustrated by Pilate's mockery.  Both in His silence and in His speech He remained the model Witness for the Truth.  And though He said little, that little was all that was necessary.  He claimed His crown rights – and, at the same time – declared that His kingdom was not of this world, nor would it be sustained by force. 

Pilate asked, "Art thou a king, then?" – as though a nobody, as he thought the Jesus to be would claim royalty.  How could one in such a sorry condition have kingly claims?  The question was joking but the answer was solemn – "I am a King". 

He who came to redeem men by His sacrifice, had no ambition for worldly honors and the vain glories of a temporal crown.  But now having been betrayed and falsely accused, He is in the hands of an unjust ruler, and speaks plainly, saying, "Thou sayest that I am a king". 

There was no mistaking His words – "I am a king".  He who certainly did not look the part after spending most of the night in the Garden in the agony of prayer – then at midnight dragged from Annas to Caiaphas – and from Caiaphas to Herod – and now that it was early morning, He is led to the judgment hall of Pilate – given no rest. 

This world tries to dress the part – look kingly – but there has never been a truer King than the Lord Jesus Christ.  The carnal eye can not see this; it is trained to look on the outside.  But to the spiritual eye it is as clear as the sun at noonday.  The day comes when our Lord's claim to be a King will be acknowledged by all mankind. 

He is the King of kings and Lord of lords – and though He died in weakness as man – yet He ever lives and rules as God.  The Father has given Him power over all flesh, that He may give eternal life to as many as are given Him. 

For, "To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world."  He did not need to be born to be the Lord of all.  He was always that.  But to redeem us it was essential that He be one with us – one of us.  He was born that He might be able to save His people.  His birth was a necessary step to His redeeming death.  His incarnation was necessary to the atonement. 

So, now when you hear the bells ringing out at Christmas, think of the reason why Jesus was born – not just to find a bunch of presents under your tree.  Look into your heart and say, for this purpose He was born – that He might be King – that He might rule through the truth in the souls of a people who are by grace made to love the truth of God.  Come to Him – bow to Him as King – trust Him as Saviour – for He "will save to the uttermost them that come unto God by Him".

 Milton W. Howard is pastor of Kitchens Creek Baptist Church in Ball.
Radio broadcasts of the church are Monday-Friday: 7:45 a.m. on KWDF  AM 840
Look for Kitchens Creek Baptist Church on Facebook and at www.KitchensCreek.com

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"Why Christ Came"

(1 Timothy 1:15)  "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief." 

There are a lot of things in this world that are very doubtful.  Sadly, we must realize that a lot of what people are telling sinners is suspicious and questionable. 

It will be in our best interest to search the Scriptures and try and prove what we are being told.  There are no contradictions in the Scriptures.  The eternal welfare of our soul depends on what is written in God's Word. 

The faithful saying of God's Word is, "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners" – and it never changes.  The God with Whom we have to do never changes.  Salvation never changes.  Christ Jesus never changes.  Man never changes.  The way of salvation never changes.  The way we meet God's requirements never changes. 

This "saying" is the same in any culture, any society, and any walk of life.  I can say to all men every where, without any fear of saying something wrong, "that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners." 

I have learned some things in my life that I want to share with you this morning 

The first thing I want to tell you is that I am a great sinner.  I am not proud of this, but it is true.  I pay my debts.  I am a preacher of the Gospel of Christ.  But, nevertheless, sin is mixed in everything I do.  In my life, I have never had a thought, never spoken a word, and never done one thing that was not stained with sin.  I have been saved by the grace of God.  I have been redeemed through the shed blood of Christ, yet sin is always present with me.  The foolish imaginations of my mind increase with the years.  I open this Bible to read the blessed Word of God and sin grabs me.  I bow to pray, and my mind wanders up and down every road of iniquity.  I join together with the saints of God to worship the Lord, and my heart is filled with unholy imaginations.  With Paul, my soul cries, "O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" 

But I have learned something else, and that is that God is love.  That gives me a hope.  By nature I am guilty, without hope, lost, and condemned, and sentenced to death for sin.  Divine justice demands the death of every sinner.  But, "God is love."  There is hope for sinners like me.  Because of His great love for sinners, God sent His Son into this world to die on that Cross so that the sinners that He loves with an eternal love, can be eternally saved by Him. 

Then I learned that the Lord Jesus Christ is the all sufficient Substitute and Saviour of sinners.  The Lord Jesus Christ has never saved a good person.  Christ did not die for just and holy people.  Christ does not show mercy to those who according to their own thoughts have no need of His mercy.  "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners."  God shows mercy to me in Christ.  God saves me in Christ.  God pardons me in Christ.  God accepts me in Christ.  

If you come to Christ as a sinner, a poor bankrupt sinner, He will save you also.  As a guilty sinner, simply trust in Him – the all-sufficient Saviour – and you have eternal life. 

Milton W. Howard is pastor of Kitchens Creek Baptist Church in Ball.
Radio broadcasts of the church are Monday-Friday: 7:45 a.m. on KWDF AM 840

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                                                                                           "The Sin Of Self-Trust" 

(2 Corinthians 1:8-9  "For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life:  But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead." 

Everywhere Paul went preaching the Gospel, the religious stirred up the mobs against him.  The pressure on him was beyond his strength.  He gave himself up for a dead man.  But, he said, "We had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead." 

The worst disease we will ever be faced with is the tendency to trust in ourselves.  What is there in us to trust in?  This self-trust can only hurt us. 

God arranges providence to prevent His people from falling into self-trust.  He makes us sick of ourselves and causes us to turn to Christ. 

Self-trust is so terrible that the Lord pronounced a curse on it – "Cursed is the man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arm."  If I am relying upon myself for acceptance with God, I am cursed.  Trusting in myself is idolatry – it puts self in place of God.  "He that trusteth in is own heart is a fool."  And to cure it, God must make us feel the sentence of death in ourselves. 

Can you imagine the feeling of a man who has just had the sentence of death passed on him by a judge?  Nothing short of this sentence of death could prevent Paul from being polluted with self-trust.  And it is only the sentence of death that will cause us to see our complete helplessness. 

God will also use the same treatment in dealing with men who are not saved.  The first work of grace in us is to take away all our comfort and hope in ourselves and our things.  The first part of human salvation is the sentence of death on all human merit and power. 

In order to bring us into the "Light of God's dear Son," all the candles of our self-trust must be blown out.  And when all hope in self is gone, Christ comes in, and with His infinite grace, rescues the soul from destruction. 

If you have not trusted Christ today to save your soul, it is because you are still trusting yourself – you are still finding some hope in yourself. 

This sentence of death is strong medicine, but it worked.  Under its influence Paul preached as though he would never preach again – a dying man to dying men. 

A knowledge of the brevity of this life is good for us.  We must get familiar with the grave so we will not trust in ourselves.  We need to forget self.  And we will never do it until we write this down in our hearts – that "Self is Dead!" 

Oh! For a state of weakness that is strong in the divine strength.  Oh! To be nothing, that God may be all in all in us, that we might look to Christ alone. 

Milton W. Howard is pastor of Kitchens Creek Baptist Church in Ball.
Radio broadcasts of the church are Monday-Friday: 7:45 a.m. on KWDF  AM 840
Look for Kitchens Creek Baptist Church on Facebook and at www.KitchensCreek.com

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"The Chief Corner Stone"

(1 Peter 2:6-8)  "Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.  Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,  And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed."

Every time we see the Lord speaking, He is dividing those who are listening to Him into two groups – believers and unbelievers, obedient and disobedient.

We have been in church most of our lives.  We have heard of this matter of God's punishment on sin mentioned often, but we have become immune to it.  When we doubt the truth of God in His Word, we have opposed His authority, deny His Godhead, and deny Him the rights of His throne.

When He sets forth His Son to be a propitiation for sin – the only One who can cover our sin in His sight – when He sets Him forth and we refuse to receive Christ and look to Him, this rejection is flagrant disobedience.

Unbelief of God's Word is the root of all other sin.  When we reject the Gospel, we reject everything He said, for everything He has said, is saying, and shall say, points to the Lord Jesus Christ.  God has made Christ the Chief Corner Stone, and we either bow to Him or we must face the consequences.  And there is nothing scarier than to be an unbeliever and to have to face a holy God without Christ.

Every time this Rock of Christ is presented, you find something you do not like about it, so you cast it aside because it will not fit into your life.  And, when we take that Stone and look it over and say it will not work for us in our plan, we call God a liar.  If we stumble on this Stone, we will be broken, but it will not affect this Stone in the least.

Satan is so subtle – and one of his greatest tools is religion.  We are encouraged to give God's glory to things.  But, God is still on His throne, and the Lord Jesus Christ is still the only way to Him.  In spite of all that men and devils have done, not one elect soul has been, or will be lost.

The Lord God has set His King upon His Holy Hill of Zion – all His decrees shall be fulfilled – the throne of Christ shall stand – and the covenant sealed with His blood will be sure to His chosen seed.  Not one soul redeemed by His blood will be removed from the Saviour's hand.

There is only One who can meet God's demands – the Lord Jesus Christ.  The justice of God can only be satisfied by One of infinite nature becoming the propitiation for our sin.  And if you reject Him, it will cost you everything.  All opposition to Christ is futile, because God made Him the Chief Corner Stone – the Stone of stumbling, a Rock of offense.

There is a way of salvation by Christ Jesus the incarnate God, and I beg you to come to Him.  If not, unbelief will be your eternal ruin.  Whether you look to Him now or not, you will have to look to Him in that day when Heaven and Earth shall tremble at His great judgment.

(Psalm 2:12)  "Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him."

Milton W. Howard is pastor of Kitchens Creek Baptist Church in Ball.

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"A Gamble We Cannot Afford!"

(Mark 8:36-37)  "What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?  Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?"

Think about this – gaining the whole world at the loss of your soul.  A man once told me, "Never gamble more than you can afford to lose."  That is good advice.  There are many people in this world today who will take great chances to get ahead and who end up losing all they have – always with that hope of winning the big one, but in the process, losing all they have.  That is gambling more than you can afford to lose.

The Lord Jesus Christ is speaking to us about "What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?"  That is, laying it all out, wagering everything we have to gain this world, but in the process of gaining this world, losing our soul.

There is nothing more dangerous than playing games like this with our soul.  If we were to take care of our business like we care for our soul, we would all be bankrupt.  We play games with our soul that we would never think about doing in business.

There is a trade that is conducted almost every day called Futures Trading, which is betting on future events and staking what you have now on the outcome of things to come.

Now when it comes to our soul, we are not just talking about tomorrow or six months from now, but we are trading on eternity.  This is a much more serious gamble.  When we start gambling away the welfare of our soul for the gain of this world, we are trading eternity for a little time.  We are trading our standing before the Holy God, for a little pleasure in time.

What would we gain if we gained the whole world?  Would we gain happiness?  No!  You can read almost every day of people who have gained this world and have not found happiness.  Would we gain fame?  We might, but it is very fickle.  Would we gain fortune?  Maybe, but even that corrupts with time.

Seeking to gain this temporal world at the expense of our eternal soul is saying that we really do not believe what God's Word says about sin and God's righteousness.  We are saying that we really do not believe we are sinners.  We are really saying that we have no need of a Saviour.

"What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?"  Nothing!  We will not profit by this.  If our soul is lost, no matter how much of this world we gain, we have profited nothing.

(Mark 8:36-37)  "What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?  Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?"

Milton W. Howard is pastor of Kitchens Creek Baptist Church in Ball.
Radio broadcasts of the church are Monday-Friday @ 7:45 a.m. on KWDF  AM 840
Look for Kitchens Creek Baptist Church on Facebook and at www.KitchensCreek.com

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"Our Inheritance"

 When the Lord Jesus Christ gave Himself for us, He gave us all the rights and privileges which went with Himself.  And now, although as the eternal God, He has essential rights which no creature can have in and by himself, yet as Jesus the Christ, the Mediator, the federal Head of The covenant of grace, He has nothing apart from us for whom He died.

All the glorious consequences of His obedience unto death are the joint riches of all who are in Him, and on whose behalf He accomplished the divine will.  He enters into glory, but not for Himself alone.  According to the Scriptures, He is the forerunner, who for us and before us is entered.

(Hebrews 6:19-20)  "Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec."

The Lord Jesus Christ, who is our forerunner, now stands in the presence of God for us.

(Hebrews 9:24)  "For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:"

Now believer, think about this.  We have no right to Heaven in ourselves.  Our only right lies in the Lord Jesus Christ.  If we are pardoned, it is through His blood.  If we are justified it is through His righteousness.  If we are sanctified, it is because He is made of God unto us our sanctification.  If we are to be kept from falling, it will be because we are preserved in Christ Jesus.  If we are perfected at last, it will be because we are complete in Him and by Him.

This inheritance is made certain for us.  It is obtained in Him.  It is because it is in Him, that each blessing of this life is a little sweeter – and even Heaven itself is brighter, because it is in Jesus our beloved "in whom" we have obtained all.

Who can estimate what will be our divine portion in Grace?  Who could weigh the riches and treasures of Christ in scales, or count all the blessings that are ours in Christ?  Who can understand the joy and happiness which God has prepared for them that love Him?

 (1 Corinthians 3:21-23)  "Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours; Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours; And ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's."