Suffer Little Children

We are so thankful to have witnessed the baptism of Timothy Spezzano today.  It is written in Matthew 19:14: But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.  We pray that Brother Timothy will continue to grow in his knowledge and love for the Lord.

Visiting Minister

It was good to be in the house of the Lord today!  We were thankful to have Elder Matt Pitney and his wife, Sister Tricia, visiting with us today from Indiana.  Brother John and Brother Matt shared the time in the pulpit. 

Brother John continued speaking to us about the tenets of our doctrine focusing today on the Irresistible Grace.  As Brother John spoke he showed us how important it is to always keep in mind how interwoven these tenets are-  And while many of the same scriptures can be used to illustrate each point, each point is still equally important.  The irresistible grace with which we are called is not something we can control.  We cannot make it happen in ourselves, nor in someone else's life.  Brother John showed how Jesus uses an earthly illustration of the wind blowing where it listeth for Nicodemus as the heavenly illustration could not possibly be understood by Nicodemus.

Brother Matt spoke to us from 1 Peter 5 where Paul is exhorting the elders to feed the flock and be examples to the flock.  He showed that the usage of this word example was like the pounding of gold into the image of the cherubims surrounding the Ark of the Covenant- that they are to be pounded into the image of Christ so that we may be an ensample (example)- Brother Matt admonished the church to be patient with our new pastor as he grows in his ministry but also exhorted us to be ensamples as well.

Both messages can be listened to in full at the following links:
3-31-19 Eld John Harvey - Irresistible Grace
3-31-19 Eld Matt Pitney - Ensamples

Limited Atonement

We are so thankful for Brother John's continued study in the doctrines of what we believe.  Today, Brother John expounded on the principle of Limited Atonement.

As Brother John points out, this concept of Limited Atonement cannot possibly be understood without first understanding the other two tenets that were preached earlier this month.  We have to know that we were depraved by nature by the fall of Adam.  We have to know that God chose a people to have their sin debt paid for by Christ.  And we can finally see that Jesus paid it ALL and he paid it for ALL of God's elect people.  If one that God chose does not go to heaven, then Christ's blood is of none effect.  Thank God for HIS choosing and HIS saving power!

You can listen to the full sermon here:
3-24-19 Eld John Harvey - Limited Atonement

Unconditional Election

Elder John Harvey continued his series teaching on the tenets of what we believe, often referred to as the TULIP doctrine.  Today he focused on the "U" which represents Unconditional Election

Brother John read to us from Ephesians 1:3-6 showing that we were in Christ long before we were dead in sins with Adam.  He points out that there is an eternity that exists prior to creation and existence that we cannot even begin to comprehend.  And God has and does exist in this eternity.  He also points out that this is when God chose us before that time of creation.

Brother John goes to several scriptures illustrating the topic of election such as God choosing Noah and the other people and animals that would be on the ark,  He shows how the nation of Israel was chosen before they were yet a great nation,

Brother John also taught us that because of our inherit nature passed down from Adam we were unable to go outside of the nature unless it was acted upon by an outside force.  In other words, he shows that we are not in any condition to meet any conditions as pertaining to saving ourselves.

But it was the intimate foreknowledge that Paul talks about in Romans 8:28 that God used to predestinate us to be conformed to image of His son.

Listen to the full sermon by clicking the link below,

3-17-19 Eld John Harvey - Unconditional Election

Ordination Service of Elder John Harvey

On Saturday, March 9, 2019, Hebron Primitive Baptist Church met together to ordain Brother John Harvey to the full gospel work of the ministry,  We were surrounded by our brothers and sisters of like precious faith from El Bethel, Little Union, Salem, Winter Garden, Little Zion, and Antioch.  The ministers present (and pictured above) were: Eld Jerry Williams, Eld Ken Still, Eld Glenn Blanchard, Eld Allen Daniels, Eld Gary Harvey, Eld John Harvey, Eld Chris Crouse, Eld Randy McCarthy, Eld Mike Lewis, and Eld Randall Cagle (Eld Tom Green was present but not pictured)

To listen to the audio of the ordination, please click through the links below.

Ordination Introduction and Prayer

Formation of Presbytery and Questioning of Hebron Church

Questioning of Brother John

Charge #1 by Eld Glenn Blanchard

Charge #2 by Eld Randy McCarthy and Closing

There was a beautiful prayer offered by Elder Gary Harvey and a laying on of hands of the presbytery,

Hebron Church is beyond thankful for all the prayers, love and support of all those in attendance and those unable to be with us.

On Sunday, Hebron met with a renewed sense of spirit,  We met together in worship and were blessed to hear a wonderful message from Elder Ken Still (Shiloh PBC) on walking worthy of the vocation wherewith we have been called.  Following this was a message of comfort from Elder Gary Harvey (Point Remove PBC) that even in these times of dissension in this world that GOD HAS A PLAN.

After services, we gathered for a photo opportunity as a church body with our new pastor and pastor's wife,  While we had a good portion of our church family present, we do recognize that some of our precious brothers and sisters were not with us.  We stayed and fellowshipped over an abundance of food and left rejoicing in the Lord.

Total Depravity

Last Sunday Brother John started a new series on the tenets of what we believe.  Some refer to this as the TULIP doctrine.  Brother John began with the first letter T representing man's total depravity.  We of course see in the book of Genesis 2:15-17 that the first commandment God ever gave was to Adam and Eve to not partake of the fruit of the tree of knowledge and evil with a promise of death.  And in Genesis chapter 3:3-4 we see where satan challenges God's commandment.  By Adam's disobedience he and Eve did in fact experience a death.  They died to God.  And by one man's act of disobedience, death passed down unto all men for all have sinned. 

2-24-19 Bro John Harvey - Total Depravity

Yesterday, Hebron PBC met together for our First Sunday of the Month fellowship breakfast.  As we continue to meet each month, it seems like our fellowship breakfast continues to grow.  We are so thankful for the love we share with one another at our church.  After breakfast, we met together in song worship and then entered into our prayer service.  All who wished to offer public prayer were given opportunity to pray.  At the close of our prayer service, we sang a song of praise and practiced the right hand of fellowship with one another.  Sister Suzy Davis came forward asking for a home at Hebron stating her love for the brethren and her desire to serve with us.  Sister Suzy will be given the right hand of fellowship upon receipt of her letter from her current church. 

Please be in prayer for our dear pastor as he prepares his mind and his heart this week for his ordination service on Saturday.  We invite all who can come and be with us to please join us March 9, 2019, at 9:30am at Hebron Primitive Baptist Church. 

The Greatest of These is Charity

The definition of Charity according to the Oxford dictionary is: A disposition to judge hopefully of men and there actions and to make allowance for their short comings.

Brother John spoke to us today about the final part of 1 Corinthians 13:13, Charity.  He pointed out that we often think of charity as love in action, but with the above definition it shows that charity is also an attitude- an attitude of hopeful judgment.  And more than just judgment, but an allowance of others' shortcomings.  Brother John pointed out that there is a difference in allowance and acceptance.  In 2 Peter 1:5-7 Brother John showed the things we are to add to faith with all diligence the last being charity.  And having fervent charity will cover a multitude of sins (1 Peter 4:8).

In 1 Timothy 1:5 Paul tells Timothy that the end of the commandment is charity with a pure heart.  And without this all things are vain.  Brother John pointed out that to have a pure heart is not a comfortable thing, just like the trying that happens with gold.  

In Colossians 3:12-14 Brother John shows that because we are the elect of God, we are to put on bowels of mercies (mercies from deep in our emotions), kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering (in forbearing and forgiving one another as Christ forgave us- and remember that we did not apologize to Christ before that forgiveness was granted to us), and above all charity which is the bond of perfectness (bond of maturity)

Finally Brother John spoke from the beginning of 1 Corinthians 13:1 and all the things that charity is and is not.  Again showing that without charity all of our gifts are worthless and of no profit in the kingdom.

Love (Charity) is the greatest thing this world shall ever know, it fits us for our service here and leads us nearer home,  We will have closer fellowship with God when we put on charity with a pure heart here on this earth!

2-17-19 Bro John Harvey - Charity