CALL TO WORSHIP

(Tune – Jesus Calls Us – p. 374)

Precious Savior, friend of sinners,

We, as such, to Thee draw near;

Let Thy Spirit dwell within us,

With that love that casts out fear.

Matchless Saviour, let us know Thee

As the Lord our Righteousness;

Cause our hearts to cleave unto Thee,

Come, and with Thy presence bless.

Open now Thy precious treasure,

Let Thy word here freely flow;

Give to us a gracious measure,

‘Tis Thyself we long to know.

Come and claim us as Thy portion,

Let us all find rest in Thee;

Leave us not to empty notions,

We would find our hope in Thee!

TODAY’S SERVICES – Messages by Pastor Bill Parker

BIBLE CLASS – 10:00 a.m. –

The Strait and Narrow Way – Matthew 7:13-20

MORNING WORSHIP – 11:00 a.m –

• OPENING – Romans 8:35-39

• CALL TO WORSHIP (above)

• HYMN – My Savior’s Love – p. 452

• READING – 1 John 4:1-12

• MESSAGE – God Is Love – 1 John 4:7-12

• CLOSING HYMN – When I Survey the Wondrous Cross – p. 118

MID-WEEK BIBLE STUDY – WEDNESDAY – 6:30 P.M.

Birthdays: Evan Renfroe – Feb. 22^nd | Marsha McKenzie – Feb. 24^th

Know for your comfort that the weakest believer is as nearly related to God, as a Father, as the strongest believer is. Every branch of a tree is not alike strong nor big, and yet the tenderest twig is united to the root. The weakest believer is clothed with the white raiment of Christ’s righteousness and is as much sanctified and justified thereby as the strongest. There is no condemnation to all who are in Christ. The weakest believer shall endure to the end. They are all kept by the power of God through faith to salvation. It is not he that believes strongly who shall be saved, but he that believes! “Lord, I believe; help Thou mine unbelief.” –Ebenezer Erskine

WHO IS A FAITHFUL MAN?

“Most men will proclaim everyone his own goodness; but a faithful man, who can find?” (Proverb 20:6)

It is clear from this verse that a faithful man or woman is certainly not one who proclaims to everyone his/her own goodness. That would be unbelief (unfaithful) because faithfulness is based on God’s Word. God’s Word says that among fallen men and women – “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one” (Rom. 3:10-12). A faithful man is one who proclaims himself to everyone to be a sinner who deserves nothing from God but condemnation and death. He proclaims to everyone that He has nothing good in himself by which to recommend himself unto God. He proclaims to everyone that if God were to charge (impute) sin he would not stand in judgment but would justly perish because of his sin. But faithfulness does not stop in proclaiming to everyone his sins. Faithfulness also believes God’s Word of salvation by His grace through the Lord Jesus Christ. The faithful man is one to whom God has given the gift of faith to believe in Christ (Eph. 2:8-10). He proclaims to everyone that his sins were put away completely by his Surety and Substitute, the Lord Jesus Christ. He proclaims to everyone that he stands before God justified based solely upon the ground of Christ’s righteousness imputed to him by the grace of God. He proclaims to everyone that he has no other righteousness but Christ. He proclaims to everyone that he is saved, secured, and bound for glory totally by God’s grace, goodness, and power in Christ. --Pastor Bill Parker

THE DEBT REMOVED

A statement is received in the mail informing you that such-and-such an amount is due by some specific date. Should you choose to do so, you could destroy the bill in a paper shredder so that you no longer see it. You may decide, in fact, not to even think about the obligation again, ignoring and discarding every reminder of your indebtedness. Your refusal to acknowledge and take care of your financial responsibility, however, does not make the indebtedness go away. It is, however, an entirely different thing to pay the debt and enjoy the peace of mind in knowing that it has been expunged from your record.

You and I may choose to ignore our spiritual indebtedness to God for our sinfulness, but that does not make the debt go away and, consequently, there can be no real peace of heart in knowing it has been removed. How different it is to believe the Word of God that declares to every sinner who trusts the blessed Savior that their entire obligation to divine justice was removed at the cross, paid “in due time” (Romans 5:6) by the substitutionary death of Jesus Christ. The reality of the removal of the indebtedness and the resulting joyfulness and assurance of knowing it has been legally retired by the Redeemer comes to us upon being regenerated by the Holy Spirit and brought to faith in Christ. —Pastor Jim Byrd

“Jesus paid it all, all the debt I owed;

Sin had left a crimson stain – He washed it white as snow.”

John Flavel once said, “He who calls you to come to Him for mercy and forgiveness, knows your sins, your weakness and your guilt, YET He calls you! Now if your sin does not hinder Christ from calling, neither should it hinder you from coming! What an encouragement to come to Him! Christ Jesus came into this world, on purpose, to save, not the righteous, but sinners. Therefore –

Let not conscience make you linger,

Nor of fitness fondly dream.

All the fitness He requireth,