O, God, my heart is fixed on Thee, to sing and give Thee praise;
I’ll praise Thee, Lord, among Thy saints, as we our anthems raise.
As we our anthems raise; as we our anthems raise.
I’ll praise Thee, Lord, among Thy saints, as we our anthems raise.
I’ll praise Thee for Thy mercy great, that reaches down to me
In Christ my Savior, I am blessed with all salvation free.
With all salvation free; with all salvation free.
In Christ my Savior, I am blessed with all salvation free.
I’ll praise Thee for Thy righteousness as sent from Thee above;
Thy law and justice satisfied in union with Thy love.
In union with Thy love; in union with Thy love;
Thy law and justice satisfied in union with Thy love.
I’ll praise Thee for Thy cleansing Word that sanctifies my soul;
As in my heart Thou art glorified in Christ who makes me whole;
In Christ who makes me whole; in Christ who makes me whole;
As in my Thou art glorified in Christ who makes me whole.
Today’s Speaker: Brother Mark Pannell will conduct the 11:00 am service today. Pray for him as he delivers God’s word.
Television Broadcast: Our Reign of Grace Television program is being broadcast on WFXL Fox 31, Channel 4. The program will air every Sunday morning at 11 AM. Pray that God will use it for His glory.
Radio Broadcast: Sunday morning at 9:30am on 98.7 FM –WISK. To hear sermons on your computer click on www.americusradio.com
Birthdays:Brooke Young – Oct. 20th * Greenlie Young – Oct. 21st
Debra Riggins – Oct. 22nd
A VALUE FOUND ONLY IN CHRIST
We often hear men talk about how valuable we are to God. The truth is this – There is no value or worth in any of us in our sins. The value of the human soul to God has nothing to do with what we are or what we are worth in and of ourselves. It has nothing to do with what we can produce as to our works and efforts to please God. The only value we have to God is what He makes of us in Christ by His free and sovereign grace. The value lies not in us but in the praise of the glory of God’s grace and the exaltation of Christ in Whom we stand and live by His power and grace. The precious blood of Christ, which was the cost of our redemption, proves the infinite value and worth of God’s glory and how much He loves His people in and by Christ. But it proves nothing of our inherent value and worth. The moment sinful man begins to think of himself as some universal treasure without which God cannot be complete or happy is the moment of supreme arrogance, self-love, and self-righteousness on the part of man. Always remember – God is still God without us, but we are nothing, less than nothing, without Him. “For IN HIM dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete IN HIM, which is the head of all principality and power:” (Col. 2:9-10)
--- Pastor Bill Parker
We know that the matter that brought our total fall in Adam had to do with God's right to be God. Therefore, any gospel that does not deal first with the sovereignty of God is no gospel at all. What difference does it make if God is holy or just or righteous or gracious or merciful, if He's not sovereign and almighty in power over all? No difference at all. BUT, if He is sovereign over all persons and all things, it makes all the difference in the world! If He is the "one with whom we have to do," then the first thing we must be confronted with is His right and ability to do it. His threats and His promises are only good if He can back them up. He can. Bow down and confess His sovereignty in the Tree He has now set forth, theLORD Jesus Christ.
"All hail the power of Jesus name, let angels prostrate fall;
Bring forth the royal diadem and crown Him Lord of all!"
Gary Shepard
The Chief of Sinners
The insufficiency of nature to such a work as conversion, shows that men may not fall down and idolize their own wit and power. A change from acts of sin to moral duties may be done by a natural strength and the power of natural conscience: for the very same motives which led to sin, as education, interest, profit, may, upon a change of circumstances, guide men to an outward morality; but a change to the contrary grace is supernatural.
Nothing can act beyond its own principle and nature. Nothing in the world can raise itself to a higher rank of being than that which nature has placed it in; a spark cannot make itself a star, though it mount a little up to heaven; nor a plant endue itself with sense, nor a beast adorn itself with reason; nor a man make himself an angel. Thorns cannot bring forth grapes, nor thistles produce figs because such fruits are above the nature of those plants. So neither can our corrupt nature bring forth grace, which is a fruit above it. Effectus non excedit virtutem suae causae [the effect cannot exceed the power of its cause]: grace is more excellent than nature, therefore cannot be the fruit of nature. It is Christ's conclusion, "How can you, being evil, speak good things?" Matt. 12:33, 34. Not so much as the buds and blossoms of words, much less the fruit of actions. They can no more change their natures, than a viper can do away with his poison. Now though this I have said be true, yet there is nothing man does more affect in the world than a self-sufficiency, and an independence from any other power but his own. This attitude is as much riveted in his nature, as any other false principle whatsoever. For man does derive it from his first parents, as the prime legacy bequeathed to his nature: for it was the first thing uncovered in man at his fall; he would be as God, independent from him. Now God, to cross this principle, allows his elect, like Lazarus, to lie in the grave till they stink, that there may be no excuse to ascribe their resurrection to their own power. If a putrefied rotten carcass should be brought to life, it could never be thought that it inspired itself with that active principle. God lets men run on so far in sin, that they do unman themselves, that he may proclaim to all the world, that we are unable to do anything of ourselves towards our recovery, without a superior principle
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