TODAY’S SPEAKER: Eager Avenue Grace Church extends a warm welcome to Jim Byrd and his wife Nancy. Jim is pastor of First Baptist Church in Almont, Mi. He will conduct both the 10:00 am and 11:00 am services today. Pray for him as he delivers God's Word.

Fellowship Meal: There will be a fellowship meal immediately following the 11am service. All are invited to attend.

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.

Business Meeting: We will have our annual business meeting next Sunday morning, Nov. 13^th. at 9:45am.

Birthdays: Kelley Sparks – Nov. 06^th. - Alison Silva – Nov. 7^th.

Sue Parker – Nov. 10^th.

The Beloved, Blood-bought, Born-again Believer

But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: I Peter 2:9-10

The Apostle Peter herein describes true believers as:

1. A “chosen generation.” They are chosen by God the Father in Christ, God the Son as the beloved objects of His everlasting, electing love.
2. A “royal priesthood” – having been chosen and made one with Christ, they are kings and priests with a right and liberty to go into the very presence of God clothed with the royal apparel, the robe of Christ’s imputed righteousness.
   1. A “holy nation” – sinners saved by the grace of God, but nonetheless sinners in themselves are presented to God the Father by Christ as “…holy and unblameable and unreproveable…” (Col. 1:22), “…accepted in the Beloved” (Eph. 1:6).
   2. A “peculiar people.” The Greek word translated “peculiar” is a word which means “purchased.” Believers are described as the purchased possession of God – a blood-bought people. They are collectively referred to “…as the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.” (Acts 20:28).
   3. Those called “…out of darkness into his marvellous light.” All believers, at some point in their respective lifetimes, are given spiritual life and all of its faculties whereby they spiritually see, hear, and understand with the heart that which they could not previously.

So these beloved, blood-bought folks are also without fail birthed (spiritually born-again) and by the accompanying God-given gift of faith, they believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. What a blessing to be a beloved, blood-bought, born again, believer!

--- Randy Wages

A GOD THAT CANNOT SAVE

Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, ye that are escaped of the nations: they have no knowledge that set up the wood of their graven image, and pray unto a god that cannot save. Isaiah 45:20

On almost every hand there is someone wanting to pray for you, put you on their prayer list, and telling you they are praying for you. I desire the prayers of all God's true people and appreciate any of them praying for me! But God contrasts such believing people, calling them "ye that are escaped of the nations" to those who worship idols of their own making and thus "pray unto a god that cannot save." How worthless is a god that cannot save! Oh that men and women could see that a god of their own making is like them and surely cannot save them. Worshipping or praying to an idol, no matter how sincere or confident one might be, does not give a helpless idol any ability! So the one praying and the idol are just alike: "Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men's hands. They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not: They have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not: They have hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but they walk not: neither speak they through their throat. They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trusteth in them." (Psalms 115:4-8) What is the difference between idol gods and the true God? The idol gods "cannot save" and the true God "hath saved us." "Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began," (2Tim. 1:9) The false god is characterized by inability AND INJUSTICE. He, according to his foolish creators, would take many to heaven who are unrighteous based on something they do or don't do. He would also send others to hell for whom Christ died since he says Christ died for everyone! The One true and living God, follows His exposure of the idol gods with the revelation of His singular, saving Self: "Tell ye, and bring them near; yea, let them take counsel together: who hath declared this from ancient time? who hath told it from that time? have not I the LORD? and there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me." (Isaiah 45:21) All who would "escape the nations" given over to idolatry must be saved by the One "just God and Savior" who saves only in Christ crucified! Christ saved His people from their sins by dying as their Surety and Substitute! Can you hear HIM? "Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else." (Isaiah 45:22) Stop worshipping and praying to a god who cannot save and look to God in the crucified Christ!