In this house, O great Jehovah, God of everlasting days; Humbly now we all assemble, to begin this year with praise Lord we thank Thee for Thy mercies, which to us are new each day And with gratitude we bless Thee, Thou hast led us all the way.
Bless’ed Lord and only Savior, Thou didst full salvation bring; We would praise Thee without ceasing, of Thy glories we will sing With the promise of Thy presence, now we face another year; Since Thy hand shall always guide us, free us from all doubt and fear.
Lead us on our pilgrim journey, guide us safely by Thy grace; Keep us looking unto Jesus, till we finish life’s short race. Then receive us into glory, O Thou God in Whom we trust; Take our souls away to heaven, and protect and guard our dust
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TODAY’S SERVICES – Messages by Pastor Bill Parker BIBLE CLASS – 10:00 a.m. – Living & Reigning With Christ Revelation 20:3-4
MORNING WORSHIP – 11:00 a.m –
OPENING – Hebrews 13:20-21 CALL TO WORSHIP (above) HYMN – O God Our Help in Ages Past – p. 10 READING – 1 Corinthians 11:17-34 MESSAGE – What is the Lord's Supper? SERVE THE LORD’S SUPPER CLOSING HYMN – My Savior’s Love – p. 452
MID-WEEK BIBLE STUDY – WEDNESDAY – 6:30 p.m. PREACHING CHRIST IN THE END TIME
Birthdays: William Sparks – Jan. 4th | Jack Cox – Jan. 5th Jordan Drake – Jan. 5th
AFTER OUR WORSHIP SERVICES, YOU ARE ALL INVITED TO HAVE LUNCH WITH US IN OUR FELLOWSHIP HALL. ------------------------------------------
The Lord’s Supper is a memorial ordinance given by Christ to His church to continually remind us of our ground of salvation – His precious blood and righteousness imputed. It is, therefore, an ordinance only for true believers. Therefore, “But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body” (1 Cor. 11:28-29).
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As we begin this new year, let us be thankful for all the past blessings our sovereign Lord and Savior has freely given us in and by the Lord Jesus Christ. Let us remind ourselves that all good things and our protections from all bad things is due to the greatness and goodness of Christ who is the Lord our Righteousness. Salvation with all its blessings, along with all physical temporal blessings we have enjoyed and will enjoy here on earth, has had nothing to do with what we deserve or have earned. For the people of God (the redeemed of the Lord) it is all of grace. Let us remind ourselves also that our future is equally in His hands and not our own. Our lives, now and forever, are to be testimonies of His grace, love, and mercy towards us in Christ, and testimonies of our love and gratitude to Him for eternal life which is secured for us in Christ. This is to be our attitude in every facet of our lives here on earth, whether on our jobs, in our earthly families, or in our church family. May the Lord our God bless us all with His goodness and truth as revealed in the glorious Person and finished work of our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ. Let us pray for one another, that God will grant us growth in grace and in knowledge of Christ, and that He will cause us to be diligent and eager students of His Word and good stewards of His grace. Let us pray for more opportunities to preach and witness the Gospel to this lost world, including our earthly family members who do not know the truth of the Gospel of God’s grace in Christ. Let us pray for one another as the apostle John prayed, “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth” (3 John 2). –Pastor Bill Parker
THE NEED TO PAY ATTENTION
Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. (Hebrews 2:1)
If while walking on the sea shore we came upon a man standing ankle-deep in the water casually casting diamonds into the ocean, we would most certainly consider that man insane. At best we would say he is ignorant, not knowing the value of diamonds. But such a man is more reasonable than one who has been providentially blessed by God to be sitting under the preaching of the glorious Gospel of His free and sovereign grace in Christ Jesus only to drift on by without paying attention to what he/she is hearing. On several occasions when revealing truth, the Lord said, “He that hath ears to hear, let him hear” (Matt. 11:15, for example). Yet man by nature refuses to hear. Some refuse because they are indifferent. Some refuse because they consider other things, such as the affairs of this world, to be more important. Others refuse to hear because they do not want to be converted to a message that would demand them to forsake their false hopes and refuges. Others refuse to hear because they do not want to face the persecution that comes from the world (especially family and friends) when we identify and proclaim this Gospel that leaves no room for sinners to boast. But let’s be clear – THERE IS NOTHING MORE VALUABLE OR MORE ETERNAL THAN SALVATION BY GOD’S GRACE IN THE LORD JESUS CHRIST AND BASED ON HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS IMPUTED AND RECEIVED BY GOD-GIVEN FAITH. There is no better or greater news for one who has been convinced by the Holy Spirit of sin. It is better news than if we were to hear that we won the lottery. It is better new than to hear that we (or one of our loved ones) has been cured of a deadly disease. It is better news than to hear others brag on our character and conduct. It is the only news that will stand the test of God’s final judgment – “Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us” (Rom. 8:33-34). -- Pastor Bill Parker