The grace that now reigneth, in righteousness true.
The grace everlasting, the covenant new.
Sweet peace of the GodMan, whose blood has prevailed;
And reconciled fully, when to the cross nailed.
Sin now made an end of, salvation so free.
Sweet blessings, sweet prospect, sweet gospel to me.
TODAY’S SERVICES – Messages by Pastor Bill Parker
BIBLE CLASS – 10:00 a.m. –
The Believer’s State in this World (2) – Romans 7:21-25
MORNING WORSHIP – 11:00 a.m –
OPENING – 1 Timothy 3:14-16
CALL TO WORSHIP (above)
HYMN – The Church’s One Foundation – p. 186
READING – Hebrews 3
MESSAGE – The House That Christ Built – Hebrews 3:1-6
CLOSING HYMN – Blessed Be the Tie That Binds – p. 187
Birthdays: Tammy Hall – Apr. 13th
“Unto you therefore which believe HE is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the Stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,” (1 Peter 2:7)
“He setteth the poor on high” — Psalm 107:41
How high? Above the reach of the curse, which shall never touch him — above the power of Satan, which shall never ruin him — above the reigning influence of sin, which "shall not have dominion over him" — above the possibility of being banished from His presence, for "Israel shall be saved in the Lord with an everlasting salvation."
—Joseph Irons
OUR SURETY
“By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament.”
Hebrews 7:22
When one undertakes to be surety for another, then the debt is reckoned unto him, and he accepts it. Thus, our dear Savior, our blessed Surety, stood up for us engaged in our behalf. Our debts, all our iniquities, were imputed to Him and laid upon Him, charged upon His person. He fully satisfied, perfectly atoned justice for them. By the one sacrifice of Himself He has taken them all away, made an end of sin, so that justice itself proclaims its own faithfulness to forgive sin (1 John 1:9). Grace reigns, mercy triumphs, sinners are pardoned, believers rejoice. Oh believer, you are blessed of your God Who is just, therefore does not, cannot, impute sin to you. True, you have committed sins innumerable; but it is just as true, they were all laid upon Jesus. True, you do commit sins; it is equally true, Christ has borne them. You will commit sins; it is perfectly true your Savior has atoned for them all. You have nothing to plead but guilty in yourself, but perfectly righteous in Christ. Every charge the enemy brings from the righteous law against you is just. Own it, but ever plead in your own conscience, and before the throne, Jesus has satisfied for all; there is now no condemnation. Oh believer, this is a most precious truth of God.
—William Mason
The Gospel is offensive to the natural man because it addresses him as he is and exposes what he thinks is his best as totally unacceptable to God. —Pastor Gary Shepard
THE GODLY WALK OF BELIEVERS
When it comes to the godly walk of believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious reality of God’s grace is this – Before we take the first step in the walk of faith, we are already completely justified, sanctified, fit, and entitled to all of salvation unto final glory, all based on the righteousness of God worked out and found in Christ and imputed to us. We are to run the Christian race, persevere in the faith, walk in the light, seek to bear fruit and be instruments of good works, not in order to become saints, but we are to do all of this as having been made full-fledged saints by virtue of the sovereign grace of God in Christ alone. It is THIS kind of grace that motivates us by love and gratitude to walk after and mind the things of the Spirit. This is the godly walk of believers in newness of spirit.
—Pastor Bill Parker
There are some who regard it a great mark of spirituality to be ever looking in at their own hearts, and dwelling upon what they find there, even though that be the work of the Spirit. This is a great mistake. So far from it being a proof of spirituality, it is a proof of the very reverse; for it is expressly declared of the Holy Ghost that "He shall not speak of Himself," but that, on the contrary, "He shall take of Mine and show it to you." Therefore, whenever one is looking inward, and building on the evidences of the Spirit's work there, he may be assured he is not led by the Spirit of God in doing so. It is by holding up Christ that the Spirit draws souls to God. – C. H. Mackintosh
We dare not hope to be accepted with God because of anything that is in us by nature or may be infused into us by grace. We are accepted in the Beloved, and apart from Him we look not to be found accepted. Even what the Holy Ghost works in us does not furnish us with any merit which we can plead, for it is a gift of grace, and no part of our justifying righteousness. We rest upon Jesus Christ crucified (His imputed righteousness, atoning blood and mediation alone), and not upon our faith, repentance, or prayers.