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.
………………..
TODAY’S SERVICES – Messages by Pastor Bill Parker
BIBLE CLASS – 10:00 a.m. –
True Brotherly Love – Romans 12:9-13
MORNING WORSHIP – 11:00 a.m –
OPENING – 1 Peter 1:3-4
CALL TO WORSHIP (above)
HYMN – Nothing but the Blood – p. 212
READING – Hebrews 9:13-22
MESSAGE – Our Lord’s Last Will & Testament – Heb. 9:15-22
CLOSING HYMN – The Cleansing Wave – p. 227
Birthdays: Jack Cox – Jan. 5th | Jordan Drake – Jan. 5th Carolyn Hayes – Jan. 9th | Jim Byrd – Jan. 11th
THE LORD’S SUPPER
Following the messages this morning, we will serve the Lord’s Supper. This is an ordinance commanded by our Lord for every true believer. It is not for unbelievers. Following our worship services, we will gather for lunch in our dining area in the back. All are invited to have lunch with us.
BIBLE CONFERENCE – MARCH 20-22
The Lord willing, we will have a Bible Conference here the weekend of March 20-22. The speakers will be –
—Richard Warmack, pastor of Grace Baptist Church in Ruston, LA, and
—Gary Shepard, pastor of Sovereign Grace Church in Jacksonville, NC.
Debbie and I want to thank all of you for the beautiful flower arrangement sent our home in honor of our son, Aaron. We miss him so very much, and we truly appreciate your thoughts and prayers for us. —The Pastor
………………..
As we begin the new year, let’s be thankful for all the great blessings our sovereign Lord has freely given us in the Lord Jesus Christ. Let’s remind ourselves that all good things are due to the greatness and goodness of Christ. The Lord our Righteousness. Salvation, along with all physical temporal blessings we have enjoyed, has nothing to do with what we deserve or have earned. For the people of God, it is all of grace. Let’s remind ourselves also that our future is in God’s hands and not ours. Our lives, now and forever, are to be testimonies of His grace, love, and mercy in Christ, and testimonies of our love and gratitude to Him for eternal life 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’s 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, as well as good stewards of His grace. Let’s 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’s 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
Thank you, Lord, for saving my soul;
Thank you, Lord, for making me whole.
Thank you, Lord, for giving to me,
Thy great salvation, so rich and free.
OUR RESOLUTE SAVIOR
We may make New Year’s resolutions, and, most of the time, we break them. This means we are not truly resolute (firm and determined). But, thank God, our Lord was truly resolute in the work the Father gave Him to do to save us, His people whom the Father gave to Him, from our sins. In speaking of the promised Messiah, the prophet wrote, “For the Lord GOD will help Me; therefore shall I not be confounded: THEREFORE HAVE I SET MY FACE LIKE A FLINT, and I know that I shall not be ashamed” (Isa. 50:7). What made Him so resolute in this work? It was His love for the Father and His love for His people whom the Father had given Him before the foundation of the world. The Lord said, “For I came down from heaven, not to do Mine own will, but the will of Him that sent Me. And this is the Father’s will which hath sent Me, that of all which He hath given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of Him that sent Me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on Him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise Him up at the last day” (John 6:38-39).
He set His mind to finish the work of finishing their transgressions, making and end of their sins, and bringing in everlasting righteousness for them by His death on the cross as their Surety, Substitute, and Redeemer. When faced with the experience of His own suffering unto death, He said, “Now is My soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save Me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour” (John 12:27). It is written that when He “knew that His hour was come that He should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved His own which were in the world, He loved them unto the end” (the finishing of the work of suffering unto death)” (John 13:1).
It is because of our Lord’s resoluteness in His work of redeeming us from our sins that we are brought to Him by God-given faith. This is why, by the grace of God, we who are saved have been made by God to be resolute in “Looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith; Who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Heb. 12:2).
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