CALL TO WORSHIP

(Tune – Am I a Soldier of the Cross? – p. 414)

God is our refuge, tried and proved,

Amid a stormy world;

We will not fear though earth be moved,

And hills in oceans hurled.

The waves may roar, the mountains shake,

Our comfort shall not cease;

The Lord His saints will not forsake,

The Lord will give us peace.

A gentle stream of hope and love,

To us shall ever flow;

It issues from His Throne above,

It cheers His church below.

Our God, who is the Lord of hosts,

Forever on our side;

The God of Jacob, our defense,

Forever will abide.

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TODAY’S SERVICES – Messages by Pastor Bill Parker

BIBLE CLASS – 10:00 a.m. –

Boasting in and of Christ – Song of Solomon 5:9-16

MORNING WORSHIP – 11:00 a.m –

OPENING – Jude 24-25

CALL TO WORSHIP (above)

HYMN – Whiter Than Snow – p. 310

READING – Psalm 125

MESSAGE – The Lord’s Prayer (5) – John 17:11-19

CLOSING HYMN – Once for All – p. 205

Birthdays: Leigh Ann Flynn – July 27^th | Jackie Renfroe – July 28^th
Jake Jones – July 30^th | Jermaine Harpe – July 30^th

God’s love for us is in Christ; God’s choice of us is in Christ; God’s righteousness is fulfilled for us in Christ; God’s acceptance of us is in Christ. This is all our salvation – not our works, feelings, nor our righteousnesses.

My God, when I approach Thy throne,

And all Thy glory see,

This is my stay and this alone,

That Christ Jesus died for me.

‘Tis not by works of righteousness

Which our own hands have done,

But we are saved by sovereign grace

Abounding through THE SON.

-- Copied

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“THE COUNSEL OF HIS OWN WILL”

The Bible tells us that God is sovereign in all things, and His sovereign will WILL be done. Ephesians 1:11 states that all true believers are safe and secure because of “being predestinated according to the purpose of Him who worketh all things after the counsel of His own will.” Notice that the word “counsel” is used instead of “council.” What is the difference? A “council” is a group of individuals consulting upon something for the purpose of giving advice to others. “Counsel” is the advice given. When it concerns God, there was no group and no one advising Him. He alone, out of Himself (His wisdom, knowledge, and power), determined all that will come to pass, and He is now working by Himself to accomplish His sovereign will. It is His purpose, out of His own counsel, to save His people “to the praise of the glory of HIS grace” (Eph. 1:6), “to the praise of HIS glory” (Eph. 1:12), which is found in our salvation by His grace in and through the Lord Jesus Christ, based on His blood and His righteousness for our complete salvation. Nothing will stop or hinder God’s counsel, purpose. and will. —Pastor Bill Parker

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The salvation of the church doth not spring from any holiness wrought in us, but from the work of CHRIST wrought for us. Not in our brokenness of heart, but in CHRIST’S bruised and broken body on the tree. —Robert Hawker

If sinners are not saved by the preaching of the truth of Christ, they will not be saved by the telling of lies. If "all the counsel of God" (His character, our lost condition, Christ's Person and righteousness) has no effect on sinners, our toning down the truth will not bring them to God in justifying faith and true repentance from dead works and former idolatry. There is but ONE GOSPEL for all purposes and for all people. The very Gospel that comforts, convicts, motivates, and inspires the saint is the same Gospel which is the only power of God to save the sinner, because therein is the righteousness of God revealed. Some have the idea that we “get men saved” by whatever means, then we teach them the "doctrines of grace." NOT SO! It is grace that saves, motivates, and comforts God's elect. —Copied

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The true Christian has enough to make him genuinely happy! All of his sins are forgiven and forgotten. He is adopted into God's family. His person is justified before God. He is clothed in the perfect righteousness of Jesus. He is a child of God. He is regenerated by the Holy Spirit. He has the Spirit of adoption in his heart. He is at peace with God, and God is at peace with him. —Copied

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PERFECTLY ACCEPTED

There was not a speck of sin on the conscience, nor a principle of sin in the nature of His people, for which Christ was not judged on the cross; and they are now looked upon as having died with Christ, lain in the grave with Christ, been raised with Christ, perfectly accepted in Him – their sins, their iniquities, their transgressions, their enmity, their uncircumcision, having been entirely put away by the cross. The sentence of death has been written on the flesh; but the believer is in possession of a new life, in union with His risen Head in glory. What rest, perfect rest, for the heart and conscience is here! What full relief for the burdened spirit! All our sins buried in the grave of Christ, not one – not even the smallest – left out! God did this for us! All that His searching eye could detect in us, He laid on the head of Christ when He hung upon the cross! He judged Him there and then, instead of judging us in hell forever!