Return, Return, O Shulamite! – Song of Solomon 6:8-13
MORNING WORSHIP – 11:00 a.m –
OPENING – Psalm 4:1-5
CALL TO WORSHIP (above)
HYMN – Blessed Assurance – p. 255
READING – Matthew 6:1-15
MESSAGE – The Manner of True Prayer (1) – Matthew 6:5-15
CLOSING HYMN – Sweet Hour of Prayer – p. 361
Birthdays: Edith Ann Tennyson – Aug. 9th | Adeline Payne – Augt. 10th Ashlyn Jones – Aug. 14th
He who attempts to stress Christian living by disparaging Christian doctrine is guilty of a most serious blunder. He neglects the important fact that Christian living is rooted in Christian doctrine. —Kuiper
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TRUE PEACE WITH GOD THROUGH CHRIST JESUS
“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7)
The Scriptural cure for anxious care and worry for a child of God is a continual and constant realization of true peace with God through the Lord Jesus Christ. The natural man knows nothing of THIS peace, and that is why it is too much for him to grasp. This peace is founded upon the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ and the righteousness He accomplished on Calvary to enable God to be both a just God and a Savior to His people (Col. 1:19-23). Christ is the One Who has made and sustains this peace between God and His people, sinners saved by grace. This peace is known and realized as God the Holy Spirit convicts us of our sin and drives us continually to Christ Who is our peace as we are brought unto God for all salvation, comfort, and assurance “by the blood of Christ” (Eph. 2:13-14). There are many, many things in the world that give us cause for worry, but these things can only be overcome as we fix our minds and hearts upon Christ, “The Prince of Peace” (Isa. 9:6). —Pastor Bill Parker
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“Happy art thou, O Israel: who is like unto thee, O people saved by the LORD, the shield of thy help, and who is the sword of thy excellency! and thine enemies shall be found liars unto thee; and thou shalt tread upon their high places.” (Deuteronomy 33:29)
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
“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. Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.” (Isaiah 45:21-22)
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"LOOKING UNTO JESUS"
"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" (Hebrews 12:2). My friend, salvation is in "looking unto Jesus." It is not in looking unto baptism, looking unto morality, looking unto church membership, looking unto keeping the commandments, looking unto living by the golden rule, or looking unto coming to church. It is looking unto Jesus as Prophet, Priest and King. It is looking unto Him alone. It is not in looking unto your humility or obedience, but in looking unto Him Who "humbled Himself and became obedient unto death even the death of the cross." It is looking unto His blood and righteousness for cleansing from sin and acceptance with God. It is looking unto Him as God Who is almighty to save. It is looking unto Him as Man who lived, suffered, bled, died, and arose that God might be a just God and a Savior. It is looking unto Him as the only Mediator between sinful men and a holy God. It is looking unto Him and not unto yourself. "Look unto Me, and be ye saved all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none other" (Isaiah 45:22). I’ve had people say various things over the years about their desire for assurance of salvation. "I don’t think I feel my sin enough." Stop looking to your feelings and look to Christ. "I don’t think I have repented enough." Stop looking to your repentance and look to Christ. "I don’t think I have wept enough." Stop looking to your tears and look to Christ. May the Holy Spirit turn the eyes of the soul away from everything else and enable you to simply, truly, whole-heartedly look unto Jesus Christ alone for life, for salvation, for acceptance, for pardon and for righteousness. "And ye are complete in Him" (Colossians 2:10).