"Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied." (Proverbs 27:20) *************************************************************************** PRAISE YE THE LORD Tune "COME THOU ALMIGHTY KING" 664.6664 Words by JIM BYRD 1. Praise ye the God of grace, Who gave to Christ a race. Vast multitudes, chosen by His decree, Christ’s work on Calvary, From sin would set them free, Praise ye the Lord.
2. Praise ye the Son of God, Who on this earth has trod. Our Substitute, died for us willingly, Bore our iniquity, Gave us His purity, Praise ye the Lord.
3. Praise ye the Spirit of light; Who came into our night; Revealed God’s Son! Grace poured into our souls, In Christ we were made whole, His Name let us extol, Praise ye the Lord.
4. Praise ye the Trinity, The bless-ed Godhead three; ‘Twill be our joy, all saints in unity, To sing eternally; And this our song shall be, Praise ye the Lord. ******************************************** Daily Readings - January 15-21 Sunday - Genesis 43-45 Monday - Genesis 46-48 Tuesday - Gen. 49- Ex. 1 Wednesday- Exodus 2-4 Thursday - Exodus 5-7 Friday - Exodus 8-10 Saturday - Exodus 11-13 ********************************************* CONGREGATIONAL SCRIPTURE READINGS TODAY: MORNING: PSALM 92 EVENING: LUKE 9:46-62 ********************************************* WHY CHRIST CAME?
Jesus Christ came into this world, not only to reveal the Father, but to redeem the sinner. He came not as the president of our country would go into a disaster area to look upon the poor, helpless victims, but to redeem the victims of depravity whom the Father gave Him in the covenant of redemption. Christ came not to redeem by appointed methods, but by Himself. He came not to stand by and prescribe, but to minister and provide the means of salvation. The Savior came not only to provide salvation, but to be that Salvation (1 Peter 1:18; Revelation 1:5). –Scott Richardson *************************************************************************** "THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS" (Jeremiah 23:6).
While believers always trust Christ and submit to His righteousness as the sole basis for our acceptance before God, there are four times when we must be especially certain that we are looking to Him Who is "THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS."
1. When we have sinned and experience feelings of shame, conviction, remorse and despair we must look to Christ and His righteousness. The life of a child of God is lived with the realization of personal guilt, but remember, "the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin" (1 John 1:7). Our record before God is perfect for He sees us in "THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS." God has never looked to us, but to our Surety and Substitute, His Son, for satisfaction to His just demands. We are "made the righteousness of God" in that One "Who loved us and gave Himself for us."
2. When we feel like we have done a good work and conducted ourselves in a way that we believe pleases God we must look to Christ and His righteousness because a good feeling about self is really pride rising up in the heart. We must never look to our obedience or any work that we have done for comfort or assurance. "...All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags" (Isaiah 64:6). Our best deeds have the foul stench of sin upon them. Christ alone is our righteousness. We are never accepted because of our obedience, for our obedience falls woefully short of perfection. We are accepted for His "obedience unto death, even the death of the cross." He is "THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS."
3. When we approach God with any request, we must look to Christ and His righteousness. We make our petitions to the Lord and ask Him to grant them, not because of our goodness, but because of the righteousness of our Mediator. To request anything of God in our name and because of our works would be foolish. We make our petitions known unto the Lord in the Name of that One Who is "THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS."
4. When we face death, which will be followed by meeting the Lord, we must still be looking to Christ and His righteousness for all our salvation. In that day when we depart this life to stand before the Lord, the only righteousness which will avail with God is the righteousness established by Jesus Christ and freely imputed to His chosen people. Then, even as now, every true believer will stand perfect, spotless and without blemish in that One who lived, died and arose for us. What is His name? The children of God know His Name quite well. In fact, the Father’s name for His church is the same as our Savior’s, "THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS" (Jeremiah 33:16). –Pastor Jim Byrd *************************************************************************** WHY AM I DIFFERENT? (read 1 Corinthians 4:7)
When I see men and women all around me living without Christ, refusing to believe the gospel of free grace and embracing false Christianity, and yet I am rejoicing in the sovereign grace of God and resting all of the concerns of my eternal salvation upon the blood and righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ, I am led to cry out, "Why am I different? I do not deserve to be a child of the King." And the only answer that can be given is the one the Savior gave. "Even so Father, for so it seemed good in Thy sight" (Matthew 11:26). –Pastor Jim Byrd
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