RENDER PRAISE AND THANKSGIVING Tune to "LOVE DIVINE" 8.7.8.7. double Words by JIM BYRD
1. God of grace and matchless glory, Grant that we would worship Thee; Thou hast gathered us together, Now reveal Thy majesty. Send to us Thy sovereign Spirit, Speaking through Thy Word in might; Showing us the bless-ed Savior, Making Him our souls’ delight.
2. Prophet, Priest and reigning Monarch, Friend of sinners, what a Name; Word of God made flesh for sinners, Jesus came to bear our shame. See the perfect, blameless Savior, Bearing sin, but not His own; Sacrifice of God most precious, Died our sin-debt to atone.
3. By the blood of the Redeemer, All our sins were washed away; He arose and death was conquered, For His sheep who went astray. Saints of God bow down and worship Render praise and thankfulness; Joyfully adore the Savior, Praise the Lord our Righteousness.
"For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that ye through His poverty might be rich." (2 Corinthians 8:9) *****
HOW TO LIVE Legalists only have a vague idea of what we believe regarding the grace of God so they accuse us of not preaching enough laws, rules and regulations for believers to live by. They say we do not emphasize "practical Christian living." That which they fail to understand is that there is no doctrine in all the Word of God which is more practical, more instructive and more conducive to godly living than the glorious gospel of the sovereign grace of God to sinners through the person and work of Jesus Christ our Lord. "For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ; Who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works" (Titus 2:11-14). The presence of grace in the heart and an understanding of God’s way of salvation, through the blood and righteousness of our Substitute, moves a believer to seek to glorify the Lord in his life. We seek to do those things that are honoring to our Master and to avoid things which are displeasing to Him and would bring reproach upon His name. Our desire is to live so as to magnify the Lord, not for reward, as though we were mercenaries, and not out of slavish fear, as though we were fearful servants, but out of love, as children of God. "The love of Christ constraineth us" to live in this world so as to glorify the Name of the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:14). –Pastor Jim Byrd *****
PUBLIC OPINION When it comes to public opinion versus the Word of God, we do not care one iota about the sentiments of the natural man. "Let God be true and every man a liar" (Romans 3:4). Though many deny creation, that does not change the fact that "in the beginning God created the heaven and the earth" (Genesis 1:1). Though highly educated fools insist man evolved from some sort of slime to what he is now, that does not alter the inspired declaration, "And the LORD God formed man out of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul" (Genesis 2:7). Let men attribute catastrophic weather events to "mother nature." Let them trace advancements and pleasant things to "lady luck" and "fate," that does not change what the Book of God says: "Of Him, and through Him, and to Him are all things: to Whom be glory for ever. Amen" (Romans 11:36). Let the religious leaders of the world proclaim the universality of the love of God, that the blood of Christ shed at Calvary was a mere provision for everybody, but that it really redeemed nobody, and let them say that God the Spirit waits upon man to make the first move in salvation, yet all of their heretical teachings put together shall never make void what the Scriptures clearly say, "Salvation is of the LORD" (Jonah 2:9). Public opinion may sway those who are untaught by the Spirit, but it has no effect upon those who believe God. "But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you" (1 Peter 1:25). –Pastor Jim Byrd *****
THE SALVATION OF JESUS The more light thou receivest from the Word of Jesus and the Spirit of Truth, so much the more wilt thou see of thine own vile sinful nature and abhor thyself. How long? Even until thou receivest the end of thy faith, the salvation of thy soul. Then wilt thou glory only and eternally in the infinite perfection of the salvation of Jesus. –William Mason
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