CALL TO WORSHIP

(Tune – Doxology)

(Words written by Pastor Jim Byrd)

Now let us praise the God of grace,

Who chose a remnant from our race;

Elect from ev’ry tribe and tongue,

Let praises unto God be sung.

Chosen in Christ our living Head,

Who came and suffered in our stead;

He died for all His chosen seed,

And lives for us to intercede.

In time the mighty Spirit came,

Brought us to trust the Savior’s Name;

‘Twas by His death on Calvary,

From guilt and sin He set us free.

Lord now Thy people come to bring,

All praise to Thee, our God and King;

We join our voices to proclaim,

The worthy honors of Thy Name.

TODAY’S SERVICES – Messages by Pastor Bill Parker

BIBLE CLASS – 10:00 a.m. –

Who Has Resisted God’s Will? – Romans 9:19-20

MORNING WORSHIP – 11:00 a.m –

• OPENING – Hebrews 2:10,17-18

• CALL TO WORSHIP (above)

• HYMN – He Was Wounded for Our Transgressions – p. 117

• READING – Isaiah 53

• MESSAGE – The Suffering of our Savior – Isaiah 53

• CLOSING HYMN – When I Survey the Wondrous Cross – p. 118

Birthdays: Cassie Broxton – Sept. 3^rd | Banks Margeson – Sept. 6^th
Bill Parker – Sept. 7^th | Patrick Flynn – Sept. 7^th

THE BELIEVER’S VIEW OF SIN

Unbelievers view their sins as they compare to other men. Believers view their sins as they compare to Christ. This causes us to know that we never achieve the perfection of righteousness in our best efforts to obey God. However, we who believe the Gospel of God’s free and sovereign grace in Christ Jesus should not view our sins to the point of despair and unbelief, but we should never forget it lest we presume and become ungrateful and proud. We need to realize that anything we have from God is mercy and grace from God in the Lord Jesus Christ. This is true of all of God’s children, from the least to the greatest. Just like the Apostle Paul, we must all say, "O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through our Lord Jesus Christ." (Rom. 7:24-25a) God keeps all these things in our minds to show us continually that we can never trust ourselves, but that our hope, confidence, and assurance is in Him Who saves us, keeps us, and blesses us in Christ. We rejoice in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh. As one man wrote, "The more we are growing in the sense of our sins and infirmities, the more shall we see our need of clinging more closely to Christ, drawing more largely upon His grace, and entering more fully into the cleansing virtue of His atoning blood." As we own and confess our sins, let us in faith acknowledge and confess our salvation through the perfect righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ imputed to us and received by us in God-given faith. —Pastor Bill Parker

LET GOD BE TRUE

“God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.” (Romans 3:4)

It is true that “in the mouths of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.” Yet, if ten million agree on something that is not to be found in the holy scriptures or contrary to them, their agreement does not make it true or right. Men find security and confirmation in the agreement of others with them. They have little “mutual admiration societies” in which they praise each other, hold others in contempt and believe themselves to be the only ones that are right. This was the way of the Pharisees that Christ publicly rebuked with scathing words. Our praise is to be to Christ who alone is right; our agreement is to be with Him and His gospel, and our loyalty is to be to Him and His brethren. —Pastor Gary Shepard

EFFECTUAL PRAYER

“Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because He maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.” (Rom. 8:26-27)

True believers, in looking to Christ for all of their salvation, give evidence that they are among the saints for whom the Holy Spirit makes intercession – and that intercession is all in accordance with God’s will. If the Holy Spirit Himself and Christ Himself (Rom. 8:34; Heb. 7:25) are ever interceding for each one of God’s saints, then all of his or her prayers are ultimately submitted before the Father in accordance with His perfect will. And His will shall always be done! (Isa. 46:10) Some are disappointed to learn that God’s will and purpose shall always be realized and that their prayers will not change His mind. But that does not mean that the prayer of a righteous, justified sinner is not effectual and powerful. In ways I do not come close to fully understanding, God uses the prayers of His people as an effectual means in accomplishing His objectives. I know the prayers of a true believer are powerful and effectual because God says so. “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man (a justified sinner) availeth much.” (James 5:16)

—Brother Randy Wages

TREASURE

The Hebrews had one general name for treasure, and called it Ozer. The sweetest of all thoughts is that Jesus is the treasure of His people. JEHOVAH promised the church by Moses that he would command the blessing upon Israel in his storehouses, and in all that he would set his hand unto. And when the Holy Ghost explains this to the soul of the redeemed, and he sees that this is emphatically the blessing; then, and not before, he enters into an apprehension of the sense of the covenant promise. Hence, Jesus speaking under the character of Wisdom-Mediator, saith: "That I may cause those that love Me to inherit substance, and I will fill their treasures." Where Jesus is, there is treasure, yea durable riches and righteousness. But where Jesus is not, nothing, be it what it may, can be called treasure.