April 09, 2006

                                        CALL TO WORSHIP

                                       (Tune:  Love Divine)

 

    Truth and mercy meet together, righteousness and peace embrace,

    Each perfection of Jehovah shine in our Redeemer's face.

    God is just and justifier!  Not one attribute is stained,

    When the Father saves a sinner through His Son for sinners slain.

 

    What a bless’ed consolation in the gospel is proclaimed;

    Christ secured our full salvation, yet God's justice is maintained.

    Jesus' precious blood atonement, O my soul with wonder tell,

    Frees from sin and guilt and judgment and from endless death in hell.

 

    Every soul on Christ believing has for hope a solid ground

    In our Savior's merit standing, we shall all our foes confound.

    Let all self-abasing sinners, who in Jesus Christ are found,

    Rest assured they shall be victors and with glory shall be crowned.

 

 

 

 

(Colossians 1:14-15,18)

“In Whom we have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins: Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature ... that in all things He might have the preeminence.”                                                                                           

 

TODAY’S SPEAKER:  Brother Mark Pannell will conduct the 11:00 am service today.  Pray for him as he delivers God’s word.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY – Tammy Hall,  April 13th.

 

 

A TRUE RIGHTEOUSNESS IN HEAVEN

   One day, as I was passing into the field, suddenly this sentence fell upon my soul: ‘Thy righteousness is in heaven.’ And I thought that I could see Jesus Christ at God’s right hand. Yes, there indeed was my righteousness, so that wherever I was, or whatever I was doing, God could not say about me that I did not have righteousness, for it was standing there before Him. I also saw that it was not my good feelings that made my righteousness better, and that my bad feelings did not make my righteousness worse, for my righteousness was Jesus Christ Himself, ‘the same yesterday, and today, and forever,’ Hebrews 13:8. Now, indeed, the chains fell off my legs, and I was loosened from my afflictions and irons. My temptations also fled away so that from that time forward those dreadful Scriptures terrified me no more.  Now I went home rejoicing because of the grace and love of God, and went to my Bible to look up where the verse was found that said, ‘Thy righteousness is in heaven.’ But I could not find it. And so my heart began to sink again, until suddenly, there came to my remembrance I Corinthians 1:30, ‘Who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification and redemption.’ From this, I saw that the other sentence was also true.

---John Bunyan

 

WATCH AND BE READY - Matt 24: 42-

Not one of God’s elect will arrive at the end of these last days discontented with the goods of Christ, nor deceived by appearance, nor despising the Redemptive Glory of God.  Not because we are any better (in ourselves) that anyone else in our generations.  But rather, because we found grace in the eyes of the Lord.  Because God chose us (before the world began),  and Christ redeemed and justified us by His work on the Cross, and  in time God sent His Spirit to give us life and a saving interest in the goods of Christ. 

So why the warnings? To keep His people watching and to keep His people looking to Christ alone, and to keep His people praying, “Lord, don’t let me become discontented with what Christ has accomplished.  Don’t let me start looking anywhere else for my assurance but to Christ’s blood and Righteousness alone.

     Don’t let me be deceived by appearance. Don’t let me start looking inward to my graces and take my eyes off Christ’s Imputed  Righteousness as all my standing before you.

      Don’t ever let me begin to despise your Redemptive Glory by imagining that you can judge me righteous by anything but the        Righteousness Christ established and Imputed to each of your elect at the Cross.                          

---Mark Pannell

 

KEEPING HIS COMMANDMENTS

Is it possible to know whether Christ died for you and whether you are one of His redeemed, justified ones, as depicted in 1 John 2:1,2?  Absolutely!  The apostle John states, ‘And hereby we DO KNOW that we know him, IF WE KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS.” I John 2:3.  The question is, what does it mean to keep His commandments?

1.        Those who know Christ, being taught by the Spirit of God, keep His commandment to repent from dead works and submit to Christ and His righteousness alone established in His obedience unto death, having no confidence in any works of righteousness of our own, nor taking any credit or glory in salvation- Hebrews 6:1 and Philippians 3:3.

2.        Those taught of the Spirit, in evidence of having Christ as Advocate; keep His commandment to believe on Him as He is revealed in God’s Word, I John 3:23.  Faith in Christ and His righteousness is never the cause or reason for our acceptance, but the evidence of being accepted in the Beloved, because of His work of propitiation, reconciliation, redemption, and satisfaction at the cross.  Where there is faith in him; there is also Spirit given love to him, for faith works by love, Gal. 5:6.

3.        Those who know Christ in truth, evidence they are the Lord’s in obeying the commandment to love the brethren, I John 4:21. Brethren are those who share the same faith of Christ, revealed in His Word, without condition or compromise, 2 Corinthians 6:15. The grace and mercy of God teaches us to show kindness to all, but just like those of our own family, there is a special love for those whom Christ has redeemed, and taught His grace, Galatians 6:10.  While the religious world may consider us unloving not to fellowship with any who deny the Christ of Scripture, and the message of God’s unconditional election, grace, redemption, and full and complete justification by His death; nonetheless, it is that distinctive love for Christ that causes us to seek out fellowship and love His true people in this way. It is not a love that distinguishes between men based on race, color, or social standing, but rather a love of the truth, that affects our walk, will, and worship.  That is not bigotry, but keeping His commandment!  1 John 2:15.

Pastor Ken Wimer, Shreveport Grace Church, Shreveport, Louisiana