CALL TO WORSHIP

(Tune: “‘Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus”)

God is holy, just, and righteous

When He saves us by His love;

He is so based on the merits

Of Christ’s righteousness and blood.

Christ our Savior, Christ our Savior;

Look to Him and Him alone;

In His merits we find favor;

He our Lord is on the throne.

Christ has set us free from bondage;

We the debt no longer owe;

He has paid the fullest ransom,

Now the law must let us go.

Free in Jesus, free in Jesus;

Free to serve Him graciously;

He has bought our full salvation

Pardon, peace, and liberty.

Today’s Speaker: Brother Winston Pannell will conduct the 11:00 am service today. Pray for him as he delivers God’s word.

Television Broadcast: Our Reign of Grace Television program is being broadcast on WFXL Fox 31, Channel 4. The program will air every Sunday morning at 11 AM.

Radio Broadcast: Sunday morning at 9:30am on 98.7 FM –WISK. To hear sermons on your computer click on www.americusradio.com

Web Sites: Visit our newly designed web site at: www.rofgrace.com

Also visit us at: www.Sermonaudio.com\reignofgrace

Birthdays: Tim Hall – Jan. 26^th

GOD'S FREE, SOVEREIGN, DISTINGUISHING GRACE

The tendency of this truth is most sanctifying: for a man to feel that God alone hath made him to differ from another that what he has he has received that by the free, distinguishing grace of God, he is what he is, is a truth, when experienced in the heart, is surely of the most holy influence. How it lays the axe to the root of self! How it stains the pride of human glory, and hushes the whispers of vain boasting! It lays the renewed sinner where he ought ever to lie, in the dust; and places the crown, where it alone ought to shine, bright and glorious, upon the head of sovereign mercy. "Lord, why me? I was far from Thee by wicked works; I was the least of my father's house, and of all, the most unworthy and unlikely object of Thy love: and yet Thy mercy sought me, Thy grace selected me out of all the rest, and made me a miracle of its omnipotent power. Lord, to what can I refer this, but to Thy mere mercy, Thy sovereign and free grace, entirely apart from all worth and worthiness that Thou didst see in me? Take, therefore, my body, soul, spirit, and let them be, in time and through eternity, a holy temple to Thy glory."

Octavius Winslow

GRACE OR WORKS

If God saved you in the light of His consideration of something in you, however small, it could NOT be grace. No amount of immorality can prevent God in His grace, and no amount of morality can commend one's self to God. If one sin, or one thousand of them can hinder a soul in the reception of grace, it ceases to be grace. If the smallest amount of morality can commend one to God, it ceases to be grace.

Scott Richardson

THE FOUR STRENGTHS OF HUMAN NATURE

The Gospel of God’s redeeming grace to unworthy sinners through the person and work of Christ is the most glorious message that was ever proclaimed. Think of it – salvation accomplished by Christ and His "obedience unto death, even the death of the cross." Yet, because God saves sinners solely on the basis of grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, the Gospel is offensive to the natural man. There are four strengths of our sinful nature which cause rebellion against the message of sovereign grace.

(1) IGNORANCE – Mankind is ignorant of that righteousness which God demands and ignorant of the true source of righteousness, the Lord Jesus Christ. Like the Jews of Paul’s day, all men go about to establish a righteousness of their own and refuse to submit to the righteousness of Christ Jesus (Romans 10:1-4).

(2) PRIDE – Every sinner thinks more highly of himself than he ought to think and believes he must make some contribution to his own salvation. Human nature will not bow to the plain declaration of God’s Word which declares universal guilt and salvation by grace alone. Man is too proud to acknowledge "all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags" (Isaiah 64:6).

(3) UNCONCERN – Hear the vital questions of Job 25:4 – "How then can man be justified with God? or how can he be clean that is born of a woman?" Sadly, none by nature are asking those questions or seeking to find the answers. Men and women are unconcerned about the just requirements of God. No one stops [until God stops them] to think about how the thrice holy God could accept a fallen sinner without compromising His holy character? None pause to seriously consider that Christ died in order that God be "a just God and a Savior."

(4) UNBELIEF – "And ye will not come to me that ye might have

life" (John 5:40). Everlasting salvation is only to be found in the blessed Savior and yet such is the depravity of man that, apart from the effectual work of the Holy Spirit, men will refuse to believe upon the only One who saves sinners, the Lord Jesus Christ.