"Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; Who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:2) *************************************************************************** SING HIS WORTHY PRAISE Tune To: "MAJESTIC SWEETNESS" CM Words by JIM BYRD
1. More precious is the name of Christ, Than ev’ry name beside; Sing praises to the Son of God, May He be glorified, May He be glorified.
2. None else could save us from our sin And everlasting shame; To cleanse us of our filthiness, The holy Savior came, The holy Savior came.
3. Great is the wondrous mystery, Our God in human clay, Came down to seek and save the lost, His sheep who went astray, His sheep who went astray.
4. Christ died a sacrificial death, The law He magnified; His blood our ransom fully paid, And God is satisfied, And God is satisfied.
5. Christ conquered death and ever reigns, Sing of His great success! Forevermore His name shall be, The Lord our Righteousness, The Lord our righteousness. ***************************************************************************
WHAT IT PLEASED GOD TO DO It pleased God, in the tri-unity of His persons, to choose a vast multitude of sinners unto salvation before the foundation of the world. It was ordained that the eternal Son of God be the Surety, Savior, Shepherd, Sin-offering and Satisfier of every condition for the everlasting salvation of the chosen ones. Christ would be their Mediator with God, Prophet, Priest and King, the Head and Preserver of the church, the Heir of all things and the Judge of the world. All of those given to Him in the election of grace would be redeemed, washed, justified, sanctified and glorified by Him to "the praise of the glory of His grace." –Pastor Jim Byrd ***************************************************************************
SOVEREIGNTY Opposition to divine sovereignty is essentially atheism. Men have no objection to a god who is really no God, a god who shall be the subject of men’s caprice (whims and desires), who shall be a servile follower of their will, who shall be under their control. But a God Who speaks and it is done, Who commands and it stands fast, a God Who does as He will among the armies of heaven and among the inhabitants of this lower world (Daniel 4:35), such a God as this they cannot endure. And yet, is it not essential to the very being of God that He should be absolute and supreme? Certainly to the scriptural conception of God, sovereignty is an absolute necessity. –C. H. Spurgeon ***************************************************************************
The wickedest enemies of God are only axes, saws and hammers in His hands, and are ignorantly His instruments for doing His work in the world. –copied
*************************************************************************** SATAN’S DEVICES "Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices" (2 Corinthians 2:11). Most people do not understand the methods and purposes of Satan. Years ago there was a popular saying, "The devil made me do it." Contrary to that expression, it is not Satan but human depravity that leads people into immorality, dishonesty, drunkenness, etc. "For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: all these evil things come from within, and defile the man" (Matthew 7:21-23). Do not be deceived about the sphere of Satan’s labors. His primary work is in the spiritual, religious realm. His aim is to keep people from the truth of the gospel of grace, the message that declares the salvation of sinners to be solely dependent upon the glorious person and redemptive work of the Lord Jesus Christ. There is no doubt about it, the evil one is a moralist and a promoter of religion without the blood and righteousness of the Son of God. We are told that he "transformed himself (he masquerades) into an angel of light." It is no surprise, therefore, that his servants, false preachers, pretend to be "ministers of righteousness" (2 Corinthians 11:15). Their preaching, however, does not lead men and women to submit to the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus (read Romans 10:3-5). The messengers of Satan are promoters of man’s righteousness and set in opposition to the truth of righteousness established by the substitutionary, sin-removing, justice-satisfying death of Christ, freely imputed to His people and received by God given faith. Any message that ultimately makes the salvation of sinners dependent upon something other than the grace of God in Christ is a counterfeit gospel, a religious lie. Do not be ignorant of Satan’s devices. –Pastor Jim Byrd
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