CALL TO WORSHIP

(Tune: “Majestic Sweetness,” p. 52 )

Where God begins His gracious work

That work He will complete

For ‘round the objects of His love

All power and mercy meet. (Repeat)

Man may repent him of his work

And fail in his intent

God is above the power of change

And never can repent. (Repeat)

Each object of His love is sure

To reach the heavenly goal

For neither sin nor Satan can

Destroy the blood-washed soul. (Repeat)

The precious blood of God’s dear Son

Shall ne’er be shed in vain

The soul on Christ believing must

With Christ forever reign. (Repeat)

Today’s Speaker: Eager Avenue Grace Church extends a warm welcome to Pastor Bill Parker. Bill will conduct both the 10:00 am and 11:00 am services today. Pray for him as he delivers God's Word.

Fellowship Meal: Immediately following the 11am service today, we will have a fellowship meal. All are invited to attend.

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.

Web Sites: Visit our web sites at: Reign of Grace: www.rofgrace.com

Sermon Audio: www.Sermonaudio.com\reignofgrace

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/reignofgrace

Birthdays: Harold Riggins – Jan. 17^th , Jerry Wages – Jan. 17^th - Javon Jones – Jan. 18^th

"Learn to bear and forbear patiently and meekly with the infirmities of Christian brethren. There is a time in our Christian life when we want to set everybody right, and make everything square. But we begin to find after a time that we cannot set our own selves right, nor make our own spirit and conduct square with the word of truth. This conviction, forced increasingly upon us, makes us less keen to see the mote and more willing to take out the beam; less desirous to condemn others, more willing to condemn ourselves; less sure of the sins of our friends, more certain of our own."

--- J.C. Philpot 1802-1869

Excerpt from "A Great Sinner and A GREAT SAVIOR"

"Oh, how true is that statement of the apostle Paul, when He declared that "Jesus Christ came into the world to save Sinners, of whom l am chief." (1 Tim. 1:15) He points at the chief, you will observe, the worst, the guiltiest, the most depraved, the farthest from God, "That where sin hath abounded grace may much more abound." (Rom. 5:20) Not that, our precious Lord loved sin, or delighted in the extent of it; no, His delight is in the vast extent of that grace of His which can reach to the uttermost, "save to the uttermost." Witness the record given in the Word of God, of a variety of prominent characters who have been the recipients of the grace of God. Go back to old father Abraham; an idolater amongst the Chaldeans, yet the grace of God found him, and brought him out, and distinguished him. Mark the character of Jacob. I cannot admire it, except in that which grace did for him. He was a deceitful supplanting young man; and who would not censure him for the conduct he pursued in obtaining the blessing? Yet he was the favoured object of distinguishing, soul-transforming grace, and so were his posterity after him. Look also at the character of David, who is emphatically styled the man after God’s own heart He too was a sinner, and was obliged to acknowledge it, "I have sinned." And why was this acknowledged, but that a message from Jehovah might be addressed to his conscience, "The Lord hath also put away thy sin." Besides these, there is a Magdalene, a Saul, a Peter, and many others, whose notorious transgressions have been recorded by command of the Holy Ghost, in order to its being seen and known that a sinner out of hell is not beyond the reach of grace, the righteousness, the blood, and the salvation of Jesus Christ. So we preach to sinners."

--- Joseph Irons (January 1849)

"I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God;
for He hath clothed me with the garments of salvation,
He hath covered me with the robe of righteousness,
as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments,
and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels."
(Isaiah 61:10)

JOYFUL IN THE LORD

"And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD: it shall rejoice in His salvation" (Psalm 35:9).

The very soul of the child of God rejoices in Christ Jesus. We rejoice in Him because He is the Christ, the sent One, the Messiah, the Son of God, the eternal Surety of His people. We rejoice in Him because He is Jesus our Brother Who stands in near relation to us. He is Emmanuel, God with us, our Mediator by Whom we have access to the Father. He is our Savior Who came to"save His people from their sins" (Matthew 1:21) by His substitutionary death upon the cross. We rejoice in Him for He is "able to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by Him seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for us" (Hebrews 7:25). We rejoice in Him for He has redeemed all of His people to God by His blood. He will preserve us to the end and then present us "faultless before the presence of His glory with joy" (Jude 1:24). His Person is all-glorious, His blood is precious, His righteousness is impeccable, His sacrifice was effectual to the redemption and justification of His people, His power to call us to faith in Himself is irresistible, His salvation is everlasting and His grace to eternally preserve us shall never fail. In Him we were blessed with "all spiritual blessings" (Ephesians 1:3) and like Mary of old every believer says, "My spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior" (Luke 1:47). The church speaks with one voice through the prophet and says, "I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for He hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, He hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels" (Isaiah 61:10).