CALL TO WORSHIP

(Tune: “Come Thou Fount”)

Christ is made the sure Foundation,

Christ the Head and Cornerstone,

Chosen of the Lord and precious,

Binding all the church in one;

Holy Zion’s help forever,

And her confidence alone

Is in Christ the blessed Savior,

In His righteousness alone.

Laud and honor to the Father,

Laud and honor to the Son,

Laud and honor to the Spirit,

Ever Three and ever One;

All engaged in our salvation,

By His grace alone are we

Safe and sure for heaven’s glory,

In His presence we will be

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

Lord’s Table: We will serve THE LORD’S SUPPER after the 11am message. This ordinance is not for unbelievers. It is for those who, by the sovereign mercy and grace of God, are truly trusting and resting in the Lord Jesus Christ for all salvation, forgiveness, righteousness, eternal life, and glory. We invite all believers to participate.

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 10:30 am on Mix 107.7 FM

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

Radio: http://www.mix1077albany.com/

Birthdays: Elizabeth “Mills” Fuller – Mar. 31^st

Chastening Hand of the Lord upon His Children

Bees gather honey from bitter flowers, as well as sweet; so should we from bitter conditions. Crosses are Christ’s servants, as they come and go at his command. They are sent to do us good; all is sent in love, and best for me; for God will supply all our wants with his all-sufficiency. We should not look so much at freedom from trouble, as to profit by it, to enjoy God by it, and strength to bear it, looking upon all that befalls us as appointed and ordered by God in his wisdom and love for our good, &c. {I Thes.3:3}

--- Samuel Richardson {Divine Consolations, Part One, 1649}

“Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:24) “But to him that worketh not, but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.” (Romans 4:5)

The Apostle Paul says that God freely justified the ungodly that believeth in Jesus. It is a great thing to be an ungodly person, NOT IN PRACTICE, but in feeling; an ungodly person at the throne of God's heavenly grace needing what only God can give – JUSTIFICATION. The clearing of your character, the pronouncing by the lip of truth that you, AN UNGODLY PERSON, are freely justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses. This is a wonderful passage and if it is made spirit and life to us, we shall find that "we delight in the law of the Lord (the Gospel revelation, NOT THE LAW AT SINAI).

--- J. K. Popham

When I come before you to preach, my hope is not that people who hear my message will exercise the power of their free-will and believe on Christ. My hope looks to another power, that of the omnipotent Redeemer who must lay hold of spiritually dead sinners and make them willing to forsake every idol and be saved by grace alone through His sacrifice alone.

--- Pastor Jim Byrd

God’s Standard of Judgment

For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise. 2 Corinthians 10:12

In reference to the false preachers and their followers who judged or measured themselves by themselves, the Apostle Paul declared that they “are not wise.” A more literal translation would be that they were “without understanding.” What understanding do they lack? Paul spelled this out for us in his letter to the Romans as he wrote concerning his fellow kinsmen saying, “For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, <they are religious> but not according to knowledge.” (Rom 10:2). That is, they too were not wise. They were without understanding. What is the understanding or knowledge they lacked? “For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.” (Rom 10:3)

This, the righteousness of God, the justice-satisfying, perfect obedience unto death of the Lord Jesus Christ, is God’s standard of judgment as the Bible so plainly declares as we read, “Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained;...” speaking of Christ, His righteousness (Acts 17:31).

Let us dare not approach the judgment based upon some comparison of that which we have done (that others have not) so as to presume to be saved. Rather, adopt the standard by which God shall judge as your own. Have you submitted yourself unto the righteousness of God – His standard of judgment?