2970 Baird Rd., Shreveport, LA 71118

CHRIST ALONE-SCRIPTURE ALONE-GRACE ALONE

DECEMBER 3, 2006

OPPORTUNITIES FOR WORSHIP

SUNDAY

WEDNESDAY

6:30 PM- Mid-week Service

Nursery care available for all services for ages 4 and younger.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Ken Wimer, Pastor- ( (318) 687-4943

PO Box 5028, Shreveport, LA 71135

E-MAIL: pastor@shrevegrace.org

WEB SITE: http://www.shrevegrace.org Updated weekly with audio messages now available on-line.

CALL TO WORSHIP

 (Tune: #236- ‘Amazing Grace’)

herewith shall we approach the Lord,

And bow before his throne?

By trusting in His faithful Word,

And pleading Christ alone.

The blood, the righteousness, and love

Of Jesus, will we plead;

He lives within the vail above,

For us to intercede.

Sure ground, and sure foundation too,

We find in Jesus’ name;

Herein we every blessing view,

And every favor claim.

Then let His name for ever be

To us supremely dear;

Our only, all prevailing plea,

For all our hope is there.

This is the name the Father loves

To hear His children plead;

And all such pleading He approves,

And blesses them indeed.

SIN’S REMEDY

 church billboard read: ‘The wages of sin is death.  Stop before payday!’  Most people believe that the law entered in order to give us a means to COMBAT sin.  They see the law as a tool, a weapon to use against sin.  They believe they can keep the law, and ultimately stop sinning.  However, Romans 5:20 tells us, “Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound.”  As long as sinners see the law in this light, they keep on trying to do the impossible and seal themselves in a false refuge that only leads to utter destruction. But the law’s true PURPOSE is to show us that we (sinners) have no weapon against sin.  We have NO MEANS to fight sin.  When it comes to sin, we are totally at the mercy of God to deliver us WITHOUT any contribution from us.  We stand in need of GOD’S Grace We stand in need of a Savior that ACCOMPLISHED all of salvation.  Gal 3:24, “Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to lead us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith” Now, that is the thinking of those who know that where “sin has abounded, GRACE “has much more abounded”. Grace has SUPERABOUNDED!

Mark Pannell, Albany, GA

TREES OF RIGHTEOUSNESS

“…That they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.”                            Isaiah 61:3

here is nothing more refreshing and relaxing than to walk through the forest and consider all the variety of trees.  Each tree is distinct from the other, in height, size, foliage and bark, and yet, each one has some characteristics that are the same as the others- roots, trunk, and branches.

            The Scripture uses the metaphor of the tree to describe those who are the Lord’s.  If any are the Lord’s it is because they have been planted in Christ by the Father, who is the husbandman, John 15:1.  It is because they are of the seed that was sown in the life and death of the Lord Jesus that they spring up unto eternal life and are called trees of righteousness, Matthew 13:31,32.  This is not a righteousness that they have personally produced, but one appointed and imputed of God, through the obedience of Christ unto death, and revealed by the Holy Spirit to their heart, which then causes them to submit to it in all grace and humility, I Peter 1:2, Romans 10:3,4.. 

            One old writer wrote: “like "trees" that are well planted; whose root is in Christ, whose sap is the Spirit and his grace, and whose fruit are good works; and that they might appear to be good trees, and of a good growth and stature, and be laden with the fruits of righteousness, and be truly righteous persons, made so by the imputation of Christ's righteousness to them: "the planting of the Lord"; planted by him in Christ, and in his church, and so never to be rooted out.”

            One thing I have observed about trees in the forest is that although some are growing within feet of each other, they grow together, not against each other.  Believers have been planted in Christ in various parts of the world, and where you find them together; there is oneness and unity of mind and heart with each other and a desire to grow in grace and the knowledge of the Lord as revealed in His blessed Gospel.

            A tree trunk also tells an interesting history.  Perhaps a strong wind, or some erosion, may have caused it at one time to lean or bend, but where there is that strong root, it will continue to grow upward, drawn by the light of the sun.  So it is with believers.  In looking at their spiritual trunks, you will certainly see notches, bends, and curves from the afflictions and trials of life, and affects of sin.  Nevertheless, being planted in Christ, they continue to grow upward, nurtured by the Son, and blessed of Him.                                                                              KEN WIMER

THE NEED OF FAITH

hat is the gospel? The gospel concerns all God has done to deliver His chosen people from imputed damnation and their native darkness. The gospel concerns the elect. Looking at their Substitute on the cross, God delivered them from the Law’s penalties. God discharged sin & imputed righteousness.

                                The gospel is concerned with God delivering them from the darkness of disbelieving and misbelieving. By sovereign spiritual awakening God enters the soul of the elect and enlightens them regarding what He has done. With the mind illuminated and the affections fired, the will obeys and follows God’s sovereign call of grace. They turn from false notions of God to the way of light.

                                The gospel concerns God’s unconditional election in eternity, justification by Christ at the cross, and the Holy Spirit awakening them in time. This is not alternate doctrine or higher doctrine, it is the only doctrine.

And this gospel must be,

Heard (Eph 1:13)

Understood (Rom 15:20-21)

Believed (Rom 10:14, 16)

DAVID SIMPSON, Powell, TN

THE EVERLASTING PRIEST

en in all ages, being convicted in their consciences that God is displeased, and must be pacified, have had their priests to accomplish that service. Nay, the Lord appointed many priests to offer sacrifice to Himself. But now, that He might make it appear that none of these were His eternal Priests, that He might put all out of doubt and clearly reveal His own mind and the immutability of His counsel, swears by Himself (there being none greater than Himself to swear by) that He had made, established and consecrated the Lord Christ to be the everlasting Priest upon Whom He had conferred His everlasting Priesthood. 

Edward Draper, 1649