THE LORD’S DAY

July 19, 2020

Announcing the resumption of our gatherings for Sunday worship! Next Sunday. 9:30 am.

Call to Worship: Psalm 103

Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and all that is within me,
bless his holy name!
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits,
who forgives all your iniquity,
who heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the pit,
who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
who satisfies you with good
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

The Lord works righteousness
and justice for all who are oppressed.
He made known his ways to Moses,
his acts to the people of Israel.
The Lord is merciful and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
He will not always chide,
nor will he keep his anger forever.
He does not deal with us according to our sins,
nor repay us according to our iniquities.
For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
as far as the east is from the west,
so far does he remove our transgressions from us.
As a father shows compassion to his children,
so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.
For he knows our frame;
he remembers that we are dust.

As for man, his days are like grass;
he flourishes like a flower of the field;
for the wind passes over it, and it is gone,
and its place knows it no more.
But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him,
and his righteousness to children’s children,
 to those who keep his covenant
and remember to do his commandments.
 The Lord has established his throne in the heavens,
and his kingdom rules over all.

Bless the Lord, O you his angels,
you mighty ones who do his word,
obeying the voice of his word!
Bless the Lord, all his hosts,
his ministers, who do his will!
Bless the Lord, all his works,
in all places of his dominion.
Bless the Lord, O my soul!

Hymn of Praise: Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven

Prayer:

Most holy and loving Father, here we are gathered again in your presence to delight and rejoice in you with all of our being; to hang upon your words and be fed by your truth; to be renewed by your Spirit and directed according to your love. Be present in our homes as we worship you in spirit and truth. Help us to learn today of the gift of your Holy Spirit who is given so that we might experience the greatness of your love. Help us to know you, O blessed Spirit, as a precious guest, and do your most gracious work within us so that we might know the Father’s love and become like our Savior Jesus, the Christ, in whose name we pray. Amen

Anthem: “O Love of God, How Strong and True”

The Reading of the Word: Romans 5:1-5

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

The Word Speaks to Our Lives: “God’s Love Outpoured, Part 1”

Hymn of Adoration: “I Am His and He Is Mine”

Prayer and Meditation

Now can we just pause a moment to soak in this stunning fact? Probably most of us listening are well aware of this biblical teaching; and yet, let me ask you; when was the last time you were aware of the Holy Spirit’s indwelling presence powerfully working in you – empowering you, leading you, comforting you? When was the last time you thanked God for this gift and rejoiced in his felt presence? When was the last time you grieved over the way you injured and saddened his most pure and sensitive presence in you by what you thought or said or did?

I want to encourage you to take time to ponder his indwelling presence in your life. Thank God for this! What greater gift could God give you! This is the gift of the ages! Thank the Holy Spirit for his patience with you; his commitment to bring you to completion. Beg his forgiveness for the ways you grieve him; the ways you are mindless of his presence and work against his purposes. Ask him to manifest himself to you; to make you a willing participant in all that he desires to do. Yield to him. Delight in him. Cherish him!

Benediction: “As You Go”