Beloved,

This week, prayer will be held at the Brown’s Barn.

On Sunday, we will give a final summary of 1 John. It has been a beneficial journey these last few months to be immersed in the love of God that is in Christ Jesus. John writes explicitly to accomplish four purposes. First to protect against false teachers,  “I am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray” (2:26). Second to provide assurance of salvation, “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know you have eternal life” (5:13). Third, for fulness of joy, “We write this to make our joy complete” (1:4). Fourth, to keep us from sins of lawlessness and especially lack of love, “I write this to you so that you will not sin” (2:1).

Rediscovering the New Testament Church – Bible Survey on Thursday at 5:00 in Scott’s library, will focus on and Introduction to First John.  Notice the redundancy…? Not to worry… This will be an introduction to the letter rather than the conclusion of the letter for Hope Baptist specifically, which we will focus on Sunday. You may also,  join in the livestream

The songs we will be singing are here;

• Leaning on the Everlasting Arms
• Here Is Love
• The Power of the Cross
• He Will Hold Me Fast
• It Is Well

Leaning on the Everlasting Arms

What a fellowship, what a joy divine,

Leaning on the everlasting arms.

What a blessedness, what a peace is mine,

Leaning on the everlasting arms.

   Leaning, leaning, 

   Safe and secure from all alarms

   Leaning, leaning,

   Leaning on the everlasting arms.

O how sweet to walk in this pilgrim way,

Leaning on the everlasting arms.

O how bright the path grows from day to day,

Leaning on the everlasting arms.

What have I to dread, what have I to fear,

Leaning on the everlasting arms.

I have blessed peace with my Lord so near,

Leaning on the everlasting arms.

Here Is Love

Here is love, vast as the ocean,

Lovingkindness as the flood,

When the Prince of Life, our Ransom,

Shed for us His precious blood.

Who His love will not remember?

Who can cease to sing His praise?

He can never be forgotten,

Throughout Heav’n’s eternal days.

On the mount of crucifixion,

Fountains opened deep and wide;

Through the floodgates of God’s mercy

Flowed a vast and gracious tide.

Grace and love, like mighty rivers,

Poured incessant from above,

And Heav’n’s peace and perfect justice

Kissed a guilty world in love.

Let me all Thy love accepting,

Love Thee, ever all my days;

Let me seek Thy kingdom only

And my life be to Thy praise;

Thou alone shalt be my glory,

Nothing in the world I see.

Thou hast cleansed and sanctified me,

Thou Thyself hast set me free.

In Thy truth Thou dost direct me

By Thy Spirit through Thy Word;

And Thy grace my need is meeting,

As I trust in Thee, my Lord.

Of Thy fullness Thou art pouring

Thy great love and power on me,

Without measure, full and boundless,

Drawing out my heart to Thee.

The Power of the Cross

Oh, to see the dawn of the darkest day:

Christ on the road to Calvary.

Tried by sinful men, torn and beaten, then

Nailed to a cross of wood.

  This, the pow’r of the cross:

  Christ became sin for us;

  Took the blame, bore the wrath—

  We stand forgiven at the cross.

Oh, to see the pain written on Your face,

Bearing the awesome weight of sin.

Ev’ry bitter thought, ev’ry evil deed

Crowning Your bloodstained brow.

  This, the pow’r of the cross:

  Christ became sin for us;

  Took the blame, bore the wrath—

  We stand forgiven at the cross.

Now the daylight flees; now the ground beneath

Quakes as its Maker bows His head.

Curtain torn in two, dead are raised to life;

“Finished!” the vict’ry cry.

  This, the pow’r of the cross:

  Christ became sin for us;

  Took the blame, bore the wrath—

  We stand forgiven at the cross.

Oh, to see my name written in the wounds,

For through Your suffering I am free.

Death is crushed to death; life is mine to live,

Won through Your selfless love.

  This, the pow’r of the cross:

  Son of God—slain for us.

  What a love! What a cost!

 We stand forgiven at the cross.

He Will Hold Me Fast

When I fear my faith will fail,

Christ will hold me fast;

When the tempter would prevail,

He will hold me fast.

I could never keep my hold

Through life’s fearful path;

For my love is often cold;

He must hold me fast.

   He will hold me fast,
He will hold me fast;
For my Savior loves me so,
He will hold me fast.

Those He saves are His delight,

Christ will hold me fast;

Precious in His holy sight,

He will hold me fast.

He’ll not let my soul be lost;

His promises shall last;

Bought by Him at such a cost,

He will hold me fast.

For my life He bled and died,

Christ will hold me fast;

Justice has been satisfied;

He will hold me fast.

Raised with Him to endless life,

He will hold me fast

‘Till our faith is turned to sight,

When He comes at last!

It Is Well with My Soul

When peace like a river attendeth my way,

When sorrows like sea billows roll –

Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,

“It is well, it is well with my soul.”

   It is well with my soul.

   It is well, it is well with my soul.

Tho’ Satan should buffet, tho’ trials should come,

Let this blest assurance control –

That Christ hath regarded my helpless estate

And hath shed His own blood for my soul!

My sin – O the bliss of this glorious tho’t –

My sin – not in part, but the whole

Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more.

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live;

If Jordan above me shall roll,

No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life

Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.

But, Lord, ‘tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait;

The sky, not the grave, is our goal.

Oh trump of the angel ! Oh voice of the Lord!

Blessed hope, blessed rest of my soul!

And, Lord, haste the day when the faith shall be sight,

The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;

The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend;

“Even so” – it is well with my soul!

Scott Brown