Dear Brothers and Sisters,

I’m really looking forward to our time tonight celebrating God’s kindnesses toward us over the years. Tonight, Mike and I will also be sharing our thoughts about the next ten years of our lives together here in Wake Forest and the various priorities we pray will be fulfilled among us. 

On Sunday, we will begin our studies in Ezra… I will provide an overview of the book and explaining that Ezra and Nehemiah provide for us a living picture of what it looks like when people are returning from captivity… And, we are now in the process of our return from our spiritual captivity in darkness to the light of God as a result of His saving grace. As you will see, God Himself must move… and then, the first thing that must be established is true worship… this is the foundation of all healing. God desires to heal your broken lives, and He does it primarily through worship… This is what the returnees from captivity did first… then the Lord brought them through various trials and conflicts in which He glorified Himself and was wiping their tears from their eyes.

On Sunday night Mike will lead us through the second part of the Baptist Confession, Chapter 5 , sections 5-7on, Divine Providence.

The songs we will be singing on Sunday Morning are,

• When Morning Gilds the Skies
• By Grace Alone
• Irresistible Grace
• Come, All Ye Pining
• Great King of Nations

When Morning Gilds the Skies

When morning gilds the skies,

My heart awaking cries

May Jesus Christ be praised:

Alike at work and prayer

To Jesus I repair;

May Jesus Christ be praised.

When sleep her balm denies,

My silent spirit sighs,

May Jesus Christ be praised:

When evil thoughts molest,

With this I shield my breast,

May Jesus Christ be praised.

Does sadness fill my mind?

A solace here I find,

May Jesus Christ be praised:

Or fades my earthly bliss?

My comfort still is this,

May Jesus Christ be praised.

In heav’n’s eternal bliss

The loveliest strain is this,

May Jesus Christ be praised:

The powers of darkness fear,

When this sweet chant they hear,

May Jesus Christ be praised.

Let earth’s wide circle round

In joyful notes resound,

May Jesus Christ be praised:

Let air and sea and sky,

From depth to height, reply,

May Jesus Christ be praised.

Be this, while life is mine,

My canticle divine,

May Jesus Christ be praised:

Be this th’eternal song,

Through all the ages on,

May Jesus Christ be praised.

By Grace Alone

Out of the depths I cry to You,

Lord, hear my voice of pleading;

Bend down Your gracious ear, I pray,

Your humble servant heeding.

If You remember each misdeed,

And of each thought and word take heed,

Who can remain before You?

Only by grace, by grace alone.

Your pardon is a gift of love,

Your grace alone must save us,

Our works will not remove our guilt,

The strictest life would fail us.

Let none in deeds or merits boast,

But let us own the Holy Ghost

For He alone can change us:

Only by grace, by grace alone.

Though great our sins and sore our woes

His grace much more aboundeth;

His helping love no limit knows,

Our utmost need it soundeth.

Our kind and faithful Shepherd He,

Who will set all His people free

From all their sin and sorrow:

Only by grace, by grace alone.

Irresistible Grace

I sought You, Lord, but now I see

You were the one who was seeking me

I found You, Lord, and then I knew 

That I was found by You

   You have called me with irresistible grace

   This was Your eternal plan

   Thank you, Lord, for saving me

   On Your grace now I can stand

I took Your hand when I was weak

Sinking, yet always within Your reach

My feet were firm though on the sea

For You took hold of me

I sought, I walked, because Your grace

Long before had fixed my place

And now I love – how can it be?

‘Twas You who first loved me

Come, All Ye Pining

Lord we adore Thy boundless grace.

The heights and depths unknown,

Of pardon, life, and joy, and peace,

In Thy beloved Son.

   Come, all ye pining, hungry poor,

   The Savior’s bounty taste;

   Behold a never-failing store

   For ev’ry willing guest.

O wondrous gifts of love divine,

Dear Source of ev’ry good;

Jesus, in Thee what glories shine!

How rich Thy flowing blood!

Here shall your num’rous wants receive

A free, a full supply;

He has unmeasured bliss to give,

And joys that never die.

Great King of Nations

(tune of O God, Our Help in Ages Past)

Great King of nations, hear our prayer,

While at Thy feet we fall,

And humbly, with united cry,

To Thee for mercy call.

The guilt is ours, but grace is Thine,

O turn us not away;

But hear us from Thy lofty throne,

And help us when we pray.

Our fathers’ sins were manifold,

And ours no less we own,

Yet wondrously from age to age

Thy goodness hath been shown.

When dangers, like a stormy sea,

Beset our country round,

To Thee we looked, to Thee we cried,

And help in Thee was found.

With one consent we meekly bow

Beneath Thy chastening hand,

And, pouring forth confession meet,

Mourn with our mourning land.

With pitying eye behold our need,

As thus we lift our prayer;

Correct us with Thy judgments, Lord,

Then let Thy mercy spare.