Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Prayer is at the Noah home.

On Sunday, we will consider Ezra 8 and Paul Carrington will be preaching. Here is his note regarding our text: “Jerusalem must be undertaken.  In chapter 8, we see a careful and courageous shepherd lay out preparations for the expedition, gathering men and their families to go with him.  The end goal is to worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness in Jerusalem.  In weighing the risks of traversing robber infested roads, months on end, is worship really worth it?  Ezra, and the relative few who accompanied him, thought so.

In the same way, our Pilgrim’s Progress from Babylon to the New Jerusalem requires that we navigate “many dangers, toils and snares”.  In the same way, our goal is to worship our Lord face-to-face, not just for a lifetime but for all eternity.

What confidence we can have in our prayer-answering Father, who will bring us safely through.  May we too “humble ourselves before our God, to seek from Him the right way for us and our little ones and our possessions.”  

The songs we are singing on Sunday are, 

• A Mighty Fortress Is Our God
• Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah
• Abide with Me
• In Christ Alone
• We’re Marching to Zion

A Mighty Fortress Is Our God

A mighty fortress is our God

A bulwark never failing

Our helper He amid the flood

Of mortal ills prevailing

For still our ancient foe

Doth seek to work us woe

His craft and pow’r are great

And armed with cruel hate

On earth is not his equal

Did we in our own strength confide

Our striving would be losing

Were not the right man on our side

The man of God’s own choosing

Dost ask who that may be?

Christ Jesus, it is He –

Lord Sabaoth, His name

From age to age the same

And He must win the battle

And tho’ this world with devils filled

Should threaten to undo us

We will not fear for God hath willed

His truth to triumph thro’ us

The prince of darkness grim

We tremble not for him

His rage we can endure

For lo, his doom is sure:

One little word shall fell him

That word above all earthly pow’rs

No thanks to them abideth

The Spirit and the gifts are ours

Thro’ Him who with us sideth

Let goods and kindred go

This mortal life also –

The body they may kill

God’s truth abideth still:

His kingdom is forever

Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah

Guide me, O Thou great Jehovah,

Pilgrim through this barren land;

I am weak, but Thou art mighty;

Hold me with Thy pow’rful hand;

Bread of Heaven, Bread of Heaven,

Feed me till I want no more,

Feed me till I want no more.

Open now the crystal fountain,

Whence the healing stream doth flow;

Let the fire and cloudy pillar

Lead me all my journey through;

Strong Deliv’rer, strong Deliv’rer,

Be Thou still my strength and shield,

Be Thou still my strength and shield.

When I tread the verge of Jordan,

Bid my anxious fears subside;

Bear me through the swelling current,

Land me safe on Canaan’s side;

Songs of praises, songs of praises,

I will ever give to Thee,

I will ever give to Thee.

Abide with Me

Abide with me: fast falls the eventide:

The darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide:

When other helpers fail, and comforts flee,

Help of the helpless, O abide with me.

Swift to its close ebbs out life’s little day;

Earth’s joys grow dim, its glories pass away;

Change and decay in all around I see;

O thou who changest not, abide with me.

I need thy presence ev’ry passing hour;

What but thy grace can foil the tempter’s pow’r?

Who like thyself my guide and stay can be?

Through cloud and sunshine, O abide with me.

I fear no foe, with thee at hand to bless:

Ills have no weight and tears no bitterness.

Where is death’s sting? where, grave, thy victory?

I triumph still, if thou abide with me.

Hold thou thy cross before my closing eyes:

Shine through the gloom, and point me to the skies:

Heav’n’s morning breaks, and earth’s vain shadows flee:

In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.

In Christ Alone

In Christ alone my hope is found

He is my light, my strength, my song

This Cornerstone, this solid Ground

Firm through the fiercest drought and storm

What heights of love, what depths of peace

When fears are stilled, when strivings cease! 

My Comforter, my All in All

Here in the love of Christ I stand

In Christ alone! – who took on flesh

Fullness of God in helpless babe!

This gift of love and righteousness

Scorned by the ones He came to save

Till on that cross as Jesus died

The wrath of God was satisfied

For every sin on Him was laid

Here in the death of Christ I live

There in the ground His body lay

Light of the world by darkness slain

Then bursting forth in glorious Day

Up from the grave He rose again!

And as He stands in victory

Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me

For I am His and He is mine

Bought with the precious blood of Christ

No guilt in life, no fear in death

This is the power of Christ in me

From life’s first cry to final breath

Jesus commands my destiny

No power of hell, no scheme of man

Can ever pluck me from His hand

Till He returns or calls me home

Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand!

We’re Marching to Zion

Come, we that love the Lord,

And let our joys be known;

Join in a song with sweet accord,

Join in a song with sweet accord,

And thus surround the throne,

And thus surround the throne.

   We’re marching to Zion,

   Beautiful, beautiful Zion;

   We’re marching upward to Zion,

   The beautiful city of God.

Let those refuse to sing

That never knew our God;

But children of the heav’nly King,

But children of the heav’nly King,

May speak their joys abroad,

May speak their joys abroad.

The men of grace have found

Glory begun below;

Celestial fruits on earthly ground,

Celestial fruits on earthly ground,

From faith and hope may grow,

From faith and hope may grow.

Then let our songs abound,

And ev’ry tear be dry;

We’re marching through Immanuel’s ground,

We’re marching through Immanuel’s ground,

To fairer worlds on high 

To fairer worlds on high.