Brothers and Sisters,

Our scripture focus this week is Revelation 2:8-11, where the Lord speaks to the church in Smyrna. In Smyrna, the Lord is addressing faithfulness in suffering. They are facing tribulation, slander, poverty and prison. However, they could avoid it by offering incense to Caesar and simply saying, “Caesar is Lord.” What should they do? In His letter, the Lord shows them how to go through the suffering that is ahead. Our Lord’s counsel has stood for centuries to guide the persecuted church through her times of trial. Persecution is not an abnormal condition of the church. Rather, it has been the norm in various pockets throughout history.

Women’s Mentoring is happening today at 10:00am, reading “Lies Women Believe,” by Nancy Leigh DeMoss.

Prayer will be held at the Brown’s Barn.

Don’t forget the Friday Celebration Banquet and ministry update – 6:30 at the church building. The meal will be catered.

The Songs for Sunday are

Hallelujah, Praise Jehovah

    (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_q7b8RL-9s)

The Son of God Goes Forth to War

    (tune:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69yfusFIMII)

Am I a Soldier of the Cross?

   (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_4rqNgTnuI)

Afflicted Saint, to Christ Draw Near

   (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fjBOHYQXPc)

A Mighty Fortress Is Our God

     (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4EoLm3_luM)

Hallelujah, Praise Jehovah

Hallelujah, praise Jehovah,

O my soul, Jehovah praise;

I will sing the glorious praises

Of my God through all my days.

Put no confidence in princes,

Nor for help on man depend;

He shall die, to dust returning,

And his purposes shall end.

Happy is the man that chooses

Israel’s God to be his aid;

He is blessed whose hope of blessing

On the Lord his God is stayed.

Heaven and earth the Lord created,

Seas and all that they contain;

He delivers from oppression,

Righteousness he will maintain.

Food he daily gives the hungry,

Sets the mourning prisoner free,

Raises those bowed down with anguish,

Makes the sightless eyes to see.

Well Jehovah loves the righteous,

And the stranger he befriends,

Helps the fatherless and widow,

Judgment on the wicked sends.

Hallelujah, praise Jehovah,

O my soul, Jehovah praise;

I will sing the glorious praises

Of my God through all my days.

Over all God reigns for ever,

Through all ages he is king;

Unto him, thy God, O Zion,

Joyful hallelujahs sing.

The Son of God Goes Forth to War

The Son of God goes forth to war,

A kingly crown to gain;

His blood-red banner streams afar;

Who follows in His train?

Who best can drink His cup of woe,

Triumphant over pain,

Who patient bears his cross below,

He follows in His train.

The martyr first, whose eagle eye

Could pierce beyond the grave,

Who saw his Master in the sky,

And called on Him to save;

Like Him, with pardon on his tongue

In midst of mortal pain,

He prayed for them that did the wrong;

Who follows in his train?

A glorious band, the chosen few

On whom the Spirit came,

Twelve valiant saints, their hope they knew

And mocked the cross and flame;

They met the tyrant’s brandished steel,

The lion’s gory mane;

They bowed their necks the death to feel;

Who follows in their train?

A noble army, men and boys,

The matron and the maid,

Around the Savior’s throne rejoice,

In robes of light arrayed;

They climbed the steep ascent of heav’n

Through peril, toil and pain;

O God to us may grace be giv’n

To follow in their train.

Am I a Soldier of the Cross?

Am I a soldier of the cross,

  A foll’wer of the Lamb?

And shall I fear to own His cause

  Or blush to speak His Name?

Must I be carried to the skies

  On flow’ry beds of ease

While others fought to win the prize

  And sailed through bloody seas?

Are there no foes for me to face?

  Must I not stem the flood?

Is this vile world a friend to grace

  To help me on to God?

Sure I must fight if I would reign;

  Increase my courage Lord!

I’ll bear the toil, endure the pain,

  Supported by Thy Word.

Afflicted Saint, to Christ Draw Near

Afflicted saint, to Christ draw near,

Your Savior’s gracious promise hear;

His faithful Word you can believe:

That as your days your strength shall be.

Your faith is weak, your foes are strong,

And if the conflict should be long,

The Lord will make the tempter flee

That as your days your strength shall be.

  So, sing with joy, afflicted one;

  The battle’s fierce, but the victory’s won!

  God shall supply all that you need;

  Yes, as your days your strength shall be.

Should persecution rage and flame,

Still trust in your Redeemer’s name.

In fiery trials you shall see

That as your days your strength shall be.

When called to bear your weighty cross

Or sore affliction, pain, or loss,

Or deep distress or poverty,

Still as your days your strength shall be.

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