Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Our sermon focus on Sunday is Ezra 10:5-44. It is a story of hope, in spite of the sins that have been committed as Schechaniah declares, “yet now there is hope in Israel in spite of this.”  In this passage, it is revealed how the people who have married pagan wives work through the details of how they are going to proceed in bringing forth fruit in keeping with their repentance. It is one thing to acknowledge your sin, but its another thing to follow through with necessary changes. In verse 5, Ezra calls for an oath to be taken to follow through. Then in verse 6, Ezra retires to a private place to mourn and to fast. There is urgency, and yet there is a careful process that took 3 months to complete. It was necessary for wisdom to be applied to some complex situations. The question is… where are we in our processes of repentance? All of us have things we need to move upon and to bring forth fruit in keeping with our repentance. Is there anything we are delaying?

Prayer will be held at the Noah’s

Here is a neat refresher on family worship by Joel Beeke.

Also, check out Defending Marriage, https://defendingmarriage.com/ for updates on the local battle over HB2.

Remember the conference this weekend, “The Aggressive Power of the Christian Church” Hope Baptist is doing this as a joint effort in collaboration with the NCFIC and JeremiahCry. We start at 6:30pm on Friday. There is a men’s prayer time at 6:15am on Saturday and a mens breakfast immediately following. If you would like to attend the men’s breakfast, please let Alan Hillman know as we need a number to plan for food. 

The Songs we will be singing on Sunday,

• Come Thou Almighty King
• Holy, Holy, Holy!
• Reformation Hymn
• Ancient Words
• Amazing Grace

Come Thou Almighty King

Come Thou Almighty King

Help us Thy name to sing;

Help us to praise.

Father, all glorious, o’er all victorious,

Come, and reign over us, 

Ancient of Days

Come, Thou Incarnate Word

Gird on Thy mighty sword

Our prayer attend.

Come, and Thy people bless

And give Thy word success

Spirit of holiness

On us descend.

Come Holy Comforter

Thy sacred witness bear

In this glad hour

Thou, who almighty art

Now rule in every heart

And ne’er from us depart

Spirit of pow’r

To Thee, great One in Three

Eternal praises be,

Hence evermore;

Thy sov’reign majesty

May we in glory see

And to eternity

Love and adore

Holy, Holy, Holy!

Holy, holy, holy!  Lord God Almighty!

Early in the morning our song shall rise to Thee

Holy, holy, holy!  Merciful and mighty!

God in three Persons, blessed Trinity!

Holy, holy, holy!  All the saints adore Thee

Casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea

Cherubim and seraphim falling down before Thee

Which wert, and art, and evermore shalt be.

Holy, holy, holy!  Tho’ the darkness hide Thee

Tho’ the eye of sinful man Thy glory may not see

Only Thou art holy – there is none beside Thee

Perfect in pow’r, in love, in purity.

Holy, holy, holy!  Lord God Almighty!

All Thy works shall praise Thy name in earth, and sky, and sea

Holy, holy, holy!  Merciful and mighty!

God in three Persons, blessed Trinity!

Reformation Hymn

We will trust God’s Word alone,

Where His perfect will is known;

Our traditions shift like sand

While His Truth forever stands.

We will live by faith alone,

Clothed in merit not our own;

All we claim is Jesus Christ

And His finished sacrifice.

   Glory be, glory be to God alone

   Through the church He redeemed and made His own.

   He has freed us, He will keep us till we’re safely home

   Glory be, glory be to God alone!

We are saved by grace alone –

Undeserved, yet freely shown;

No accomplishment on earth

Can achieve the second birth.

We will stand on Christ alone,

The unyielding Cornerstone;

Nations rage and devils roar,

Still he reigns forevermore!

   Glory be, glory be to God alone

   Through the church He redeemed and made His own.

   He has freed us, He will keep us till we’re safely home

   Glory be, glory be to God alone!

Ancient Words

Holy words long preserved

For our walk in this world,

They resound with God’s own heart;

Oh, let the ancient words impart.

Words of life, words of hope

Give us strength, help us cope;

In this world, where e’er we roam

Ancient words will guide us home.

   Ancient words, ever true,

   Changing me, and changing you;

   We have come with open hearts,

   Oh, let the ancient words impart.

Holy words of our faith,

Handed down to this age,

Came to us through sacrifice;

Oh heed the faithful words of Christ.

Holy words long preserved

For our walk in this world,

They resound with God’s own heart;

Oh let the ancient words impart.

   Ancient words, ever true,

   Changing me, and changing you;

   We have come with open hearts,

   Oh, let the ancient words impart.

Amazing Grace

Amazing grace! How sweet the sound

That saved a wretch like me!

I once was lost but now am found

Was blind but now I see

‘Twas grace that taught my heart to fear

And grace my fears relieved

How precious did that grace appear 

The hour I first believed

Through many dangers, toils, and snares

I have already come

‘Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far

And grace will lead me home

The Lord has promised good to me,

His Word my hope secures;

He will my Shield and Portion be,

As long as life endures

When we’ve been there ten thousand years 

Bright shining as the sun

We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise

Than when we’d first begun