November 5, 2023

*Call to Worship | 1 Peter 5:6-7 | Blake Arnoult

God invites and calls us into his presence to worship him.

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6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

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*Song of Adoration | A Mighty Fortress Is Our God

We begin by responding with praise to God for who he is and for what he does. 

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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 does seek to work us woe;

his craft and power are great, and armed with cruel hate,

on earth is not his equal.

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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.

You 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.

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And though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us,

we will not fear, for God has willed His truth to triumph through 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.

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That Word above all earthly powers no thanks to them abideth;

the Spirit and the gifts are ours through 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!

Music and Lyrics: Martin Luther

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*Confession of Faith | Heidelberg Catechism Q.1

With the church in history we confess a basic statement of what Christians believe.

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What is your only comfort in life and death?      

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That I am not my own, but belong with body and soul, both in life and in death, to my faithful Savior Jesus Christ. He has fully paid for all my sins with His precious blood, and has set me free from all the power of the devil. He also preserves me in such a way that without the will of my heavenly Father not a hair can fall from my head; indeed, all things must work together for my salvation. Therefore, by His Holy Spirit He also assures me of eternal life and makes me heartily willing and ready from now on to live for Him.

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*Song of Confession | This Is My Father’s World

Psalms, hymns, spiritual songs are simply prayers that are sung. We respond in repentance and praise for God’s redemptive work in Christ.

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This is my Father’s world, and to my list’ning ears,

All nature sings, and round me rings

The music of the spheres.

This is my Father’s world: I rest me in the thought

Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas;

His hand the wonders wrought.

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This is my Father’s world, the birds their carols raise,

The morning light, the lily white,

Declare their Maker’s praise.

This is my Father’s world: He shines in all that’s fair;

In the rustling grass I hear Him pass;

He speaks to me everywhere.

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This is my Father’s world, from the shining courts above,

The Beloved One, His Only Son,

Was giv’n to show God’s love.

This is my Father’s world: why should my heart be sad?

The Lord is King; let the heavens ring!

God reigns; let earth be glad!

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This is my Father’s world. O let me ne’er forget

That though the wrong seems oft so strong,

God is the ruler yet.

This is my Father’s world: The battle is not done;

Jesus who died shall be satisfied,

And earth and heav’n be one.

Music and Lyrics: Maltbie D. Babcock

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Confession of Sin | Psalm 25:6-7, 16-20

We fight the temptation to hide our sin and instead acknowledge it openly to God, but we do so in light of the grace offered in Jesus.

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6 Remember your mercy, O LORD, and your steadfast love,

for they have been from of old.

7 Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions;

according to your steadfast love remember me,

for the sake of your goodness, O LORD!

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16 Turn to me and be gracious to me,

for I am lonely and afflicted.

17 The troubles of my heart are enlarged;

bring me out of my distresses.

18 Consider my affliction and my trouble,

and forgive all my sins.

19 Consider how many are my foes,

and with what violent hatred they hate me.

20 Oh, guard my soul, and deliver me!

Let me not be put to shame, for I take refuge in you.

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Assurance of Pardon | Philippians 4:5-7 | Blake Arnoult

The good news of the gospel is that we are forgiven in Jesus Christ. This assurance is based on God’s words of promise and it is therefore certain.

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The Lord is at hand; 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

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*Song of Response | Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing

We respond in repentance and praise for God’s redemptive work in Christ.

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Come Thou Fount of every blessing

Tune my heart to sing Thy grace;

Streams of mercy, never ceasing,

Call for songs of loudest praise

Teach me some melodious sonnet,

Sung by flaming tongues above.

Praise the mount! I’m fixed upon it,

Mount of Thy redeeming love.

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Here I raise my Ebenezer;

Hither by Thy help I’m come;

And I hope, by Thy good pleasure,

Safely to arrive at home.

Jesus sought me when a stranger,

Wandering from the fold of God;

He, to rescue me from danger,

Interposed His precious blood.

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O to grace how great a debtor

Daily I’m constrained to be!

Let Thy goodness like a fetter,

Bind my wandering heart to Thee.

Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,

Prone to leave the God I love;

Here’s my heart, O take and seal it,

Seal it for Thy courts above

Music and Lyrics: Robert Robinson

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Prayer of Thanksgiving 

We offer our gratitude to God in prayer in response to his gifts and blessings to his people and ask that he make us faithful managers of these gifts.

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Song of Thanks | Great Is Thy Faithfulness

As we offer our prayers so we also offer up our thanks in song.

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Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father

There is no shadow of turning with Thee

Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not

As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be

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Great is Thy faithfulness, great is Thy faithfulness

Morning by morning new mercies I see

All I have needed Thy hand hath provided

Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me

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I could not love Thee, so blind and unfeeling;

Covenant promises fell not to me.

Then without warning, desire, or deserving,

I found my Treasure, my pleasure, in Thee.

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Chorus

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I have no merit to woo or delight Thee,

I have no wisdom or pow’rs to employ;

Yet in thy mercy, how pleasing thou find’st me,

This is Thy pleasure: that Thou art my joy.

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Chorus

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Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,

Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;

Strength for today, and bright hope for tomorrow

Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside.

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Chorus

Music and Lyrics: William M. Runyan, Thomas O. Chisholm, John Piper

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Prayer for Christ’s Church

We lift up our requests to God knowing that he hears us when we pray.

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*Reading of Scripture | Matthew 6:25-34 | Rev. Blake Arnoult

God reveals himself and his work and speaks to us his people through his Word.

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25 Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

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34 “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

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Pastor: The Word of the Lord

People: Thanks be to God

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The Preaching of the Word | Rev. Blake Arnoult

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“On Worry”

Matthew: The Sermon on the Mount

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Pastoral Prayer

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Sacrament of Communion

Sacraments are visible signs of the invisible grace of God - what Christ does by his Holy Spirit within us. Communion (also called the Lord’s Supper or the Eucharist), as the distribution of the elements of bread and wine, symbolizes a meal. Communion is a sign of fellowship. That sign signifies more than just the future heavenly fellowship that is to come. The outward sign signifies the inner reality that sinners already experience fellowship with God in the Spirit because of Jesus. Communion is not a meal for good people. It functions as a renewing seal to desperate sinners of that fellowship we have with our holy and gracious God.

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You will be invited to come forward. If you are not a Christian we encourage you to spend this time in reflection on what you’ve seen and heard in the worship. Children who have not received their first communion are welcome and encouraged to come forward with their families to witness their partaking. We invite children who are ready to make a public profession of faith in Christ to arrange a meeting with the elders, and thus become “communicants” at the Lord’s Table. 

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Pastor: The Lord be with you.

People: And also with you.

Pastor: Lift up your hearts!

People: We lift them up to the Lord.

Pastor: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

People: It is right to give him thanks and praise.

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Prayer of Thanksgiving and Words of Institution

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Pastor: Let us proclaim the mystery of the faith: 

People: Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again. Hallelujah! 

Pastor: Christ, our Passover, has been sacrificed for us. Hallelujah! 

People: Therefore, let us keep the feast. 

Pastor: The gifts of God for the people of God.

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Please let an usher know if it is difficult for you to come forward. We would be happy to serve you at your seat. All communion bread is gluten-free. All communion wine is made from  grape juice.

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A communion prayer for those searching for the truth:

Lord Jesus, you claim to be the way, the truth and the life. If what you claim is true, please guide me, teach me, and open to me the reality of who you are. Give me the ability to follow you no matter what it might cost me. Give me an understanding for you that is coherent, convincing, and leads to the life that you promise. Amen.

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Communion Song | Jesus Is Better

We celebrate our communion in faith and song.

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There is no other so sure and steady, my hope is held in Your hand.

When castles crumble, and breath is fleeting,

Upon this Rock I will stand; Upon this Rock I will stand.

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Glory, glory, we have no other King, but Jesus Lord of all!

Raise the anthem, our loudest praises ring; We crown Him 

Lord of all!

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Your kindly rule has shattered and broken the curse of sin's tyranny.

My life is hidden 'neath Heaven's shadow,

Your crimson flood covers me; Your crimson flood covers me.

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Glory, glory, we have no other King, but Jesus Lord of all!

Raise the anthem, our loudest praises ring; We crown Him 

Lord of all!

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In all my sorrows, Jesus is better; Make my heart believe.

In every victory, Jesus is better; Make my heart believe.

Than any comfort, Jesus is better; Make my heart believe.

More than all riches, Jesus is better; Make my heart believe.

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Our souls declaring, Jesus is better! Make our hearts believe.

Our song eternal, Jesus is better! Make our hearts believe.

Music and Lyrics: Aaron Ivey, Brett Land

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Departing Song | I Stand Amazed

We begin to end in faith and song.

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I stand amazed in the presence of Jesus the Nazarene,

And wonder how He could love me, a sinner condemned, unclean.

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How marvelous! How wonderful! And my song shall ever 

be: How marvelous! How wonderful! Is my Savior’s love for

me!

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For me it was in the garden, He prayed: “Not my will, but Thine.”

He had no tears for His own griefs, but sweat-drops of blood for mine.

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Chorus

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He took my sins and my sorrows, He made them His very own;

He bore the burden to Calvary, and suffered, and died alone.

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Chorus

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When with the ransomed in glory His face I at last shall see,

’Twill be my joy through the ages to sing of His love for me.

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/Chorus/

Music and Lyrics: Charles Hutchison Gabriel

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*Benediction | Philippians 4:19-20 | Blake Arnoult

God sends us out with his blessing. A benediction is not a prayer. We don’t bow our heads. We lift them up and even lift up our hands to receive his blessing as we are sent out as participants in his mission to the city of man.

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19 And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. 20 To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.

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ANNOUNCEMENTS

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Bible Studies

Women’s Morning Study: Weekly on Wednesdays at 9:30am from August 23 - November 15 at the Wade home.

Men’s Morning Study: Monthly on the first Friday of each month, 7am at Bean and Bottle. 9655 Katy Freeway Suite 100. 

Women’s Evening Study: November’s study will take place on November 16th at 7pm at the home of Susan and Jeff Arnoult.

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Youth Gathering - Save the Date!

Sunday, November 12 

Save the date for a youth gathering on November 12, directly after the service! 

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Adult Christmas Party

Sunday, December 3 at 7pm! 

Save the date for our adult Christmas party taking place on December 3 at the Plank home!

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Children’s and Youth Christmas Party

Sunday, December 10 at 11:30am!

Save the date for our children’s and youth Christmas Party taking place on December 10 at the Donovan home!

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