♫ 2025-08-24 St. Paul's Presbyterian Church

Please Stand for the Word of God

Welcome -

Facing the people, the leader greets them in the Lord's name. The Greeting should be explicitly Christian, declaring that the Lord is present and empowers our worship.

Scripture Reading

Psalm 95:6–7 “Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care.”

Prayer

Heavenly Father,

We come before You this morning with grateful hearts, thankful for the gift of this new day and the privilege to gather in Your name. As the sun rises over our community, may Your light rise within us—illuminating our minds, stirring our spirits, and drawing us closer to You.

We invite Your Holy Spirit to dwell within and among us. Let every word spoken, every song sung, and every prayer lifted be pleasing to You. Quiet our distractions, soften our hearts, and open our ears to hear Your voice.

Bless each person here—those who come with joy, and those who come with burdens. May this time of worship be a sanctuary of peace, a fountain of hope, and a celebration of Your unfailing love.

We dedicate this service to You, Lord. Be glorified in all we do.

In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

Chorus Abba Father

Chorus Change my heart O God

Chorus Seek ye first the kingdom of God

Exhortation

 Dear friends, the scriptures urge us to acknowledge our wickedness before almighty God our heavenly Father and to confess our many sins to Him, that they may be forgiven through His infinite goodness and mercy in Jesus Christ our Lord. We should always humbly admit our sins before God, but especially when we meet together to give thanks for the great benefits we have received from Him, to praise and worship Him, to hear His holy word and to ask what is necessary for our bodies and souls. Therefore let us come before the throne of our gracious God and say together :

General Confession said together.  

Almighty and most merciful Father, we have strayed from Your ways like lost sheep, we have left undone what we ought to have done, and we have done what we ought not to have done. We have followed our own ways and our own desires and we have neglected and broken Your holy laws. Have mercy on us Lord. Restore those who repent and confess their sins according to Your promises declare in Jesus Christ our Lord. Grant, merciful Father, for His sake, that hereafter we may live a righteous and obedient life,  to the glory of Your Holy Name. Amen. 

Assurance of forgiveness said by the minister standing.

Almighty God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, does not desire the death of a sinner, but rather that he should turn from his wickedness and live.  He has given authority and commandment to His ministers to declare to His people that He pardons and forgives the sins of all who truly repent and believe His holy gospel.  Therefore, let us ask Him to grant us true repentance and His Holy Spirit, that we may please Him now, and that the rest of our life may be pure and holy so that at the last we may come to His eternal joy through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father, which art in heaven, Hallowed by thy Name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, In earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; And forgive us our

trespasses, As we forgive them that trespass against us; And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, For ever and ever.  Amen. 

Cathy

will now read the Old Testament reading to us from the NIV pew bible.

She begins with “Hear the Word of God as it is written in

Psalm Psalm 46

First Reading Isaiah 28:14-22

She ends with “This is the word of God”.

Congregation: “Thanks be to God”

Lidia

will now read the New Testament reading to us from the NIV pew bible.

She begins with “Hear the Word of God as it is written in

Second Reading Hebrews 12:18-29

Gospel Luke 13:22-30

She ends with “This is the word of God”.

Congregation: “Thanks be to God”.

Hymn All things bright and beautiful

Sermon

Prayer

Gracious and Almighty God,

As we prepare to hear Your Word, we quiet our hearts before You. We acknowledge Your holiness, Your mercy, and Your unfailing love. You are worthy of our highest praise and our deepest devotion.

Lord, today we reflect on what it means to give You our best—not just in words, but in action, in attitude, and in the stewardship of our lives. Help us to lay aside distractions, pride, and fear, so that we may receive Your truth with humility and courage.

Anoint Your servant who brings the message. May the words spoken be filled with Your Spirit, and may they stir within us a desire to live fully for You. Let this sermon be more than instruction—let it be transformation.

Teach us, Lord, to offer You our best in every season: in our work, our worship, our relationships, and our service. May we not grow weary in doing good, but be renewed in purpose and passion for Your kingdom.

We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ, our Savior and King.

Amen.

WORDS OF LIFE SERIES 1 SECRETS OF SUCCESSFUL LIVING by Francis W. Dixon

Sermon 10                         LIFE ON THE HIGHEST PLANE

Key Verse:  “But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength.  They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”   (Isaiah 40: 31)

The object of this series of studies has been to share some of the biblical secrets of radiant Christian living, and the verse before us tells us what might well be called the over-all secret.  If we are honest with ourselves, we have to admit that there is very much failure in our Christian living and service: 

(1) The Word of God convinces us of our failure.  Do we not oftentimes “faint” and have “no power” (verse 29)?  Do we not often “grow tired” and do we not frequently “fall” (verse 30)?  This is God’s description of the failure which so often characterises the lives of His children. But:

(2) Observation also convinces us of our failure.  We know it is true that we fail because our eyes tell us so as we look at ourselves.  Our own heart tells us that it is true.  How faint and weary we become, and how slow we are to learn the way of victory and power! – look up Proverbs 14:10 “10 The heart knows its own bitterness, And a stranger does not share its joy.” .

1. WHAT IS THE CAUSE OF OUR FAILURE?

(1) The primary cause is Ignorance of the Resources which are at our Disposal.  Yes, ignorance! – look up Hosea 4:6 “6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being My priest. Since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.” , and compare Matthew 22:29 “29 But Jesus answered and said to them, “You are mistaken, not understanding the Scriptures nor the power of God.” , and then see what Isaiah 40:28 “28 Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth Does not become weary or tired. His understanding is inscrutable.” says: “Do you not know…?”  What are the resources at our disposal?  In verses 28 and 29 we read that “The Lord, the everlasting God, the Creator…” is offering to give us power and strength.  So, against the sad background of our failure is the promise of God to turn our failure into glorious triumph. 

This God, this mighty Lord, is placing all His unlimited resources of strength and power at our disposal;  but we must tap these resources, and this indicates the second cause of failure.

(2) The secondary cause is Failure to Tap those Resources. 

That is, failure to appropriate them.   Verse 29 says, “He gives…”, and in response to His giving we must receive.  How does this giving and receiving take place?  How can this mighty enabling become mine?  What is God’s method of transferring His power to me?  In the Authorised Version verse 31 gives the answer – “They that wait upon the Lord…”  But what does it mean to “wait upon the Lord”?  Does it mean to pray, worship, attend services, read the Bible?  Yes, but not primarily.   From Isaiah 41:1, we learn that it means to “Be silent before me” – compare Psalm 62:1 (AV), where the word “waiteth” means “be silent”.

Waiting upon God means to be cast upon Him in utter dependence, ready to hear His voice and do His bidding, having our whole expectation from Him.  It implies complete confidence in the Lord, and absolutely no confidence in self or in human help.

2. WHAT IS THE RESULT OF THUS WAITING UPON THE LORD?

There is a four-fold result, as indicated in verse 31, and as emphasised by the repetition of the four “wills” in this verse.  This is “life on the highest plane”, the truly successful Christian life.

(1) We shall have God’s strength in place of our weakness.  The word “renew” may be translated “change” or “exchange”.  Have you realised that your greatest weakness is your own strength, and that if you will go before the Lord in utter weakness He will exchange your weakness for His strength?  What kind of strength does He give?  (1) Physical strength?  Yes, certainly He can and does renew our physical strength when we wait upon Him – look up Romans 8:11 “11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.” .  (2) Mental strength?  Yes, He is the fountain of all wisdom and He certainly quickens our minds when we wait before Him –

look up Romans 12:2 “2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” ; 

Ephesians 4:23 “23 and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind,” and

2 Timothy 1:7 “7 For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.” . 

(3) Moral strength?  Most certainly He gives this, and how we need this, living as we do in a world which is full of tempting voices and sights! –

look up Ephesians 6:10 “10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.”

and 2 Timothy 2:1 “1 You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.” . 

(4) Spiritual strength?  Yes –

look up Luke 24:49 “49 “And behold, I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”” ;

Acts 1:8 “8 but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”” ;

1 Corinthians 1:25 “25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.” and

Isaiah 30:15 “15 For thus the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, has said, “In repentance and rest you will be saved, In quietness and trust is your strength.” But you were not willing,” .

(2) We shall enjoy life above the average.  We shall “soar on wings like eagles”, far above earth’s level, where, “the things of earth…grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.”   The eagle is the only bird which flies so high that it is lost to sight, and that is where we belong.  We belong to Heaven now (Philippians 3:20).  Here and now we are “raised up with Christ” (Ephesians 2:6) –

look up Colossians 3:1–2 “1 Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.” .  Yet, how many Christians are earth-bound, hopping on the ground like a bird with a broken wing, instead of flying in the heavenly heights like an eagle!  We have been made to fly, not to hop!

(3) We shall do supernatural things.  We shall “run and not grow weary.”  It is not natural to keep running and not feel weary.  God promises supernatural power for the accomplishing of supernatural tasks.  We are a supernatural people because we are linked to a supernatural God! – look up John 7:38;  14:12.   Are the “streams of living water” flowing through us and are the “greater things” being accomplished through us?

(4) We shall live victoriously in the hardest place of all – in the daily routine of life.  We shall “walk and not be faint”.  Notice, it does not say that we shall “run and not faint.”   Sometimes it is much easier to run than to walk!  The most testing place for each one of us is that place where we engage in the “trivial round and common task” – look up Genesis 5:24 and Psalm 37:23 “23 The steps of a man are established by the Lord, And He delights in his way.” .

Dr A. B. Simpson used frequently to get alone in the presence of the Lord and say,  “I’m a failure.  I have no strength and no life.  But Thou art my Life, Thou art my Strength, Thou art my Victory!”  Then, by faith, he would take in the life of his risen Lord for body, mind and spirit.  Surely this is what it means to wait upon the Lord!  And the result? – “Life on the highest plane” – true spiritual success.

Notices Mr. John Oberholzer

Birthdays

Rosa Jacobs 24 Aug

Gerda Benada 25 Aug

Tithing

Collection

Praise God from whom all blessing flow

Prayer

Hymn When upon life’s billows

Doxology - Now unto him.