Bayshore Gardens Community Church B elieving, Again G aining Hope C aring Relationships C hrist Jesus

WE EXTEND A WARM WELCOME TO MEMBERS, REGULAR ATTENDERS, and THOSE VISITING TODAY. If you are visiting with us, we welcome you to our church! You are no longer a stranger for you are with the people of God.

WE INVITE YOU TO SIGN THE WHITE ATTENDANCE PAD so that we may celebrate your presence with us today! Please pass it on to the next person and then back down the row

Please Take Your Bulletins Home With You and Read Announcements We invite you to take advantage of the many opportunities for fellowship and service

THE PRELUDE Harriet Hoeksema, Organ

Bayshore Gardens Community Church B elieving, Again G aining Hope C aring Relationships C hrist Jesus

THE CALL TO WORSHIP From Psalm 103 [ Leader / CONGREGATION ] Bless the Lord, O my soul, AND ALL THAT IS WITHIN ME, Bless His Holy Name AS FOR MEN AND WOMEN, their days are like grass, LIKE THE FLOWER OF THE FIELD, The wind blows over it and it is gone. ITS PLACE REMEMBERS IT NO MORE.

But the mercy of the Lord IS FROM EVERLASTING TO EVERLASTING Bless the Lord, O my soul, BLESS HIS HOLY NAME!

THE OPENING HYMN #87 ‘FAIREST LORD JESUS’ Fairest Lord Jesus! Ruler of all nature, O Thou of God and man the Son! Thee will I cherish, Thee will I honor, Thou, my soul’s glory, joy and crown.

(2) Fair are the meadows, Fairer still the woodlands, Robed in the blooming garb of spring. Jesus is fairer, Jesus is purer, Who makes the woeful heart to sing.

(3) Fair is the sunshine, Fairer still the moonlight, And all the twinkling starry host. Jesus shines brighter, Jesus shines purer, Than all the angels heav’n can boast.

(4) Beautiful Savior! Lord of all nations! Son of God and Son of Man! Glory and honor, Praise, adoration, Now and forever more be Thine!

SILENT PRAYERS OF THANKSGIVING AND CONFESSION THE ASSURANCE OF PARDON ROMANS 5:1 Since we have been made right with God through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

‘YOU ARE WORTHY’ #100 (American English Translation) You are worthy; You are worthy, You are worthy, O Lord, To receive glory, glory and honor, Glory and honor and power. For You have created, have all things created; You have created all things. And for Your pleasure they are created; For You are worthy, O Lord. (Please Repeat)

A TIME OF SHARING WITH GOD’S CHILDREN OF ALL AGES

THE HOLY SCRIPTURE Psalm 37:23-24 The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in Him; though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with His hand.

# 456 ‘FIND US FAITHFUL’ O may all who come behind us find us faithful; May the fire of our devotion light their way. May the footprints that we leave, lead them to believe, And the lives we live inspire them to obey. O may all who come behind us find us faithful. (Please repeat)

The Sermon “Failure is an Event, not a Person” Elder Roy Palk, J.D. (Guest Preacher)

The world brutally, and wrongly, concludes that those who do not succeed in a particular effort are “failures”, especially if they make more than one unsuccessful try. Most times, no differentiation is made between the person and the result.

1. What is the simple definition of failure? Insufficiency, lack of a desired outcome 2. Examples of people who failed: Some famous Americans: A. Walt Disney- Was once told he had no imagination---- B. J.K. Rowling (creator of Harry Potter) Was once on welfare----

C. Oprah Winfrey- A Baltimore TV station fired her as “unfit” for TV---- D. Fred Astaire- MGM noted that Astaire, "Can't act. Can't sing. Slightly bald. Can dance a little."

E. The Beatles- Dropped by Decca records-“no future in show business” F. Elvis Presley- Fired from the Grand Ole Opry- “you ain’t going nowhere, son. You ought to go back to drivin’ a truck”

Some famous Bible characters who failed God: A. Adam and Eve- Genesis 3: 1-24 B. King David- Second Samuel C. Noah- Genesis 9:21 D. Peter- Luke 22: E. Paul (Saul of Tarsus) - 1 Timothy 1: F. Judas- Matthew 26: 47-50

3. Who will experience failure? EVERYONE! This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, -for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 3: 22-23

4. What does the Bible say about failure? A. Expect it: John 15: 18 “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you”.

B. Deal with it and be victorious: Philippians: 4: “Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with

perseverance the race marked out for us.” God has marked out a course for each of us, and sometimes that course includes failure. But when we cling to the Savior, even our failures can be turned into successes by the One who controls all things and who strengthens us in our weakness”.

C. Seek Wisdom in Dealing with Failure Proverbs 9:10, ESV The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight. James 1: "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed."

5. Is failure a fatality? Depends on how do we react to it? -Be fortified by the spirit of Christ: 1 John 4:4- You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them (worldly spirits), because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.

- Be strong and courageous: Joshua 1:9- Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the L ORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”

-Turn weakness into strength by God’s Grace: 2 Corinthians 2: But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Benefit from the indwelling of the Holy Spirit: Romans 5: 3-5- Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

6. In summary: A. Failure isn’t fatal if we don’t let it be such B. God, through the Holy Spirit, equips us to cope C. All will fail, how many will recover? D. Failure is an event, not a person

The Pastoral Prayer and The Lord’s Prayer OUR FATHER, WHO ART IN HEAVEN, HALLOWED BE THY NAME. THY KINGDOM COME, THY WILL BE DONE, ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN. GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD, AND FORGIVE US OUR DEBTS AS WE FORGIVE OUR DEBTORS; AND LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION BUT DELIVER US FROM EVIL. FOR THINE IS THE KINGDOM, AND THE POWER, AND THE GLORY FOREVER AMEN.

OUR OFFERING As A Tangible Expression Of Our Gratitude To God, We Joyfully Offer Our Monetary Gifts To Financially Support God's Work At Bayshore Gardens Community Church

OFFERTORY MUSIC Harriet Hoeksema, Organ

meditation If you have some questions in the corners of your mind, Traces of discouragement and peace you cannot find. Reflections of your past seem to face you every day, But this one thing I do know, Jesus is the way

I know you’ve got mountains that you think you cannot climb, I know your skies are dark, you think the sun won’t shine. In case you do not know that the word of God is true, And ev’rything He’s promised, He will do it all for you.

Jesus is the answer for the world today, Above Him there’s no other, Jesus is the way. Jesus is the answer for the world today, Above Him there’s no other, Jesus is the way

THE DOXOLOGY PRAISE GOD FROM WHOM ALL BLESSINGS FLOW; PRAISE HIM ALL CREATURES HERE BELOW; PRAISE HIM ABOVE YE HEAVENLY HOST; PRAISE FATHER, SON AND HOLY GHOST. AMEN

THE CLOSING HYMN #607 ‘CLOSE TO THEE’

(1) Thou, my everlasting portion, More than friend or life to me; All along my pilgrim journey, Savior, let me walk with Thee. Close to Thee, All along my pilgrim journey, Savior, let me walk with Thee.

(2) Not for ease or worldly pleasure, Nor for fame my prayer shall be; Gladly will I toil and suffer, Only let me walk with Thee. Close to Thee, Gladly will I toil and suffer, Only let me walk with Thee.

(3) Lead me through the vale of shadows, Bear me o’er life’s fitful sea; Then the gate of life eternal May I enter, Lord, with Thee. Close to Thee, Then the gate of life eternal May I enter, Lord, with Thee.

THE PASTORAL BENEDICTION Go forth from this place as God’s elect and covenant people... AMEN