When it comes to the doctrine of election and God's sovereign choice in saving some and not others, we are often quick to put "God in the dock" (to use C.S. Lewis' term) and accuse him of unfairness and injustice. Yet, we cannot get by the reality that God's purpose in election is in fact to manifest His glory and magnify His grace. As we better grasp God's sovereignty in election, we become more humble worshipers of God and more compassionate witnesses of Jesus. Join us as we wade into the deep waters of Romans 9 and look at God's sovereign purpose in election.

Every Christian faces fear and uncertainty in this life. That’s why it is immensely comforting to know that the God of the of the universe not only knows them, but He speaks to us in the midst of them through His Word. Join us as we study Psalm 46 together and learn that when fears and uncertainty rise within us, God reminds us that He is for us, He is with us, and – even more – He invites us to rest in Him through the grace given to us in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Today we welcome as our guest preacher Rev. Ross Durham, pastor at Grace Hill Church in Hillsborough. Ross is originally from the west coast but has been in the NC area since 2000. He received his MDiv from Gordon Conwell and his ThM from Princeton Theological Seminary. He interned at Redeemer (PCA) in New York City with Tim Keller and served as an Associate Pastor at Church of the Good Shepherd (PCA) in Durham before being called as church planter and pastor at Grace Hill (ARP) in Hillsborough. Ross opens up our summer series on "Favorite Pslams" with Psalm 3.

Is there anything that is truly invincible? Is there anyone that is not in some way vulnerable? Even the most powerful superhero we dream up has his Achilles heel, his weak spot, and certainly in the real world there are many ways in which we find ourselves threatened, accused and even attacked. But for the follower of Jesus, the reality is that we are ultimately invincible. We are "more than conquerors" not because of anything we do or have done, but because of who is on our side. Now we consider the invincible, inseparable love of God for us through Christ Jesus.

When trying to get in shape, people will often go through rigorous exercise regimens that are strenuous and painful. They literally groan under the strain and weight of that which in the end is making them stronger and healthier. In this life, we suffer many pains and struggles that at times may want to make us give up. But for the Christian, we know that these things are leading to something better, and that God is using even the heavy trials that make us groan, for our good and ultimate glory. Now we look at the hope we have in this life as we groan for glory.

To know that you have freedom is a wonderful reality and motivation. To be able to live out that freedom in all areas of your life is truly a great privilege and joy. To have assurance that that freedom can't be taken away is the ultimate in security. As the apostle Paul repeatedly emphasizes in his letter to the Romans, one of the great hallmarks of the gospel is that it is truly liberating on so many fronts. And the knowledge, experience and assurance of that freedom is ultimately the work of the Holy Spirit in the heart and life of the believer. We continue in our study of Romans and look at the freeing work of the Spirit of life for those who are in Christ.

We can all identify with that humorous picture of a little devil and a little angel perched on opposite shoulders, each whispering contrasting advice into your ear about how you should react to a particular decision and situation. Some of us may even remember that familiar excuse of a popular comedian, "The Devil made me do it." While we can try to downplay or dismiss the seriousness of the inner struggle we face between choosing to do what we know to be right or wrong, for the Christian it is a real ongoing battle with very serious consequences. And it is a battle which if fought on our own and in our own strength, we are destined to lose. So how do we fight this battle? Join us as we hear the apostle Paul's personal testimony of the battle within and victory we have in Christ.

In his defense of the gospel and salvation by grace apart from the law in Romans, Paul has repeatedly spoken of the inability of God's law to justify sinners and how grace sets us free from being under the law. Indeed, he says, we must die to the law. The obvious objection to this view is that the law of God must therefore be bad and sinful. Paul says no way and goes on to share his own experience in defense of the law. Here we see Paul's answer to the question, "On whose side is the law?"

Being a Christian requires both surrender and commitment: surrendering our lives to the Lord Jesus Chris,t and committing ourselves to seek after and serve Him all of our days. Yet along with this new life comes the familiar daily struggle with temptation to sin and the lure of giving in to it, thereby enslaving ourselves to it once again. What hope then do we have in this battle? Join us as we resume our study of the Book of Romans and consider a true matter of life or death: the difference between giving ourselves to God or giving ourselves to sin.

It is all too easy to look upon those who are persecuted for their faith in Jesus Christ with pity and even Godly grief. We pray for them and support organizations that exist to minister to them. But do we rise up and call them blessed? Do we stand with them in their persecution and live as though we expect to face the same things that they do? We draw our current series, The Blessed Life, to a close by seeking to understand what Jesus meant when He said that we are blessed when we are persecuted for righteousness sake.