Good morning! I’m glad to welcome you to worship today at Hillcrest Baptist Church.

We live in an era of declining values and moral decay. All around us are signs of failure and fatigue. It seems that many are simply tired of the struggle for good and right, and have just thrown in the towel. Even among the stalwarts of righteousness, the cries for standing up for the present and the future are falling on deaf ears. Fear and hopelessness are evident throughout our society. Sin is taking a deadly toll on us and our nation. It is time for the church to take action.

I am not talking only about attending church services regularly, although that is important. I am saying that it is time to take an honest look at ourselves and to perform an honest and thorough examination in light of God’s Word. I am confident that if, and when, we do so, we will discover that we are a desperately weak and needy people. It is time for the church (us) to look closely at ourselves for sinfulness that hinders our own relationship with Christ, and deters us from full obedience in our walk with Jesus. So, today let us do what we must—repent and follow our God.