July 8, 2012
SOVEREIGN GRACE BAPTIST CHURCH
LOCATION
Rocky Hill Firehouse, 2nd Floor
150 Washington Street
Rocky Hill, New Jersey, 08553
Telephone: 615-513-4464
Schedule of Services
Sunday 10:15 AM Bible Class
Sunday 11 AM Morning Service
Thursday 7:30 PM Midweek Service
ANNOUNCEMENTS: Don Fortner is
scheduled to preach for us Thursday and Friday, July 19-20, at 7:30 pm &
Saturday, July 21 at 10 am with lunch following. July Birthdays: Carly
Cavalier—3rd
Hebrews
7: 19: For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did;
by the which we draw nigh unto God.
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“Covenant mercy is sure as the throne of God.”
Charles Spurgeon
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True worship is not
primarily a cultural thing. It is not simply offering to God our sentiments and
feelings expressed according to our culture. It is based on a knowledge of the
majesty and holiness of God and what He requires in worship. It is not
primarily cultural; it is spiritual. Those who know the true God will come into
His presence with holy awe and reverence, whatever their cultural background.
Africans, it is true, like rhythm and music but so does the rock-loving culture
of the West, as evidenced by what takes place in discos or in other
entertainment. Our worship should not be an expression of our culture, but of
the holiness and majesty of God and of our gratitude for His grace towards us
in Christ. A true knowledge of Christ will lead to worship, which is
God-glorifying, whatever the cultural background. There will be more putting
our hands over our mouths (Job 40:4) and covering our faces (Isaiah 6:2) than
there will be hands in the air and dancing in the aisles! When people know the
true God, their worship is reverent and God-glorifying, whatever their cultural
background. -Bill Clark
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Things to
Remember
2 Peter 1:13-15
Is Christ my Life? Is Christ my
All? Am I living to further his name or my own? The Spirit of God
through Peter is putting believers in remembrance to give all diligence to grow
in grace, making our calling and election sure. (Ro 8: 29-30; 2 Co
13:5) If we are truly in Christ it is because God has elected us unto
salvation in Christ. We shall never fall from the mercy and grace of
God. But if we are his, we will give due diligence to Christ our Savior
in all things. Believing on Christ, following Christ, kept by Christ “an
entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom
of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” (2 Pet 1:10-11) Remember then
brethren that our bodies are just a tent that we must soon put off. (Gen
3:19) If our existence was only the temporary then we would live for only
the supreme happiness of our bodies. But our soul lives on after we
have put off these bodies. We will either spend eternity in the bliss of
life in heaven with Christ or in the torments of death in hell separated from
God. Therefore, we would be wise to give all diligence not to live in
this life for our mortal bodies. We ought never abuse or neglect our bodies.
But we are reminded constantly throughout the scriptures to care for our bodies
in the exceedingly greater interest of our immortal souls. Washed by the Holy
Spirit in the blood of Christ Jesus our body is a member of Christ’s body
because the temple of the Holy Spirit dwells within us. (1 Co 6:15, 19) Our
Redeemer has purchased us with the price of his blood. Our body and our
spirit belong to him. Therefore glorify God in your body, and in your
spirit, which are God’s. Peter is old when writing this. By God growing
him in grace, he knows by painful trial, by foolish mistakes, the things which
are really important in this life. This life is not about pampering our
bodies and heaping honors and ease upon ourselves. It is about growing in
our Redeemer and about furthering the truth of Christ. This is the
purpose for which God has made us his workmanship. “Yea, I think it meet,
as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in
remembrance; Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle,
even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me. Moreover I will endeavor that ye
may be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance.”
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A Privilege to
Hold Fast
Nothing else but the life of Christ
within the mortal body of the believer makes a believer steadfast in faith and
grace to stand with Christ through all adversity. And because God has made us
believe on Christ we speak the truth in Christ. (2 Co 4:8-15) Though
our outward flesh is decaying and wasting away our inward man grows stronger by
the grace and faithfulness of Christ every day. (2 Co 4:16) As we suffer
in these bodies for his sake whatever is for God’s glory is but ‘light
affliction’ in light of glory. (2 Co 4:17; Rom 8:18) We have something far
better than this earthly tent and this world. We have ‘in the heavens’ an
eternal house made by God through the righteousness of Christ. (2 Co 4:18; 5:1)
Brethren, our sin, the burdens and the opposition in this life make us
groan. How I desire to be free from all sin, don’t you? Yet, not merely
that we should be free from suffering, but that we be perfectly conformed to
Christ our Life to enjoy uninterrupted communion with our Beloved. (2 Co 5:2-4)
But for now, God chose us, Christ redeemed us, and the Spirit quickened us
giving us the privilege for a little while on this earth to bear witness of his
glory and grace (2 Co 5:5) That is a privilege worth holding fast.
Therefore let us do so by the ever-present constraint of Christ’s sovereign,
unchangeable love.
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We Know No Man
After the Flesh
When Christ was looked upon with carnal
eyes, men despised and rejected him just like they do his disciples. But now by
the grace of God we know Christ in the heart, in spirit and truth. We no
longer glory in the outward form like we did when we were in our self-righteous
dead flesh. (2 Co 5:14-17; Gal 2:20; 1:10; 6:14) Don’t hear the gospel of
God’s grace in vain! Don’t put it aside and go on glorying in a form of
religion or living for these tents of flesh. This is the day of grace!
Believe on Christ and follow him. (2 Co 5:18-21; 6:1-2)