Sovereign Grace Baptist Church

May 29, 2022

Weekly Schedule of Services

Our annual summer conference is scheduled for July 8-10 with brothers Frank Tate, Eric Lutter, Kevin Thacker preaching.

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Proverbs 18:14: The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear?

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     When I received news that my father had cancer I was in the airport in Houston sitting at a gate about to board a plane.  It so troubled me that before I realized it, the whole plane boarded and I missed my flight.  How much more heart wrenching to one who receives that news personally!  When Hezekiah received news that he would soon die he acknowledged that it was God’s will and said, “Like a crane or a swallow, so did I chatter: I did mourn as a dove: mine eyes fail with looking upward: O LORD, I am oppressed; undertake for me” (Is 38:14).  Brethren, without diminishing the heartache of one who receives that news, oh that we could remember we have all received it.  Our flesh is grass that is soon cut down.  Our life is a vapor that appears for a little time then vanishes away.  I have known dear brethren who received that news who said the remainder of their days were the best of their life for it made them value more their Redeemer and those they loved.  God was gracious in giving Hezekiah a few more years but then he died. Yet, had God not given him that time, he had the good news, “Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: but thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption: for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back” (Is 38:14, 17).  Christ promised that having HIM we shall not die; we have eternal life and shall soon be with the lover of our souls.  Oh for grace to live this life cherishing our Redeemer and cherishing one another, knowing that any day could be our last. 

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A WORD TO THE TROUBLED HEART

(2 Corinthians 4:7-9) “We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair, persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed.”

“We are troubled” and oppressed in every way. We are never free from one trial or another. We are in the world and expect tribulations (John 16:1-4, 33; 15:19-20), yet we are “not distressed.” We have the peace of God, the manifestations of His love and care, a freedom to the throne, and sufficient grace for every trial (2 Corinthians 12:9). “We are perplexed;” the word signifies doubting and uncertainty. We are often uncertain and in doubt about what will happen to us; and sometimes we know not what to do, which way to take, nor how our needs shall be supplied; but we are “not in despair.” We do not despair of the leadership, help, presence, and support of our Lord. We are “persecuted” of men, cursed, threatened, and despised because we profess Christ and preach Christ crucified, risen, and exalted. But we are “not forsaken” of our Lord, who owns us and causes us always to triumph in Christ (2 Corinthians 2:14). Neither are we forsaken by those who love Christ, for they support us in prayer and provisions. We are “cast down” like an earthen vessel is sometimes cast out or thrown to the earth, seemingly forgotten and deserted. But we are “not destroyed.” We live by the mighty power of God and are immortal until His work in us, through us, and by us is done. Whatever the condition of God’s children in this world, they have a “but not” to comfort them. Their case may be bad, but not hopeless; for HE IS THEIR HOPE! 

–Henry Mahan

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WHY I TELL YOU BEFORE

John 13:19: “Now I tell you before it come, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe that I am he.” 

The natural man reads the word of God to figure out what is going on and what may soon happen. But the Lord gives his word to his children for them to know who brings it to pass. And that he is all our comfort. That “ye may believe that I am he.”

–Eric Lutter

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Brother Scott Richardson used to say, “Ever since I heard the good news, I haven’t heard any bad news.” He did not say this as though there were no sad news. Rather, he had learned the blessed truth that, being under the care and protection of the Almighty, nothing truly bad can happen to the child of God. Indeed, all things work together for the eternal good of God’s elect. There will be times for tears, but there will never be times for despair. There will be circumstances that bewilder us, but there are none that need to overthrow us. Many events will drive us to our knees in prayer, but that, in itself, is good, and even those events have been knitted together by the Sovereign to bring about a wealth of glory for His people that far surpasses the worst suffering of any saint of God.

       I can understand the skeptic or outright atheist being overthrown by his troubles for, to him, they are, at best, the cruel hand of fate. But the believer can see all things as the loving hand of a Father bringing him home!

–Joe Terrell

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John 11:25: Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: 26  And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?

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Since Christ conquered the grave for His people, death does not reign over God’s child, it serves him to bring him to his Redeemer who has everlastingly loved him.  It is merely the dross purged from the silver.  On the other side is an eternal day where God’s child shall behold face to face the Sun of Righteousness arise with healing in his wings.