Sovereign Grace Baptist Church

Free Grace Media

Of Princeton, New Jersey

 

AuthorClay Curtis
TitleWeekly Bulletin 2-3-2019
Bible TextPsalm 20:7-8
Date02-Feb-2019
Article Type Bulletin
PDF Format pdf
Word Format doc
 

February 3, 2019

SOVEREIGN GRACE BAPTIST CHURCH

 

MEETING LOCATION

251 Green Lane

Ewing, NJ, 08368

Clay Curtis, pastor

Telephone: 615-513-4464

Clay@FreeGraceMedia.com

 

MAILING ADDRESS:

7 Birch Street

Pennington, NJ, 08538

 

Schedule of Services

Sunday 10: 15 AM Bible Class

Sunday 11:00 AM Morning Service

Thursday 7: 30 PM Midweek Service

 

Services Broadcast Live @ www.FreeGraceMedia.com/live

 

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NURSERY

We have a nursery equipped with a digital flat screen television broadcasting all services live, for children four and under.  

All articles by the pastor unless otherwise noted.

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SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE WEBSITE: The videos are now listed as individual sermons, as well as full servicesclick here.

 

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Proverbs 12: 23: A prudent man concealeth knowledge: but the heart of fools proclaimeth foolishness.

 

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JUDGE THIS RATHER

 

Brethren, Christ grows each member of his body in grace and knowledge of him according to the measure that pleases our Lord.  Therefore, if a brother struggles to understand a particular doctrine or stumbles in some way, why then would I not be longsuffering, rather than impatient, when I know that only Christ our Prophet is able to make the word effectual and give the increase?  Do we expect the youngest child in our own households to understand what the oldest is able to comprehend?  Would his siblings jump to the conclusion that the youngest is no longer part of the family for that reason?  Likewise, if I am the one who does not understand a particular doctrine would I be wise to jump to the conclusion that the rest of the family is embracing lies?  The wise thing would be to ask God for understanding as I search the scriptures and wait on the Lord to teach me.  Not only does every member of Christ’s body receive our measure of grace and gifts from Christ but also all is of God’s free grace.  Scripture is clear that though we may have gifts differing one from another, yet every member of the body is useful and necessary (1 Cor 12: 12-31).  The apostle Paul said, “Covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way”—that more excellent way is love!  (1 Cor 12: 12-31; 13: 1-8) 

 

      There is no room in any child saved by grace for pride or envy, and especially not for contempt.  These things only endeavor to divide rather than keep the unity of the Spirit.  Who am I to judge one of Christ’s servants?  “To his own Master he standeth or falleth.”  But we know that all who Christ bought with his precious blood and in whom Christ dwells shall stand: “for God is able to make him stand” (Rom 14:2).  Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but JUDGE THIS RATHER, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way…Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another…We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.  Let everyone of us please his neighbor for his good to edification.  For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me” (Rom 14:13,19).

 

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AN ADVOCATE

    “I have to advocate for my patient” is a phrase I often hear from nurses and family members who have a loved one in the hospital.  Doctors have so many patients they don’t have time to think about every detail of every patient, so nurses have to advocate for their patients. Nurses are understaffed so they don’t have the time to think about every detail of every patient, so family members have to advocate for their loved one.  No one in the medical profession can possibly care about a patient as much as the family of the patient.  It is just better to have someone who loves you advocate for you when you cannot advocate for yourself.

 

     “If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” (I John 2:1) What a soul thrilling thought for God’s people!  Christ the Savior always advocates for His sinful people.  His people cannot advocate for themselves: they have nothing to plead.  Christ our advocate is always accepted because He pleads His blood for the sin of His people.  Our Savior is never too overwhelmed to think about His people.  Our Savior never has more pressing issues than His people.  Our Savior is the advocate for the people He loves.  What more could we want?  Pastor Frank Tate

 

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WE WILL REMEMBER

 

Psalm 20: 7: Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God.  8: They are brought down and fallen: but we are risen, and stand upright.

 

All sinners fall into one of these two categories, either they trust in carnal strength or they trust in the LORD our God.  Chariots and horses represent the various carnal, vain securities which sinners look to for salvation.  If any sinner trust in his own righteousness and works, God says, “I will declare thy righteousness, and thy works; for they shall not profit thee” (Is 57: 12).  Salvation is “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us” (Titus 3: 5).

 

     By the grace of God, sinners born and taught of God trust the LORD our God alone for salvation. One thing which marked Israel as God’s peculiar people was the absence of the horse and chariot in their midst (Deut 17: 16) They were to trust God alone to deliver them.  We see this fulfilled in perfection as we behold Christ ride into Jerusalem, not in a chariot or on a mighty stallion, but on a lowly ass’s colt.  The righteous servant of God perfectly submitted to God the Father and Christ is the perfect righteousness of his people.  Now, Christ reigns supreme—John “saw heaven open, and behold a WHITE HORSE; and HE that sat upon him was called FAITHFUL AND TRUE…THE WORD OF GOD…KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS” (Rev 19:11-16).  When the Spirit gives us faith, we are to never look to our works for salvation, only to the LORD our God.  All who trust in any other refuge “are brought down and fallen.”  But all who believe on Christ “are risen, and stand upright.”

 

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Wearisomeness with the warfare in our souls is one means by which our heavenly Father graciously causes his child to calmly and joyfully anticipate entering into the rest that awaits us in Heaven.  Pastor Don Fortner

 

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YE ARE COMPLETE IN HIM

 

“YE ARE COMPLETE IN HIM…” (COLOSSIANS 2:10) The believers standing in Christ does not fluctuate with his feelings, not even the increase or decrease of his faith or understanding or anything else. He stands complete in Christ. God would never trust any of His children to stand before Him at any time in their own selves; that is, in their merits or certain good frames of mind. He knows our frame. He remembers that we are yet dust. Therefore, He has on purpose provided for them this perfect standing in Christ Jesus. “Ye are complete in Him,” the Holy Ghost said. He says in another place, “Ye are perfect in Christ Jesus,”  (Col. 1:28.)

 

     The very nature of our God requires us to be perfect and complete before Him at all times. He, out of necessity, therefore provided all this for His children; a perfection, a completeness, which can never be diminished. It is as unchanging as God himself, (Hebrews 6:17; 13:8). Every true believer may walk through this world in perfect liberty, free from anything and everything – yes, even his sin, fear of condemnation, and all else that would cause him to doubt of his completeness. He may freely come to God, worship Him, call Him “Father,” and this he may do at all times with the utmost confidence and thankfulness, because in Christ he stands, first and foremost and always, complete before God. O thanks be to God for Jesus Christ.  Pastor Bruce Crabtree

                                                                                                        

 

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THE STATE OF THINGS

 

Psalm 20: 8: They are brought down and fallen: but we are risen, and stand upright.

 

This is the current state of the unbeliever and the believer.  Those who do not believe on Christ, right now, “ARE brought down and fallen.”  Christ Jesus said of himself, "He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not IS CONDEMNED ALREADY, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” (Jn 3:18).  Yet, all who trust Christ “ARE risen, and stand upright.” (Ps 20: 8) Sinner, believe on Christ now!  All who believe on Christ are risen and, right now, stand upright.  The Spirit of God says to us, “If ye then BE risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.  Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye ARE dead, and your life IS hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who IS our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory” (Col 3:1-4).