June 30, 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
?-----------------------------?
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.
?-----------------------------?
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE WEBSITE: The videos are now listed as individual sermons, as well as full services—click here.
?-----------------------------?
REMEMBER
·
Next Sunday, July 7, Jeff Moyer,
Joyce Moyer and Greg Cooper are scheduled to confess Christ in believer’s
baptism. In August, Cyril and Lenore
Rennels are scheduled to do so in the Doodnath’s pool.
·
Our conference is scheduled for
July Friday, July 19 – Sun, July 21. We
will have services Friday night, Saturday morning and night, and Sunday
morning. I have invited four pastors who
each will preach two sermons for us: John Chapman, David Eddmenson, Don
Fortner, and Paul Mahan.
?-----------------------------?
Psalm 119:165: Great peace have
they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.
?-----------------------------?
He Must Increase – I Must
Decrease
As the years pass, I come to a
greater and greater realization of how much I must depend upon the grace of God
for my salvation. My righteousness appears less and less acceptable in my
sight: and if it looks poor in my sight, how awful it must appear in God’s
sight! My will and determination do not appear half so strong as they once did,
and I feel a greater need to rely upon the unchangeable will of God if I am to
persevere. This business of growing in grace is not at all what I once thought
it would be. Rather than growing stronger, it seems I am growing weaker. Rather
than growing more self-sufficient, it appears that I am growing more Christ -
dependent. My utter dependence on Christ for all things is more evident to me now
than before. I suppose this is why Peter united growing in grace with growing
in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus.
So, if your
desire is to grow in grace, then prepare yourself to diminish; prepare yourself
to reduce in the flesh, for growth in grace is a growth in “Christ being formed
in you,” which always follows the old pattern “He must increase, I must
decrease.”
–Joe Terrell
Christ Is Greater Than
Things Associated With Him
Many treasure things associated with Christ, more than the Christ
of those things; few treasure Christ more than things associated with Him.
- Many
celebrate the birth, crucifixion, and resurrection of Christ; few
celebrate the Christ who was born, crucified, and resurrected.
- Many
cherish the cross of Christ; few cherish the Christ of the cross.
- Many
boast of being in the church of Christ; few know what it is to be in the
Christ of the church.
- Many
debate the gospel of Christ; few believe in the Christ who is the gospel.
- Many
profess what is called the finished work of Christ; few profess the Christ
who finished His work.
- Many
declare justification and sanctification to be through Christ; few declare
Christ to be their only righteousness and holiness.
- Many
partake of bread and wine in what is called the Lord’s Supper; few partake
of the Christ represented by those elements.
- Many
speak of the return of Christ; few speak of the Christ who is returning.
- Many
look for the coming kingdom of Christ; few acknowledge the Christ who is
presently King.
- Many
hope to go to the heaven of Christ; few want to go to the Christ of
heaven.
Many claim to believe in all the things
associated with Christ; few confess “Christ is all, and in all” (Colossians
3:11)—and everything apart from Christ is nothing. –Daniel Parks
?-----------------------------?
Of Suffering
It is not every
suffering that makes a martyr, but suffering for the word of God after a right
manner; that is, not only for righteousness, but for righteousness’ sake; not
only for truth, but out of love to truth; not only for God’s word, but
according to it; that is, in that holy, humble, meek manner, as the word of God
requires.
It is a rare thing to suffer aright, and
to have my spirit in suffering turned only against God’s enemy, sin; sin in
doctrine, sin in worship, sin in life, and sin in conversation. …
I have often thought that the best of
Christians are found in the worst of times. And I have thought again that one
reason why we are no better, is because God purges us no more. Noah and Lot—who
so holy as they in the time of their afflictions? And yet who so idle as they
in the time of their prosperity? –John Bunyan
“Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.”
Colossians 4:5
Walking here is
conducting yourself and redeeming is to make wise use of. Both are used here
with regard to how we spend our time in relation to the lost people around us,
who are without the Lord Jesus Christ. Verse 6 in this same context shows that
it is by speaking and answering that we perform this. In what way? Let your
speech be seasoned with grace. Further light is shed on this in verse 3 where
Paul requests prayer that he might be enabled to speak the mystery of Christ,
God opening a door of utterance for him to do so.
So, we are exhorted to
be wise in our conduct toward sinners. How? By making the most of the time
given us. How? By speaking to and answering them. Regarding what? The mystery
of Christ, and the grace of God as it is in Christ. God help me, in the place
where He has opened a door for me to live and speak, to take this exhortation
to heart, and act upon it. Oh, the continual struggle it is to keep my mind,
heart, and all my efforts focused upon Christ and Him crucified. Oh, for the
grace to determine with Paul, to know nothing else. I disobey the God Who
opened the door for me, and greatly wrong those who hear me, if I deviate ever,
at all.
I understand the difference between Supralapsarianism
and Infralapsarianism and I could
explain them, but will it give a sinner any hope of forgiveness for his sin?
Will God use it to save? I do not
understand fully the mystery of Christ, and cannot explain it, but can
declare it, and it does give hope to sinners. This is what God has declared He
will use as the means whereby He will “save them that believe.” There are many
all around me who preach “another gospel” and I know wherein they err and could
correct them, or at least condemn them. Is this what God called me to do? Would
I be walking in wisdom toward them that are without? Thank God for the man,
who, at every opportunity, simply preaches the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Though he be branded a simpleton, and accused of avoiding the “issues” of the
day, he will not swerve from Christ and His glorious sin-atoning death. I want
to be that man. Pray for me, that God will make it so.
–Chris Cunningham
?-----------------------------?
The Lord knoweth how to
deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of
judgment to be punished.
–2 Peter 2:9
?-----------------------------?
Be as much troubled by
unjust praises, as by unjust slanders. –Philip
Henry
?-----------------------------?
This is true obedience,
whether to God or man, when we look not so much to the letter of the law, as to
the mind of the law-maker. –John Trapp