January 1, 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 PM Midweek Service
THANK YOU
Brethren, Melinda and I thank you for your faithfulness to our God and Savior the Lord Jesus Christ. We thank you for your love toward us. And we thank you for the love you have toward each other. When I find that I am most dull of light you say just the very thing needful and the Lord reminds me that our God really is faithful to his promise—he does have a city on a hill. When I find everything about myself, and this world, to be most unsavory you speak a word in season, and once again, the Lord reminds me that our Redeemer is faithful—he does have salt in this earth. I cannot express to you how thankful I am nor how amazed, at how the Lord continually joins together the heart of his people.
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Isaiah 54:17: No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.”
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“The greatest danger does not lie in the position we are called to occupy, but in our relying upon our own strength, and not upon our God.” Charles Spurgeon
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THE WORD STRONGER THAN OUR FEELINGS
Isaiah 43:1
My brethren, does this current day make you fearful? The judgment of God upon this world and our nation is because we have looked to our own strength rather than regard and rest in the power of God (Is 42:25). These little frames of dust are not able to do anything but make us fearful. My brethren, for just one moment put everything else out of your mind. Slowly, very slowly, read this word of God, “But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not.” This is the word of Almighty God to the weakest there are in this world—God’s Jacobs. Brethren, to you and I, who the Spirit of God has created and called together in Christ in our little corner of the earth, God gives these three reasons never to fear.
For I Have Redeemed You
We have every reason to be fearful in ourselves. Our flesh is but dust. Any who do not trust the Lord alone have great reason to fear. You will meet God in a moment. Christ is the only way of acceptance with God. Repent and believe on Christ. But for you who hope in Christ remember that Christ Jesus is our Kinsman Redeemer. Do you see Christ on the cursed tree? See yourself hanging there in Christ. Settle it in your heart this day that if Christ was made that curse for you then you are completely redeemed from the curse of the law (Gal 3:13). He says to his regenerated child, “Fear not, I have paid all the debt you owe.”
For I Have Called You By Name
Brethren, this means so much more than we realize! When your children were born, you men gave them your name. Their name is your name. When God rebirths his child the Lord gives us his name (Is 42:7). The LORD gave Abraham and Jacob his name (Gen 17:5; 32:28)—our God is “the Father of many nations,” Christ is “Israel who as a Prince hast prevailed with God on our behalf.” What does that mean for you to whom he has truly given the name, “Christ-ian?” Well, consider it from a personal standpoint. We fathers know that as long as our name is on our children, what they do will either glorify our name or shame our name. If we had the power we would make sure our children never shamed our name, wouldn’t we? God has that power. God has so saved his children by the finished work of Christ that the very glory of his name (his name which is thy name; his name by which he has called his regenerated child) is our assurance. He says, “Fear not, you wear my name dear child! I will save you for my name’s sake.” (Eze 20:41-44; Is 48:9-12.)
For You Are Mine
God sent his only begotten Son who “gave himself a ransom for many.” He says now of you in whom he dwells, “Fear not, my child, you are my purchased possession.” (Eph 1:13-14; 1 Cor 6:19-20.)
Someone says, “But what about these deep waters and this fiery trial?” Father, remind our doubting hearts that the trial you have sent is to turn us to you away from all else. Remind us that a flood only washes away that which can be washed away; a fire only consumes that which can be burned (Is 43:2). But in the flood and fire we do not always feel this assurance in our hearts, do we? Remember the old song, “Though all my heart should feel condemned, for want of some sweet token, there is one greater than my heart, whose WORD cannot be broken.” The word that cannot be broken is this word written in the permanent marker of Christ’s blood, “Fear not! For I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name, thou art mine!” May the word of God always be stronger than our feelings and how we perceive things to be.
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We cannot expect too little from man nor too much from God.
Matthew Henry