January
15, 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
THE LORD WILL BE WITH YOU
Isaiah 43:2
I
feel inadequate to write about trials.
Many of my brethren have, and are suffering, so much more. But it is my hope that this word of our God
will be a comfort. Brethren, as surely
as our trials are ruled by the God of all grace, our Savior promises to be with
his elect as real as we were in Christ when he walked this earth and bore the
deep waters and fire of judgment on our behalf in his own body on the tree (Ps
69:2, 14; Ro 3:23-26). He has walked
where we are walking and is touched with the feelings of our infirmities (He 2:17; 4:15). Whether
we suffer the water and fire of family trouble (John 1:11; 7:3-7), not
having a place to lay our head (Lu
12:29-32), physical pain (Mt 27:39; Mk
15:29), whatever the trial. And
because God satisfied himself in his Son on our behalf, note this most precious
promise, brethren, we shall “pass through.”
What comfort! Not one of Christ’s redeemed children
shall be plucked from his hand but by his all-sufficient grace we shall be kept
(Ps 121:1-8; He 13:5; Mt 28:20; 2 Tim 4:18; 2 Co 4:16-5:1). As painful as the waters and fire may be now
we will rejoice after we pass through (Mt 5:8).
May our gracious Father strengthen his suffering children to see the
Salvation of our Lord (Ex
14:13-14; Jos 3:8-11, 17).
**********
Some people would have us believe that
if we preach pure grace it will lead people to licentious living. They say if
we remove the law as a guide or motivation for Christian living, people will
have nothing to keep them holy. They say to tell a person to just follow Christ
doesn't provide enough structure and will lead people to careless living. Is
that where the gospel of God's free and sovereign grace in Christ Jesus leads?
Grace preachers have always been, and always will be, falsely accused of this
devilish lie. The apostle Paul spent most of his time defending the gospel of
grace against this lawmongers view of self-righteousness. "What then?
shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God
forbid." Rom 6:15 No, grace does not lead to sin, grace leads to Christ.
He is able by the law of love and faith to restrain our flesh and make us His
workmanship.
Greg
Elmquist
**********
“Let your speech be always with grace,
seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man” (Col.
4:6). When Paul wrote those words, he was not just urging us to talk ABOUT the
grace of God (this we will do), he is telling us that our speech and general conversation
should reveal the grace of God in us and be “good to the ear and a blessing to
the heart.” Hard words reveal a hard heart; unkind, cutting remarks reveal a
bitter spirit; cursing reveals an unregenerate soul. Grace is to the speech
what salt is to meat – it makes it acceptable, profitable and useful! Grace in
the heart will not only determine WHAT WE SAY, but also HOW WE SAY IT. There
are plenty of folks who have made a study of the doctrines of grace whom we
avoid because they usually manage somehow to offend, hurt, and uselessly wound
even the Lord’s people. God forbid that we should add to the burdens and
sorrows of God’s children by our sharp tongues!
Henry
Mahan
*********
Some Helpful
Hints on Witnessing
Don Fortner
Those who are truly born-again have an earnest desire
to see others brought to a saving faith in Christ. But frequently they find
themselves in the situation of a friend who wrote to me this week, perplexed
about how to affectively minister to their family and friends, without the
pressures of modern would be soul-winners. We want more for our friends than a
religious experience, produced by easy believism and decisionism. We want them
to know Christ! Let me give some suggestions.
1. Pray for them! We know
that salvation is of the Lord. He must convict. He must create an interest in
the gospel. He must regenerate. He must reveal Christ. He must give faith. Pray
that God will give you the wisdom and the opportunity to speak a word for
Christ, in his time and by his Spirit.
2. Tell them what the Lord
has done for you. Make certain that you give Christ all the honor and glory.
Speak not so much of your faith as you do of his grace. Tell them of Christ's
death, his resurrection, and his saving power. Avoid arguments over denominations,
systems of doctrine, and unanswerable questions. Tell what you know and no
more. Do not be afraid to say, "I don't know". God will bless his
Word. So always point men to the Scriptures, rather than what you think, or
what you have heard.
3. Give your friends a taped
sermon, a good tract or booklet or a church paper. Be sure that you have heard
the sermon and read the material you pass out.
4.
Invite them to come with you to hear the Word. Be sure that your invitation is
understood. You do not want them to come to Sunday School or church as a matter
of duty, or merely as a favor to you. You want them to hear what the pastor has
to say about God's character, man's sin, and salvation in Christ. This is the
means which God has ordained, by which he saves them that believe.