December 29, 2013
SOVEREIGN GRACE BAPTIST
CHURCH
LOCATION
Rocky Hill Firehouse, 2nd
Floor
150 Washington Street
Rocky Hill, New Jersey, 08553
Clay Curtis, pastor
Telephone: 615-513-4464
Schedule of Services
Sunday 10: 15 AM Bible Class
Sunday 11:00 AM Morning Service
Thursday 7: 30 PM Midweek Service
Order of service, announcements, nursery schedule, etc.,
are in attachment. All articles in the bulletin
are by the pastor unless otherwise noted.
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HOLD UP MY GOINGS IN THY PATHS
Psalm 17: 5: Hold up my goings
in thy paths, that my footsteps slip not.
Without scrupulously or superstitiously
observing "days, and months, and times, and years," few of us
altogether pass by so marked an epoch as the dawning of another year upon our
path without some acknowledgment of it both to God and man. When we open our
eyes on the first morning of the year, we almost instinctively say, "This
is New-year’s day." Nor is this, at least this should not be, all the
notice we take, all the acknowledgment we make of that opening year of which we
may not see the close. When we bend our knees before the throne of grace, we
mingle with thankful acknowledgment for the mercies of the past year, both in
providence and in grace, earnest petitions for similar mercies to be
experienced and enjoyed through the present. Last evening witnessed our
confessions of the many, many grievous sins, wanderings, backslidings, and
departings from the living God during the year now gone; this morning witnesses
our supplications for grace to hold up our goings in his paths, that our
footsteps slip not through the year just come. Tears are most suitable at the
burial of the dead; hopes and desires at the birth of the living. The past year
was the departed sire, worn out with age and infirmity; the present year the
new-born babe in the arms of the smiling nurse. It is still, however,
mid-winter. To-day, the first of the present year, differs little in outward
appearance from yesterday, the last of the past. But the thoughtful, prayerful
mind takes little notice of wintry skies. It feels that the old, worn-out year
has sunk into its grave, with all its trials and afflictions, and that a new
year has come in its place, with its new hopes and new mercies; and if it bring
new trials, yet that the promise still stands, that new strength will be given
to meet and overcome them. Refreshed and strengthened at the throne by such or
similar communing with the God of all our mercies, we go down to meet our
families, and are at once greeted on all sides with, "I wish you a happy
new year," a greeting which we as warmly and affectionately return. Almost
every friend, well-nigh every acquaintance that we meet with in the course of
the day, greets us with the same kind wish. Now in all this there may be a
great deal of formality, lip-service, and traditional usage; but there may be
also a good deal of sincerity, kindness, and affection. We are not, surely, so
shut up in miserable self as to have no desire for the health and happiness,
the temporal and spiritual welfare, of our families, our friends, or even our
acquaintances. And if we desire their good, we need not be backward or
unwilling to express it in a few words of friendly greeting. "Be ye kind
one to another, tenderhearted;" "Be pitiful, be courteous;"
"If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all
men," are precepts imbued with all the spirit of the gospel, and may be,
indeed, should be, attended to without the least sacrifice of that faithfulness
which becomes those who would daily walk in the fear of the Lord. There may be
a form of kind words as well as "a form of sound words;" and as we
may use the latter in perfect harmony with the doctrines of the gospel, so we
may use the former in perfect harmony with the spirit of the gospel. JC Philpot
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A New Year with Christ our Captain
Joshua 5: 13: And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he
lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him
with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him,
Art thou for us, or for our adversaries? 14: And he said, Nay; but as captain
of the host of the LORD am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the
earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my lord unto his servant?
With this New Year may we who believe remember that Christ Jesus is the
Captain of the host of the LORD, our Captain, and we his soldiers. Our warfare is
unlike any other. The enemies we face are not flesh but powers and
principalities, rulers of the darkness, spiritual wickedness in high places. We have absolutely no strength of ourselves
for this warfare. Yet, it certain we
shall be victorious. Every enemy shall
be made Christ’s footstool: some by his effectual grace, others by his just judgment,
but all shall. Our one weapon is the gospel. Christ is the Power who makes this
weapon mighty to the pulling down of strongholds. Our charge is simply to blow
the gospel trumpet. May we begin this New Year on our face with Joshua asking,
“What saith my Lord unto his servant? And may we continue the whole year
through with full assurance in Christ our Captain upon whose shoulder the
government rests.
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A BELIEVER’S PEACE
Where does a believer find real and genuine peace? On what foundation can we rest and say in
truth, “It is well with my soul?” I’ll
tell you; it lies in this—that we are justified by faith and not by works. Christ Jesus stood in my stead before
God. I was guilty with nothing to pay,
doomed to Hell; and Christ took my place!
He died for me! How can I
perish? How can I be punished for sins
which have already been laid on Christ and for which He has suffered? God demands of me that I keep His holy law perfectly. I cannot do it. But Christ has kept it for me. He kept it, magnified it, and made it
honorable in my flesh. What more can God
demand of me? I am washed in the blood
of Christ Jesus; I am clothed in the righteousness of Christ Jesus; I am risen
and seated at His right hand in Christ Jesus.
You may ask, “How is all this yours?”
I reply, “By the grace of God, through the merits of Christ, revealed by
the Spirit of God THROUGH FAITH!” God
said, “He that believeth on the Son hath
everlasting life.” I do believe, I
sincerely believe in Christ; therefore, I have eternal life. Pastor
Henry T. Mahan
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ACCORDING TO HIS PROMISE
2 Peter 3: 10: But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the
night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the
elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are
therein shall be burned up.
Not
one word God has spoken has gone unfulfilled and not one shall. The day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly
as a thief in the night. Are you ready? Not knowing the day, we would be wise to cast
our care upon Christ now while it is the day of salvation. This world is
telling you to chase your dreams. But if we accomplished all our dreams in this
world and die without Christ they will prove to be as worthless as dreams of
night. Jane Bonar wrote, “Farewell ye dreams of night, lost in this dawning
bright.” Nothing we see now will remain as it is—“the heavens shall pass away with a great noise and the elements shall
melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be
burned up.” Therefore, those will prove fools who scoff at, or are
indifferent to, the promise of Christ’s
return. Seek Christ now while he may be
found.
Brethren, by electing, redeeming, regenerating grace of the triune God, in
Christ Jesus our Redeemer, we are complete, justified, sanctified, and
righteous—“Seeing then that all these
things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation
and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God,
wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall
melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new
heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Wherefore, beloved,
seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in
peace, without spot, and blameless. And account that the longsuffering of our
Lord is salvation;…Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before,
beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from
your own stedfastness. But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and
Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.”