Sovereign Grace Baptist Church

July 17, 2022

 Weekly Schedule of Services

MIDWEEK SERVICE: WEDNESDAY, JULY 20

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Proverbs 18:21: Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.

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Hebrews 11:1: Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

We have heard the expression, “Step out in faith.”  But faith is not stepping out, faith is trusting our sovereign Savior. The nearer the branch to the vine the stronger.  So it is with true faith which trusts Christ alone.  Faith is not turning to our wisdom but wholly trusting Christ our Wisdom who is working in all his own and makes us stand.  Faith is not turning to our righteousness to save, be it for eternal salvation or the daily trial; faith is wholly trusting Christ our Righteousness who has justified us so that it is only just and right to show us mercy continually. Faith is not looking to our holiness: true holiness is of God alone by being born again and continually renewed by the Spirit; it is God keeping his promises new in our hearts by which he keeps us separated unto Christ from vain holiness which is nothing but our flesh lusting for glory that belongs to Christ alone. Faith is not trusting ourselves to redeem but trusting Christ who has redeemed us at Calvary, who is delivering us through every trial and who shall yet deliver us into glory at last.  No, we do not “step out in faith” but faith is drawing near to Christ, casting all on him. “Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD” (Ho 6:3).

Every joy or trial falleth from above

Traced upon our dial by the Sun of love

We may trust Him fully all for us to do

They who trust Him wholly find Him wholly true

 Stayed upon Jehovah hearts are fully blessed

Finding, as he promised perfect peace and rest.

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Job 25:4-6 “How then can man be justified with God? or how can he be clean that is born of a woman? Behold even to the moon, and it shineth not; yea, the stars are not pure in his sight. How much less man, that is a worm? and the son of man, which is a worm?”

How can this sinner be just with God who is holy, and just, who will by no means clear the quilt? Only in the word of God can we find the answer.

Act 13:38-39  “Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.” 

Romans 3:20-26  “Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:  For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.”

I understand wanting to know how to go through trouble, however my greatest trouble is how can a sinner like me stand before God. The answer to this question of Questions is – “In Him.” In Christ I am accepted, I am justified. Eph 1:5-6 “Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,  To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.” 

This being so makes all my troubles not so troubling.

–John Chapman

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As the believer grows in grace, there are two points of truth concerning which he we grow more and more: 1) Just how wretched a sinner he is, and 2) Just how wonderful a Savior Christ is. No matter how clearly we saw our sinfulness at the beginning, time will teach us more of it; no matter how much we saw the glory of Christ at the beginning, time will teach us more of it. And this shall continue until we see all the glory of Christ … and none of our sin!    

–Joe Terrell

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“Forget injustices and neglect, but never forget a kindness nor an act of love!” I saw that on a wall. The author (whoever he may be) touched my heart and caused me to pray, “Lord, oh help me to do just that! Help me to actually and absolutely blot out of my mind all unpleasantries and every bad experience, and remember only the good times, the kind words, and the acts of love. Let me, in reference to every injustice and neglect, be like my Lord and REMEMBER THEM NO MORE!” “And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more” (Heb. 10:17). 

–Henry Mahan

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The way we resemble Christ the most is when we freely and unconditionally forgive others.                                               

–Todd Nibert

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Live in the exercise of faith and hope, and you can live in the freedom that your God in whom you believe and hope controls all things.

        –Bruce Crabtree

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“If we could get past these troubles then we could get on with the ministry!”  No, brethren, these troubles are the ministry.  Sent and ruled by Christ they are as vital to teaching us the sufficiency of his grace as the gospel we preach.