May 24, 2015
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
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NURSERY
We have a nursery equipped with a digital flat screen television broadcasting all services live, for children four and under. Check the announcements.
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All articles in the bulletin are by the pastor unless otherwise noted.
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We are delighted and thankful to have Pastor Don Bell with us today. Brother Donnie is a long-time friend and has preached here before. He is pastor of a very loving and gracious family of brethren called Lantana Grace Church in Crossville, TN.
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EXPECTANCY!
As believers in the gospel of the free and sovereign grace of God in Christ Jesus, we should every time we pray, pray with expectancy. We are God’s children by eternal election and faith in Christ, so why WOULDN’T our Heavenly Father hear and answer our prayers? When we are seeking His will, and the conversion of sinners to Christ, and for the church here to grow in grace, faith and love, and for God to glorify Himself by adding to the church, why shouldn’t we EXPECT it? Is our Lord’s hand shortened that He cannot save, or His ear heavy that He cannot hear? (Isaiah 55:1).!
When the gospel is preached here week after week, why shouldn’t we expect sinners to believe it? It is the truth, it is the gospel that we believe and preach. Men are lost, and only the gospel is the means God uses to save sinners. So why, every time the gospel is preached here, should we not expect sinners to believe and God to honor His Son and His Word?!
The hour we are called to live and witness in is urgent! May our prayers and faith be full of expectancy, for our God is gracious and omnipotent and if he would save us and teach us of His grace, we should EXPECT He would do it for other sinners, for Christ’s sake. Let us honor our Lord by EXPECTANTLY BELIEVING He will answer our prayers!!– Pastor Don Bell
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WHO MAKES THE DIFFERENCE?
If there is one great battering ram to pride it is this, who makes you to differ from another?
Is there anything that you have that you did not receive? Do you have faith? Have you a new heart, a new nature? Do you have a heart that loves God that bows and submits to and feels its need of Christ? A heart that loves the brethren? If you received these graces, and you received a new heart it is because of the Sovereign grace of Christ. We cannot glory in any grace, any love, any gift that we have, for we have them because of GRACE. Why would we be proud as if these things were of our own making? For who maketh thee to differ from another? Do you believe and have a knowledge of the Lord Jesus? How many in your family are without any knowledge of Him, or even an interest in Christ? How many of them are still steeped in their religious traditions and darkness? Who made you to differ? In any direction you choose to look you see sin, drunkenness, profanity, immorality, homes and families destroyed, drugs in every community. Our prisons cannot hold the criminals of our society, superstition and religious easy-believes has multitudes in its clutches. But, who made thee to differ?
Let me ask you, are you better by nature than these? Were you more godly or better in hearing than these? The only difference between us and the vilest soul on earth and in hell is the Sovereign grace of God!
"Tis not that I did choose Thee,
For Lord, that could not be.
This heart would still refuse Thee
Hadst Thou not chosen me!"
-Pastor Don Bell
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A GOOD HOPE!
When the conscience is not wounded by the "Sword of the Lord," there can be no healing from the "Balm of Giliad." Preaching which neither wounds nor heals is of the devil. A sinner who neither knows nor cares how the Law, which he has transgressed, has been magnified, how the justice that demanded his death, has been satisfied, how the name of God, which has been dishonored by him, has been glorified by Christ, and how the blood of Christ worked all these to give us hope in the presence of the "God with whom we have to do," may be zealous and active, but cannot have "a good hope through grace." So great is the depravity of unregenerate man that, although there is nothing that he needs more than the Gospel, there is nothing that he desires less—Pastor Milton Howard
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BEAUTIFUL UPON THE MOUNTAINS
Isaiah 52: 6: Therefore my people shall know my name: therefore they shall know in that day that I am he that doth speak: behold, it is I. 7: How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace;
Christ promises that his people shall know his name. In the day Christ effectually gives us a new heart to hear the gospel through his ambassador, every child of God knows that it is Christ that doth speak. As we behold Christ through faith, for the first time we say “how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that brings good tidings, that publisheth peace!”
· Christ’s feet are beautiful upon Mt. Sinai for the law teaches us our need of one to fulfill the law for us and Christ is that one.
· Christ’s feet are beautiful upon Mt. Moriah for there we see God providing himself a lamb for a burnt offering.
· Christ’s feet are beautiful upon that “exceedingly high mountain” where the devil tempted him with all the kingdoms of the world for there we behold Christ the Faithful One.
· Christ feet are beautiful in that mountain where he preached the “sermon on the mount” for there we behold Christ our Prophet
· Christ’s feet are beautiful upon Mt. Gerizim for there we see Christ our King in his power to convert his child as he converted the woman by the well.
· Christ’s feet are beautiful upon the Mt. of Olives for there we behold Christ our High Priest as he prayed, making intercession for his people.
· Christ’s feet are beautiful upon the Mt. of Transfiguration for there we get a glimpse of Christ in his resurrection glory and are taught that Christ only is the one we should worship.
· Christ’s feet are beautiful upon Mt. Calvary for there he accomplished the redemption of his people by his suffering unto death.
· Christ’s feet are beautiful upon heavenly Mt. Zion for our risen Head rules all things in heaven and earth for his church, his body, the fullness of him that filleth all in all.
Soon, his feet will be beautiful when he returns for his people. Then the bride shall shout with joy, “The voice of my beloved! behold, he cometh leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills.” (SOS 2: 8) Have you seen Christ? Have you heard his gospel? Oh, “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that pubdlisheth peace!”