March 15, 2008
SOVEREIGN GRACE BAPTIST CHURCH
Of Princeton, New Jersey

I Kings 22: 34: And a certain man drew a bow at a venture, and smote the king of Israel between the joints of the harness: wherefore he said unto the driver of his chariot, Turn thine hand, and carry me out of the host; for I am wounded. 35: And the battle increased that day: and the king was stayed up in his chariot against the Syrians, and died at even: and the blood ran out of the wound into the midst of the chariot. 36: And there went a proclamation throughout the host about the going down of the sun, saying, Every man to his city, and every man to his own country.

LOCATION
Rocky Hill Firehouse, 2nd floor
150 Washington Street, Rocky Hill, NJ, 08553

SCHEDULE OF SERVICES
Sunday 10 AM Bible Class
11 AM Morning Worship
Thursday 7:00 PM Mid-week Service
(The first Sunday of each month we meet at 10 AM for morning worship then observe the Lord's Table. After services we have lunch together.)

WEB ADDRESSES
www.sovereign-grace.us
www.freegraceradio.com

MAILING ADDRESS
114 Laning Avenue
Pennington, New Jersey, 08534
Clay Curtis, pastor
Phone: 609-818-1887
Email: clay@sovereign-grace.us

Sometimes Low, Sometimes Exalted, But Always Rich
Clay Curtis
James 1: 9: Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted: 10: But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away. 11: For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways.

It may be that the brother of "low degree" and the brother who is "rich" are the same brother. Believers are brought down to a "low degree," having our stony hearts broken through the gospel. Yet, in bringing us low God has made us to realize that he has exalted us to the right hand of God in perfect righteousness in Christ. We have been made rich beyond degree. But believers who have been given the riches of God in Christ Jesus also rejoice that God does not allow us to be lifted up in pride of grace. Just as believers must be brought low from the vanity of empty religious practices then exalted to a true saving knowledge of Jesus Christ the Lord, so too, must the believer who has been made rich by God then be continually brought low by God. Believer, rejoice in the fact that God keeps us in that perfect place between pride and despair by the power of his grace.

The man who is rich in self-righteousness, self-will, and self-worth is as the flower of the grass which is passing away. Left alone, sinners will never rejoice in the glory of the risen Lord and Christ. As the grass withers so the carnally rich fade away in empty works and vain religious exercises which can never please God. Puffed up in the pride of religion the natural man is like the flower that falls to the ground and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth. Those who are left to themselves only exhibit the fools gold which the natural man calls riches. Apart from the true riches of God's grace, apart from God turning us from our many pieces of silver to the one Coin in whom is all our redemption--so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways.

James 1: 9-11
Robert Hawker
Whether considered in a temporal, or spiritual sense, the Lord's appointments to the Lord's people, both in providence, and grace, are all blessed, when the renewed heart is enabled to discern things spiritually. The humble circumstances of the poor, gracious man, in the common wants of nature, are all sweetened, when the Lord's hand is seen in the appointment. The Lord cannot err, cannot be mistaken, in his ordinations. And there are numberless promises in the word of God, which would have no scope for exercise, if the Lord's people were not, sometimes shut up, and straitened, in poverty of pocket, as well as mind. See a few: Job 5:19; Psalm 107:19; Isaiah 33:16; Romans 8:28. And, in relation to spiritual concerns; if there were no dark and cloudy days, but a perpetual sunshine, all those rich clusters of promises, in which the Lord engageth to be with his people in darkness, would be done away; neither would the child of God be able to gather them, if seasons peculiarly suited to time of gathering never came. Yea, a child of God hath found, to his great joy, when the afflicting dispensation hath passed, the blessedness even of the Lord's with­drawing, in the after returns of increased manifestations, that, as the Lord hath said himself: For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment: but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer. Let the Reader turn to the sweet portion, and read it himself, Isaiah 54:4 to the end.

OUT OF THE PAWS
Clay Curtis
I Samuel 17: 37: David said moreover, The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the LORD be with thee.

Every temporal obstacle in this life is unconquerable by the strength of the believer. David is an example. He was young and powerless in his flesh before this great Philistine giant, Goliath.

Yet, believer, because the Lord Jesus Christ delivered you out of the paws of the two most powerful beasts of all, sin and death, having made you complete in his perfect righteousness whatever the trial may be, you can say with David, "The Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine."