August 10, 2008

SOVEREIGN GRACE BAPTIST CHURCH
Of Princeton, New Jersey

Matthew 14:22 And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away. 23 And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone. 24 But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary. 25 And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. 26 And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. 27 But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. 28 And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. 29 And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. 31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? 32 And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased. 33 Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.

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.)
www.sovereign-grace.us
Clay Curtis, pastor
Phone: 615-513-4464
Email: clay@sovereign-grace.us

What Is Your Comfort?
Henry Mahan
Are you happy? Yes! but I am not without times of sorrow and depression. Like any human, I weep over loved ones, friends, sickness, death, and disappointment. But I sorrow not as those who have no hope. CHRIST IS MY HOPE! He loved me, gave Himself for me, and will make ALL THESE THINGS work together for my eternal good.

Are you at rest in your soul? Yes! but I am not free from concern and conviction over my sins and my infirmities. I love Christ but not as I should or as I desire. I am satisfied with Him, His mercy, His grace, and His love; but I will never be totally satisfied until I wake with His likeness.

Do you have peace? Yes! but that peace with God, peace of conscience, and peace in any situation or condition is not based on my merit, feelings, nor religious duties. CHRIST IS MY PEACE! He said, "In ME ye have peace. In the world ye shall have trouble."

Any man or woman who claims continual, uninterrupted joy, rest, and peace in this world is either not telling the truth or has no connection with reality! True joy, rest, and peace are things we enjoy in Christ IN THE MIDST of troubles, afflictions, and infirmities.

Paul's exhortation was "rejoice in the Lord." When I am conscious of my weakness, failures, and sins, I rejoice in Christ, my righteousness. When I am concerned about food, clothing, and shelter, I rejoice in Christ, my provider. When I am sick, Christ is my healer. When I am grieved, Christ is my comfort. When I am faced with death, Christ is my life! So it is not necessary to put on a false face and deceive others. We are still human; but our peace, rest, and joy is Christ.
"Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace,
Whose mind is stayed on Thee."

The Prayer of Faith
Don Fortner
James 5:15-16. And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he hath committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. Confess your faults one to another, and pray for one another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
James assures us that the prayer of faith, the prayer that is born of and caused by faith in Christ, shall save the sick. Of course the word "save" means "deliver." The prayer of faith shall, most assuredly, deliver the sick from his sickness. What is "the prayer of faith"? The next verse tell us: "The effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much."

THE PRAYER OF FAITH IS "EFFECTUAL". The word used by James means "in wrought". It is a prayer wrought in, or produced in the heart of a believer by the Spirit of God. It is a prayer that is found in the heart (II Sam. 7:27), produced by the work of God and based upon the Word of God. Without question, the prayer of faith willingly submits to the will of God. But there is more to it than that. The prayer of faith discerns what the will of God is by the illumination of the Holy Spirit in his heart (Rom. 8:27). And the prayer of faith is according to the will of God (I John 5:14).

THE PRAYER OF FAITH IS "FERVENT". Faith is importunate. It will not give up its plea until it obtains the mercy it seeks (Luke 11:8-10). Like the Syrophenician woman, faith cannot be turned away (Matt. 15:21-28).

THE PRAYER OF FAITH IS THE PRAYER OF "A RIGHTEOUS MAN", one who has been made righteous by the imputation of Christ's righteousness to him and by the cleansing of his blood. It is the prayer of one who draws near to, calls upon, and is accepted of God in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ (John 14:15; Heb. 7:25).

AND THE PRAYER OF FAITH "AVAILETH MUCH". The prayer of the righteous is God's delight; therefore "he heareth the prayer of the righteous" (Prov. 15:8,29). "And this is the confidence that we have in him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us: and if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him" (I John 5:14-15). We have what we desire, because what we desire is what our heavenly Father desires - his will and his glory. We gladly subject all our desires to these two things. The prayer of faith is free of selfish desire and personal want (James 4:3). The prayer of faith wants what God has purposed. Therefore, it is always effectual. If my will is subject to and in harmony with my Father's will, I may, and most assuredly shall have what I will.

The Waters of Marah-Exodus 15:23
Robert Hawker
My soul! let thine imagination take wing, and flee thou, this evening, beside" the waters of Marah;" and while thou sittest down by the stream, see whether thou wilt be able to gather some of the many improving lessons the Holy Ghost brings before the church, concerning that memorable transaction wrought there for Israel. We read in the history of that people, that they had just before sung the song of salvation, on the borders of the Red Sea, when Israel saw that great sight, themselves redeemed, and the enemy swallowed up; and they were now on their march toward the promised land. Three days they had travelled into the wilderness, and found no water; and when they came to Marah, though water was there in abundance, yet they could not drink of it, for it was bitter. In this situation they cried unto the Lord; and the Lord shewed the people a tree, which when east into the waters made them sweet. Such are the outlines of the history. Pause, now, my soul, and see what improving reflections thou canst gather from it. The Lord thy God hath brought thee also out of spiritual Egypt, he hath led thee through a new and living way, even the red sea of Christ's blood; and thou hast begun thy song of salvation also, to God and the Lamb. But when, like Israel, he is bringing thee through the wilderness, where dispensations suited to a wilderness may be supposed to abound; how art thou manifesting thy faith and submission? Reader, what is your answer to such a question? Methinks I would hope better things of you, than I dare say of myself. But I too often find, when the waters of life are like the waters of Marah; when what I proposed for my comfort turns out to my sorrow, and I discover a worm in the very bud of some sweet flower I have been rearing up for myself with great care; I feel rebellion rising within. I blush even now in the recollection of how often I have been tempted to call in question the divine faithfulness, and, like Israel, have taken offence, at some little difficulty I have met with, which afterwards I have discovered, was purposely put there by the Lord himself, to manifest his watchfulness over me, and how sure my dependence upon him might have been placed. Reader! doth your heart find but too much correspondence to this state of mine? Let us both then do as Israel did, when at any time our waters are like the waters of Marah, cry unto the Lord. Let us put the cross of Jesus into the stream, be it what it may, (for that is the tree which the Lord sheweth his people,) and never doubt, but Jesus's cross, though to him more bitter than gall, yet to us will prove the sweetener of all our crosses. Yes! thou dear Lord! thou didst drink the cup of trembling even to the dregs, that in the view of it, thy redeemed might take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord. Thy cross, if cast into a sea of trouble, will alter the very properties of affliction to all thy tried ones. In every place, and in every state, while my soul is enabled to keep thee in remembrance, and "thy wormwood, and thy gall;" the wilderness of all my dispensations will smile, and blossom as the rose. I shall then learn to bless a taking God, as well as a giving God, for both are alike from the overflowings of thy mercy; and, like the apostle, I shall then have learnt the blessedness of that state, "to glory in tribulation, that the power of Christ may rest upon me."