February 28, 2010
SOVEREIGN GRACE BAPTIST CHURCH
Of Princeton, New Jersey
James 4:12: There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy.
MEETING LOCATION
Rocky Hill Firehouse, 2nd floor
150 Washington Street, Rocky Hill, NJ 08553
SCHEDULE OF SERVICES
Sunday 10:00 AM Bible Class
11:00 AM Morning Service
Thursday 7:00 PM Mid-week Service
WEB ADDRESSES
Be sure to bookmark our website for daily articles, sermon notes and audio messages
http://www.freegracemedia.com/
http://www.sermonaudio.com/source_detail.asp?sourceid=sgbcpnj
http://www.freegraceradio.com/
MAILING ADDRESS
7 Birch Street
Pennington, New Jersey 08534
Phone: 615-513-4464
Email: mailto:clay@sovereign-grace.us
Reminders
- Friday, March 5: Bible study in our home at 7pm for those 18 and under.
- Date and time change: Instead of today at 4pm, I will be preaching in PA, Sunday, March 7, 2010, at 5pm.
- Saturday, March 12: Todd Nibert is preaching in PA.
- If you give toward the conference or to help those who are in need among us be sure to mark the offering "conference" or "brethren."
HE GIVETH MORE GRACE
James 4:1-10
Only God through the continual renewing of grace can subdue the flesh, with its affections and lusts. James is addressing believers throughout this letter (James 1:2, 16). In chapter 3, James dealt with the evil desire to lord over others. Here he speaks of strife and contentions from covetousness.
Believers Are Sinners Still
James 4:1-2
We like to play the blame game, but from where do these things come? (James 1:14, 16, 17) The believer knows this warring is from sin in our members (Romans 7:20-23). The apostles only strove with each other when they coveted who should be greatest (Galatians 5:2). When the LORD brought the Israelites into the land of Canaan he did not completely cast out the enemy, that he might prove his people. The Lord is pleased to leave the enemy of sin in the believer that he might prove to the believer our constant need of the God of all-sufficient grace. A believer says, "Truth, wars and fightings come even of my own lusts that war in my members."
Not Asking or Asking Amiss
James 4:2-3
The lust of the flesh is to have. When we lean to our fleshly desires we either try to gain without prayer or we pray to feed the fleshly appetite (Hosea 7:14). The result is we have not and we cannot obtain contentment, satisfaction, or peace. These are blessings of God and can not be had by the striving of the flesh. Do you give your children everything they cry for? Do you think your heavenly Father will? What mercy! I cannot think of a worse judgment than to have our carnal desires filled up. But our faithful Father will not allow our Adam-spirit to reign and separate us from him. Gomer said, "I will go after my lovers." The faithful Father hedged her in that he might bring her to behold his unchanging grace and love for her (Hosea 2:6-7).
Adulterers and Adulteresses
James 4:4
Surely, James would not address believers as adulterers and adulteresses. The Lord Jesus Christ was speaking to believers in his sermon on the mount and he said, "If ye then, being evil..." (Matthew 7:11). Self-righteous men have very little difficulty saying, "I am a sinner." But to be told that in your flesh you are adulterers and adulteresses is an offense. So be it. We need to have our lewdness made manifest to us that we might continually flee to Christ in true faith.
Spiritual Adultery
James 4:4-5
Thomas Manton said, "When we make self the end of prayer, it is not worship of God, but self-seeking. It is not enough to make God the object of the prayer, but the end also." Am I praying for health just so that I may live pleasantly without suffering? Are we praying for the job just so that we may be spared the worry of unemployment? Do we want our families to be blessed merely so we may exalt our name in the earth? (Luke 12:13, 15) Such is spiritual adultery. Attempting to bridge a friendship with this world and with Christ is an attempt to reconcile two of the most irreconcilable things that exist. Friendship of the world is enmity with God (Matthew 7:24).
I can think of no greater example of true prayer than what our Master said in the midst of soul agony, "Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour? But for this cause came I unto this hour." Here is the cause for his hour of suffering, and for ours, brethren, and here is true prayer, "Father, glorify thy name" (John 12:27-28) Believer, Christ Jesus is able to give the Holy Spirit to comfort you even in the midst of your utter weakness without removing the thorn (2 Corinthians 12:9-10). In infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake, do we desire to merely be delivered or is it our prayer for the power of Christ to be glorified?
He Giveth More Grace
James 4:6
Though we see the lust that wars in our members to separate us from Christ our Husband, God who changes not will not suffer his children to be lost (Hosea 2:10). Where God has begun a work of grace, he gives more grace. Our sin can never separate us from the grace of God. Grace is free. Grace is unmerited. Grace is unchangeable. Has your season of pride and self-serving brought you any peace? Has the Lord made you to see the folly of fighting against him? Here is a most blessed word, "He giveth more grace!"
Submission
James 4:7-10
The way to resist the devil does not lie in us. The only cure is submitting to Christ (I Peter 5:7-9). Christ has purged the sin of his people leaving the devil nothing by which his redeemed may be charged (Hebrews 2:14-15). Christ Jesus our Mediator intercedes for us before the Father and comforts us through the Holy Spirit. He gives us boldness as he causes us to remember our body is washed and our conscience purged from dead works to serve the living God (Hebrews 9:14; I Corinthians 6:9-11). If the faithful Father has turned your laughter to mourning and your joy to heaviness fight no more against him but turn from the defilement, set your mind on Christ Jesus above and draw near in full assurance of faith. He promises to give in abundance (James 1:5-7, 21; Hebrews 10:19-23). Be not a hearer only but a doer of this word. Lay aside the old man, receive the word with meekness, and rejoice as Christ performs this sure word of promise, "humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up" (James 4:10; James 1:21).
SERMONS
After clicking on the following links you will find an option at the top of the page for the audio.
Preserved to Persevere
Praising the True God
He Gives More Grace
ARTICLE
Great Miracles
Proof Positive
Hands and Words
Freed to Preach Christ
Sovereign in Salvation
The Great Compromise
God Mocks Compromisers
ARTICLES FROM OTHERS
Thomas Watson 1602-1686
The Paradox of Scripture
Contending for the Truth
Recovering the Gospel
In Christ Jesus