There are many facets to our life as a church! Our hope is that these posts will enable you to plan, pray, and ultimately rejoice in what the Lord is doing at Sovereign Grace Church. Here are a few updates for you to do just that! 

GRACEKIDS: ELEMENTARY CLASs

Summer break is coming to an end, which means the GRACEkids Elementary Class (grades 1st-5th) will be starting back up soon!

The first Elementary Class of the new GRACEkids year will be on Sunday, September 8th! This will also be the Sunday the 1st graders will graduate from the Preschoolers Class and move to the Elementary Class.

If you have any questions, please contact
John & Joelle McCauley.

church Family Meeting

Mark your calendars for an important and exciting Church Family Meeting on Sunday Evening, September 29th, at 5:30 PM, where we will unpack what our mission will look like in 2024-2025!

Dinner will be provided. Children and guests are welcome to join us.

Membership Class

If you are interested in becoming a member or learning more about Sovereign Grace Church, information about joining the Membership Class in October will be coming soon.

Forge is back!

Saturday, October 5th. Breakfast will be served at 8 AM.

Erik Rangel, who serves as the senior pastor at the Sovereign Grace Church in Yuma (Legacy Church), will be coming to teach the men in our church how the bible speaks to men about sexual temptation.

For more information, contact Derek Overstreet.

New sermon series - COLOSSIANS: ALIVE IN CHRIST

We are excited to study the book of Colossians as a church starting in October!

Be on the lookout for your free copy of the Colossians ESV Scripture Journal that will be available in a few weeks.

gifts of the spirit weekend with

mark prater

NEW dates for the GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT WEEKEND are Friday, October 18th, from 7PM-9PM & Saturday, October 19th, from 9AM-2PM !

Join us as we allow the Scriptures to inform us about the gifts God gives his people through the Spirit!

To sign up or find out more about this exciting event, please CLICK HERE.

relay: a sovereign GRACE cONFERENCE FOR YOUNG adults

The RELAY Conference exists to inspire young adults to live for the glory of Christ.

While the conference is aimed at college students and young adults (18-25 years old), as well as their leaders, they welcome high school students ages 16-17 and those in their late 20s or 30s. We don’t have strict age limits.

For more details and registration information, visit the RELAY SITE HERE.

As individual believers and collectively as a local church, we can never overestimate, and we must never underestimate what it means to be forgiven of our sins by God. That is the message of Psalm 32. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES:  Sermons in the Psalms, Vol 2
TEXT: Psalm 32
TITLE: Better Than We Deserve
PREACHER: Derek Overstreet
BIG IDEA: Being forgiven is everything.

SERMON EXCERPTS:
All quotes are taken from the pastor’s notes.
”Years ago, I heard someone respond to the question, How are you doing? in this way—’I’m doing better than I deserve.’ …I am doing better than I deserve. It’s more than a religious slogan. Understood rightly, it’s a declaration and celebration of God’s heart and the power of the gospel. At its core is this eternal truth—My sins are forgiven. I am doing better than I deserve because God has chosen to forgive my sins instead of holding them against me.”

“There is no higher blessing in this life than having your sin forgiven by God in Christ Jesus. If you are forgiven, regardless of anything else going on in your life—you are genuinely doing better than you deserve.”

“The first two verses are the centerpiece of the psalm. They are theology at its finest.”

“It’s easy to underestimate the moment in these verses. If you were with David as he wrote these words, you would perceive a substantive and deep joy pouring from his heart. David knows he is forgiven, and as he considers that reality, he is undone by joy. How do we know this? Look no further than 11. David begins Psalm 32 with a declaration that to be forgiven is to be blessed. And 11 is the exclamation point of what is going on in his heart as he considers that God has forgiven his sins.”

“Now, David uses three different words to refer to sin. In 1, he uses transgression (rebellion or crime) and sin (to fall short or miss the mark like an arrow misses the target). In 2, he chooses iniquity (twisted or crooked). The point of using multiple terms to describe sin is not to draw distinctions or create categories of sin. The comprehensive nature and utter sinfulness of our sin is revealed in these terms.”

“Sin is not simply some trivial wrongdoing or bad moral choice. Sin is a rebellious and perverted offense against God and His authority. David wants us to feel that. He wants us to be sobered by that, not to condemn us, but to compel us to be amazed by grace.”

“The first word to describe what God does with our sin is forgiven—(1) Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven. …The word forgiven literally means our sin has been lifted off. Sin and the guilt and shame that accompany it is a weight upon our souls. But when we confess our sin, God removes it. He takes it away. He lifts it off so that we no longer bear the effects of our sin.”

“Where does our sin go? The innocent shoulders of Jesus Christ, who stood in our place and paid the total debt of our sin on the cross. He is the reason we can be forgiven. God doesn’t overlook our sin. He can’t. He’s a holy God who hates sin and must punish all sin.”

“The second word that describes what God does with our sin is covered—(1) Blessed is the one whose sin is covered. The blood of Jesus covers our sin. He is the sacrificial lamb whose blood shed on the cross covers our sin, hiding it in the sense that it has been resolved and is no longer an issue keeping us alienated from and under the wrath of God. The New Testament word for this covering is propitiation. Jesus is our propitiation, his blood covering our sin so that God’s wrath would be turned away.” 

“Finally, David says in 2—Blessed is the man whom the LORD counts no iniquity. This is amazing! God is the divine bookkeeper. But the one whose sin has been forgiven, God no longer COUNTS it against them. He strikes it from the record book. It’s as if it never happened.”

“Your sin is forgiven, covered, and removed from the divine record book when you repent. There is no record of your sin. Even better, the only thing COUNTED to you, what the divine ledger reads next to your name is not your many sins but the perfect obedience and righteousness of Jesus Christ. That is what God counts toward you. That’s what we call justification.”

“Church, there is no greater blessedness than being forgiven by God. It's true that God’s blessings come in all shapes and sizes. I trust you are acutely aware of God’s blessings in your life. I hope you have been counting them one by one this past week. But here’s the truth: You can have everything—health, wealth, popularity, power, success, friendships, children and grandchildren—but if your sin is not forgiven, you have nothing.”

“I humbly submit that we must redeem our paradigm of what it means to be blessed. Too often, my understanding of a blessed life is too narrow and too earthly. It’s easy for me to connect a blessed life with my current circumstances.”

“Now, in 3-4, David recounts a time when instead of confessing his sin, he was silent and, as it says at the end of 2, his spirit was living in deception. He was unwilling to confess his sin. David describes the effects of his unrepentant heart in physical terms. (3) His bones wasting away reflects an internal conflict that left him (4) weak and parched as a hot summer day with no water or relief leaves one physically. In 4, David says he felt the unrelenting heavy hand of God’s discipline upon him. Not to punish him but as an expression of God’s love for David; divine discipline mercifully moved David toward repentance.”

“Many scholars believe Psalm 32 is a response to Psalm 51, where David repented of adultery with Bathsheba and the orchestrated murder of her husband Uriah. David was carrying the weight of adultery and murder, and it was killing him.”

“David ended his silence. He owned his guilt. He confessed his sin to the Lord. He repented. And the Lord forgave David. Look at the right margin at the end of 5. See the word Selah. It probably means pause and think about what you just read. In 5, Selah follows these words—and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. God’s forgiveness is worthy of our pause and consideration. We should not read and immediately move on. But Selah applies to us, not God. As soon as David confesses, we read the Lord forgives. God doesn’t pause to consider David’s confession—He immediately forgives. God doesn’t make David earn it. God doesn’t make David sweat. David confesses his sin from the heart, and God pardons him immediately!”

“Not because our sin isn’t serious but because God is merciful. God loves to forgive sinners. God is eager to forgive His children over and over again. You don’t have to perform. You don’t have to beg. You don’t have to persuade. You don’t have to prove your case. God doesn’t vet us. God loves to forgive the penitent!”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
Psalm 103:12
Psalm 103:10
1 John 1:9
Isaiah 55:6-7

QUOTES:
James Montgomery Boice - “God is ready and even yearning to forgive and restore us fully —if only we will confess our sin and come to him believing in Jesus Christ, who has made atonement for it. And he will do it right away.”

APPLICATION:
For application I want us to spend time in three passages this week: 

• Psalm 51 (Magna Carta of repentance)

• 1 John 1 (Ongoing repentance as fellowship with God)

• Psalm 103 (God’s heart toward those who repent)

Our text gives us clear and immediate application—

Verse 6 is a call to repentance—TODAY—while God can be found. No one is promised tomorrow, but God promises grace TODAY. Today is a day of grace because God is available to receive your repentance. No one is promised tomorrow.

Freely come to Jesus, believing that his life and death are sufficient for your forgiveness. What you will find is that the Lord will be merciful.

TODAY is the day to run to Jesus in repentance and faith. It doesn’t matter where you’ve been or what you’ve done, the Lord won’t turn you away. He will turn His forgiving eye on you.

SONGS FROM THIS SUNDAY:
Come Praise And Glorify
It Was Finished Upon That Cross
O My Soul Arise
Judge Of The Secrets
Bless The Lord O My Soul (Psalm 103)

NEXT WEEK’S PASSAGE:
Psalm 56

Prosperity in this world (wealth, health, family) is a gift from God. Prosperity is also a test. It's a test of the heart meant to prove and renew our trust in and love for God. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES:  Sermons in the Psalms, Vol 2
TEXT: Psalm 30
TITLE: Our Prosperity and God’s Praise
PREACHER: Derek Overstreet

SERMON EXCERPTS:
All quotes are taken from the pastor’s notes.
”King David knew the gift of prosperity, but he failed the test of prosperity. Psalm 30 was sung at the dedication of the Temple. David never saw that day, but his experience was the background. In the same way Moses exhorted the Israelites in Deuteronomy 6—When you live prosperously in the Promise Land, don’t forget it came from the hand of God—in the same way, Psalm 30 would remind God’s people that the Temple in all its wonder and glory, comes from the hands of God.”

“David’s experience is our instruction. Living in America, we all know prosperity. The question isn’t—Am I prosperous? The question is—How do I know if I’m failing the test of prosperity?  For this task, Psalm 30 is a gift to us. Today we will unpack David’s situation, then use his situation to draw three applications for our own praise of God in prosperity.”

“Like a bucket draws water up out of a well—imagery of verb drawn in 1—God drew David up out of the pit of death. And now David praises God from a heart overflowing with gratitude. He doesn’t forget what God did for him. He can’t forget. He won’t forget. So, he praises God.”

“David was a man who had received God’s favor in abundance. The LORD was good to David. The LORD prospered David. He provided richly for David—his kingdom, military might, and personal life. David knew God’s favor as few knew it—(7) By your favor, O LORD, you made my mountain (metaphor for his kingdom and personal life) stand strong.”

“David knew God’s favor. But he forgot God’s favor—(6) As for me in my prosperity, I shall never be moved. This is David’s humble confession that he became proud in his prosperity. He allowed God’s favor to close his eyes to God. He grew numb to the reality that all he had was from God, and his pride swelled as he began to believe his own headlines. David began to think—I got this! I’ve done this!”

“David forgot that his prosperity was a gift from God, and in his forgetfulness, he failed the test of prosperity. And so, God disciplined him. God disciplines the ones He loves (Heb 12). God disciplined for his pride. At the end of 7, God hid His face from David, and David was dismayed. He felt it, and he knew it. David forgot God.”

“Let us beware, indeed. In the words of one Scottish preacher—We are never in greater danger than in the sunshine of prosperity.”

“I can find at least three ways David responds to God in Psalm 30  that three thousand years later compel us to sing God’s praises in our prosperity rather than swell our pride. [See below.]”

“Being merciful and gracious is not merely what God does; it’s who He is. It’s His nature. It’s according to his character or, as 4 says—His holy name. David is not simply observing life here in 4-5. You win some, you lose some. You have to take the bad with the good. Cheer up; things will get better. No, Anger for a moment, favor for a lifetime, weeping in the night, and joy in the morning are spiritual contrasts that communicate what God is like and how He loves to treat His people.”

“Be warned today—God will discipline you for your sin. Be sober-minded about your self-sufficiency, self-reliance, and self-exaltation. Repent. Humble yourself before the Lord in prayer. Run to Jesus and receive forgiveness, knowing the disposition of God’s heart toward you is divine favor, and that outweighs His divine anger.”

“Know that whether it is God’s discipline or suffering in a fallen world, you will have times of weeping in your life, but God’s favor and the joy His favor brings are the final words in your life.”

“Whether it is education, career, health, wealth, or cherished relationships, our prosperity comes from God, and it is for His glory, not ours. Your prosperity is meant to serve God’s eternal designs of glorifying Himself in all things. It’s the reason we exist. Through our salvation in Christ, our lives would not be silent; instead, we would worship and testify to the glory of God.”

“The discipline of the Lord has humbled David. Now he sees he should have thanked God for what he had instead of allowing what he had to swell his pride. And gratitude is the key. It’s hard for pride to grow in a heart filled with gratitude.”

“Truth is, our gratefulness should exceed David’s because Jesus did the unthinkable—he gave up his life so we could be spared from the pit of eternal death. This is truth for all of us, but my heart today is that in particular, those of you who If don’t feel prosperous. God hid his face from His only Son on the cross so He could shine His face down upon you. Jesus died on the cross. For three days, he was dead. But on the third day, God drew him up, not merely from death but over death itself.”

“Are you looking for reasons to sing this morning? Do you need to be compelled to sing? Don’t look to your prosperity; look to what God is like. His anger is but for a moment, but his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry through the night, but joy comes in the morning.”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
Matthew 6:33
John 3:30

QUOTES:
Oswald Sanders - “Not every man can carry a full cup. Sudden elevation frequently leads to pride and a fall. The most exacting test of all is to survive prosperity.”

Charles Spurgeon - “Prosperity had evidently turned the psalmist’s head, or he would not have been so self-confident. He stood by grace, and yet forgot himself, and so met with a fall. Reader, is there not much of the same proud stuff in all our hearts? Let us beware lest the fortunes of intoxicating success get into our brains and make fools of us also.”

James Montgomery Boice - “The point is this: God is indeed displeased with sin and can never be indifferent to it. He judges sin with a holy anger, even in Christians. But for His people God’s judgments and anger are short-lived. They pass quickly. What remains is His favor, which lasts for our lifetime and indeed forever.”

Eric Lane - “God’s anger is like an overnight visitor but His favor is like a permanent resident.”

APPLICATION:
So How do we know if we are failing the test of prosperity? 

• Is your daily communion (Prayer/Word) with Jesus diminishing?

• Is your first impulse I got this or I did this?

• Do forsake the things you know God has called you to (church, Christian fellowship, giving) to pursue the things the world holds out to you (leisure, work, lifestyle, family)?

• Have the unsaved become invisible because all that matters is what you have going on?

• Do you give less to your church's mission because you need more to sustain your lifestyle?

• Do you forget to give God glory in success?

• Are people more aware of your encouragement of them or your stories about you? 

• Are you amazed by God’s grace and power less and less because you are amazed at your abilities and accomplishments more and more?

In his prosperity, David forgot God. Have you forgotten God in your prosperity? Or maybe you haven’t forgotten God but have repositioned him in your life.

1. Remember God’s Heart

2. Embrace Your Purpose

3. Excel in Gratitude

SONGS FROM THIS SUNDAY:
Sing
Jesus Your Mercy
The Lord Almighty Reigns (Psalm 93)
O Lord My Rock And My Redeemer
10,000 Reasons (Bless The Lord)

NEXT WEEK’S PASSAGE:
Psalm 32

Listening to someone pray tells you a lot about them. In our text today, we learn a lot about Israel through their prayers. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES:  Sermons in the Psalms, Vol 2
TEXT: Psalm 20
TITLE: Confidence In Our King
PREACHER: Derek Overstreet

SERMON EXCERPTS:
All quotes are taken from the pastor’s notes.
”Psalm 20 is a prayer for victory on the battlefield (Psalm 21 is thanksgiving for the victory). It can be divided into three parts:
1. The first five verses are Israel’s prayer for David’s victory. 
2. In 6-8, we witness the people’s unwavering confidence in God for victory. 
3. Finally, one more appeal for victory in 9.
Interestingly, it’s a prayer written by David to be prayed for David.”

“If you can picture with me the scene, David is about to lead Israel onto the battlefield. That is his day of trouble in 1. Israel’s army was assembled and ready for battle. But before they leave, David orders sacrifices and prayers to be offered. As he stands before the people, they offer blessings and prayers for him, which are laid out for us in the first five verses.”

“So 1-5 is a powerfully theological prayer that reveals the people’s confidence in the character, provision, promises, faithfulness, and blessings of God. They are an outpouring of their love for the LORD, fear of the LORD, and trust in the LORD.”

“As one commentator noted, the repetition of the word May (8x’s in all) communicates their complete confidence in the LORD. This is proved out in 6-8. Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God. These words are the heart of Psalm 20.”

“An armory filled with chariots produced a lot of confidence on the battlefield. But Israel didn’t look to the armory; they looked to the sanctuary in heaven for their help because they believed that their all-powerful, self-existent, unchanging, ever-present, always faithful God, Yahweh himself, would win the war for them.”

“By the way, their discerning eye of faith in an invisible God was not in vain. Psalm 20 is God’s people confidently praying for victory. Psalm 21 is God’s people passionately thanking God for the victory.”

“I believe it’s natural for all of us to find our confidence in ourselves. We all have our personal chariots and horses. Our strength, will, wisdom, money, experience. The more we possess, the more we accomplish, the more we achieve, the more we are confident in ourselves—I’ve been here before; I’ve got this. It’s a vicious cycle.”

“So, facing our misappropriated trust and confidence head-on is critical. Not only is it so often the source of our anxiety, discouragement, and disappointment, but it keeps us from and puts us in opposition to God.  When our minds are filled with self-confidence, we forget God’s sufficiency.”

“When we trust in human wisdom, we get what human wisdom can give. When we trust in institutions and organizations, we get what institutions and organizations can give. When we trust in money, we get what money can give. When we trust in created things instead of the Creator, we get what created things can give us instead of what only God can give us.”

“The writer [of Proverbs 3:5-8] seems pretty clear to me—To know God. To boast in the LORD. To trust in Jesus. That’s where we find healing and refreshment; joy and contentment; peace and satisfaction everlasting. Do you feel the weight of grief? Do you feel weak in faith? Redirect your confidence. Look to Jesus. Trust in Jesus. Oh Lord, in the words of Spurgeon—Let us adore your matchless name, and never dishonor it by distrust or creature-confidence.”

“In Jesus, we have an eternal king of an everlasting kingdom. From the temptations in the wilderness to Gethsemane, where Jesus prayed on his day of trouble, to the cross and the empty grave, Jesus won the ultimate battle for us. David made sacrifices before the battle, but Jesus was the sacrifice that won the battle for our souls.”

“As a believer, your life, purpose, hope, and confidence are tied up in the life of your King. Such is your union with Christ Jesus; therefore, such is your confidence in Christ.”

“Here's the point this morning—The closer we are to Jesus, the more confident we live for him. The more we know him and all he has done for us,  the more we love and trust him.”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
Proverbs 3:5-8
Romans 8:28-39

QUOTES:
Charles Spurgeon - “Chariots and horses make an imposing show, and with their rattling, and dust, and fine caparisons, make so great a figure that vain man is much taken with them; yet the discerning eye of faith sees more in an invisible God than in all these.”

John Calvin - “It’s impossible for him who promises himself victory by confiding in his own strength to have his eyes turned toward God.”

John Stott - “The cross is the blazing fire at which the flame of our love is kindled, but we have to get near enough to it for its sparks to fall on us.”

APPLICATION:
Q. Where does your confidence come from?
Q. How do we position ourselves for Psalm 20 confidence in Christ? A. We have to stay close to Christ. If we don’t see him, we won’t remember him.

Four simple ways to stay in the cross's “spark zone”: 
1. Memorize and meditate on gospel verses in Scripture
God calls us to renew our minds and allow our perspective to be shaped by His Word. Start with the gospel. Nothing makes sense without it. Here are some specific verses:
2 Corinthians 5:21
Ephesians 1:3-10; 2:1-10
Romans 3:23-26; 5:6-11; 8:29-39
Isaiah 53:3-6
Titus 3:3-7

2. Study the multi-faceted nature of the gospel
Before you try to figure out what can’t be figured out, usually represented by words you can’t pronounce, do you know what propitiation, justification, and atonement are? Study the Bible and start with the gospel. The more you understand, the more you will cherish and trust. 

3. Rehearse often how the gospel changed and is changing your life
People like to say forget the past. Never forget the past. Reflect on your testimony. Remember how God saved you and continues His gospel work in you today. There is no greater way to grow your confidence in Christ.

4. Finally, Make the gospel part of every prayer you pray
Prayer is communion with God. Nothing is more central to our communion with God than what He has done for us in Christ.

SONGS FROM THIS SUNDAY:
We Give Thanks (Psalm 107)
My Soul Will Wait (Psalm 62)
All Things
Christ is Mine Forevermore

NEXT WEEK’S PASSAGE:
Psalm 30

David gives us a compelling example on how we can move towards praise and proclamation in times of trouble. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES:  Sermons in the Psalms, Vol 2
TEXT: Psalm 9
TITLE: Moving Towards Praise and Proclamation in Trouble
PREACHER: Tim Lambros
BIG IDEA: Gospel power moves us to praise and proclamation in times of trouble.

POINTS:
1. God As My Refuge
2. God As My Deliverer

SERMON EXCERPTS:
All quotes are taken from the pastor’s notes.
”Four times in the first two verses the Psalmist says “I will.”  The Psalmist is attempting to will himself into a certain action. ‘I will give thanks’… do we only give thanks when things go our way?”

“‘I will recount all of your wonderful deeds.’ Think about how powerful this is – when trouble visits your space – your mind can only hold one thought at a time – the Psalmist fights the temptation to grumble, complain, and put on self-pity but fights it by recounting all God’s wonderful deeds. Praise and proclamation can only happen when God is remembered.”

“IMPORTANT In times of trouble remembering WHO God is and WHAT God has done shapes/influences HOW you will respond.  Otherwise, circumstances will dictate how you respond. So we see the Psalmist has a certain resolve in the midst of his circumstances.  We can all relate to this difficulty. When we face trouble every thought matters.”

“Is the Psalmist talking about his resolve following the challenge or in the midst of the trouble? Has the Psalmist been delivered from his troubles or is he in the midst of his troubles? I think we can make a case that the Psalmist is in the midst of trouble.  I think there are hints in our text that would indicate David is in the midst of trouble while he pens this Psalm. Look ahead to V. 9 & V. 13 – God is a stronghold for the oppressed.  He is the stronghold in times of trouble.  ‘See my affliction’. David is in the midst of trouble.  Yet he praises.  He proclaims truths about God.”

“3 things we see in the text that fill his resolve to fill His mind with praise to God AND proclaim truth about God in the midst of trouble:
1. Praise for God’s prior deliverance (v. 3-6)
2. Proclaiming truth about God’s righteousness (v. 7-8)
3. Proclaiming God as a refuge (v.9-10)”

“Notice what V. 9 says – a stronghold for the oppressed and those in times of trouble. I would imagine just about every one of you today is faced with some aspect of oppression or trouble. Sometimes it’s direct and obvious but other times oppression and trouble simply comes because we live in a fallen world. The Psalmist holds out that the LORD is your stronghold.  He is your protection in times of trouble.”

“He says THE LORD IS A STRONGHOLD… LISTEN CLOSELY – God brings trouble into our lives so we can learn to trust Him in the midst of our trouble.  Why? It’s one thing to know God IS A STRONGHOLD, it’s another thing to know God AS YOUR STRONGHOLD. Same as refuge and same as deliverer.”

“It’s easy to just hear “do you know the Lord” as Christianese yet this is the climax of this Psalm. V.10 “Those who know His name put their trust in Him”.  Those who know Him know He will not forsake you.  David is saying with credibility that I know the LORD – He has delivered me many times in the past and He can be trusted. I DON’T JUST FACTUALLY KNOW GOD IS A STRONGHOLD I KNOW HIM AS A STRONGHOLD.”

“CHURCH … to trust God in the midst of your trouble – to move towards praising and proclaiming in the midst of trouble – you must have times of trouble where you can trust God AS your stronghold.  Knowing and trusting God can’t be a set of facts – it’s so much more – praisers and proclaimers know God will not forsake them.”

“In the midst of [Jesus’] trouble – being unjustly crucified – He did not forsake us.  We have God sending His Son to be forsaken so we could know and trust God that He will not forsake you.  NT believers have the full revelation of God Himself in His Son.  God has chosen to reveal Himself to us and He does this by forsaking His Son that we could KNOW HIM AND TRUST HIM in the midst of our trouble and afflictions.”

“What about when God doesn’t answer our prayer?  What about when it feels like you have been forsaken? David knew what it was like for God TO NOT DELIVER HIS SON. Believers don’t just have a here and now understanding of God as deliverer.  We have a LONG view of God’s deliverance.  It’s one level of trust to move towards praise and proclamation while we are in the midst of trouble and affliction but sometimes God will call you to trust Him for eternal deliverance.  That place where there is no more tears, pain, trouble or affliction.”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
2 Samuel 22:1-3
Colossians 3:1–4
Acts 16:25
James 1:3
Hebrews 4:14–16

APPLICATION:
- Have you noticed it’s easier to praise God’s goodness and proclaim truths about God after you have been delivered?  What about in the midst of trouble?  How do you do when you are facing trouble, tempted to doubt God maybe even believe untruths about God like he has left you.  

- Do you know the Lord?  Do you know Him in the middle of your trouble and afflictions?  Does that move you to be a praising and proclaiming, believer?

So how do we move towards praise and proclamation when we are afflicted this week or in the midst of trouble?
1. Recount His deeds! Start by preaching the gospel to yourself daily!  Then add to this all His wonderful deeds He’s done in your life.
2. Pursue grace as a practice  – Study Heb 5:11-14 Here’s a taste from V. 14 “powers of discernment trained by constant practice” You might ask “how do I do that? Pursue grace through God’s means of grace.  Don’t overlook the beauty and blessing of gathering with your Church every Sunday morning.

SONGS FROM THIS SUNDAY:
Glorious Christ
Behold Our God
It's Your Grace
Rejoice
A Mighty Fortress Is Our God

NEXT WEEK’S PASSAGE:
Psalm 20

Jesus is the light of God’s face! Come all who put their faith in Him, and you will find that you, too, now live in the goodness of God! Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES:  Sermons in the Psalms, Vol 2
TEXT: Psalm 4
TITLE: Joy That Comes in the Night
PREACHER: Tom Wilkins
BIG IDEA: An unmatched joy is given by God that leads us to trust Him in our time of need.

POINTS:
1. A Joy that comes from God in the darkness of night
2. A Joy that is beyond compare
3. A Joy that leads to a peace-filled trust in God

SERMON EXCERPTS:
All quotes are taken from the pastor’s notes.
”Not simply ‘a’ joy, but a joy that is beyond compare and unrivaled, can only come from our all-satisfying God who has shone the light of His face on us!”

“In the darkness of night, we find King David is in distress. His trouble is real, described in vs 1 - His distress is significant enough for him to cry to God for relief! Then in verse 2, we find that the trial that he is facing is suffering under shameful assaults on his honor and lies about his character - likely sowing seeds of dissension in the kingdom. This assault on his honor is coming from ‘men of rank,’ not some lightweight opposition - (not some troll with an internet connection). This is a legit enemy wreaking real havoc! Danger is imminent. War could break out! This distress is not only real and consistent, but non-stop, and lengthy, ‘how long.’”

“THIS is important - this distress/trouble does not go away. It appears to remain! But, amid David’s distress, David is granted the relief he has prayed for in Verse 1, and that relief comes from a JOY that God graciously puts in David’s heart (vs 7). In the midst of this distressing situation that will not relent, a surprising joy from God floods the heart of David, enabling him to peacefully go to bed and fall asleep and be assured that his life is safe!”

“Oh, how we need this! LET THIS SINK INTO YOUR SOUL! ON A VERY BAD DAY - GOD GIVES DAVID JOY! And David leads the Choirmaster, and with the stringed instruments, David sings for us… instructing us as it were… in his prayer!”

“We might be hoping and expecting that as soon as we get to the end Vs. 6, the very thing we should have next is ‘You have vanquished my enemy and removed the trial! The lies and dishonor are gone’ The LORD does the unexpected. Instead of the situation being taken away, the LORD does what we will see is better. In vs 7, The LORD gives Joy!”

“In vs 1-8 there are 7 specific REASONS, found in God’s goodness and favor, for our Joy:

• Vs. 1a Reason #1 for our Joy is found in God giving His righteousness to us.

• Vs. 1b Reason #2 for our Joy is found in God’s past faithness. 

• Vs. 1c Reason #3 for our Joy is found in God being gracious to us. 

• Vs. 3a Reason #4 for our Joy is found in God setting us apart for himself. 

• Vs. 3b Reason #5 for our Joy is found in God's hearing when we call to him.

• Vs. 8a Reason #6 for our Joy is found in God granting us peace. 

• Vs. 8b Reason #7 for our Joy is found in God granting us safety (He will not let you go nor be destroyed).”

“Reason after reason after reason for Joy, and every one of them pointed to the One who makes each possible. The believer in Christ cannot help but see that all of this is ultimately possible in the Cross of Jesus Christ.”

“Jesus, the light of the world, is the expression of the light of God’s face shining forth in salvation! Joy to the world! Jesus is the reason for that JOY!”

“Jesus is the light of God’s face! Come all who put their faith in Him, and you will find that you, too, now live in the goodness of God!”

“…in our time of need, we are tempted to look to this world for relief! Where do you go in the midst of suffering and trial? Where are we going to go to get the answers and relief? Where does David go in the midst of his distress? He goes to His God. There, David finds great relief in his trouble: God’s inexplicable favor in the light of God’s face!”

“Our Choirmaster has gone before us! He has graciously heard our prayer! He has graciously saved us and will keep us safe through the night!”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
Numbers 6:24-26
Romans 3 and 4
Romans 5:8
Hebrews 1:3

QUOTES:
Ligoneer - “To have the light of God’s face shine upon a person, then, is to have the glory of the Lord shine in a special way… indicating His approval of the person on whom He shines as one who is righteous in His sight. Scripture describes the experience of God’s light as the greatest blessing that any human being can ever enjoy.”

Charles Spurgeon -“He will not forsake you: He will bear you through. There is a promise prepared for your present emergencies; and if you will believe and plead it at the mercy-seat through Jesus Christ, you shall see the hand of the Lord stretched out to help you. Everything else will fail, but His word never will.”

APPLICATION:
CHURCH! Behold reason and after reason to rejoice in your Savior, Jesus!

• Jesus is the righteousness of God given to us (Rom. 3 and 4)

• Jesus’ past faithfulness at the cross is the very means of our salvation!

• Jesus receives the wrath we deserve, and we receive the undeserved grace of God! (Rom. 5:8)

• We are set apart IN Jesus!

• We have direct access in prayer to the throne of grace IN Jesus!

• Jesus speaks, “My peace I give you” 

Who will show us some good? Answer: The light of God’s face shines upon us!
Q. What was on your mind/heart when the sun went down yesterday?
Q. What was on your mind the night before?

The light of the world, Jesus, has come into the darkness of this world. HIS LIGHT WAS   NOT   SNUFFED OUT YESTERDAY AND NEVER WILL! In fact… JESUS WILL SHINE BRIGHTER AS THE DAYS GROW DARKER!

SONGS FROM THIS SUNDAY:
Praise to the Lord
Only A Holy God
Before The Throne Of God Above
I Have A Shelter
Thy Mercy

You may have noticed that we have been singing some new songs on Sunday mornings (songs like “Sing” and “All Things”).

These songs were early releases of Sovereign Grace Music’s newest album titled “Knowing God” which was released today! These songs are rich in good theology, but as Bob Kauflin (Leader of Sovereign Grace Music) reminds us, “good theology always leads to glad doxology.” We encourage you to listen and get to know these songs, not simply because we will sing many of them as a church, but so that these truths will lead us to joyful praise and adoration for God and His Gospel. 

Here is a brief description of the album from Sovereign Grace Music:

“2023 marked the 50th anniversary of J.I. Packer’s classic book, Knowing God. What originated as a series of magazine articles has become a tool that God has used to shape, deepen, and ignite the theology of five decades of Christians. 

So the Sovereign Grace Music songwriters set out to write and record an album of songs based on Packer’s book. First, it would be an opportunity to highlight how God has used Knowing God to make theology not only accessible but delightful. Second, we knew Packer’s book would be a rich resource for songs that connect the head and the heart. Third, we hoped it would cause those who have never read it to do so, and stir those who have already read it to read it again! Finally, good theology always leads to glad doxology. Knowing God isn’t simply a book to read. It’s songs waiting to be sung.

…in early 2022, we began writing them. It would be an overwhelming task to try to write a song for each of the twenty-two chapters, and it would also make for an excessively long album. Instead, we based our songs on sentences, paragraphs, or chapters that inspired us. Sometimes the connection was obvious. Other times, Packer’s words served as a springboard for articulating related themes.”

Links to Listen or Download
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYdnaVTk3ydFMs7Sb46QNoDadRsHWkYdj
Bandcamp: https://sovereigngracemusic.bandcamp.com/album/knowing-god
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/6kFQYERknrmQg2N7cnGpKg

To stay up to date on album releases and more, you can follow Sovereign Grace Music on Instagram @sovgracemusic.

Psalm 29 is a poetic retelling of a storm by David. It has one goal—Move us to worship. As one commentator said—Psalm 29 is Pure Praise. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES:  Sermons in the Psalms, Vol 2
TEXT: Psalm 29
TITLE: Christmas in July
PREACHER: Derek Overstreet

POINTS:
1. We Were Created for Glory
2. God is Worthy of All Glory

SERMON EXCERPTS:
All quotes are taken from the pastor’s notes.
”These verses call God’s people to give God the glory He is due. Three times, we are commanded to ascribe to God praise and worship due to His matchless name, infinite worth, and glorious character. And not just God’s people, but the angels as well—(1) Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings.”

“Of course, the angels ascribe glory to God naturally. So the thrice command to give praise to God is really for us. And we need it. But why? Why must we be repeatedly commanded to give God the glory due to His name? We are like the angels in that we are hardwired for glory. God created us for glory. But we have a problem the angels don’t—Sin. Sin has caused a glory war in our hearts. Heb 3 says sin is deceitful. One way sin deceives us is by blinding us to the glory of God.”

“But it’s not just that we are blinded to God’s glory; sin creates a craving in our hearts for personal glory. Instead of God’s glory, we pursue our glory. We live for our reputation. We praise our accomplishments. We worship our wisdom. We glory in our personal morals. We glory in our health. We glory in our respectability. We glory in our bank accounts. Our hearts are a theater of glory wars.”

“This is why we get discouraged and depressed. This is the source of our confusion and contentions. This is why some are anxious and angry. Self-glory can never satisfy a person hardwired to feast on God’s glory.”

“In the second stanza, 3-9, David shows us WHY we are to ascribe the LORD glory.”

“After repeatedly exhorting us to ascribe glory to God, in 3-9, David shows us WHY God is worthy of our continuous praise by describing a storm. Whether the storm was real or not, David's imagery and connections provide a powerful and unforgettable object lesson of God’s greatness.”

“LORD appears ten times in the description of the storm. Seven of those occurrences happen in the phrase the voice of the LORD.”

“All this is poetic imagery for the unmatched power and strength of God. His voice stands over all creation. Nothing is too strong for Him. Nothing is as majestic and awe-inspiring as the LORD. The power of the voice of God is found in other places in Scripture.”

“The imagery of a throne and king communicates sovereign power and complete control. The world may be shaken. Our country may be shaken. You may be shaken. But God is never shaken. He sits enthroned as king above it all. That applies to everything we see in the news and whatever trial you are going through today. We all try to make sense of life. We all seek comfort in difficulty. Psalm 29 is meant to help you do both by holding a God whose sovereign power is unmatched.”

“Did you notice David’s trials are nowhere to be found in Psalm 29? It doesn’t matter what he’s going through. It doesn’t matter what we are going through. God is God!”

“In these final verses, the storm has passed. The earth has been shaken, and the forests are destroyed. But God sits calmly above it all. He is in total control. As for His people, they are blessed with spiritual strength and peace.  This is where the voice of the LORD in Psalm 29 points us forward. It reminds us there is a storm of divine judgment coming one day.”

“Infinitely more terrifying is the eternal storm of Judgment Day. Every human being is a sinner under God’s judgment. Humanly speaking, we are powerless to escape God’s righteous and holy judgment that will be void of any peace and continue eternally. But God made a way in His Son Jesus. Psalm 29 is a bit of Christmas in July. It’s bookends of God’s glory, and our peace was sung by the angels in Luke 2—Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace among those whom he is pleased.”

“With that song, the angels announced the birth of the one who would bring us face-to-face with the merciful voice of the Lord, enduring the storm of all storms, the storm of God’s eternal justice and wrath for our wrongdoing. Jesus bowed his head into that storm for us, paying the price for all our sin, making a way for our forgiveness, and giving us true peace with God, knowing He will never hold our sins against us but only give us grace, mercy, and joy forever.”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
Psalm 46:10
Romans 1:16

QUOTES:
James Montgomery Boice - “Why does David call on the angels? It is because he thinks that his praise and that of other mere human beings is not adequate. David is overwhelmed with the majesty of God revealed in the storm that he has witnessed and is now going to describe. He feels that he needs help to praise God properly. To praise God adequately the entire created order must join in, and even then sufficient praise will be lacking.”

Mark Johnston - “Baal was regarded as the storm god in Canaanite religion, and his worshipers looked to him to bring them through life’s upheavals. But like every false deity, Baal had neither the ability to hear nor the ability to answer this cry for help, and his devotees were left to the mercy of life’s crises. Not so the God of Israel.”

APPLICATION:
- What glory is commanding your heart?

- What’s your modern-day Baal? Self-sufficiency? Protectionism? Psychological therapy? A twelve-step program? Where do you run? Where do you pursue hope? Smash your Baals and trust the voice of the LORD revealed in your Bible. Nothing can happen to you apart from the voice of the LORD. He is always in control of your life. His plans for you are sure.

In the kindness of God, it’s almost monsoon season. We will watch powerful storms roll through our city in the coming weeks. As they do, allow Psalm 29 to fill your mind and move you to praise God for who He is and what He has done for you in Jesus.  

Don’t wait for the monsoons. I began by sharing how we can never exhaust our understanding of the Psalms. Even more, we can never exhaust ascribing glory to our Lord and Savior, not today, tomorrow, not even in eternity. Right now, start with one area of your life where you need to be more intentional

• Conversations

• Priorities

• Thought life

• Perspective

• Eyes

• Accomplishments

SONGS FROM THIS SUNDAY:
This is Amazing Grace - Phil Wickam
Sing! (Live) - Sovereign Grace Music
Jesus Your Mercy - Sovereign Grace Music
Christ is Mine Forever More - CityAlight
How Great (Psalm 145) - Sovereign Grace Music

Judges concludes on a chilling and deeply sobering note. But even now, as we look closely, we see Christ in the Chaos. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES:  Judges: Christ in the Chaos
TEXT: Judges 19-21
TITLE: We Have the King of All Kings
PREACHER: Derek Overstreet

SERMON EXCERPTS:
All quotes are taken from the pastor’s notes.
”As dark and raunchy as this story is, the true horror of this story  is found in the opening words. …these words exhort us to look beyond the horrors we are about to encounter to see our true enemy. If we don’t, this story shows us how bad things can get, even for God’s people. ”

“Our story begins with a Levite who has marriage problems. His concubine (wife) is unfaithful to him, and she leaves him to live with her father. After four months of separation from his wife, 3-10 tells us he travels to Bethlehem to work it out. He hits it off with Dad, and after staying with them for almost a week, the Levite and his concubine head home.”

“In 12-21, they spend the night in the Israelite town of Gibeah. With no one willing to provide hospitality, the Levite and his wife set up camp in the town square. An older man sees this, invites them to stay the night at his house, and puts on a clinic in hospitality. But the unthinkable happens—read 22-26.”

“I’m not sure there is a passage in all Scripture containing as much wickedness as this. Everything is twisted here! A mob of perverts want to engage in homosexual rape. The wickedness and vileness of homosexuality were too much for the old man, so he refused—good for him. But then he does the unthinkable: he offers his virgin daughter and the Levite's wife to, notice the language in 24—Violate and do with them what seems good to you.”

“The perverted mob refuses his offer, and the Levite, to save himself, hastily hands over his wife to them. And the perverted monsters take turns brutally raping her all night long. Undoubtedly, the host and Levite could hear all that was happening outside their door—and did nothing. Only when the sun comes up do they stop. By then, this woman is emotionally dead and physically destroyed. Emptied of all dignity, it takes everything this young lady has to crawl to the doorstep of the very home she should have felt safe in and die. This is Sodom all over again, only worse!”

“This is hard to hear. For some, it's unbearable because it brings back memories of their own sexual abuse. If that’s you, I’m sorry you have experienced the fallenness of our world in such a horrific way. Even more, the Lord wants you to know—that He knows. He sees the pain you carry. He is aware of the emotional scars. The suffering that lingers is not unknown to Him. He bids you today to come to Him with your burden. Find your value and worth in His Son Jesus, your peace and comfort in His Spirit. Your confidence in the limitless transforming power of the gospel. Trust in his justice, if not executed today, on Judgement Day. Know, see, and taste that God is good. If you are in danger today, go to a safe place. Tell someone. Call the authorities. Call your pastors. If you are safe but still hurting, reach out to your pastors. We want to help you. Our hearts break for you. We will gladly help you carry your burden to the cross of Calvary and throne above.”

“The unthinkable nature of this story continues. The Levite knows what happened to his wife. Yet, he gets up in the morning, opens the front door, finds his wife lying there, and says—Get up, time to hit the road. When she doesn’t respond, he loads her lifeless body onto the donkey and goes home. Once home, he chops her body up and sends a bloody token to each tribe of Israel to arouse the nation to punish the perverts. His appalling tactics work, stirring up the indignation of Israel.”

“The horror continues in Ch 20. 1-17 recounts how the ten tribes of Israel meet to review what happened in Gibeah. As they listen to the Levite recount the horrific events of that night, there is immediate unity to attack Gibeah and execute the perverted monsters. But the Benjaminites will have none of it, and a bloodbath ensues.”

“To make matters worse, when they convened in Mizpah (20:1), they made an oath not to give their daughters in marriage to any Benjaminite, seemingly sealing the extinction of their brother's existence. Their solution: More bloodshed. They send 12,000 men to the unsuspecting town of Jabesh-gilead, where they slaughter men, women, and children. The only ones spared are 400 virgins who are seized and delivered to the Benjaminites. All that extreme violence and the math didn’t work. They were 200 virgins short.”

“Call it kidnapping. Call it human trafficking. Call it what you want. Anarchy has engulfed Israel. They have abandoned God’s standard for marriage, morals, and anything else you can think of. This is not the story of the Canaanites. This is Israel—God’s chosen people.”

“And after all the stories, all the judges, all the geography, and 400 years of history, it is all owed to this one great problem—read 25. Israel’s problem is our problem. So what do we do now?”

“In Judges, God’s people were broken. Rape, genocide, and kidnapping. Heinous sins. I’m pretty sure those heinous sins aren’t on your spiritual resume. But do you know what is on all our resumes? Idolatry. Specifically, an idolatrous desire for independence from God.”

“The good news and the ultimate point of Judges is that WE HAVE A KING! In Christ, we have the King of Kings who loves us, teaches, guides, and intercedes for us.”

“Believe that God is faithful and will be faithful to you and His church. Don’t presume on that, but live in the good of that. How? Live a life of repentance. Embrace divine forgiveness. Rejoice in who you are in Christ. Live like you believe God controls your life and this world. Persevere in holiness, come what may, with your eyes fixed on the return of your King. God’s grace was powerful enough to save you, and it will be powerful enough to keep you to the end, where we will see our king and worship him alone in all righteousness, joy, and peace.”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
Revelation 21:1-4

QUOTES:
Dale Ralph Davis- “The problem is not so much with what each man was doing but with the standard that governed him. Hence, 21:25b expresses the ultimate perversity of every man, demanding the right to be his own lord, insisting on following the dictates of his own glands. The problem is not sins but sin, that declaration of independence—whether stated viciously or politely—which says, Yes I do want to be like God calling my own shots.”

Barry Webb - “Idolatry and immorality are bedfellows; where you have one, you also, sooner or later, have the other.”

APPLICATION:
There are three takeaways from this story and Judges I pray will be unforgettable for us:
1. Guard against underestimating the power of idolatry
You may not be able to identify with the horrors of Israel in Judges, but we can all identify with the root of their problem—We want to do what is right in our own eyes.

This is precisely what happened at the beginning when the Serpent tells Eve in Gen 3—You can be like God and Eve said Yes! Let me eat. As wicked as Israel was, we can’t separate ourselves from their problem. Our idolatry may seem respectable—personal morality, respect, achievement, acceptance—good things in themselves, but sinful idols when we want them more than we want God. That’s what idolatry is. The end of it is no different than Israel.

I believe one of the best ways, to guard against underestimating the power of idolatry—Community Group.

2. Remember who your King is
The effective refrain in Judges is found in its final verse—read 25. The idea of no king is that a king would have set things right. But there was no king to rule, lead, and exercise authority over the people. Instead, every man did what was right in their own eyes. This is important: Every man is a reference to the Israelite. Judges isn’t about Canaanites living like Canaanites. It’s about Israel living like Canaanites. The church's problem isn’t out there; it’s in here. You and I turning our backs on our King is the church’s greatest problem.

Have you forgotten who your King is? Turn back to him today in repentance and faith.

3. Celebrate the undeserved and unending grace of God toward you
The story ends with everyone returning home to their inheritance. To have an inheritance was to have a future. Israel, despite her sin, has a future. The time of the Judges was not the end of their story. And for only one reason—God’s faithfulness to pour out mercy and grace.

God will discipline you—but He will never abandon you! Our sin and idolatry are great, but God’s grace is greater.

Your pastors are excited to invite you to RELAY 2025 - A Sovereign Grace Young Adults Conference on Thursday—Saturday, January 2-4, 2025.

This conference is for Married and Single young adults. It is geared towards those ages 18-25, but also those in their late 20s or 30s, as well as those 16 and 17.

• Early Bird registration is open until THIS SUNDAY, June 30, 2024!

• Registration ends November 30, 2024. 

Our local church has a rich heritage as part of the Sovereign Grace family of churches. One of our shared values in Sovereign Grace is Gospel-Centered Doctrine & Preaching. At RELAY, you will experience what makes our heritage rich: preaching of the gospel, singing of the gospel, praying the gospel, and fellowship in the gospel. 

Additionally, the RELAY website states that this conference “...exists to inspire young adults to live for the glory of Christ. Our desire is to inspire this generation to personalize and carry forward our shared doctrine, values, and mission that we cherish as Sovereign Grace churches. As we gather together from many churches to hear God’s word, sing God’s praises, build relationships across churches, and invest in future leaders, we are asking God to use this conference for his glory and the strengthening of our churches for decades to come.”  

We could not recommend this conference to you more! Your time and investment will be well spent.

Conference Details

• Thursday—Saturday, January 2-4, 2025 at Covenant Fellowship Church, Glen Mills, PA.

• Speakers include C.J. Mahaney, Jeff Purswell, Jared Mellinger, Jon Payne, and Dave Taylor.

• Lunch and dinner are provided on Friday.

• Pre-conference Pastoral Interest sessions begin on Thursday, January 2 with check-in available starting at 11:00am, followed by Pastoral Interest sessions from Noon - 6pm. Lunch and dinner will be provided.

• The conference begins on Thursday, January 2 with check-in available starting at 5pm and opening session at 7pm, and ends at Noon on Saturday, January 4.