November
18, 2018
SOVEREIGN GRACE BAPTIST CHURCH
MEETING LOCATION
251 Green Lane
Ewing, NJ, 08368
Clay Curtis, pastor
Telephone: 615-513-4464
Clay@FreeGraceMedia.com
MAILING ADDRESS:
7 Birch Street
Pennington, NJ, 08538
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.
All articles by the pastor unless
otherwise noted.
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SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE WEBSITE: The
videos are now listed as individual sermons, as well as full services—click here.
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SUNDAY’S READING IN PROVERB
Proverbs 12: 12: The wicked desireth the net
of evil men: but the root of the righteous yieldeth fruit.”
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When a
man says he has hope by the works of his own hands, he is saying that there is no
hope by resting in God’s hands. God sent Jeremiah to declare this to be what
the people were saying, “And they said,
There is no hope: but we will walk after our own devices, and we will every one
do the imagination of his evil heart.” (Jer
18: 12)
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Since we
are coming up on Thanksgiving, I have been thinking of what I am most thankful
for. Of course, I am thankful for my
family. And I still thank God for
providing us a quiet place to meet. But I
am especially thankful for my church family.
God has graced our congregation with faith and love that makes me
delight to be your pastor. On the first
Sunday, when I see you all sitting together and talking I cannot describe how
it encourages me and makes me thank God for the work He has wrought in our
midst. All the glory is His. And to think, this is a union that will last
for eternity. Since we will not have
services next week on Thanksgiving Day, let me say now that I pray each of you
has a nice time with family and friends.
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The
greatest pressure for me as a pastor is, one, knowing that I speak on behalf of
God and am accountable to God for what I declare concerning Christ; two, it is
knowing that I speak to sinners who will spend eternity somewhere. This pressure is due to fear God has put in my
heart. I really do tremble for those who
are quick to speak the word of God to eternity bound sinners, especially if
they speak not according to God’s word. It will be especially terrible for those who
divide brethren and lead men away from the gospel of Christ. God says, “of whom hast thou been afraid or
feared, that thou hast lied, and hast not remembered me, nor laid it to
thy heart?” (Isa 57:11) It takes God creating a new heart to make a sinner
truly fear and reverence God, resting entirely in Christ alone. He
makes us come out from the wicked (2Co 7:1; Pr 9:10). The fear of God makes us
submit to one another rather than sow discord (Eph 5: 21).
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THE LOVE OF GOD
"Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that
we should be called the sons of God" (1 John 3:1).
There is a great deal said in
religious circles about the love of God, but few have a real scriptural concept
of the truth of God's love as it is manifested in the scriptures. The general
idea most people have is, "that God loves everybody without exception and
is trying his best to save everybody, but the sinner will not
cooperate."
The truth of God's character revealed in the word is that God is Holy,
Just and His love is always in harmony with His Holy character as a Just God
and a Saviour (Isa. 45:21). Those for
whom He loves in Christ (Rev.1:5), elected in Christ (John 6:37), redeemed in
Christ (Eph.1:7) must be justified in Christ (Rom. 8:28-30) and will be called
out of bondage into Light (Col. 1:12-13).
Here are some scriptures that describe
this true love of God to His covenant people:
1). The love of God is manifested and revealed in
Jesus Christ (Rom.8:32-39; Eph. 1:3-6; 2 Cor.4:6).
2). The love of God is sovereign and given to whom
the Lord pleases (Rom.9:12-16; Eph. 5:25). Outside of Christ, God is a
consuming fire (Heb. 12:29).
3). The love of God is eternal and will never be
discontinued (Jer. 31:3). God Himself is
eternal, therefore His great love must be eternal (Eph. 2:4).
4). The love of God is sacrificial love and will
redeem all His people from all their sins (1 John 4:10; 3:16; Eph.5:2, 25;
Matt.1:21; John 10:15).
5). The love of God is permanent love and will
always abide in the believer (John 13:1; Mal.3:6; Heb. 13:8).
6). The love of God is electing love that unconditionally
chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world (Eph. 1:3-6; 2 Thes.
2:13; John 15:15-16; 17:2).
7). The love of God is unmerited love, we have
never done anything to deserve His favor or mercy (Titus 3:3-7; Rom 5:6-9). The
only reason for His love to us is found in Himself, not in us (Deut.7:7-8).
8). The love of God is constraining love and
motivates everyone who believes the gospel, to obedience to Him as a willing,
loving bond slave of Christ (2 Cor. 5:14; Psa. 65:4; 110:3).
9). The love of God is Holy love, God in Christ is
both a Just God and Saviour (Isa. 45:20-22). His love is regulated by His holy
character (Rom. 5:21).
The more we meditate upon His great
love to us, its character, its fullness, its blessedness; the more our hearts
will be drawn out in love to Him. "We love Him because He first loved us"
(1 John 4:19; 3:16).
Pastor Tom Harding
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Have you ever lived out of this
country? We lived in a foreign country for over 25
years. We lived there. Paid bills there. Had friends there. Had our children there. But all that time, our citizenship was here
in this country. We knew that though we
went through heartaches, trials, troubles, and conflicts, we were going to
leave and come back to this country. It
was not our home. Not legally nor
emotionally.
We were bound by the laws of that
country. But there were so many things
that made us different. It was not hard
to tell that we did not belong there. We
were foreigners. We were in that
country, but we were not of that country.
When it rained on that country, we
got wet. When the sun shined, it shined
on us. But we lived in a way that did not
bring reproach on our home country. We
lived there during the administrations of Presidents Johnson, Nixon, Ford,
Carter, Reagan, and Bush, but we never talked against our president.
We did what we could to keep a low
profile. When we went to town, we tried
to dress in such a way that we did not stand out. We did not mix in the politics of the
country. We did not try to persuade
people to our way of thinking. We did
what we thought was right, and left the rest alone. We left Mexico to the Mexicans.
So in this world believers are
subject to the ups and downs of this world.
We are sick just like the people of this world. We have tribulation just like all the rest. When there is no food we get hungry like the
rest. In this world we submit to those
in authority. We lead orderly and peaceable
lives. We are simply passing
through. Bless it in your travel, but do
not yoke yourself with its affairs. You
may wish all things were different, but remember you are in a foreign
country. When possible we help those
among whom we lived. We do what we can
to point them to Christ – to point them to eternal life. You cannot make the world like Heaven, so do
not make it a dwelling place for your soul. Pastor
Milton Howard
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Spirituality is not just reading the Bible,
praying, going to church, and listening to sermons. Spirituality involves living a useful, meaningful
life, serving God and his people, making the most of your life as a husband or
wife, employee or employer: visiting the sick, feeding the hungry, helping the
needy, comforting the disconsolate, living for others rather than for yourself. Pastor
Don Fortner
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YOU CAN’T MAKE WATER WET—I am always
frustrated to hear “soul winners” tell people, “Let God be Lord of your
life.” My friend, you can’t make God the Lord of your life anymore than
you can make water wet. Water is wet because that is the nature of
water. God is King of kings. He is Lord of all because that is His
nature. The only thing sinners like us can do is beg God the King to save
us by His grace.
Pastor Frank Tate