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February 19, 2017
SOVEREIGN GRACE BAPTIST CHURCH
MEETING LOCATION
251 Green Lane
Ewing, NJ, 08368
Clay Curtis, pastor
Telephone: 615-513-4464
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.
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE WEBSITE: watch videos of our full services—click here.
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SUNDAY’S READING IN PROVERBS
Proverbs 3: 27: Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it. 28: Say not unto thy neighbour, Go, and come again, and to morrow I will give; when thou hast it by thee.
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If anyone reading this is working in order to be saved be sure to understand, God will take account of all your works. That is right. In the great day of judgment, God will take account of all your works, whether good or evil, as sin. God will account all man’s works for salvation as coming “short of the glory of God.” There is one whose works God is well-pleased with, Christ Jesus his Son. Sinners are “justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. Who God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood.” (Rom 3: 22-25) All who are attempting to work for salvation are attempting to justify themselves from their sins by the law of Moses. Please listen to God! “By [Christ] all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.” (Acts 13: 39) Salvation is believing Christ! May God give you grace to do so today. Right now you are conscience is guilty at the thought of having not done enough. Then you will have the sweet rest and peace of conscience that only Christ can give knowing “there is no more offering for sin.”
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Kindness is the honey that takes the edge off another person’s bitterness. Pastor Don Fortner
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Put no trust in frames and feelings. Care more for a grain of faith than a ton of excitement. Trust in God alone, and lean not on the reeds of human help. Charles Spurgeon
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For those of you who don't know the Lord, how do you deal with life? Do you go through life confused, bitter, and angry, dealing with questions you can't answer? Do you go through life with a flippant attitude, or believing you have the strength to deal with anything? As for me and I know I speak for God's people, I wouldn't want to face a moment without the Lord for ten thousand worlds like this. "We don't know what a day may bring forth", but we do know who brings it forth. Pastor Don Bell
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WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE “OF THE WORKS OF THE LAW”?
So then, they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham. For as many as are of the works of the law are under a curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. (Galatians 3:9-10)
What does it mean to be “of the works of the law?” The word “of” refers to origin. If I am of the works of the law I trace the origin of my salvation to something I have done. Just what that something is varies according to who you are talking to. Some would say it is obedience to the law. Others would say it is your sincerity. Still, others would say it is your will that decides whether to accept or reject God’s offer of salvation. Whatever form it takes, it is still something you must do before you can be saved. Salvation is the end, the pay back, for the works that you perform. But those who are “of truth” (Gal 3: 9), trace the origin of their salvation to God himself. What we do does not end in salvation. We begin in salvation. Our works find their origin in God himself. (Eph 2: 8-10). All who are of the works of the law are under God’s curse! All who are “of faith” are “blessed with faithful Abraham.” Pastor Todd Nibert
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A REAL ANTINOMIAN
“A real Antinomian, in the sight of God, is one who “holds the truth in unrighteousness;” who has gospel notions in his head, but no grace in his heart. He is one that makes a profession of Christ Jesus, but was never purged by his blood, renewed by his Spirit, nor saved by his power. With him carnal ease passes for gospel peace; a natural assent of the mind for faith; insensibility for liberty; and daring presumption for the grace of assurance. He is alive without the law, the sentence of the ‘moral law’ having never been sent home to him. The ‘law of faith’ was never sealed on him, the ‘law of truth’ was never received by him, nor the ‘law of liberty’ proclaimed to him. He was never arraigned at, nor taken from, the ‘throne of judgement’. He was never justified at the ‘throne of grace’, nor acquitted at the ‘bar of equity’. The tremendous attribute of righteousness was never seen or felt by him. The righteousness of the law was never fulfilled by him; the righteousness of faith was never imputed to him; nor the fruits of righteousness brought forth by him. He is an enemy to the power of God, to the experience of the just, and to every minister of the Spirit; and is in union with none but hypocrites, whose uniting ties are ‘the gall of bitterness and the bonds of iniquity’. He is one that often changes his opinion, but was never changed in heart. He turns to many sects and parties, but never turns to God. In word he is false to Satan, in heart he is false to God; false to Satan by uttering truth, and false to God by a false profession. He is a false reprover in the world, and in the household of faith a false brother. He is a child of Satan in the congregation of dissemblers, and a bastard in the congregation of the righteous. By mouth he contends for a covenant that cannot save him, and in heart he hates the covenant that can. His head is at Mount Calvary, his heart and soul at Mount Sinai. he is a Pharisee at Horeb, and a hypocrite in Zion. He is a transgressor of the law of works, and a rebel to the law of faith; a sinner by the ministry of the letter, and an unbeliever by the ministry of the Spirit. As a wicked servant, he is cursed by the eternal law; and, as an infidel, he is damned by the everlasting gospel. And this is a real Antinomian in the sight of God.” William Huntingon, S.S.
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Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith. Hebrews 10:22
Assurance of salvation and a saving interest in our Lord Jesus is NOT A FEELING cultivated by thinking good thoughts and doing good deeds. Paul calls it "full assurance of faith." It has to do with faith, with BELIEVING GOD! Assurance is born of CONFIDENCE IN THE FATHER as our covenant God; "Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him." Assurance is born of CONFIDENCE IN THE SON as our just God and Saviour; "By His stripes we are healed." Assurance is born of CONFIDENCE IN HIS PROMISES; "Abraham was fully persuaded that what God had promised, He was able also to perform." So your assurance of redemption is not enhanced by the MORE YOU WORK, but by the MORE YOU TRUST AND REST IN HIM. "Let us labor therefore to enter into THAT REST" (Heb. 4:11). Pastor Henry Mahan
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Every true believer may walk through this world in perfect liberty, free from anything and everything – yes, even his sin, fear of condemnation, and all else that would cause him to doubt of his completeness. He may freely come to God, worship Him, call Him “Father,” and this he may do at all times with the utmost confidence and thankfulness, because in Christ he stands, first and foremost and always, complete before God. “O thanks be to God for Jesus Christ. Pastor Bruce Crabtree
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GIVEN GRACE
Ephesians 4: 7: But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.
It will help each believer to remain lowly in heart if we remember that everything we have is given to us from God—“But unto every one of us is GIVEN…” Everything mentioned in the context of this verse is a gift: our calling, our new spirit, lowliness, meekness, longsuffering, forbearance, love of Christ and love of brethren. Our unity is a gift, the bond of peace is a gift, being made one body, with one hope, one faith, one baptism is all a gift. Like justification in Christ these are all gifts given freely of God by grace. Every gift is given to us in God’s greatest gift, our Lord Jesus Christ. “Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.” (2 Cor 9: 1 5)
So believers, have no reason to be anything but lowly before God and before one another because “who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?” (1 Cor 4: 7) Brethren, never seek the highest place. If we do, we will have a lot of competition. If we choose the lowest place, we will have plenty of room. Remember, he who laid down his life for us said to be greatest in the kingdom of God is to be the least and servant of all. (Mt 18: 4; 23: 11; Lu 22: 26) The way up with God is down.
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