A refuge for sinners the Gospel makes known, ‘Tis found in the merits of Jesus alone; The weary, the tempted, the burdened of sin Are never excluded from entering in.
This refuge for sinners God’s love did ordain In Jesus, the Lamb, from eternity slain; In Christ the Redeemer Who lived and Who died, God’s law and His justice are now satisfied.
Should conscience accuse us, as often it may, The blood of our Saviour has put sin away; In Jesus, our Surety, the sinner can view A city of refuge and righteousness too.
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Todays Bible Classes: 10:00 a.m.; Morning Worship - 11:00 a.m. Messages by Pastor Gary Shepard.
Television Broadcast: Our Reign of Grace Television program is being broadcast every Sunday morning on WALB-TV @ 9 AM.
Radio Broadcast: Sunday morning at 10:30 am on Mix 107.7 FM
We are blessed to have Brother Gary Shepard, pastor of Sovereign Grace Baptist Church in Jacksonville, NC, with us to preach the Gospel of God’s free and sovereign grace in Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior. Let us all be in prayer for Gary as he preaches God’s Word.
God judges the believer in Christ as perfectly righteous and holy at all times, by virtue of Christ's righteousness imputed to him. The world cannot make a right judgment of believers. Only the spiritual person discerns the things of God and the people of God (1 Cor. 2:14). The faults of the godly are seen by everyone, but their graces are too often unseen. “The royal daughter is all glorious within” (Psalm 45:13). When you are able to make a right judgment of other believers, you will want nothing better than to be in their company.
– John Owen
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"Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience. Let us hold fast the profession of faith without wavering; (for He is faithful that promised)" (Hebrews 10:22-23).
Those who live in doubt and fear concerning salvation and fitness for Heaven are apparently looking to someone other than Jesus Christ and His completed work on the cross for holiness and righteousness before God. If so, is this not unbelief? Even as saved sinners, we have never performed or obeyed well enough to merit acceptance with God. We trust Christ and what He accomplished as our Substitute and Surety on the cross, not what we have done nor are doing. As the hymn state, "My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus's blood and righteousness. I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus's name." There is no real and solid assurance to be found in anyone or anything else. Believing the demands of God were met in Christ for me is my ONLY hope and rest. When a believer doubts this, he is looking to someone other than Christ and His righteousness alone. God’s Word is very clear on this matter – “Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest BY THE BLOOD OF JESUS, by a new and living way, which HE HATH CONSECRATED FOR US, through the veil, that is to say, His flesh” (Hebrews 10:19-20).
– Pastor Bill Parker
THE SERVANTS OF GOD
There is a good picture of the servants of God who labor in the gospel ministry in Genesis 24. There, Eliezar, Abraham’s servant, is sent to find the bride for Isaac. This is exactly what those who are called of God are to do, seek the bride of the Son of God! He was sent by Abraham to a particular place and was to seek “the woman” among a particular people. The servant of God does not choose his place of service but God appoints it. As the servant began his journey to find the bride, he sought the Lord and asked His help: “And he said, O LORD God of my master Abraham, I pray thee, send me good speed this day, and shew kindness unto my master Abraham.” Knowing our inability to accomplish the task, God’s servants seek His strength, guidance and help. “Who is sufficient for these things?” Paul said. And as he went, he was instructed by Abraham to be faithful in what he was to say. Nothing was to be said or done that would in any way diminish Isaac in the process. “Beware that thou bring not my son thither again.” Likewise, nothing is to be said or done by way of message or methodology that is not according to the word of God or the glory of Christ. The bride is to be sought out not to exalt the servant and nothing is to be done to get many professions at the expense of God’s truth and glory. The Son is the One that it is all about! As a matter of fact, that was Eliezar’s message. “And the LORD hath blessed my master greatly; and he is become great: and he hath given him flocks, and herds, and silver, and gold, and menservants, and maidservants, and camels, and asses. And Sarah my master's wife bare a son to my master when she was old: and unto him hath he given all that he hath.” In other words, the son has it all and the woman that marries the son gets it all! That is the message of the gospel, God has given unto us eternal life and He that has the Son has life! He has blessed Christ will all power, all spiritual blessings, all things and those who are united to Him have it all! They have it all because HE is ALL! All wisdom, all righteousness, all sanctification and all redemption. We preach Christ and Him crucified as the ALL of salvation. Abraham’s servant, like gospel servants, asked, “what if she will not come?” Abraham answered, “And if the woman will not be willing to follow thee, then thou shalt be clear from this my oath.” The apostle Paul, having preached Christ (“all the counsel of God”) said he was “pure of the blood of all men.” So are all servants who preach salvation by Christ alone, through His grace alone and for His glory alone. It is required of a steward that he be faithful. His message will be savor of death to some but a savor of life to the Bride of Christ.
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