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Cleansed But Not Healed

”That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:” | 1 Peter 1: 7

Trials of sickness, disease, and even death cannot produce faith or take it away; rather they manifest it, prove it, and glorify the God who gave and sustained it.

~ Pastor Darvin Pruitt

Click here to listen to the message “Cleansed But Not Healed”

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Visit our primary website at www.ksgctn.org for more information about Kingsport Sovereign Grace Church, watch our livestream (when available) and access our previously recorded messages.

Kingsport Sovereign Grace Church Bulletin Article date: 6 May, 2018 | Previous post date: n/a

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Faithful Gospel Preachers

”I love the LORD, because he hath heard my voice and my supplications. Because he hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live. The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me: I found trouble and sorrow. Then called I upon the name of the LORD; O LORD, I beseech thee, deliver my soul. Gracious is the LORD, and righteous; yea, our God is merciful.” | Psalm 116: 1-5

After listening to messages preached by faithful men, I have noticed that in the early years of their ministry, there is a lot more vinegar mingled with grace.

But in the latter years of their ministry, there is far more love and grace and much less vinegar.

Isaiah spent the early part of his letter writing “woe to you, woe to you” and the latter half saying, “woe is me.”

Let me be far more eager to judge myself and far less eager to condemn others.

Grace and forgiveness make God’s people want to live more honorably but law and condemnation never does.

God will keep and teach His people.

I am only to proclaim His word and receive them as brethren, praying for them as I wait on Christ to work in their heart.

~ Pastor Clay Curtis

Click here to listen to the message “Simple Preaching”

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Visit our primary website at www.ksgctn.org for more information about Kingsport Sovereign Grace Church, watch our livestream (when available) and access our previously recorded messages.

Zebulon Grace Church Bulletin Article date: 18 April, 2021 | Previous post date: n/a | Pikeville, Kentucky

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Election is Sovereign – “The Purpose of God”

“For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.” | Romans 8: 29-30

The Bible reveals God to be sovereign in creation, providence, and salvation.

When men object to God’s sovereignty exercised in election, we do well to point them to the apostle’s words in Romans 9: 20-21, “Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to Him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honor, and another unto dishonor?”

Men have been told for so long that God is in their hands, it is no wonder that many are astonished to hear that the Bible says it is just the opposite.

~ Pastor David Pledger

Click here to listen to the message “A Wonderful Truth”

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Visit our primary website at www.ksgctn.org for more information about Kingsport Sovereign Grace Church, watch our livestream (when available) and access our previously recorded messages.

Kingsport Sovereign Grace Church Bulletin Article date: 16 May, 2021 | Previous post date: 17 July, 2021

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Something To Lay Aside And Something To Receive

”Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.” | James 1: 21

The Spirit of God summarizes all that went before.

The only thing that exists in man’s flesh is filthiness and overflowing naughtiness.

Our Adamic-nature manifests what it is by a refusal to hear the Word of truth which declares that all fullness dwells in Christ alone.

In the over-abounding naughtiness of wrath, the old man is quick to speak against God in defense of the filthiness called, flesh. “If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.” (Ephesians 4: 21-24)

Therefore, our King exhorts believers to “lay apart all filthiness and evil”. “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.” (Hebrews 12: 1-3)

It is the same command as putting off the old man with his deeds of carnal sin against men and God, along with our fleshly self-righteousnesses wherein we glory in the flesh. “Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.” (Romans 6: 6)

And receive with meekness the engrafted word.

The meekness spoken of here can not be imitated by the natural man.

It is simply characterized in the prior verse as being swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath. “Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil. Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” (Ephesians 4: 25-32)

This meekness is the fruit of the Spirit by which you were begotten by the will of God.

The engrafted Word of Truth is sufficient, apart from any help from the flesh, to save our souls. “But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.” (Colossians 3: 8-11)

Therefore, through the Holy Spirit, keep the old man and the new man separate and serve in the newness of spirit, not in the oldness of the letter.

~ Pastor Clay Curtis

Click here to listen to the message “O Wretched Man”

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Visit our primary website at www.ksgctn.org for more information about Kingsport Sovereign Grace Church, watch our livestream (when available) and access our previously recorded messages.

Sovereign Grace Baptist Church Bulletin Article date: 13 February, 2008 | Previous post date: n/a | Ewing, New Jersey

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We Believe And Are Sure

”Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.” | John 6: 68-69

From the standpoint of God’s eternal decree, it may be truly said that believing sinners will not turn away from Christ because they cannot.

But from the standpoint of the believer’s experience, it may just as truly be said that believers cannot turn away from Christ because they will not.

And this is not presumption.

It is the simple, saving, childlike faith and trust of a believing sinner, a true believer.

The desperate need of his soul can only be satisfied in Christ Jesus the Lord!

~ Pastor Maurice Montgomery

Click here to listen to the message “Jesus of Nazareth”

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Visit our primary website at www.ksgctn.org for more information about Kingsport Sovereign Grace Church, watch our livestream (when available) and access our previously recorded messages.

Kingsport Sovereign Grace Church Bulletin Article date: 27 February, 2022 | Previous post date: n/a

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This Is The Lord’s Doing

”Save thy people, and bless thine inheritance: feed them also, and lift them up for ever.” | Psalm 28: 9

“Feed” here means rule.

Every believer will come to understand how desperately we need our Lord to not only save us and bless us, but also to rule over us.

~ Old Writer

Click here to listen to the message “This Is The Lord’s Doing”

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Visit our primary website at www.ksgctn.org for more information about Kingsport Sovereign Grace Church, watch our livestream (when available) and access our previously recorded messages.

Kingsport Sovereign Grace Church Bulletin Article date: 6 May, 2018 | Previous post date: n/a

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When The Lord Speaks

”Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?” | Acts 2: 37

What happens when the Lord Jesus Christ speaks?

When the Holy Spirit pricks a sinner in the heart, beginning in regeneration and throughout the life of the believer, we cease to hear the words of a man. We hear the words of our Lord himself. That is what happened on the day of Pentecost.

An earthen vessel was speaking, but whose word was being preached?

It was a sinner preaching but whose Spirit sent forth the Word?

When the folks at Pentecost were made to hear, who did they hear?

“Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.” (Acts 2: 33)

Some only heard the voice of a men speaking in unlearned languages.

Some were listening to hear if Peter would tell them what man must do or must not do according to man’s own ability.

They were not listening to hear the Word of the One whom they had just rejected.

But the Spirit made some to truly hear and it had a sure and certain effect.

“Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?” (Acts 2: 37)

For the first time, they heard the gospel of God.

“Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God, (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,) Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead: By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name:” (Romans 1: 1-5)

That is, by the power of the sovereign King Jesus, by grace they received the gift of faith from him, so that they could believe on him.

When God, through the promise of the Holy Spirit given to Christ Jesus, turned them from their empty tradition to their new King the gospel of Christ, the POWER OF GOD UNTO SALVATION, exploded their stony hearts.

Therefore, their response was the same as Saul of Tarsus after he heard King Jesus: “And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.” (Acts 9: 6)

That is what happens every time the Lord Jesus Christ speaks directly into our hearts.

~ Pastor Clay Curtis

Click here to listen to the message “The Message From The King”

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Visit our primary website at www.ksgctn.org for more information about Kingsport Sovereign Grace Church, watch our livestream (when available) and access our previously recorded messages.

Sovereign Grace Baptist Church Bulletin Article date: 10 February, 2008 | Previous post date: n/a | Ewing, New Jersey

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Out Of The Heart Are The Issues Of Life

”Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” | Proverbs 4: 23

LIFE begins when the HEART starts beating.

Life ends when the HEART stops.

So it is with spiritual life.

Spiritual (eternal) life begins when God takes away the stony heart, the heart that is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked, and gives “a new heart”. “” (Ezekiel 36: 26) A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.

There is no life without heart.

The heart is the real man. The heart is the seat of affections, convictions, desires and feelings.

Real faith comes from the heart, for “With the HEART man believeth unto righteousness.”

Real faith is not simply mental but is a heart love. There can be a pretended faith, a mere spoken faith, a mere intellectual belief in facts and doctrines without real heart love for God, Christ, the brethren and holiness. Doctrine only in the head will produce an unfeeling, unloving, uncaring and unemotional man.

The love of God shed abroad in the heart will produce a man of many emotions.

Love for God, Christ, the Truth, holiness, the brethren; is rooted and comes from the heart.

There is no life without heart.

There is no faith without heart.

Faith is founded on the Word of God and that faith has feelings.

Though we are not saved by feelings, yet no one is saved who does not have them.

Feelings come from the heart.

Feelings are the reaction of the heart being touched by the Word, the Spirit of God.

Show me a man who does not feel his sinfulness, who does not feel a need for Christ, who does not feel joyful upon hearing the gospel, who does not feel deeply thankful and grateful for all his blessings, who does not feel sadness, pain, joy, happiness, gladness, relief, fear and all other emotions at some time upon hearing the gospel… the Word of Life… and I will show you a man WHO HATH NOT LIFE.

Show me someone who never mourns, weeps nor laughs upon hearing the life giving sound, and I will show you someone who is dead. Open up a grave; laugh, cry, shout at the man and you will get no reaction. The man is dead; he has no feelings.

Laugh, cry and shout to the living and they will respond.

Show me a woman who is neither cold nor hot upon hearing the gospel, and I will show you a woman whom God will spue out of His mouth.

Show me a person who does not reveal a heartfelt love, a first love for Christ, His gospel, His people, and I will show you someone who loves the world and has missed Christ.

Show me a man who claims to preach the gospel, who does not go forth with weeping, bearing the precious seed, and I will show you a man who is a hireling, a pretender, who will bring in no sheeves. “” (Psalm 126: 5-6)

Though we should not look to these feelings, trust these feelings, or seek assurance from them, (for they come and go) yet there is joy and assurance to be had, when the Word of Life is indeed a SAVOUR OF LIFE to us. “” (Galatians 6: 4)

Savour is taste.

Savour is smell.

Savour is enjoyment.

And when the Spirit bears witness with our spirit, He makes the Word very savoury to us. He makes Christ very savoury to us, He makes the tabernacle (His church) very amiable to us, He makes the brethren to be loved by us.

Whenever the Holy Spirit was present in the early church there was fire, fear, repentance, faith, feelings of conviction, love, joy, peace, and so much more.

He is called Spirit for that is what He is and that is the realm he operates in.

The heart is the spirit of a man.

When the Spirit of God moves on someone, they are moved. “” (Hebrews 11: 7)

When God gives life to a dead man, he is alive unto God and a new man.

When God saves someone, it is a glorious and obvious thing… a new birth (like natural)… a crying, laughing, living, new born babe in Christ… a miracle of God’s grace and power, a wonderful thing, an obvious thing, an inward and outward work of God to the praise of His glory.

~ Pastor Paul Mahan

Click here to listen to the message “Let Us Go Into The House Of The Lord”

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Visit our primary website at www.ksgctn.org for more information about Kingsport Sovereign Grace Church, watch our livestream (when available) and access our previously recorded messages.

Central Grace Church Bulletin Article date: 20 March, 2022 | Previous post date: n/a | Rocky Mount, Virginia

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First Corinthians Two

”But I determined this with myself, that I would not come again to you in heaviness. For if I make you sorry, who is he then that maketh me glad, but the same which is made sorry by me? And I wrote this same unto you, lest, when I came, I should have sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice; having confidence in you all, that my joy is the joy of you all. For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you with many tears; not that ye should be grieved, but that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly unto you. But if any have caused grief, he hath not grieved me, but in part: that I may not overcharge you all.” | 2 Corinthians 2: 1-5

There is nothing more comforting to believers than God’s sovereignty over all things.

Under the most adverse circumstances, in the most severe trials, we believe that God has ordained our afflictions, that God overrules them, and that God will sanctify them for our good and His glory.

There is nothing for which we ought to contend more earnestly than the truth of God’s rule and reign over all things, all creatures, and all their actions.

The throne of God, His right to sit on that throne and to do with His own as He will, is what we believe and what we preach.

Let us be accused of over-emphasizing the majesty and power of the living God, but never let it be said that we underestimate His glory.

~ Pastor Henry Mahan

Click here to listen to the message “1 Corinthians 2”

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Visit our primary website at www.ksgctn.org for more information about Kingsport Sovereign Grace Church, watch our livestream (when available) and access our previously recorded messages.

Kingsport Sovereign Grace Church Bulletin Article date: 6 May, 2018 | Previous post date: n/a

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“According to the Word of the Lord”

“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” | John 1: 14

Such phrasing is often found in the book of God (38 times in the Old Testament); it means exactly as it sounds.

That our great and glorious Sovereign does upon earth and in Heaven as He pleases, when He pleases and where He pleases.

What God has determined to do, that He shall do and this He does for His church, His bride, His elect children.

Never in time shall that come to pass what Jehovah has NOT deemed to be done or purposed.

So comforting is this to His dear children that they may, as they say, take it to the bank. Whether we are speaking about our Savior’s promises to us or His plain and simple words towards us or even His precious Substitutionary work of redemption on our behalf; it is all the same, that which is done, shall be done simply because: it is “according to the word of the Lord.”

Oh, may we remember this, dear ones, as we seek to honor Him as we sojourn here upon this earth; nothing about our God is fickle or hints at instability, only the potsherds of this world have such characteristics.

To God be the glory both now and forever more.

~ Pastor Drew Dietz

Click here to listen to the message “The Gospel in 3 Words: “Where Art Thou?”

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Visit our primary website at www.ksgctn.org for more information about Kingsport Sovereign Grace Church, watch our livestream (when available) and access our previously recorded messages.

Kingsport Sovereign Grace Church Bulletin Article date: 16 May, 2021 | Previous post date: 15 July, 2021