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Precious Faith

”And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ.” | Acts 18: 5

That precious, saving faith which unites the sinner to Christ also unites the sinner to all those who belong to Christ.

To be one with Him is to be one with them.

Loving and serving Him has something to do with loving and serving them; and loving and serving them has something to do with loving and serving Him.

Saving faith says that there is one Savior.

Saving faith also says that there is one household, one family, one body, one vine tree, etc.

“I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.” (John 15: 5)

~ Pastor Maurice Montgomery

Click here to listen to the message “I have Much People In This City”

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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: 2 December, 2007 | Previous post date: n/a | Pikeville, Kentucky

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A High God For Low Sinners

”Though the LORD be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off. Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me. The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands.” | Psalm 138: 6-8

As a criminal condemned, convicted and sentenced, I walked steadily through the darkness, drawing ever nearer the time and place of execution. I knew well that I was guilty and that I justly deserved what lay ahead. My name was synonymous with lawlessness, rebellion and guilt. I didn’t have a single argument in my defense. There was not one thing I could do.

I had already abandoned all hope in myself.

But as I drew near the executioner, a man approached out of the shadows, took me by the shoulders and interrupted my trek toward death. “Just trust me and I will take your place, setting you free from all guilt.” ‘But I have so disrespected, dishonored and despised the law, were I to be freed, it would only be temporary, for my very name is Guilt. I would soon be apprehended and brought again to this place of approaching doom.’

“But I have honored and magnified the law,” he said, “you may take my name and I will take yours, thus you will be reckoned righteous and I guilty.” ‘But, Sir, that would necessitate your death. The law would pursue, arrest and execute you.’ “I’m willing,” he said, “to die in your place.”

‘But, Sir, why would you sacrifice yourself for me? You are innocent and I am guilty.’

“Though you haven’t known me, I have known and loved you for a long time, and came here for this purpose.”

Now I am free because he bore the penalty for my guilt.

Now I live because he died!

And though I am personally guilty, in the name of my friend, my substitute, the judge accepts me and favors me. Needless to say, I live under the influence of my substitute’s love and try to honor his name. To me, his name is above every name! Each new day of life, every joyful thought of the future and my present peace with the judge is all because of him. He is my life, my peace and my happiness!

My friends, this story illustrates the gospel of Christ, the gospel that is all of grace.

It is often suggested that such a gospel leaves men to live after the flesh, totally unchanged.

But I propose that any who profess commitment to this gospel, yet remain unchanged, have merely acknowledged the story, but never personally met the Redeemer!

~ Pastor Maurice Montgomery

Click here to listen to the message “A High God For Low Sinners”

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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: 1 December, 2021 | Previous post date: n/a

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The Old Story Is Forever New

”Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe.” | Philippians 3: 1

We never grow weary of preaching the word of our Lord, the gospel of His grace; and we never tire of gathering together in His name to worship, pray, and fellowship with His people.

  1. To often hear His word preached is to keep our hearts and minds on Christ, the fountain of life.
  2. To often hear His word preached is a safeguard against false doctrine and false teachers. An untaught child is more easily led astray than one “taught of God.”
  3. To often hear His word preached guards against self-righteousness. No danger of a person who is often in the presence of His holiness seeing any merit in himself.
  4. To often hear His word preached refreshes our spirits, brings peace to our hearts, and beauty to our countenances. One can look at flowers and readily see which flowers are most often watered!

The old story is forever new; the familiar scriptures are fresher and sweeter with every taste.

~ Pastor Henry Mahan

Click here to listen to the message “The woman who would not go away”

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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: 13 February, 2021 | Previous post date: n/a

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Unless Christ

”And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely: Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks. And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.” | Acts 16: 23-25

Unless the Spirit of God crosses my path and gives me an understanding of the preciousness of Christ and the glory of His blessed Gospel and creates within me a new heart, giving me a knowledge of Who He is, I will be forever lost.

Unless Christ intervenes, He will never be any more to me than someone else recorded in history who walked this earth.

When the gospel is preached it will be nothing more to me than a boring hour of the same message heard last week; the songs of praise will be to me nothing more than a different way of singing eighth notes; and when I hear those who call themselves believers witness of Him, their conversation will only grate on the already frayed ends of my nerves.

But if my cold heart is removed and God Himself creates within me a new heart, I will find myself in awe of His mercy.

I will not be able to thank Him enough, to praise Him enough, to worship Him enough, or to hear His gospel enough.

As Rolfe Barnard said, “I’ll find myself somewhere between total ecstasy and despair.”

Still, even with that new heart, sometimes I will seemingly feel so indifferent to Christ’s message.

But I will not despair at my feelings — He is greater than my feelings!

I must not rest in my feelings.

I must rest in Him, in His Word, in His promises.

~ Pastor Marvin Stalnaker

Click here to listen to the message “Imprisoned By Sovereign Grace”

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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: 2 December, 2007 | Previous post date: n/a | Pikeville, Kentucky

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How Great Thou Art!

”He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law.” | Isaiah 42: 4

There is a beautiful song in our hymnal titled: “How Great Thou Art.”

The third verse of that song says, “And when I think that God, His Son not sparing, sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in – that on the cross, my burden gladly bearing, He bled and died to take away my sin… Then sings my soul!”

Once salvation is revealed to a child of God, from that moment forward the soul of that child sings the glory and greatness of the God who saved him or her.

The body may break, but the soul will never stop singing!

The heart may ache, but the soul will never stop singing!

Everything about the physical, mental, and emotional state of the child may be silenced under the overwhelming weight and oppression of sin, but knowing what the blood of Christ has done for sinners will cause the soul of that child to never stop singing, “My Savior God, to Thee; How great Thou art, How great Thou art!”

~ Pastor Gabe Stalnaker

Click here to listen to the message “If Thou Believest With All Thine Heart”

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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: 13 March, 2022 | Previous post date: n/a | Pikeville, Kentucky

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The Same Old New Story

”And it came to pass, that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and of a bloody flux: to whom Paul entered in, and prayed, and laid his hands on him, and healed him. So when this was done, others also, which had diseases in the island, came, and were healed: Who also honoured us with many honours; and when we departed, they laded us with such things as were necessary.” | Acts 28: 8-10

When I look to Christ alone, I have assurance.

When I look for faith, or evidence of faith, I have no assurance.

Faith is only in operation as it looks to Christ alone.

If I look to a past experience or a time when I first believed, I am looking to an event rather than Christ alone.

If I am assuring myself that tomorrow I will believe, that is nothing more than an act of presumption.

Look to Christ alone now!

Nothing more, nothing less, and nothing else.

~ Pastor Todd Nibert

Click here to listen to the message “The Same Old New Story”

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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: 13 February, 2021 | Previous post date: n/a

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God First Loved Us

“We love Him, because He first loved us.” | 1 John 4: 19

Because He first loved us, there are some things that we, God’s people, love about Him:

We love His sovereignty. We love the fact that He has the power, ability, and right to do as He pleases. We especially love that truth because He said, in Christ, it pleased Him to make us His people. “For the LORD will not forsake his people for his great name’s sake: because it hath pleased the LORD to make you his people.” (1 Samuel 12: 22)

We love His election. We love who He elected to save. He said He chose to save sinners, and that is what we are. “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.” (1 Timothy 1: 15)

We love His predestination. It is the means that He said He would use to conform us to the image of Christ, and that is our greatest desire and need. “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.” (Romans 8: 29)

We love His grace, because it is what gave Christ to us.

We love His mercy, because it is what gave Christ to the cross of our punishment. It is what shed His blood for the payment of our sin.

We love His redemption, because it is finished. We are washed clean, made pure, and accepted in Him.

We love His righteousness, because it has covered everything that we are in our flesh with His perfection.

We love His glory, because it magnifies Him.

We love His word, because it reveals Him.

We love His message, because it points us and calls us to Him.

We love His people, because there is no greater pleasure on earth than being with those who love Him and desire to worship and praise Him together.

The glorious gospel of Christ is in the fact that He loved us, even when there was nothing about us to love.

For that, we love Him.

~ Pastor Gabe Stalnaker

Click here to listen to the message “The Problem Is Within”

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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: 18 April, 2021 | Previous post date: 21 April, 2021

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Who Does Your Work?

”My heart is inditing a good matter: I speak of the things which I have made touching the king: my tongue is the pen of a ready writer. Thou art fairer than the children of men: grace is poured into thy lips: therefore God hath blessed thee for ever. Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O most mighty, with thy glory and thy majesty. And in thy majesty ride prosperously because of truth and meekness and righteousness; and thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things.” | Psalm 45: 1-4

Nothing more clearly reveals to us that salvation, sanctification, and redemption is the work of our God than to observe the efforts and failure of those who TRY TO ACCOMPLISH THIS WORK FOR THEMSELVES!

The disciples asked, “Lord, who then can be saved?”

He said unto them, “WITH MEN THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE; but with God all things are possible.”

It is impossible in the flesh for a man to please God.

Yet millions, ignorant of the righteousness of Christ, still go about to establish their own righteousness and WILL NOT SUBMIT to the righteousness of God, which is Christ Jesus, our Lord.

“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” (Matthew 7: 21-23)

Many keep up this masquerade to the judgment and then plead their works before God; but most finally lose interest, keep their names on church rolls, and play church on special days.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,” (1 Peter 1: 3)

When they die, their preachers try to find some cause on which to give their families hope; but that, too, is impossible; for IF CHRIST IS NOT IN YOU, there is no hope of glory.

~ Pastor Henry Mahan

Click here to listen to the message “Religious Experience or Real Experience”

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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: 2 December, 2007 | Previous post date: n/a | Pikeville, Kentucky

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What Then Was The Bible Written For?

”For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.” | 2 Timothy 1: 12

When I hear it said, “Such and such do not believe the doctrines of sovereign grace and substitution, but they love the Lord and are saved,” I wonder and ask, “What then was the Bible written for?”

Is the Bible no infallible expression of the mind of God?

Is the Bible no standard of Truth?

Are we to believe what appeals to us and deny the rest? God forbid!

God’s Word declares the oneness of Truth and condemns every departure from the Truth as a direct attack on God Himself!

Do not tell me that a man’s heart is right with God when his head contains a creed of error and denies the Person and Work of the Redeemer.

~ Horatius Bonar

Click here to listen to the message “Speak The Word Only”

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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: 1 December, 2021 | Previous post date: n/a

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Heaven’s Greatest Attraction

”For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:” | Philippians 1: 23

The great attraction of heaven is the Lord Jesus Christ!

He Himself is the object chiefly enjoyed.

To be with Jesus, and like Jesus, and to behold His glory constitute the heaven which true believers desire!

They long to behold that blessed face which was buffeted for them!

Their eternal anthem is, “Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.”

~ William Plumer

Click here to listen to the message “His Glory”

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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: 13 February, 2021 | Previous post date: n/a