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Spirit of Judgment and Burning

”In that day shall the branch of the LORD be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely for them that are escaped of Israel. And it shall come to pass, that he that is left in Zion, and he that remaineth in Jerusalem, shall be called holy, even every one that is written among the living in Jerusalem: When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by the spirit of judgment, and by the spirit of burning.” | Isaiah 4: 2-4

How does Christ provide for his bride?

When there is no comliness in him for the carnal eye, how does he make the church fruitful to behold him as excellent and comely? “For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.” (Isaiah 53: 2-4)

It is by creating a new spirit within every chosen, redeemed sinner so that we behold all that Christ is and that he has done.

First, this spirit is called the spirit of judgment because it has to do with the law of God written on the newly created heart. The law of God commands righteous judgment. For example:

“Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour.” (Leviticus 19: 15)

“Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment, in meteyard, in weight, or in measure.” (Leviticus 19: 35)

Yet, in our sin, without him giving us this spirit of judgment we think it is righteousness to take Christ’s name and attempt to provide our own life and righteousness. “And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel: only let us be called by thy name, to take away our reproach. (Isaiah 4: 1)

Therefore, this filth must be washed from the daughters of Zion. This polluted blood must be purged from Jerusalem, both at the cross and in the heart.

The Lord declares through Isaiah a great calamity, a stripping away of every false way and of all those things men looked to for their provision. We have seen prophesied here that by Christ’s work the land shall be left desolate and barren. And so when Christ sends forth the Holy Spirit, in power and grace he makes the personal land of the sinner desolate and barren.

We behold that when on the cross he cried out, “It is finished!” the veil in the temple rent into two pieces from top to bottom, declaring that Christ has satisfied God’s broken law in the place of his Bride. Christ has fulfilled the righteousness of God’s holy law on behalf of particular sinners. As Paul said to the Colossians: “Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it. (Colossians 2: 14-15)

There is now, no provision to be found in the “rudiments of the earth” — that is, in touch not, taste not, handle not – let us behold that the thought of providing any aspect of our standing with God is eating our own bread and clothing ourselves in our own raiment, it is the unrighteous judgment of looking to this barren land of our flesh for provisions. But the spirit of judgment is created within us when the Lord writes his law on the heart, then as the Psalmist said: “The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way.” (Psalm 25: 9)

Christ is that Way.

Secondly, the spirit of burning has to do with the newly created zeal which the Spirit gives for Christ. When the Lord shall have stripped his people so that their land is barren, when he shall have washed away the filth and the corruption of blood, he gives them not only the spirit of judgment written on their hearts but also the spirit of burning or zeal for Christ and in that day shall the branch of the LORD be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely for them that are escaped of Israel.

“In that day shall the branch of the LORD be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely for them that are escaped of Israel. And it shall come to pass, that he that is left in Zion, and he that remaineth in Jerusalem, shall be called holy, even every one that is written among the living in Jerusalem:” (Isaiah 4: 2-3)

Once the Lord has begun this work he never allows his bride to turn back to the barren land of the flesh and the corruption of this world. That is what the rest of the chapter declares.

“And the LORD will create upon every dwelling place of mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night: for upon all the glory shall be a defence. And there shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the daytime from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert from storm and from rain.” (Isaiah 4: 5-6)

Once the spirit of judgment and burning has been created within, the Lord promises Christ the Cloud and flame of Fire which guided Israel in the wilderness.

He promises Christ shall guide every dwelling place – each individual saint in whom he dwells.

Also, he promises to guide her assemblies – every place where he has raised up a pastor after his own heart.

Yes, upon all his people THE GLORY OF CHRIST JESUS – shall be a defense.

He is our Tabernacle for a shadow from the heat; Christ is our Refuge.

What a blessing to his bride made up of every individual saint when Christ makes himself excellent and glorious before our eyes.

~ Pastor Clay Curtis

Click here to listen to the message “The True Vine & The Husbandman”

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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: 12 October, 2008 | Previous post date: n/a | Ewing, New Jersey

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The Sinner And The Savior

”And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to meat.” | Luke 7: 36

A people hungering after righteousness and a preacher anxious to feed their souls will act in sweet harmony with each other when their common subject is Jesus Christ the Lord.

~ Pastor Scott Richardson

Click here to listen to the message “The Sinner And The Savior”

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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: 28 November, 2021 | Previous post date: n/a

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The Lord’s Return

”And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.” | Revelation 20: 11

A true believer in Christ does not desire to know more than the Lord has revealed in His word.

While many expend countless hours studying world events, trying to connect those events for a revelation concerning the second coming, the believer studies God’s Word which is the revelation of Jesus Christ.

While the one trusting Christ is certainly watching expectantly for the return of his Lord, he is not taken up with the events surrounding that return.

A believer is taken up only with the Christ Who is returning.

~ Pastor Marvin Stalnaker

Click here to listen to the message “The Lord’s Return”

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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 February, 2020 | Previous post date: n/a

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That Door Is Closed

”He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him.” | Psalm 103: 10-13

If I had died as a child, I would be assured of a place in glory; but, that door is closed.

I am an adult. If I had been holy in birth and perfect in life, I would reign with Christ; but, I was born in sin and even my righteousnesses are filthy rags, so that door is closed.

What shall I do?

Is there no door open to such as I?

Yes, there is ONE!

Christ said, “I am the door, by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out and find pasture.” (John 10: 9)

Am I such a fool that I will turn from that one, God-given door, and perish?

God forbid!

~ Pastor Henry T. Mahan

Click here to listen to the message “Bless the Lord, Oh My Soul”

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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: 19 December, 2021 | Previous post date: n/a | Pikeville, Kentucky

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Behold The Lamb of God!

“Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples; And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God! And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master,) where dwellest thou? He saith unto them, Come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day: for it was about the tenth hour.” | John 1: 35-39

The salvation of the Church doth not spring from any holiness wrought in us, but from the work of CHRIST wrought for us.

Not in our brokenness of heart, but in Christ’s bruised and broken body on the tree.

~ Robert Hawker

Click here to listen to the message “Why Is Christ Our Hope?”

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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: 3 May, 2020 | Previous post date: 20 March, 2021

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A Backward Proposal

”And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel: only let us be called by thy name, to take away our reproach.” | Isaiah 4: 1

The proposal of these seven women represents the backwardness of the sin-depraved heart. This is the way all sinner’s think they can be accepted of God prior to Christ dethroning sin in the heart.

First, they are backwards in that it is the woman proposing to the man. Christ the Husband of his bride takes hold of her and not the other way around.

Secondly, their proposal of eating their own bread and wearing their own apparel has to do with the law concerning the responsibility of a husband to his first bride. “If he take him another wife; her food, her raiment, and her duty of marriage, shall he not diminish.” (Exodus 21: 10) (This is regarding his first wife.)

These seven women propose that the husband does not have to fulfill the law on their behalf but that they will fulfill it themselves. Christ the Husband is the end of the law for all who believe for he has fully honored the law’s requirement in providing for his bride. He is her Life-Food; he is her Righteousness; and he has united himself to her in Spirit fulfilling the whole duty of marriage so that she delights to be his.

Thirdly, when these seven women say, “Only let us be called by thy name, to take away our reproach”, they are saying what multitudes think. Multitudes think that all they need to remove the reproach of sin is to be called by Christ’s name.

Unless Christ is our Husband — unless Christ has taken hold of us – then the sinner will go on in this polluted idea that they are married to Christ when they are married to one who is anything but the GodMan – Christ Jesus the Lord – the husband of the Church.

Unless Christ is the perfect fulfillment of God’s holy law on the sinner’s behalf then the husband to whom we say we are married is no husband at all.

Unless Christ is our Bread (our life) we have no life.

Unless Christ is our garment of Righteousness we are naked in our sin.

Unless Christ has united himself in the duty of marriage with our spirit, we may call ourselves by his name yet it is nothing more than taking his name in vain. We still have the maiden-name of our father Adam and the reproach of sin remains.

These seven women illustrate the most popular idol of man’s imagination.

So how does the Lord declare he shall bring his bride into this marriage union? Listen and find out.

~ Pastor Clay Curtis

Click here to listen to the message “God’s Rejoicing Over His Bride”

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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 October, 2008 | Previous post date: n/a | Ewing, New Jersey

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God Is Able

”With God all things are possible.” | Matthew 19: 26

We live in a religiously ignorant world where men and women are constantly using words like “want, wanted, and wanting, try, tried and trying,” in the same sentence to describe Supreme and Sovereign Deity.

A man or a woman that does so, reveals in their speech that they do not know the God and the Christ of the Bible.

“Is anything too hard for the Lord?” (Genesis 18:14)

“I know thou canst do everything.” (Job 42: 2)

“For with God nothing shall be impossible.” (Luke 1: 37)

God can do everything He wants to do, and God does everything He is pleased to do. “But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.” (Psalms 115: 3) | “Whatsoever the LORD pleased, that did he in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places.” (Psalms 135: 6)

• God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all we ask or think. “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,” (Ephesians 3: 20)

• God is able to make all grace abound toward you that you may be sufficient in all things, and abound to every good work. “And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:” (2 Corinthians 9: 8)

• God is able even to subdue all things unto Himself. “Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.” (Philippians 3: 21)

• Jesus Christ is able to change your vile bodies and make them glorious like His. (Philippians 3: 21)

• God the Father is able to save to the uttermost those that come unto Him by Jesus Christ. “Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.” (Hebrews 7: 25)

• Jesus Christ is able to keep that which chosen sinners have committed unto Him. “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)

• God is able to make thee wise unto salvation. “And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.” (2 Timothy 3: 15)

• God is able to succor them that are tempted. “For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.” (Hebrews 2: 18)

• God is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless. “Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,” (Jude 1: 24)

~ Pastor David Eddmenson

Click here to listen to the message “I Know Whom”

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

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Always Remember

”Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth.” | 2 Peter 1: 12

As the Holy God: He is angry with the wicked everyday.

As the God of justice: He requires full satisfaction for our sin.

As the God of judgment: He will by no means clear the guilty.

As the God of truth: He must carry out His threatening of judgment.

As the God of love: He sent His beloved Son into the world.

As the God of grace: He made His beloved Son sin for us.

As the God of mercy: He gave us Christ’s perfect righteousness.

As the Sovereign God: He does all these things on purpose.

~ Pastor David Eddmenson

Click here to listen to the message “Growing In 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.

Kingsport Sovereign Grace Church Bulletin Article date: 16 February, 2020 | Previous post date: n/a

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Show Me Thy Faith

”Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.” | James 2: 18

Not all faith is true faith.

There is a living faith and a dead faith, the faith of God’s elect and the faith of devils, a faith that saves and a faith that deceives, a true faith and a false faith.

False faith is a faith of words only.

True faith is a faith of works, a “faith that worketh by love.” (James 2: 14-17; 1 John 3: 16-18; Galatians 5: 6)

If a man or woman says, “I have faith in Christ,” James makes a fair and reasonable request. He says, “Show me thy faith.” He is saying, “Convince me that you have faith. Justify your claim. Justify your faith.”

Abraham did. (James 2: 21-24) He proved the reality of his faith in God on Mt. Moriah.

Rahab did too. She demonstrated the reality of her faith by risking her life to protect the servants of God. (James 2: 25)

You may say, “Oh, but I believe in one God, omnipotent, sovereign, eternal, and saving, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost!” That is very good. But the devils have that kind of faith.

You may be as orthodox in your doctrine as the apostle Paul himself and yet possess nothing but a false faith. The demons of hell are as orthodox in doctrine as any of us! There is more to faith than doctrine! “Wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?” (James 2: 20)

James was directed by the Holy Spirit to repeat that statement three times in ten verses. The Spirit of God means for us to understand that dead, cold, dry letter, doctrinal faith is of no value to our souls.

What kind of faith do we have? Is it a true and living faith, or is it a false, dead faith?

If we will honestly deal with our souls the answer will not be difficult to find.

True faith hears and believes the Word of God. It is submissive and obedient. It grows with experience.

True faith works by love. It is gracious, merciful, and kind. It builds relationships.

True faith glorifies God, rejoices in Christ, and is led by the Spirit.

True faith is lasting, persevering, enduring faith.

Yes, God’s saints have their struggles, difficulties, and failures. But the bent of the believer’s will, the tenor of his life is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ, serve his people, and finish his course with joy in faith, whatever the cost.

~ Pastor Don Fortner

Click here to listen to the message “The Devils Also Believe”

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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: 12 October, 2008 | Previous post date: n/a | Ewing, New Jersey

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Rejoicing In Hope

”For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.” | Romans 5: 6-11

THE Word of God plainly, clearly, and thoroughly teaches that man by nature is contrary and opposed to God in every way.

For example, God by nature is infinitely and immutably holy – man by nature is unchangeably and incurably sin; God is light – man by nature is darkness; God is truth – man’s whole life by nature, without God, is a lie; God is infinitely good – man by nature is inherently and unchangeably bad.

In a word, man is a natural born enemy of God. In fact, the natural man’s mind is enmity against God – not merely at enmity, but enmity itself! (Romans 8: 5-7) Thus men by nature love darkness and deception rather than God’s precious Word. (John 3: 19) Therefore man’s greatest need is to be reconciled to God.

It is a continual burden on my heart that so many preachers of our day, rather than preaching God as He is to sinners as they are, (Sinners in the hands of an angry God) are preaching a god who is palatable, agreeable, suits the taste of fallen, human nature, a god whose chief attribute is love rather than holiness, a god who loves everybody the same, who gave His Son as a sacrifice for the sins of all mankind, a god who is trying to save all men.

These preachers, for personal advantage and gain, (the good opinion of men, and numbers) are preaching a false god, a false gospel, and thus giving their hearers a false hope. Their disciples have never been brought to bow before the true God as mercy seekers.

How could they?

They have never heard of the true God of the Bible. How can they ever be reconciled to God?

Dear souls, God can only be worshiped by beggars, mercy seekers, before His sovereign throne of glory and grace.

Dear Brothers and Sisters, “Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that He will send forth laborers into His harvest.” (Matthew 9: 38)

~ Pastor Maurice Montgomery

Click here to listen to the message “Rejoicing in Hope”

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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: 19 December, 2021 | Previous post date: n/a | Rocky Mount, Virginia