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The Scarlet Line

“And she [Rahab the harlot] said, According unto your words, so be it. And she sent them away, and they departed: and she bound the scarlet line in the window.” | Joshua 2: 21

God’s true messengers can not preach the gospel without preaching the blood of Christ Jesus the Lord because a gospel with no blood is no gospel.

“For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God; …and the wisdom of God.” (1 Corinthians 1: 18; 23)

God chose a people and promised to save them in covenant with his Son and Spirit. Then that people became totally ruined and guilty in sin. God’s holy character demands he must make good on his promise or his word is worthless. At the same time, the soul that sinneth it must die, or God’s holy justice means nothing.

The power and wisdom of God in Christ on the cross is manifest in Christ offering his fleshly body through the eternal Spirit and thereby perfecting a people forever. God’s Christ is eternal in his Godhead and thus able to obtain eternal satisfaction, one as Man with his people and thus able to die in their place. He who knew no sin was made sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. So there, covered in flesh, covered in the marks inflicted on him by man’s depravity and hatred for Holy God and bearing the wrath of Holy Justice is not a helpless Jesus, but the Power and Wisdom of God! He suffered eternal wrath for each chosen child of God; he died the eternal death of each chosen child of God, but he rose and is the eternal Resurrection of each chosen child of God.

Now, he sits enthroned in majesty at God’s right hand with power over heaven and earth. He is sending forth the Holy Spirit to each one for whom he died; recreating an inward man in righteousness and holiness; gifting them with repentance toward God and faith in Christ; protecting each one as the apple of his eye. The God Man is both able to know the infirmity of the flesh and thus provide the comfort his people need while at the same time dwell as their Advocate with God.

Therefore all the glory in their justification is God the Savior’s; all the glory in their being made holy is God the Savior’s; all the glory in their being made a new creation by the power of the Holy Spirit is God the Savior’s; all the glory in their persevering belongs to God the Savior; and after the Lord Jesus has raised all to be with him ALL SHALL KNOW THAT ALL THE GLORY BELONGS TO GOD THE FATHER, SON AND THE HOLY SPIRIT.

So as surely as that scarlet thread hanging there between Rahab and the spies bound them to one another in covenant mercy, so Christ’s blood binds — it is the New Testament in his blood – his blood is the scarlet thread which binds everyone one of his blood-bought children to him and not one shall be lost.

~ Pastor Clay Curtis

Click here to listen to the message “The Power & Wisdom Of God”

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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: 18 April, 2021 | Previous post date: n/a | Ewing, New Jersey

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A Sure Cure For Fretting

“And many charged him that he should hold his peace: but he cried the more a great deal, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me. And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called. And they call the blind man, saying unto him, Be of good comfort, rise; he calleth thee.” | Mark 10: 48-49

David, a man after God’s own heart gives us some very inspired instruction and direction in Psalm 37: 1; when he says, “fret not.”

Surely, David writes to us with the experience of his own heart trouble, for he had much to fret about. Now, I will be the first to adrnit that our fallen, sinful nature is prone to fretting and worrying about most everything. Most of us have a worry-wart nature! Fretfulness and worrying are sins of their own punishment. How dreadful it is to lay awake all night worrying. But, David also gives us a sure cure for fretting in the following verses. He gives us a sevenfold cure!

1). TRUST IN THE LORD. (Psalm 37: 3) Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ will cure fretting! When we trust Him to provide all our physical and spiritual needs, (Matthew 6: 33; Philippians 4: 19) we find comfort. We don’t look to the deeds or strength of the flesh to find our comfort, but to Him alone. We are to trust Him at all times. (Psalm 62: 8)

2). DELIGHT THYSELF ALSO IN THE LORD. (Psalm 37: 4) Rejoicing in the Lord also is a sure cure for fretting! (Philippians 3: 3) When we are taken up with the glory of His person, the power of His atonement, the freeness of His grace sureness of His mercy, it leaves no room for fretting.

3). COMMIT THY WAY UNTO THE LORD. (Psalm 37: 5) The marginal reading is, “Roll the whole burden of life upon Him” Peter put it this way, “casting all your care upon Him; for he careth for you.” (1 Peter 1: 5) When we realize that our Heavenly Father does all things well, surely we can commit our way to His wise providence and stop our fretting. (Romans 8: 28)

4). REST IN THE LORD. (Psalm 37: 7) Our Lord Jesus Christ having accomplished salvation for His elect, entered into His rest. (Hebrews 1: 3) Let us learn by His grace to cease from going about to establish a righteousness (Romans 10: 4) and make haste to enter into Him by faith and rest. (Hebrews 4: 10) When we are busy resting we have no time for fretting.

5). CEASE FROM ANGER. (Psalm 37: 8) When we try to take the matters into our own hands, we are bound to create a sure mess of things. Remember, that the wrath of man will never work the righteousness of God. (James 1: 18) God will take care of the sheep and subdue all our enemies under our feet. (Colossians 2: 14)

6). DEPART FROM EVIL. (Psalm 37: 27) We are exhorted in the scripture to put off the old man with his deeds. (Colossians 3: 8-15) By God’s grace and power He does restrain the believer from living for self and to strive to live for the glory of God. (Jeremiah 9: 23-24)

7). WAIT ON THE LORD. (Psalm 37: 34) We wait with great expectations on the certainties of His promises. (2 Peter 1: 4) God’s purpose of grace and mercy cannot fail. (Isaiah 42: 1-4; Isaiah 43: 1-5)

Believer, fret not.

~ Pastor Tom Harding

Click here to listen to the message “Jesus Stood Still”

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

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The Only True And Eternal Treasure is Jesus Christ

”Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree: And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your hearts; after that ye shall pass on: for therefore are ye come to your servant. And they said, So do, as thou hast said.” | Genesis 18: 4-5

I read an article concerning the mysterious pyramids of Egypt.

King Cheop’s great pyramid is the only of the seven wonders of the ancient world still surviving. It covers an area of thirteen acres, originally was four hundred eighty one feet high and contained six and one half million tons of stone.

At Cheop’s death, his body was preserved, adorned with gold mask, precious necklaces and jewels and laid in the middle of his large pyramid.

His coffin was surrounded by valuable Egyptian furniture.

By careful planning and much labor the one and only exit was forever sealed. No one was to ever enter this royal tomb.

I had to chuckle when I read the close of the article, “Despite all these precautions, the burial chamber suffered the same fate as most of the royal tombs in Egypt: it was stripped of its treasures.”

I know many people just like old King Cheop.

All the treasures they possess are worldly, and they will soon be stripped of it.

The only true and eternal treasure is Jesus Christ and his benefits.

If you possess Christ, you are rich indeed and your riches are secure. They dwell where no thief can ever enter or break through and steal.

In Christ are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, and where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. “But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through and steal; for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” (Matthew 6: 20-21)

~ Pastor Bruce Crabtree

Click here to listen to the message “Rest yourselves under the Tree”

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

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Beware Of Another Gospel!

”Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion together that rejoice at mine hurt: let them be clothed with shame and dishonour that magnify themselves against me. Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the LORD be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant. And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long.” | Psalm 35: 26-28

There is no grace but free and sovereign grace, no election but eternal and unconditional election, no redemption but particular and effectual redemption, no salvation but by the irresistible grace and omnipotent power of God the Holy Spirit, and no security but by the absolute preservation of God’s immutable goodness.

And any pretended gospel that does not proclaim these things is, as Paul says, “another gospel” that is damning to the souls of men!

~ Pastor Todd Nibert

Click here to listen to the message “Sudden 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 September, 2007 | Previous post date: n/a | Pikeville, Kentucky

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Abide In Me

”We preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake.” | 2 Corinthians 4: 5

Our Lord said to His disciples, “Abide in me, and I in you, as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself.” (John 15: 4)

It is true that a person who is saved by God’s grace will remain saved forever; yet the scriptures are full of warnings to believers against UNBELIEF, against DRAWING BACK, against NEGLECTING THE WORD AND WORSHIP, against WORLD-LINESS, and against LEAVING OUR FIRST LOVE!

Here the Lord Jesus exhorts us to “ABIDE” in Him, which means to stay where we are. Abide (dwell) in His love, in His word, in His Spirit and fellowship. “As we have received Christ, so walk (live, abide, stay) in Him.”

Let us forever be on guard against any influence (whether material, social, or personal) which might hinder our fellowship and relationship with the Lord.

I think of poor Esau, who satisfied his appetite but lost his blessing. Are we so foolish?

Yes, we are! And we need to be constantly reminded of it.

STAY where you are!

Dwell in Christ and in His word, in His love and with his people. Don’t let anyone nor anything come between you and Him.

If you notice even the slightest decline in interest, desire, or thirst for spiritual growth, go with Jacob “BACK TO BETHEL.” (Genesis 35: 1-2)

~ Pastor Henry Mahan

Click here to listen to the message “Unbelief – A Serious Charge”

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

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The Warfare

”Thus my heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my reins. So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee. Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand. Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.” | Psalm 73: 21-25

How beastly we are by nature! How often God’s saints in this world are compelled, like Newton of old, to sigh…

“If I love, why am I thus?
Why this dull and lifeless frame?
Hardly sure can they be worse,
Who have never heard His name.”

Many of the doubts and fears God’s people experience in this world, regarding their saving interest in Christ, arise from a failure to realize that every heaven-born soul lives in this world with two natures. In Scripture these two natures are referred to as “the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts” and “the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness,” (Ephesians 4: 22-24) “flesh” and “spirit.” (Galatians 5: 16-17) These two natures are constantly at war, the flesh lusting against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh.

Re-generation not Re-formation

It is commonly assumed that in the new birth man (the natural, carnal man) is changed. That the old man is sanctified, that he who once loved sin is made to love holiness, that the enmity of the heart is slain, and that the old man renewed by grace grows more and more holy in progressive sanctification, until he is ripe for Glory and the Lord takes him home.

That fanciful dream deludes multitudes, until, after being born again, they suddenly discover that the old lusts are still there. The discovery is sometimes shocking, simply because we have been taught that they would not be. How many there are who live in constant turmoil, knowing the abiding evil of their nature, but never daring to acknowledge it, lest they be scorned by others who pretend to be holy?

The new birth is not a re-formation, but a re-generation. The new birth is not reforming the old nature of fallen man, but a re-creation of life in man by the Spirit of God. The new birth is not transforming that which is sinful into that which is righteous, but the imparting of a new, righteous nature. In the new birth Christ is formed in us, and we are made new in him. (Colossians 1: 27; 2 Corinthians 5: 17)

Two Natures

In every believer there are two natures (sin and righteousness), two men (the old man Adam and the new man Christ), two principles (sin and holiness); and these two constantly oppose one another. This fact is plainly declared in Scripture. (Romans 7: 14-24; Galatians 5: 16-22; Colossians 3: 9-10; Ephesians 4: 22-24) The old man, Adam, can never be sanctified; and the new man created in righteousness and true holiness, “Christ in you the hope of glory,” cannot sin. (1 John 3: 9)

Adam lives in us by birth. By natural generation we are made partakers of Adam’s nature. Christ lives in us by the new birth. By regeneration we are made “partakers of the divine nature.” (2 Peter 1: 4)

Creation and New Creation

God created man in his own image and after his own likeness. (Genesis 1: 26-27) When the Lord God had formed a body for Adam from the dust of the ground, he then “breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and man became a living soul.” (Genesis 2: 7) Genesis 5: 2 tells us that all men were created at one time in the creation of Adam. That is to say, every living soul descends by natural generation from Adam, partaking of his nature. All his sons and daughters are begotten in the image of their father, generation after generation. (Genesis 5: 3; Psalm 51: 5; Psalm 58: 3; Romans 5: 12)

Every living soul was created in and simultaneously with “the first man Adam.” Being born of Adam, we are all partakers of his nature; and we are called by his name, “Adam.” (Genesis 5: 1-2) As it was in the original creation, so it is in the new creation.

As “the first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening Spirit.” (1 Corinthians 15: 45) All “quickened spirits” were created in and simultaneously with the “last Adam” — Christ. All, being born of him, “born of God,” are made partakers of his nature, as the Holy Spirit declares. (2 Peter 1: 4) The children of the “first Adam” are born of the flesh and are earthy in all their feelings and affections. The children of the “last Adam” are born of the Spirit and are heavenly, or spiritual, in their feelings and affections. The children of the first are born for the earth. The children of the last Adam are born for heaven. Those of the first are born of corruptible seed. Those of the last are born of incorruptible seed.

In the original creation we were made partakers of Adam’s nature, humanity. In the new creation of grace we are made partakers of the last Adam’s nature, “the divine nature.” That is the cause of the warfare within! These two are contrary the one to the other. We wear our Savior’s name. He has given it to us in free justification; and we have his nature. He gives that to us in free sanctification, regeneration.

Christ is the Lord our Righteousness in justification, (Jeremiah 23: 6; Jeremiah 33: 16) and the Lord our Holiness in sanctification. (Hebrews 12: 14)

~ Pastor Don Fortner

Click here to listen to the message “Predestination”

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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.

FreeGraceRadio.com Bulletin Article date: 7 September, 2008 | Previous post date: n/a | Danville, Kentuky

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If You Be Circumcised

”Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.” | Galatians 5: 2

It is a man’s guilt that makes Christ necessary for Him; but it is a man’s righteousness that will render Christ ineffective for him.

The blood of Christ is the remedy for a man’s sin, but what shall avail for a remedy for a man’s righteousness? Only the sovereign work of the Holy Spirit of God is able to overcome a man’s resistance to the grace of the blood and to make him despair of even his righteousness.

But, to refine the point even more, it is the Holy Spirit’s work in revealing the testimony of the blood of Christ that breaks the self-righteous will of man and makes him submit to Christ as his only righteousness before God.

So it is the blood poured out by Christ that remedies the sin of a man, and it is that same blood revealed by the Holy Spirit that remedies the righteousness of man.

~ Pastor Joe Terrell

Click here to listen to the message “The Testimony of the Blood”

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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.

FreeGraceRadio.com Bulletin Article date: 6 September, 2008 | Previous post date: n/a | Danville, Kentuky

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Who Can Tame the Tongue?

“The tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.” | James 3: 8

Obviously no man can tame the tongue.

I have tried to tame mine, and out come words of criticism, hurt, and self-justification.

But God can and does tame the tongue.

I cannot tame my tongue, but I want it to be tamed by the grace of God!

Lord, tame my tongue, so that the words that come out my mouth are true, gracious, kind, and encouraging.

Somebody once said that everything that passes through our lips ought to go through these three checkpoints:
1) Is it true?
2) Is it necessary to say? and
3) Is it kind?

When, by the grace of God, our words go through those three checkpoints, we are speaking with a tamed tongue.

Tamed by the grace of God.

~ Pastor Todd Nibert

Click here to listen to the message “The Tongue”

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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.

FreeGraceRadio.com Bulletin Article date: 5 September, 2008 | Previous post date: n/a | Danville, Kentuky

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Dealing With Sin

“And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly.” | Matthew 26: 75

How different from us does Christ deal with sin!

I would venture to say that Peter would never have been allowed to preach had we been in the Lord’s place. Or if he had, our confrontation with Peter would likely have made Peter unwilling to preach.

There is no question that this confrontation with Peter was because of Peter’s denial. But it is interesting to note that the Lord never once mentioned Peter’s denial. He did not ask Peter to rehearse his crime. Neither did the Lord require Peter to resolve to do better. Peter’s resolve had not helped him before and it would not likely help him later. Nor do we find our Lord laying out a plan of action for Peter so that he will not fail in the future.

Our Lord went straight to the heart of it with a simple question, “Peter, do you love me?”

With that question asked three times, our Lord forgave Peter’s sin, cleared his conscience, fit him for service and revealed to us the strongest resistance to sin.

I would be willing to bet that every time after that when Peter was tempted to deny the Lord for fear, he remembered the Master’s question, “Peter do you love me.”

No whip of law or fear of punishment, just simple love.

~ Pastor John Chapman

Click here to listen to the message “Peter Denies Knowing Christ”

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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.

FreeGraceRadio.com Bulletin Article date: 4 September, 2008 | Previous post date: n/a | Danville, Kentuky

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CONCERNING SPIRITUAL GIFTS

”Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant. Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led. Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost. Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.” | 1 Corinthians 12: 1-11

Those who are chosen by God’s grace, redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ and quickened and made alive by the Holy Spirit have no reason to boast of any personal achievement.

The apostle Paul uses this powerful phrase, “no man” two times in one verse to exclude any from exalting the deeds of the flesh. We were ignorant Gentiles, carried away unto dumb and dead idols, until the grace of God set us free in Jesus Christ our Lord. (Ephesians 2: 11-13)

Consider these three statements:

All that every believer knows; God, in His mercy taught us! The gospel of God’s grace and glory is not something that the natural and carnal mind reasons out. The gospel must be revealed by the Holy Spirit. Salvation is not by education, but rather by revelation. The world by wisdom does not know God. (1 Corinthians 1: 21) God, the Holy Spirit must take the things concerning Jesus Christ and shew them unto us, or we will never understand the true gospel. “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit” (1 Corinthians 2: 9-10)

All that every believer has; God, in His love gave us! There is not a single spiritual blessing that the believer enjoys that has not been freely given to us. (1 Corinthians 1: 30) We are justified freely by His grace. (Romans 3: 24) God has loved His people freely in Christ Jesus before the foundation of the world. (Hosea 14: 4) Although all the spiritual blessings are freely given to us, they came at a great price to our Lord. He fully paid our sin debt with a great price, His own blood. (Acts 20: 28) “He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?” (Romans 8: 32)

All that we are; God, in His grace made us! By nature we are born in sin and shapen in iniquity. (Psalm 51: 5) By His grace we have been made trophies of His love and mercy. (Ephesians 2: 4-8) Every believer can truly say with the apostle Paul, “by the grace of God I am what I am” (1 Corinthians 15: 10) We are saved from our sin by His grace. (Romans 4: 16) We are redeemed from the curse of the Law through Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3: 13)

Therefore every believer can rightly boast of what God has done for us through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Salvation is all of God’s grace, all in Christ Jesus and all for His glory.

We say with the apostle, “God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Galatians 6: 14)

~ Pastor Tom Harding

Click here to listen to the message “Salvation Is 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.

FreeGraceRadio.com Bulletin Article date: 3 September, 2008 | Previous post date: n/a | Danville, Kentuky