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WHEN YOU HEAR

“We see not our signs: there is no more any prophet: neither is there among us any that knoweth how long. O God, how long shall the adversary reproach? shall the enemy blaspheme thy name for ever? Why withdrawest thou thy hand, even thy right hand? pluck it out of thy bosom. For God is my King of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth.” | Psalm 74: 9-12

When you hear contemporary preachers talking about what God is ‘trying to do,’ or what He ‘wants to do’ and ‘would do’ if people would but cooperate; often accompanied with a plea to men and women: ‘Won’t you let God’ do this or that, it is important that you understand that they are not talking about the God of the Bible, the true and living God.

They are talking about a different god, a god of their own imagination, a god of their own making.

They are idolators!

The God of the Bible is described and set forth as One who does what He pleases, only what He pleases, and always what He pleases. (Psalm 15: 2,3; Psalm 135: 5,6)

HE IS GOD!

“What His soul desireth, even that He doeth.” (Job 23: 13) From Genesis 1: 1 throughout the whole of the Inspired Volume, the Holy Bible, GOD is set forth as the only true and living God, the Almighty One, absolutely sovereign, independent and free.

“Working ALL THINGS after the counsel of His own will.” (Ephesians 1: 11) “For of Him, and through Him, and to Him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.” (Romans 11: 36)

“Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth” (Revelation 19: 6)

~ Pastor Maurice Montgomery

Click here to listen to the message “The Lord Hath Put Away My Sin”

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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: 31 August, 2008 | Previous post date: n/a | Pikeville, Kentucky

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“I only am escaped alone to tell thee.”

“And, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.” | Job 1: 19

There are many ways in which my own experience of God’s grace and his good providence compel me to adopt the language used by Job’s messenger as my own.

Looking back to the day of my birth, had not the Lord God preserved me from my mother’s womb, I would have surely perished. Many did in those days. But he who formed me in the belly loved me. Before I came forth from my mother’s womb, he sanctified me and ordained me as his messenger to you. (Jeremiah 1: 5) — “And I only am escaped alone to tell thee.”

My childhood, like yours, was filled with perils and dangers, in which multitudes dropped all around me. Many with whom I attended school are in hell today, others are in prison; and I would certainly have been in one or the other, had it not been for the fact that God spared me. He preserved me by his boundless, free grace and distinguishing mercy. — “And I only am escaped alone to tell thee.”

When, as a youth I lived at the edge of hell, playing with death, with my fists clinched, shaking them in my ever-gracious God’s face, courting his wrath every day, flirting with hell every night, the only reason I did not perish in the way I chose is the fact that I was “preserved for Jesus Christ” from eternity. (Jude 1) Nothing else can satisfactorily explain why my actions did not result in my death. — “And I only am escaped alone to tell thee.”

Oh the wonders of God’s distinguishing love toward me as the highly favored object of his mercy, by which he hedged me about and kept me, (Hosea 1: 6) when I had no awareness of his love for me, when I was utterly unconscious of the fact that he was watching over me and performing all things for me, (Psalm 57: 2) preserving me unto the day that he would call me by his grace! Hawker asked with astonishment, “Who shall count the sum of distinguishing mercy, in preserving and upholding providences, during the whole of an unconverted state?” — “And I only am escaped alone to tell thee.”

Then, after he called me by his grace, giving me life and faith, salvation and forgiveness in Christ, how magnificently he has continued to uphold and preserve me from all evil, sparing my life in the midst of one sickness and then another! Why has he spared me? Why do I still reside in this tabernacle? I am convinced that there is no other reason but this: — “And I only am escaped alone to tell thee.”

All around me I see multitudes dying and dead in trespasses and sins, unawakened, unconcerned, unregenerated. I understand, (O Spirit of God remind me constantly!) that I have been spared, that I live to “declare the works of the Lord.” (Psalm 118: 17) — “And I only am escaped alone to tell thee.”

God give me grace to proclaim with earnestness the glorious gospel of his dear Son. To tell all who can be reached by my voice, and pen, and influence of the wonders of redeeming love. — “Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul.” (Psalms 66: 16) — “And I only am escaped alone to tell thee.”

~ Pastor Don Fortner

Click here to listen to the message “Why Am I Here?”

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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 August, 2008 | Previous post date: n/a | Danville, Kentuky

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Your Atonement Has Already Been Made

“For on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins before the Lord,” | Leviticus 16: 30

My dear friend, read this verse of scripture and humble yourself before the Lord and believe it.

Christ Jesus, the priest of God’s own choosing has already made atonement for you if you believe on him for it. Would you be clean from all your sins before God? (Oh! My soul, think of such a thing!)

Jesus has already made the atonement, believe Him, simply believe him.

Don’t move a muscle until you believe Jesus Christ.

He made atonement by pouring out his own blood.

Read this verse and re-read it until your spirit is illuminated with the light of it and you are made to know you live through this atonement.

~ Pastor Bruce Crabtree

Click here to listen to the message “Once Only and Once Enough”

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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 August, 2008 | Previous post date: n/a | Danville, Kentuky

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Why Did Christ Die?

“For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures.” | 1 Corinthians 15: 3

The death of our Lord Jesus Christ was more than a judicial rendering of the demands of God’s holy law for the punishment of our sins.

Indeed and in truth it was that.

However, the reason or cause of our Redeemer giving His life a ransom for His sheep I feel is equally important and much too often passed over in our haste to be doctrinally correct. The Divine motive of this incomprehensible transaction was the everlasting love of the Triune God for His children – “In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.” (1 John 4: 9) Had there been no love for us there would have been no Redeemer provided.

The glory of God is most perfectly and completely revealed in the Son of His love giving His life for those whom He loved.

Oh what love, wondrous love, for me was shown!

When we by faith see our Saviour dying we must not only see justice satisfied, we must see God’s love fulfilled, magnified, and glorified! – “Now when I passed by thee, and looked upon thee, behold, thy time was the time of love; and I spread my skirt over thee, and covered thy nakedness: yea, I sware unto thee, and entered into a covenant with thee, saith the Lord GOD, and thou becamest Mine.” (Ezekiel 16: 8)

God is satisfied as He rests in His love!

Not only did Christ die to satisfy the Justice of God legally, He died to express His love in deed that we might live and forever be with Him in glory. The love of God and the death of Christ is so much in harmony that Justice smiles, closes the book, strikes the desk with It’s gavel and declares from the courts of heaven and echoes throughout eternity, “Case closed. All charges against the accused are dismissed”.

Now if that is not good news for a wretch such as the likes of me, I don’t know what is!

“I’m redeemed by love Divine! Glory, Glory, Christ is mine!”

~ Pastor Tommy Robbins

Click here to listen to the message “God’s Command Considered In His Promise”

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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: 1 August, 2008 | Previous post date: n/a | Danville, Kentucky

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Married To Christ

“Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth? For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband. So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man. Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.!” | Romans 6: 1-4

While marrying a young couple yesterday, I asked them if they would promise to honor and love one another, “till death alone shall part you.” We believers were married to the law in the sense that we were bound and responsible to honor it. We were “under the law,” and though sinful and incapable of honoring it, it was nonetheless our duty before God to do so perfectly. Paul uses this beautiful comparison to show what our relationship is now to the law, and to the son of God.

Being dead to the law, we are married to Christ, and yet not considered “adulterers.” In other words, we have no requirement to honour the law, and yet are guiltless before the law.

Free from the law O happy condition, Jesus hath bled and there is remission. Cursed by the law and killed by the fall, Christ hath redeemed us, once for all.

It may seem extreme to you that I would say, we have no requirement to honor the law, but think about it believer. If we are responsible to honor God’s law, then we must inhabit Hell forever. Christ honored it for us, and paid our sin debt, and we add nothing to what He has done for us. Nothing.

This does not mean we do not respect the law, and even try to obey it both outwardly and inwardly, but we have found that what we would, we do not, we cannot. Paul even says we “delight in the law of God, after the inward man,” but understand. We are dead to the law for righteousness, and we are married to Another.

We cannot, do not, shall not honor the law with our works, though we do desire to and strive to, but our Husband did, and we are one with Him as man and wife are said to be before God, one flesh. We bring forth fruit unto God because our works, just like our persons, are accepted “in the Beloved.” Let us praise Him both now and forever, our Husband, our Beloved, the Lover of our souls and Him Whom our soul loveth.

~ Pastor Chris Cunningham

Click here to listen to the message “Run After Love”

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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: 1 August, 2008 | Previous post date: n/a | Danville, Kentuky

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The Prayer of Faith

“And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” | James 5: 15-16

James assures us that the prayer of faith, the prayer that is born of and caused by faith in Christ, shall save the sick.

Of course the word “save” means “deliver.” The prayer of faith shall, most assuredly, deliver the sick from his sickness. What is “the prayer of faith”? The next verse tell us: “The effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”

“THE PRAYER OF FAITH IS “EFFECTUAL”. The word used by James means “in wrought”. It is a prayer wrought in, or produced in the heart of a believer by the Spirit of God. It is a prayer that is found in the heart, (II Samuel 7: 27) produced by the work of God and based upon the Word of God. Without question, the prayer of faith willingly submits to the will of God. But there is more to it than that. The prayer of faith discerns what the will of God is by the illumination of the Holy Spirit in his heart. (Romans 8: 27) And the prayer of faith is according to the will of God. (I John 5: 14)

THE PRAYER OF FAITH IS “FERVENT”. Faith is importunate. It will not give up its plea until it obtains the mercy it seeks. (Luke 11: 8-10) Like the Syrophenician woman, faith cannot be turned away. (Matthew 15: 21-28)

THE PRAYER OF FAITH IS THE PRAYER OF “A RIGHTEOUS MAN”, one who has been made righteous by the imputation of Christ’s righteousness to him and by the cleansing of his blood. It is the prayer of one who draws near to, calls upon, and is accepted of God in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. (John 14: 15; Hebrews 7: 25)

AND THE PRAYER OF FAITH “AVAILETH MUCH”. The prayer of the righteous is God’s delight; therefore “he heareth the prayer of the righteous.” (Proverbs 15: 8; Proverbs 15: 29) “And this is the confidence that we have in him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us: and if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.” (I John 5:1 4-15) We have what we desire, because what we desire is what our heavenly Father desires – his will and his glory. We gladly subject all our desires to these two things. The prayer of faith is free of selfish desire and personal want. (James 4: 3) The prayer of faith wants what God has purposed. Therefore, it is always effectual.

If my will is subject to and in harmony with my Father’s will, I may, and most assuredly shall have what I will.

~ Pastor Don Fortner

Click here to listen to the message “The Baptist, The Bride, & The Bridegroom”

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

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What Is Your Comfort?

“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.” | Psalm 23: 4

Are you happy? Yes! But I am not without times of sorrow and depression.

Like any human, I weep over loved ones, friends, sickness, death, and disappointment. But I sorrow not as those who have no hope. CHRIST IS MY HOPE! He loved me, gave Himself for me, and will make ALL THESE THINGS work together for my eternal good.

Are you at rest in your soul? Yes! but I am not free from concern and conviction over my sins and my infirmities.

I love Christ but not as I should or as I desire. I am satisfied with Him, His mercy, His grace, and His love; but I will never be totally satisfied until I wake with His likeness.

Do you have peace? Yes! but that peace with God, peace of conscience, and peace in any situation or condition is not based on my merit, feelings, nor religious duties.

CHRIST IS MY PEACE! He said, “In ME ye have peace. In the world ye shall have trouble.”

Any man or woman who claims continual, uninterrupted joy, rest, and peace in this world is either not telling the truth or has no connection with reality! True joy, rest, and peace are things we enjoy in Christ IN THE MIDST of troubles, afflictions, and infirmities.

Paul’s exhortation was “rejoice in the Lord.”

When I am conscious of my weakness, failures, and sins, I rejoice in Christ, my righteousness.

When I am concerned about food, clothing, and shelter, I rejoice in Christ, my provider.

When I am sick, Christ is my healer.

When I am grieved, Christ is my comfort.

When I am faced with death, Christ is my life!

So it is not necessary to put on a false face and deceive others. We are still human; but our peace, rest, and joy is Christ.

“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on Thee.”

~ Pastor Henry Mahan

Click here to listen to the message “The Believer’s Comfort”

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

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The Morning of Forever

“The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD’S house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.” | Isaiah 2: 1-4

The Lord Jesus Christ established and exalted his church by his life, death and resurrection. From heaven through the church on earth he is now establishing and exalting his church above every hill of falsehood by calling out his people, teaching them, and causing them to walk in him alone by faith. But there is one last work which he shall perform in establishing and exalting his house.

By the power of his grace working within his people in his church the Lord makes his people a peaceful people. Swords and spears are poor gardening tools. Therefore he makes his people instruments for husbandry. Believers have ceased binding others with the law–not only because we can not obey it but because an obedience to the law can in no way cleanse the filth of our flesh so that we are holy, only Christ can. Knowing that Christ has freely, fully, forever accomplished our warfare by reconciling us to God in righteouness and true holiness we no longer study how to war against God with the sword and spears of our works. Instead, we preach Christ who has made us more than conquerors. And though this is true of the believer in this life, we do not yet know the fullness of peace while we remain in this sinful flesh and sinful world.

Yet, in the end of these last days, after the Lord has called his saints from the four corners of this world, he shall then bring the remainder of the nations before him in judgment and shall rebuke many people for the hardness of their hearts and the sin that all men are. But at last he shall establish his bride in a new heaven and a new earth wherein dwells only righteousness; where there will fully be no war and need for instruments of war. In that day he shall exalt his bride as the trophy of his victory by the work he performed from beginning to end. She shall be established and exalted when he presents her to himself, a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but holy and without blemish.

He established and exalted his church by his person and finished work, and by raising her in him to the right hand of God. He is establishing and exalting his church above the hills of every false dominion through his church through the gospel he teaches in the heart. He shall establish and exalt his bride one last time to be with him. On that morning when forever begins, all those present shall have one and the same song, “Worthy is the Lamb!” Amen.

~ Pastor Clay Curtis

Click here to listen to the message “Faith’s Confidence”

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

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From Heaven Through His Church

“The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD’S house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.” | Isaiah 2: 1

In yesterday’s article, we saw that the Lord declared that in the last days of the Mosaic economy the Lord Jesus Christ would establish and exalt his church in a way that his people through the law could never do. Today, we see the second work the Lord Jesus performs in establishing and exalting his house.

The passage speaks of all nations flowing unto the Lord’s house. We read that many people, not just his elect from among the Jews, shall go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob. Also, note that it is the Lord who shall do the teaching; that he shall teach, not of man’s ways, but of his ways. The prophet says that when he teaches his people they will walk, not in the path of the little obstinate-stiff-necked hills, but in the Lord’s paths. All this is because the law and the word of the Lord are going forth out of Zion from the top of the mountains and out of his Jerusalem. (Jeremiah 23: 1-8)

After our Lord established and exalted his church by his life, his sacrifice and his ascension, God the Father gave him all power in heaven and in earth to send forth the gospel from heaven through his church on earth that he might rule in the midst of his enemies. (Psalm 110: 1-4; Matthew 28: 18-20; Colossians 1: 21-23) From his throne in the mountain of glory, Christ Jesus the Lord is now establishing his church by drawing his redeemed people from the north, the south, the east and the west; an elect people out of all nations.

From heavens Zion our victorious King Prophet is teaching his people through the local assemblies and pastors which he has established and raised up.

His people rejoice to hear of his way of electing grace, of establishing them complete in God’s presence in righteous judgment by his own wisdom, righteousness and holiness. They delight in his way of regenerating his spiritually dead children when he comes in power and grace to each of them; his way of preserving them by the word of his power and of faithfully fulfilling his every promise.

As he draws them to his house one-by-one, it is not a grand spectacle or something even noticed by the world of religion who reject the gospel for another jesus. Yet, by the work that he alone is performing, his elect, hear his voice from heaven through his church on earth and they follow him.

Christ has made the path free of all thorns of sin and stones of ignorance; they know he is the Way and therefore they walk in his path.

This is the second manner in which the Lord establishes and exalts his house above the insignificant hills of falsehood. (Jeremiah 51: 25-26; Micah 3: 9-12; 4: 1; Zechariah 8: 1-3)

~ Pastor Clay Curtis

Click here to listen to the message “Questions Only You Can Answer”

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

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In The Last Days

“The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD’S house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills.” | Isaiah 2: 1

The Lord Jesus Christ alone must establish and exalt his house.

He has and he shall.

This is the word which came from the Lord God of covenant promise delivered by his messenger Isaiah. Christ’s church, made up of the small remnant of his elect in that physical nation Israel as well as his elect from the four corners of the earth, shall be established and raised.

In the last days that the Mosaic system of worship existed the Son of God was made of a woman, made under the law to redeem them that were under the law that we might receive the adoption of sons. (Galatians 4: 4, 5) Christ bought the remnant of his elect children who were natural descendants of Abraham out from the Mosaic law so that they now are free to approach God through Christ the Lamb rather than an earthly sacrifice by the law of commandments.

At the same time, for both his elect Gentiles and his remnant in national Israel, Christ judicially delivered them from sin and death earned by the first Adam in the garden.

By his holy person and his righteous obedience Christ established an everlasting righteousness which his people could never do for themselves. Being made sin for us, he who knew no sin satisfied God’s justice, reconciled us to God and established us before God.

When he was exalted to God’s right hand in resurrection glory his church was exalted in him. In the first place, this is what the word “established” and “exalted” means. Come back tomorrow and we will see the second thing it means.

~ Pastor Clay Curtis

Click here to listen to the message “The End is at Hand”

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