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THE BODY OF CHRIST

“Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular. | 1 Corinthians 12: 27

All of God’s elect make up the body of Christ, His church. (Matthew 16: 18; Ephesians 1: 3-6)

All who Christ Jesus redeemed with His precious blood, make up the body of Christ. (Acts 20: 28; 1 Peter 1: 18; Revelation 5: 9-12) All who are regenerated by God the Holy Spirit, make up the body of Christ. (1 Corinthians 12: 13; Ephesians 2: 1-4; 1 Peter 1: 23) All who are made to believe the true gospel, make up the body of Christ. (John 5: 24; Galatians 3: 26)

Therefore, any earthly organization or religious cult that sets itself as the “body of christ” proclaiming they have authority to put sinners into Christ or remove them at their own discretion and power to wash away sin, is truly an abomination to Almighty God, a discredit to the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and totally contrary to the whole testimony of God.

Salvation, as it is taught from Genesis to Revelation is of the Lord; from election, to justification, to sanctification, to reconciliation, to regeneration and to glorification. (Romans 8: 28-30; 1 Corinthians 1: 30-31; 2 Timothy 1: 9: Titus 3: 5-7)

~ Pastor Tom Harding

Click here to listen to the message “What God Does Is Forever”

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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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TRUE OR COUNTERFEIT FAITH

“Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God” | Hebrews 3: 12)

Here, the Holy Spirit gives us the evidence of that God-given faith of God’s elect, and the evidence of counterfeit faith which the flesh produces.

True faith will take heed to the warnings of scripture, and search the heart for evidences of unbelief and cry out to God for aid. On the other hand, sham faith is full of presumption and looks to something other than Christ for assurance.

True faith will persevere to the end because it is fastened to a living person, Jesus Christ, (1 Peter 2: 4) while imitation faith will end in failure because it is resting on some false grounds of hope. (Isaiah 28: 17)

True faith in time of trial will bring the believer closer to His Lord, knowing the trial is from His hand and for our good. (Romans 8: 28) On the other hand bogus faith in time of trouble will result in the person departing from the gospel and from those who believe. An evil heart of unbelief is always manifested by departing from the living God. John said, “They went out from us, but they were not of us; for had they been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us, but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.” (John 2: 19)

Let us not be afraid to examine ourselves to see whether we be in the faith. (2 Corinthians 13: 5)

True faith is willing to submit to the word of God because it is the foundation of faith. (John 6: 66-69)

~ Pastor Tom Harding

Click here to listen to the message “Heirs According to the 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.

Zebulon Grace Church Bulletin Article date: 31 August, 2008 | Previous post date: n/a | Pikeville, Kentucky

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Imparted Righteousness

“Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.” | 1 Peter 2: 24-25

The children of God are righteous by the implantation in their bosom of a righteous nature, which, as being born of God, is as pure as God is pure and as holy as he is holy.

For this reason we are said to be “partakers of the divine nature,” (2 Peter 1: 4) and to “put on the new man which after God [that is, after the image of God] is created” – it being a divine and new creation, “in righteousness and true holiness.” (Ephesians 4: 24)

This pure and holy nature, John tells us, cannot sin, because it is born of God, (1 John 3: 9) and is “the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus,” which makes the soul free from the law of sin and death, (Romans 8: 2) being that kingdom of God in the heart, which is “righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost.” (Romans 14: 17)

This is an imparted righteousness, and its very essence is that sweet spirituality of mind, which is life and peace, and that holiness without which no man shall see the Lord. (Romans 8: 6; Hebrews 12: 14)

~ J. C. Philpot

Click here to listen to the message “Christ our rule to live by”

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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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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