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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

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Power To Cross Our Path

“And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert. And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship, Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet. Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.” | Acts 8: 26

In absolute power God moves his messenger and his vessel of mercy so that they meet right where God would have them meet.

There were two roads which Philip could have taken. Yet, through the Spirit the Lord commanded Philip to go south on the road which went down from Jerusalem to Gaza. This was the desert road. The phrase “go toward the south” has an alternate meaning in the Greek which means “at midday.” So in power the Holy Spirit of God, literally, moved his messenger to take the road least traveled, at the time of day when it was least likely to be traveled, to meet the most unlikely person, an Ethiopian eunuch.

The Lord’s elect may be wandering lost in the most remote places on this globe but the Lord who saves in power knows exactly where they are. We may have to be led away from the religion of the day out onto old Gaza Road, as was the Ethiopian eunuch, but God is able.

God our Savior, the King of heaven and earth, shall bring the good news of his Son to each of his children in his time in his power.

~ Pastor Clay Curtis

Click here to listen to the message “From the Country of Moab to the House of Bread”

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

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Straight Gate, Wide Gate

“Whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock.” | Matthew 7: 24

The Rock, of course, is Christ; the sand is self.

But the test, the mark, the evidence, the proof of the two builders and the two buildings is the hearing of Christ’s sayings and doing them, or the hearing of Christ’s saying and doing them not.

We may twist and wriggle under such a text, and try all manner of explanations to parry off its keen, cutting edge; we may fly to arguments and deductions drawn from the doctrines of grace to shelter ourselves from its heavy stroke, and seek to prove that the Lord was there preaching the law and not the gospel, and that we are saved by Christ’s blood and righteousness, and not by our own obedience or our good works, either before or after calling, all such tests and all such texts are inapplicable to our state as believers.

But after all our questionings and cavilings, our nice subtle arguments to quiet conscience and patch up a false peace, there the words of the Lord stand, and what is more, will stand forever, backed as they are by that solemn declaration from the same Lips of Eternal Truth: “Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.” (Matthew 7: 19-21)

~ J.C. Philpot

Click here to listen to the message “Straight Gate, Wide Gate”

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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: 13 August, 2017 | Previous post date: n/a | Rocky Mount, Virginia

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The World Judged At The Cross

“Likewise also the chief priests mocking said among themselves with the scribes, He saved others; himself he cannot save. Let Christ the King of Israel descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe. And they that were crucified with him reviled him.” | Mark 15: 31-32

A wonderful, prayerful resolve would be; Lord, let me look into the glorious glass of Thy Word and see the face of the Lord Jesus Christ, and let me conformed to His blessed image in all things.

Let me see Christ in all Thy Word.

Let me look to Him and look like Him.

Deliver me from this present evil world, deliver me from the god of this world, deliver me from my sinful self, and receive me into Thy Kingdom forever.

Let me be resolved to seek Thy will and do Thy will always.

~ Unknown

Click here to listen to the message “The World Judged At The Cross”

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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: 13 August, 2017 | Previous post date: n/a | Rocky Mount, Virginia

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What Is Grace?

“I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain” | Galatians 2: 21

Paul tells us repeatedly that we are saved and justified, called and sanctified, preserved and glorified by the grace of God, without our works; but what is grace?

Almost all professing christians say they believe that salvation is by grace. The Word of God lays such heavy emphasis upon the fact that salvation is by grace that it is very difficult for anyone to claim to believe the Bible and yet openly deny that salvation is by grace. Papists, pentecostals, and fundamentalists, all claim to believe in salvation by grace. But most people think and speak about grace in such a way that they frustrate the grace of God.

That is the reason Paul declared, “I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain!” The grace that most people talk about is not grace at all. It is so mixed with human merit and human works that it is “no more grace.” (Romans 11: 6)

Grace that looks to the worth of man, waits upon the will of man, or depends upon the work of man is frustrated grace; and frustrated grace is not the grace of God!

Grace is the unmerited favor of God.

Grace is free!

Grace is unconditional!

Anything earned, merited, or deserved by you is not grace.

The man who thinks he deserves God’s salvation does not believe in grace. The person who imagines that his acceptance with God depends upon his will, his works, or his worth, does not believe in grace, as the Bible speaks of grace. He has fallen from grace. (Galatians 5: 2, 4) Such people may talk about grace, but grace does not mean to them what it does to poor, helpless, guilty, bankrupt, self-condemned sinners, whose only hope is Christ.

No one will ever honor and extol the grace of God until he has experienced it.

It was only after he had experienced it that Paul declared, “By the grace of God I am what I am.” Before that, though he was religious, he was a blasphemer who hoped for salvation by something he did.

Paul took no credit for his conversion.

He ascribed the whole of his salvation to God’s free grace alone.

He knew he did not make himself to differ from others.

A great change had taken place in his heart. His opinions, affections, ambitions, desires, hopes, and motives had been radically changed; and he attributed the change to the grace of God alone.

~ Pastor Don Fortner

Click here to listen to the message “The Faith of The Son 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.

Central Grace Church Bulletin Article date: 13 August, 2017 | Previous post date: n/a | Rocky Mount, Virginia

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Behold The King Cometh

“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.” |Zechariah 9: 9-11

God gave to His prophet the very exact description of our Lord Jesus Christ as He entered into Jerusalem to accomplish our salvation, 550 years before it actually happened, (Luke 19: 28-40) what He would accomplish.

Notice these vital things!

1). Jesus Christ is the King of our salvation. “Behold thy King cometh unto thee.” The wise men ask, where is He that is born King? (Matthew 2: 2) Our Lord as God incarnate, is King of Kings. (Revelation 19: 9-16; Psalm 2: 6; Acts 2: 36) As King He is sovereign in salvation. (John 17: 2; Romans 9: 12-16)

2). Jesus Christ is the Just God, “He is just.” That means He is righteous in all His ways and Holy in His character. Stephen and Peter called Him, “the Just One.” (Acts 3: 12-15; Acts 7: 52)

3). Jesus Christ is the only Saviour, “having salvation.” He is not only a Just God but also our righteous Saviour. (Isaiah 45: 21) Paul often calls Christ God our Saviour. (Titus 1: 3; Luke 2: 30) He came to give His life as a ransom to purchase His covenant people. (Matthew 20: 28; Acts 20: 28)

4). Jesus Christ is also identified with our humanity, “lowly, and riding upon an ass.” Totally, fully God Almighty, yet also a real man. (John 1: 14; 1 Timothy 3: 16; Philipians 2: 5-9) As the Godman He honored the law and perfected righteousness for us. (Isaiah 42: 21; 2 Corinthians 5: 21; Hebrews 9: 12; 1 Peter 3: 18)

5). Jesus Christ is our Peace with God, “he shall speak peace unto the heathen.” (Zechariah 9: 10) Surely, no one else has the authority to speak peace unto the sinner, but Jesus Christ Himself. (Ephesians 2: 12-17; Romans 5: 1) He made peace with God for His people through the blood of His sacrifice. (Colossians 1: 19-22)

6). Jesus Christ is our Deliverer, “by the blood of thy covenant I have sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water.” (Zechariah 9: 11) Our blessed Lord came to set His people free (Luke 4: 18); from the curse of the law, (Galatians 3: 10-13) from the bondage of sin, (Romans 6: 14) from the terror of death, (Revelation 1:18) from the grip of the devil. (Hebrews 2: 14)

What a great Deliverer we have in the Lord Jesus Christ! (Romans 11: 26)

~ Pastor Tom Harding

Click here to listen to the message “Behold The King Cometh”

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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: July 22, 2018 | Previous post date: n/a | Pikeville, Kentucky

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Is Our Message Offensive?

“I have confidence in you through the Lord, that ye will be none otherwise minded: but he that troubleth you shall bear his judgment, whosoever he be. And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased. I would they were even cut off which trouble you.” | Galatians 5: 10-12

Paul called his message “the offence of the cross.” Again and again he warned that the true gospel of God’s grace and glory would meet with great opposition from the religious world and the natural world. “The preaching of the cross is foolishness.” “The natural man receiveth not the things of God.”

Our Lord said, “Marvel not if the world hate you.” He also said in John 16, “They will cast you out of organized religion, and whosover killeth you will think that he serves God in doing so.” If what we preach is NOT offensive to the religionist and to the worldling, then it is NOT THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST. I repeat, it is not the gospel!

1). GOD’S ABSOLUTE SOVEREIGNTY in creation, providence, and redemption offends man’s claim to a freewill! “WE WILL NOT have this man REIGN over us.”

2). The preaching of TOTAL DEPRAVITY and INABILITY offends man’s dignity and claim to personal righteousness. “We be not born of fornication”, that is, “we be not (they say) born in sin.” “We may not be perfect, but we are not totally corrupt in God’s sight.”

3). The gospel of Christ comes by REVELATION and this offends man’s natural wisdom. The college professor knows as much about the mysteries of grace as the farmhand, which is nothing apart from the Spirit of God.

4). EFFECTUAL REDEMPTION through the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ, our substitute and sin-offering, offends man’s pride. Men would have God do all that He wants to do or can do; but, there must be a work left for the sinner to perform, that we might share somewhat in the glory.

5). The LORDSHIP OF JESUS CHRIST offends man’s desire for recognition here and the hereafter. “Grant, Lord, that we may sit at Thy right and left hand.” “Let us have a system of rewards to distinguish us in some way from the beggar.” We have established our social levels here and choose to continue them in heaven.

~ Pastor Henry T. Mahan

Click here to listen to the message “The Offense of the Cross”

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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: July 22, 2018 | Previous post date: n/a | Pikeville, Kentucky

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Five Things About Manna

“And again they said, Alleluia. And her smoke rose up for ever and ever. And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne, saying, Amen; Alleluia. And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great.” | Revelation 19: 3-6

There are five things pictured in the heavenly manna as it is given in figure of Christ the true bread of God. (Exodus 16: 1-31) These are things which every believer shall come to know in the sweet experience of grace.

First: He will come to see that this true manna was provided by God alone. It did not rise up out of the cursed ground or evolve on the herb bearing grass; it was divinity given. “He gave them bread from heaven to eat.” (John 6: 31) “He commanded the clouds from above, and opened the doors of heaven and rained down manna upon them to eat and gave them the corn of heaven.” (Psalm 75: 23-24)

Second: This manna must be discovered. All those who did not look did not discover the manna. The manna fell where God said it would. The manna fell in the assemble of God. The manna was easy to find. Most men do not find Christ because they do not look where the manna is revealed.

Third: The manna must be gathered. Manna on the ground did no good to anyone. Simply hearing about the manna satisfied no mans hunger. It must be gathered. Who gathered this manna? Hungry souls sought it out and gathered it in.

Fourth: The manna must be processed. Israel did not just scoop it up by handfuls and eat it like jelly beans; it was ground in the mills or beaten in a mortar and then baked into bread. (Matthew 11: 8) The gospel of Jesus Christ is processed by the inward working of the Spirit. (I Corinthians 2: 10-14) It must be heard, considered, understood, and believed.

Fifth: The manna must be eaten. Manna in a basket will not give life. It must be chewed and swallowed. It must be taken within where God, the Holy Spirit, makes it one with us and creates faith and life and hope.

Christ is our manna! May God be pleased to guide us where he can be found, reveal him to our hearts, cause us to gather to ourselves the full measure God has given, help us to process what we have gathered, and eat to the full what God has given. Amen

~ Pastor Darvin Pruitt

Click here to listen to the message “Christ The Omnipotent Reigneth”

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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: 19 May, 2012 | Previous post date: n/a | Danville, Kentucky