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It Is Good For Me That I Am Afflicted

”It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn Thy ways.” | Psalm 119: 71

God’s ways and God’s word are best learned by experience and in time of trouble.

When our Lord is pleased to lay his hand heavily upon us, we do not soon forget the lessons learned.

“As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.” (Revelation 3: 19)

When the Lord singles out a believer or a church for special affliction and adversity, it is not for punishment nor lack of love for them; it is for eternal blessings and because He does love them.

“Whom the Lord loveth” he chastens, corrects, and teaches!

When Job sat before his friends, who was afflicted?

The one God loved!

When Paul stood before King Agrippa, who wore the chains?

The one God loved!

Humanly speaking, which path of life would you prefer to live on earth, that of Esau or Jacob?

Esau had the life of prosperity and ease; Jacob was full of trouble and conflict.

But God loved Jacob!

Thank God he has not left us alone!

Thank God he has loved us in Christ and is pleased to teach us his ways by dealing with us in such a way that we are weaned from the world and find our life, comfort, and hope only in him.

“But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.” (Hebrews 12: 8)

A person who measures his blessings and relationship with God by his prosperity, health, happiness, and worldly comforts makes a fatal mistake.

Paul wrote, “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.” (2 Corinthians 12: 9-10)

He who sends the trial for his glory and my good will supply the grace sufficient.

Those who know the Redeemer also know that when we are weak, we are strong; when we are poor, we are rich; when we are empty, we are full; and when we die, we live!

~ Pastor Henry Mahan

Click here to listen to the message “Joy After Chastening” (44:48 minutes)

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

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Blood Before The Lord

”Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats: And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening. And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it.” | Exodus 12: 5-7

Note in the scriptures how many times the blood is said to be “before the Lord.”

Whether any man saw it or not was of small account, for it was offered for sin “before the Lord.”

“And he shall go out unto the altar that is before the LORD, and make an atonement for it; and shall take of the blood of the bullock, and of the blood of the goat, and put it upon the horns of the altar round about.” (Leviticus 16: 18)

When the passover lamb was slain in Egypt, where was the blood placed?

It was on the OUTSIDE of the door “before the Lord.”

“For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD. And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.” (Exodus 12-13)

He said, “When I see the blood, I will pass over you.”

“But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.” (Hebrews 2: 9)

The suffering and death of Christ on behalf of His people was “BEFORE the Lord,” UNTO the Lord, to declare the Lord’s righteousness, to satisfy the Lord’s justice, to fulfill the Lord’s purpose, to glorify the Lord’s character, to enable the Lord to be both just and justifier.

The atonement does not change the NATURE and CHARACTER of God, but rather the atonement HONORS and MAGNIFIES the character of God.

“Thus will I magnify myself, and sanctify myself; and I will be known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am the LORD.” (Ezekiel 38: 23)

The death of Christ is NOT the cause of God’s love, but the result of it.

God is not merciful because Christ died; Christ died because God is merciful.

“And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the LORD, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the LORD; for his mercy endureth for ever.” (2 Chronicles 20: 21)

In order that every attribute might be expressed, glorified, and honored, God gave His Son to be the Saviour of the chosen people!

Thank God we have an atonement “before the Lord.”

~ Pastor Henry Mahan

Click here to listen to the message “Christ’s Blood Speaks” (34:48 minutes)

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

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The Miracle Of God’s Irresistible Grace

”And it shall come to pass, when your children shall say unto you, What mean ye by this service? That ye shall say, It is the sacrifice of the LORD’S passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he smote the Egyptians, and delivered our houses. And the people bowed the head and worshipped.” | Exodus 12: 26-27

Reader!

If you are a parent, learn from hence how to encourage your little ones to seek information concerning the great things of God.

If they ask you what is meant by the Christian Passover (I mean the service of the Lord’s Supper) Oh! tell them that it commemorates his precious sufferings and death, by whose stripes we are healed.

“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.” (1 Peter 2: 24)

Tell them of the distinguishing mercies of God in Christ, that while we merited death as much as any Egyptian, the Lord passed by and saved us when Egypt was destroyed.

“He shall send from heaven, and save me from the reproach of him that would swallow me up. Selah. God shall send forth his mercy and his truth.” (Psalm 57: 3)

And do, my brother, if you can, tell your children also, how in numberless instances, both in providence and in grace, the Lord hath passed over you and your house, and not suffered the destroying angel to come in, while you have seen many on the right hand and on the left, swept away in sudden destruction.

“Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:” (Romans 3: 24)

Oh how sweet is the contemplation of distinguishing mercy!

~ Robert Hawker

Click here to listen to the message “The Miracle of Grace” (36:17 minutes)

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

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Rejecting God In The Name Of Obeying God

”The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.” | John 19: 31

Legalistic Antinominism.

“For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.” (Romans 10: 4)

Removing the body of God’s chosen Sabbath from off the cross in the name of observing God’s law manifests the natural mind’s backwardness of imagining acceptance by law-obedience rather than through faith in Christ who is the end of the law for righteousness.

~ Pastor Clay Curtis

Click here to listen to the message “Warnings from the Master” (45:37 minutes)

Sovereign Grace Baptist Church Bulletin Article date: 29 February, 2008 | Previous post date: n/a | Ewing, New Jersey

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Why Did God Choose The Poor Of This World?

”And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them: And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these: so that the one came not near the other all the night.” | Exodus 14: 19-20

The Spirit of God moved James to write the word “hearken” meaning that the following statement is a matter of great importance, worthy of the attention of every believer.

”Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him? But ye have despised the poor.” (James 2: 5-6)

It pleased God that the majority of those he chose to save in Christ Jesus be poor in temporal possessions.

Why is that worthy of our attention?

One reason may be that a lack of temporal riches is an example of the natural spiritual condition of all those Christ redeemed.

By disobeying God, our earthly father Adam, wasted all his spiritual substance thus leaving the family of mankind in the poverty of sin and spiritual death.

Every elect child of God for whom Christ died is spiritually ungodly in the worst of all poverty outside of God’s grace.

Yet, our heavenly Father chose to bestow the riches of faith freely upon sinners who are temporaly poor in this world to further manifest the riches of his super-abounding grace toward those so destitute in spiritual poverty that they possess no ability to produce anything of spiritual worth by their own works.

The riches of God’s promise become truly unsearchable when revealed in the hearts of sinners bankrupt of any righteousness whatsoever.

Only a wretch living in the slums of sin truly understands that it was purely the choice of his sovereign King to reserve him a seat at his table in his kingdom for all eternity.

It is not that God did not choose to give some of his saints material wealth in this world.

Yet, like king David when giving of his treasure for the building of the temple, all those enriched by God’s grace are brought to confess that our every earthly possession is only that which God has lent us to be used for the further exaltation of his Son and the care of his poor saints in this world.

When we consider the love of Christ who for our sakes became poor that we might be made rich, his love constrains us, not to despise his poor saints, but to share God’s riches, both temporal and spiritual.

~ Pastor Clay Curtis

Click here to listen to the message “When God Isn’t There” (51:36 minutes)

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

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Mercy Rejoiceth Against Judgement

”So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty. For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.” | James 2: 12-13

Carnal reasoning shows partiality to one while neglecting another based on outward adornments.

God chose those who were too poor in sin to provide righteousness for themselves.

“Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him? But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?” (James 2: 5-6)

Evil judgments exalt those who appear to offer a return and reject those who have nothing.

“My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons. For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment; And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool: Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?” (James 2: 1-4)

God rejects those who come in the goodly apparel of their own righteousness but freely gives the vilest wretch the riches of faith, making him an heir of his kingdom.

Unjustified religionists rejoice to draw men before the law.

“Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called? If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well: But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.” (James 2: 7-9)

God satisfied his own justice in the person of his Son and therefore he delights to show mercy.

Carnal men blaspheme the name of God, setting themselves up as gods, rejecting those rich in grace because by outward appearance they seem vile.

We rejected the Just One for the same reason.

Yet, it is by that worthy name that sinners are called and made the very righteousness of God in him.

Brethren, one of the worst enemies we face is the old, legal, unjust judge that resides within each of us.

We may try to justify such legalism by saying that our partiality was an effort to fulfill the royal command.

“For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.” (James 2: 10-11)

Yet, when we begin to vainly imagine that we have kept ourselves unspotted from the world, the Holy Spirit reminds us that one evil thought is enough to convict us as transgressors before the whole law of God.

Is your rejoicing in that soon you will stand alone before the thrice holy God in unbending justice?

Or is your rejoicing that you are now complete by faith in Christ through God’s abounding mercy?

Therefore, as believers, having beheld the wrath due to us poured out on our Substitute at Calvary, let us speak and do as they that shall be judged in the Lord our Righteousness.

Brethren, having received mercy from God instead of what we deserved may he give us grace to rejoice in the same mercy toward one another!

~ Pastor Clay Curtis

Click here to listen to the message “Sanctification Illustrated” (51:15 minutes)

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

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More Than The Usual Religious Bargain

”And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them.” | Acts 3: 5

Many spiritually lame sinners have grown accustomed to the usual religious bargain.

Sinners are brought by their friends to a place that should be beautifully filled with the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ only to receive a carnal trinket to momentarily gratify the flesh.

In like manner, after years of receiving the usual religious bargain, this lame man expected to receive nothing more than the same from Peter.

Yet, that which Peter had he gave.

Through his gospel the Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth sends forth the sovereign command with power from his throne of grace, saying, “Rise up and walk.”

Through his gospel from his throne of dominion, the Lord of heaven and earth takes hold of his redeemed, illustrated by Peter taking hold of the lame man.

Through the Holy Spirit, Christ’s Power becomes the strength of the sinner, even as this impotent man received strength in his ankle bones and feet.

When the Faithful One joins himself with a lame sinner he gives the gift of faith whereby the lame leap up to walk for the first time.

Through his gospel command the Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth unites sinners with their brethren and together they enter into Christ the true Temple.

The sinner saved by the absolute, irresistible, free grace of God in Christ praises continually the Lord who healed him.

If Christ is our Life then he is our Life at the time of conversion, in every hour of trial, in every hour of joy, and for all eternity.

Believers do not go to Mt. Zion for eternal salvation then back to Mt. Sinai for matters of daily life.

God has given his Son a name which is above every name.

The more that name is declared the more the lame leap as a hart with joy.

It is through the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth that the lame receive more than we could have ever bargained for.

~ Pastor Clay Curtis

Click here to listen to the message “The Valley of Dry Bones” (39:01 minutes)

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

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Pure Religion And Undefiled

”Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.” | James 1: 27

The Son of God who took upon him the form of a servant and became obedient even unto the death of the cross is truly the only pure and undefiled worshipper before God the Father.

He visited this worldly orphanage and adopted a multitude of sons and daughters who were afflicted with no knowledge of the Father who loved them.

Christ Jesus visited his church revealing that though she thought herself a widow, fact was, she had a Husband who loved her with an everlasting love and bought her with his own blood.

This One who visited us orphans and widows kept himself undefiled from this world.

While carnal religion splattered itself with stains of hypocrisy by making known all their works, by taking advantage of the helpless, by using only those who could offer them gain in return, Christ our Lord quietly went about providing for those who could add nothing to him.

That is pure religion and undefiled before God the Father.

When this same gracious Spirit of Christ enters a sinner, his religion is made pure and undefiled before God the Father in spirit.

Now the former orphan is a son adopted and taken into the loving arms of his Father.

Once full of wrath, he now bridles his tongue so he can listen to priceless instruction drop like honey from the lips of his Father.

Now the former widow is adorned in the wedding garment of righteousness provided by her Husband who loved her and gave himself for her.

Though their old nature wars against them, neither the son nor the bride would dare return to their former state, but rest under the care of their Father and Husband.

Thus they keep themselves unspotted from this sinful world.

Moreover, sinners saved by grace behold their former state in those who are orphans and widows, poor and needy.

In a spirit made of love and mercy they visit the afflicted.

But visiting is more than giving carnal gifts during the holidays.

True visiting is a God-given spirit which willingly, continually, takes the oversight, not just with temporal provisions, but also with the gospel which provides for the soul.

Doing it without being noticed by anyone, for those who can offer you absolutely nothing in return, while knowing such acts add nothing whatsoever to your standing before God, that is keeping yourself unspotted from this world.

That is the spirit God gives to those who know what it is to be orphans and widows saved by God’s abounding grace.

That is pure religion and undefiled before God the Father.

~ Pastor Clay Curtis

Click here to listen to the message “Brotherly Love” (30:10 minutes)

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

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Those Who Hear and Do

”But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.” | James 1: 25

Those who are “doers of the Word” look into the perfect law of liberty – they hear the gospel of Christ and behold their old, sinful bodies as dead and buried in Christ.

They see in Christ — their Perfect Liberty – that their acceptance with God is complete in him.

“Doers of the Word” hear their King declare that all who believe on him are no longer under the law of Mt. Sinai but are under his perfect law of freedom.

They go their way continuing in the liberty with which Christ has set them free.

“Doer’s of God’s Word” do not look to what they do — whether good or bad – they look to Christ alone.

The “doer of the Word” is said to be blessed in his deed.

His deed is simply continuing by faith in Christ, the great Liberator.

His blessing is that when every beguiling philosopher, every religious activist, every carnal friend or foe, even the old nature itself, attempts to turn him from Christ back to death, his King will not allow it.

Christ makes him lay down all his carnal weapons, lay aside the old man with his deeds and simply sit down at Christ’s feet where he continues in liberty by faith.

This is being a “doer of the Word and not a hearer only.”

~ Pastor Clay Curtis

Click here to listen to the message “Preparation For An Ordained Work” (36:16 minutes)

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

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A Sign Of Vain Religion (Or, A Warning Against Vain Religion)

”If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.” | James 1: 26

A man may appear religious, yet, an unbridled tongue comes from the spirit of a self-righteous heart puffed up in the vanity of the carnal mind.

All God’s saints say things on occasion that we wish we could take back.

But this text speaks of a man whose tongue continually reveals the hidden thoughts of his heart.

Here are some ways the tongue runs wild:

If a man insists on ascribing any part of salvation to “self” rather than every part of salvation to the triune God then the Holy Spirit says this man’s tongue reveals he has deceived his own heart.

When he speaks of how he made Christ “lord of his life” instead of confessing Christ is the Lord and the Life who graciously gives spiritual life to dead sinners then his unbridled tongue reveals his true god.

As he continually speaks of “his faith” instead of Christ who God says is the only Faithful One then he proves himself a wild ass unaccustomed to the bit.

When he brags of his “fleshly moral reform after conversion” instead of speaking of the holy, complete and perfect life that the saints have in spirit in Christ at God’s right hand, his run-away tongue brays into the wind like a stiff-necked mule bucks at the bridle.

And a favorite of all, the untamed tongue justifies his own unfaithfulness by kicking Christ’s redeemed into the mud by exposing their fleshly faults.

In short, an unbridled tongue is one which constantly exalts self while belittling the Lord Jesus Christ and those who are complete in him.

The Holy Spirit says this man’s religion — his attending worship services, his support, his reading scripture, his prayers, his singing, his witnessing unto others, his faith, his hope, his assurance, and every other part of his religion – is vain.

He loves self and hates God.

Oh, may God reveal the greatness of his glory in the face of Christ Jesus.

“That no flesh should glory in his presence. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.” (1 Corinithians 1: 29-31)

When sinners behold Christ our Holiness they become submissive nobodies in reverence to him who alone is holy, just and good!

Only God bridles the tongue of the old corrupt nature when he creates the inward spiritual man.

The believer’s boasting ceases to be of his accomplishments but of the Excellencies of his Lord and his Savior, Jesus Christ the Son of God!

~ Pastor Clay Curtis

Click here to listen to the message “The Word Of This Salvation” (58:28 minutes)

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