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Why Will Ye Die?

“Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?”/i> | Ezekiel 33: 11

Every one will agree that fighting is very unbecoming to anyone who does so.

Yet, we find ourselves fighting on a daily basis.

In the work place we fight for our best interest among our co-workers.

In our schools, communities, and other circles of influence we fight to be the leader among our peers.

We fight to be happy then when we find a moments happiness, we fight to hang on to it.

Sadly, we call up our loved ones to find comfort, to pour out the sorrow of our hearts, and when they don’t say exactly what we want to hear, we fight against the ones we love.

Yet, after all our wrestling, in our heart-of-hearts, we find ourselves alone and defeated.

Paint it in any pretty pastel you want, but all of our warring in the flesh is due to sin and rebellion against God.

It is useless to fight against God.

No matter how religious a person appears in this world, fighting against God’s anointed Son only reveals absolute ignorance.

It brings no pleasure to God who has and will continue to glorify only His Son Jesus.

One may be respected for being a strong leader; nevertheless, denial by the strongest men never has prevented the Holy Spirit from exalting Christ and his finished work in the hearts of dead sinners.

Some may entertain the idea that the scriptures can be presented in a way to please everyone, but denying salvation to be by God’s grace alone only brings shame and division to any household.

Stiffening our necks when we hear God’s gospel concerning His Son only reveals an insane despiser of the one thing needful for our souls.

Not one of our evil ways brings honor to God.

God takes great pleasure in saving each and every child for whom Christ died for one reason and one reason only — he is delighted with his Son.

So why do we not turn from our evil ways?

Why continue to fight against God?

The only permanent peace of conscience you and I will ever have in this life is in complete and total surrender to God’s Son.

The only thing that will give us sound sleep when the night winds howl is the comfort of an unchanging, unchangeable, acceptance with God through his eternal redemption of our souls.

When we see eternity’s horizon coming fast upon us the only comfort we will have in this life is being persuaded by him that we are clothed in the perfect, spotless, robe of his righteousness.

May God burn these words into the hearts of every blood-bought child of his spiritual house, “Turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?”

~ Pastor Clay Curtis

Click here to listen to the message “Mighty To Save”

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

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How Hard Is The Natural Heart?

”Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God, (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,) Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead: By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name:” | Romans 1: 1-5

Most who continued worshipping in the temple had seen and heard Christ the Lord with the natural eye and ear. “Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour.” (Acts 3: 1)

When the Lord Jesus Christ fulfilled the whole law of God, every one present in the temple saw the veil split from top to bottom. “And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you:” (Romans 3: 20)

They discovered the holiest of holies empty, no ark, no mercy seat; God’s glory was not there but rested in the One to whom the law and ceremonies had always foreshadowed. “Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,” (2 Timothy 1: 9)

They were well aware that the priests and elders were guilty of leading a charade and taking advantage of them. “For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?” (Romans 10: 12-14)

Still, they continued right on in their religious play like actors on a stage. That is how hard the natural heart of every child of Adam really is. “Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought: But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.”; “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” (1 Corinthians 2: 6-9, 14)

“A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.” (Ezekiel 36: 26)

It is utter denial to think that the same idolatry no longer exists among those who profess faith in Christ. “Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.” (Galatians 2: 16)

Idolatry in our day calls on the name of Jesus while imagining acceptance and spiritual growth before God through a sinner’s obedience to the Ten Commandments, or any other work of the sinner “I will declare thy righteousness, and thy works; for they shall not profit thee.” (Isaiah 57: 12)

The gospel is, and always has been, concerning the person and finished work of God’s Son. “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;” (Titus 3: 5)

Those in the temple who continued in their free-will, works-religion only manifested what the free-will, works-religionists of our day manifest, that the natural heart hates God and can not submit to believe on Christ alone. “For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.” (Romans 8: 6-8)

The evil deeds which carnal religion does not want brought to light are not only the deeds of immorality, but the deeds of self-wrought religious works. “And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.” (John 3: 19-20)

Yet, the place where the vilest sinners are found is where the gospel is needed most. “But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.” (1 Corinthians 1: 24)

So Peter and John went up to the temple to preach the gospel of Christ, the power of God unto salvation. “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” (Romans 1: 16)

It is evidenced from the eight thousand souls saved through Peter’s two messages that the word God blesses is the gospel which proclaims that God’s Son by himself purged our sin, that Christ alone obtained eternal redemption. “Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;” (Hebrews 1: 3)

“Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.” (Hebrews 9: 12)

God set forth Christ to declare his righteousness that God alone is both just and the justifier of the believer. “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.” (Romans 3: 24-26)

The gospel which excludes all boasting on the part of the one saved, will not draw in the multitudes of those who rest in a form of religion, but it remains the only dynamite through which the sovereign Lord busts the adamant stone called the natural heart and creates a new heart “And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh:” (Ezekiel 11: 19)

Then the joy of true worship is found through faith in the Captain of our salvation who accomplished our warfare on our behalf “Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the LORD’S hand double for all her sins.” (Isaiah 40: 1-2)

True holiness to God ceases to be the burdensome whip of false religion and becomes the peaceful, comforting rest in the eternal security of our King Priest.

~ Pastor Clay Curtis

Click here to listen to the message “Christ teach us the Gospel”

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

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Hearers Only

”But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.” | James 1: 22-24

Hearing Christ preached — which is looking into the perfect law of liberty – is compared to a man looking at his natural face in a mirror.

Those who are “doers of the word” behold their unrighteousness when compared to the impeccable righteousness of Christ.

They behold themselves as being as incapable of providing eternal life, perfect righteousness, justification, and preserving grace as they are of resurrecting themselves from the dead.

Yet, those who are “hearers only” go back to their day-to-day lives, immediately forgetting the pollution they saw in themselves and the liberty they beheld in Christ.

Though they beheld the all-sufficient grace of God for salvation and for every trial, yet they do not continue trusting Christ alone, looking to Christ alone, walking in the Spirit of Christ alone.

Instead, “hearers only” deceive themselves into thinking they have strength.

They draw the sword of the flesh at every turn.

They live by their own hands in their homes, in their work place, in their communities and especially in their religious activities.

They have turned from the law of perfect freedom which is Christ our Peace, to trust the unstable, decaying, corpse called ‘self’.

Through all their works they prove themselves to be “hearers only”.

Before the all-seeing eye of God, this man’s deeds are really no deeds at all.

He is deceived.

~ Pastor Clay Curtis

Click here to listen to the message “How We Know Christ Is All”

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

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Something To Lay Aside And Something To Receive

”Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.” | James 1: 21

The Spirit of God summarizes all that went before.

The only thing that exists in man’s flesh is filthiness and overflowing naughtiness.

Our Adamic-nature manifests what it is by a refusal to hear the Word of truth which declares that all fullness dwells in Christ alone.

In the over-abounding naughtiness of wrath, the old man is quick to speak against God in defense of the filthiness called, flesh. “If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.” (Ephesians 4: 21-24)

Therefore, our King exhorts believers to “lay apart all filthiness and evil”. “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.” (Hebrews 12: 1-3)

It is the same command as putting off the old man with his deeds of carnal sin against men and God, along with our fleshly self-righteousnesses wherein we glory in the flesh. “Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.” (Romans 6: 6)

And receive with meekness the engrafted word.

The meekness spoken of here can not be imitated by the natural man.

It is simply characterized in the prior verse as being swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath. “Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil. Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” (Ephesians 4: 25-32)

This meekness is the fruit of the Spirit by which you were begotten by the will of God.

The engrafted Word of Truth is sufficient, apart from any help from the flesh, to save our souls. “But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.” (Colossians 3: 8-11)

Therefore, through the Holy Spirit, keep the old man and the new man separate and serve in the newness of spirit, not in the oldness of the letter.

~ Pastor Clay Curtis

Click here to listen to the message “O Wretched Man”

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

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When The Lord Speaks

”Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?” | Acts 2: 37

What happens when the Lord Jesus Christ speaks?

When the Holy Spirit pricks a sinner in the heart, beginning in regeneration and throughout the life of the believer, we cease to hear the words of a man. We hear the words of our Lord himself. That is what happened on the day of Pentecost.

An earthen vessel was speaking, but whose word was being preached?

It was a sinner preaching but whose Spirit sent forth the Word?

When the folks at Pentecost were made to hear, who did they hear?

“Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.” (Acts 2: 33)

Some only heard the voice of a men speaking in unlearned languages.

Some were listening to hear if Peter would tell them what man must do or must not do according to man’s own ability.

They were not listening to hear the Word of the One whom they had just rejected.

But the Spirit made some to truly hear and it had a sure and certain effect.

“Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?” (Acts 2: 37)

For the first time, they heard the gospel of God.

“Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God, (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,) Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead: By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name:” (Romans 1: 1-5)

That is, by the power of the sovereign King Jesus, by grace they received the gift of faith from him, so that they could believe on him.

When God, through the promise of the Holy Spirit given to Christ Jesus, turned them from their empty tradition to their new King the gospel of Christ, the POWER OF GOD UNTO SALVATION, exploded their stony hearts.

Therefore, their response was the same as Saul of Tarsus after he heard King Jesus: “And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.” (Acts 9: 6)

That is what happens every time the Lord Jesus Christ speaks directly into our hearts.

~ Pastor Clay Curtis

Click here to listen to the message “The Message From The King”

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

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The Wrath Of Man Worketh Not The Righteousness Of God

”For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.” | James 1: 20

The Word of truth works the Righteousness of God in a sinner causing us to look nowhere else but to the Lord Jesus Christ our Righteousness. The natural man, in the filthiness and naughtiness of the flesh, never has, nor ever will, produce the Righteousness of God.

By the Word of truth the believer knows that even though we were elected unto salvation in Christ before the world began, we were born into bondage to our own spiritually dead flesh and spirit. The Word of truth will not let the believer forget, that in the deadness of our flesh all our righteous works were only dead fruit. “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. For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death. But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.” (Romans 7: 4-6)

Sin, having dominion over us, would not allow us to deny the flesh by looking to Christ alone but made us constantly defend the flesh–dead fruit. By the dominion of sin, all we could do was think evil, say evil and do evil by thinking, saying and doing everything for the cause of our dead flesh–dead fruit. In this dead state, when our guilty conscious got the best of us, the dominion of sin caused us to look to that same dead flesh in an attempt to make self more acceptable to God–dead fruit.

We attempted to clean a dirty floor with a dirty mop.

The dominion of sin would not allow us to look to the Lord our Righteousness and confess that in our flesh is no good thing. (Romans 8: 5-14) http://blb.sc/00F5OJ

Through the Spirit of God, the Word was engrafted within us and gave us spiritual life. “Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures; Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.” (James 1: 18, 21)

By the Word of truth, God’s holy law threw a spotlight on our persons (our old man–our flesh and our old dead spirit) and said, “Behold, sin!” “What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet. But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead. For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died. And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death. For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me. Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good. Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.” (Romans 7: 7-13)

In the new spirit of meekness given by God, we put our hands over our mouths and became swift to hear. Christ our King entered in shedding his love abroad in our hearts so that the hatred for God in our old man no longer reigns within. “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” (Romans 8: 1-4)

“Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:” (Colossians 1: 11-14)

With new eyes we discovered that when Christ was made sin and died in the flesh, we died in the flesh. Our body of sin was buried in the ground. The Holy Law of God released all claim on us.

Therefore, being raised to newness of life with Christ, we regard our old man as dead and buried. We no longer worship God in the flesh but in spirit and in truth “But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.” (John 4: 23, 24)

We are still in this dead flesh, (and too often still look to it) but sin has no more dominion over us to keep us from trusting Christ our all. “And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:” (Colossians 1: 21, 22)

Before the all-seeing eye of God, our life is hid in Christ. “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;” (Colossians 2: 8-14)

Therefore we no longer look to our dead body for proof of righteousness or for proof of liberty as do the legalist, the antinomian and all dead religionists tittering somewhere between the two. “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.” (Colossians 3: 1-4)

Instead, BELIEVERS LOOK TO CHRIST FOR ALL.

~ Pastor Clay Curtis

Click here to listen to the message “Preparation For An Ordained Work”

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

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Firstfruits Born Of The Word Of Truth

”Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.” | James 1: 18

The Word of truth is that by which believers are born which Peter says is “not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever” “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.” (1 Peter 1: 23)

When a gardener has a crop of tomatoes which are cursed with blight, the gardener does not reserve the seed of those tomatoes for next year’s planting. He knows the seed is corrupt. It will only produce more corrupt fruit.

Yet, false preachers who take to themselves the honor of husbandry which belongs to God alone, sow the blight-ridden-seeds of man’s free-will, in order that they might glory in their own green-thumbs, when in fact, all they produce are fields of weeds.

What a rare privilege to hear Christ and him crucified preached as the full, effectual, redeeming, God-pleasing sacrifice whereby all God’s elect shall be saved from their sins.

This is the Word of truth.

This is the incorruptible seed sown into the heart of the believer by the Holy Spirit.

It is the Seed of God, Christ Jesus the Life, which results in the new birth within the tilled soil of these old dead carcasses.

This Seed is the germinating Life whereby the believer no longer lives in the great sin of unbelief but continually lives and abides in Christ by faith, as John declares, “Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God” (1 John 3: 9)

One plants the Word of truth. Others water with the Word of truth. But God gives the increase.

We are God’s husbandry “I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.” (1 Corinthians 3: 6,7)

Every gardener anticipates with great joy the first fruits of his labor.

Even so our God who gave us life by the Word of truth rejoices over every believer as a kind of first fruits of His creation.

~ Pastor Clay Curtis

Click here to listen to the message “Looking To Our King”

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

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God Never Tries

”But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.” | Romans 7: 6

God never “tries”; God does!

“That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” (Romans 8: 4)

Some speak of some other god who “wants” to save, some other jesus who is “trying” to save, yet he is frustrated by the sinner.

They say their god has no hands but the sinner’s hands and no feet but the sinner’s feet.

That is not the God of the Bible!

But the God of the Bible does describe such men and their god, “They bear him upon the shoulder, they carry him, and set him in his place, and he standeth; from his place shall he not remove: yea, one shall cry unto him, yet can he not answer, nor save him out of his trouble.” (Isaiah 46: 7)

Those saved by the sovereign and free grace of the one true and living God declare “Our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.” (Psalm 115: 3)

~ Pastor Clay Curtis

Click here to listen to the message “Sin Shall Not Have Dominion”

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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.

Kingsport Sovereign Grace Church Bulletin Article date: 29 April, 2018 | Previous post date: n/a

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A Letter To The Brethren

”James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting. My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” | James 1: 1-4

We Thank Him For Giving Good Times But Do We Thank Him For Sending Trials?

James is writing to spiritual brethren in the Lord. “For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.” (Romans 8: 5-8)

This is important to note because unbelievers will not, nor can not, understand, believe, submit and heed the instruction God gives in this word. “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” (1 Corinthians 2: 14)

Be Thankful for Trials

The word “temptations” means trials.

All God’s children encounter a variety of trials.

Trials are never pleasant to endure. Yet, for the believer, whatever the trial, the end result will be the same. “Happy art thou, O Israel: who is like unto thee, O people saved by the LORD, the shield of thy help, and who is the sword of thy excellency! and thine enemies shall be found liars unto thee; and thou shalt tread upon their high places.” (Deuteronomy 33: 29)

First, trials prove that the believer’s faith is true. “Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.” (1 Peter 1: 6-9)

Trials prove to us, to our brethren and to the world that our faith is the fruit of our full, complete, sufficient, reigning and ruling Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. “Again, think ye that we excuse ourselves unto you? we speak before God in Christ: but we do all things, dearly beloved, for your edifying.” (2 Corinthians 12: 19)

True faith’s approval before God is Christ, its object. “For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.” (1 Corinthians 3: 19)

Trials bring those with true faith to Christ’s feet while those who are playing a part are openly made manifest. “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.” (1 Corinthians 3: 11-15)

Secondly, every trial results in the believer’s spiritual growth. “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.” (2 Corinthians 10: 3-6)

The believer becomes more steadfast, more willing to endure persecution because God teaches him by experience the vanity of turning from Christ. The weapons of our warfare are not carnal. “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” (Matthew 28: 18-20)

This fruit is the product of the Holy Spirit working God’s will and good pleasure within the believer. “And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.” (Romans 5: 3-5)

Trials convince the believer that faith is given, kept, and made immovable from Christ by the sufficiency of God’s grace and by the power of Christ resting upon us and in us. “” (Philippians 2: 12-13)

Trials always leave the believer amazed at the Father’s wisdom. “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8: 38-39)

Through trials the believer sees that this vital union with Christ can never be severed. “Only rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the LORD is with us: fear them not.” (Numbers 14: 9)

No matter how hard the devil and his servants attempt to divide and conquer the brethren, Christ’s blood guarantees us it will never happen. “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.” (1 John 4: 4)

What a reason to be thankful for trials! But the Spirit of God teaches us something else here. “And they shall fight against thee; but they shall not prevail against thee; for I am with thee, saith the LORD, to deliver thee.” (Jeremiah 1: 19)

Be Patient in Trails

When the believer is faced with a new trial God is repeating the lesson learned from the last trial all over again.

Did not God prove to me that my faith is of him and kept by him?

Did not Christ teach me it is better to wait on the Lord than to take matters into my own hands?

After all the confusion created by my impatient attempts to remove the last trial, did I not end up seeing the foolishness of being drawn away from Christ toward my own selfish understanding?

Where did the last trial end?

Was it not at the feet of Christ from where I know I should have never strayed?

In the last trial, did my Intercessor not teach me that his continual prayers for me were the reason that my faith did not fail?

Did the last trial not teach me that his throne of grace is where I am safe?

Yes, he taught me these lessons through the last trial so that I might be less apt to waver from him in this new trial.

Yes, he taught me that patient endurance is looking nowhere else, hearing no one else, depending upon no one else but the all-victorious, Captain of my salvation.

But remember why it is that we joy in trials. Because when, in the midst of my new trial, I react as if everything depended upon me, my faithful Counselor brings me back to his throne of grace, teaching me once again that everything about me depends upon him.

He teaches me the same lesson over and over, “wait on the Lord.” “Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.” (Psalm 27: 14)

The Hebrew word for wait means “to expect”. “Wait on the LORD, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it.” (Psalm 37: 34)

“Say not thou, I will recompense evil; but wait on the LORD, and he shall save thee.” (Proverbs 20: 22)

When faced with a trial, the believer whom God has grown in the spirit realizes there is much he could say, much he could do, but he expects his Lord will save him from the trial, just as the Lord saved him from sin and wrath.

So he patiently waits with great expectations.

And he is never disappointed.

May God teach us once again to be patient.

~ Pastor Clay Curtis

Click here to listen to the message “God Will Keep his Children Persevering”

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

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Glorious Restitution

”But this is a people robbed and spoiled; they are all of them snared in holes, and they are hid in prison houses: they are for a prey, and none delivereth; for a spoil, and none saith, Restore.” | Isaiah 42: 22

The problem with sinners is not that we are unwilling to do something to save ourselves but that we are unwilling to do nothing that we might be saved by another.

“And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.” (John 3: 19-20)

Faith takes nothing from you, faith takes nothing done by you, faith demands you add nothing, only believe and continue believing, not in anything you have done or not done.

Faith is casting your care, your whole self, your whole eternal salvation into the hands of Jesus Christ.

~ Pastor Clay Curtis

Click here to listen to the message “Glorious Restitution”

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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.

Hurricane Road Grace Church Bulletin Article date: 18 April, 2021 | Previous post date: n/a | Cattletsburg, Kentucky