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A Prayer To Be Little, Low, and Nothing

“And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.” | Luke 23: 38

O Lord, I humbly crave that Thou wilt let me be little in this world, that I may be great in another world; and low here, that I may be high for ever hereafter.

Let me be low, and feed low, and live low, so I may live with Thee for ever; let me now be clothed with rags, so Thou wilt clothe me at last with Thy robes; let me now be set upon a dunghill, so I may at last sit with Thee upon Thy throne.

Lord, make me rather gracious than great, inwardly holy than outwardly happy, and rather turn me into nothing, yea make me worse than nothing, rather than set me up for a time, that Thou mayest bring me low forever.

~ Thomas Watson

Click here to listen to the message “The Salvation of a Malefactor”

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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: 19 December, 2021 | Previous post date: n/a | Rocky Mount, Virginia

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Faith’s Companion: Trial

”My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience’… “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” | James 1: 2, 3; 1 Peter 1: 6,7

Every Child of grace knows for certain that these things are true, we have but to look at that great chapter of faith in Hebrews 11 to see that faith has a companion and her name is ‘trial.’

So my dear weak one what are we to do when a drop of His sweet honey blessing comes our way for to follow it is surely a trial?

What are we to do my dear lowly brother, sister as our God shines upon us this day for we know that tomorrow a cloud could possibly draw near?

Well, David tells us this for sure: “Wait upon the Lord: be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.” (Psalm 27: 14)

“I have done so preacher and I am still frightened that I will fall anyway, I have no peace concerning my waiting and my looking.” Oh, my companion in the faith and in this trial, do not look to yourself or even your waiting.

Hear another word which will close the issue at least on this side of glory, “but I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not,” this settles it does it not.

Our Saviour says these words to every one of His sheep, though they be tried and cumbered about with much difficulty!

Rest in Him, Rest in His words, Rest I say and do nothing else.

Look to Him who is the object, the cause and the reason for our faith.

~ Pastor Drew Dietz

Click here to listen to the message “How Free Is Salvation”

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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: 7 October, 2007 | Previous post date: n/a | Pikeville, Kentucky

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Only One Ark

“I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD. Blessed is that man that maketh the LORD his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.” | Psalm 40: 1-4

When our God sent the flood, the whole world perished except those happy ones who were found in the ark.

Even so, there is only one way of salvation for all persons living under heaven. There is only one name whereby they can be saved.

Would you be saved, rich man? There is no way except that way whereby the poorest pauper is also to be saved.

Would you be delivered, O man of intelligence? You must be saved in the same way as the most ignorant!

There were not two arks, only one.

So there are not two saviours, only one Saviour!

There was no other means of salvation except the ark; so “there is none other name under heaven, “given among men, whereby we must be saved except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.”

~ Pastor Henry Mahan

Click here to listen to the message “We Love God’s Salvation”

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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: 7 October, 2007 | Previous post date: n/a | Pikeville, Kentucky

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God’s People Are Blessed Above All People

”Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O LORD, in the light of thy countenance” | Psalm 89: 15

This Psalm declares in such a plain and powerful way all the covenant promises made with the Lord Jesus Christ that are eternal and certain.

Many commentators of scripture have called this Psalm, “The glorious covenant Psalm” and truly it is. We read about covenant mercies, covenant faithfulness of the Surety, the covenant God Who rules overall and the promise to the covenant seed being established forever in Christ Jesus. (Psalm 89: 4, 29, 36) He is a covenant God, therefore His covenant people must be blessed. (Ephesians 1: 3) God gives us this glorious description of His people in verses 15, 16, 17, 18 of this Psalm.

1). They know “the joyful sound of the gospel.” (Psalm 89: 15) The sheep of Christ know the effectual voice of the Great Shepherd and they delight to follow Him. (John 10: 27-30) It is the sound of victory over sin through His blood. It is the sound of love, peace and pardon in and through Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 1: 6)

2). “They shall walk in the light of His countenance.” (Psalm 89: 15) Their darkened heart has been illuminated through the preaching of the gospel and the quickening of the Holy Spirit to see the beauty, glory and necessity of their great Redeemer and King. (2 Corinthians 4: 6)

3). “They shall rejoice in His name all the day.” (Psalm 89: 16) Believers have every reason to rejoice in Christ alone and have no confidence in the flesh. (Philipians 3: 3) They have been redeemed, justified and exalted in His name. (Acts 4: 12)

4). They shall be exalted in His righteousness. (Psalm 89: 16) The perfect righteousness that Jesus Christ worked out for His elect has been freely, eternally and fully imputed to them that believe. (Romans 4: 6) Christ Jesus is the Lord our Righteousness. (Jerimiah 23: 5; Philipians 3: 7-9)

5). The Lord Jesus Christ is “our glory and strength.” (Psalm 89: 17) Without Him we can do nothing and know nothing. (John 15: 5) Any spiritual strength or spiritual knowledge that we enjoy and experience must be because of His grace worked within us. (Philipians 1: 6; Philipians 4:13; Colossians 1: 27)

6). “The Lord is our defense.” (Psalm 89: 18) We are unable to defend ourselves against our spiritual enemies, there are too many of them and they are too powerful for us even to begin to fight. However, our Lord stood face to face with all our enemies and won the glorious victory for us. (Psalm 98: 1) He defeated sin by making atonement for it. (Hebrews 9: 26) He honored the law for us. (Galatians 3: 13; Colossians 2: 14-15) He defeated Satan by crushing his dominion and power. (Hebrews 2: 14) He defeated death by raising Himself from the dead. (Revelation 1: 18)

~ Pastor Tom Harding

Click here to listen to the message “Are You A Thirsty Sinner?”

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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: 26 December, 2021 | Previous post date: n/a | Pikeville, Kentucky

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Love’s Persuasion

”For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:” | 2 Corinthians 5: 14

All of mankind is driven by either of two undeniable inward powers or passions.

We are born into this world with a love for self, and a love for the things of the world, a love for every thing that will satisfy our fleshly appetite. Those who are born from above have a love for Christ and the things that are not of this world. The child of God has both, yet the latter one has preeminence and dominion and will ultimately prevail in the course of time and events. This insatiable desire and appetite directs the path of one’s life.

The scriptures term this “constraining love”. This love is twofold in respect to God’s love for his people and because of his love for them we love him with the love that he has given us. We have often heard “love” defined as “commitment”, “dedication”, “devotion” , “faithfulness”, and etc. These are not what love is, these are the evidence of existing love. Where these abide there is love. Where these do not exist there is no love. All men have love, but all men do not love Christ.

The object is non-existent in the hearts of those that know not Christ, and the evidence is clearly revealed. The Word of God declares that “If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him,” (1 John 2: 15) and that “if any man love God, the same is known of him.“ (1 Corinthians 8:3) A profession of love for Christ without commitment, devotion, dedication and faithfulness to him and his work is like a dead body with only a name tag on it’s toe.

The constraining love of Christ does exactly that… it constrains us… it moves us… it persuades us… it compels us to come to Christ, loving him, worshipping him, desiring the things of God. My prayer is:

“That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.” (Ephesians 3: 17-19)

~ Pastor Tommy Robbins

Click here to listen to the message “The Constraining Love of Christ”

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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: 12 October, 2007 | Previous post date: n/a | Danville, Kentuky

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Who is Your God?

”His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.” | Revelation 19: 12

Concerning the character of God, what gross mistakes men make!

I believe it is a mistake about the person of God Himself which is at the root and foundation of all the mistakes in theology. My conviction is that the free-will theology of today makes God to be less than He is. The professors of that system have come to receive its doctrines because they have no clear understanding of the omnipotence, the immutability, or the sovereignty of God.

God has an absolute RIGHT to do what He will, with whom He will, when He will. He has the POWER also to accomplish His will and the RANSOM which enables Him to be true to His character in the carrying out of that will. When Almighty God comes to the soul of a man in grace, none can stay His hand. The enemy’s power is broken and the sinner is made willing. Satan cannot stay the conquering hand of Jehovah and the sinner wants to be conquered.

When one truly sees the holiness, mercy, righteousness, grace, justice, and love of God in Christ, rising like a mighty sun, it cannot but put an end to the darkness of will-worship and modern fundamentalism.

What will your God do?

How will your God do what He does?

Tell me who He is!

If your God is omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient and dwells in the heavens, He will do what He pleases. If He is any less than this, then He must wait to see what you will do. But the subdued king in Daniel 4: 35 declared, “He doeth according to His will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay His hand or say unto Him, what doest thou?”

~ Pastor Henry T. Mahan

Click here to listen to the message “We Preach The Gospel 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.

Zebulon Grace Church Bulletin Article date: 26 December, 2021 | Previous post date: n/a | Pikeville, Kentucky

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The Simplicity of Christ, A Resting Place

”Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.” | Hebrews 10: 7

There is, in the simplicity of Christ, a resting place for the weary soul, a place of calm in the tempest.

In the press of life we can lay our burdens at the feet of Him who rules all things. In the grievous experience of our own failures, we can find comfort in Him Who cannot fail.

But I find in the simplicity of Christ another area of rest which I so greatly cherish.

Often, I struggle to understand the things of God. In particular, I feel this struggle when I engage with those who deny some aspect of the gospel.

Often I have read or heard of some theory of this or that doctrine and have immediately recognized it as false. But when I engage to refute it, I am overwhelmed with the complexity which the enemy inserts into the debate. It seems there are always more questions than I can answer. I get confused. It is then that I find such comfort and rest in the simplicity of Christ.

I may not know WHAT all the answers are, but I know WHERE they are; and I rest in the knowledge that God will reveal what I need to know when I need to know it, and the knowledge He reveals will always be found with in that category of “the simplicity of Christ.”

Therefore, I can walk happily in the light I have and likewise leave others to walk in the light they have.

I can cease from fretting over how well I am doing in the battle knowing that “the battle is the Lord’s,” and not mine.

~ Pastor Joe Terrell

Click here to listen to the message “The Reason for Jesus”

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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: 12 October, 2007 | Previous post date: n/a | Danville, Kentuky

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Christ Our Ark

”I thank my God, making mention of thee always in my prayers, Hearing of thy love and faith, which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all saints; That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.” | Philemon 4-6

The ark that Noah was commanded to build is a very strong type of Christ.

The ark took the wrath of God while Noah and his family, along with the animals, were safe inside the ark. There was peace in the ark while outside was unrest.

In Christ, we have peace with God. (Ephesians 2: 14)

Inside the ark there was fellowship; (fellows in the same ship) outside the ark there was nothing but violence.

In Christ, we have true fellowship with one another. (1 John 1: 3)

Inside the ark, God was believed and worshipped, but outside the ark was unbelief and hatred of God. The ark was pitched within and without; this word ‘Pitch’ has the same meaning as atonement. In Christ we have the atonement, inside and out. There is nothing left to atone for.

There was only one door in the ark by which to enter in and be saved. Christ said, ‘I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.’ (John 10: 9)

There was only one window by which light could enter; Christ is the only Light and only window by which we can see and know God.

Inside the ark were all sorts of animals from all over the earth that were saved; In Christ, sinners from all over the world are saved.

The ark was only a type.

Christ is the real Ark, and He is the real savior of sinners from the wrath to come.

~ Pastor John Chapman

Click here to listen to the message “The Gospel That Changes Lives”

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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: 14 October, 2007 | Previous post date: n/a | Danville, Kentuky

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Alleluia: For The Lord God Omnipotent Reigneth

“The glory of the LORD shall endure for ever: the LORD shall rejoice in his works. He looketh on the earth, and it trembleth: he toucheth the hills, and they smoke. I will sing unto the LORD as long as I live: I will sing praise to my God while I have my being. My meditation of him shall be sweet: I will be glad in the LORD.” | Psalm 104: 31-34

Although the sovereignty of God is universal and absolute, it is not the sovereignty of blind power.

It is coupled with infinite wisdom, holiness, and love. And this doctrine, when properly understood, is a most comforting and reassuring one.

Who would not prefer to have his affairs in the hands of a God of infinite power, wisdom, holiness and love, rather than to have them left to fate, or chance, or irrevocable natural law, or to short-sighted and perverted self?

Those who reject God’s sovereignty should consider what alternatives they have left.

~ Loraine Boettner

Click here to listen to the message “Behold, God Is My Salvation”

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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: 26 December, 2021 | Previous post date: n/a | Pikeville, Kentucky

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Contenders Or Pretenders?

”Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.” | Jude 1: 3

Those who are not earnestly contending “for the faith” (the gospel of God’s sovereign and free grace in Christ) are only mere pretenders in a false refuge of lies. (Isaiah 28: 15; Matthew 7: 21-23)

Those who are earnestly and eagerly contending “for the faith” are those that are not ashamed of the gospel of Christ. (Romans 1: 16-17)

Those who fervently contend “for the faith” are those who publicly preach it, (Acts 5: 42; Philippians 1: 27) faithfully support it, (Corinithians 9: 7) zealously identify themselves where the gospel is preached, (Hebrews 10: 25) ardently pray for God’s blessing upon it, (2 Thessalonians 3: 1) dogmatically defend it against all opposition, (Galatians 5: 1-5; Philippians 1: 17; 1 Timothy 6: 3-5) and assertively insist that there is but one gospel. (Galatians 1: 6-10; Ephesians 4: 4-6)

Now the question for us is this, are we genuine and legitimate contenders or wretched and desolate pretenders?

~ Pastor Tom Harding

Click here to listen to the message “We Love God’s Salvation”

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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: 14 October, 2007 | Previous post date: n/a | Danville, Kentuky