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A Sure Cure For Fretting

“And many charged him that he should hold his peace: but he cried the more a great deal, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me. And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called. And they call the blind man, saying unto him, Be of good comfort, rise; he calleth thee.” | Mark 10: 48-49

David, a man after God’s own heart gives us some very inspired instruction and direction in Psalm 37: 1; when he says, “fret not.”

Surely, David writes to us with the experience of his own heart trouble, for he had much to fret about. Now, I will be the first to adrnit that our fallen, sinful nature is prone to fretting and worrying about most everything. Most of us have a worry-wart nature! Fretfulness and worrying are sins of their own punishment. How dreadful it is to lay awake all night worrying. But, David also gives us a sure cure for fretting in the following verses. He gives us a sevenfold cure!

1). TRUST IN THE LORD. (Psalm 37: 3) Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ will cure fretting! When we trust Him to provide all our physical and spiritual needs, (Matthew 6: 33; Philippians 4: 19) we find comfort. We don’t look to the deeds or strength of the flesh to find our comfort, but to Him alone. We are to trust Him at all times. (Psalm 62: 8)

2). DELIGHT THYSELF ALSO IN THE LORD. (Psalm 37: 4) Rejoicing in the Lord also is a sure cure for fretting! (Philippians 3: 3) When we are taken up with the glory of His person, the power of His atonement, the freeness of His grace sureness of His mercy, it leaves no room for fretting.

3). COMMIT THY WAY UNTO THE LORD. (Psalm 37: 5) The marginal reading is, “Roll the whole burden of life upon Him” Peter put it this way, “casting all your care upon Him; for he careth for you.” (1 Peter 1: 5) When we realize that our Heavenly Father does all things well, surely we can commit our way to His wise providence and stop our fretting. (Romans 8: 28)

4). REST IN THE LORD. (Psalm 37: 7) Our Lord Jesus Christ having accomplished salvation for His elect, entered into His rest. (Hebrews 1: 3) Let us learn by His grace to cease from going about to establish a righteousness (Romans 10: 4) and make haste to enter into Him by faith and rest. (Hebrews 4: 10) When we are busy resting we have no time for fretting.

5). CEASE FROM ANGER. (Psalm 37: 8) When we try to take the matters into our own hands, we are bound to create a sure mess of things. Remember, that the wrath of man will never work the righteousness of God. (James 1: 18) God will take care of the sheep and subdue all our enemies under our feet. (Colossians 2: 14)

6). DEPART FROM EVIL. (Psalm 37: 27) We are exhorted in the scripture to put off the old man with his deeds. (Colossians 3: 8-15) By God’s grace and power He does restrain the believer from living for self and to strive to live for the glory of God. (Jeremiah 9: 23-24)

7). WAIT ON THE LORD. (Psalm 37: 34) We wait with great expectations on the certainties of His promises. (2 Peter 1: 4) God’s purpose of grace and mercy cannot fail. (Isaiah 42: 1-4; Isaiah 43: 1-5)

Believer, fret not.

~ Pastor Tom Harding

Click here to listen to the message “Jesus Stood Still”

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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: 2 September, 2007 | Previous post date: n/a | Pikeville, Kentucky

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The Only True And Eternal Treasure is Jesus Christ

”Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree: And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your hearts; after that ye shall pass on: for therefore are ye come to your servant. And they said, So do, as thou hast said.” | Genesis 18: 4-5

I read an article concerning the mysterious pyramids of Egypt.

King Cheop’s great pyramid is the only of the seven wonders of the ancient world still surviving. It covers an area of thirteen acres, originally was four hundred eighty one feet high and contained six and one half million tons of stone.

At Cheop’s death, his body was preserved, adorned with gold mask, precious necklaces and jewels and laid in the middle of his large pyramid.

His coffin was surrounded by valuable Egyptian furniture.

By careful planning and much labor the one and only exit was forever sealed. No one was to ever enter this royal tomb.

I had to chuckle when I read the close of the article, “Despite all these precautions, the burial chamber suffered the same fate as most of the royal tombs in Egypt: it was stripped of its treasures.”

I know many people just like old King Cheop.

All the treasures they possess are worldly, and they will soon be stripped of it.

The only true and eternal treasure is Jesus Christ and his benefits.

If you possess Christ, you are rich indeed and your riches are secure. They dwell where no thief can ever enter or break through and steal.

In Christ are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, and where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. “But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through and steal; for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” (Matthew 6: 20-21)

~ Pastor Bruce Crabtree

Click here to listen to the message “Rest yourselves under the Tree”

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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: 2 September, 2007 | Previous post date: n/a | Pikeville, Kentucky

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Do Not Praise the Dead and Shun the Living

”O give thanks unto the LORD; call upon his name: make known his deeds among the people. Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him: talk ye of all his wondrous works. Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the LORD. Seek the LORD, and his strength: seek his face evermore. Remember his marvellous works that he hath done; his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth.” | Psalm 105: 1-5

If I truly believe the gospel of God’s sovereign grace and glory, I will not hesitate to be fully identified with those who believe and preach that gospel IN MY DAY. Paul said to Timothy, “Do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner.”

It is cowardice and compromising to brag on dead preachers like Spurgeon, Pink, and Barnard, and yet fail to support, encourage, and hear those who preach the same gospel NOW!

Such professors who never bear the scars of battle will never wear the crown.

Those who shun the good fight of faith in their day will never celebrate the victory in that great day of our Lord.

~ Pastor Henry T. Mahan

Click here to listen to the message “Looking In the Wrong Direction”

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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: 2 January, 2022 | Previous post date: n/a | Pikeville, Kentucky

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Beware Of Another Gospel!

”Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion together that rejoice at mine hurt: let them be clothed with shame and dishonour that magnify themselves against me. Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the LORD be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant. And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long.” | Psalm 35: 26-28

There is no grace but free and sovereign grace, no election but eternal and unconditional election, no redemption but particular and effectual redemption, no salvation but by the irresistible grace and omnipotent power of God the Holy Spirit, and no security but by the absolute preservation of God’s immutable goodness.

And any pretended gospel that does not proclaim these things is, as Paul says, “another gospel” that is damning to the souls of men!

~ Pastor Todd Nibert

Click here to listen to the message “Sudden Grace”

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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: 2 September, 2007 | Previous post date: n/a | Pikeville, Kentucky

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Forbearing And Forgiving

”Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.” | Colossians 3: 13

As long as we are in this flesh, we will have misunderstandings, unpleasantnesses, and even injustices (at least we feel that our rights have been compromised and others have been wrong in what they have said or done.)

What is to be our attitude? What are we to do?

It is ours to “forbear and forgive.”

To forbear is to control our emotions, to put down wrath, and even to surrender our rights for the time being in patient hope that the Lord will reveal and accomplish His will and purpose in the matter! It is to “wait on the Lord.”

To forbear is to refrain from doing or saying anything! To forgive is actually to put the problem or misunderstanding out of mind and to restore a state of 1ove and fellowship, “even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye” (Colossians 3: 13)

This is the way our Lord treats us! He forbears!

He is patient, longsuffering, and kind, and He forgives our sins (all of them) and remembers them no more!

“Teach me, Lord, on earth to show. By my love, how much I owe.”

~ Pastor Henry Mahan

Click here to listen to the message “Have You Met Melchizedek?”

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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: 31 October, 2021 | Previous post date: n/a | Rocky Mount, Virginia

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Abide In Me

”We preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake.” | 2 Corinthians 4: 5

Our Lord said to His disciples, “Abide in me, and I in you, as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself.” (John 15: 4)

It is true that a person who is saved by God’s grace will remain saved forever; yet the scriptures are full of warnings to believers against UNBELIEF, against DRAWING BACK, against NEGLECTING THE WORD AND WORSHIP, against WORLD-LINESS, and against LEAVING OUR FIRST LOVE!

Here the Lord Jesus exhorts us to “ABIDE” in Him, which means to stay where we are. Abide (dwell) in His love, in His word, in His Spirit and fellowship. “As we have received Christ, so walk (live, abide, stay) in Him.”

Let us forever be on guard against any influence (whether material, social, or personal) which might hinder our fellowship and relationship with the Lord.

I think of poor Esau, who satisfied his appetite but lost his blessing. Are we so foolish?

Yes, we are! And we need to be constantly reminded of it.

STAY where you are!

Dwell in Christ and in His word, in His love and with his people. Don’t let anyone nor anything come between you and Him.

If you notice even the slightest decline in interest, desire, or thirst for spiritual growth, go with Jacob “BACK TO BETHEL.” (Genesis 35: 1-2)

~ Pastor Henry Mahan

Click here to listen to the message “Unbelief – A Serious Charge”

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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: 2 September, 2007 | Previous post date: n/a | Pikeville, Kentucky

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The Warfare

”Thus my heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my reins. So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee. Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand. Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.” | Psalm 73: 21-25

How beastly we are by nature! How often God’s saints in this world are compelled, like Newton of old, to sigh…

“If I love, why am I thus?
Why this dull and lifeless frame?
Hardly sure can they be worse,
Who have never heard His name.”

Many of the doubts and fears God’s people experience in this world, regarding their saving interest in Christ, arise from a failure to realize that every heaven-born soul lives in this world with two natures. In Scripture these two natures are referred to as “the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts” and “the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness,” (Ephesians 4: 22-24) “flesh” and “spirit.” (Galatians 5: 16-17) These two natures are constantly at war, the flesh lusting against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh.

Re-generation not Re-formation

It is commonly assumed that in the new birth man (the natural, carnal man) is changed. That the old man is sanctified, that he who once loved sin is made to love holiness, that the enmity of the heart is slain, and that the old man renewed by grace grows more and more holy in progressive sanctification, until he is ripe for Glory and the Lord takes him home.

That fanciful dream deludes multitudes, until, after being born again, they suddenly discover that the old lusts are still there. The discovery is sometimes shocking, simply because we have been taught that they would not be. How many there are who live in constant turmoil, knowing the abiding evil of their nature, but never daring to acknowledge it, lest they be scorned by others who pretend to be holy?

The new birth is not a re-formation, but a re-generation. The new birth is not reforming the old nature of fallen man, but a re-creation of life in man by the Spirit of God. The new birth is not transforming that which is sinful into that which is righteous, but the imparting of a new, righteous nature. In the new birth Christ is formed in us, and we are made new in him. (Colossians 1: 27; 2 Corinthians 5: 17)

Two Natures

In every believer there are two natures (sin and righteousness), two men (the old man Adam and the new man Christ), two principles (sin and holiness); and these two constantly oppose one another. This fact is plainly declared in Scripture. (Romans 7: 14-24; Galatians 5: 16-22; Colossians 3: 9-10; Ephesians 4: 22-24) The old man, Adam, can never be sanctified; and the new man created in righteousness and true holiness, “Christ in you the hope of glory,” cannot sin. (1 John 3: 9)

Adam lives in us by birth. By natural generation we are made partakers of Adam’s nature. Christ lives in us by the new birth. By regeneration we are made “partakers of the divine nature.” (2 Peter 1: 4)

Creation and New Creation

God created man in his own image and after his own likeness. (Genesis 1: 26-27) When the Lord God had formed a body for Adam from the dust of the ground, he then “breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and man became a living soul.” (Genesis 2: 7) Genesis 5: 2 tells us that all men were created at one time in the creation of Adam. That is to say, every living soul descends by natural generation from Adam, partaking of his nature. All his sons and daughters are begotten in the image of their father, generation after generation. (Genesis 5: 3; Psalm 51: 5; Psalm 58: 3; Romans 5: 12)

Every living soul was created in and simultaneously with “the first man Adam.” Being born of Adam, we are all partakers of his nature; and we are called by his name, “Adam.” (Genesis 5: 1-2) As it was in the original creation, so it is in the new creation.

As “the first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening Spirit.” (1 Corinthians 15: 45) All “quickened spirits” were created in and simultaneously with the “last Adam” — Christ. All, being born of him, “born of God,” are made partakers of his nature, as the Holy Spirit declares. (2 Peter 1: 4) The children of the “first Adam” are born of the flesh and are earthy in all their feelings and affections. The children of the “last Adam” are born of the Spirit and are heavenly, or spiritual, in their feelings and affections. The children of the first are born for the earth. The children of the last Adam are born for heaven. Those of the first are born of corruptible seed. Those of the last are born of incorruptible seed.

In the original creation we were made partakers of Adam’s nature, humanity. In the new creation of grace we are made partakers of the last Adam’s nature, “the divine nature.” That is the cause of the warfare within! These two are contrary the one to the other. We wear our Savior’s name. He has given it to us in free justification; and we have his nature. He gives that to us in free sanctification, regeneration.

Christ is the Lord our Righteousness in justification, (Jeremiah 23: 6; Jeremiah 33: 16) and the Lord our Holiness in sanctification. (Hebrews 12: 14)

~ Pastor Don Fortner

Click here to listen to the message “Predestination”

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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: 7 September, 2008 | Previous post date: n/a | Danville, Kentuky

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DOGS

”Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs. And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.” | Matthew 15: 25-27

My wife and I have a little dog. We love that little dog.

That little dog serves no real purpose in life, she only desires to be the object of our affection.

She begs for food. Sometimes she has to be cleaned up after. She is totally dependent on us and without our constant care, she will die.

She is somewhat a liability. Yet, in spite of her liabilities, she brings us great joy.

She is always glad to see us when we return from being away.

She loves us dearly and desires to be with us every hour.

We go to great lengths to make sure every need of our dog is provided for. We see to it that she is treated with compassion and tender care. Regardless of all her endearing qualities, at the end of the day, she is still a dog.

She still acts like a dog. I think she enjoys being a dog. Many dogs in this world do not fare so well as our dog does.

From my perspective, being OUR dog is a wonderful privilege. I have seen other dogs that do not fare as well as our dog. It seems that the quality of a dog’s life depends on who their master is.

I rejoice greatly that I, the dog that I am, belong to that Master who constantly sees to it that I have all I need and yet much more.

My Master, the Lord Jesus Christ, requires only one thing from me in return.

What does He require of me?

Nothing but my love, adoration and worship of Him.

How wonderful and life sustaining it is to constantly eat of the crumbs that fall from His table.

Child of God, I like being my Master’s dog! Don’t you?

~ Pastor David Eddmenson

Click here to listen to the message “Even Dogs Get Crumbs”

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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: 31 October, 2021 | Previous post date: n/a | Rocky Mount, Virginia

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If You Be Circumcised

”Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.” | Galatians 5: 2

It is a man’s guilt that makes Christ necessary for Him; but it is a man’s righteousness that will render Christ ineffective for him.

The blood of Christ is the remedy for a man’s sin, but what shall avail for a remedy for a man’s righteousness? Only the sovereign work of the Holy Spirit of God is able to overcome a man’s resistance to the grace of the blood and to make him despair of even his righteousness.

But, to refine the point even more, it is the Holy Spirit’s work in revealing the testimony of the blood of Christ that breaks the self-righteous will of man and makes him submit to Christ as his only righteousness before God.

So it is the blood poured out by Christ that remedies the sin of a man, and it is that same blood revealed by the Holy Spirit that remedies the righteousness of man.

~ Pastor Joe Terrell

Click here to listen to the message “The Testimony of the Blood”

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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: 6 September, 2008 | Previous post date: n/a | Danville, Kentuky

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We Glory In Tribulations Also

”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

Why would a believer glory in tribulations which cause us so much sorrow?

In the trial God sweetly forces us to trust Christ to save us and by doing so God makes us a little more patient to wait on Christ in the next trial.

Through patience, God proves to us more clearly that we have no strength and the grace of God is truly sufficient.

This is the perfect work James speaks of when he says let patience have her perfect work.

God sheds his love in our hearts by the Spirit and grows us in hope so that in the next trial we are a little less prone to put our hand to things below but instead “flee for refuge to lay hold upon the Hope set before us.”

This is why we thank God for the school of trial and affliction.

John Bunyan expressed this glorying when writing of his 12 years in prison, “I never had, in all my life, so great an insight into the Word of God as now; insomuch that I have often said, Were it lawful, I could pray for greater trouble, for the greater comforts’ sake.”

~ Pastor Clay Curtis

Click here to listen to the message “Five Reasons For Joy”

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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: 31 October, 2021 | Previous post date: n/a | Rocky Mount, Virginia