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Serving Two Masters

”No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” | Matthew 6: 24

The orders of the two masters are diametrically opposed.

The one commands you to walk by faith, the other by sight;

…the one to be humble, the other to be proud;

…the one to set your affection on things above, the other to set it on the things on the earth;

…the one to look at things unseen and eternal, the other to look at the things seen and temporal;

…the one to have your conversation in Heaven, the other to cleave to the dust;

…the one to be careful for nothing, the other to be full of anxiety;

…the one to be content with such things as ye have, the other to enlarge your desires as hell;

…the one to be ready to distribute, the other to withhold for self;

…the one to look on things of others, the other to look out for one’s own things;

…the one to seek happiness in the Creator, the other to seek happiness in the creature.

Is it not plain that there is no serving two such masters? “If ye love the one, ye must hate the other; if ye cleave to the one, you must despise the other.”

You cannot serve God and mammon!

To serve mammon, to lay up treasures on earth, is to make present, sensible, worldly things, the great subjects of our thoughts, the great object of our affection.

To serve God, to lay up treasures in Heaven, is just to make the things divine and heavenly the great subjects of our thoughts, and the great objects of our affection. The two things are obviously incompatible.

Scripture says the covetous man is an idolater.

The friendship of the world is enmity with God; and, whosoever will be a friend of the world, must be an enemy of God.

~ William Jay

Click here to listen to the message “The Gospel For Children And Babes”

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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: 20 March, 2022 | Previous post date: n/a | Rocky Mount, Virginia

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That Is The Problem

“Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith: To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen.” | Romans 16: 25-27

A believer related a story to me about a discussion he had with another man (a very religious man) concerning the doctrine of election.

When the man disagreed with the doctrine of election, the believer told him to search the scriptures of which the man replied, “I don’t need to search the scriptures.”

I replied, “That is his problem.”

People believe what they want to believe regardless of what the word of God teaches.

Most try to make the word of God fit what they believe instead of believing what it says.

The only warrant and foundation for all that we believe is the word of God.

~ Pastor John Chapman

Click here to listen to the message “Christ Is Enough”

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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: 16 May, 2021 | Previous post date: 13 July, 2021

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How To Receive God’s Word

”Thy testimonies are wonderful: therefore doth my soul keep them. The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple. I opened my mouth, and panted: for I longed for thy commandments. Look thou upon me, and be merciful unto me, as thou usest to do unto those that love thy name. Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me. Deliver me from the oppression of man: so will I keep thy precepts. Make thy face to shine upon thy servant; and teach me thy statutes. Rivers of waters run down mine eyes, because they keep not thy law.” | Psalm 119: 129-136

WHEREFORE

Since it is by the Word of truth that the believer is conceived…

Since it is by the sincere milk of the Word that believers grow… “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:” (1 Peter 2: 2)

Since it is by the Word that believers are comforted… “Wherefore comfort one another with these words.” (1 Thessalonians 4: 18)

Since it is by the Word that believers will be confirmed unto the end… “I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ; That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge; Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you: So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.” (1 Corinthians 1: 4-9)

…the Holy Spirit gives us instruction on how brethren receive God’s Word.

BE SWIFT TO HEAR, SLOW TO SPEAK, SLOW TO WRATH

The Pharisees exhibited the opposite of these characteristics toward the Lord Jesus Christ.

The first message that the Word of truth ever preached, declared that salvation is by the sovereign, electing grace of God in Christ, in whom sinners are made complete.

“And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, And rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong” (Luke 4: 28,29)

Over the course of one day, the Pharisees attempted to entangle Christ in his words by using the Herodians, the Sadducees, and one of their own best lawyers, all of which the Word silenced.

The scribes and Pharisees claimed by their words to be doing “all for the glory of God.”

However, everything they did was in defense of their dead, rotting corpses.

Therefore they were swift to speak instead of to hear the Word of truth.

Their wrath was against Christ, the Word of truth.

“Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat: All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.” (Matthew 23: 2-3)

If we would hear God speak, we must give our full attention to his Word and put off the old dead sinner, with our vain traditions and imaginary thoughts of how sinners are saved.

“For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews’ religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it: And profited in the Jews’ religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers. But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by his grace, To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:” (Galatians 1: 13-16)

~ Pastor Clay Curtis

Click here to listen to the message “The Entrance Of God’s Words”

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

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Will God Save A True Sinner?

”And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.” | John 6: 40

Christ will never have finished his work upon believers till he has raised their bodies from the grave and glorified them like his own resurrected body.

He will never cease from the work which he has commenced on any one of his people till he has laid the top stone in the glorious perfections of heaven; and this truth is the joy of our hearts even now.

~ Charles Spurgeon

Click here to listen to the message “Will God Save A True 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.

Kingsport Sovereign Grace Church Bulletin Article date: 27 February, 2022 | Previous post date: n/a

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Boldness, Access, And Confidence

”In Whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of Him.” | Ephesians 3: 12

“Boldness” means: freedom in speaking; cheerful courage.

“Access” means: an open way without denial; the ability, right, and permission to approach and enter in.

“Confidence” means: trust, reliance, and assurance.

In chapter 2 verse 12 of his letter, the apostle Paul told the Ephesians that: without Christ we are aliens from the Commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world.

But he said in chapter 3 verse 12… With Christ! (In Christ) we have cheerful courage, an open way without denial, and assurance that we will be received!

“Seeing then that we have a Great High Priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God…” “Let us therefore come boldly (in Him) unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4: 14, 16)

~ Pastor Gabe Stalnaker

Click here to listen to the message “What God’s People Glory In”

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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: 6 May, 2018 | Previous post date: n/a

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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’s Dealings With Sinners

”Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;” | Titus 2: 12

In vain do we claim to be saved if the world still rules our heart.

Divine grace not only delivers from the wrath to come, but even now effectually “teaches” its recipients to deny “all ungodliness and worldly lust, that we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world.”

Our Lord says, “Whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.”

That is, to turn away from all that stands in competition (for our affections) with the Lord Jesus, he cannot become a Christian.

~ Pastor Scott Richardson

Click here to listen to the message “God’s Dealings With Sinners”

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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: 27 March, 2022 | Previous post date: n/a | Rocky Mount, Virginia

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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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Sin And Forgiveness

“For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.” | 1 Corinthians 12: 12

We love to hear the gospel that tells us of sin forgiven, of being washed from our sin in His precious blood.

Sin is too familiar with us. We have committed it, we are affected by it daily, and it is our daily trial.

Sin of our past, sin is our burden today, sin as it is, is our own affliction until we enter into our eternal rest.

It is a battle we have entered into that is a war without and within… but, thank God for Ephesians 1: 7 says; “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sin;” how? “according to the riches of his grace!”

Forgiveness of sin, what a joy, what greater news can a sinner hear?

God’s free grace gave us His son to redeem us by His own blood.

God’s free grace came and effectually applied that blood to our souls!

It was free grace that forgave us all our sin, “where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.” (Romans 5: 20)

~ Pastor Donnie Bell

Click here to listen to the message “Encouraging the saints”

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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: 16 May, 2021 | Previous post date: 6 June, 2021

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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