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A Plan Or A Purpose?

“In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will.” | Ephesians 1: 11

I hear many people talk about God having a plan for our lives.

I hear others speak of God having a plan of salvation.

The nature of the word “plan” subtly destroys the sovereignty of God and the helplessness of man.

God does not “plan” anything.

The sovereign God PURPOSES everything.

A plan (like a blueprint) is something that someone else can carry out and put into being.

Salvation is not God’s plan that man must make effectual by his obedience.

“The LORD of hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, so shall it stand.” (Isaiah 14: 24)

Salvation is what God purposed to do for His people by the obedience and sacrifice of His Son and what Christ the Savior has fully accomplished for His people.

“Now I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you, (but was let hitherto,) that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among other Gentiles.” (Romans 1: 13)

A plan also may or may not come to pass. I have planned to do many things that I did not do.

Salvation is not God’s plan.

Salvation is the purpose of God for His people.

“For the Lord of hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul it? and his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back?” (Isaiah 14: 27)

A purpose which God SHALL bring to pass.

~ Pastor Frank Tate

Click here to listen to the message “The Pillar and Ground of Truth”

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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: 17 May, 2020 | Previous post date: n/a

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Words About Our Faith

“O keep my soul, and deliver me: let me not be ashamed; for I put my trust in thee.” | Psalm 25: 20

Strange to say, the faith of Christians is a PERSON.

You may ask all other religions wherein their faith lieth, and they cannot answer on this wise.

Our faith is a PERSON; the gospel that we have to preach is a PERSON, and go wherever you may, we have something solid and tangible to preach.

If you had asked the twelve apostles, in their day, “What do you believe in?” They would not have needed to go round about with a long reply, but they would have pointed to their Master and they would have said, “We believe in HIM.”

“But what are your doctrines?”

“There they stand INCARNATE.”

“But what is your practice?”

“HE is our example.”

“What, then, do you believe?”

Hear ye the glorious answer of the apostle Paul, “We preach Christ crucified.”

Our creed, our body of divinity, our whole theology is summed up in the PERSON OF JESUS CHRIST.

The apostle preached doctrine, but the doctrine was Christ.

He preached practice but the practice was all in Christ.

There is no summary of the faith of a Christian that can compass all he believes, except that word – CHRIST; and that is the Alpha and Omega of our creed, that is the first and last rule of our practice – Christ, and Him crucified.

To spread the faith, then, is to spread the knowledge of Christ crucified; it is in fact, to bring men, through the agency of God’s Spirit, to feel their need of Christ, to seek Christ, to believe in Christ, to love Christ, and then to live for Christ.

~ Charles H. Spurgeon

Click here to listen to the message “O Keep My Soul!”

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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: 3 May, 2020 | Previous post date: n/a

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Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled

“Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.” | John 14: 1

The Master had just finished telling His disciples that some very troubling things were soon coming to pass.

  • He told them that one of them would betray Him.
  • He told them that He was going away and they could not come with Him.
  • He told Peter that he would deny the Lord three times that very night.
  • I would imagine the disciples were shocked and dismayed.
  • They probably felt defeated just like we often do.

Then the Lord gave us these comforting words. “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.”

O what comfort faith in Christ gives to the hearts of His elect.

When you are shocked at the pain and suffering you endure, let not your heart be troubled or uncertain, because you believe in Christ who has sacrificed Himself for your soul.

Your body will suffer but your soul will never suffer if Christ died for you.

When you are disappointed in your failure, let not your heart be troubled, because you believe in Christ the Savior.

Thankfully, your salvation and acceptance with God depends on who Christ is and what Christ has accomplished, not who you are or what you have done or what you have failed to do.

When you don’t understand what is happening, let not your heart be troubled or uncertain.

Our God rules every event so that every event works together to bring to pass the salvation of His people.

Our God is working even this together to accomplish His eternal will.

Those who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ never have reason for real despair because everything that God is doing is best for me, best for His people and best for His Kingdom.

~ Pastor Frank Tate

Click here to listen to the message “Knowing 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.

Kingsport Sovereign Grace Church Bulletin Article date: 7 February, 2021 | Previous post date: n/a

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Confidence In The Flesh

“Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed [is] not grievous, but for you [it is] safe. Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision. For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.” | Philippians 3: 3

All false religionists, even though they might profess Jesus Christ to be their Savior, put their trust in something they have done; something they believe enables God to accept them.

“For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.” (Hebrews 4: 10)

In doing so, they are saying that what Jesus Christ did was not enough.

“For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 1: 26-31)

They openly and publicly declare that they saved themselves, blatantly denying that Jesus Christ is their Savior.

Brethren, “God has made us accepted in the Beloved.” (In Christ) “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.” (Unmerited favor) (Ephesians 1: 6-7)

When God gives His gift of faith to a hell-deserving sinner, we not only enter into His rest, we also cease from our own works as God did from His; giving our Great Triune God all the glory for His unspeakable gift.

~ Pastor Gene Harmon

Click here to listen to the message “Rooted and Grounded In God’s Love”

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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: 28 January, 2018 | Previous post date: n/a

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Crucified With Christ

“Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope; Unto Timothy, my own son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord.” | 1 Timothy 1: 1-2

“What is hope? Hope is expectation with a reasonable basis.

What the world calls hope is an empty wish.

It’s like a child holding a present on their birthday hoping to find what they want.

But, hope in the scriptures is defined as a person: Christ in you the hope of glory.

This hope comes through a Godly persuasion, “For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.” (2 Timothy 1: 12)

Also, “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)

The believer’s hope is not I hope, I hope, I hope.

The believer’s hope is hope founded upon the Lord Jesus Christ.

Our expectations fully depend on His appointments, His coming as the God man, His obedience, His suffering, His death, His resurrection, and His present reign in glory.

“He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.” (1 John 5: 12)

Paul said he was “an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope”

May the Lord be pleased to make Him our hope for the glory of His own name.

~ Pastor Darvin Pruitt

Click here to listen to the message “Crucified With 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.

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There Is One Ransom

“Then he is gracious unto him, and saith, Deliver him from going down to the pit: I have found a ransom.” | Job 33: 24

There is one ransom that delivers men from the pit of hell.

God found it or provided it in “giving His only begotten Son.”

The ransom is called “the righteousness of God.”

“Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.” (Isaiah 45: 22)

It is the absolute and perfect obedience of the Lord Jesus Christ to God’s holy law; obeying its precepts and suffering its penalty.

“I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.” (Isaiah 61: 10)

It is upon that righteousness alone that we as believers must rest; and on that righteousness alone we must live, die, and appear before the righteous LORD God.

~ Pastor David Pledger

Click here to listen to the message “An Important Question”

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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.

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God’s Election

“But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:” | 2 Thessalonians 2: 13

Knowing something of the wickedness of my own heart…

Knowing that I would have never come to the Christ of the scripture on my own…

Knowing that I would have chosen destruction, and loved darkness more than the salvation and light of life with Christ…

That makes God’s election to be the sweetest, kindest, most loving thing I have ever heard in my life.

~ Pastor Gabe Stalnaker

Click here to listen to the message “There Is Only One Hope For Us”

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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: 26 January, 2020 | Previous post date: 28 April, 2021

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The Race That Is Set

”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,” | Hebrews 12: 1

Everything about the believer’s race is set by God.

Our Lord determined before the foundation of the world those whom he would put in this race when he chose his people in Christ. The love of God for his people is as eternal as God is. It existed before time; it shall exist when time is no more. The everlasting love of God in Christ Jesus gives the believer great cause for patiently running this race.

Our God set the precise moment he would cross our path with the gospel. He determined the pastor he would raise up, gave him the heart to trust Christ, and the unction to preach his word in truth and in spirit. In that hour of love he made Christ our Wisdom.

We beheld something of the righteous skill with which Christ Jesus honored and magnified God’s law on our behalf.

We beheld his faithfulness and graciousness in satisfying justice on our behalf. In the light of Christ we heard the law condemn our sins and our sins were more than we could bear. But the Spirit revealed in our hearts that all our sins have been forever put away by Christ’s one offering.

In love and power Christ was made our Perfection, our Completion, our Righteousness, our All. When we behold God’s all-powerful hand in all providence which brought us to Christ in spite of us, the believer finds great comfort in knowing that the God who provided and is our Righteousness will continue to be our Strength to run this race.

Our God set every hurdle on this course which we must run and declares plainly to us that we must suffer much tribulation in this race. Yet, the God who set the course also reveals in us that he is the God who supplies the grace. That is what he teaches us as he carries us through every dark vale.

Our God set the length of our course. He has appointed the hour our race will end. By his grace we will find the finish line to be the most glorious hour of all the hours of our lives for then we shall enter into the presence of Christ our Redeemer.

What a joy to know that our race ends where it began, in Christ our Lord.

~ Pastor Clay Curtis

Click here to listen to the message “According to Promise”

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Visit our primary website at www.ksgctn.org for more information about Kingsport Sovereign Grace Church, watch our livestream (when available) and access our previously recorded messages.

Sovereign Grace Baptist Church Bulletin Article date: 26 October, 2008 | Previous post date: n/a | Ewing, New Jersey

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The Great High Priest

”Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.” | 2 Corinthians 9: 15

Who can express fully the blessings of these words: “In Christ?”

“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” (Romans 8: 1)

To be “in Christ” means to be chosen “in Him before the foundation of the world.”

“To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.” (Ephesians 1: 6)

To be “in Christ” means that there is now “no condemnation,” accepted “in the Beloved,” and “complete in Him.”

“And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:” (Colossians 2: 10)

It means that “as He is, so are we in this world.” “Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.” (1 John 4: 17)

It means everything to be “in Christ.”

~ Pastor David Pledger

Click here to listen to the message “The Great High Priest”

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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 March, 2022 | Previous post date: n/a

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Things Above

”Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.” | Colossians 3: 2

One of the old writers once said: “Do not look for that in the law which can only be found in the gospel; do not look for that in ourselves which is only to be found in Christ; do not look for that in the creature (world) which can only be found in the Creator; and do not look for that on earth which can only be found in Heaven.”

~ William Jay

Click here to listen to the message “Why Do We Preach 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.

Kingsport Sovereign Grace Church Bulletin Article date: 13 February, 2022 | Previous post date: n/a