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Whosoever Will

”And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take of the water of life freely” | Revelation 22: 17

Those that love and preach the message of God’s sovereign saving grace in Christ alone are often accused of not believing in “whosoever will, let him take of the water of life freely.”

How can one that God has taught by His Holy Spirit believe anything other than this?

It is clearly taught in scripture!

The unregenerate falsely say that because we accept and preach the truth of God’s electing grace, we proclaim a message that excludes some men from coming to Christ even if they want to. The problem is not the call to come… the problem is man’s willingness and ability to come.

When the Lord Jesus cried in the last day, that great day of the feast… (John 7: 37) “if any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink” why did men not come to Him to drink of the water of life?

I’ll tell you why… they didn’t want to!

“Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.” (John 5: 39-40)

Men by nature are just not willing to come to Christ as He is revealed in scripture!

“Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth.” (Psalm 110: 3)

Hear the sweet message of God’s grace to an undeserving people… ‘Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power.’

Those that the Holy Ghost effectually calls, willingly come to Him as spiritual beggars in need of a Savior!

They come because they now see the hopelessness of salvation without Christ the Mediator between God and themselves.

They have been given a new heart to come to Christ for mercy.

They willingly come to Christ as their Surety, their Representative, and their Substitute before God.

I leave you with these questions.

Do you want to come? If you do, believe me, it’s not because you decided to exercise your free will, because your natural will is the slave of sin!

Will you be saved by His grace alone? If you will, it’s because you’ve seen your works of self-righteousness to be unacceptable before God because of sin.

Do you know by faith that the imputed righteousness of the Lord Jesus to robe you for justification before God’s law is the only covering of eternal hope?

Will you come to Christ as the One who was made a curse for you at Calvary? If you will, COME!

If you have no desire to come to Christ like this and you perish in your sins, it’s your own fault.

But if you desire to willingly come because you see by faith your need of Christ for life by His blood, it’s because God has shown you mercy by giving you that new heart to come and has been pleased to not leave you to yourself.

~ Pastor Marvin Stalnaker

Click here to listen to the message “The High Cost Of Free 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.

FreeGraceRadio.com Bulletin Article date: 3 February, 2008 | Previous post date: n/a | Danville, Kentuky

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A Believer Wouldn’t Do That

”What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet:” | Psalm 8: 4-6

Let us never again be guilty of saying, “A believer wouldn’t do that.”

Oh yes they will!

When we say such a thing we are trying to take some credit for our righteousness.

A believer will commit any sin an unbeliever will commit with the exception of apostacy (and only because God keeps them from it).

David, the man after God’s own heart, committed adultery and murder and didn’t even feel guilty about it for a time.

“Just Lot” (2 Peter 2: 7) chose to separate from Abraham and live in the well watered plain of Sodom and Gomorrah.

Peter who confessed all of his hope was in the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God, also denied he even knew the Lord Jesus and later, by his actions, denied salvation by grace without works when he quit eating and fellowshipping with the Gentiles when some Jews arrived at the dinner.

Yes, the strongest of believers will commit any kind of sin.

So rather than say, “A believer wouldn’t do that”, let’s say “I am nothing but sin but Christ is my righteousness and He will never fail me.”

~ Pastor Frank Tate

Click here to listen to the message “Why Would God Think On 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.

Hurricane Road Grace Church Bulletin Article date: 14 March, 2021 | Previous post date: n/a | Cattletsburg, Kentucky

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Grace, Grace, And More Grace

“And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man? Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.” | Acts 8: 3-35

Absolutely no one will cry out for God’s mercy until the Holy Spirit makes them see that they are spiritually bankrupt!

Then, and only then, are they ready to receive Jesus Christ as their only hope; as their Savior; as their Sovereign Lord; AS THEIR ALL IN ALL!

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is not ‘God has done His part, now the rest is up to you.’ The Gospel is not what the sinner can do for God, but what Jesus Christ has done for the sinner. “Christ… hath suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit” (1 Peter 3: 18)

When Jesus Christ died, He, by Himself, purged our sins; “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)

He reconciled us to God. “For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.” (Romans 5: 10)

Our Savior was delivered for our offences and was raised again for our justification.”

“Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.” (Romans 4: 25)

Christ suffered and died for our sins THAT HE MIGHT BRING US TO GOD!

The risen, exalted Christ of God is not trying to find His lost sheep.

In the Person of God, the Holy Spirit, our sovereign Lord will seek and save all those He suffered and bled and died for.

He MUST bring them to Himself.

They MUST hear His voice.

He said so. “And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.”> (John 10: 16)

God the Father has put all things under the feet of His glorified Son and has given Him power over all flesh.

By the quickening power of our risen Savior, He gives eternal life to as many as His Father gave Him. “As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.” (John 17: 2)

He gives us a new heart to come to Him by faith, a heart that rejoices in His glorious Gospel.

Sinners have not come to God if they have not bowed down to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

They have not come to God if they’re trusting in something they have done to try and merit God’s grace, including their socalled free will.

We come to God when we come to the Christ of Holy Scripture; when we believe that He suffered for our sins that He might bring us to God; when we believe that being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

Sinners come to God when we, by His gift of true saving faith, bow down to the risen, glorified Son of God, confessing Him as our Sovereign Lord and Saviour.

Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

But absolutely no one will call upon the name of Jesus Christ until they hear and believe the true Gospel of God‘s sovereign, amazing grace.

Brethren, God the Holy Spirit is the one who sends His preachers to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ in those areas where His lost sheep are. “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? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!”> (Romans 10: 13-15)

Under the preaching of the Christ of Holy Scripture, the sovereign power of the risen, glorified Son of God is manifested for the glory of God the Father when He delivers His chosen, redeemed children from the prison-house of unbelief, bringing them into a living union with Himself.

~ Pastor Gene Harmon

Click here to listen to the message “Grace, Grace, and More 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.

Kingsport Sovereign Grace Church Bulletin Article date: 30 May, 2021 | Previous post date: 21 July, 2021

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May God Be Mindful of Us

“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: 30,31

May God give us the wisdom to know that Christ IS all!

May God cover us in the righteousness (the goodness and obedience) of Christ, OUR all!

May God see us in the sanctification (the holiness and purity) of Christ, GOD’S all!

And may the only payment offered to God for the redemption of our sin be Christ – AS all!

~ Pastor Gabe Stalnaker

Click here to listen to the message “Yet It Pleased The Lord To Bruise Him”

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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: 30 May, 2021 | Previous post date: 21 July, 2021

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Himself

”Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:” | Galatians 1: 3-4

As the years roll along, I yearn more and more for that assurance that My sins are put out of God’s sight.

How is it that the holy Lord is pleased with me?

One word comes to view: HIMSELF. If I think on the grand doctrine of election, there is no comfort unless that word Himself appears. I must be careful not to be taken up with the doctrines of the gospel and leave Himself out. Doctrine is cold unless the person of our Lord Jesus Christ is uppermost therein.

He is all of salvation. He did not come merely to bring salvation, but He Himself is salvation. He loved me and gave Himself for me. He Himself is the good news. Eternal redemption is found in His life, death, and resurrection, and He is the gospel. Who His own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree. The only reason I am pleasing unto God is because of Himself.

Men say that we are cleansed by His blood and that is true, but it is only because that blood was a part of Himself. If we are chosen, we are chosen in Himself. There is no justification unless it is the righteousness of God in himself. Everything is bound up in the life and death of God’s dear son himself.

Not only is this true, but salvation must be in Himself alone.

He by Himself purged our sins. Every man to be saved must rest his whole soul upon Christ Himself.

Do not ever think a good thought about yourself.

Oh that every mouth might be stopped in talking about self. When we are brought to the place of ceasing to talk about ourselves, then, and only then, will we ever see the truth that once in the end of the world He appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.

If you have been brought to the place of a sinner who has nothing, knows nothing, can do nothing, then none but the Lord Jesus Himself will give you peace and rest.

You see, it is either yourself or Himself.

You would not really stand before the holy Lord God in yourself, would you?

This would be the height of insane depravity.

By the grace of God I have been enabled to say that it is Himself in totality.

~ Pastor Jack Shanks

Click here to listen to the message “This Is The Record”

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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: 18 May, 2014 | Previous post date: n/a | Rocky Mount, Virginia

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I Am, I Will

”I am become a fool in glorying; ye have compelled me: for I ought to have been commended of you: for in nothing am I behind the very chiefest apostles, though I be nothing.” | 2 Corinthians 12: 11

The same man who said: “I be nothing” said: “Christ is all!”

Every true child of God enters in to what the apostle said, and totally agrees!

“Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.” (Colossians 3: 11)

I am the chief sinner; He is the Chief Shepherd and Savior of sinners!

I am vile and wicked; He is Holy and Just!

I am absolute weakness; He is infinite strength!

I must decrease; He must increase!

I am worthless vanity; He is unsearchable riches!

I deserve wrath; He deserves Honor!

I deserve DEATH; He deserves GLORY!

I AM NOTHING; and CHRIST IS ALL!

But do you know what the glory of the gospel is?…

…He traded places with me.

~ Pastor Gabe Stalnaker

Click here to listen to the message “I Am, I Will”

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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 May, 2018 | Previous post date: n/a

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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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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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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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Saving Faith

”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

When we have the mind of Christ, we see God in everything, we see Christ as everything, and we see ourselves as nothing.

~ Pastor John Chapman

Click here to listen to the message “Saving Faith”

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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 March, 2022 | Previous post date: n/a