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Delivered, Stablished, Kept And Directed

”Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you: And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith.” | 2 Thessalonians 3: 1-2

The more faithful the Lord is to bless us, the more prone we are to take His favor for granted.

“But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil.” (2 Thessalonians 3: 3)

I pray that He will not need to take away any of His mercies from us, in order to remind us from whence they come.

~ Pastor Chris Cunningham

Click here to listen to the message “Delivered, Stablished, Kept and Directed” (34:11 minutes)

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: 22 June, 2021 | Previous post date: n/a | Rocky Mount, Virginia

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True Faith

”And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.” | Matthew 14: 19

Those who have that faith which is the gift of God, that faith which comes through hearing the Word of God – one need not be troubled about them trusting in their faith.

This faith causes those who have it – without exception – to renounce themselves and trust entirely in Christ the Saviour.

This faith causes self to be abhorred and Christ adored.

Those who have this faith could never trust in their faith.

~ Pastor Maurice Montgomery

Click here to listen to the message “Faith In 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 March, 2022 | Previous post date: n/a

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But The Lord Is Faithful

”But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil.” | 2 Thessalonians 3: 3

No physician ever weighed out medicine to his patients with half so much care and exactness as our God weighs out to His children every trial.

Not one grain too much does He ever permit to be put in the scale.

Click here to listen to the message “But The Lord Is Faithful”

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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: 22 April, 2018 | Previous post date: n/a

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Temporary Believers

”There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.” | John 1: 6-7

Over the years you and I have seen many leave their profession of Christ and go back to following the course of this world.

Our Lord Jesus calls such persons temporary believers, “Which for a while believe,” yet finally “fall away,” (Luke 8: 13) John Bunyan gave the manner in which these temporary believers “draw back.” He gives nine:

They draw off their thoughts, all that they may, from the remembrance of God, death, and judgment to come.

Then they cast off by degrees private duties, as closet-prayer, curbing their lusts, watching, sorrow for sin, and the like.

Then they shun the company of lively warm Christians.

After that, they grow cold to public duty, as hearing, reading, godly conference, and the like.

Then they begin to pick holes, as we say, in the coats of some of the godly, and that devilishly; that they may have a seeming reason to throw religion (for the sake of some infirmity they have spied in them) behind their backs.

Then they begin to adhere to and associate themselves with, carnal, loose and wanton men.

Then they give way to carnal and wanton discourses in secret, and glad are they if they can see such things in any that are counted honest, that they may the more boldly do it through their example.

After this they begin to play with little sins, openly.

And then being hardened, they show themselves as they are. Thus being launched again into the gulf of misery, unless a miracle of grace prevent it, they everlastingly perish in their own deceiving.

~ Pastor Don Bell

Click here to listen to the message “Lying to 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.

FreeGraceRadio.com Bulletin Article date: 10 January, 2008 | Previous post date: n/a | Danville, Kentuky

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The Trial And Proof Of Faith

”Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest. Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.” | Psalm 51: 2-6

It is a blessing to experience those times when all seems well and faith comes easily, when it seems the very air is filled with the presence of the Lord.

Such times are a blessing, but they are no proof of true faith.

Faith is proven when it endures the HARD times.

When the heart is broken, the mind confused, and the body weak, then is faith put to the test and proven whether it be genuine.

When faith survives those times when there is NO FEELING to verify it, NO EVIDENCE to confirm it, and NO FLESHY ENERGY to sustain it, then and only then can we discover that we have that faith that is “the gift of God”, God’s gifts are “without repentance”, and this is as true of faith as any of His other gifts.
We know we have believed when we never repent of our faith, but believe in the very face of all that is opposed to faith.

This is the trial and proof of faith.

~ Pastor Joe Terrell

Click here to listen to the message “Repentance and 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: 8 April, 2018 | Previous post date: n/a

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From Whence Cometh My Help

”[[A Song of degrees.]] I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand. The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.” | Psalm 121

Believer, our help is Christ.

Our help comes from the hills — His holy hill in heaven and that hill where Christ has given his gospel.

His help is personal help — MY help. “Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.” (Hebrews 2: 17-18)

In all our troubles remember the truth revealed in Psalm 121.

The Lord Will Not.

First, the Lord will not allow the feet of his redeemed child to be moved. “He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.” (Psalm 121: 3)

Many times “our feet are almost gone, our steps well-nigh slipped.” But God our Savior will not allow our feet to be moved. “He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defence; I shall not be greatly moved.” (Psalm 62: 2)

“For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.” (Psalm 91: 11-12)

Secondly, the LORD will not slumber nor sleep. “He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.” (Psalm 121: 3-4)

God never forgets his children.

We can’t remember what to forget and we keep forgetting what we should remember. “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3: 13-14)

“We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick” (Numbers 11: 5)

“Do ye not yet understand, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets ye took up? Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many baskets ye took up?” (Matthew 16: 9-10)

But God never forgets his child—neither slumbers nor sleeps. God never ceases to consider his child of grace. “But I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me: thou art my help and my deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God.” (Psalm 40: 17)

Each child is always at the center-focus of Gods thoughts. There is never is a moment, night or day, in which the great mind of the Eternal ceases to think of the child he has everlastingly loved in Christ Jesus. “He that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.”

The Lord Is.

The Lord is the keeper of his child. “The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand.” (Psalm 121: 5)

Christ is our shade of righteousness and our shade of defense, the shade upon our right hand is Christ our wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption — our ALL! “The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand. The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.” (Psalm 121: 5-6)

“And the LORD will create upon every dwelling place of mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night: for upon all the glory shall be a defence. And there shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the daytime from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert from storm and from rain.” (Isaiah 4: 5-6)

“Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” (1 John 4: 10)

“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: 29-30)

Christ is able to give his help because Christ is God who created all things but even better, Christ is our Redeemer who by his blood makes all things new. “When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained” (Psalm 8: 3)

“Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.” (2 Peter 3: 13)

“For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain.” (Isaiah 66: 22)

The Lord Shall.

First, the Lord shall preserve each of his children. “The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.” (Psalm 121: 7)

There would be no perseverance of the saints where it not for the preserving of our Lord. “In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise” (Ephesians 1: 13)

Secondly, notice what the Lord shall preserve his child from—all evil. I found 569 references to evil in the bible. Here are a few:

Evil of the heart. “And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” (Genesis 6: 5)

Evil of your doings; evil report. “And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature.” (Numbers 13: 32)

Evil beast; evil congregation. “I the LORD have said, I will surely do it unto all this evil congregation, that are gathered together against me: in this wilderness they shall be consumed, and there they shall die.” (Numbers 14: 35)

Evil place. “And wherefore have ye made us to come up out of Egypt, to bring us in unto this evil place? it is no place of seed, or of figs, or of vines, or of pomegranates; neither is there any water to drink.” (Numbers 20: 5)

Evil generation. “Surely there shall not one of these men of this evil generation see that good land, which I sware to give unto your fathers” (Deuteronomy 1: 35)

Evil diseases. “And the LORD will take away from thee all sickness, and will put none of the evil diseases of Egypt, which thou knowest, upon thee; but will lay them upon all them that hate thee.” (Deuteronomy 7: 15)

Evil name. (Slander) “And give occasions of speech against her, and bring up an evil name upon her, and say, I took this woman, and when I came to her, I found her not a maid” (Deuteronomy 22: 14)

Evil spirit; evil dealings; evil understanding. “And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.” (Job 28: 28)

Evil time. “The LORD knoweth the days of the upright: and their inheritance shall be for ever.” (Psalm 37: 18)

The LORD shall preserve thee from ALL evil. (Job 5: 19-27) http://blb.sc/00G1MH

Also, the LORD shall preserve your soul. “The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.” (Psalm 121: 7)

He shall raise our bodies incorruptible from the dust of the grave, but the soul how important! the soul. “For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Matthew 16: 26)

“The LORD redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate.” (Psalm 34: 22)

Furthermore, the Lord shall preserve our going in and coming out, that is, all our ways. “The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.” (Psalm 121: 8)

“In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” (Proverbs 3: 6)

When will the LORD start doing this? From this time forth! “Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.” (Matthew 6: 31-34)

“Cast foreboding cares away, God provideth for today.” “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.” (Matthew 5: 8)

But for how long will the Lord preserve me?

Even for evermore.

The end of this life is just the beginning.

~ Pastor Clay Curtis

Click here to listen to the message “Precious Death That Humbles”

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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: 13 April, 2014 | Previous post date: n/a | Rocky Mount, Virginia

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Abandon Your Own Thoughts and Ways

“And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the LORD God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word. And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan.” | 1 Kings 17: 1-3

Faith is not believing that God will do what I want Him to do, or what I think I need Him to do.

Faith is believing that God will do what He said He would do.

Faith in Christ is an abandonment of our own thoughts and ways, and a complete, unreserved trusting of Him as our Righteousness, Sin-offering and Sovereign.

~ Pastor Chris Cunningham

Click here to listen to the message “I Have Commanded the Ravens”

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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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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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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

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Grow In Grace

“But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To HIM be glory both now and for ever. Amen.” | 2 Peter 3: 18

The apostle’s exhortation to us as God’s people who have been called by faith to believe on Christ is, “grow in grace.”

When God‘s people “grow in grace,” they grow in the doctrine of grace. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast.” (Ephesians 2: 8-9)

They grow in the object of grace – which is Christ Himself! “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) “Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.” (2 Timothy 2: 1)

And when God‘s people “grow in grace,” they grow in the practice of grace.

Psalm 111: 4 says, “…the Lord is gracious and full of compassion.” And all who “grow in grace” say, “As He is, I desire to be.” True growth in grace says with David, “I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with THY likeness.” (Psalm 17:15)

The doctrine! The object! The practice!

“Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness. But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To HIM be glory both now and for ever. Amen. (2 Peter 3: 17,18)

~ Pastor Gabe Stalnaker

Click here to listen to the message “Christ & Him Crucified”

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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 January, 2021 | Previous post date: 20 February, 2021