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Blessed Assurance

“Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.” | John 15: 16

Assurance of salvation and a saving interest in our Lord Jesus is not a feeling cultivated by thinking good thoughts and doing good deeds.

Paul calls it “full assurance of faith.” It has to do with faith, with believing God!

Assurance is born of confidence in the Father as our covenant God; “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.”

Assurance is born of confidence in the Son as our just God and Saviour; “By His stripes we are healed.”

Assurance is born of confidence in His promises; “Abraham was fully persuaded that what God had promised, He was able also to perform.”

“Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.” (Hebrews 4: 11)

So your assurance of redemption is not enhanced by the more you work, but by the more you trust in Him.

~ Pastor Henry Mahan

Click here to listen to the message “To Live Is Christ, To Die Is Gain” (39:07 minutes)

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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: 11 February, 2018 | Previous post date: 10 June, 2022

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A Fallen Saint

“Peter went out and wept bitterly.” | Luke 22: 62

Peter had sat in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.

He had walked on the water to go to Him.

He had lived in the full assurance that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of God.

“We believe and are sure,” he said, “That thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God,” the words of blood redemption had gone to Peter’s heart from the very lips of Jesus Christ Himself.

“Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.” (John 6: 68)

Peter had seen the power of the Lord when he spoke to the raging waves of the sea and stilled them – the Lord Jesus saved Peter’s life that day, and Peter knew it too.

Now this same Peter has denied the Lord he loved and believed – even cursed and swore he never knew him. Look at him now as he goes off in the darkness sobbing as he goes.

Imagine the guilt and fear that weighed upon his afflicted conscience?

Imagine the suggestions from Satan, the prince of darkness, saying to him, “There is no hope for you now.”

Only those who have experienced such a thing know how Satan can work with a guilty conscience to drive it to despair.

I am sure Peter thought, as many have since, “There is no way out of this dilemma I find myself in.”

A poor soul like this can despair of ever being recovered. He sank in deep mire where there was no standing.

I will tell you this, if Jesus Christ does not make intercession for such a person and strengthen his faith, and send some light into his darkness, Satan will sift him. Those who dream they are a match for Satan’s accusations are ignorant of his devices.

Does our Lord Jesus know all this?

Of course he knows.

His intercession had already secured Peter, not from falling but from falling away.

Not from bitter weeping but from final despair.

Peter had a sad and fearful fall, but he had a fearless and faithful Advocate with the Father.

Peter fell, but just about the time the enemy began to rejoice over him, he rose up again – forgiven and restored.

Dear fallen saint, don’t despair.

Maybe you see no way in your present darkness to be restored, but Jesus Christ can see for you, He is the way.

Look out of your wet eyes to him.

Your heart is aching but the Lord Jesus feels it.

Trust him.

Wait upon Him.

Your weeping may endure for a night, but joy will come in the morning.

~ Pastor Bruce Crabtree

Click here to listen to the message “Our eyes are upon thee” (59:37 minutes)

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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 August, 2021 | Previous post date: 31 August, 2021

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Out Of The Heart Are The Issues Of Life

”Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” | Proverbs 4: 23

LIFE begins when the HEART starts beating.

Life ends when the HEART stops.

So it is with spiritual life.

Spiritual (eternal) life begins when God takes away the stony heart, the heart that is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked, and gives “a new heart”. “” (Ezekiel 36: 26) A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.

There is no life without heart.

The heart is the real man. The heart is the seat of affections, convictions, desires and feelings.

Real faith comes from the heart, for “With the HEART man believeth unto righteousness.”

Real faith is not simply mental but is a heart love. There can be a pretended faith, a mere spoken faith, a mere intellectual belief in facts and doctrines without real heart love for God, Christ, the brethren and holiness. Doctrine only in the head will produce an unfeeling, unloving, uncaring and unemotional man.

The love of God shed abroad in the heart will produce a man of many emotions.

Love for God, Christ, the Truth, holiness, the brethren; is rooted and comes from the heart.

There is no life without heart.

There is no faith without heart.

Faith is founded on the Word of God and that faith has feelings.

Though we are not saved by feelings, yet no one is saved who does not have them.

Feelings come from the heart.

Feelings are the reaction of the heart being touched by the Word, the Spirit of God.

Show me a man who does not feel his sinfulness, who does not feel a need for Christ, who does not feel joyful upon hearing the gospel, who does not feel deeply thankful and grateful for all his blessings, who does not feel sadness, pain, joy, happiness, gladness, relief, fear and all other emotions at some time upon hearing the gospel… the Word of Life… and I will show you a man WHO HATH NOT LIFE.

Show me someone who never mourns, weeps nor laughs upon hearing the life giving sound, and I will show you someone who is dead. Open up a grave; laugh, cry, shout at the man and you will get no reaction. The man is dead; he has no feelings.

Laugh, cry and shout to the living and they will respond.

Show me a woman who is neither cold nor hot upon hearing the gospel, and I will show you a woman whom God will spue out of His mouth.

Show me a person who does not reveal a heartfelt love, a first love for Christ, His gospel, His people, and I will show you someone who loves the world and has missed Christ.

Show me a man who claims to preach the gospel, who does not go forth with weeping, bearing the precious seed, and I will show you a man who is a hireling, a pretender, who will bring in no sheeves. “” (Psalm 126: 5-6)

Though we should not look to these feelings, trust these feelings, or seek assurance from them, (for they come and go) yet there is joy and assurance to be had, when the Word of Life is indeed a SAVOUR OF LIFE to us. “” (Galatians 6: 4)

Savour is taste.

Savour is smell.

Savour is enjoyment.

And when the Spirit bears witness with our spirit, He makes the Word very savoury to us. He makes Christ very savoury to us, He makes the tabernacle (His church) very amiable to us, He makes the brethren to be loved by us.

Whenever the Holy Spirit was present in the early church there was fire, fear, repentance, faith, feelings of conviction, love, joy, peace, and so much more.

He is called Spirit for that is what He is and that is the realm he operates in.

The heart is the spirit of a man.

When the Spirit of God moves on someone, they are moved. “” (Hebrews 11: 7)

When God gives life to a dead man, he is alive unto God and a new man.

When God saves someone, it is a glorious and obvious thing… a new birth (like natural)… a crying, laughing, living, new born babe in Christ… a miracle of God’s grace and power, a wonderful thing, an obvious thing, an inward and outward work of God to the praise of His glory.

~ Pastor Paul Mahan

Click here to listen to the message “Let Us Go Into The House Of The Lord”

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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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Saving Faith

”That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil” | Hebrews 6: 18-19

Saving faith is not based upon one’s feelings but upon God’s faithfulness.

It embraces and rejoices in the promises of God.

It needs no evidence or proof, only a word from the living God of the Bible; being ”And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.” (Romans 4: 21); and realizing that the only difference between God’s faithful promise and its perfect fulfillment is just a little time…

His appointed time!

~ Pastor Maurice Montgomery

Click here to listen to the message “Things That Accompany The Salvation of 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: 25 March, 2018 | Previous post date: n/a

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Nothing More, Nothing Less, Nothing Else

”God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; 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: 1-3

When I look to Christ alone, I have assurance.

When I look for faith, or evidence of faith, I have no assurance.

Faith is only in operation as it looks to Christ alone.

If I look to a past experience or a time when I first believed, I am looking to an event rather than Christ alone.

If I am assuring myself that tomorrow I will believe that is nothing more than an act of presumption.

Look to Christ alone now!

Nothing more, nothing less, and nothing else.

~ Pastor Todd Nibert

Click here to listen to the message “The Question That Answers All Others”

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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

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Assurance Of Salvation

”And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the Lord; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.” | Isaiah 25: 9

Every believer enjoys assurance of salvation.

Every believer also desires more assurance of salvation.

When you desire assurance remember this: assurance of salvation can only be found by looking to and resting in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Assurance is not found by looking at how many good works you have done.

Assurance is found by resting in Christ who has finished all of the work of salvation for His people.

Assurance is not found trying to see if you sin less than you used to, or less than someone else.

Assurance is found by trusting Christ who has put away all of the sin of all of His people by His one sacrifice for sin.

Assurance is not found by believing that you are saved.

Assurance is found by trusting Christ who is all of our salvation.

~ Pastor Frank Tate

Click here to listen to the message “The Believer’s Rule of Life”

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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: 23 January, 2022 | Previous post date: n/a

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Assurance

“That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ; In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” | Colossians 2: 2-3

Complete in Thee! no work of mine May take, dear Lord, the place of Thine; Thy blood hath pardon bought for me, And I am now complete in Thee.

Yea, justified! O blessed thought! And sanctified! Salvation wrought! Thy blood hath pardon bought for me, And glorified, I too, shall be!

Complete in Thee! no more shall sin, Thy grace hath conquered, reign within; Thy voice shall bid the tempter flee, And I shall stand complete in Thee.

Complete in Thee — each want supplied, And no good thing to me denied; Since Thou my portion, Lord, wilt be, I ask no more, complete in Thee.

~ Aaron R. Wolfe

Click here to listen to the message “Assurance”

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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 August, 2020 | Previous post date: 2 March, 2021

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BLESSED ASSURANCE

“For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” | Philippians 1: 21

Assurance of salvation and a saving interest in our Lord Jesus is NOT A FEELING cultivated by thinking good thoughts and doing good deeds.

Paul calls it “full assurance of faith.” It has to do with faith, with BELIEVING GOD!

Assurance is born of CONFIDENCE IN THE FATHER as our covenant God; “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.” Assurance is born of CONFIDENCE IN THE SON as our just God and Saviour; “By His stripes we are healed.”

Assurance is born of CONFIDENCE IN HIS PROMISES; “Abraham was fully persuaded that what God had promised, He was able also to perform.”

So your assurance of redemption is not enhanced by the MORE YOU WORK, but by the MORE YOU TRUST AND REST IN HIM.

“Let us labor therefore to enter into THAT REST” (Hebrews 4: 11)

~ Pastor Henry Mahan

Click here to listen to the message “Four Words that Demand Your Attention”

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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: 11 February, 2018 | Previous post date: n/a

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BLESSED ASSURANCE

“Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.” | John 15: 16

Assurance of salvation and a saving interest in our Lord Jesus is NOT A FEELING cultivated by thinking good thoughts and doing good deeds.

Paul calls it “full assurance of faith.” It has to do with faith, with BELIEVING GOD!

Assurance is born of CONFIDENCE IN THE FATHER as our covenant God; “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.”

Assurance is born of CONFIDENCE IN THE SON as our just God and Saviour; “By His stripes we are healed.”

Assurance is born of CONFIDENCE IN HIS PROMISES; “Abraham was fully persuaded that what God had promised, He was able also to perform.”

So your assurance of redemption is not enhanced by the MORE YOU WORK, but by the MORE YOU TRUST AND REST IN HIM.

“Let us labor therefore to enter into THAT REST” (Hebrews 4: 11)

~ Pastor Henry Mahan

Click here to listen to the message “Why Men Hate 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.

Kingsport Sovereign Grace Church Bulletin Article date: 11 February, 2018 | Previous post date: n/a