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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” (32:42 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: 26 January, 2020 | Previous post date: 26 December, 2022

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Thanksgiving For These Believers

”Knowing Brethren Your Election Of God” | 1 Thessalonians 1: 4

Your election is known by your calling!

“You hath He quickened who were dead.”

Have you been quickened, made alive to the things of God in Christ?

Do you have an interest in the Gospel of God’s grace and mercy to sinners?

“The Holy Spirit will convince the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment.”

Have you been convinced of your sin or unbelief?

Have you been convinced that you have no righteousness and need Christ’s righteousness?

Have you been convinced that there is no judgment only to those in Christ?

If God has been pleased to do these things for you and in you, then you are elected!

“Our Gospel came to you not in word only but in power.”

Is the Gospel of Jesus Christ only facts and history to you, or has that Gospel entered your heart and brought you to seek a saving interest in Christ?

“It is given unto you not only to believe on Him but to suffer for His sake.”

Do you believe on Him? Do you really believe that Jesus Christ is your wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption and that He, of God, is made unto you all you need?

“We love Him because He first loved us.”

Do you love Christ the Lord?

“No man can call Jesus Lord but by the Holy Spirit.”

Is Christ your Lord?

Have you truly bowed to Him in your heart of hearts?

“By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

Do you really love the brethren?

There is no problem here.

If we are God’s elect, there are evidences enough, so “give diligence to make your calling sure!”

~ Pastor Henry Mahan

Click here to listen to the message “An Election of Grace” (39:21 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: 9 February, 2020 | Previous post date: 12 May, 2022

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A Heart Of Thanksgiving

”Many, O LORD my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.” | Psalm 40: 5

I recently read that somewhere, years ago in New England, there was a day of fasting each month to mourn over the sins of the land.

At last, some public official suggested that, instead of the day of mourning each month, they should appoint a feast and thank God for the mercies and blessings which He had given.

I was deeply convicted and strongly impressed by this article.

Do we dwell on our troubles and trials so much that we forget to give thanks for our blessings?

Instead of counting our blessings, we exaggerate our misfortunes.

Instead of praising God for many friends, our minds dwell on two or three contentious persons who wish us evil.

Instead of talking about our years of good health, we discuss our hours of pain.

Instead of rejoicing in our obedient and loving children, we complain about our prodigals.

It is good to fast, mourn over sin, and to take our burdens to the Lord; but it is right to LEAVE THEM THERE!

“A merry heart doeth good like a medicine, but a broken spirit drieth the bones.” I plan to take this exhortation seriously and lift both my heart and voice to Him Who is the fountain of all mercies.

His mercies far outweigh His chastisements.

David said, “Many, O LORD my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.” (Psalm 40: 5)

If I would declare and speak of them, they are “more than can be numbered”.

John Newton once wrote, “Lord, if I have not loved Thee before, let me begin today.”

Today is a good day to love Him, thank Him, and praise Him.

Let this be “The day of beginning again.”

~ Pastor Henry T. Mahan

Click here to listen to the message “O How Blessed We Are” (35:22 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: 22 July, 2018 | Previous post date: n/a

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Much To Be Thankful For

“I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy, For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now; Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:” | Philippians 1: 3-6

Brethren, do we not have so much to be thankful for?

God, the Heavenly Father chose us before the foundation of the world to save us from all of our ruin and sin.

God, the glorious Son gave His life to pay the price for all of our ruin and sin.

God, the Holy Spirit has called us out of our darkness into the glorious light of the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior.

We have been given the word of God.

We have been given the gospel of God.

We have been given each other – the people of God.

We have been given spiritual eyes to see Christ.

We have been given spiritual ears to hear Christ.

We have been given spiritual hearts to believe on Christ.

We have been given a place to worship Him.

We have been given freedom to worship Him.

He has given, and given, and given to us.

What do we have that has not been freely given to us from Him?

Even our trials have been given for the purpose of bringing good to us.

We have no reason to complain about any of our Lord’s dealings with us; only reason to give thanks to Him.

“O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.” (Psalm 107: 1)

May our Lord put a spirit of thanks in our hearts, and a word of thanks on our tongues both now and forever more.

~ Pastor Gabe Stalnaker

Click here to listen to the message “Seek Ye The Lord” (29:14 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.

Central Grace Church Bulletin Article date: 1 May, 2022 | Previous post date: n/a | Rocky Mount, Virginia

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God’s Ways And God’s Word

”It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes.” | Psalm 119: 71

God’s Ways and God’s Word are best learned by experience and in time of trouble.

When our Lord is pleased to lay His hand heavily upon us, we do not soon forget the lessons learned.

When the Lord singles out a believer or a church for special affliction and adversity, it is not for punishment nor lack of love for them; it is for eternal blessings and because He does love them. “Whom the Lord loveth” He chastens, corrects, and teaches!

When Job sat before his friends, who was afflicted? The one God loved!

When Paul stood before King Agrippa, who wore the chains? The one God loved!

Humanly speaking, which path of life would you prefer to live on earth, that of Esau or Jacob?

Esau had the life of prosperity and ease; Jacob was full of trouble and conflict – but God loved Jacob!

Thank God He has not left us alone!

Thank God He has loved us in Christ and is pleased to teach us His ways by dealing with us in such a way that we are weaned from the world and find our life, comfort, and hope only in Him.

“But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.” (Hebrews 12: 8)

A person who measures his blessings and relationship with God by His prosperity, health, happiness, and worldly comforts makes a fatal mistake.

He who sends the trial for His glory and my good will supply the Grace sufficient.

“And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.” (2 Corinthians 12: 9-10)

Those who know the Redeemer also know that when we are weak, we are strong; when we are poor, we are rich; when we are empty, we are full; and when we die, we live!

~ Pastor Henry Mahan

Click here to listen to the message “The Persecutor Turned Preacher” (38:08 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.

Zebulon Grace Church Bulletin Article date: 4 February, 2007 | Previous post date: n/a | Pikeville, Kentucky

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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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Praise With My Whole Heart

”It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto thy name, O Most High:” | Psalm 92: 1

We have so much to be thankful for.

It is a good thing to (as often as we can) just stop and remind ourselves of how many wonderful things our gracious God has given us to be thankful for.

How could we ever say thank you enough for the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ that He abundantly shed on us to put away all of our sin?

How could we ever say thank you enough for the mercy that begins brand new every morning?

Every plate of food that we eat, every drop of water that we drink, every breath of air that we breathe, all of it has been generously given to us by the Lord our God. He protects us, He cares for us, He leads us and guides us only in His good and right way. He will keep us until our journey through this life ends, and then He will bring us home to an eternal inheritance in glory where we will forever be with Him!

Every time a chosen child of God is reminded of the abundance of mercy and grace that has been shown to him (in that moment of remembrance) all of the murmuring and complaining goes away. All of the fear and doubt goes away. All of the self-pity and wallowing in misery goes away.

Yes, “It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord”!

~ Pastor Gabe Stalnaker

Click here to listen to the message “Praise With My Whole Heart”

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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 December, 2019 | Previous post date: n/a

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The Salvation Of A Malefactor

”And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God. And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar, And saying, If thou be the king of the Jews, save thyself. And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.” | Luke 23: 35-38

An old timer wrote: “My friend, you may think to live very well without Christ, but death will be unbearable without Him. You are confident and secure at present, but death will destroy your confidence. Your tree is fair and strong now; but when the wind comes, if your root is not in the Rock of Ages, down your tree must come forever. You may think these worldly pleasures and ways of flesh are so good; but when your years increase any you reach the bottom of this poisoned bowl, they will be as bitter as wormwood; and worse that gall shall be the daintiest of your drinks.”

When I read this, I gave thanks to our Lord for delivering us from “THIS BODY OF DEATH through our Lord Jesus Christ,” and old age and death are no longer to be feared but DESIRED; that death is no longer the LOSS of life and joy, but the GAIN of eternal life and glory.

While we mourn the temporary absence of our dear loved ones whom the Lord has been pleased to take to glory, we do not sorrow as those who have no hope; for we know, “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His people,” (Psalm 116: 15) and leaving this world and going to be with Christ is the GREATEST BLESSING of all the blessings!

~ Pastor Henry Mahan

Click here to listen to the message “The Salvation of a Malefactor”

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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: 26 December, 2021 | Previous post date: n/a | Rocky Mount, Virginia

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In Everything Give Thanks

“In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” | 1 Thessalonians 5: 18

Every time you insist that I am a sinner, you call me to remember the benefit of Christ my Redeemer, upon whose shoulders, and not mine, lie all my sins.

So when you say I am a sinner, you do not terrify me, but comfort me immeasurably.

~ Martin Luther

Click here to listen to the message “In Everything Give Thanks”

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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 September, 2020 | Previous post date: 1 March, 2021

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In Everything Give Thanks

“In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” | 1 Thessalonians 5: 18

Lord, teach us what the word “everything” means.

It would be very easy for us, in our sinful and doubtful flesh, to insert the words “some things” into that verse. In some things, we do give thanks. In most things, however, we don’t. Usually, we murmur over things, we complain over things, we question things, and we try our hardest to change things.

We do this because our sinfully blind eyes do not see the hand of the Lord in it. We do this because, sinfully, we are not trusting that He is doing right in it. We do this because, sinfully, we are doubtful that good will come from it.

Lord, we believe, help our unbelief! Teach us to have a single eye on You, and Your perfect purpose, and Your all knowing, all controlling, sovereign will. Teach us that everything is being done by You, through You, to You.

Therefore, EVERYTHING is for Your glory and our good. If we could truly see that… in everything, we would give thanks!

~ Pastor Gabe Stalnaker

Click here to listen to the message “Christ The Only Foundation”

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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 June, 2021 | Previous post date: n/a