The Man Must Be Altered

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new… For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” | 2 Corinthians 5: 17, 21

Over the years I have bought a few suits, and had to have them altered to fit me.

Not so in salvation.

In salvation the man is altered to fit the suit – the righteousness of Christ.

God must make me a new creature in Christ.

I must be made the righteousness of God in Christ.

Christ’s righteousness is never altered to fit me, I am the one that must be altered, created a new man in Christ.

~ Pastor John Chapman

Click here to listen to the message “All Things Are 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.

Central Grace Church Bulletin Article date: 10 October, 2021 | Previous post date: n/a | Rocky Mount, Virginia

Absence Makes The Heart Grow Fonder

“For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.” | Hebrews 4: 2-3

The apostle Paul told all of the brethren of the church in Philippi: “I have you in my heart”… because “Ye are all partakers with me of grace” (Philippians 1: 7)

I feel the exact same way toward all the brethren of the church in Kingsport.

In the same way that all of God’s chosen people long to be with Christ, God’s people love to be with those who are in Christ, and love Christ, and bow the knee to Christ. When we have even brief moments of separation it causes us to realize how much we desire being together.

May the Lord God make that desire to grow.

May our love for Christ grow; and may our love for each other grow.

Because of the blood of our Savior, we are brethren – brothers and sisters together in Him.

And I want each one of you to know that I sincerely love you, I thank the Lord for you, and I greatly desire to see you again soon.

Being made to be “partakers of grace together,” “I have you in my heart.”

May Christ be in all of our hearts today, and may we be in His.

~ Pastor Gabe Stalnaker

Click here to listen to the message “Let Us Therefore Come Boldly”

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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 September, 2021 | Previous post date: n/a

Christ is my Redeemer and my Righteousness

“For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” | Luke 19: 10

Although I am a sinner, yet I despair not; for Christ, who is my Redeemer and my righteousness, liveth.

In Him I have no sin, no fear, no sting of conscience, and no fear of judgment; for in Him there is no condemnation.

I am indeed a sinner as touching this present life; but I have a righteousness of God which is above this life, who is Christ my Lord.

In Him I rejoice!

~ Martin Luther

Click here to listen to the message “What Should I Do If I’m Lost”

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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: 18 October, 2020 | Previous post date: 9 February, 2021

A Powerful Word

“And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.” | Acts 9: 6

Here is a powerful word — “Born”

Salvation is the gift of life, eternal life.

When our Lord declares, “Ye must be born again,” he is saying you must be the object and recipient of Divine power.

Just as God created the world, God must create life in your soul.

Just as God breathed into Adam and made him a living soul, so God must breathe into you the breath of life by his Spirit, or you will perish in your sins.

This is what I am saying: you are spiritually dead, helplessly lost by nature. Your only hope is that God the Holy Spirit will give you life — “You must be born again!”

~ Pastor Don Fortner

Click here to listen to the message “When Is a Person Saved?”

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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 August, 2008 | Previous post date: n/a | Danville, Kentuky

“Be still, and know that I am God”

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah. There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High. God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early. The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice, the earth melted. The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah. Come, behold the works of the Lord, what desolations he hath made in the earth. He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire. Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.” | Psalm 46: 1-11

How comforting it is to know that in moments of chaos and uncertainty, God’s sheep can be still… knowing that their Great Shepherd is God.

Though the world may crumble around them, in the promise of His covenant, and the security of His blood, they can lay down in green pastures of quietness and rest, without fear and without trouble.

If the God of Jacob is our refuge, then The Lord of hosts is with us.

In Christ our Savior, we shall not be moved.

God will help us, and that right early.

Let’s just be still, and know that He is God.

~ Pastor Gabe Stalnaker

Click here to listen to the message “Refuge, Strength, Help & Peace”

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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 March, 2020 | Previous post date: n/a

THE FAMILY OF GOD

“But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.” | Isaiah 43: 1

All those adopted into God’s family should cultivate a continual care and concern for each family member.

How can we do this?

Look at what the Scriptures say:
“Care one for another.” (I Corinthians 12: 25)
“Love one another.” (John 13: 34)
“Pray for one another.” (James 5: 16)
“Comfort one another.” (I Thessalonians 4: 18)
“Admonish one another.” (Romans 15: 14)
“Edify one another.” (I Thessalonians 5: 11)
“Be at peace with one another.” (Mark 9: 50)
“Forgive one another.” (Ephesians 4: 32)

~ Pastor Tom Harding

Click here to listen to the message “The Precious Promises Of The Gospel”

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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 September, 2021 | Previous post date: n/a

Be Not Ashamed

“Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony (gospel) of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner.” | 2 Timothy 1: 8

I am confident that all who know and love the Lord Jesus are determined in their heart that they shall never be ashamed of Christ or His gospel.

Peter was.

When the Lord Jesus told them that all would be offended in Him that very night, Peter proclaimed that though others might, he never would, adding that he would die before denying the Lord, yet, he did both that very night. (Matthew 26: 31-35; Matthew 26: 69-75) Sadly, this was not the only occurrence. Years later he did it again at Antioch, compelling Paul to publicly rebuke and correct him. (Galatians 2: 11-18)

Oh, how frail we are, the best of men are but men at best. We must continually come to the throne of grace seeking mercy and grace to help in time of need.

Paul, knowing the danger, instructs and exhorts Timothy against this evil. The old Serpent is very subtle and crafty. When the gospel of God’s sovereign, free grace in Christ is preached according to the word and in the power of the Holy Spirit, It cannot be made in-effectual. However, Satan knows that the weak link is not the gospel of Christ and Him crucified, but those who preach it. For, the best of preachers (our Lord excepted) are compassed about with frailty, faults, and infirmity.

We are not ignorant of the enemy’s devices. His strategy is to divide and conquer. He uses men of the world (in religion or not) to draw attention to the preacher’s shortcomings or personality traits and thereby drive a wedge between the people and the preacher. Having gained an opening, it is now a simple matter to introduce error and corrupt the gospel of God’s grace.

Study the Scriptures and see if this is not played out over and over. Paul himself was accused of being a pestilent fellow, a mover of sedition, a heretic, a mad man, a false apostle, of being weak in bodily presence and a terrible speaker. (2 Corinthians 10: 10) He was now in prison, (for preaching the gospel) if he were an apostle of Christ would this be happening to him?

God’s preachers have been accused of all these and more. Their personality, manner of preaching, the doctrine of the gospel, their direction and leadership of the church have all been brought into the fray. In my experience, most all who have been ashamed of their pastor/preacher, soon became ashamed of the gospel and have left the assembly of God’s people.

Don’t be ashamed of the gospel and don’t be ashamed of gospel preachers.

~ Pastor Charles Pennington

Click here to listen to the message “The Righteousness Which is of 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.

Central Grace Church Bulletin Article date: 10 October, 2021 | Previous post date: n/a | Rocky Mount, Virginia

The Saints of God

“To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ” | Romans 1: 7

Who are these saints to whom Paul is writing?

Every believer who is saved by the grace of God is a saint.

We are totally sanctified in the Lord Jesus Christ, by His effectual blood sacrifice for us. (Hebrews 10: 14; 1 Peter 1: 18-20)

The Lord Jesus Christ is made to the believer sanctification; He is our total sanctification before God the Father. (1 Corinthians 1: 30)

There is no such thing as progressive sanctification.

We grow in grace and in the knowledge of Christ (2 Peter 3: 18) but our wicked flesh is never sanctified in our salvation. (Romans 7: 18-24) Sanctification is the work of the Holy Spirit making us new creatures in Christ, giving unto us a new holy nature in the new birth. (2 Corinthians 5: 17, 2 Peter 1: 4)

That which is of the flesh is just that flesh but that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. (John 3: 6; Ephesians 4: 24)

Thank God salvation is all of grace! (1 Peter 5: 10)

~ Pastor Tom Harding

Click here to listen to the message “What Is Repentance?”

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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 October, 2020 | Previous post date: 8 February, 2021

A Passive Word

“But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;” | Titus 3: 4-6

Here is a passive word — “Be”

The new birth is not something you do.

It is something done to you, something God does for you and in you.

A man has no more to do with his spiritual birth than he does with his natural birth.

In this matter of regeneration man is passive. He has nothing to do with it. (John 1: 12-13)

You cannot save yourself.

You cannot give yourself life.

You cannot be born again by something you do.

The new birth is not accomplished by moral reformation, baptism, religious fervor, zealous works and devotion, or even by faith in Christ.

Faith in Christ is not the cause of the new birth. Faith is the result of the new birth.

We believe according to the working of God’s mighty power, by the operation of his grace. (Ephesians 1: 19; Ephesians 2: 8; Colossians 2: 11-12)

The new birth is something done to you, for you, and in you by God’s sovereign, irresistible grace. It is not something you do.

“You must BE born again!”

Martin Luther correctly asserted, “If any man ascribes anything of salvation, even the very least thing, to the free will of man, he knows nothing of grace, and he has not learned Jesus Christ rightly.”

~ Pastor Don Fortner

Click here to listen to the message
“Don’t Ever Forget Who You Are, and Whose You Are”

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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 August, 2008 | Previous post date: n/a | Danville, Kentuky

Unto you that believe, He is precious

“And Naomi said unto her daughter in law, Blessed be he of the LORD, who hath not left off his kindness to the living and to the dead. And Naomi said unto her, The man is near of kin unto us, one of our next kinsmen.” | Ruth 2: 20

Believers receive Christ, rejoice in Christ, and to them He is precious.

His obedience is our righteousness, His blood is our atonement.

His prayers are our intercession.

His reign is our glory.

His coming is our hope!

Christ is all and in all!

~ Pastor Henry Mahan

Click here to listen to the message “The One Who Has the Right to Redeem”

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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 March, 2020 | Previous post date: n/a