SCHEDULE OF REGULAR SERVICES

Sunday 10:00 A.M. Bible Classes

10:30 A.M. Morning Worship Service

6:30 P.M. Evening Worship Service

Tuesday 7:30 P.M. Mid-Week Worship Service

Television Broadcasts

Danville Channel 6-Sunday Morning 8:00 A.M.

Channel 6 - Wednesday Evening 6:00 P.M.

Channel 6 - Friday Evening 7:00 P.M.

Harrodsburg Channel 6 - Friday Evening 7:00 P.M.

Web Pages

http://www.donfortner.com

http://www.sovereign-grace/gracechurch.htm

http://www.freegrace.net/danville/default.asp

January 9, 2005

God has, in Himself, all power to defend you, all wisdom to direct you, all mercy to pardon you, all grace to enrich you, all righteousness to clothe you, all goodness to supply you, and all happiness to crown you. Thomas Brooks

Daily Readings for the Week of January 9-16

Sunday Genesis 28-30 Thursday Genesis 38-40

Monday Genesis 31-32 Friday Genesis 41-42

Tuesday Genesis 33-35 Saturday Genesis 43-44

Wednesday Genesis 36-37 Sunday Genesis 45-47

· I am preaching today for Walker Creek Baptist Church in Taylor, AR. Bros. Larry Criss and Ron Wood will preach the gospel to you today.

· The Lord willing, we will have our Quarterly Fellowship on Sunday, February 6.

· Missionary Offering Next Sunday — Thank you for your faithful, generous support of our missionary families.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Ryan Hellar-12^th

NURSERY DUTY THIS WEEK

Today: Regina Henson (AM) Pam Wood (PM) Tuesday: Ruth Wall

We’ve come to worship You, O Lord — Don Fortner

(Tune: The Doxology — LM)

1. We’ve come to worship You, O Lord.

We ask for grace to hear Your Word.

Our Father, visit us today:

Receive our praise, teach us to pray.

2. Holy Spirit, grace now give,

That sinners dead may look and live!

Repentance, faith, eternal life,

Bestow, we pray, Spirit of Life!

3. Lord Jesus, Savior, show Your face,

Dispel our clouds and give us peace.

Arise, O Sun of Righteousness!

Revive our souls with needed grace!

4. Though we are sinful, Lord, You’re good,

Come, bathe our souls in Jesus’ blood,

Blest Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, —

The God we praise, adore, and trust!

WORSHIP — Henry Mahan

Paul wrote in Hebrews 10:25, “Let us not forsake the assembling of ourselves together.” It is the duty of all believers to meet together for worship, praise, study, and fellowship.

BECAUSE OF GOD, Who has appointed worship, Who approves of it, Who is glorified in it, and Who should be worshipped.
BECAUSE OF OURSELVES; we need to “draw nigh to God,” to ”seek His face,” to praise, pray, and be refreshed and comforted with other believers.
BECAUSE OF OTHERS: our families, friends, and neighbors who may, by our example and encouragement, be brought to seek the Lord.

But worship is not only a duty and commandment, worship is a BLESSED PRIVILEGE. David wrote, “Blessed is the man whom Thou choosest and causest to approach unto Thee, that he may dwell in Thy courts.” We are blessed to have the DESIRE to worship God and hear His word. We are blessed to have the FREEDOM to go to the place of worship. We are blessed to have a FAMILY of BELIEVERS with whom to meet and worship. We are blessed to have ELDERS and PREACHERS called of God to preach to us and teach us the Word. We are blessed to have the PHYSICAL STRENGTH to go to the house of the Lord and worship. “Blessed INDEED is the man whom Thou choosest and causest to approach unto Thee.”

False Religion and True

Philippians 3:1-3

Philippians 3:1-3 sets before us a distinct contrast between false and true religion. The message of these three verses is of tremendous importance.

An Exhortation

This chapter begins with an exhortation (v. 1). Paul says, “Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord.” No matter what our providential experiences and circumstances are, we always have reason to rejoice in the Lord. Here is an exhortation to joy. What a blessed command! — “Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say rejoice!” Rejoice in the greatness of his person as our all-sufficient Substitute, in the power of his blood that cleanses us from all sin, in the perfection of his righteousness imputed to us for justification, in the abundance of his all-sufficient grace, in the immutability of his unfailing love, in the rule of his providence working all things together for our good, in the fact of his all-prevailing intercession on our behalf, and in the fact that our names are written in heaven. May God give us grace ever to “rejoice in the Lord” for the glory of Christ and the good of his people.

A Warning

In verse 2, the apostle gives us a serious warning. — “Beware of dogs.” He warns us to beware of false prophets. He calls them dogs because that is what the Word of God calls male prostitutes. False prophets are men who have for their own sakes prostituted the gospel of Christ and the glory of God (Deut. 23:18; Isa. 56:10-11). Then he tells us to “beware of evil workers,” referring to those same “dogs” (preachers) who teach, preach, and promote any system of man centered, works based, free will religion (Matt. 7:22-23). Man centered, works based, free will religion is the single greatest cause of evil in this world. The good works of religion without Christ are the most abominably evil works done in this world. They rob God of his glory, trample under foot the blood of Christ, do despite to the Spirit of grace, and gradually abase man to his lowest, most contemptible state (Rom. 1:25-31). Next, he speaks of these men as “evil workers,” referring to all who teach that God’s salvation depends upon and is determined by man. The apostle goes on to call these work-mongers “the concision,” warning us again to beware of them. Those who are of the concision are men and women who teach us to cut, mutilate, and otherwise punish our bodies in hope of winning God’s favor.

In essence, Paul is saying, “Beware of Christless religion.” Beware of any religious custom, doctrine, or service that is centered in yourself and encourages you to focus attention on yourself.

True Religion

In verse 3 we are given a description of true religion. — "For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh." True religion is not man centered, but Christ centered. True religion is not ceremonial, but spiritual. True religion is not a matter of creed, but of conviction. True religion is not outward, but inward. “For we are the circumcision,” God’s true, covenant people, the Israel of God, Abraham’s true children, which “worship God in the Spirit.” We worship God as he is revealed in the Scriptures, by the power of his Holy Spirit, in our spirits, and in a spiritual manner. True worship is spiritual worship, not carnal, ceremonial ritualism (John 4:23-24). — “And rejoice in Christ Jesus.” We trust the Lord Jesus Christ alone, placing all our confidence in him as our Savior. We are complete in him (1 Cor. 1:30-31; Col. 2:9-10). — “And have no confidence in the flesh.” We place absolutely no confidence in our flesh, the experiences, emotions, or (imaginary) excellencies of our flesh. The privileges of the flesh, the feelings of the flesh, and the works of the flesh are no basis of confidence before God.

The Distinction

In all false religion the hope of salvation and eternal life is, in some measure, found in the flesh. In true religion “Christ is all,” all hope is found in him alone. That is the great distinction. True religion is religion that trusts Christ alone. False religion trusts Christ, and…

GRACE BAPTIST

CHURCH of DANVILLE

2734 Old Stanford Road-Danville, Kentucky 40422-9438

Telephone (859) 236-8235 — E-Mail don@donfortner.com

Web Pages

http://donfortner.com

http://sovereign-grace/gracechurch.htm

http://freegrace.net/danville/default.asp

Donald S. Fortner, Pastor

SCHEDULE OF REGULAR SERVICES

Sunday 10:00 A.M. Bible Classes