April 23, 2006

 

“In Matthew 25 God’s elect can’t believe they ever performed any works worthy of Christ’s commendation, while the self righteous Pharisees can’t believe they didn’t. There is no doubt in eternity things will be the complete opposite of what they seem now.”                                                  Russell Smyth

 

Daily Readings for the Week of April 23-30

                Sunday                    2 Kings 5-7                                                                             Thursday                                2 Kings 15-17

                Monday                  2 Kings 8-9                                                                             Friday                     2 Kings 18-19

                Tuesday                  2 Kings 10-12                                                                         Saturday                  2 Kings 20-22

                Wednesday             2 Kings 13-14                                                                         Sunday                    2 Kings 23-24

 

We are delighted to have Pastor Henry Mahan and his wife, Doris, with us again today. Bro. Mahan will bring the messages this morning and tonight. I am preaching today for Fairmont Grace Church in Sylacauga, AL, where Bro. Tommy Robbins is pastor. The Lord willing, I will preach to you from Exodus 3 on Tuesday evening.

 

A Child Of God Am I Don Fortner

(Tune: Blest Be The Tie — #187 — SM)

 

1.        A child of God am I. My Father is my God.

So let me at His footstool lie

And kiss His chastening rod.

 

2.        God will not cause His child a needless pain or tear,

Or willingly afflict that child

To Him immensely dear.

 

3.        I bow to all Your will, my Father, good and wise.

Teach me by Your grace to be still.

Let not a murmur rise.

 

4.        Your love dispels my gloom. I should be most serene.

My soul with hope immortal blooms

To brighten every scene!

 

C. H. Spurgeon once presided at a meeting in which a young preacher was asked to speak. He began by saying that he was a poor speaker and all he knew was the “A. B. C. Gospel.” He went on to say “A” stands for the text we should all learn first as it is the very beginning — “All have sinned and come short of the Glory of God.” “B” stands for —  “Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world.” “C” is — “Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.” When the young preacher sat down, Spurgeon, with tears streaming down his cheeks, said, “Stick to that kind of preaching and you will be a real A. B. C. — “Able Bodied Christian.”

 

22

Take not Thy Holy Spirit from Me

 

Palm 51:11

 

EVERY true believer fears the removal of God’s presence and power. David prayed, “Take not thy spirit from me.” Paul feared that, “While preaching to others I might become a castaway.” My thoughts are that this condition is manifested in the following ways:

(1) We begin to experience no blessing nor benefit from the reading or preaching of the Word. When the Word ceases to convict, rebuke, burn in my heart and cause me to rejoice in Christ, then God is not speaking to me; for God speaks through His Word.

(2) We are in trouble when we feel satisfied with our spiritual progress and become puffed up with knowledge. We become authorities instead of learners; having arrived, our humble spirit is in creed alone; not experience.

(3) We can be absent from the fellowship of believers and worship of God without feeling a great loss and an empty heart. A man who can be warmed by his own fire is either dead or dying spiritually.

(4) We begin to be critics and find, fault with others. The Spirit of God leads a man to feel that he is “less than the least,” “chief of sinners.” When the Spirit of God is not present, we become judges and faultfinders.

(5) When our souls are not vexed, by the sin within us and the conversation of men about us, when we can feel comfortable in the presence of those who “never knew our God,” when we can conform to the ways of natural men and the trend of materialism, the light of God is dim or extinguished.

(6) When our thoughts become self centered and the general welfare, well-being, and joy of others is of no great concern to us, we are certainly not motivated by the Spirit of God. Selfishness, like self-righteousness, is not of God. The heart filled with God’s love and grace dwells on others; to make them happy, is to be happy.

Pastor Henry Mahan

 

 

 

Christ in the Midst

 

When Noah and his family were in that ark during the flood (though probably fearful), not one drop of water fell on them, for Christ was in the midst of them. When Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were in that fiery furnace, things looked hopeless; but the flames could not touch them, neither could the smell of smoke enter their clothing, for Christ was in the midst of them. When the disciples were in the ship at sea, and the winds and waves began to be contrary to them, they were afraid; but neither hell nor high water could sink that ship, for Christ was in the midst of them. And as for you, dear church of God, “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 Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge” (Psalm 46:5-7).                                                                                                 Pastor Paul Mahan

 

 

23

This is the Day

 

This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.”                                                                                                                                              (Psalms 118:24)

 

Without question the day specifically spoken of in this sweet psalm of praise was prophetic, referring to the day of our Savior’s resurrection, the day when “the Stone which the builders refused” became “the Headstone of the corner.” The day spoken of here is this great gospel day of grace in which we live. “This is the day which the Lord hath made!” The Lord God, our Savior made this glorious gospel day by obtaining eternal redemption for us. “We will rejoice and be glad in it.” If those saints of old rejoiced in the confident prospect of this day, how much more joyful we ought to be in it! This is the day of grace our God made for us. The first man, Adam, brought in a day of sadness; but Christ, the last Adam, has brought in an everlasting day of gladness for his elect.

 

                We delight in the fact that our Savior was raised from the dead on the first day of the week, and rejoice to gather with his people in his house every Sunday to worship the risen Christ. But those who suggest that this verse of Scripture speaks of establishing a Sunday sabbath in this gospel age both greatly constrict its meaning and teach a doctrine nowhere taught in Holy Scripture. Christ is our Sabbath of rest. Resting in him, we call the Sabbath a delight (Isa. 58:13).

 

                As the rising of the sun in the eastern sky brings day upon the dark earth, so the rising of Christ, the Sun of Righteousness, in our souls with healing in his wings, brings in our sin-darkened souls the never ending day of life and grace, a never ending Sabbath of rest and delight.

 

                Let us, therefore, look upon every day in which we live and walk in his grace as “the day which the Lord hath made,” understanding that he made it specifically for us. I often hear God’s saints speak of days gone by, as though they were better days, almost complaining that they did not live in another day. In doing so, they make themselves and others miserable.

 

                Child of God, this day, this very day is “the day which the Lord hath made” for you and me; and he made us for this day. There never was and never can be a better day in which you and I could live and serve our God. You know, I am sure, that it is our God, our heavenly Father, who made this day. Be sure you understand this, too. — He made, rules, and disposes of everything in this day, according to his own everlasting love for us.

 

                Knowing these things, Paul, the prisoner of the Lord, says to you and me, “Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.” We always have cause for joy, because we are Christs and Christ is ours! Yes, we all must endure trials, hardships, sorrows, and pains. Yes, we are all constrained, as long as we live in this body of flesh, to be at war with our vile lusts. But in our saddest conditions, in our most painful circumstances, we are living in the day (including all that is experienced in it) which the Lord has made. We sometimes have banner, red-letter days of gladness, and sometimes disappointing days of great grief; but every day we live was ordered from eternity for us; and each is preparing us for a better day still, the day of eternal bliss and glory. So sing, my brother, sing, my sister. Sing today, — “This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.”

 

24

Grace Bulletin

 

April 23, 2006

 

GRACE BAPTIST CHURCH of DANVILLE

2734 Old Stanford Road-Danville, Kentucky 40422-9438

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

 

Donald S. Fortner, Pastor

 

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.

 

Web Pages

http://www.donfortner.com

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

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