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July 15, 2007
“This divine nature is the nature of Christ, and the holiness of God. It is the imparting to us of God Himself by the Holy Spirit in the soul. This divine nature befits us for heaven.” — B. B. Caldwell
Daily Readings for the Week of July 15-22 Sunday Isaiah 6-9 Thursday Isaiah 24-27 Monday Isaiah 10-13 Friday Isaiah 28-30 Tuesday Isaiah 14-18 Saturday Isaiah 31-34 Wednesday Isaiah 19-23 Sunday Isaiah 35-38
· Missionary Offering Today · First Baptist Church in Almont, Michigan will host a sovereign grace Bible conference July 27-29. The scheduled preachers are: Tim James, Bruce Crabtree and Don Fortner. Bro. Jim Byrd is the host pastor. — Telephone 810-798-8888 — Email jfbyrd51@eesc.com · Grace Bible Church in San Leandro, California will host a sovereign grace Bible conference August 24-26. Scheduled preachers are: Lance Hellar and Don Fortner. Bro. Jesse Gistand is the host pastor. — Telephone 510-886-9782 — Email gbc@flash.net · Next Sunday we will receive an offering for our upcoming conference. After our morning worship service next week, we will have our regular Quarterly Fellowship Dinner. There will be no evening service next Sunday.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Diane Campbell-16th Cliff Hellar-18th Betty Burge-19th
NURSERY DUTY THIS WEEK Today: Regina Henson (AM) Pam Wood (PM) Tuesday: Jayalita McCormack
O Holy Spirit, Now Come Down — Don Fortner (Tune: #497 When I Can Read My Title Clear -- CM )
1. O Holy Spirit, now come down, Reveal the things of God, And make that free salvation known, Obtained by Jesus’ blood.
2. Give us grace that we might know The sin-atoning Lamb! O give us faith and make us know Salvation by His name!
3. Then, only then, can sinners know Their interest in Christ’s blood And cry, as at God’s throne we bow, “My Savior and my God!”
7 A Letter to a Young Man
I received a letter from a young man last week who is concerned for his soul, expressing a desire to trust Christ, but struggling with his feelings and motives. The following is what I wrote to him. I am sure it is needed by many.
I have given your questions much thought, and it is my prayer that the following will be blessed of God to your soul's everlasting salvation in Christ.
I can think of no better way to begin than with this word from God, — “Turn ye unto me, saith the Lord of hosts” (Zech. 1:3). This word from our God is not merely an offer of mercy, or a mere invitation of grace. It is a command from God to you and me. There are many other passages in Holy Scripture like this. Turn to them and read them (Isaiah 45:22; 55:1, 6; Matthew 11:28; John 7:37; Revelation 22:17). As you read these sweet, gracious, gospel calls to you, understand that in every case the verbs used by our God, by which he sweetly calls sinners to repentance and faith in Christ are, like the word “Turn” in Zechariah 1:3, commands from the triune God to lost, ruined, straying sinners.
The one thing God requires of you and me is that we trust his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. — “This is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ” (1 John 3:23). The one issue between fallen man and the holy Lord God is his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ (John 3:18, 36; 6:27-29).
Salvation will never be found by looking within yourself. You must be turned away from yourself entirely. I do not ask you to produce any obedience, or feeling whatsoever. I call upon you to trust the obedience of the Lord Jesus Christ, the sinner’s Substitute. This is God’s sweet commandment. — “Turn ye unto me, saith the Lord of Hosts.” — “This is his commandment, that we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ.” This is the one commandment you must obey. And if you obey this commandment you will live forever, for the Lord of host has sworn, “and I will turn unto you!”
The one thing God requires of every sinner is faith in his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. “Dost thou believe on the Son of God?” That is the one issue that must be settled. — “Dost thou believe on the Son of God?” It is written in the Book of God, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:31).
It is my prayer that God the Holy Spirit will grant you faith in Christ, trusting him alone as your Lord and Savior. When you find yourself trusting Christ, you have life eternal by his grace.
“You must know that you are never to separate in your thoughts God from Christ. Always as you look upon Christ, so look upon God; or as you look upon God, look upon him no otherwise than as he is in Christ, not as if there were another God besides what Christ is; for there is no such thing.” — Tobias Crisp
8 The Work of God the Holy Spirit
“He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.” (John 16:14)
All the comfort, instruction, and direction of God the Holy Spirit comes to sinners through the Lord Jesus Christ.
In accordance with the disposition of the covenant of grace the Holy Spirit is Christ’s agent in this world, just as he was the Father’s agent in this world. He does nothing of himself, speaks nothing of himself, and receives nothing to himself. It is the Spirit’s delight to do Christ’s bidding in this world, even as it has been the Son’s delight to do his Father’s bidding. Christ is the Fountain of grace. The Holy Spirit is the channel through whom all the waters of grace flow to us from the Fountain.
The gifts of the Spirit are actually the gifts of Christ bestowed upon his church by the Spirit for the glory of Christ, for the furtherance of the gospel of Christ, and for the increase and spiritual welfare of the body of Christ. A comparison of Scripture with Scripture will show this plainly (1 Corinthians 12:11; Ephesians 4:7-12). The Holy Spirit is not in competition with Christ. He has come to glorify Christ.
Everywhere today we hear men saying, “This is the age of the Holy Spirit.” They talk about the anointing of the Spirit, the baptism of the Spirit, being slain in the Spirit, the gifts of the Spirit, the filling of the Spirit, the presence of the Spirit, and the works of the Spirit, and say very little about the Person, work, and glory of Christ. Those who tell you to seek the Spirit, those who focus your attention on the Holy Spirit do not have the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit speaks only of Christ. And those who have the Spirit of Christ speak of Christ. That man who preaches by the Spirit of God preaches Christ only, Christ alone, and Christ always.
Let no one misunderstand me. Let us reverence the Holy Spirit, worship the Spirit, and honor the Spirit. The Holy Spirit is God. But the only way to reverence the Spirit is to reverence Christ. The only way to worship the Spirit is to worship Christ. The only way to honor the Spirit is to honor Christ.
1. To have the anointing of the Spirit is to have Christ. 2. To be baptized in the Spirit is to be baptized into Christ. 3. To have the gifts of the Spirit is to have the covenant blessings of God’s grace in Christ. 4. To have the filling of the Spirit is to have Christ in you. 5. To have the power of the Spirit is to have the power of Christ. 6. To have the presence of the Spirit is to have the presence of Christ. 7. To have the work of the Spirit is to have Christ formed in you. 8. To walk in the Spirit is to walk in Christ, with Christ, toward Christ, and for Christ by faith in Christ.
This is not the age of the Spirit. This is the age of the Son. This is the age of Christ! This is the day of grace, the gospel day, the day of Christ. It began when the Sun of Righteousness arose from the grave with healing in his wings!
9 Grace Bulletin
July 15, 2007
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 in 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
Don Fortner
Listen to sermons at FreeGraceRadio.com |
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