January 13, 2008

Beware of any preacher who seeks to draw attention to and promote himself and what he is doing. Faithful men love, support, and promote other faithful men as they serve Christ and his kingdom.

Daily Readings for the Week of January 13-20

·      Rescue Baptist Church in Rescue, CA will host its winter Bible conference January 25-27. Scheduled speakers are: Bob Harman, Norm Wells, and Don Fortner. Bro. Gene Harmon is host pastor. Telephone: 530-677-1710 — Email: rescubap@foothill.net

·      Missionary Offering Next Sunday

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Lance Hellar-17^th Molly McCormack-17^th Melody Schwartz-19^th

NURSERY DUTY THIS WEEK

Today: Ruth Wall (AM) Pam Wood (PM) Tuesday: Shelby Fortner

Farther Along

Tempted and tried we’re oft made to wonder why it should be thus all the day long.

Yet, blessed Father, loving and gracious, we know You’re wise and never do wrong.

Farther along we’ll know more about it. Farther along we’ll understand why;

Cheer up, my brother. God is our Father! — We’ll understand it all by and by.

When death has come and taken our loved ones, leaving our homes so lonely and drear;

Then do we cry, “O help me dear Savior, You know my sorrow, You know my fear.”

Farther along we’ll know more about it. Farther along we’ll understand why;

Cheer up, my sister, look yet for mercy. — We’ll understand it all by and by.

Often I wonder why I must journey over a road so rugged and steep.

Why all the darkness? Why all the heartache? Why must Your chosen so often weep?

Farther along we’ll know more about it. Farther along we’ll understand why;

Cheer up, believer, trust your great Savior. — We’ll understand it all by and by

“Faithful ‘til death,” said our loving Master, a few more days to labor and wait;

Toils of the road will then be as nothing, as we sweep through the beautiful gates.

Farther along we’ll know more about it. Farther along we’ll understand why;

Cheer up, my brother. Cheer up, my sister. — We’ll understand it all by and by.

When we see Jesus coming in glory; to take us to His home in the sky;

In heaven’s glory, bowing before Him, we’ll understand it all by and by.

Farther along we’ll know more about it. Farther along we’ll understand why;

Cheer up, God’s children. — Glory awaits us! We’ll understand it all by and by.

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No changes in eternity

Revelation 22:11

     Read the words of the wise man and learn what they mean: “In the place where the tree falleth, there shall it be” (Eccles. 11:3). Solomon’s language is not hard to understand. His meaning is: Whatever your condition is when you die, that will be your condition throughout eternity. Death changes nothing. There will be no changes in eternity. Whatever your spiritual condition is at the moment of death, that will be your spiritual condition throughout eternity. Whatever your state is before God when you die, that will be your state before God throughout eternity. There will be no changes in eternity. Purgatory is a lie. Limbo is a delusion. The angel said to John, “He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.” Those four unalterable, inflexible, unbending statements of divine justice cannot change or be changed. We are told that, “justice is blind.” Among men, that is questionable. But I assure you that the justice of God is blind. It does not take into consideration, or offer leniency upon the grounds of age, race, sex, environment, education, ability, or knowledge. It sees only two things: sin and righteousness, guilt and innocence, filthiness and holiness. Justice gives consideration to nothing else.

Unjust Still

“He that is unjust, let him be unjust still.” — If you are without Christ, you are unjust, you are in a state and condition of non-justification. You have broken God’s law. The guilt of sin is upon you. Oh, if you could understand what I am saying to you, you would tremble with fear. The wrath of God is upon you! You are cursed! You are condemned! The very same wrath of God that heats the fires of hell is upon you right now (Ps. 5:5; 7:11-13; 11:4-6; Ezek. 18:20; John 3:18, 36).

     Your unjustified condition, your state of condemnation is a matter of righteousness, justice, and truth. If God should seize you before you draw your next breath and cast you into hell, his judgment upon you would be exactly what you deserve. You have earned his wrath. “The wages of sin is death” (Rom. 6:23; Ps. 51:1-5). If you die in your present condition, unjust, you will be forever unjust. You are without hope, without life, without God, without Christ. Dare you die in such a state? If you do, there will be no mercy for you, but only wrath, no friend in heaven for you, but only enemies. You will forever remain unjustified! The only change that will take place is this: When you wake up in hell, you will value Christ more than anything and want his mercy more than anything, but there will be no possibility of you obtaining it.

Filthy Still

“He which is filthy, let him be filthy still.” — If you are without Christ, you are filthy, so filthy that even your righteousnesses are filthy rags in God’s sight (Isa. 64:6). No one likes to think of filth, be around filth, see filth, smell filth, or touch filth. Have you ever smelled a filthy thing, or had to work in filth? If you have,

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just the remembrance of it will make your stomach begin to churn. Yet, the Word of God declares that you and I are by nature filthy. Our hearts are filthy (Mk. 7:21-23). Our best deeds are filthy (Isa. 64:6). Our consciences are filthy and must be purged (Heb. 9:14). If you die in your filth, you will wallow in your filth forever in hell. Death will not change you. The fires of hell will not purge away the filth of nature. There will be no regeneration of the heart, no repentance from sin, no renovation of the soul, and no reformation of life in hell. The only thing that will change is this: In hell your lusts and filthy passions will be more acute than ever, but shall have no satisfaction. And the corruptions of your heart will torment you more, infinitely more, in hell than any man has ever been tormented by conscience in this world. The only one who can purge you from your filth is the Lord Jesus Christ. His blood has purged away the filth of every believer from the book of justice. Christ’s blood, if you believe, will purge away the guilt of your filth from your conscience. In fact, your faith in him will be to you the evidence that his blood purged away your sins when he satisfied the justice of God for his elect at Calvary (Heb. 11:1). By the power, merit, and virtue of his blood, the Son of God will purge away the filth of sin from our bodies in the resurrection. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and be clean (Zec. 13:1).

Righteous Still

“He that is righteous, let him be righteous still.” — All who die in the Lord in a state of righteousness, justified and complete in Christ, shall be righteous forever and enjoy the just reward of perfect righteousness in eternal glory. Nothing will change after you die. There will be no changes in eternity. That which God has given to us and wrought in us shall never be taken away (Eccles. 3:14; John 10:28-29; Rom. 11:29).

Holy Still

“He that is holy, let him be holy still.” — If you die in a state of holiness, born again (regenerated and sanctified) by the Spirit of God, you shall be forever holy and inherit the kingdom of holiness. That which God has done cannot be undone, made better, or made less (Eccles. 3:14). Death changes nothing. There will be no changes in eternity! Righteousness is a matter of legal standing. Holiness is a matter of personal experience. All men without Christ are in a state of being unjust, a state of non-justification, condemnation, and guilt before the law of God. That is man’s standing before God. But his nature is “filthy,” the condition of his heart, the thoughts of his mind, the state of his soul is “filthy.” All who are in Christ, redeemed by his blood, are “righteous.” Our legal standing before God is righteous, right in the eyes of the law, because Christ’s righteousness has been imputed to us. We were made righteous by Christ’s obedience. But “holiness” is the believer’s new nature in Christ (1 John 3:9; 2 Peter 1:4; 1 Cor. 5:17). Holiness is not what we do. Holiness is what we are by the new birth. Holiness is the righteousness of Christ imparted to us in regeneration.

     Only one thing in this world is of any real importance, because only one thing in this world is of any eternal consequence, and that is your relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. Faith in Christ is the one urgent, eternal necessity of your soul. — “Dost thou believe on the Son of God?”

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Grace Bulletin

January 13, 2008

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.freegraceradio.com

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

Don Fortner

Listen to sermons at FreeGraceRadio.com