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Grace Baptist Church of Danville

June 1, 2014

 

That which usually determines whether a local church is divided or united, strong or weak, useful or a hindrance is the church’s attitude toward the pastor God has given it. Those who highly esteem a faithful pastor for his work’s sake are united in peace, strong in faith, and useful in the cause of Christ. Those who despise God’s messenger to their souls are divided, weak, and a great hindrance (1 Thessalonians 5:12-13).

 

Daily Readings for the Week of June 1-8, 2014

Sunday                Esther 2-4                                                                 Thursday       Job 8-11

            Monday                      Esther 5-8                                                                 Friday             Job 12-15

            Tuesday                    Esther 9-Job 2                                                         Saturday                    Job 16-21

            Wednesday  Job 3-7                                                                                  Sunday                      Job 22-27

 

·      The Lord willing, we will have a dinner in honor of our graduates next Sunday.

·      Crossville Conference — Lantana Grace Church in Crossville, TN will host its annual sovereign grace Bible conference June 20-22. Bro. Donnie Bell is the host pastor.

 

Happy Birthday!

Joseph Warta-1st      Audrey Grace Hacker-2nd         Nicole Abell-5th

Oscar Bailey-6th      Nathaniel Duff-6th

 

Happy Anniversary:  Rex & Debbie Bartley-1st   Don & Shelby Fortner-1st

 

Nursery Duty this Week

Today: Jenny Bartley AM)  — Celeste Peterson (PM)  — Tuesday: Mindy Peterson

 

Zion Is His Dwelling Still Don Fortner

(Tune: #225 – I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say — CMD)

 

1.    The Lord our God chose Zion’s hill to be His place of rest;

And Zion is His dwelling still, with His own presence blessed!

Christ’s word of promise He will keep, as long as time shall stand,

Where two or three poor, needy sheep gather, He will descend.

 

2.    Christ stoops to meet poor sinners here and speaks by His preached Word

To both reprove our sin and cheer our souls with grace outpoured.

The hungry and in spirit poor with grace and truth are fed.

The contrite, trembling at His Word, by Christ are gently led.

 

3.    O Holy Spirit, come today! Father, accept our praise!

Savior, Your glory here display, and heal each soul’s disease!

Arise, O Christ! Arise! Arise! Come, visit us with grace!

We wait, with hopeful, longing eyes, to be thus owned and blessed.

What is the church supposed to do?

Matthew 28:18-20

 

The “church” of this age no more resembles the church of the New Testament than a stallion resembles a salamander. The church today is man centered. The church of the New Testament was Christ centered. Churches today exist for the pleasures of men. The New Testament church existed for the glory of God.

The average church in 21st-century America is nothing more than a poor man’s country club. It is an entertainment center, an educational facility, a rallying place for political causes (liberal and conservative), a place for burying the dead and marrying the young. Sometimes, a congregation may even feed some poor people, and that is good. But the church of this age has no sense of purpose, no understanding of its responsibility before God. The reason churches have so many fights and splits is obvious to anyone who will watch and listen. — There is nothing to unite them. Everyone sees the church as an organization to serve his or her own interests. Few understand that the church of God is a body, a family in which redeemed sinners serve one another's needs for the glory of God!

Though it is certainly the responsibility of every local church to care for the poor and feed the hungry, the only way any church can truly serve the souls of men and the glory of Christ is by doing the one thing very few churches do — the one thing the church is supposed to do, and that one thing is preach the gospel of God’s free and sovereign grace in Christ. The church of the living God is first and foremost a preaching center.

            “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15). — Language could not be clearer. Our ascended Lord has left one work for his church to perform. He tells us to preach the gospel! The church of Jesus Christ is not a religious social club, a temple for the performance of religious rituals, a theological seminary, or a social welfare agency. The church of Jesus Christ is a sounding board for the gospel of God’s grace and glory in Christ! There is no other purpose for her existence.

            This is not just a command for preachers, missionaries, and evangelists to go. Primarily, it is a call to the people who form the church, all believers. It is as though our Lord were saying to all who follow him, “As you are going through this world, sound out the gospel”. Yes, he means for you to be actively engaged in the work? He means for you to sound out the message of redeeming grace!

            Multitudes are perishing around you! Your neighbors, your family, your friends are sinking down into hell! Will you refuse to tell them of Christ and his salvation? Will you let them die without telling them where life is found? Oh, may God fire our souls, that we may earnestly make known unto men the gospel of his grace!

            God taught us the gospel. He has revealed his grace within us. He has given us his Word, not to be hidden under a bushel, but to be proclaimed from the housetops! For the glory of Christ, for the love of his name, for the increase of his kingdom, for the souls of men, let us all be engaged in this mighty work. Go preach the gospel! Do it now!

 

 

What is a church?

Ephesians 2:11-22

 

A gospel church is much more than a congregation of people assembled together for the purpose of promoting a creed and continuing the ordinances of divine worship. If we are a true church of Christ, we have much stronger ties than the waters of baptism produce.

      Every true local assembly is a miniature of the church universal, as described by the apostle Paul in the second chapter of Ephesians chapter 2. A true church is a "habitation of God through the Spirit". It is important that we as believers be properly immersed, observe the Lord's Supper, and hold to a sound creed. But, this is the question of great concern, "Are we a habitation of God?" If not, all these other things are mere vanities of religious ritualism!

      A church is a family, united by the blood of Christ. A church is a body, with Christ as its head. A church is a kingdom, under the dominion of Christ. A church is a brotherhood, established in the love of Christ. A church is a temple, built upon Christ, the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets.

      It is our desire that the Savior's promise will be constantly fulfilled to us as a church of Christ. — "Where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them" (Matthew 18:20). Christ's presence is the one thing we must have! Are we a habitation of God through the Spirit? Let us walk in love, "Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." Let us be careful that we "Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby we are sealed unto the day of redemption." Let us relentlessly beg of our God the manifest presence of Christ as we assemble in his name, for his glory.

 

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“Let the inhabitants of the Rock sing!”

Isaiah 42:11

Pastor Clay Curtis

The Lord Jesus Christ is the Rock in whom the believer dwells. We behold the glory of God in Christ the Rock (Exodus 33: 18-22; 34: 5-8; 2 Corinthians 4: 6). Christ is our one foundation in whom we shall never be moved (Isaiah 28: 16; 1 Corinthians 3: 11; Matthew 7: 24-27). As we travel through this wilderness we drink of Christ the smitten Rock (Exodus 17: 6; 1 Corinthians 10: 4; John 4:10; Isaiah 43:20). Christ is the Rock which brethren use to hold up one another’s weary hands (Exodus 17: 12-13). Christ is the Rock of sanctuary in whom we abide and are protected as God’s judgment rolls over the rest of this world (Isaiah 26:20; Isaiah 8: 9-14). Oh, let the inhabitants of the Rock sing!

 

 

The Grace Bulletin

 

June 1, 2014

 

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 7:45 A.M.

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

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

 

Television Broadcasts in Harrodsburg

Channel 6 - Sunday Afternoon 3:00 P.M.

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

 

Web Pages

http://www.DonFortner.com

http://www.FreegraceRadio.com

http://www.Grace-eBooks.com

 

 

 

Don Fortner

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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