August 20, 2006

 

 

Many years ago, Bro. N. B. Magruder raised this alarming question: — "What is going on in churches today that needs God for an explanation?" In such a day as this, our hearts ought to cry, with Elisha, "Where is the God of Elijah?"

 

Daily Readings for the Week of August 20-27

                                                      Sunday                                  Ezekiel 5-8                                                                             Thursday                             Ezekiel 17-19

                                                      Monday                               Ezekiel 9-12                                                                          Friday                                     Ezekiel 20-21

                                                      Tuesday                               Ezekiel 13-15                                                                      Saturday                              Ezekiel 22-23

                                                      Wednesday                       Ezekiel 16                                                                               Sunday                                  Ezekiel 24-26

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!  Casey Henson-27th

 

NURSERY DUTY THIS WEEK

Today: Shante' Birchum (AM) Laura Peterson (PM)          Tuesday: Shelby Fortner

 

Compassed with Trouble, in Distress — Don Fortner

(Tune: #52 — Majestic Sweetness —CM)

 

1.        Compassed with trouble, in distress,

What fears possess my mind!

Savior, I long to see Your face,

For grace and peace divine!

 

2.        With broken heart, and waiting long,

Beneath this crushing load,

I own my sin, confess my wrong,

And stretch my hands to God.

 

3.        My wretched heart, my God, I mourn;

And for my sin I weep!

With every lust obscene I burn,

And sink into the deep!

 

4.        As Satan raises Moses up

And roars against my soul,

Lord Jesus, my poor cause take up

And make Your servant whole!

 

5.        Arise, O Lord! Shine forth in grace!

Your precious blood apply!

Embrace my soul, dear Prince of Peace,

Blest Rock higher than I!

 

6.        Speak, Savior, let me hear Your voice,

Show me, again, Your face!

Oh! Hear my inmost groans and cries. —

Revive my soul with grace!

 

22

Jehovah-tsidkenu — Christ our Righteousness

 

"In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS." (Jeremiah 23:6)

 

Read Jeremiah 23:5-6 and Jeremiah 33:15-16. In both places Jeremiah is describing for us this blessed gospel day in which the Branch of Righteousness has grown up unto David and his seed. That Branch is Christ; and that David is Christ our King. Our David is now seated on his throne in glory, having grown up righteousness, by bringing in everlasting righteousness. He now executes judgment and justice throughout the earth in the salvation of his people by the gospel. That is what the Lord our God declares in these two passages.

 

"Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth" (Jer. 23:5). — "In those days, and at that time, will I cause the Branch of righteousness to grow up unto David; and he shall execute judgment and righteousness in the land." (Jer. 33:15).

 

"In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, The Lord Our Righteousness" (Jer. 23:6). — "In those days shall Judah be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell safely: and this is the name wherewith she shall be called, The Lord our righteousness" (Jer. 33:16).

 

         That which you have just read is not a mistranslation. Every word is translated with exact accuracy. This is what the Lord God tells us about the work of Christ in this day of grace in which we live. — Judah, the tribe of God's choice, shall be saved. — Israel, God's holy nation, his chosen generation, his royal priesthood, shall dwell safely. — And this is the name whereby that Righteous Branch our King shall be called, Jehovah-tsidkenu, "The Lord Our Righteousness." — And this is the name wherewith every saved sinner shall be called — Jehovah-tsidkenu! "The Lord Our Righteousness."

 

         Christ is our Righteousness. He is that righteousness that exceeds the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees. And, if we trust him, he is ours. — He is made unto us righteousness and we have been made the righteousness of God in him! Because his righteousness is ours, we shall enter into the kingdom of heaven. He is that Holiness without which no man shall see the Lord. If we believe on the Son of God, that Holiness is ours and we shall see the Lord our God face to face in Christ. Then, (O blessed day!) he shall wipe all tears from our eyes!

 

23

"According to His Purpose"

Romans 8:28

 

Whenever you read, or quote, or even think of Romans 8:28, be sure you do not leave out these last four words. You will never understand anything in the Book of God, you will never understand anything God does, you will never understand the mystery and wonder of divine providence until you understand that God does everything "according to his purpose".

 

                  When I read those last four words of Romans 8:28, the first thing that comes to my mind, the first thing I want to know is — "What is his purpose?"

 

                  You may think, "It is impossible for us to know the purpose of God." In a sense that is certainly true. It is written, "Secret things belong unto the Lord" (Deut. 29:29). We must never attempt to pry into those "secret things." We must never behave as those superstitious fools who seek the counsel sorcery, desiring to see the future. What God has purposed for us is God's business. Our business is to trust him.

 

                  However, the very next line of that text reads, "but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever." Let us see clearly that which is plainly revealed in Holy Scripture about the purpose of our God.

 

                  These things that are revealed in Holy Scripture are revealed are revealed, according to Deuteronomy 29:29, "that we may do all the words of this law;" that is to say, That we may learn to trust the Lord our God.

 

                  Here is a golden chain of grace. It has five unbreakable links: — foreknowledge, predestination, calling, justification, and glorification. This is like the ladder Jacob saw, reaching up to heaven, upon which the angels of God ascend and descend as ministering spirits sent forth to minister to those who shall be the heirs of salvation. Each rung of the ladder was fixed by our great God in his eternal purpose of grace, before time began.

 

                  God's goal for his elect is absolute, full, eternal glorification in Christ and with Christ. Nothing less will satisfy his purpose or honor his name.

 

(Romans 8:28-31)  "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. (29) For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. (30) Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. (31) What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?"

 

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Grace Bulletin

 

August 20, 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