Grace Baptist Church of Danville

May 8, 2011

 

ÒWhen our Lord replaces an old heart with a new heart (Ezekiel 36:26), the body rejects it (Romans 7:21-23), but the heart by divine grace proves to be victorious over the body and lives forever.Ó                      Missionary Daniel Parks

 

Daily Readings for the Week of May 8-15

Sunday                1 Chronicles 22-24                         Thursday                   2 Chronicles 6-7

            Monday                      1 Chronicles 25-27                         Friday             2 Chronicles 8-11

            Tuesday                    1 Chron. 28-2 Chron. 1                  Saturday                    2 Chronicles 12-15

            Wednesday  2 Chronicles 2-5                              Sunday                      2 Chronicles 16-19

 

á      Bro. Larry Criss is preaching today for Fairmont Grace Church in Sylacauga, AL.

á      I am preaching today for Mid-south Baptist Church in Merigold, Mississippi, where Bro. Bruce Gresham is pastor. Bros. Ron Wood and Frank Hall will bring the messages here today.

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!  Will Hacker-10th   Fred Tuttle-11th

 

NURSERY DUTY THIS WEEK

Today: Ruth Wall (AM)   Pam Wood (PM)     Tuesday: Mindy Peterson

 

IÕm on My Way to Heaven! — Don Fortner

(Tune: #42 — All Hail the Power of JesusÕ Name —CM)

 

1.    Our Savior, Christ, the Son of God,

Our Lord we now confess;

We eat His flesh and drink His blood,

And wear His righteousness.

 

2.    No more let earthÕs alluring toys

Our heaven-born souls debase;

In Jesus we have heavenly joys,

As subjects of His grace.

 

3.    By Christ created priests and kings,

With Him we soon shall reign;

We must not let mere earthly things,

A hold on us retain.

 

4.    My soul aspire to scenes of bliss,

(Those waiting for glorious crowns!)

Beyond this dreary wilderness,

Its flattÕry and its frowns!

 

5.    Joint heirs with Christ, by second birth,

Eternal life is given!

Away all vanities of earth, —

IÕm on my way to heaven.!

 

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ÒOf that Day and that Hour Knoweth No ManÓ

Mark 13:32

 

In the Old Testament and in the four Gospels our God gave Òsigns of the timesÓ, by which He announced the end of Judaism and the establishment of His kingdom in the world in these last days. Those signs pointed to things that were fulfilled in the incarnation and birth of Christ, His sin-atoning death as our Substitute, His exaltation as King in heaven, and the annihilation of Jerusalem in 70 A.D.

 

No Signs

 

But in the New Testament, since the resurrection and exaltation of Christ, we are never bidden to look for signs as indications that ChristÕs second coming is approaching.

Think for a minute: — If there were any signs or prophecies yet to be fulfilled before the glorious second advent of Christ, how could we be urged to expect His imminent return? Yet, from the first century, GodÕs saints have been urged by inspired Apostles to live in daily, constant anticipation of ChristÕs appearing, upon the very tiptoe of faith (Titus 2:11-13; 2 Peter 3:11-13). And those who did so were commended for it (1 Thessalonians 1:10).

 

Unprofitable Speculations

 

ÒIt is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in His own powerÓ (Acts 1:7). No one knows, or even has a hint of an idea when the Lord Jesus will come again to this world. Not only do the Scriptures tell us this emphatically, we have a glaring proof of the fact before us in Mark 13:32. If the perfect, holy man Christ Jesus, that man who knew the Book of God like no other man, did not know it, if He did not figure out the day or hour of His appearing, you are not about to do so! It is not proper for us to know these things; and it is a great evil to intrude into that which God declares He has not revealed.

 

Denial of Scripture

 

Date setters are guilty of that horrid contempt for the Word of God that shows itself by adding to and taking away from Òthe words of the BookÓ of God (Revelation 22:19). All date setters claim to have discovered a hidden mathematic scheme and/or a special calendar by which the Word of God must be interpreted. Without them, no one could ever dream up the nonsense those imaginary theologians concoct.

If you care for your soul, ignore such men and ignore everything they have to say about anything spiritual. The Bible is not written in secret code. It is not the hiding of GodÕs secrets, but the Revelation of God, the Revelation of His will, the Revelation of His Son, the Revelation of His salvation, Òthe Revelation of Jesus Christ.Ó

Those who set dates for ChristÕs coming, for the end of the world, or for the Day  of  Judgment,  while  pretending  with  great zeal that they love the Word of

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God, utterly deny it. Everything they do in their prophetic inventions seeks to undermine the authority of Holy Scripture, replacing the authority of Scripture with their own wicked opinions.

We are not charged to search out the times of our MasterÕs coming, but to constantly serve Him, realizing that He may appear at any moment (Matthew 24:46). It would not be profitable for us to know the future, because such knowledge would distract our attention away from our present responsibilities. We would probably become indifferent and careless about our daily responsibilities if we knew when, or about when Christ shall appear in His glory. Gazers into heaven do not do much good upon the earth. That means that all speculation about unrevealed things is evil.

 

Something Better

 

It is not possible for us to know the times and the seasons of the future (Matthew 24:36; Mark 13:32); but there is something much better than knowing the times and seasons of the future. It is enough for me to know that the future is altogether in the hands of the Lord my God. I say with David, ÒMy times are in thy handÓ (Psalm 31:15). I want no more. Knowing that, I will possess my soul in patience, trusting the Lord my God. I will not pry into my FatherÕs secret business. I will be content to know what He has been pleased to reveal.

Let us be content and happy to look for Christ each day in blessed anticipation of His glorious second advent, expecting Him to appear at any moment, serving Him and our generation by the will of God, as in His immediate presence and as if we were certain that many generations of GodÕs elect are yet to be born who might benefit from our labors by the blessing of His grace.

 

Grace Alone

Pastor Gene Harmon

 

     The same amazing grace of God that chose us unto salvation, the same grace of God that redeemed His chosen people through the finished work of Jesus Christ our Saviour; the same grace of God that delivered us from the power of darkness and translated us into the Kingdom of His Dear Son — is the same wonderful grace of God that works in us, both to will and to do of His good pleasure. It is GodÕs sovereign grace that gives us faith to believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And GodÕs sovereign grace will keep us looking to Jesus Christ, the Author and Finisher of our faith. The glorious grace of God Almighty gives us a new heart to love the Lord Jesus Christ, to love the true Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, to love the chosen, blood-bought people who belong to the Lord Jesus Christ. The love of God that is shed abroad in our hearts by the power of God the Holy Spirit will manifest itself as we journey through this life. If weÕre led by God the Holy Spirit, weÕre not under the law of Moses, but under the law of love to Christ. GodÕs saints are not motivated by fear of His coming wrath. He has delivered us from that; and perfect love casts out fear. Neither are we motivated by false preachers who foolishly make promises of shining brighter than others for our service in this life below. Every believer has a full inheritance waiting for us in glory. Jesus Christ, and all that belongs to Him, is every believerÕs reward. True believers serve the Lord Jesus Christ because we love Him; we love His Gospel; we love His people. And that love will manifest itself because of Christ who dwells in us; because of faith which works by love.Ó

 

 

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The Grace Bulletin

 

May 8, 2011

 

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.

 

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

 

 

Listen to sermons at FreeGraceRadio.com