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Grace Baptist Church of Danville

December 3, 2017

 

Matters of no consequence to the glory of God, the needs of immortal souls, or the salvation of GodÕs elect should never divide GodÕs elect.

 

 

Daily Readings for the Week of December 3-10, 2017

Sunday                2 Cor. 12-Galatians 1               Thursday Ephesians 6-Phil. 2

      Monday                Galatians 2-4                                   Friday             Phil. 3-Colossians 1

      Tuesday              Galatians 5-Ephesians 2      Saturday              Colossians 2-4

      Wednesday        Ephesians 3-5                           Sunday                1 Thessalonians 1-5

 

á      Todds Road Grace Church in Lexington, KY will host a Sovereign Grace Bible Conference Friday – Sunday. Scheduled speakers are Donnie Bell, John Chapman, Chris Cunningham, Greg Elmquist, Don Fortner, Paul Mahan, Frank Tate, and Joe Terrell. Bro. Todd Nibert is host pastor.

á      Shelby and I want you all to join us following next SundayÕs worship service for our annual Open House at the Parsonage.

 

Happy Birthday!  David Burge-4th   Jesse Rice-9th    Alexis Mason-10th

 

Nursery Duty This Week

Debbie Bartley (AM) — Celeste Peterson (PM) Tuesday: Shelby Fortner

 

ÒJesusÓ is ImmanuelÕs Name Don Fortner

(Tune: #93 Hark! The Herald Angels Sing — 77.77.77)

1.    Let our hearts and voices rise, join the triumph of the skies!

Earth and heaven now combine to extol the Christ divine!

In our flesh the Godhead see! — Christ, incarnate Deity!

God (O wondrous mystery!) took on our humanity!

 

2.    Passing fallen angels by, GodÕs own Son came here to die!

He took hold of AbramÕs seed as our mighty CovÕnant Head!

For His loved and chosen race, to bring mercy, peace and grace,

God a mortal man became! — Mortals, bow, and praise His name!

 

3.    ÒJESUSÓ is ImmanuelÕs name! Through a virginÕs womb He came,

Fully God and fully man, without sin, GodÕs holy Lamb!

Christ came here to save His own; and His work HeÕs fully done! —

See Him yonder, on the throne, Christ, Immanuel, God the Son!

 

The Gospel

The Gospel has nothing to do with what you believe or do not believe about creation, Israel, prophecy, the church, or church order. The Gospel is all about the person and work of our Lord Jesus Christ. To believe the Gospel is to believe that Jesus of Nazareth is the Christ of God, that the Lord Jesus actually accomplished all that the prophets of the Old Testament said Christ must accomplish.

 

The Bible and Science

Job 26:7

 

The Bible is the Word of God. That fact no reasonable person can deny (Psalm 19:1-6). Though the Word of God is not a book about science, whenever it speaks of scientific matters it is always precise and accurate. We have before us, in the Book of Job, that which is probably the very first Book of the Bible to be written. Job lived during the days of the patriarchs, probably about the time of Abraham. So, this Book was written more than 3000 years ago, long before the invention of modern scientific technology. Yet, no other Book of the Bible contains as much scientific data as Job.

 

Suspended Earth

ÒHe stretcheth out the north over the empty place, and hangeth the earth upon nothingÓ (Job 26:7). — What could more accurately describe the position and stability of our planet in space? JobÕs contemporaries, as countless pagan myths have taught, all believed that the earth was flat, and that it rested on the shoulders of one of the gods, or the back of an elephant or giant sea turtle. But Job gave us startlingly accurate scientific statements about the position of the earth in space, hanging upon nothing by the decree of God, more than 3,000 years before the discovery of America.

 

Singing Stars

ÒThe morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joyÓ (Job 38:7). — No one in the world of Òall-wiseÓ scientists ever dreamed that rays of light give off sound that no human ear can hear, until modern times; but Job declared it, and it was written down in the Book of God, more than 3000 years ago, by the inspiration of God, to whom the morning stars sing praise.

ÒBy what way is the light parted, which scattereth the east wind upon the earth?Ó (Job 38:24) — Reading those words, you would think Job had distinct knowledge of spectrum analysis. But this was written more than 3000 years ago.

ÒCanst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion?Ó (Job 38:31) — Pleiades is a group of seven stars in the constellation of Taurus. But I wonder how Job knew that. Remember, he did not have a telescope. This was written more than 3000 years ago! Pleiades and Orion no man can control. Contrary to the modern environmentalistsÕ proud thoughts, the seasons are not to be altered by men. Job was taught by God that it was not in his power to make any change in the dispensations of providence; to turn the winter of adversity into the spring of prosperity, or the spring of prosperity into the winter of adversity. Creation and providence are under GodÕs dominion, not manÕs. All we can do is submit to GodÕs work and quietly wait before him.

 

Assured Confidence

When Job heard God speak and witnessed the testimony of GodÕs creation (Psalm 19:1-6), he bowed before his throne in humility, repentance, and faith (Job 38:1-40:5) with renewed self-abhorrence and confident, saying, This God is my Creator, my God, Christ my Savior, ÒI know that my Redeemer liveth!Ó

 

ÒPresent Your BodiesÓ

Romans 12:1-13

 

In this 12th chapter of Romans, Paul is talking to us about living for Christ. He is calling for devotion to Christ, consecration to Christ.

 

Public Worship

Though few seem to catch it, if you will read the chapter carefully, you will see that the devotion, consecration, and service to which Paul here calls us is devotion, consecration, and service to GodÕs church. — We present our bodies as a living sacrifice to the Lord Jesus Christ, our dear Savior, only as we present our bodies to God in his house, to worship him and serve one another.

      What was the very first thing you were convinced of after God saved you; I mean the very first thing you just knew, knew (really) without anyone telling you? — ÒI need to be in the house of God.Ó That is what Paul tells us here. Since God has been so gracious to you, it is the most sensible thing in the world for you to commit yourself to the church and kingdom of God. — If you would serve Christ, serve his church.

      In this portion of Holy Scripture, God the Holy Ghost calls all who are joined to Christ in life to make it our business to worship God, to make it our business to be in the house of God with the people of God when they are gathered to worship God (Psalm 84:6-8).

 

Most Reasonable

What could be more reasonable? Here we are transformed and renewed by the Spirit of God. Here we are taught how to avoid being conformed to this world. Through the Word of God faithfully preached, we learn to worship God in Spirit and in truth, and learn how to live in this world always looking to Christ. Here we learn what the will of God is, as it is revealed by the preaching of the gospel. GodÕs will is the glory of his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, in the everlasting salvation of his elect (Romans 8:28-30).

      We give our bodies a living sacrifice to God when, trusting Christ, we devote ourselves to the church and people of God, Ònot forsaking the assembling of yourselves together, as the manner of some isÓ (Hebrews 10:25). The only way under heaven by which we can serve God is by serving his people! If we would do that, we must think of ourselves as God teaches us to think of ourselves (v. 3), as sinners saved by grace (1 Corinthians 4:7).

 

One Body

Then, Paul tells us that we are Òone body in ChristÓ (vv. 4-5). All the Inspired teaching of Holy Scripture with regard to public worship and the ordinances of Divine worship is specifically addressed to local churches, like those spoken of in Revelation 1-3.

            As members of the body of Christ, being placed in the body exactly as we are by the grace of God, we each have gifts needful and useful for the body, gifts Òdiffering according to the grace that is given to us.Ó It is our privilege and responsibility to use those gifts for the benefit of the whole body of Christ in the service of God (vv. 6-13).

 

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The Grace Bulletin

 

December 3, 2017

 

Grace Baptist Church of Danville

2734 Old Stanford Road-Danville, Kentucky 40422-9438

Telephone (859) 576-3400 — 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

 

Web Pages

http://www.DonFortner.com

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http://www.Grace-eBooks.com

 

 

 

 

 

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