Grace Baptist Church of Danville, KY will host their annual Bible Conference Sept. 1-3. Scheduled speakers are Frank Hall, Gene Harmon, Frank Tate, Marvin Stalnaker, Larry Criss, Clay Curtis, Todd Nibert, and Don Fortner.

GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY AND MAN’S RESPONSIBILITY

God is sovereign over all things. God is the first cause of everything that happens. Nothing happens that is not the express will and purpose of God. At the same time man is responsible for everything he does. God is sovereign over everything I do, but it is not God’s fault that I sin. Only I am responsible for my sin.

I cannot reconcile those two truths but they are both true nevertheless. Every believer believes in God’s complete sovereignty and man’s responsibility. No one will beg for mercy until they see that their sin is their own fault and only a sovereign God can forgive that sin. We will only beg for mercy when we see that we are in God’s hands to do with as He pleases. God could damn me in justice for all of my sin, but He could save me by His grace. My only plea is, “God be merciful to me the sinner.”

In this life, we will never be able to forget the very thing that God has promised to never remember, our sin!

Pastor Frank Hall

Godly Parents, An Obedient Child, A Faithful Preacher

I was recently told that my seven-year-old grandson sits with his parents during worship services with his Bible in his lap, and follows the minister as he preaches.

Three remarkable things here come to my mind. First is godly parents ascertaining that their child regularly hears the gospel. Second is an obedient child following the example of his godly parents in a worship service. Third is a faithful preacher declaring the gospel so simply that even a child can follow him.

Missionary Daniel Parks

Isaiah 52: 1: Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city

It is God alone who effectually calls his child to spiritual life in regeneration, commanding, “Awake, awake.” But if we are dead in sins why would God call on us to awake? How can a dead man awake? In the valley of dry bones, God said, “I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live.” (Eze 37: 3-6) The man with the withered hand could not stretch forth his hand until Christ gave the effectual command, “And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other.” (Mk 3: 5) Christ is our Strength to do what God calls us to do. Notice he commands, “put on thy strength, O Zion.” Sinners have no strength in ourselves. (Rom 5:6) The strength of Christ’s people is Christ. (Phil 4:13) We have life inwardly only when Christ the Life has entered within us by the Holy Spirit. Only when Christ the Word has spoken in power in our inward man do we hear the word of God’s call. An embryo has life when the seed gives life. Likewise, when the Incorruptible Seed enters, there is Life and the Lord’s call is always effectual. (1 Pet 1: 23-25) Many deny the truth of the necessity the Lord’s effectual call. But they will not deny it if they experience it because the Lord promises, “Therefore my people shall know my name: therefore they shall know in that day that I am he that doth speak: behold, it is I.” (Is 52: 6)