Grace Baptist Church in Danville KY will have their annual Bible conference Aug. 31-Sept.2. Don Fortner is Pastor.
The Wheels of God's Providence
Ezek. 1:1-11
The wheels of God's providence, Rolls on from day to day,
According as He purposed, For those called to His Way.
These love Him for who He is, No matter what He sends.
Their trust in Christ, the Savior, Does more than life transcend.
Sufficient is our Savior, He is our Sov'reign God.
His sheep will be brought to Him, No matter where they've trod.
The Lord bought them for Himself, Redeemed them with His blood.
In providence He guides them, With everlasting love.
God watches o'er their journey, The angels behold them.
Their steps are ordered by Him, Before this world began.
He keeps them in Christ Jesus, The constant of that wheel.
Providence is accomplished, According to His will.
Why worry o'er tomorrow? Sufficient is our Lord.
For ev'ry situation, There's comfort in His Word.
He will not leave you, ever, He's with you all the way.
Trust in the God of Jacob, He is your Rock and Stay.
By Gary Spreacker
(Tune: The Church's One Foundation Pg. 186)
2 Cor. 5:21. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
Volumes might be written, on this most blessed verse of Scripture: and when all the powers of the human mind had been drained, to express every thing the imagination could conceive of blessedness contained In it, numberless things would be left unsaid, and unwritten; so infinitely full are the blissful, contents. That CHRIST, who knew no sin, should be made sin for his people: that he who is holiness itself, and who is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity; should be counted unholy, and have all the iniquity of his people laid upon him! Yea, he that is One with the FATHER, over all GOD blessed for ever, should be made a curse for them: what a world of mysteries is contained in this subject? But, Reader! Think, and think with holy rapture, and joy, of the blissful truth connected with it, if CHRIST who knew no sin, was made sin for them; they also which. Are his people, and who in themselves are all sin, and know no righteousness, are made the righteousness of GOD in him? So that, they are really, and truly, considered righteous before GOD in his righteousness, as much as CHRIST stood forth in GOD'S view the sinner's Surety, and was beheld, and reputed sin for them. And this becomes the sole cause, as was all along intended, of the sinner's justification before God.. Not to procure favor to his people, to any of their labored attempts after righteousness; but to be the very righteousness of his people. CHRIST is himself their righteousness. And they are accepted as righteous in him. Oh! The unspeakable felicity of thus eyeing CHRIST, and knowing Him, as the LORD our righteousness. Sweetly the Apostle speaks of the Church, made righteous in his righteousness, when he saith; Who of GOD is made unto us, wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. And as sweetly the Prophet hath, taught the Church, under GOD the HOLY GHOST, to take all the comfort, and confidence, of the divine provision, when putting those words in the mouth of the redeemed: Surely shall one say, in the LORD have I righteousness and strength; even to him shall men come, and all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed. In the Lord all the seed of Israel be justified and shall glory. - Robert Hawker
I remember that the LORD asked, “When the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8)
There is no shortage of prophets and their followers. There is no lack of fine facilities that have been built “in the name of the LORD” nor folks to fill them up. We see many in their zeal who are willing to sacrifice their worldly goods to the voracious appetites of those who preach about a god who needs their money to get things done or a savior who would save everybody if he can just get enough of this worlds goods to pay men to convince folks to let him; or finance the latest gimmick in that quest.
The vast majority of those who call themselves Christians are convinced that GOD is dependent on them in some way.
Grace (pure unmerited favor) is no longer grace, (in their eyes) but rather a mixture of man’s free will with a dose of God's mercy and just a dash of human endeavor. GOD should do something for HIS creation especially those who would help themselves and that HE has made salvation a possibility if we can somehow convince men to take advantage of it by scaring them with the horrors of hell, drawing them a roadmap through Romans, or enticing them with the sheer bliss of heaven.
Yet that man who is convinced of his own depravity and utterly hopeless condition, by the operation of the HOLY GHOST, can find absolutely no comfort which depends on his ability to do anything. If he must supply faith then he will despair for all he can do is lament his lack of faith. (Mark 9:24) If he must take the first step, he faints for he knows that he is lame in both feet. Hell is real enough to him without the need for someone to rub salt into his wounds. He stands in need of a PHYSICIAN and not a taskmaster.
But oh, when all hope in any human merit or endeavor is extinguished the LORD is pleased to cause him to hear the sweet sound of this message and ultimately apply its healing balm to his despairing heart, “This MAN receiveth sinners” Could such a wretch as I be made whole by HIM. He cannot help but cry out with blind Bartimaeus, “JESUS thou SON of David, have mercy on me!” . He must join with the publican in saying, “O GOD be merciful to me, a sinner.” - Copied
No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 10.0.1424 / Virus Database: 2437/5206 - Release Date: 08/17/12