CENTRAL BULLETIN JANUARY 22, 2017

Central Grace Church

3596 Franklin Street . Rocky Mount, Virginia

January 22^nd , 2017

9:30 am ----------------------------------------------All Given Shall Come & Be Kept – John 6:37

10:00 am -------------------------------------------------------------Saved By Water – 1 Peter 3:18-22

Wednesday 7:30 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------Lord’s Table

Birthdays: January 31^st – Robin Chandler

Cleaning: This Week – Wesley & Melanie, Next Week – Patrick & Jennifer

Nursery: Polly, Alt: Robin

Listen to live audio of services on: www.mixlr.com/centralgracechurch

We are working our new website, www.centralgracechurch.com. Lord willing it will be up and running soon. It looks very good and will be another means for you to spread the gospel.

1 John 2:15:…LOVE NOT THE WORLD!

Nothing is more dangerous to the souls of men than the love of the world. Nothing more effectually chokes out the influence of the gospel in a man's heart than the cares of this world. Nothing is more difficult to avoid than an undue attachment to this world. Therefore John sets these four words up as a beacon. They stand in blazing letters to warn us of great danger. "LOVE NOT THE WORLD:"

Beloved, this world and all that it offers is no more than a bubble that soon must burst. Your money, your farms, your houses, your influence, your families, everything here is temporary. It will all vanish away. We laugh at the small child who cries when the bubbles he is playing with burst. But, for a rational man to be so attached to a bubble is a most irrational thing.

Are you God's child? Are you risen with Christ? Do you live in the hope of eternal glory? Then count this world to be a dead thing. Live no longer for this world. Set your heart on things above. Live above this pile of rubbish that must soon burn. Live to do the will of God, seek the glory of Christ, further the gospel of the grace of God, and serve the people of God. Quit seeking those things for which unbelieving men live; and seek those things which are above: life, immortality, and glory. "If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him." May the Lord God graciously burn these words into your heart and mine - "LOVE NOT THE WORLD!" -- Don Fortner, pastor of Grace Baptist Church of Danville, Kentucky

Overcoming The World -- “Whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world.” – 1 John 5:4

A man who is born again does not use the world’s opinions as his standard of right and wrong. He does not mind going against the world’s ways, ideas, and customs. What men think or say no longer concerns him. He overcomes the love of the world. He finds no pleasure in things which seem to bring happiness to most people. To him they seem foolish and unworthy of an immortal being. A man who is born again loves God’s praise more than man’s praise. He fears offending God more than offending man. It is unimportant to him whether he is blamed or praised; his first aim is to please God.– J.C. Ryle

Sweet, Amazing Manna! – Exodus 16:15

When the Lord rained down manna (bread) from heaven for the murmuring people, they were amazed by it and grateful for it. It tasted of wafers dipped in honey; very sweet to them. But after 40 years, many grew tired of the manna, calling it light bread; and lusted after other things. . . . the delights of Egypt. The Lord Jesus Christ said: “I am the bread from Heaven.”

If anyone begins to lose their hunger for the gospel and is no longer amazed by God’s grace; if anyone grows tired of hearing Christ preached and looks for other things, the delights of this world, the religion of this world; that person will not enter God’s promised land. God is greatly offended, even angry, with those who have no love nor need for His Son.

“He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God, hath not life.” One of the surest signs of life and health is hunger. He that hath a hunger and thirst, a need for and longing for God’s Son, hath life! He that hath no abiding hunger for Christ; no abiding need to hear the gospel, hath not life. Someone who has truly tasted that the Lord is gracious; someone who has eaten the body and drank of the blood of Christ; someone who has laid hold of the gospel of Christ with all his heart, mind and soul, and rejoices in Christ Jesus and Him crucified; that person will continue to hunger and thirst for Christ; they will continue to need the gospel; the gospel will still be amazing to him or her to the end. Words of Truth will always be sweet to them; words like, mercy, grace, love, propitiation, justification, sanctification, righteousness, redemption, forgiveness, pardon, salvation! Sweet, sweet words! Manna for a hungry soul. Is it so with you? If not, be alarmed! If so, be of good cheer!