Central Grace Church

3596 Franklin Street Rocky Mount, Virginia

Website: www.centralgracechurch.com Email: [email protected]

December 8^th 2019

9:30 am &hel lip;& helli p;&he llip; &hell ip;&h ellip ;&hel lip;& helli p;&he llip; &hell ip;.& helli p;&he llip; &hell ip;&h ellip ;&hel lip;& helli p;&he llip; &hell ip;&h ellip ;&hel lip;& helli p;..& helli p;&he llip; &hell ip;&h ellip ;&hel lip;& helli p;&he llip; &hell ip;&h ellip ;.... Love One Another – 1 John 3:11-24

10:00 am &hel lip;& helli p;&he llip; &hell ip;&h ellip ;&hel lip;& helli p;&he llip; &hell ip;.& helli p;&he llip; &hell ip;&h ellip ;&hel lip;& helli p;&he llip; The Lord’s Mercy, Compassion & Faithfulness – Lamentations 3:22-23

Wednesday: 7:00 pm &hel lip;& helli p;&he llip; &hell ip;&h ellip ;&hel lip;& helli p;&he llip; &hell ip;&h ellip ;&hel lip;& helli p;&he llip; &hell ip;&h ellip ;&hel lip;& helli p;&he llip; To The Churches, Part 2, Smyrna – Revelation 2:8-11

Birthdays: December 9^th– Andrew Polk, 25^th– Earlene Sheesley, 27^th– Kathy Smith

 I ask no sign, no vision, no evidence without, nor feeling within on which to rest my confidence. God has given us HIS WORD and confirmed it in His blessed Son; and there my confidence, faith, and trust shall rest. -- Horatius Bonar

A Talebearer – by Charles Spurgeon

“Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people ... Thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him.” – Leviticus 19:16-17

Tale-bearing emits a threefold poison; for it injures the teller, the hearer, and the person concerning whom the tale is told. Whether the report be true or false, we are by this precept of God’s Word forbidden to spread it. The reputations of the Lord’s people should be very precious in our sight, and we should count it shame to help the devil to dishonour the Church and the name of the Lord. Some tongues need a bridle rather than a spur. Many glory in pulling down their brethren, as if thereby they raised themselves. Noah’s wise sons cast a mantle over their father, and he who exposed him earned a fearful curse. We may ourselves one of these dark days need forbearance and silence from our brethren, let us render it cheerfully to those who require it now. Be this our family rule, and our personal bond-SPEAK EVIL OF NO MAN.

The Holy Spirit, however, permits us to censure sin, and prescribes the way in which we are to do it. It must be done by rebuking our brother to his face, not by railing behind his back. This course is manly, brotherly, Christlike, and under God’s blessing will be useful. Does the flesh shrink from it? Then we must lay the greater stress upon our conscience, and keep ourselves to the work, lest by suffering sin upon our friend we become ourselves partakers of it. Hundreds have been saved from gross sins by the timely, wise, affectionate warnings of faithful ministers and brethren. Our Lord Jesus has set us a gracious example of how to deal with erring friends in his warning given to Peter, the prayer with which he preceded it, and the gentle way in which he bore with Peter’s boastful denial that he needed such a caution.

What Type Of Attire Do We Wear? - David Pledger, Pastor, Lincolnwood Baptist Church, Houston, TX

Our thoughts of God are reflected in every part of a service. What part will the preaching of the Word of God have in the service? Will the truth of Christ and His saving work be the message? Are the hymns that we sing such that glorify God? Are the words true to scripture and in this way we praise God by telling back to Him what He has told us about Himself? And yes, even our dress should and will be governed by our thoughts about God. I know that God looks on the heart and we surely do not think to impress Him by our dress, but we will show respect. A worship service is not to be like a sporting event.

We do not have rules, and we never want to say anything that would keep one from coming to hear the gospel. Yet, I’m of the old school and believe that we should wear modest and appropriate attire, and I prefer that women wear dresses. We live in a time when everyone wants to be casual, but there is nothing casual about the worship of God Almighty. I would not wear blue jeans to a friend’s funeral if I had something better. Out of respect for my friend I would wear my best, and why would I show less respect when coming to worship the living God?

May God help us to always dress in a way that honors God wearing the type of attire that shows our love and respect for our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.

Note: This pastor wholeheartedly agrees with brother Pledger. In this day that is rapidly becoming genderless, there needs to be a godly distinction between men and women, especially in the house of worship. In this day of so-called ‘contemporary worship’ (like the modern world), now more than ever, the true people of God need to go back to the ‘old paths where is the good way and walk therein’ (Jer.6:16). My pastor and men whom I greatly respect (like brother Pedger); having heard them preach and watched their fine example; all of these men were alike in their thoughts about dress for public worship. (Wednesday night is a time of worship same as Sunday). I always saw these men conduct themselves in the house of God (and out) with godly fear, dignity and respect (and by God’s grace, I hope you will never see this preacher act any other way in this place. I see this principle in scripture and see the wisdom of it by experience. Our attitudes almost always reflect our dress and vice versa. If we dress casually we will act casual. If we dress slovenly we will act slovenly. If we dress with dignity and modesty we will act that way. Think about it, everyone in Glory wears a robe. A God-fearing, reverential, respectful, serious, sincere, humble, and modest person’s attitude will be reflected in their dress for public worship (as well as modesty at all time). – p.m.