CENTRAL GRACE CHURCH

Central Grace Church

3596 Franklin Street Rocky Mount, Virginia

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

June 9^th 2024

10:30 am ----------------------------------------- A Song For All the Earth – Psalm 96

Wednesday: 7:00 pm

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

A Christian – By C.H. Mackintosh, Ireland (1820-1896)

“Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for Whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, and be found in Him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and fellowship of His sufferings, being made comformable unto His death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.” – Philippians 3:8-11

If money be my object, I am covetous; if power, I am ambitious; if books, I am literary; if Christ, I am a Christian. If we were asked for a simple definition of a Christian, we should at once say: A Christian is a man who has Christ for his object.

The standing of the Christian is to be found in Christ; the object of the Christian is to know Christ; and the hope of the Christian is to be like Christ. How beautifully perfect is the connection between these three things. No sooner do I find myself in Christ as my righteousness, than I long to know Him as my object, and the more I know Him, the more ardently shall I long to be like Him, which hope can only be realized when I see Him as He is. Having a perfect righteousness, and a perfect object, I just want one thing more, and that is to be done with everything that hinders my enjoyment of Christ, my object. “For our conversation is in Heaven; from whence we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Chris, Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious body, according to the working whereby He is able even to subdue all things unto Himself” (Phil.3:20-21).

Christ Our Rest and Peace – William Tyndale, England, Preacher, Translator of Scripture, Martyr 1500-1536

Remember that Christ is the end of all things. He only is our resting place, and he is our peace (Eph.2). For as there is no salvation in any other name, so is there no peace in any other name. Thou shalt never have rest in thy soul, neither shall the worm of conscience ever cease to gnaw thine heart, till thou come to Christ; till thou hear the glad tidings, how that God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven thee all freely. If thou trust in thy works there is no rest. Thou shalt think, I have not done enough. Have I done it with so great love as I should do? Was I so glad in doing as I would be to receive help at my need? I have left

this or that undone, and such like. If thou trust in confession, then shalt thou think, Have I told all? Have I told all the circumstances? Did I repent enough? Had I as great sorrow in my repentance for my sins as I had pleasure in doing of them? Likewise in our holy pardons and pilgrimages gettest thou no rest.

As pertaining to good deeds, therefore, do the best thou canst, and desire God to give thee strength to do better daily; but in Christ put thy trust, and in the pardon and promises that God hath made thee for His sake, and on that ROCK build thine house, and there dwell. For there only shalt thou be sure from all storms and tempests, and from all wily assaults of the wicked spirits, which study with all falsehood to undermine us. And the God of all mercy give thee grace so to do, unto whom be glory for every. Amen.

How Can They Escape? – J.C. Philpot, England, 1802-1869

"He will keep the feet of His saints." -- 1 Samuel 2:9

The Lord sees His poor scattered pilgrims traveling through a valley of tears, journeying through a waste-howling wilderness—a path beset with baits, traps, and snares in every direction. How can they escape? Why, the Lord 'keeps their feet.' He carries them through every rough place—as a tender parent carries a little child. When about to fall—He graciously lays His everlasting arms underneath them. And when tottering and stumbling, and their feet ready to slip—He mercifully upholds them from falling altogether. But do you think that He has not different ways for different feet? The God of creation has not made two flowers, nor two leaves upon a tree alike—and will He cause all His people to walk in precisely the same path? No. We have each our path—each our troubles—each our trials—each peculiar traps and snares laid for our feet. And the wisdom of the all-wise God is shown by His eyes being in every place—marking the footsteps of every pilgrim— suiting His remedies to meet their individual case and necessity— appearing for them when nobody else could do them any good— watching so tenderly over them, as though the eyes of His affection were bent on one individual—and carefully noting the goings of each, as though all the powers of the Godhead were concentrated on that one person to keep him from harm!