Central Bulletin September 13, 2015

Central Grace Church

3596 Franklin Street . Rocky Mount, Virginia

September 13^th, 2015

Today’s Services:

9:30 am & 10:00 am --------------------- Messages by brother Marvin Stalnaker

Nursery Today: Second Service: Melanie H., Alt. Jill O.

Cleaning Schedule: This Week: Hudsons, Next Week: Rick & Janine

Welcome back brother Marvin Stalnaker, pastor of Katy Baptist Church, Fairmont, West Virginia. He will be bringing both messages today while we are away on vacation. Thank you for coming brother, and may the Lord bless you to preach His gospel today.

THE LONGSUFFERING OF GOD

A proud atheist once stood with a group of people, shook his fist toward the sky and said, “If there is a God, may he prove himself by striking me dead right now”. After a long pause, in which nothing happened, the atheist smiled and said, “You see, I’ve proved there is no God.”

One man in the crowd responded, “All you have proved is that God is longsuffering to put up with such arrogance and unbelief in such puny creatures as we are.”

The apostle Paul wrote of God’s longsuffering towards the wicked – “What if God, willing to shew His wrath, and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction;” (Romans 9:22). God may put up with the proud boastings of unbelieving men for a while, but His wrath is certain to come upon all who continue in such arrogance unto death. Our only hope is God’s mercy in Christ. Paul went on to write – “And that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,” (Romans 9:23). Sinner, “Boast not thyself of tomorrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth,” (Proverbs 27:1). Run to Christ and beg for mercy! – author unknown

“Looking unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith.” – Hebrews 12:2

True faith is looking unto the Lord Jesus and not to my faith! It is not when, where, or how, but WHOM!
True faith is looking to the Lord Jesus and not to my works. Their presence nor absence is not my righteousness. He is our righteousness.
True faith is looking unto the Lord Jesus and not to my trials. As long as Peter looked to Christ, he walked! When he looked to the wind and waves; he sank!
True faith is looking to the Lord Jesus and not to the means of grace. We must not confuse the doctrines of grace and the means of grace with grace itself . . . HIMSELF! Reading the Bible, prayer, worship, offerings, study and orthodoxy, baptism and good works; are all means of grace and growth – but only looking to Christ as our all in all keeps them from becoming filthy rags. – author unknown

F“A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.”– Proverbs 17:19

The Lord Jesus Christ is the “friend of sinners”, Who loved His own before the world began; loved them while they were yet sinners, and loves them to the end. Christ is the Son of God and the firstborn among many brethren. He is the Elder Brother Who was born for adversity; born to bear the sin of God’s people. He is that Friend that sticketh closer than a brother. He will never forsake His friends and brothers.

May we be the same friend and brother to our brethren; loving them in the depth of their sins; loving them fervently(intensely) ¸ loving them when they need it most; when they are experiencing great adversity and trouble.