October 11, 2015

Weekly Schedule of Services

Sunday: / 10:15 AM / Bible Class
11:00 AM / Morning Service
Thursday: / 7:30 PM / Mid-week Service
Services Broadcast Live @
Web Address
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Weekly Meeting Location
Rocky Hill Firehouse, 2nd floor
150 Washington Street
Rocky Hill, NJ 08553 / Mailing Address
7 Birch Street
Pennington, NJ 08534
Clay Curtis, pastor


CHRIST WILL KEEP THE SHEEP

John 10: 27: My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 29: My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. 30: I and my Father are one.

I do not panic nor despair in this world of religious paganism and corruption. The Lord knows how to deliver them that love Him and worship Him out of all trial and tribulation. Evil may abound, false teachers increase, the true worship of the Lord may all but perish from the earth; but our God has a people who are chosen by Him, redeemed by His dear Son, and called by His Spirit. He will keep them from falling and He will keep them “Til the river rolls its waters at their feet. Then He will safely bear them over, where their Saviour they shall meet.”

Pastor Henry T. Mahan

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The needle of a ship's compass which is in working order, always points to the north. You may take that compass and jar it, and the needle will swing in another direction; but when that compass regains its level, or the interfering finger is removed, the needle resumes its normal and correct relation. Now the normal condition of the heart of a regenerated person points toward God, seeks God, desires God, aims to please Him. There are times—in the storms of life, in the disturbances of temptation, in the assaults of Satan—when the heart is deflected and turned away from God; and this happens frequently in the experience and life of every Christian for "we all stumble in many ways" (James 3:2). Nevertheless, just as surely as the needle of the compass when released from an interfering power turns again to the north, so the heart of a regenerated person comes to itself, recovers its poise, and instinctively turns back to God. AW. Pink

THE DOVE

Genesis 8: 8: Also he sent forth a dove from him, to see if the waters were abated from off the face of the ground; 9: But the dove found no rest for the sole of her foot, and she returned unto him into the ark, for the waters were on the face of the whole earth: then he put forth his hand, and took her, and pulled her in unto him into the ark.

The dove is a happy picture of a believer who God has given a hunger after Christ.

Doves make their nests in a rock. The dove flew out, looked around but “the dove found no rest for the sole of her foot and she returned unto him into the ark.” The believer finds no rest except in Christ our Ark. In Christ we have rest from the curse and condemnation of the law, the rest of being complete in Christ. (Rom 8: 1-6)

Doves feed upon pure grain, not on death, as fowls of prey. While the raven found what he wanted among the floating bodies of death, the dove found no food and returned to the ark. Believers feed upon Christ our Manna from heaven. We can find no life in the death of our flesh or in this world, only in Christ our Life.

Doves love to be by springs and rivers of water. Noah’s dove found no rest while the waters of justice covered the cursed earth. Believers love to be by Christ the Water of Life, our Righteousness, feeding upon the water of the Word, in the Spirit of regeneration, delighting in God’s mercy. “There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High.” (Ps 46: 4)

The dove’s eye is always watching their mate and mourn when they have lost sight of their mate. Noah’s dove preferred the sight of the ark as she flew about the world. She returned unto him in the ark. So it is with the believer. The believer’s eye of faith is always fixed upon Christ our Beloved and how we do mourn when we lose sight of him! Hezekiah said, "I did mourn as a Dove, mine eyes fail with looking up.” (Is 38:11,14)

Doves love to keep company together. "They fly like a cloud, and as doves to their windows.” (Is 60:8) Noah’s dove found no company in the dead world. She wanted the company she had in the ark. So she made haste to fly to the window of the ark. God’s children desire communion with Christ, with his people, in his church. “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” (Ps 133: 1)

Doves are often attacked by fowls of prey and have no defense but flight. When Noah’s dove found no rest among the ravens what did she do? She took flight. Where? She flew straight to the ark. The believer’s only protection is in Christ. "At what time I am afraid, I will trust in thee," (Ps 56:3)."The name of the Lord is a strong tower, the righteous run into it, and are safe.” (Pr 18:10)

Christ teaches his redeemed, "be ye harmless as doves." (Mt 10:16) By God’s grace, the believer is peaceful like the dove. The new spirit God gives us is not injurious toward others “but the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.” (Ja 3: 17-18)

ORDERLY WORSHP
Titus 1:5

Having apostolic authority to do so, Paul left Titus in Crete, to “set in order” things that were lacking in the churches and to oversee the ordination of gospel preachers among them. The Word of God does not lay down any distinct order of service for public worship that must be rigidly followed, and we must be careful to avoid mere religious ritualism and ceremonialism. Yet all things must be done decently and in order. We must do nothing without thoughtful prayer and preparation; and all that is done must be done for the glory of God. In the New Testament we see five things which are essential to public worship. These five things should be regularly maintained in the services of every local church.

  1. Prayer — When we come together for worship, we should be led in united, public prayer (1 Timothy 2:1). That doesn’t mean everybody prays out loud! What could be more absurd? Rather, one man at a time leads the congregation in prayer.
  2. Reading — Every assembly for public worship should give attention to the public reading of Holy Scripture (1 Timothy 4:13; Revelation 1:3; Acts 15:30-31; Luke 4:16). When the Scriptures are read in our worship services, the man reading should simply read the Word, with very little or no comment, emphasizing the supremacy of Holy Scripture as God’s Word to us. Leave the preaching to the preacher.
  3. Praise — United, public praise, congregational singing, is a blessed part of public worship (Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16). Let our songs be songs of praise celebrating the persons, work, and glory of the Triune Jehovah. Let us ever sing about our God, not about ourselves. Praise is not waving your hands in the air, rolling your eyes toward the ceiling, and shaking your hips like barbarians doing a voodoo dance! Praise is speaking to one another about God and speaking to God in “psalms and hymns and spiritual songs.”
  4. Preaching— The most important aspect of public worship is the preaching of the gospel (2 Timothy 4:1-2). The House of God is a preaching center. The local church is a sounding board for the gospel. It is not a religious social club, or a place of entertainment. In every true house of worship gospel preaching is supreme.
  5. Ordinances— We must regularly observe the ordinances of our Lord in public worship, that is, Believers’ Baptism and the Lord’s Supper, confessing our faith in and allegiance to our crucified Savior, remembering him who loved us and gave himself for us.

Every service of every local church should be a worship service. Whether the congregation is many or few, whether it is gathered on Sunday morning, Sunday night, or in the middle of the week, when God’s people gather in public assembly, they ought to be led in the worship of God by faithful, well-prepared, gospel-preaching pastors. Each service of the church should include prayer, reading of Scripture, praise to God, and gospel preaching. And the services should frequently include the observance of our Lord’s ordinances. Don Fortner, pastor of Grace Baptist Church, Danville, KY