Many Thanks

Many thanks for your generous giving to Bridgett and me, not only last week but all through the year! We count it a great honor to worship with you each week as we meet together around the throne of the gospel of God concerning our Lord Jesus Christ. We pray the Lord will continue His rich mercies upon this congregation in the years to come for Christ’s name sake (Eph. 4:32).

As we look forward to 2024, we don’t know what the year will bring but we do know that our times are in the hand of the Lord and we rest in His good, wise and sovereign providence. We say with David, “My times are in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me. Make thy face to shine upon thy servant: save me for thy mercies’ sake” (Psalm 31:15).

This next year we begin our 31^st year together as the family of God and we look to the Lord to supply our every need according to His riches in glory through our Lord Jesus Christ (Phil. 4:19).

“Be Ready To Give An Answer”

(I Peter 3:15)

When a person asks you to tell him why you believe your sins are pardoned, why you believe that your name is written in heaven, and why you believe that you are not under condemnation but hope to reign eternally with Christ, be ready always to give him a Scriptural answer. It is because Christ Jesus is your righteousness before the law, Christ Jesus is your justifier by His blood, and Christ Jesus is your Mediator before God’s throne (1 Tim. 2:5)!

Give that answer in a humble fashion, for we are what we are by the grace of God. Give that answer with “the fear of the Lord,” being careful that He gets all the glory for your blessings. Give that answer courteously and respectfully; it may be that the person is a true seeker.

Pastor Henry T. Mahan (bulletin 1992)

Tomorrow as we begin a new year, how wonderful to think of our meeting together as brethren to hear the wonderful news of the Gospel another year. I thank the Lord for His mercy that has been shown to this little flock these many years … years that the Gospel was raised up and preached in this community. Let us pray according to His will, that it might be so for many to come.

Brethren, pray for me as your pastor and for one another. May the Lord bless us that we might be found to; “Walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” (Eph. 4:1-3).

Pastor Marvin Stalnaker

OUR PRAYER FOR THE NEW YEAR

“Save thy people, and bless thine inheritance: feed them also, and lift them up for ever” (Psalm 28:9).

David in this last verse of this Psalm closes with a sincere and fervent prayer for the Lord’s people. He prays for vital things that we as sinners desperately and constantly need. Let us make this our prayer for 2024!

1). “Save thy people”…Who are these people? They belong to Christ by electing love (John 6:37; Eph.1:3-6). They are His by redeeming blood, He bought them (Acts 20:28; I Cor.6:20; 1 Pet.1:18-20). They are His by an effectual call of grace (2 Tim.1:9; 1 Pet. 2:9). What do Christ’s people need? Salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ, for “All we like sheep have gone astray.” Our Lord came to seek out and to save His lost sheep (1 Tim. 1:15).

2). “Bless thine inheritance”…those who are the heirs of salvation (Rom.8:17). In Christ we have a blessed and eternal inheritance; “An inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you” (I Pet 1:3). Lord, bless your inheritance; the sheep of your hand and the people of thy pasture (Psalm 95:7). Bless your people with all spiritual blessings in Christ (Eph.1:3-6). Bless your people with greater zeal and passion for the gospel of the free and sovereign grace (Phil.1:27). Bless your people with greater confidence and assurance of complete salvation in Christ alone, grace alone (Phil.3:7-9; Col.2:9-10).

3). “Feed them”…what do the sheep desire to eat, sheep food? Christ is the Bread of life (John 6:35). The Scripture is all about Christ, we feed on Him through the Word of life (John 5:39). God’s servants are charged to, “Feed the Church of God, that He purchased with His own blood” (Acts 20:28; 2 Tim.4:1-2; 1 Peter 5:1-3).