I will praise thee, O LORD, among the people: and I will sing praises unto thee among the nations. For thy mercy is great above the heavens: and thy truth reacheth unto the clouds. Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens: and thy glory above all the earth; That thy beloved may be delivered: save with thy right hand, and answer me. Psalm 108:3-6

Pray for Us!

“Brethren, pray for us” (1 Thes. 5:25).

Pray for THOSE WHO MINISTER THE WORD! The work of the ministry of the gospel is so important and you have such a concern in it that you ought to be moved to pray that God will give the pastor and the elders His Word for the church. If the preacher is blessed, the people will be blessed. If he is not anointed by the Spirit, the people will suffer.

“I trust,” Paul said, “that as a minister of the gospel I am faithfully preaching the Word of God without regard to the favors or frowns of men, as a good steward of the grace of God” (Acts 20:25-27).

Brethren, pray for us! We are not sufficient for these things.

Pastor Henry T. Mahan ( bulletin 1988)

“And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.” (Acts 2:42).

If we have true fellowship with one another, it is because we worship the true and living God together (1 John 1:3). If we truly break bread together, it is because we are made of the same bread and body (1 Cor. 10:17). If we truly pray together, it is because Christ has made us of one accord (Acts 1:14). It is a great privilege for brethren to worship together, talk to one another about our Master, observe the Lord's Table together, eat together, and pray together. May we always be reminded of the cause of all our “spiritual blessings in heavenly places, IN CHRIST.” (Eph. 1:3).

Pastor Kevin Thacker

BELIEVERS AND THEIR AFFLICTIONS

Paul wrote that God afflicts us “for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness” (Heb.12:10). “It is good for me that I have been afflicted that I might learn thy statutes” (Ps.119:71). Someone said, "The flowers smell sweetest after a shower, and trees bear more fruit if they are pruned."

Afflictions and trials are God's furnace by which He PROVES OUR FAITH. The sturdy vessels of faith are able to do business in deep waters. They are not shaken and destroyed by the storms of life. Faith in Christ will cry with Job, "Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him" (Job 1:21.)

Afflictions and trials give birth to SYMPATHY AND UNDESTANDING. We can weep with those who weep only if we have wept alone. We can more readily forgive the fallen from their fallen position if we have fallen and have experienced forgiveness. It is difficult to criticize a fellow cell-mate and impossible to cry "unclean" of a fellow leper. Yes, Afflictions and trials are good.

Pastor Scott Richardson

THE PROMISE OF GOD TO EVERY BELIEVER

“But go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days” (Dan. 12:13).

This promise was given to Daniel in his old age. He was taken captive at a very young age and carried into Babylon (Dan.1:3-4). He served God faithfully for seventy years in captivity. All that Daniel put his hand to the Lord prospered him (Dan.2:48; 5:29; 6:28). Daniel now faces the prospect and reality of dying, but even in this God made him to realize this would be a blessing not a penalty. "But go thou thy way till the end be." Several comforting and calming thoughts are found here for believers.

1). The time of our life on the earth is determined of God, "go thou thy way till the end be." Surely our days are determined of the Lord (Job 14:5). We shall definitely leave this place, but not until our work is finished. Not until God is pleased to take us home (2 Cor. 5:6-9).

2). When a believer departs from this life we enter into rest, "for thou shalt rest," rest from all toil and labor and rest from the weariness of this sinful flesh (Rom. 7:24-25; 2Cor.5:1-2). The Lord told the dying thief that He would be in paradise soon, to enjoy eternal rest for his soul (Luke 23:43). Every believer can say with Paul, "For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: (Phil. 1:23).

3). Our soul will be at rest with the Lord and our body will be asleep in the grave waiting for the glorious resurrection morning, "till the end of days " (Dan. 12:2). Often death is referred to as sleep because of the inactivity of the body (John 11:11). But our soul is never said to sleep, it ascribed to being at rest in the Lord (Rev.6:9).

4). We shall everyone stand in judgment at the end of days, "and stand in thy lot at the end of the days." The believer’s allotment is to stand in the blessed merit and righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ and hear Him say, "Come ye blessed of my Father" (Matt. 25:34; Eph.1:6). The unbeliever will stand in the merit of their unrighteousness and hear Him say, "Depart from me, ye cursed" (Matt. 25:41).