January 7^th , 2018

9:30 am & 10:00 am -------------------------------------------Messages by brother Walter Pendleton

*** NO WEDNESDAY SERVICE THIS WEEK ***

WILL YOU HELP ME?

Yes, as your pastor, I desperately need your help. I’m not asking for something which is unimportant or optional, but something which is essential to the spiritual well-being of ourselves, our children and all who frequent this assembly. Nor am I asking for something which can be done by anyone and everyone, but is a privilege exclusive to you, the saints of God.
Brothers and Sisters, I am asking for your prayers. As you have graciously granted me many requests through the years, for which I am thankful, I earnestly implore you to grant me this request. For your sakes and for mine, don’t permit me to stand before you from time to time without being uplifted before the throne of grace by your personal and united prayers. I am a mere man whom God has chosen to deal with the souls of men and the consequences are solemn and eternal. My message will either be a savor of life unto life, or of death unto death, “And who is sufficient for these things?”
I earnestly want my preaching to be profitable unto you and blessed to the salvation of your children. These spiritual blessings descend from heaven on the wings of pure grace, but God has chosen to disseminate this precious treasure through “earthen vessels.”
“Brethren, pray for us” (I Thessalonians 5:25). -- Maurice Montgomery (1981)

WHAT MEN ARE THESE WITH THEE? -- “And God came unto Balaam, and said, What men are these with thee?”(Nu 22: 9)

Balaam was a false prophet. (2 Pet 2: 15) When God’s enemies came to hire Balaam to curse God’s people, Balaam told them to spend the night while he sought direction from God. It was during the night that God asked Balaam this question. God knows the company we keep in this world. (Job 34: 21; Ps 138: 6) Everything God was doing here was for his people. God watches over his people and protects them from evil. But God also knows the proud and brings them down for the sake of his people. (2 Sam 22: 28) So God knew who the men were that were with Balaam. But God will have Balaam to answer this question with his own mouth.

As we enter a new year, this is a good question for every believer to always answer about ourselves, “What men are these with thee?” Am I in the company of God’s chosen, redeemed, sanctified people? Or am I in the company of God’s enemies? Am I seeking the glory of my Redeemer? Or am I seeking the mammon of unrighteousness which Balaam loved? If God took notice of the company that was with this false prophet then God certainly knows the company that his people keep.

Does it matter, before God, what company a believer keeps? It certainly does. Believers are instructed throughout the scriptures to “walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous.” (Pro 2: 20) From the time our Redeemer entered this earth until he bore the sins of all God’s elect people, he suffered rejection from God-hating sinners and self-righteous religionists. We should expect to be rejected for the same reasons he was: one company will reject us because we refuse to condone their sin, the other company will reject us because we refuse to condone their freewill, self-righteous religion. But since Christ suffered for us we should no longer keep company with such men but “live the rest of our time in the flesh, not to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.” (1 Pet 5: 3-5)

We have to work, go to school and live alongside sinners. Therefore, we should always be ready to teach sinners the gospel and receive sinners. But we should never be yoked with sinners or approve of sinners who live in constant rebellion against God, whether they be outside of religion or within religion.