April 7^th . 2019

9:30 am & 10:00 am ----------------------------------------------------Messages by Eric Floyd

Wednesday: 7:00 pm ------------------------------------------Fatherly Pity – Psalm 103:13-22

30 Years Together

Last Sunday evening you surprised me with a 30 year anniversary supper and I was indeed surprised; so much so that I was at a loss for words. I (we) thank you so much for the supper and all the generous gifts. 30 years! . . . have gone by quickly. . .

It was March 19^th, 1989, only our second visit here, that you asked me to be your pastor, which I immediately and wholeheartedly accepted. I was only 34 years old (so very young, untried, unproven, and unknowing). I thank the Lord for His mercy to you and for your patience with me. Mindy and I knew the first time we came here, that you were our people and this was where we would be. I had always heard from other preachers that ‘you will know.’ It was indeed love at first sight for us and that love has only grown deeper. Some are still here from thirty years ago, but several have gone to be with the Lord. Many new brethren are part of this assembly and we thank the Lord for each and every one He has gathered.

Mindy and I thank the Lord for you and the blessed fellowship around the gospel that He has given us all these years. And we thank all of you for your loving, faithful, friendship and support all these years . . . which loving support is now exceedingly generous. You certainly prove the sincerity of your love for our Lord, His gospel, and those who preach it.

As I have tried to say often, I thank the Lord for the service of so very many of you to our Lord’s cause, this church, and to us. So many do so much and I am very grateful. But again, there is one person who deserves special recognition; someone without whom I would not and could not be here. I am talking about my wife, Mindy. Scripture tells us that a bishop (pastor) must be married and that his wife must have certain godly traits. The Lord has given me such a wife and a diligent servant to me and this church. She has housed and entertained so many saints and done so much for this church, our children, our building; and I am so very thankful for her. In the beginning it was much more difficult for her leaving her church family, pastor, family and home, than it was for me; but like me, she is so glad the Lord called us here. She has been a constant source of comfort and encouragement to me. I would not and could not be here without her. But then . . . we are nothing . . . all of us. And all of this is our reasonable service and blessed privilege. It is all His mercy and grace and He deserves all the honour and glory. – 1 Chron.29:14-16

In the words of the apostle, “I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for YOU ALL making request with joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now; being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Christ Jesus: even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart…” (Phil.1:3-7). Thank you all again for everything. We love you.

I am persuaded that every true servant of Christ must be a man of one idea, and that idea is CHRIST. He must belong to the very oldest school – the school of CHRIST; he must be as narrow as the truth of God; and he must, with stern decision, refuse to move one hair’s breadth in the direction of this infidel age. -- C.H. Mackintosh

Only Men At Best - From John Ploughman's Talks, by Charles Spurgeon

If we would remember that we live among people who are imperfect, we would not be in such a fever when we discover one another's failings. Old cloth will tear and cracked pots will leak. Blessed is he who expects nothing of poor flesh and blood, for he will seldom be disappointed. The best of men are only men at the best.