October 27^th 2024

10:00 am -------------------------------------------- Message by brother John Sheesley II

“Though He Slay Me, Yet Will I Trust Him” – Job 12:15

Anybody's dog will follow me if I feed it, but only my own dog will follow me if I beat it. And, any man will be a Christian, or profess to be one, while it is all joy, and silver slippers, and gravel walks; but only the man that really loves God, who says, “All the day long have I been plagued and chastened every morning" — it is only the man of God that can say, "Though he slay me, yet will I trust him — if he take away my comfort, and I have no joy but in himself, still will I cling to him.” -- C.H. Spurgeon

Out Of The Abundance Of The Heart The Mouth Speaketh– Matthew 12:34

Several times over the years I have asked different people what their hope of salvation is . . . if they hope to get to Heaven, Why? Whatever a person truly believes in their heart is what will first come out of their mouth. I asked someone else the same question again the other day, and their reply was, “I’m a good person and have lived a good Christian life.” When I proceeded to tell them what scripture says, “Not by works of righteousness” . . . “not of works lest any man should boast”, that salvation is by the sovereign mercy of God, the righteous life of Christ and His blood shed for remission of our sins; they quickly add: “O, I believe in God, I believe in Jesus.” But that is not what came out of their mouth and so it must not be written on their heart. It is not a matter of saying the right words but what one believes in their heart. Out of the heart are the issues of life . . . with the heart man believeth unto righteousness. When the love of God is shed abroad in the heart, it is a love for God, His Truth, His salvation, His Son . . . His glory. If God saves a man, that man will give God all the glory for it. With a grateful heart he will tell others what God has done for him.

Suppose you were drowning, and a man came and rescued you, but he died in doing so. What would you tell others? You would be so thankful for the one who saved you and you would sing that man’s praises the rest of your days. So it is with one whom the Lord Jesus Christ has truly saved.

If you ask a true child of God of their hope of eternal life, they will immediately say: “Jesus Christ and Him crucified.” They all will say, I live because He died. I live because He lives. I am accepted (by God) in the Beloved. True saving faith is believing Christ alone is your salvation. True saving faith is looking to, trusting, and depending on the Lord Jesus Christ . . . His Person and His work. True saving faith is believing that Christ alone is your hope of eternal life. If God has truly put that faith in a person’s heart, it will not only be the first thing out of their mouth but the only thing.

My hope is built on nothing less

Than Jesus Christ’s blood and righteousness.

I dare not trust the sweetest frame,

But wholly lean on Lord Jesus’ Name

A Local Church – by Henry Mahan

A local church is a company of brothers and sisters. We are one family—one life is ours, one love is ours, and one objective (to know and glorify the Lord Jesus) is ours. This is the comfort and strength of all, that we are all in Christ. We cannot properly minister the gospel of Christ without one another. The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you.”

Spurgeon once said, “I don’t know what renders the greater service—the man who preaches or the man who prays, but this I know, we can do better without the voice than without the heart of prayer!”

Blessed and happy is that assembly of redeemed people, brought together and baptized into one body, by His Spirit, whose love for the Lord Jesus and for one another enables them to sing with one voice, pray with one heart, walk in one direction, and worship with one Spirit! Where each member realizes the importance of his presence, his prayers, his support, and his co-operation. Where Christ is Lord and all others are servants! Where Christ’s will is pre-eminent and all other wills and desires are in subjection! Where there are no young and old, rich and poor, educated and uneducated, but Christ is all and in all.