June 29^th, 2014

Today’s Services:

9:30 am ­...............

10:00 am .... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... Messages by brother Dan Culver

Birthdays: June: 29^th -- John Maiko, July: 6^th -- Henry Sword & Winna Groover, 9^th -- Margaret Torrence

To Our Congregation: We welcome back brother Dan Culver to the pulpit today. Dan is pastor of Grace Fellowship Church, Wheelersburg, Ohio. It has been too long since he has been with us and we are thankful he agreed to come. I am preaching this morning for the Millsite Baptist Church of Cottageville, West Virginia, Mike Walker, pastor.

F "Every yielding to sin is a welcoming of Satan into our very bosoms." -- Thomas Brooks , 1608 -1680, England

F "A living soul can never be satisfied except in living union and communion with the Lord of life and glory."

-- J.C. Philpot

Ye Also Have Suffered

"For ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God which in Judaea are in Christ Jesus: for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they [have] of the Jews." -- 1Thessalonians 2:14

As evidence of the effectual nature of God’s working in them, Paul refers to the suffering they had endured for the sake of the Gospel. In this they “followed” or became like the churches in Judaea, which had suffered before them, at the hands of the religious Jews.

We cringe at the descriptions of persecutions suffered by those in times past, and are thankful that we are able, in our day, to worship in relative peace. But as Paul wrote in 2Ti 3:12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. This is one of the ways in which our Lord tries and proves the faith of His elect (1Peter 1:6-7), and it is therefore a good evidence of His grace, when difficulty may be endured for His sake.

The rich young ruler is an example of the average religious person, in that he was quite the impressive fellow, right up until the time he realized it was going to cost him something. We do not suffer physical torture or risk loss of liberty these days for worshipping our Lord Jesus Christ, but persecution and trial comes in many different, and often more subtle forms.

When you have a disagreement with someone, or get your feelings hurt, are you able to swallow your pride for the sake of the unity of the brethren and the uninterrupted worship of the Savior? When you suffer leanness of purse due to some unforeseen development, are you able to deprive yourself of certain luxuries to which you have become accustomed, so that the Gospel ministry is supported? These things seem hardly worth mentioning in comparison to the real afflictions our brethren have suffered before us, and yet even these little things are sufficient to weed out so many pretenders in this sad day of lukewarmness and apostasy.

When personal tragedy strikes, do you take refuge in the Lord, or do you withdraw yourself from the worship of God? Do you take comfort among the brethren, or among family members who know not the Master? What happens when suffering comes, as our text teaches, will tell a lot about those to whom it comes.

Thank God for His faithful ones, who by His grace have addicted themselves to the ministry of Christ. Whenever tested, God’s people are able, by that faith that He gives, to choose, walk, triumph, obey and believe as those in Hebrews 11 who were faced with greater choices, but of no less consequence. Lord, Author and Finisher of our faith, increase our faith that we might obtain a good report through faith, for your glory.-- Chris Cunningham, pastor in Franklin, TN

When The People Of God Reach Heaven