March 20^th, 2016

9:30 am Bible Study---------------------- Be Patient Brethren (The Lord is Near) – James 5:7-12

10:00 am Service ---------------------------------------- Grace For A Little Space – Ezra 9:18

Nursery Today: Second Service: Janine K.

Cleaning Schedule: This Week: John & Irene, Next Week:

F The Lord willing, brother John Chapman will be here to preach to you next Sunday. I am scheduled to preach for Lantana Grace Church, Crossville, TN; Don Bell, pastor.

­­­­­­­­­­To Our Congregation: Yesterday, March 19^th, was the 27^th anniversary of when I came here as pastor. Before I came, an older, experienced pastor said to me, “Some people you will just preach to and some you will pastor.” I thank the Lord and am humbled that so many of you, not only love and believe what I preach, but love and esteem me as your pastor. May the Lord keep us united in love to Him, His cause, and to one another.

Old Folks -- “Remember now thy creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not,

nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them.” Ecclesiastes 12:1

I realize it is uncouth to use the term “Old Folks” instead of “Senior Citizens”. However, since I am a part of the “Old Folks” I will use any language that suits me. It used to be that the term was said in respect, and that is the way I use it. Here is my observation of these unique people.

All men and women should seek God but not many do. Most spend their time on this earth without God and then spend old age in the gall of bitterness, in religious nonsense, and die without God and without hope. These have no true knowledge of the gospel of Christ, though some do have forms, works, morality and the “goin’ to heaven when I die” mentality. But if they do not know Christ they are without God in this world.

I find that most have no heart involvement with Christ and come to an old age with no heart faith in the Son of God. The heart must be involved (Romans 10:9, 10). It is not just talking about how nice the pastor is and how long they have been members of some church. You can be religious and be without God and when you get to old age something is missing, and that old age will be spent in loneliness and despair. Life has been spent on a hit-and-miss religion with no real knowledge of Christ and no identification with the things of Christ and His true Church.

Most old folks I know did make some profession back yonder, but all their lives are spent with no zeal for Christ and no concern for anything spiritual. When they die their name is in the obituary column as members of So and So Church and the funeral service will be conducted by Rev. Do Good.

Old folks, do you really have a part in the Savior’s atonement? Do you love Him as your only hope? If not, the days are drawing nigh that will be evil days. –Jack Shanks, 1929-2012

Establish Your Hearts – James 5:8

Our hearts are prone to doubt, to fear and to question God’s love and providence (Psa.103:13, 14). The heart is established by the Word of God, prayer, gospel ordinances and the fellowship and encouragement of other believers. We must make use of these in order to take heart, be of good cheer and not be discouraged or dismayed. “Lift up your heads and hearts for the coming of the Lord draweth near!” At His coming we shall enter into the joys of our Lord and be forever set free from all sin, sorrow and suffering (Rev.21:1-7). – From Henry Mahan’s commentary on James

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