Old Fashion Day

We had a great day at Tabernacle. We began a combined Sunday School with biographical sketches of nine great preachers of the past. After giving a short explanation about each man, we listened to the voices of these men either preaching or singing. We heard from D.L. Moody, Ira Sankey, William Booth, Billy Sunday, Homer Rodeheaver, Harry Ironside, Peter Marshall, Gypsy Smith, and Bob Jones, Sr. You can see the flyer for our day by following this link:Old Fashion Day. During the morning service I preached a message entitled: “Asking for the Old Paths.” Follow the link to listen or you can view our sermons page. During the evening we were privileged to have Brother Alan Farley, a missionary to the Civil War reenactors. You can view  his website here. His webpage has some interesting links including several articles on his ministry that can be found from various publications. Be sure to check out the links page and the news briefs page.

Layne Daniel With the Lord

We have been praying for our friend Layne Daniel who fought a valiant battle against cancer for the past year and a half. Monday evening around 7:30 p.m. he went home to be with the Lord. Please pray for his wife Sharon and their two children Jason and Krista.

A Legacy of Faith

On Sunday morning we were back in Hebrews chapter 11. We looked at verses 11 through 16, a passage which illustrated faith by the examples of Abraham and Sarah. Last week we looked at a message called “Living by Faith,” (a message I failed to list here on the blog – follow this link to listen). It was a message about God’s call upon Abraham’s life to leave everything and follow Him. We saw how Abraham followed God even when he didn’t understand “where?” When we consider the story of Abraham and Sarah and the birth of Isaac we see how they followed God even when they didn’t know “how?” Sunday’s message was called “A Legacy of Faith.” When is the last time you though about the legacy you are leaving behind you? The message took the form of acrostic which comes directly from the text. When we consider our legacy of faith it must involve a lesson on (1) The Frailty of Humanity, (2) The Ability of God, (3) The Identity of the Faithful, (4) The Testimony of Faithfulness, and (4) A Hope for Each of Us. You can listen to this message by following this link or visit our sermons page.

Update on Pastor Layne Daniel

I received the following email this morning from Pastor Mike Knight, a good friend of ours and brother-in-law to Layne.

Dear Family and Friends,

Please pray for my brother-in-law, Pastor Layne Daniel, my sister, Sharon, and their two children Jason (12th grade) and Krista (10^th grade).  As most of your know Layne has been battling a brain tumor since March of 2007.  God’s grace has been completely sufficient to carry Layne, Sharon, Jason and Krista through some very difficult times over the last 17 months.

Layne has been at home under hospice care for the last 4 weeks and now has entered his last stages in this earthly life.  Even in the last 4 days Layne’s condition has drastically changed.  He is very difficult to arouse from his sleep and unable to speak more than a few words.  All meds are now administered through IV and injections.  Starting today the Hospice nurses are scheduled to come every day.  Breathing has become very difficult and Layne now depends upon an oxygen machine.

Please pray for Layne and his family as they prepare for his departure from this earth and his entrance his eternal home in heaven.  My brother, Phil, and I had a sweet visit with the family this evening!  Thank you for your prayer support.  I’m so thankful to know that Layne’s absence from this life means he will be in the presence of the Lord!

*If you would like to read Sharon’s latest update clink on this link, http://laynedaniel.wordpress.com/

*You can also send Sharon an encouraging word by scrolling down to the bottom of the blog page and posting a comment.  Thanks again for you prayer support!

Unsinkable Faith

We are in the fourth message of our sermon series entitled “Strolling Through the Hall of Faith.” This week’s message was our third biographical sketch on one of God’s great heroes of the faith. We have seen how Abel Worshiped by faith, Enoch Walked by faith, and now Noah Worked by faith. We examined Noah’s (1) Faith, his (2) Foresight, and his (3) Family. You can listen to this sermon by following this link or visit our sermons page.

In the Midst of the Storm: Richard Fuller

“In fierce storms,” said an old seaman, “we must do one thing; there is only one way: we must put the ship in a certain position and keep her there.”

This, Christian, is what you must do. Sometimes, like Paul, you can see neither sun nor stars, and no small tempest lies on you; and then you can do but one thing; there is only one way.

Reason cannot help you; past experiences give you no light. Even prayer fetches no consolation. Only a single course is left. You must put your soul in one position and keep it there.

You must stay upon the Lord; and come what may–winds, waves, cross-seas, thunder, lightning, frowning rocks, roaring breakers–no matter what, you must lash yourself to the helm, and hold fast your confidence in God’s faithfulness, His covenant engagement, His everlasting love in Christ Jesus.

The Rooted Christian: Spurgeon

I saw one day a number of beech trees which had formed a wood; they had all fallen to the ground through a storm. The fact was they leaned upon one another to a great extent, and the thickness of the wood prevented each tree from getting a firm hold of the soil. They kept each other up and also constrained each other to grow up tall and thin, to the neglect of root growth. When the tempest forced down the first few trees, the others readily followed, one after the other. Close to that same spot I saw another tree in the open, bravely defying the blast, in solitary strength. The hurricane had beaten upon it but it had endured all its force unsheltered. That lone, brave tree seemed to be better rooted than before the storm. I thought, “Is it not so with professors?” They often hold together, and help each other to grow up, but if they have not firm personal roothold, when a storm arises they fall in rows. A minister dies, or certain leaders are taken away, and over go the members by departure from the faith and from holiness. I would have you be self-contained, growing each man into Christ for himself, rooted and grounded in love and faith and every holy grace. Then when the worst storm that ever blew on mortal man shall come, it will be said of your faith, “It could not shake it.”

The Walk of Faith

Yesterday morning, we returned to our sermon series “Strolling through the Hall of Faith,” with a message on Enoch, entitled “The Walk of Faith.” We need to learn that the Christian life isn’t just hard, it is impossible. Only one person can live the Christian life and that is Jesus, but through faith, He can live it through you. We considered the (1) Meaning, (2) Motivation, (3) Maintenance, and (4) Mystery of the walk. You can listen to this message by following this link: The Walk of Faith or visit our Sermons Page.