The Holy Bible, King James Version

Somehow, to me at least, this verse is saying we have not gotten, nor will we ever get exactly what we deserve. How many times have we ever said in the flesh, “I wish I could get what I deserve.” How mistaken we are when we say that. I, for one sinner, surely do not need to say that. I do not wish to get exactly what I deserve because I would be lost world without end for a bleak, dark, and terrible eternity.

Today, surely all of us could meditate on the goodness and faithfulness of our Heavenly Father, the worthiness of God the Son, and the power and influence of the Holy Spirit. This great Triune God who has manifested unto us all His very self in so many ways.

What will be spread upon our family dining tables today? Do we deserve any of it, more than all of the people in the world who will have nothing or very little to eat?

Then, after surveying our natural blessings, let us look toward our spiritual table of blessings, indeed an abundant table full of precious and gracious things. Glorious things that are so delightful and tasteful to our souls.

R.H. Pittman stated the matter of thankfulness very beautifully in his song:

The Lord Has Been So Good To Me
#277 Old School Hymnal #11
#262 Old School Hymnal #12

The Lord has been so good to me,
I want to sing His praise,
I want to glorify His name
all my remaining days.

Chorus
The Lord has been so good to me,
I will on Him depend;
And everyday wherever I be,
I would His truth defend.

I want to follow in His steps
And show my love this way;
I want to lift His banner up,
Each fair or cloudy day.

I want to mingle with His saints
While here on earth I stay,
And meet them on the golden shore
On that eternal day.

Lord Jesus, wilt Thou mercy show
And save me by Thy grace,
That I may when this life is over
Look on Thy lovely face.

And in the land of endless bliss,
Where all the praise is Thine,
Some humble place at Thy dear feet,
May this poor sinner find.

Elder R.H. Pittman 1870-1941
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If you can see yourself in that little two letter word “me,” then you are indeed richly blessed on this Thanksgiving day.

Brother Eddy A. Flick
Flintstone, GA

“What is truth?”- Pontius Pilate

“I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”- the Lord Jesus Christ

Imagine you’re on a TV game show, and the host asks you the big winning question. You’re sweating. You’re nervous. Your knees wobble. But then, suddenly, you remember that you know the answer to this question! You’re sure of it! A little stage fright remains, but the cold sweats are gone. You are confident; because you are sure you know the truth of the matter.

Rebellious human nature tries to suppress the truth, or change it, ignore it, resist it… anything but acknowledge and submit to it (Rom. 1:18,25; 2nd Tim. 3:8).

But God is bigger than any rebel. Real truth- God’s truth-“endureth for ever” (Ps. 117:2).  It doesn’t change with seasonal fads and fashions. The truth makes us free (Jn.8:32), and makes heavenly love rejoice (1st Cor. 13:6). The truth is invested with God’s own power and authority.
That’s why it is so much needed by God’s children, particularly in this time and culture. We are vitally “plugged in” to God by his direct work of sovereign grace. We need to be more and more mentally “Plugged in” to God too, to tap into the strength and comfort that comes from growing ever more confident in what He teaches us.

Where is such Truth to be found in our modern age? Just where it has always been:  in the everlasting words of God. The prayer of our Lord is, “Sanctify then through thy truth” thy word is truth” (Jn. 17:17).

The question that must mean most to us in all the challenges and decisions of life is not “what does he believe, or she think, “ etc.; it is simply this- “what does God’s word say about it?” Find that, and you’ve found solid ground.

“Change and decay in all around I see; O, thou who changest not, abide with me!”

Yours in Christ, Brother Andrew

Friday AM:

A crowd that believed what they were singing gathered together to sing to their Lord and King with hearts and voices tuned by the Holy Spirit. You can tell a lot about a congregation by what they want to sing. You hear a lot about so called praise and worship music. If this was not praise and worship music then I don’t know what praise and worship music is. We love the solid and true old songs and the newer ones too as long as they express God’s truth!

Friday Morning before Preaching:

1. On Christ The Solid Rock
2. Moore About Jesus
3. Jesus, Thos Art The Sinner’s Friend
4. Come Thou Fount
5. Sweet By and By
6. In Worlds On High
7. Kindred In Christ
8. Rejoice, The Lord Is King
9. When We All Get To Heaven
10. Lord, Lead Me On
11. A Throne Of Grace
12. Amazing Grace

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Thursday Night

Elder Paul Mooney – Introduction

Brother Greg Smith Prayer

Elder Joe Hildreth

Elder Lynn Russell

Elder Kenneth Smith – prayer

* I had to work Thursday night and I wasn’t able to get all the details of the service.

Friday Morning

Elder Ray Wagner – Introduction and prayer – Eccle 12:9 O HOW WE NEED GOD’S KNOWLEDGE

Elder Dave Chandler – “I hope we are here for no other reason than to worship the Lord above.” WE WEREN’T!

Elder Dan Hall – “Costly Grace” – Isaiah 53:1-3 – IT WAS COSTLY TO CHRIST AND FREE TO US

Friday Afternoon

Elder Lynn Russell – “The Lines Are Fallen To Me In Pleasant Places.” ANYWHERE THE LORD IS IT IS PLEASANT

Elder Gus Harter – “Rising Sun or Setting Sun.” WE NEED TO WAKE UP AS CHRISTIANS AND AMERICANS

Friday Night

Elder Kelly Smith – Joel 2 – “The Lord’s Chastisement of His People.”  THAT MEANS HE LOVES US!

Elder Ricky Harcrow. – Romans 11:33 – O The Depth Of The Riches.” – WE ARE RICH! = RICHLY BLESSED!

Saturday Morning

Elder Leon Etheredge – Prayer

Elder Raymond Wyatt – Psalms 9:9 – “The Lord Also Will Be A Refuge” INDEED HE IS!

Elder Jesse Roberts – Philippians 4:12 – “Reckoning”

Elder Jonathan Blakely – Philippians  3:7,8 – “Counting All Things But Loss” WINNING CHRIST!

Elder George Demark – Intro and Prayer

Elder Sam Etheredge – Job 19:21 – “For The Hand Of God Hath Touched.”

Elder Daniel Woods – Exodus 25:17  -  “The Mercy Seat”

Elder Marty Hoskins – II Corinthians 5 – “Fear Of God Or Fear Of The World”

After preaching ended Elder Hoskins led the congregation in Guide Me O Thou Great Jehovah in the slow old mountain style. It was very wonderful and appreciated by all. The meeting was so richly blessed and it was so hard to bring it to a close. Hearts were drawn nearer, revived and made to want more but it came to a conclusion as all earthly meetings do. Some of us gathered up front where we blended our voices together to sing God Be With You Till We Meet Again.

Elders In Attendance:

1. Raymond Wyatt
2. Gus Harter
3. Lynn Russell
4. Ray Wagner
5. Dave Chandler
6. Dan Hall
7. Kelly Smith
8. Ricky Harcrow
9. Sam Etheredge
10. Leon Etheredge
11. Kenneth Smith
12. Jonathan Blakeley
13. Daniel Woods
14. Marty Hoskins
15. Roger Campbell
16. Ricky Sinyard
17. George Denmark
18. Jesse Roberts
19. Bill Taylor

After our shift change report, I left the nursing station and went out to the day room where I sat down and began to watch the patients. I felt like I wanted to pray for each one of them and did so. I began to watch one of our patients who is 23 years old. He came to us over a week ago after trying to kill himself in jail. He has been so depressed since coming to us, just wanting to sleep all the time and not interacting with any of the other patients. I begin to pray for him, and I asked the Lord  to help him find a way out of his stress and problems. After praying I went about my other daily chores. About 4 hours later after all the patients had gone to bed it was my time to do the 20 minute checks. ( We check the patients every 20 minutes, and we have to write down where they are at etc. ) I went into his room and he wasn’t in his bed. I called his name and he came out of the bathroom. I told him I was just checking on him. He took one look at me and said, “The Chaplin was supposed to come talk to me today, but he didn’t show up. I needed to talk to him about something.” I responded by saying, “The Chaplin?” He said “Yeah, you know, a preacher.”

I looked at him and said, “What do you want to talk to him about?” He looked confused, and then said, “I want to talk to him about my troubles. I need someone to talk to.” I then said, “I am a preacher. It is not my position here, but I am a preacher, and I will be glad to talk with you.” His eyes got real big when I told him I was a preacher. He then sat on the side of his bed and I sat on the chest beside his bed and he began to tell me many tragic things that has happened to him. His dad deserted his family, his mother got hooked on drugs, his twin brother got into serious trouble with the law, and his sister was unmarried and expecting a baby. He has seen many other troubles but I can’t list them all.He told me he has been living with his Uncle who is an alcoholic. This young man got drunk and was arrested for public intoxication. He said it was a parole violation and he has already been told if he got into trouble he could go to prison for 2 years. He said “I am so stressed out, and really feel like no one anywhere cares about me. I want to straighten out my life but I don’t think I can. He told me many other things and I talked to him at length about the only one that can help him change his direction. I said, “I will be honest with you. I was looking at you in the day room this afternoon and I started praying for you. I have been watching you ever since the day you were admitted. He was crying many tears.

I can truly say that this young man is not just fearing prison. He is fearing being estranged from God. He has attended church and at one time lived a Christian life.

He is being sent back to jail Thursday ( tomorrow ) I told him I wished he lived in Chattanooga and he could go to church with me. To make a long story short I then went up to the chapel where I take a supply of Bibles as often as I can. I consider that to be part of my ministry. I went and got him one and a little devotional booklet. I wrote my phone number on it and told him to call me when he really needs someone to talk to. About an hour later I had to go into his room to see about another patient. The young man was in his bed reading the material I had given him. He looked so content and happy. He certainly had not looked like that since coming to our hospital.

Now why have I said all of that especially at this late hour. I am so tired and worn out. It has been a very stressful and tiresome day. But I had to place this before you who believe in prayer. If you do not believe in prrayer, then this is not for you. Please pray for this young man who is so troubled. He will need much prayer in the days to come. I can’t give you his name. But “J.P.” will do. God knows his name. Pray for him to trust and call upon the one that can help him through all of his troubles. Lift this young man up in prayer as I have and will continue to do.

I Just a sinner myself and needing the Lord as much as this young man does. We all do, yes we all do.

In The Mercies Of Our Loving Lord,

Eddy A. Flick

When a person first visits a Primitive Baptist Church, he will notice a simple worship service which consists of congregational singing, prayer and preaching. Families of all ages worship together, and singing is acapella (without musical instruments). The focus of the service is on honoring Jesus Christ.

We invite you to join us for one of our weekly services on Sunday mornings at 10:30 AM. We also met on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday at 6:30 PM.

Chattanooga Primitive Baptist Church is located at
811 Runyan Drive (Turn next to Komatsu plant on Signal Mountain Boulevard)
Chattanooga TN 37405