From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Mon Dec 1 04:25:18 2008 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Mon, 1 Dec 2008 05:25:18 EST Subject: [Biblemat] A) GOD WILL SHOW NO PARTIALITY Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. A very good Monday morning to each and everyone. May God bless you and yours. Here is an artic- le from my files: GOD WILL SHOW NO PARTIALITY God will judge us impartially. He will be truly fair and just. He will be forgiving and gracious. Yet, He will judge us by how we live our lives. Paul wrote: "And whatever you do, do it hearti- ly, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ. But he who does wrong will be repaid for what he has done, and there is no partiality" (Col. 3:23-25). We need to have a proper respect for God and His judgment of each of us. God does not want us to live in fear but in His per- fect love (1 Jno. 4:18). So, do what is right as a child of God, and when you fail confess your sin, repent and pray to God for forgiv- eness understanding that all people sin and fall short of God's glory (1 Jno. 1:7-9; Rom. 3:23). Know that God is for you and He will keep what you have committed to Him until that Day of Judg- ment (2 Tim. 1:12). Since God will show no partiality to anyone when He judges, it makes good sense to understand the standard God will use to judge everyone. The Word of God according to Jesus Christ will be the measuring stick for all people whether good or evil. Jesus was very clear on this matter -- read His words carefully: "He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him -- the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day" (Jno. 12:48). To be impartial means that everyone will be treated fairly with the same measuring standards. We can be sure that God will take into consideration our ability, opportunity and surround- ing circumstances. Our heavenly Father knows that we are not all able to do the same things. The parable of the minas or talen- ts shows how God treats us in these matters (Lk. 19:13-27). Another aspect of God's impartial judgment is the teaching that God will judge us in the way we treat others. For example, an important key to receiving impartial judgment is the way we treat others concerning mercy. We must develop a fair-minded- ness that shows no partiality in the way we show mercy to othe- rs. The apostle James wrote: "Mercy triumphs over judgment" (Jas. 2:13)! ------------ Ron Drumm. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20081201/4801dd6f/attachment.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Mon Dec 1 04:25:35 2008 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Mon, 1 Dec 2008 05:25:35 EST Subject: [Biblemat] S) THE DANGER OF A FALSE ACCUSATION Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. Here is a study from my files. Use to the glory of God. THE DANGER OF A FALSE ACCUSATION Currently I am in an American Literature class in college and we have been discussing the Salem witch trials and an interest- ing point has been brought up in our class. There was a danger in this time period of being an "accused" witch. The point I want to draw on is their accusation process. In a movie for the class, a woman has been playing on the paranoia of the people of Salem by accusing people falsely. At this point in time if you were accused of these types of activities your chances of surviv- al were slim. The point in the movie is that innocent people were going to suffer because of a false accusation. So, this makes me consider about how much damage a false accusation can cause. There are three things I want us to consider that a false accusation can bring upon the Lord's people. First, It Can Damage A Good Reputation: -- Proverbs tell us that a good name or reputation is to be desired and held on to (Prov. 22:1). Also, when a man is looking to meet the qualifications for an elder, he is one that must be "blameless" (1 Tim. 3:2). Consid- er the damage that can be done in a matter of moments over a false accusation. Suppose there is a man who has a good name among the community and the local congregation and who is outside cleaning streets. A member of the church who has an improper attitude ses this man with a beer can in his hand and his mind wonders. He then tells others what he has just seen, thus slandering this man's good name (2 Tim. 3:3). Through this one false accusation this man's good name can be destroy- ed quickly. See how great a forest a little fire kindles (Jas. 3:5). This man's reputation can be shattered in a matter of a few min- utes all because of this false accusation. (We have to be very careful that we do not leave any appearance of evil by our words or actions. 1 Thes. 5:22, tells us to abstain from every appear- ance of evil. In referring to the man cleaning up the street in the front of his home, I can vouch for that type of thing taking place. When I lived on a busy road, I would have to clean up litter, including beer cans and bottles, that were thrown out basically in my front yard. So, a person passing by might see me with a beer can or bottle in my hand at that given instance. I always tried to put any beer can or beer bottle in a plastic bag before even putting it in my trash can, in fear that even the garbage man might see such in my trash and draw the wrong conclus- ion. I remember when they first started putting Cokes and other soft drinks in cans, they had been putting beer in cans much earlier than they did soft drinks. So, I would not buy soft drinks that were in cans to drink as I and my family travelled along the road, in case that some one saw me drinking such and think I was drinking beer. It was quite a while before I would buy soft drinks in cans. So, even though false accusations can be made against us, we need to be very careful that we do not leave any appearance of evil in our lives or words. JWS). Second, It Will Cause Strife And Even Division Among The Lord's Body: -- Prov. 6:19 says that "he that soweth discord among brethren" is someone that God hates. Consider this situ- ation: you hear from a fellow member of the congregation that brother Joe has an opinion that some people disagree on, and your fellow member says that Joe is trying to divide the church. This is heard by you, and it begins to cause strife among the congregation. Also, because of the carnality in the congregat- ion, they never fully discuss the issue with Joe and get to the bottom of the story. The congregation eventually splits because of all the gossip and false accusations that were put forth. There are more problems in this congregation than the fact of a false accusation, but if that person had gone in the beginning and talked to Joe and the situation had been dealt with properly, this division would have never occurred. (This is what should have been done in the case of the brother seeing another broth- er with a beer can in his hand. He should have stopped even at the first to see if what he saw was a brother drinking beer, JWS). Third, It Can Contribute To Someone Losing His Or Her Soul: -- Consider the situation we just discussed. What if because of all the strife, confusion, and division that is taking place, a young Christian throws up his hands in disgust and ceases to walk with the Lord. A popular excuse people give for why they fall short in coming to services is because people in the congregat- ion are hypocrites. The people in this situation talked a big talk in regard to their service to the Lord, but then they divided and devoured one another on Sunday morning. Also, consider this siguation. A young Christian has a false accusation put forth against him. He tries to resolve the situation but t he congregat- ion has closed its mind to the discussion, and they push away an innocent man. Thsi man then becomes angry and loses his faith because he was being torn apart by his own brethren. My brethren, these things ought not to be so (Jas. 3:10). We must consider the damage that can be done by one simple false accusation. Just as in the Salem witchhunts, where people would become suspicious about their neighbor and spread false accusations against them of being witches. People were even killed by their neighbors upon the strength of these accus- ations. We may withdraw our fellowship or misrepresent some- one on the basis of a false accusation. We need to always strive to love our neighbor or brother in Christ, and think no evil of them without definite cause. We need to always strive to look have the attitude that we will alway look into any situation before we make an accusation against anyone. We should never lend a receptive ear to any gossip that we hear from a brother against another brother. If a brother begins to accuse a brother or sister of some sin, you need to say to that brother, "have you gone to this brother or sister about this accusation?" If he says "No" then you should tell him to go to that brother or sister and con- front them personally about the matter and not be telling such to others. (Matt. 18:15-17). ---- Adapted from an article by Shane Millard, in Truth Magazine, Vol. 52, No. 4, April, 2008. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20081201/cec3eb11/attachment.html From dmartinbtbq at comcast.net Mon Dec 1 09:51:51 2008 From: dmartinbtbq at comcast.net (Don Martin) Date: Mon, 1 Dec 2008 08:51:51 -0700 Subject: [Biblemat] Bible Truths and Bible Questions updates Message-ID: <004c01c953cc$babef3c0$6401a8c0@533034B8A6DF4D9> Don Martin announcing new material to our Websites: Once again it is my pleasure to tell you about new material to both Bible Truths and Bible Questions. The new Current Truth for www.bibletruths.net is, "The Case of Works." I believe you will find this article a definitive albeit concise treatment of the subject of works relative to man's salvation (see excerpt below). To read the material in full, when on the home page of Bible Truths enter through the door and click on "Current Truth" in the directory on the Site Map page. "...There is probably not a biblical subject that is characterized by more diverse and extreme positions than the subject of works as spiritually pertaining to man. Some religionists hold the view that the word "work" has absolutely no place in the matter of man's salvation and is, in fact, a term of utter repulsion. Others believe that man can, "Work his way to heaven" and thus earn salvation. As we shall see, both of these views constitute the extreme positions in the spectrum of works (cp. Eph. 2: 10; Tit. 3: 5). As always, between the extremes, truth resides...." The new Featured Question for www.biblequestions.org is, "How important is attitude?" (Below.) Out of the about 32, 000 questions that have been submitted to us, only about 400 are found in the archives of Bible Questions. These were selected due to the fact that we redeemed them to be commonly asked questions. To read this featured question, when on the home page, click on the "Featured Question" button. We (ten men) work hard to provide all with a book, chapter, and verse answer for their Bible questions. In order to submit your own question, go to Bible Questions and when on the home page, click on the "Ask a Question" button. Question: How important is attitude? Answer: Attitude is defined as: "manner, disposition, feeling, position, etc., toward a person or things" (Random House College Dict., pg. 87). The Bible teaches, "For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he..." (Prov. 23: 7). Man's thinking, then, determines who and what he is. Attitude is elemental. As we have seen, attitude or thinking is primary and causes a man to be what he is. Jesus taught that a man's deeds are begun and determined by the man's thinking or heart, good and bad (Matt. 15: 16-20). The reason many are not saved is because their thinking or attitudes are not conducive to their salvation. Belief and repentance are designed to change our attitudes (Mk. 1: 15). Repentance and true belief dictate our actions (2 Cor. 7: 10,11; Jas. 2: 14-26). Some good attitudes seen in the Bible. There are many good examples worthy of our mimicking. We need to have the attitude of the man whom Jesus healed regarding prayer (Jn. 9: 31). We need the attitude of dependence on God as manifested by Peter (Jn. 6: 68, 69). Paul had a commendable mental posture concerning contentment (Phili. 4: 11-13), John on sin (I Jn. 1: 7-10), and Barnabas regarding giving (Acts 4: 35-38). Cornelius is an outstanding example of spiritual promptitude and submissiveness (Acts 10: 11). The very epitome of good attitudes is seen in the Son of God. His attitude toward God and His authority is without equal. Hear Him: "...my meat is to do the will of Him that sent me, and to finish His work" (Jn. 4: 34). His attitude toward government and His fellow man are, to say the least, exemplary. Beloved, what are your attitudes? How do you view God's word, heaven and hell, and obedience? Remember, our attitudes make us what we are! We need to constantly examine our attitudes and make corrections as needed. Cordially, Don Martin dmartinbtbq at comcast.net Check out our Web sites: http://www.bibletruths.net Ask and receive a Bible answer http://www.biblequestions.org Simply click on the URL to visit these sites. You may print out the material for teaching purposes, see the copyright provision on the home page of Bible Truths. From GLClair at aol.com Mon Dec 1 10:53:25 2008 From: GLClair at aol.com (GLClair at aol.com) Date: Mon, 1 Dec 2008 11:53:25 EST Subject: [Biblemat] HILLIARD BULLETIN for Dec 2008 Message-ID: Hilliard Bulletin Published by the church of Christ Meeting at 4840 Cemetery Rd ?P.O. Box 96 Hilliard, OH 43026 Phone: (614) 976-4089 Preacher & Editor: Garreth L. Clair Phone: (614) 850-7252 Email: _glclair at aol.com_ (mailto:glclair at aol.com) or _glclair at sbcglobal.net_ (mailto:glclair at sbcglobal.net) ==================================================================== Volume 10 ---------------------- Number 12 ---------------------- December 2008 ==================================================================== REBUILDING THE CHRISTIAN VALUE SYSTEM The great debate between the liberal and the conservative political positions is easy to describe. To describe the liberal position in politics seems to be taking the anti-biblical position. By that I mean the liberal politicians generally take the position that infanticide (i.e. abortion) is an acceptable norm, that homosexuality is not to be censured but that these people are ok, that marriage between two men or two women are to be accepted as ok, that the mention of God, the Bible, or discussions of true religion are to be extinguished in government and in all institutions that accept money or aid from the government. These politicians that consider themselves to be liberal generally do not believe the Bible or anything pertaining to it; they believe in humanism as defined by the great humanistic thinkers (i.e. evolution, the big-bang, and do-you-own-thing, etc) of the past and in our current time. One of the most revealing statements in recent years is a statement by one of our politicians after a journey to Africa where that politician was so overcome with their circumstance that she wrote that ?it takes a village to raise a child.? Actually, it takes a father and mother (i.e. a family) to raise children. You see, there is a lack of respect for God?s instruction regarding the family unit that God approves and the composition of that family unit. God; in His sacred Book (i.e. the Bible) says that the family cares for the children that the husband cares for the wife, and children, and that the man is the leader in the family unit; please note the following facts regarding the family unit that God approves: The election is over, now let us pick up the pieces and attempt to reclaim the Biblical lifestyle that is slipping away from the masses of humanity. It is up to us, those of us who still follow the Holy Bible and its teaching. Rom 7:2-3, 2 For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband. 3 So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man. (KJV) 1 Cor 7:2-4, 2 Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband. 3 Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband. 4 The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife. Eph 5:23-25, 23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the savior of the body. 24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. 25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; (KJV) Col 3:21, 21 Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged. Eph 6:4, 4 And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. (KJV) 1 Cor 6:18, 18 Flee fornication, Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. (KJV) 1 Cor 7:2, 2 Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband. (KJV) Gal 5:19-21, 19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. (KJV) Whether you are a man or a woman as part of a family God speaks to you about your role. If you are a child in the family God speaks to you and to your mother and father about their and your responsibilities in that family. God addresses the grandparents in the family unit and gives instructions that indicate they ought to teach and set examples of godly conduct and living for the grandchildren ? cf. 2 Tim 1:2-5, To Timothy, my dearly beloved son: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. 3 I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day; 4 Greatly desiring to see thee, being mindful of thy tears, that I may be filled with joy; 5 When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois , and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also. (KJV) November 4, 2008 THE DAY AFTER ? From Biblemat ? The day after the 2008 Presidential election has left me wondering what the Almighty has in store for our nation. Indeed, this election has been historic in that Americans have elected its first African-American President. I?m certainly not opposed to a black president; in fact, it?s good to live in a country where all men can be treated equal. That being said, I am greatly troubled today by what many are now saying was the reason for their voting in Barrack Obama. This election was historic in my judgment, not because an African-American won the presidency, but because the economy (materialism) was more important to the voter than was morality. Don?t get me wrong, I too desire a stronger economy. But as a Christian, I understand that it is God above that sustains us and provides for us the necessities of life (Mat. 6:33; Mal. 3:10). Could it be that our weak economy is a direct result of our immorality? The shedding of innocent blood (abortion), illicit sexual relations (adultery, fornication, homosexuality, etc.), greed, vulgarity, pride, etc. are an abomination to God! Can we expect God, the giver of every good and perfect gift, to continue showering upon us His blessings if we continue to distance ourselves from His Word? Barrack Obama?s platform throughout this election was ?CHANGE!? And my friend, if his past record is any indication of the type of change he so desires, than expect even greater immoral behavior, and in turn even greater hardship politically, socially, and economically. I don?t know what the future holds, but I do know who holds the future! The God of heaven is and will forever be in control, and He will deal justly to all the inhabitants of the earth! ?If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land? (2 Chr. 7:14). --- Terry R. Townsend A HARD TIME REACHING THE LOST (1) (The Corruption of Mankind) FACT: The great work of interesting sinners in Jesus Christ and the gospel is more difficult today than at any time in my lifetime. I have been preaching the gospel for 50 years and have experienced several difficult areas in which to interest the masses in the gospel; yet, I believe from all that experience today is the most difficult time to reach the sinner with the gospel. I am not sure I know why; but there are some glaring issues that we will all acknowledge relating to the lack of interest in Divine things today. Some of the hindrances that are evident today that have influenced and in many cases caused the negative attitude of the masses toward the God of the Bible and the church Jesus built. These are the issues I want us to consider herein. Since World War II ended there have been a consistent ?deadening-of-the-senses? of the general population in America. The following moral and ethical downward methods have been used by the mass electronic media (i.e. Movies, T.V., recorded music, and the internet, etc) to present never before concepts and taboos as normal fare in the lives of normal family programming. To this assault on morals and ethics that had existed from the agrarian period in America came the assault about the same time of the printed media (i.e. porn-magazines), anti-God assaults by the ACLU and the general destruction by those with actions and passions like Madelyn Murray O'Hair (i.e. the Anti-God atheist). These named actions along with a very liberal U.S. Supreme Court which approved the killing of literally millions of unborn and partially born children have left many of our world?s population with corrupt and evil minds with no guidelines to assist in their survival in this world. A HARD TIME REACHING THE LOST (2) (The Corruption of Mankind) FACT 2: I cannot define the current state of the American attitudes toward the Bible and the church Jesus built without also giving credit to the phony, misguided religions and religious leaders of the past 60 years. The proliferation and media spread of false religious conduct and false religious leaders and their hypocritical actions have also deadened the senses of many people. The claims of Oral Roberts of seeing a hundred foot Jesus; Robert?s so called vision where he was told if he did not raise a certain amount of money that he (i.e. Oral) would be called home, etc; Jim Jones and his false religion in the name of God where 900 followers and Jones committed suicide in Guinea; The case of Heaven's Gate was an American UFO Religious sect based in _San_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Diego) _Diego, California_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Diego) and led by _Marshall Applewhite_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marshall_Applewhite) (1931-1997) and _Bonnie Nettles_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonnie_Nettles) (1927-1985). The group's end coincided with the appearance of _Comet Hale-Bopp_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comet_Hale-Bopp) in 1997, ? all committed suicide. From 1972-until 1989 Jim and Tammy Fay Baker built a religious empire that was called PTL ? This TV program, hotel, and amusement park in Charlotte, North Carolina was run by what one reporter stated --- Robert Thompson, director of the Bleier Center for Television and Popular Culture at Syracuse University, said Jim and Tammy Faye's legacy will be of two charismatic charlatans. Among the Roman Catholic leaders some have been convicted of child molestation and other of illegal sex acts with under age children. Whenever we examine these events and honesty look at the exposure given them by the mass media; these events too, have had a disastrous impact on the hearts of many people regarding true religion. I suggest no moral and ethical guidelines simply because the Creator (i.e. GOD) has spoken through the ancient Prophet Jeremiah long ago and defined man? s situation without guidance ? Jeremiah 10:23, ?O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.? ----- MAN NEEDS GOD TO TELL HIM HOW TO LIVE ----- Indeed, man is without guidance when he rejects the only source of correct human orientation (i.e. the Written Word of God ? the BIBLE). Mankind (i.e. both male and female) are adrift without Divine Guidance; if you doubt this look at the proliferation and encouragement of homosexual conduct in much of American culture See Romans 1:18ff). It is surely time in the life of God-fearing-people on this planet to turn back to the perfect guide and follow it in all areas of human interaction today ? that is, back to the Written Word of God. --_glclair at aol.com_ (mailto:glclair at aol.com) LOCAL HAPPENINGS: The power point set up is complete; now those of us using it continue to learn the process. The DVD system has been installed and the process is moving along. There is no shortage of interest in the programs as the congregation voices their feelings about them. The church has embraced the methods of teaching and speaks well of their usefulness to the edification and evangelistic mission of the congregation. The shut in among us are about the same as we come to the last month of 2008. Those on the shut-in list are: Audrey Bineger Margie Boysel Virginia Jordan Katie Kerr Geraldine Showalter Let us all be conscious of these and visit, send cards, or call them to encourage them in their difficulties. The Holy Scriptures encourage us to consider the shut-in. NOTE: James 1:27, ?Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. Gal 6:10, ?As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.? (KJV) Sunday, November 23 at the end of the PM Service, Erin Kirke came forward asking for prayer on her behalf. We are encouraged by Erin?s seeking God?s help in her life. _glclair at aol.com_ (mailto:glclair at aol.com) - December 2008 **************Finally, one site has it all: your friends, your email, your favorite sites. Try the NEW AOL.com. (http://www.aol.com/?optin=new-dp&icid=aolcom40vanity&ncid=emlcntaolcom00000006) -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20081201/b89e7706/attachment-0001.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Tue Dec 2 04:35:36 2008 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Tue, 2 Dec 2008 05:35:36 EST Subject: [Biblemat] A) ALL WORK AND NO PLAY Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. A very good Tuesday morning to each and everyone. May God bless you and yours. Here is an article from my files: ALL WORK AND NO PLAY The life of a Christian is to be a joyous and happy life that is blessed in Jesus Christ. Christians are encouraged to rejoice all the time (Phil. 4:4). Yet, if the life of a Christian is all about work- ing for the Lord, how, then, does fun, joy and pleasure fit into the picture of being a bondservant of the Lord Jesus Christ? Loving the One you are working for is joyful. The produce of your work -- souls saved and edified -- brings great happiness (1 Thes. 2:19). Singing and making melody in your heart with your fellow Christians and to the God you love causes thanksgiving in your heart (Eph. 5:19,20). Knowing you are going to heaven to be with God enthralls your very soul with inexpressible joy (1 Pet. 1:8,9). Visiting and serving others makes life fruitful and blessed bringing a smile to your face and the realization of how much you benefited from the visit. Consider making God happy -- He smiles down on His child- ren as they toil in His kingdom (Heb. 13:16). He rejoices with the angels when a soul is saved from sin or when a lost one is brou- ght back to the family (Lk. 15:10). He is pleased when He sees His children following and obeying His Son Who died for them (2 Cor. 5:9). Happiness should fill our hearts knowing that the God of heaven is well pleased with us. Work can turn to play simply by our attitudes. Haven't you ever ended a day of fun by saying how much work it takes to play? Surely you remember being "dead tired" after a week of vacationing. Look, we are allowed down time. God wants us to stop our work from time to time and rest. He taught us this truth when He rested from all His labors on the seventh day of creation (Gen. 2: 1-3). God incorporated many seventh "day" rests into His law for the Jews. We are no different -- we need to rest from our labors, and in that time of rest have fun, joy and pleasure. Mainly, God's Word says little about play except in the nega- tive. But, He did not say all work and no play either. He wants us to rest when we need rest. He wants us to have joy and fun. Overall, He desires hard working Christians who find joy and happiness in serving Him. -------------- Ron Drumm. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20081202/003e7a18/attachment-0001.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Tue Dec 2 04:35:45 2008 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Tue, 2 Dec 2008 05:35:45 EST Subject: [Biblemat] S) FOUNDER OR RESTORER Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. Here is a study from my anci- ent files. Use to the glory of God. FOUNDER OR RESTORER? Did Alexander Campbell found the church of Christ? Regardless of any prejudiced answers in either the affirmative or negative, the truth can be determined only when we know the church of Christ existed prior to Campbell's lifetime. It is this simple fact which answers the qurestion finally and definitely, for it cannot be shown that Campbell founded an institution which existed before he was born. There is a fundamental difference between the "founder" of an institution and the "restorer" of some institution or organizat- ion. A founder is one who conceives and establishes an institut- ion which has not previously existed. The resulting institution may have some characteristics which are similar to those of previously existing institutions, but when all of its distinctive feat- ures are considered together, the institution cannot claim to have existed earlier. On the other hand, a restorer is one who re- establishes an institution which has existed, having certain char- acteristics and for a specific purpose, he believes in his day and determines to re-establish this institution by copying all of its essential characteristics. He is not a founder; his work is that of a restorer. LUTHERAN CHURCH: -- The relationship of Martin Luther to the Lutheran Church illustrates clearly the work of a founder. The name alone is enough to indicate that Luteranism did not exist before the lifetime of Luther, for it honors him by wearing his name. Martin Luther is the central figure in the entire Protestant Reformation of the early 1500's, and it was his work which ultim- ately resulted in the formation of the Lutheran denomination. Luther was a German Catholic monk, born of poor mining peas- ants on November 10, 1483. He obtained an excellent eduction in spite of his poor background and became a member of the Augustinian order of Erfurt, Germany, transferred to a monast- ery at Wittenberg. Luther was given an opportunity to visit Rome; here he became acquainted with the deep moral and polit- ical corruption of the highest level of the Roman Catholic hierarc- hy. His deeply religious spirit revolted: he glimpsed the great truth of salvation through faith and the great Protestant Reform- ation burst throughout Europe. When an indulgence traffic was set up in Germany, Luther was dismayed and on October 31, 1517, he posted a list of ninety-five theses on the door of the cathedral in Wittenberg, condemning the indulgences and inviting a discussion of their sale. Luther began writing vigorous polemics advocating a re- formation of the Catholic Church. Powerful friends supported the reforming monk, and all Germany was divided into pro-Luth- eran and pro-Catholic parties. When Luther was excommunicat- ed in 1521, he publicly burned the pope's bull of excommunicat- ion. Within a few years the Lutheran Church was firmly estab- lished, and a divided Germany was girding itself for a series of devastating religious wars. These facts are sufficient to indicate (1) that the Lutheran Church resulted from the work of him whose name it bears and (2) that it had not existed previously. It follows, therefore, that Luther is the founder of the Lutheran Church in every sense of that Word. PROTESTANTISM: -- It may be demonstrated similarily that Prot- estantism, as a distinctive system of religion, originated during the early 1500's. When Luteran and Catholic princes were striv- ing for supremacy in Germany, a diet met at Spires (1529) which was controlled by the Catholics and which placed severe restrictions upon all non-Catholics, particularly Zwinglians and Anabaptists. The Lutheran princes presented a formal "protest" and the name "Protestant" originated with this action (History, II, 98,99). Certainly Protestantism could not have existed, at least in name, prior to 1529. Therefore, it may be stated as historical fact that Protestantism was "founded" during t he early 1500's. CHURCH OF CHRIST: -- Many have charged that the church of Christ is "just another denomination" and that it was founded by Alexander Campbell just as Lutheranism was founded by Martin Luther. Campbell did nto have this conception of his work and repudiated emphatically the idea that he was the founder of a church. (See the June Preceptor for Campbell's letter to a New Orleans newspaper, denying that he was the "founder" of a new church and asking the paper to correct its mistake.) Campbell conceived of his work as the restoration or re-establishment of New Testament Christianity and often emphasized this view of his work in his writings. For example, when Campbell met Obadiah Jennings, pastor of the First Presb- yterian Church of Nashville, in an informal debate in 1830, Jennings charged that Campbell was a sectarian and a faction- ist. Campbell reports that in his reply "the impossibility of build- ing up a sect while we admitted only the constitution and laws of Christ's kingdom as authoritative, and allowed perfect liberty to private judgment -- was demonstrated." It was Campbell's idea that a return to the Bible would not produce a sect but would result in the restoration of Christ's kingdom. Was Campbell's view of his own work correct, or was he, in reality, the founder of a new denomination? The one fact which answers these questions is this: the church of Christ had exist ed long before the era of Campbell and his contemporaries. The New Testament church is fully described in the New Testa- ment, and by diligent study we may identify: 1) Its Name: The first century church was designated by sev- eral different names, one of which was the church of Christ. Writing of several congregations, Paul stated, "The churches of Christ salute you" (Rom. 16:16). It follows, there- fore, that a church called the church of Christ had existed long before Campbell, for that name is used in the New Testament. When Campbell used the name "church of Christ," he was not originating anything; he was restoring the New Testament name to the church. 2) It Organization: -- Christ was the only Head recognized by the early church, for all authority both in heaven and on earth was His. The Savior, in turn, did not delegate authority to any person, pope, prelate, cardinal, Protestant council, convent- ion or synod of our day. Each New Testament church was inde- pendent of all others; the affairs of each were directed by its own elders. Campbell did not "found" this order of church gov- ernment; he found it plainly described in the New Testament. 3). Its Worship: --When Campbell described instrumental music in worship as a cowbell in a concert, he was not "founding" a peculiar or narrow-minded idea; he simple respect- ed the New Testament pattern for worship. This same procedure may be applied to every essential char- acteristic of the New Testament church; and when it is finished, we conclude that the church of Christ existed in the first century and is described in the New Testament. this being true, it is un- fair and incorrect to regard Campbell as the "founder" of the church of Christ, because he was not. His respect for the author- ity of the New Testament was absolute; his ideal was "a restorat- ion of the ancient order of things." ----- Bill J. Humble in The Preceptor, Vol. 1, No. 9, July, 1952. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20081202/462a47fe/attachment-0001.html From kerux at bellsouth.net Tue Dec 2 07:20:23 2008 From: kerux at bellsouth.net (Kent Heaton) Date: Tue, 2 Dec 2008 08:20:23 -0500 Subject: [Biblemat] A>What Goliath Found In Death (Kent Heaton) Message-ID: What Goliath Found In Death (Kent Heaton) He stood over nine feet tall and probably weighed the equivalent of a small Volkswagen. He wore a bronze helmet and had bronze armor to protect his chest and legs. The chest armor alone weighed about one hundred twenty-five pounds. He carried a bronze sword strapped on his back, and his spear was so big that the iron spearhead alone weighed more than fifteen pounds. A soldier always walked in front of him to carry his shield. He was called Goliath from the town of Gath. (1 Samuel 17:1-7) Southwest of Jerusalem in the Valley of Elah, the army of Israel stood in battle array against the insurgency of the Philistines. For forty days the behemoth challenger of the Philistines stood between the armies and offered a contest of one-on-one battle with the victor subduing the opposing army. The army of Israel was dismayed and greatly afraid. (1 Samuel 17:8-19) An unlikely hero appeared to battle the giant Goliath. His name was David. The shepherd boy was dismayed himself; not at the fierce presence of Goliath but the lack of action for someone to stop the blasphemous cursing of Goliath against the God of Israel. Armed only with a sling David ran toward Goliath, striking him with a stone and then killing the champion of Gath with his own sword (1 Samuel 17:48-51). The story most often will focus on the heroic action of David over Goliath. Yet, a great number of lessons are missed when we see the battle from Goliath's viewpoint. He was raised a warrior from his youth (1 Samuel 17:33). All he knew in life was to fight. By the time he met David, his height is over nine feet tall. Shaquille O'Neal (7' 1" / 325lbs) is small compared to Goliath. He became the champion of the Philistines and with little doubt lived an extravagant lifestyle as the bully of his world. No one stood against him. Whatever Goliath wanted in life, he took. But then he met a youth in the valley of Elah and Goliath learned about God. Goliath learned in death that the accolades of men will only last a short time. When David slew the giant, the army of Philistia fled. He was no longer a hero. The Philistines used Goliath for their own purpose but in death he served no purpose. Goliath had lived for himself but now he met the Almighty God. The giant cursed David and disdained him as but a youth but in death he found his challenger to be right. "Then David said to the Philistine, 'You come to me with a sword, a spear, and a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have taunted'" (1 Samuel 17:45). Goliath ceased his taunting in death. We learn that evil will not prevail. Those who lived during the reign of Hitler thought the evil would never end; it did! The presence of Goliath gave fear and dread for many years but then it ended. Righteousness always wins over unrighteousness. The souls in Revelation 6 cried out, "How long?" The answer came in chapter 19. Goliath stood ready for battle and then he felt a terrible pain in his forehead. He fell to the ground in darkness. A sword pierced his body and then his head was removed. The spirit of Goliath returned to God who gave it (Ecclesiastes 12:7). In death he opened his eyes to see the one of whom David spoke and he knew God. He also knew that he would dwell in an eternal fire for believing in himself and not the true God of Israel. There are many Goliath's in the world today. Evil will not last and evil men will find their reward in death. Life is not about the now but about eternity. Do you know God? Kent Heaton 207 NE Fourth Avenue Trenton, Florida 32693 (H) 352-463-6916 (O) 3793 (C) 352-283-3889 www.trentonchurchofchrist.com www.northfloridabiblecamp.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20081202/3f5d0039/attachment.html From jhdeason at bellsouth.net Tue Dec 2 09:26:36 2008 From: jhdeason at bellsouth.net (Jim Deason) Date: Tue, 2 Dec 2008 09:26:36 -0600 Subject: [Biblemat] Pews Available Message-ID: <003201c95492$601ab050$205010f0$@net> The South Cullman church in Cullman has 5 nice padded pews, 12 or 13 feet long, available free, to be picked up here. We'll be glad to help load them or otherwise help in any way that we can. We need to move these fairly quickly so let me know soon if you would like to have them. You may call me at the number listed below. Jim Deason 40 County Road 499 Hanceville, AL 35077 jhdeason at bellsouth.net Mobile - 256-590-2627 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20081202/ed402ade/attachment.html From dmartinbtbq at comcast.net Tue Dec 2 10:14:30 2008 From: dmartinbtbq at comcast.net (Don Martin) Date: Tue, 2 Dec 2008 09:14:30 -0700 Subject: [Biblemat] "MDR and Politics" Message-ID: <003301c95499$0ec46050$6401a8c0@533034B8A6DF4D9> MDR and Politics By Don Martin I have now preached long enough and had enough experience to know one thing when it comes to many issues: As a rule, it is not the complexity of a given issue that precipitates silence and confusion, it is politics, even among too many preachers and elders. In fact, I am sometimes asked what do I believe to be the paramount driving force behind so many brotherhood church problems and my answer and unequivocal answer is: "Politics." I recall a church where I was doing local work asking me if I would work with a younger preacher should they secure one. There were several requirements made by the church of the young man and one was that he would meet with me for about three hours each week day from about 6: 00 until about 9: 00 A. M. for structured study periods. In regards to preparing him to preach full-time, I elected to study in the classes one week the subject of politics. I knew that I had my work cut out when he asked, "Brother Martin, what is politics?" Since we all with the presidential election have seen an abundance of politics, all sorts of maneuvers, positioning, egos, the numbers game, and compromise, I would like to share with you an email that I received a while back. I receive many emails and, frankly, I do not even recall who sent the below. Please read it and then go back and read it again (it was in response to some material on marriage, divorce, and marriage to another that I had had published). "Don, I really appreciated the article. I was recently told by a dear brother and fellow evangelist that he has been questioned about my position on MDR. He did not offer to tell me who it was and I did not ask. He suggested, as a friend, that I 'cool it' on this particular subject, in view of the fact that I find myself in need of increasing my outside support. I believe, however, and tried to communicate to him, that one can either support error on MDR by remaining silent or support biblical truth on the subject by speaking forth. I see no viable alternative, in view of Eph. 5:11. It is so disturbing that so many have departed from the simple truth of Matt. 19:9. It is also disturbing that so many brethren prefer the "head-in-the-sand" approach. I appreciate the stand that you, Jeff Belknap and others have taken in this area. Thanks, again, for your courage in speaking out. Your brother in Christ" Did you re-read the email? Notice the reference this man's "friend" makes to "cooling it" relative to MDR. His appeal to "cool it" is based on the possible threat of support. Consider also how his "friend" had been questioned, apparently regarding his friendship to this preacher who was teaching the truth on MDR. Brethren, I am here to tell you with all certainty that many positions or lack thereof are determined by politics within the church not what the scriptures teach. I know that some preachers will respond with, "I have never seen such." Well, I have! As a younger preacher, I watched some fellow preachers gravitate toward error. At first, they simply refused to plainly teach the truth on various matters that at given times constituted issues (such itself is sin, Acts 20: 27). After a few years, they then became openly identified with known errorists. I was close to some of these preachers and I took the liberty to ask them what doctrinal argument moved them off their previous positions. "Don, you learn as you grow older that a man must do things with which he really does not agree. He must do things due to his family and his ability to hold meetings and secure a local work." In my youthful impetuosity (I have not changed), my reply would be, "So, you sold out to error due to personal selfishness and politics!" All of these years later, I continue to see the same game of politics played too often. There is not a preacher who is worth a particle in the Kingdom who has not been repeatedly faced with the serious possibility, often threat, of having his income severed if he preaches on certain subjects. I recall my first work. When I traveled to meet the brethren and preach for them on a Sunday in regards to working with them, they asked me to meet with them after the P.M. service. "Young man, we want you to move here. In fact, this is the first time all the men of this church have ever agreed one hundred percent on any matter." They continued, "The only condition is, you must not preach on the issues." The "issues" in that circumstance was the Herald of Truth and what we call institutionalism (an issue involving how the treasury is used). My simple reply was, "If I move here, I promise you that I shall preach on all issues, including autonomy and the Herald of Truth!" I then thought it was time to get personal. I started with the man at the further end of one of the tables and asked him what he thought about what I had just said and where he stood. Each man was urged to speak, at the protest of a number. I moved there and for every business meeting for one year, there was an organized effort to fire me. I stayed there for seven years and there is no doubt where that church now stands regarding the Herald of Truth and such matters. Brethren and concerned readers, let me become frank: There is no place in the Kingdom for backslapping, truth compromising politicians, who care not a scintilla about the truth and God's people. The Lord calls such men "hirelings" (John 10: 12). Rather than honorably defend their error, they slander, backslap, and politic. Oh, they are the "good ole boys." All who oppose them are contentious and trouble-makers, say they. They make their deals in private and circulate in their political circles. I had one younger preacher tell me, a man whom one such political group had just recruited, "They told me that if I did not join them, they would see to it that I would not be able to hold meetings and that I would not even be able to do local work." As I younger preacher, I was also told that by more than one such brotherhood clique. These men will not debate their cause, but elect to hide behind others and expend their energies campaigning and thus securing their votes (brotherhood backing). I am so ashamed of a number of older preachers who have sold out to different political groups within churches of Christ. "Don, you will understand one day, when you grow older." Well, I have now grown older and, no, I do not understand! I do not hear a whole lot from the leaders of various groups, anymore. Yet, some younger preachers continue to confide in me. Politics are sickening to me, but politics in the church are even more repulsive and reprehensible. Yes, once you oppose and expose such men, they will do all they can to destroy your influence and even stop you from doing local work (I have been the recipient of many such efforts, even begging and then demanding the local elders to fire me). Such men are cowards and a disgrace to the name "Christian." I recall one younger preacher telling me, "Don, I did not know at the time why you took the opportunity to take me aside and warn me about politics in preaching. Now I know and I thank you!" Such still brings tears to my eyes as I type. Paul certainly dealt with his share of politicians in the church (2 Cor. 10: 10ff.). Notwithstanding, it was Paul who cogently wrote: "And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage: To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you. But of these who seemed to be somewhat, (whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me: God accepteth no man's person:) for they who seemed to be somewhat in conference added nothing to me" (Gal. 2). "Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men" Paul stated, "For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God" (Acts 20: 27). Paul explained to the young preacher Timothy, "But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived" (2 Tim. 3: 13). May God grant strength to all men of conviction and love of the truth to boldly preach the plain truth on all subjects, including marriage, divorce, and marriage to another regardless of any posed or actual threat. Cordially, Don Martin dmartinbtbq at comcast.net Check out our Web sites: http://www.bibletruths.net Ask and receive a Bible answer http://www.biblequestions.org Simply click on the URL to visit these sites. You may print out the material for teaching purposes, see the copyright provision on the home page of Bible Truths. From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Wed Dec 3 04:57:49 2008 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Wed, 3 Dec 2008 05:57:49 EST Subject: [Biblemat] A) UNDERSTANDING THE WILL OF THE LORD Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, JIm Sasser here. A very good Wednesday morning to each and everyone. May God bless you and yours. Here is an article from my files: UNDERSTANDING THE WILL OF THE LORD Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the Will of the Lord is" (Eph. 5:17). Some things are involved in this text which are basic. Your attention is invited to some of them. 1. The admonition to understand the Will of the Lord implies that the Will of the Lord is availablke to man. If one does not und- erstand the Will of God it is not because God has not spoken to man, for He has (Heb. 1:1,2). The Will of God has been revealed to man by the inspired writings of the apostles. Paul wrote: "For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the Word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the Word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe" (1 Thes. 2:13) Again, "If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord" (1 Cor. 14:37). The New Testament is, therefore, the full, final and complete revelation of the Will of God to man (2 Tim. 3:16,17). 2. The admonition to understand the Will of the Lord implies the ability of the average person to read, study, and apply the Scriptures for himself. Let it be emphasized that an understand- ing of the Bible depends entirely upon one's desire to study and apply the Scriptures for himself. The idea that the ability to und- erstand the Bible is the realm of a "seminary" trained "clergy" is a sectarian concept and is wholly foreign to the truth! Of those things revealed through the apostles, Paul wrote, "Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the myster- ies of Christ" (Eph. 3:4). 3. The ability to understand the Will of the Lord is primarily an issue of attitude. Paul wrote, "And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for that cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should be- lieve a lie: that they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness" (2 Thes. 2:10-12). We continue to plead with all to develop and cultivate the de- sire to "speak where the Bible speaks and be silent where the Bible is silent." By doing so, it will be possible to "do Bible things in Bible ways and call Bible things by Bible names." --------- Charles L. Morton, The Preceptor, Vol. 28, No. 5, March 1979, via. Gospel Power, Vol. 15, No. 46, Nov. 16, 2008. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20081203/55f5e2d6/attachment-0001.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Wed Dec 3 04:58:05 2008 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Wed, 3 Dec 2008 05:58:05 EST Subject: [Biblemat] S) WHY PEOPLE DO NOT OBEY GOD Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. Here is a study from my rec- ent files. Use to the glory of God. WHY PEOPLE DO NOT OBEY GOD The principle of obedience is a central theme throughout the entire Bible. In every age of the world, God has called upon men to obey His Will, with the divine warning, "Every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward" (Heb. 2:2). The question, then, for us is: "How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?" (Heb. 2:3). If we neglect the salvat- ion which is "in Christ" (2 Tim. 2:10), there is no escape. God's Will must be supreme in our hearts if we would please Him. The prophet wrote, "Come now, and let us reason together saith Jehovah: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as wjote as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land" (Isa. 1:18,19). God has made many promises to us of His abundant blessings, but they are all predicated upon our obed- ience to His Will. Christ is "the Author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him" (Heb. 5:9). Jesus Himself said, "Not every one that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the king- dom of heaven; but he that doeth the Will of My Father Who is in heaven" (Matt. 7:21). In the face of the plain teaching of the Lord, men offer many excuses for failing to render obedience to the commandments of God. The example of King Saul (1 Sam. 15) shows clearly that it is never safe to substitute our own will and desires for obedien- ce to the Will of God: "Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams" (1 Sam. 15:22). But why doesn't man obey God? What are the reasons? Let us search the Scriptures for some answers: Unwillingness To Submit To God's Authority: -- On the Mount of Transfiguration, God said of Jesus, "Hear ye Him" (Matt. 17:5). After His resurrection, Jesus told the apostles, "All authority hath been given unto Me, both in heaven and on earth" (Matt. 28:18). In these "last days" God speaks to us through His Son (Heb. 1:2), and we must submit to His authority and do His Will. If one desires salvation, one must submit wholeheartedly to div- ine authority and leave the consequences to God. Human autho- rity has no place in the cause of Christ. The apostle Paul wrote, "But though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach unto you any gospel other than that which we preached unto you, let him be accursed" (Gal. 1:8). Human opinions and what a person "thinks" about his standing before God should never be substituted for the gospel of Christ. The Bible is the only source for God's authority in our lives. We should receive the Bible as the only rule of faith and practice in our lives. God rejects all our excuses for a failure to submit to His Will, through Christ. Because Of Hatred For The Truth: -- Why would anyone hate the truth? But the inspired record shows that many did. King Ahab said of God's prophet, "I hate him; for he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil" (1 Kgs. 22:8). That the prophet told the truth did not influence Ahab at all! The apostle Paul wrote of some, "And for this cause God sendeth them a working of error, that they should believe a lie: that they all might be judg- ed who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteous- ness" (2 Thes. 2:11,12). There is no hope for one who prefers a lie to the pure truth of the gospel. To reject the truth is to reject Christ, and He says, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one cometh to the Father, but by Me" (Jno. 14:6). If one hates the truth, he rejects Jesus, who is "the truth." Because Of Prejudice Against The Preacher: -- Some reject the truth and fail to obey it because of the one who brings the mess- age to them. It is stated of Jesus, "And they were offended in Him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honor, save in his own country, and in his own house. And He did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief" (Matt. 13:57, 58). This same prejudice tis found in the hearts of men today, and it keeps them from obeying the truth and accepting Jesus Christ. We should receive the truth because it is the truth, regardless of who the messenger is who brings it to us. Look at the example of Samuel. The people clamored for a king to judge them, as the other nations had. And God told Sam- uel, "Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee; for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected Me, that I should not be king over them" (1 Sam. 8:7). God spoke through Samuel, and when people rejected him, they re- jected God. This is a timely lesson for all men today. To turn away from the truth of the gospel because of prejudice against the one preaching it is indeed foolish. As the apostle Paul asked "So then am I become your enemy, by telling you the truth?" (Gal. 4:16). Some Refuse To Obey Because Of Pride: -- When John the Bap- tist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying, "Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Matt. 3:2), many of the leaders of the Jews came to be baptized of him. But he told them, "Ye offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruit worthy of repentance: and think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham" (vss. 7-9). All of their national pride must be put aside, and they must bring forth fruit worthy of repentance. Many fail to obey the gospel because of their intellectual and social pride. But one must lay aside all pride, and take God's Word at face value, if he would be saved. That means accepting by faith, what God says, just as Abraham did. As we read, "Abra- ham beleived God, and it was reckoned unto him for righteous- ness" (Rom. 4:3). It is not simply that Abraham believed in God, but that he "believed God." In other words, He believed what God told him. That is the kind of faith we must have. To be sav- ed and be made right with God, we must believe what He says, we must live as He teaches, we must become what He wants us to become. "There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, And yet are not washed from their filthiness" (Prov. 30:12). And, "There is a way which seemeth right unto a man; But the end thereof are the ways of death" (Prov. 14:12). Obeying our- selves, doing our own will, is not the same as obeying the Word of God! Some Disobey Because Of False Teaching: -- Jesus told the Pharisees of His day, "Ye hypocrites, well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying, This people honoreth Me with their lips; But their heart is far from Me. But in vain do they worship Me, Teaching as their doctrines the precepts of men" (Matt. 15:7-9). The simp- le plan of salvation which Jesus reveals in His gospel is plain enough that anyone who wants to be saved can find what to do. His teaching about our worship of God is also simple enough that anyone can understand it, and worship acceptably. As was prophesied, "And a highway shall be there, and a way, and ti shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for (the redeemed): the wayfaring men, yea fools, shall not err therein" (Isa. 35:8). False teaching and human tradition must be rejected, in order that the simplicity and the purity of the gospel of Christ may be received with faith and meekness. It is imperative that we do only what God commands in His Word, without any sub- stitution or addition from human wisdom and purpose. The law of pardon and the rules of Christian worship revealed in the New Testament are safe for everyone, and are easily found and obey- ed -- if our heart really seeks after God. Man cannot decide on his own which teachings of God are important and which are not. To fail to worship as God directs is (in effect) to worship another god. Jesus demands undivided loyalty: "If ye love Me, ye will keep My commandments" (Jno. 14:15). Because They Love The World: -- The Lord tells us, "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the vain glory of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the Will of God abideth forever" (1 Jno. 2:15-17). These three things "Lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes and the vainglory (pride) of life" constantly fight against the spiritual values of Christ. As the Bible says, "Whence come wars and whence come fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your pleasures that war in your members? Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and covet, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war; ye have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may spend it in your pleasures. Ye adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore would be a friend of the world maketh himself an enem- y of God" (Jas. 4:1-4). I have known many people who indicated, and even stated, that they would like to give their lives to Christ and become Christians. But they just "could not give up" certain things in their lives -- pleasures that they knew would keep them from ser- ving the Lord. Remember that Jesus said, with regard to the physical things of this life, "But seek ye first His kingdom, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you" (Matt. 6:33). You see, Jesus doesn't ask you to give up "the fun things" of life, but to refocus your life to those things that bring joy now and will last for eternity. As we read, "I be- seech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is yur spiritual service. And be not fashioned according to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect Will of God" (Rom. 12:1,2). Some will not forego the "pleasures of sin for a season" in order to enjoy the bliss of heaven for eternity. But look at Moses "By faith Moses...choosing rather to share ill treatment with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; accounting the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treas- ures of Egypt: for he looked unto the recompense of reward" (Heb. 11:25,26). But some will not renounce the present, tempor- ary, joys of this world in order to inherit the eternal joys of heav- en. As the apostle Paul wrote, "For the invisible things of Him since the creation of the world are clearly seen, being perceived through the things that are made, even His everlasting power and divinity; that they may be without excuse" (Rom. 1:20). God makes it simple for us. If we seek to be right with Him, in fellow- ship with Him, and enjoy the salvation which He offers in Christ, then we must submit to His Will. There is just no other way. Christ is still "the Author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him" (Heb. 5:9). And all of the "reasons" or "excuses" we may have for not doing what He says will no suffice when we stand before Him in the Judgment. ------- Clem Thurman in Gos- pel Minutes, Vol. 57, No. 49, Dec. 5, 2008. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20081203/053f9dd1/attachment-0001.html From jwquinn at sbcglobal.net Wed Dec 3 12:41:43 2008 From: jwquinn at sbcglobal.net (Jon W. Quinn) Date: Wed, 3 Dec 2008 12:41:43 -0600 Subject: [Biblemat] Expository Files 15.12 - December 2008 available Message-ID: Completing our 15th year of publication (1994-2008) Expository Files - December 2008 **Our 180th monthly issue** Expository Files is a monthly electronic journal dedicated to Biblical studies. It is edited by Warren E Berkley and Jon W. Quinn. This effort began with the January, 1994 issue and continues to this day. In addition to the four or so expository articles by different writers in each issue, there are special topical studies. In addition, each issue begins and ends with editorials by the editors. We have expository material from every book in the Bible, though there are still portions that are much more lightly covered than others. Thanks to our writers and our readers for making Expository Files such a success! ---------------------------------------------------------- Expository Files 15.12; December 2008 Co-edited by Warren E. Berkley and Jon W. Quinn ---------------------------------------------------------- This month's issue contains: Front Page Expository Files 15.12; December 2008 Children of God By Faith By Jon W. Quinn Our Adequacy is From God "Such confidence we have through Christ" 2 Corinthians 3:4,5 By Jon W. Quinn The Power of Influence Deuteronomy 13:6-18 By Ethan R. Longhenry Attention Pulpit & Pew 1 Timothy 6:3-5 By Warren E. Berkley "And He Gave Some To Be ..." Ephesians 4:11 Jim McDonald Qualities Needed in the Local Church Topical Page By Ed Barnes Plan of Salvation Final Page Heb. 1:1-4 Do You Know Him? By Warren E. Berkley ---------------------------------------------------------- EF can be found at the following places: http://www.bible.ca/ef/ Every issue - 1994 to present; every article; html; arranged by book; topic and/or issue; Search engine http://expositoryfiles.homestead.com/index.html 2004-2006 in html by issue; 1994-2003 in zipped self executable format for IBM http://www.geocities.com/w_berkley/ EF in PDF by issue; Sept 2003 to present ===== Jon W. Quinn jwquinn at sbcglobal.net Bradley Church of Christ From disciple_of_iesus at hotmail.com Wed Dec 3 14:30:11 2008 From: disciple_of_iesus at hotmail.com (Ethan R. Longhenry) Date: Wed, 3 Dec 2008 15:30:11 -0500 Subject: [Biblemat] S:> Ruth Message-ID: Ruth I. Introduction A. The book of Ruth B. In the midst of the depravity of the days of the Judges, we have the story of Ruth 1. A wonderful example of faith and devotion 2. From a foreigner no less! C. In the Hebrew Bible, Ruth follows Proverbs 1. Ruth as example of Proverbs 31 2. Virtuous, honorable, and loyal D. Let us consider the story of Ruth II. Ruth: The Details A. Authorship 1. Author entirely unknown 2. No doubt of its inspiration 3. Matthew 1:5 evidence of later use of narrative B. Dating 1. Events take place during time of Judges (ca. 1360-1050 BCE) 2. Likely toward end of period: Ruth two generations removed from David 3. Chapter 1 covers about 10 or 11 years; 2-4 a few months 4. Written sometime during or after David (cf. Ruth 4:22) C. Audience 1. The audience of the book is Israel in the period of the kings 2. We can also gain much from it D. Purpose 1. To tell the story of Ruth, great-grandmother of David 2. To provide an example of a godly woman III. Ruth: The Story A. Main Sections 1. Naomi's Despair (Ruth 1) 2. Ruth and Boaz (Ruth 2-3) 3. Redemption (Ruth 4) B. The Situation (Ruth 1) 1. Man of Bethlehem and two sons sojourns in Moab during famine (Ruth 1:1) 2. Elimelech the man, wife Naomi, sons Mahlon and Chilion (Ruth 1:2) 3. Elimelech dies in Moab (Ruth 1:3) 4. Mahlon and Chilion take Moabite wives, Ruth and Orpah (Ruth 1:4) 5. Mahlon and Chilion die; women left alone (Ruth 1:5) 6. Naomi resolves to return to Bethlehem; food there; daughters-in-law intend to go with her (Ruth 1:6-7) 7. Naomi pleads for daughters-in-law to return to parents' houses, marry others (Ruth 1:7-13) 8. Orpah leaves; Ruth stays; Naomi insists that she also leave (Ruth 1:14-15) 9. Ruth shows her resolve; Naomi demurs (Ruth 1:16-18) 10. They arrive in Bethlehem; Naomi's bitterness (Ruth 1:19-22) C. Ruth and Boaz (Ruth 2-3) 1. Boaz: near kinsman of Elimelech, wealthy (Ruth 2:1) 2. Ruth goes to glean barley in fields; ends up in Boaz's field (Ruth 2:2-3) 3. Conversation between Boaz, reaper foreman; discussion of Ruth and her labor (Ruth 2:4-7) 4. Boaz speaks to Ruth, instructs her to continue to glean among his fields, stay near his workers; they will not abuse her; does so based upon her faithfulness to Naomi and God (Ruth 2:8-12) 5. Ruth thankful; Boaz invites her to eat dinner with everyone (Ruth 2:13-14) 6. Boaz instructs reapers to leave some out for Ruth even of the sheaves; Ruth gathers an ephah (Ruth 2:15-17) 7. Ruth returns to Naomi, tells of day's events; Naomi pleased; Ruth continues to glean in Boaz's field (Ruth 2:18-23) 8. Naomi instructs Ruth to prepare herself, to go and uncover Boaz's feet and to do what he says to do (Ruth 3:1-5) 9. Boaz enters threshing floor, goes to sleep; Ruth comes, uncovers his feet, lay at them; Boaz discovers her at midnight, startled (Ruth 3:6-8) 10. Ruth seeks to be redeemed by Boaz; Boaz pleased at this, promises to do what he can; provides her with food for Naomi (Ruth 3:9-15) 11. Ruth returns to Naomi (Ruth 3:16-18) D. Redemption (Ruth 4) 1. Boaz goes into town, finds nearest redeemer, elders and men of the city; sit at the gate (Ruth 4:1-2) 2. Boaz asks redeemer to redeem that which belonged to Elimelech; initially he agrees (Ruth 4:3-4) 3. Redemption requires marriage to Ruth, propagation of Elimelech's line; redeemer gives up right of redemption to Boaz; Boaz redeems property of Elimelech, Ruth (Ruth 4:5-12) 4. Ruth conceives a child; Naomi the nurse/foster mother of the child; blessings; child named Obed, Obed grandfather of David (Ruth 4:13-17) 5. Generations of Perez to David, including Boaz and Obed (Ruth 4:18-22) IV. Ruth: Important Passages A. Ruth 1:16-17 1. Ruth's tenacious clinging to Naomi 2. Used often in wedding rituals B. Ruth 4:18-22 1. Ruth part of David's ancestry 2. Matthew 1:5: thus, also part of Jesus' ancestry V. Conclusion A. Ruth a great example of faith 1. Destitute, with her destitute mother-in-law 2. Still clings to her and her God despite all the misfortune that occurred B. God rewarded her and her faithfulness! 1. Redeemed by Boaz, bore a son 2. In the lineage of David and Jesus Christ, despite being a Moabitess C. Let us take comfort in Ruth's example and serve God fully! D. Invitation/songbook Ethan R. Longhenry/ disciple_of_iesus at hotmail.com Evangelist, church of Christ in Norwalk, Ohio (http://www.norwalkchurch.org) Website: http://www.deusvitae.com AIM: Deus Vitae / ICQ#: 28317056 MSN Messenger ID: deusvitae at hotmail.com Yahoo! Messenger ID: discipuliiesus Subscribe to Good News for Norwalk! goodnewsfornorwalk-subscribe at norwalkchurch.org From disciple_of_iesus at hotmail.com Wed Dec 3 14:31:41 2008 From: disciple_of_iesus at hotmail.com (Ethan R. Longhenry) Date: Wed, 3 Dec 2008 15:31:41 -0500 Subject: [Biblemat] S:> Materialism and Consumerism Message-ID: Materialism and Consumerism I. Introduction A. As an American "prophetess" said in the 1980s, "we are living in a material world" 1. And how many are "material people"! 2. Our society is saturated with stuff! B. When you consider our culture and what is promoted in our media, you soon see that everything revolves around stuff and its consumption 1. In the pursuit of the "Almighty Dollar," companies work hard at promoting their products and inducing people to buy them 2. The message that they send is that you cannot live a satisfied life without their products 3. Most of the association that Americans have with other Americans involves acquiring or consuming material at the same time! 4. Eating at restaurants, shopping at Wal-Mart, going to the mall-- all involve getting or using stuff! C. The effects on society are clear and devastating! 1. People feel as if they are deprived if they cannot have their house, car, cell phone, laptop, insert product here! 2. The "new atheism" has become popular-- after all, it posits that there is nothing to existence but the stuff we can perceive! 3. We all have more stuff than ever before, and yet we are more isolated and depressed than ever before! D. What happened? 1. What is materialism and consumerism? 2. What is the difficulty with materialism and consumerism? 3. What does God have to say about materialism and consumerism? How would He have us live? 4. Let us consider these questions today II. What is Materialism and Consumerism? A. What, precisely, are we talking about? B. Materialism is the reliance on that which substantively and physically exists 1. "New Atheism" represents the extreme of the view 2. It would say that nothing exists beyond what has discernible physical properties 3. There is nothing "supernatural" in such a view! 4. Only very few would go that far-- nevertheless, many people put more trust in that which they can perceive than that which they cannot! 5. Such a mindset, which places priority on "stuff," leads inevitably to focus and reliance on "stuff" C. Consumerism represents the excessive devotion to or reliance upon the acquisition and use of materials 1. Perhaps you have heard of "retail therapy" 2. Consumerism, in its extreme, represents a reliance on "retail therapy" to define existence! 3. Such people only gain satisfaction from consuming things! 4. Again, such people are few-- but many more are quite dependent on consuming things! D. Both concepts involve a type of spectrum 1. There are more mild and more extreme versions of both materialism and consumerism 2. Yet, in various ways, both are very dominant forces in our culture today, even pervading the church! III. Difficulties with Materialism and Consumerism A. What is the difficulty with materialism and consumerism? B. It must be said that there is nothing inherently sinful in material things and the consumption thereof 1. Genesis 1: God created this "material world," and said it was very good 2. 1 Timothy 4:4-5, Genesis 1:29-30: we have been commissioned to use the things of this creation C. The issue, therefore, is not whether we can own things and enjoy things-- we certainly can! D. The problems come with reliance and dependence upon the material creation and the consumption of stuff! E. When we come to trust in what we can perceive and in the stuff we have, we commit idolatry! 1. Romans 1:21-23, 28 2. Matthew 6:24 3. The error of the ancients was to attribute the invisible attributes of the One True God to created forces and creatures-- trusting in what they could perceive! 4. Romans 1:19-21: God's hand is present in the Creation 5. Acts 17:24-29: God intends for us to seek Him! 6. Therefore, we cannot trust in the creation itself, but see in the creation that there is a God greater than the creation! 7. If this is true, then we should trust in that Creator and not the creation, or the things of the creation! F. Sin is often taking the good and making it the "absolute," and that is true here! 1. The material creation is good, but when it is taken as the absolute of existence, it is sinful and idolatrous (Galatians 5:19-21)! 2. That which God created for our use is good, but when consumption is taken as the absolute purpose of existence, it is sinful and idolatrous (Galatians 5:19-21)! G. Reliance on the material creation and its use has other consequences 1. Fulfillment is tied with things, and yet we recognize in our souls that things cannot really satisfy! 2. When that which is material is emphasized, we tend to withdraw ourselves into our things, and may even be controlled by our stuff! 3. How many decisions must we make that must take our stuff into consideration? 4. Likewise, relationships are minimized when stuff is maximized, and people end up becoming isolated and depressed 5. True association and community is lost in simultaneous and parallel acquisition and consumption of material goods! 6. What ends up being more important to children-- stuff or what God says is important? H. Materialism and consumerism are great difficulties, yet how many confess that they are problems? 1. Who will be honest enough to admit their dependence on "stuff"? 2. Yet what would you do if what befell Job befell you (Job 1:13-22)? 3. Would you be able to declare God's goodness and your ultimate nakedness as a human (Job 1:20-21)? 4. Your honest reaction to such a situation will indicate to you how dependent you are on your things! IV. How Shall We Live? A. Seeing the difficulties with materialism and consumerism, how shall we, as Christians, live? B. We must see "things" the way God sees them! 1. God gave us this world for our responsible use, not devotion (Genesis 1) 2. Our devotion is due to God alone (Matthew 6:33; 10:34-39, Galatians 2:20, Hebrews 11:6) 3. God is concerned far more with souls than He is with stuff (John 3:16)! C. Life does not consist in the abundance of possessions! 1. Thus Jesus declares in Luke 12:15, and it is our operative theme! 2. Consider the sober warning of Luke 12:16-21! D. God consistently declares that we are to use our material possessions to His glory! 1. 1 Timothy 4:3-4: all should be accepted with thanksgiving 2. Matthew 6:25-33/Luke 12:22-34: God provides what is necessary for those who seek the Kingdom 3. 1 Timothy 6:3-10; 17-19: contentment is not in possessions, but in the recognition that we came in with nothing and will leave with nothing; need to trust not in riches but to be rich toward God E. All of these verses point to the one great truth: the primary concern is not stuff, but people and relationships! 1. After all, the second great commandment is to love one's neighbor as oneself, manifested in love, mercy, and compassion (Luke 10:25-37) 2. Famous quote: "A hundred years from now it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove. But the world may be different because I was important in the life of a child" 3. The life of a Christian may not involve much material wealth, but it should involve a lot of spiritual riches-- serving God by serving others in love! F. Hence, Ephesians 4:28 1. What does God expect us to do? 2. Make a living, support our own (1 Timothy 5:8), and to have something left over... 3. ...not to buy more stuff, but to give to one in need! G. Where Americans are quite preoccupied with material goods and their accumulation, God is concerned about people, relationships, and benevolence! V. Conclusion A. Matthew 16:26-28 1. Here we have the ultimate error of materialism and consumerism 2. After all, what would be the absolute accomplishment of the materialist and consumerist perspective but accumulation of everything? 3. Yet, as Jesus says, it is all worth less than one soul-- yours! B. While most would admit this is the case, far fewer live it and practice it! C. 2 Peter 3:9-12 1. The day is coming when everything material that can be consumed will be consumed in fire! 2. Thus will be the ultimate end of the materialist/consumerist perspective! 3. What does that mean to you? D. That day could be today or tomorrow-- are you ready for it? E. Do not put your trust in the creation and its stuff-- put your trust in God, and lay up treasures in Heaven! F. Invitation/songbook Ethan R. Longhenry/ disciple_of_iesus at hotmail.com Evangelist, church of Christ in Norwalk, Ohio (http://www.norwalkchurch.org) Website: http://www.deusvitae.com AIM: Deus Vitae / ICQ#: 28317056 MSN Messenger ID: deusvitae at hotmail.com Yahoo! Messenger ID: discipuliiesus Subscribe to Good News for Norwalk! goodnewsfornorwalk-subscribe at norwalkchurch.org From thornhill1 at frontiernet.net Wed Dec 3 17:27:37 2008 From: thornhill1 at frontiernet.net (thomas thornhill) Date: Wed, 3 Dec 2008 17:27:37 -0600 Subject: [Biblemat] The Buckhorn Teacher 11-30-08 Message-ID: <9F0DA92BC6C5450686D6A0CC238D05AD@your4dacd0ea75> THE BUCKHORN TEACHER "Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching." 2.Tim.4:2 Buckhorn church of Christ - Thomas Thornhill - editor. 13675 Hwy 341, Randolph MS 38864-9117. Tel. 662-568-2960. Cell 662-419-5378. E-mail thornhill1 at frontiernet.net Vol.7 November 30, 2008 No.14 Read carefully the following article. It was written by a preacher friend of mine that I have known since 1952. He and I have both been preaching for 55 years +. The thoughts he writes are worth contemplation. Take note of that fact that even though the congregation he labors with meets at 4 PM on Sunday afternoon the application would also apply to congregations that meet at a different time on Sunday afternoon. -t.t. Certainly Wish That You Were Here! Dennis L. Reed Do we ever wonder how the Lord evaluates our attitudes and actions with respect to our attendance at the services of the church? When one of us is not present in the worship services, we are genuinely missed by those others who are present! These brethren certainly do wish that we were here with them! Do we ourselves think very often about what we miss when a worship service comes and goes and we choose not to take advantage of it? When our brethren see us missing services, do you think that they ever wonder if we have a truly legitimate reason for not being there, or if we have just made an excuse to put something else first? Or possibly it may be that being at that worship service is just not important enough for us to make the effort? These are indeed serious thoughts which come to the minds of those who are genuinely concerned about their brethren who spasmodically or regularly miss some of the services - and also about some who have just completely fallen away and never attend the services anymore. I don't think that there is any doubt that many of us truly believe that fellow Christians are concerned about their brethren who neglect attending the services which they need to be present for! But there is also a possibility that you and I are not showing enough concern in our calls, cards, or visits with these brethren in an effort to encourage them to be more motivated and dedicated to worship the Lord every time the door of the meeting house is open! We do truly miss them! We are well aware of the times that they are not there! We do genuinely love them, but are we really showing that affection and care by making the effort to talk with, encourage, and lift up those who are being careless or neglectful? Some are too ill at times to attend services! That is a known and accepted fact! But when we announce that someone is not feeling well, does the thought ever come to mind that possibly that individual may be well enough to continue doing various chores around the home or maybe to prop up in the easy chair at home and watch TV while the services are going on? We are not doctors or nurses to know what every illness is, but we are well aware that "not feeling well" can cover a multitude of matters. We are not desirous of criticizing brethren who truly don't feel well enough to be at services, but, at the same time, we are truly concerned about some who miss services because they are just "too tired", or "too exhausted from the day's work", or have "had a difficult day" with family or with others. What we are sincerely asking is that each one of us genuinely evaluate our reason for being absent, and try to increase our motivation and desire to be present at all of the services. We are concerned about those who can get out of bed every morning to go to school or to their jobs, but who fail in being able to get out of the bed on Sunday morning in time to make it to Bible study at 9:00 o'clock. Also, when the attendance from Sunday morning drops by nearly one-fourth or more on Sunday afternoon and almost by one-half at times on Wednesday night, it makes brethren really think and wonder about what the cause is for this decrease in attendance. Do each one of us think about that very often? Do we try to come up with solutions to improve our own attendance or that of some others? It would certainly be wonderful if the Sunday afternoon and Wednesday night attendance was relatively the same as Sunday morning, but historically we know that such is not what is happening. We also fully understand that some are just not able to drive after dark or might be afraid of experiencing a fall because they could not see where they are walking. Those are very legitimate concerns. We have pretty well attended to that with the 4:00 o'clock service on Sunday afternoon, but it still remains a difficulty for some on Wednesday night. We just want to remind anyone who might be in this situation that there are brethren who would be more than happy to provide transportation from your door to the lighted carport at the church building if you would like to attend that evening service. Please, please don't hesitate to let that be known. It would be a great joy to "pick you up" and have you with us in that service! Your presence will certainly "pick up" our spirits! Brethren, we are commanded to "consider one another to provoke unto love and good works" and are also admonished: "not forsaking our own assembling together, as the custom of some is, but exhorting one another; and so much the more, as ye see the day drawing nigh." (Hebrews 10: 24-27). Some might feel that this is a "sensitive matter" which should be left to the discretion of each person, but to those of us who truly care about the spiritual growth and usefulness of our fellow Christians, it is a very serious matter. Will we all take a moment to ponder and soberly consider these words of encouragement, and take the time look at ourselves in the light of what God has told us? Every soul is precious and we need to know that we are genuinely missed when we are not in attendance! And so we say, "We Certainly Wish That You Were Here!" -D.R.- ----------------------------------- WHAT IS YOUR LIFE? "There appears to exist a greater desire to live long than to live well!" Measure by men's desires, and he cannot live long enough. Measure by his good deeds, and he has not live long enough. Measure by his evil deeds, and he has lived too long. Measured by these three standards, what has your life been - long enough, too long, or not long enough? Your life and mine are largely what we make them. James says, from the standpoint of time as compared to eternity, that our lives are but a "vapour, that appeareth for a little time and then vanisheth away." (Jas.4:14). The true measure of life, however, is not "how long," but "how well." - James W. Adams -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20081203/bdab10c5/attachment-0001.html From bloughmiller at nts-online.net Wed Dec 3 21:18:40 2008 From: bloughmiller at nts-online.net (Bryan Loughmiller) Date: Wed, 3 Dec 2008 21:18:40 -0600 Subject: [Biblemat] Help - Place to worship near DC Message-ID: <8C5F0CE1FF814814A8C94E73CC48EE38@BryanPC> Good evening to all on the list, We have a young married couple who will be traveling to Washington DC Friday morning and are looking for a place to worship on Sunday. They will be staying at the Hyatt next to the Arlington Cemetery and would like to worship with the nearest congregation of faithful brethren. Please respond to me and I will forward the info them. Thank you in advance of your help. Brotherly, Bryan Loughmiller bloughmiller at nts-online.net -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20081203/ef8fb5a7/attachment-0001.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Thu Dec 4 04:53:13 2008 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Thu, 4 Dec 2008 05:53:13 EST Subject: [Biblemat] S) THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. Here is a study from my files. Use to the glory of God. THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT There is only one. The Sermon of the Mountain is the great dynamic of the gospel message. It is, in fact, the greatest and most remembered sermon ever delivered. It has no equal and never will. What makes this single sermon so special is that it is so...sim ple. In a religious climate accustomed to cliche-ridden double- speak and with sermons irrelevant, hypocritical, and endlessly long, the Carpenter's address was refreshingly different. Most of all, what He said made sense. Someone finally had the nerve to talk publicly about things that really mattered. The common "folk" were tired--tired of the intimidating mani- pulation, tired of the arrogance of impossible religious demands and tired of the hypocrisy of Jewish legalism based primarily on man-made traditions that had been added to the law of Moses. But here was a young rabbi, teacher, with a message of liberat- ion, encouragement and hope. Here was a message of truth -- not more rigid religious check-them-off-as-you-go regulations, but simple truths they could grasp. Here was a message of faith that didn't seem all that complicated. Maybe there was hope after all. While His miracles (Matt. 4:23-25) gathered the crowd, His message gave them something for which to live. The result was: "When Jesus had finished these words, the multitudes were amazed at His teaching..." (Matt. 7:28,29). The Mountain Message is life changing. It is the Constitution of the Kingdom and is intended to challenge your life to its very core. Again and again, Jesus goes to the jugular vein of what it means to walk with God. This is no easy-does-it religious table talk nor is it a 1st century version of the modern-day message of syrupy toleration. This is, in fact, the hardest-hitting sermon you will ever hear -- bar none. Like a skilled surgeon, Jesus cuts into my heart and yours. >From "love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you" to "do not be anxious for your life" -- Jesus speaks to what we must hear. From "For in the way you judge, yu will be judged," to "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing" -- the Master is aware of our tendencies. And from "Beware of practicing your righteousness to be noticed by men" to "no man can serve two masters" -- He knows us better than we often know ourselves. While it is easy to preach the Sermon on the Mount, it's quite another thing to flesh it out in real life drama. Yet that is exactly what He asks us to do. And to argue that it cannot be done is to arge in the face of historical reality. There isn't anything Jesus asks of us in this powerful discourse that He did not do Himself. It sets the highest of standards. You and I may not al- ways reach it's peak but, like the distant mountain, it is always there beckoning us to try again. ---- Wilson Adams in Biblical Insights, Vol. 8, No. 4, April, 2008. (There will be studies from time to time posted on the fleshing out of the Sermon on The Mount, watch for them, JWS). -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20081204/12a371fa/attachment-0001.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Thu Dec 4 04:53:04 2008 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Thu, 4 Dec 2008 05:53:04 EST Subject: [Biblemat] A) WHAT ABOUT DEMON POSSESSION TODAY? Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. A very good Thursday morn- ing to each and everyone. May God bless you and yours. Here is a question from my ancient files: WHAT ABOUT DEMON POSSESSION TODAY? QUESTION: -- Do you believe that the devil and his followers continue to walk about the earth today? If so, in what type of forms do they take? ANSWER: -- Yes, I believe that the truth stated by Peter still is prevalent in our day and time, he says: "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour" (1 Pet. 5:8). The devil still stalks the earth, seeking any whom he my possess as his own! However, there has been given to us a way of escape: "Resist the devil, and he will flee from you" (Jas. 4:7). One can be possessed of the devil only if he voluntarily accepts Satan's yoke of bondage. "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, Who will not suff- er you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way of escape, that ye may be able to bear it" (1 Cor. 10:13). The devil still exercises his power in the world of sin, but he cannot influence us more than we allow him to do, and God being our Helper, he cannot possess the child of God. He went as far as he could with Job, but God drew the line, and he could go no further. God placed the limitation upon him! There is a difference between "demon possession" today than in the day of our Lord's ministry on earth. When Jesus cast out the demons in the land of the Gadarenes, those demons could talk and exercise themselves by controlling the one possessed (Mk. 5:1-20; Matt. 8:28-34; Lk. 8:26-29). Jesus by miraculous demonstration, cast them out into a herd of swine. The Bible records many such miracles: all confirming the Word of God as it was taught by Jesus and His apostles and prophets. There is much we cannot know about such demon possession of that day. It should be noted that while the demons were pres- ent in that day causing mischief in the one they possessed, the Holy Spirit was also in attendance to provide miraculous master- y over them; and by this method the Word of God was confirm- ed (Mk. 16:20; Heb. 2:2,3). After speaking of the day of the fount- ain for sin being opened in Jerusalem, God said through the pro- phet: "And I will cause the prophets and the unclean spirits to pass out of the land" (Zech. 13:2). The inspired prophets contin- ued and worked miracles until the Word of God had been con- firmed, and then there was no further need for a direct operation of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles and prophets in order to fur- nish them with what to say to the people and to confirm such as being that which comes from God. When the power to expunge the demons from people existed through the power of the Holy Spirit through Jesus and the apostles, in order to confirm the Word of God that they taught, came to an end, the presence of demon possession also came to an end. The devil continues to walk among us today in many forms, forms that many times we will not recognize, especially if we are not aware of what the Bible teaches about the devil's actions in trying to persuade men and women to do his bidding. But remember, that when the devil enters into a person to take over his life and cause him to sin, it is by invitation on the part of the person he enters. "By their fruits you shall know them" "Know ye not , that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?" (Rom. 6:16). The devil's fol- lowers are those who do the devil's bidding on earth! They may be mayors of cities, governors of states, senators, or even presi- dents of a nation. They can be higly respected citizens in the civil government or communities, but still be a servant of Satan. But God and His Son Jesus come into our lives when we study, accept and obey His Word, as found in the New Testament. We are told, "If a man love Me, he will keep My Words: and My Fath- er will love him, and We will come and make Our abode with him" (Jno. 14:23). If one invites the devil rather than the Father and the Son into their lives, the devil takes up abode in him. But the presence of the devil can be rejected by turning to the Word of God and obeying it. This is far different from the demon poss- ession that was offset by miraculous power by Jesus and the apostles of the first century, in order to confirm the Word they were teaching. ------- Dillard Thurman, in Gospel Minutes, Vol. 30, No. 26, June 26, 1981. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20081204/dc233b69/attachment-0001.html From dmartinbtbq at comcast.net Thu Dec 4 11:27:10 2008 From: dmartinbtbq at comcast.net (Don Martin) Date: Thu, 4 Dec 2008 10:27:10 -0700 Subject: [Biblemat] Gift of the Spirit in Acts 10: 45 (question/answer) Message-ID: <001e01c95635$8a9b51a0$6401a8c0@533034B8A6DF4D9> Don Martin sharing question/answer number 1, 450 since July 11: Hello Mark, Thank you so much for your question and for making use of Bible Questions. Please do so again. http://www.biblequestions.org Please check out Bible Truths http://www.bibletruths.net Go to the archives section of these sites for material and also go to the archives search page and type in any subject or word you wish to explore. New material is constantly being added to both sites. Any help you can give us in telling others of these sites will be greatly appreciated. If you are interested in really learning more about the Bible, there is an online Bible study course located in Bible Truths. While on the home page, scroll down and enter. While on the Map Site Page, click on "Online Bible Study Course" in the table. Click on http://www.bibletruths.net to go there. You asked: How we can understand Acts 10:45 in relation to Acts 2:38 since same phrase is used in both. Is this phrase used in two different ways referring to the miraculous on the one hand and salvation on the other? Not trying to entrap but just restudying this in preparion of my Acts 2 case of conversion lesson that I am redoing on slides. Thanks for your comments. Reply: Always, in word, phrase, clause, or concept definition, the context rules. The "...gift of the Holy Spirit" in Acts 2: 38 and 3: 19 is obviously used regarding salvation (Acts 2: 36-38). The contemplated gift is for all who meet certain stipulated qualification. There is no reference or example of these recipients of the "gift of the Holy Spirit" performing miraculous acts. In fact, it is not until Acts 6 that we read of one other than an apostle performing miracles and this ability was conferred by "the laying on of the apostle's hands" (Acts 6: 6-8, cp. 2: 43, etc., cp. 8: 18). The context and setting of Acts 10: 44-48 in which the expression, "gift of the Holy Spirit" also occurs is markedly different from Acts 2 and Acts 3. We are told that, "While Peter yet spoke these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all them which heard the word" (Acts 10: 44). This was identified, in the case of Acts 10, as the "gift of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 10: 45). This "gift of the Holy Spirit" is clearly miraculous and resulted in the recipients having miracle working ability (Acts 10: 46). These people at this precise point in time, though, were not saved (cp. Acts 11: 14). They had yet to be baptized in water, a matter preceding salvation (Mark 16: 16, Acts 2: 38, 3: 19). The context of Acts 10 has both limited or special and universal aspects. It was limited in that the "gift of the Spirit" in their case was to demonstrate and prove that the Gentiles were to be allowed entrance into the Kingdom (Acts 11: 14-18). They (these Gentiles) had received exactly the same gift as the apostles (Acts 11: 11-17). The example of Acts 10 has universal features in that the gospel had to be preached and obeyed (cp. Acts 10: 33ff.). In brief, then, the "gift of the Holy Spirit" in Acts 2: 38 and 3: 19 as applied to all believers is universal and involves salvation, while the "gift of the Holy Spirit" in Acts 10: 45 is limited to miracle working ability. Miracle working ability had a specific design and in the absence of the revealed and complete word of God was necessary in the First Century (Mark 16: 20, Heb. 2: 4). Such ability ceased with the completion of the word, the "perfect law of liberty" (cp. I Cor. 13: 8-10, Jas. 1: 25). If you have not already done so, be sure to read, "The Gift of the Holy Spirit" in www.bibletruths.net When on the home page, enter through the door and click on "Archives and Index" in the directory. When on the Archives page, click on the letter "G." Here is an excerpt from the article: "...The meaning of the gift of the Holy Spirit (ten dorean tou hagiou phneumatos). As a result of comparing the two parallel verses, Acts 2: 38 and Acts 3: 19, we see that the "...times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord" is tantamount to "the gift of the Holy Spirit." However, at this stage in our study, such is not of much help...." Thanks again for your good question and for your interest in spiritual matters. I recommend that you print out this email for future reference (web addresses, etc.). You may print out any material you desire in both Bible Questions and Bible Truths (see the copyright provision at the bottom of the home page in Bible Truths). Cordially, Don Martin From dmartinbtbq at comcast.net Thu Dec 4 11:33:49 2008 From: dmartinbtbq at comcast.net (Don Martin) Date: Thu, 4 Dec 2008 10:33:49 -0700 Subject: [Biblemat] "An Increasing Mentality Regarding Fellowship" Message-ID: <003901c95636$78a4aa90$6401a8c0@533034B8A6DF4D9> An Increasing Mentality Regarding Fellowship By Don Martin Since a young boy, I have watched, monitored, and gaged various movements. I have always found such not only educational but fascinating. I have been watching a movement take place in churches of Christ that shall totally change the Lord's church, her nature, stands regarding truth, and mission. The movement has incrementally advanced, but make no mistake, the movement has been ongoing. One preacher with whom I have had several written debates over the last ten years recently wrote an article that is expressive of this movement. I always enjoyed debating with this man not only because of his native intelligence and ability to clearly articulate his views, but also due to his straightforwardness in expression. He starts his article by saying: "An expression of which I'm quite fond is -- 'You don't have to be my twin to be my brother.' We may be different in a multitude of ways, but if we have the same Father ...we be brethren. It is time the children of God began accepting this fact." On the surface, the immediately above might sound worthy of acceptance. However, let's look at the next statement in order to see what the above really means. "Where I assemble we use multiple cups; where you assemble the preference may be for one cup ... but, we be brethren. Where I assemble we sing a cappella; where you assemble the singing may be accompanied by instruments ... but, we be brethren. The same can be said about Sunday School, eating in the building, fellowship halls, and a thousand other matters." Even this writer next sets forth an idea that is incongruous with what he seems to be trying to establish regarding such matters as mechanical music in worship, social meals in the church building, and "...a thousand other matters." "Unless God Himself within the inspired writings has specifically commanded either pro or con regarding the matter, it becomes simply a matter of personal conviction based on personal assumptions drawn from personal study and reflection. Such human deductions and inferences can never rise to the level of divine decree, and therefore they can never be made terms of fellowship or conditions of salvation. For us to divide over them is, in a word, SIN. Thus, I will never, ever sever fellowship with fellow disciples of Christ Jesus simply because they may differ with me on some matter about which our Father never spoke a word. We can each hold our individual convictions dear, respect the convictions of the other, and in so doing maintain a state of harmony and oneness within the universal Body of Christ. In other words, we daily practice LOVE: the perfect bond of unity [Col. 3:14]." I have had several written debates with this author starting ten years ago as he began to question the common view of what we call hermeneutics. In the last debate I had with him on hermeneutics, it was manifest that he had not only fully accepted the "new hermeneutic," but was even then moving beyond it. Yet, he, as most of these men do, still speak of "inspired writings has specifically commanded," "Father never spoke a word," and, "personal conviction." He mocks the idea of "human deductions and inferences." I recall in the second debate, I believe it was, he utterly refused the necessary inference as a means of arriving at truth. Thinking that he simply misunderstood, I called attention to the many instances of how the necessary inference was legitimately used by men whose teaching we have in the New Testament, even including Jesus (cp. Matt. 22: 32). Notwithstanding, he persisted in his rejection. In the third debate, he contended that the only thing that mattered was and is "express command." Then toward the end of that exchange, he moved to the position that not all commands have to be obeyed and that the concept of "have to obey" is legalistic (cp. Heb. 5: 8, 9). He was consistent in one stance, though, and that stance was that fellows who believe and practice what I do are absolutely in sin. Such preachers speak of respecting what "God Himself within the inspired writings has specifically commanded;" yet, they seem to have lost the ability to establish and recognize such teachings. God has commanded vocal music (Eph. 5: 19). God has specifically commanded within the inspired writings that the work of the local church is that of preaching the gospel (I Tim. 3: 15). However, the referenced preacher and the new hermeneutic advocate such things as "fellowship halls" and "eating in the building." Such matters are not part of the work of the church (cp. I Cor. 11: 22, Acts 2: 46). This "increasing mentality regarding fellowship" is that such unscriptural practices as mechanical music in worship and fellowship halls must be allowed and that to cause trouble or divide over such is "SIN." "This preacher has removed himself from the Lord's church," you say. Yet, there are many who are following in his steps, they simply have not gone as far as he, not yet. Some of them are presently heard saying, "He is causing trouble over privately supported missionary societies to preach the gospel and marriage, divorce, and remarriage; therefore, he is in SIN." It is all, beloved, a matter of degree and these fellows are steadily marching along the same road as our quoted author. Once the mindset is in place of circumventing the scriptures in one area, the course is set to include all matter of unscriptural teaching and practice. It all generally starts with: "'You don't have to be my twin to be my brother.' We may be different in a multitude of ways, but if we have the same Father" rationale. Cordially, Don Martin dmartinbtbq at comcast.net Check out our Web sites: http://www.bibletruths.net Ask and receive a Bible answer http://www.biblequestions.org Simply click on the URL to visit these sites. You may print out the material for teaching purposes, see the copyright provision on the home page of Bible Truths. From wsasser at tds.net Thu Dec 4 15:14:37 2008 From: wsasser at tds.net (Whit Sasser) Date: Thu, 4 Dec 2008 15:14:37 -0600 Subject: [Biblemat] men's class Message-ID: Bible Matters list, Anyone have some good men's class material they can recommend? Thanks. Whit Whit Sasser 3601 E. Newberry St. Appleton, WI 54915 920.733.5009 wsasser at tds.net www.appletonchurchofchrist.org Join my free e-list: "Exhortations & Stuff" -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20081204/b9f46363/attachment.html From tedwards at onemain.com Thu Dec 4 16:11:37 2008 From: tedwards at onemain.com (tedwards at onemain.com) Date: Thu, 04 Dec 2008 16:11:37 -0600 Subject: [Biblemat] B> Gospel Observer 11/23/08 Message-ID: <49380139.5181.6930B6@localhost> ____________________________________________________ THE GOSPEL OBSERVER ____________________________________________________ "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations...teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:19,20). ____________________________________________________ November 23, 2008 ____________________________________________________ Contents: 1) The Conversion of Saul (Donnie V. Rader) 2) Don't Quit Praying! (Luke 18:1) (Jacob Hudgins) ____________________________________________________ -1- The Conversion of Saul by Donnie V. Rader The Bible says more about this case of conversion than any of the others. The story is not told in just one text, but it is found in Acts 9:1-22, Acts 22:1-16 and Acts 26:4-18. Let's consider Saul's former way of life, the appearance on the road, the messenger and the message that was sent to Saul. Saul's Former Way of Life All three texts tell something about how Saul lived before his conversion. 1. He was a Hebrew -- a Pharisee (Acts 22:3; 26:5; Phil. 3:5). Before Agrippa he testified, "according to the strictest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee" (Acts 26:5). He later referred to himself as a Hebrew of Hebrews. Saul was a very religious man. But, he was wrong in his religion. Even though he was living a strict religious life and was a descendant of Abraham he was not a child of God. 2. He was educated (Acts 22:3). Saul was highly educated. He had been trained at the feet of Gamaliel. He was taught "according to the strictness of our fathers' law." Though educated, he was still in sin. Sin is not a problem just to the ignorant and unlearned. Those with college educations and PhD's are also guilty of sin (Rom. 3:23). Someone once said that an uneducated man may steal a car. If you send him to college he may steal the factory. Whether educated or not, all men face the same problem of sin. 3. He was zealous (Phil. 3:6). His zeal and enthusiasm lead him to be active in what he thought to be right. He had a zeal without knowledge (Rom. 10:3). This trait would be useful in the kingdom of God if he would only couple some understanding with his excitement. 4. He was conscientious (Acts 23:1; 26:9). Even though he was fighting against the Lord's work, he was doing what he thought was right. He lived in all good conscience. This reminds us that one's conscience can be wrong. Sincerity is not enough. Saul was sincere, but wrong. 5. He persecuted the church (Acts 7:58; 8:1; 9:1-2; 22:4-5; 26:9-11). He held the coats for those who stoned Stephen. He made havoc of the church dragging men and women off to prison. He breathed out threats and murder against God's people. He had cast his vote that some should be put to death. After his conversion we see a different man with a different attitude. This is a powerful message about how people can change. It is a message about how the "chief of sinners" (1 Tim. 1:15) can turn to God and be forgiven. The Appearance on the Road 1. What he saw and heard (Acts 9:1-9; 22:6-11; 26:12-18). As Saul journeyed on the road to Damascus he saw a light shining from heaven that was as bright as the noon sun. He heard a voice saying, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?" Saul answered, "Who are You, Lord?" The Lord replied, "I am Jesus whom you are persecuting." Saul asked the Lord what he would have him to do. He was then instructed to go into the city and it would be told to him what he should do. 2. He was called to go to the Gentiles (Acts 26:16-18). Paul explained to Agrippa that the Lord appeared to him to send him to the Gentiles to turn them from darkness to light, from Satan unto God. Having seen the Lord, he is now qualified to be an apostle of the Lord (Acts 1:22). 3. What happened on the road convinced him of the resurrection of Christ. Seeing and hearing the resurrected Lord was evidence that he was no longer in the tomb. This is the only thing that can explain the complete change in Saul's life. If he was not convinced, then why does he start proclaiming his resurrection and even preach it to Agrippa? 4. Saul was not saved on the road to Damascus. Many think that Saul was saved when he saw the Lord. If he was saved on the road to Damascus, he was the most miserable saved man for he didn't eat or drink for the next three days (Acts 9:9). If he was saved, Ananias didn't know it for he told him to wash away his sins (Acts 22:16). If he was saved, he was saved without calling on the name of the Lord (Acts 22:16). If he was saved, he was saved while still in his sins (Acts 22:16). The Messenger and His Message 1. Ananias was sent (Acts 9:10-16). God sent a gospel preacher named Ananias to Saul. Ananias was concerned having heard of what Saul had done to God's people. God assured the preacher that Saul was a chosen vessel and he was on his way. 2. Ananias restored Saul's sight (Acts 9:12, 17-18). When Ananias arrived he put his hands on Saul and immediately something like scales fell from his eyes and he could see again. 3. The message of Ananias (Acts 22:16). When this preacher comes, Saul is praying. So he begins by asking, "And now why are you waiting?" You see, to do anything (even something religious) other than what God wants the sinner to do to be saved, is waiting or "tarrying" (KJV). I also learn from this that prayer on the part of the alien sinner (such as at the mourner's bench) is not part of God's plan for removing man's sin. If so, why did he instruct Saul to stop praying and do something else? His message continued, "Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord." From this I learn: (a) that baptism is essential to wash away our sins, (b) the urgency of baptism -- for he was to quit praying and arise and be baptized and (c) obeying the commands of the Lord (such as baptism) is how one calls on the name of the Lord. Saul was saved the same way that you and I are saved. Do you believe in the Lord? Have you decided to turn from sin in repentance? Would you be willing to acknowledge your faith in him? Then, I ask you, why are you waiting? Arise, be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord. -- Via Guardian of Truth XXXVII: 11, p. 14-15, June 3, 1993 ____________________________________________________ -2- Don't Quit Praying! Luke 18:1 by Jacob Hudgins "Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart" (Luke 18:1). Jesus knows us. He knows our weaknesses and tendencies. He knows our strengths and successes. A warning from the mouth of one who knows us so well should carry much weight. So what does Jesus warn us about in times when we "lose heart"? "Men ought always to pray and not lose heart" (Luke 18:1). Don't quit praying! Jesus tells a parable to illustrate the principle (Luke 18:2-5). A widow requests justice from a judge, who for a while refuses to act. However, the widow's persistence finally leads him to avenge her "lest by her continual coming she weary me" (Luke 18:5). We must learn the lesson well from this determined widow: don't quit praying! Don't quit praying because God hears! Often our discouragement stems from a feeling of inadequacy in our prayer: "God hasn't helped me, and I'm not even sure my prayers go higher than the ceiling." Never forget that as long as we are living as we should (1 Pet 3:12), God hears our prayers! There is no question this judge heard the widow's request. The text says he simply "would not for a while" (v. 4) do what she asked. Further, when Jesus applies this parable to our prayers to God, He asks, "And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them?" God always hears the cries and requests of His children! Though we may think God has forgotten about us when our prayers are not immediately answered the way we'd like, we must never lose heart! God speaks directly to such a mindset and says "men ought always to pray and not lose heart" (v. 1)! Don't quit praying; God hears! Don't quit praying because God rewards persistence! What finally got the judge to act? "yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me" (v. 5). The continual, persistent asking of this widow got her what she desired. Can the same be said of our prayers? Her persistence made this woman more powerful and influential than the greatest of men, whom the judge had no regard for (vv. 2,4). Making the application, Jesus speaks of the elect of God "who cry out day and night to Him" (v. 7), adding that as a result God "will avenge them speedily" (v. 8). An earlier parable of Jesus tells of a man going to his friend at midnight to ask for food, and only receiving it because of his continued asking. Of that man, Jesus says, "I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs" (Luke 11:8). Like the characters in these parables, God rewards persistence in prayer! Please understand that God is not saying that we can nag Him into giving us whatever our heart desires. Rather, when we genuinely need something and continually trust that He is the way to receive it, He is more likely to give it to us. If we ask for something from God once, then forget about it, do we really need it or truly trust He will provide it? Remember, "The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much" (James 5:16), but the occasional, haphazard prayer of a lukewarm man accomplishes little. Don't quit praying! God rewards persistence! Don't quit praying because God desires faith! Isn't it faith that buoys us through the times when we lose heart and strengthens us to keep looking to the Father? Despite the fact that our prayers might not be answered -- or answered in a way we prefer -- can we keep asking and trusting? Jesus, having told the parable, laments, "Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?" (Luke 18:8). Faith is God's desire. When cancer has taken our loved one, can we pray that God will heal someone else with cancer, truly believing He can and will? When we have failed in temptation so many times, can we ask Him for help and forgiveness, truly believing we can overcome with His help? When life is hard, when money is tight, when people are angry, when we can't see our way, do we trust and look to our God? "But without faith it is impossible to please Him" (Heb 11:6). God knows about all that life contains, but still desires us to trust Him! Take your problems to the Lord, "casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you" (1 Pet 5:7). Whatever you do, don't quit praying! God wants you to believe! Remember that stubborn widow -- a character Jesus used to illustrate our stubborn devotion and trust to God. A dogged determination to appeal to our Father will be rewarded. Jesus knows us better than anyone, and His prescription is more prayer. Don't lose heart! Don't quit praying! -- Via Expository Files 15.1; January 2008 ____________________________________________________ CHURCH OF CHRIST 201 Rushing Road (at the Hampton Inn) Denham Springs, LA 70726 Sunday: 9:15 AM, 10:00 AM, 4:00 PM evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards (225) 667-4520 tedwards at onemain.com http://home.onemain.com/~tedwards/go DIRECTIONS: Take the Denham Springs exit (exit 10) off of I-12. At the end of the exit ramp, turn north. Go about a stone's throw to Rushing Road. (You'll see a Starbucks, Circle K, and two other gas stations; with each on each corner.) Turn left on Rushing Road, and go less then 0.3 of a mile. Hampton Inn will be on the right. We assemble in its meeting room, which is very close to the reception counter. ____________________________________________________ From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Fri Dec 5 03:12:21 2008 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Fri, 5 Dec 2008 04:12:21 EST Subject: [Biblemat] A) "GOD HAS SPOKEN", BUT... Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. A very good Friday morning to each and everyone. May God bless you and yours. Here is an article from my files: "GOD HAS SPOKEN", BUT... "God hath at the end of these days spoken unto us in His Son..." (Heb. 1:2). But men have also spoken unto us. With ex- cellency of speech and persuasive words of wisdom, they have troubled us with many variations of a perverted gospel; all differ- ent from that preached by the apostle Paul and other inspired men (Gal. 1). Missionaries have taken the doctrines and comm- andments of men throughout the world. It has been printed on slick paper with the latest sophisticated printing equipment and mass mailed to millions. It has been embellished with impress- ive and professionally produced TV specials featuring slick orat- ors and moving testimonials. And, not without results. More people have been more influenced in religion by what men have spoken than by what God has spoken. Denomination- alism itself is a living monument to the influence of false doctrine Doctrines of men denominate and divide, not the doctrine of Christ. Denominationalism offers men many ways to be wrong: the doctrine of Christ offers men on way to be right. Not that denominations do not claim to follow the Bible. Notice this affirmation from a popular creed book: "The Holy Scriptures con-tain all things necessary to salvation; so that whatsoever is not read therein, nor may be proved thereby, is not to be required of any man that it should be believed as an article of faith, or thought requisite or neessary to salvation." To which we say, "Amen!" However, in the same creed book may be found "articles of faith" and practice that are not contained in the Holy Scriptures and certainly cannot "be proved thereby". One, for instance, says that "we are justified by faith only..." The Scriptures say otherwise (Jas. 2:24). Many believe and are influenced by what this and other denominations teach concerning justification by faith only. They think it to be Bible doctrine, but God has never spoken thusly. Elsewhere, the same creed-book gives instructions for the baptism of infants. From whence cometh such a practice? From heaven or from men? The same could be asked concern- ing another statement about baptism. "Let every adult person, and the parents of every child to be baptized, have the choice of sprinkling, pouring, or immersion." The New Testament knows nothing of baptism by sprinkling or pouring; only an imm- ersion, a burial (Rom. 6:4) as the word itself indicates, and as demonstrated in the baptism of the Ethiopian in Acts 8. Infant baptism and sprinkling as baptism are practiced, not to please or obey God, as some may suppose, but in response to doctrin- es invented by men. God deserves better. It is not enough to be "religious" and well intentioned. Fellowship with God is possible only as we abide in the doctrine of Christ (2 Jno. 9). That requires knowing Truth (Jno. 8:32) and making it the standard of everything believed and practiced in the name of religion. False prophets and false teachings offer false hope. We need to be sure about our salvation! -- and we can as we "prove all things" by the gospel standard (1 Thes. 5: 21). --------- Dan S. Shipley in Plain Talk, Vol. 20, No. 8, Oct, 1983, via Gospel Power, Vol. 15, No. 46, Nov. 16, 2008. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20081205/d55c8f3c/attachment-0001.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Fri Dec 5 03:12:35 2008 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Fri, 5 Dec 2008 04:12:35 EST Subject: [Biblemat] S) THE AGE OF MIRACLES Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. Here is a question from my files. Use to the glory of God. QUESTION: -- Most of the older members of the church tell me that the age of miracles has ended. But I can't find anyone who can give me the passage of Scripture that teaches that. Can you provide me with the Scriptures? ANSWER: -- In order to answer this, we must first define "mira- cle" and then determine the purpose of the miracles. Many peop- le are willing to call anything they cannot explain a miracle: the birth of a baby, a close escape from an automobile accident, etc. But a miracle is not just an unusual incident; it is a "supernatur-al" event. An event that not only does not act in accord with nat- ural law, but even contradictsthe laws of nature. Jesus healed the sick -- completely and instantaneously -- contrary to the laws of medicine and nature. As He told the disciples of John, "Go and tell John the things which ye hear and see: the blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good tidings preached to them" (Matt. 11:4,5). Miraculous powers were also given to the apostles. Peter healed a lame man (Acts 3:1-6), a paralytic (Acts 9:32-35), and raised the dead (Acts 5:12- 16), and Peter was miraculously released from prison (Acts 12:1- 11). The apostle Paul writes of the "gifts of the Holy Spirit" (1 Cor. 12:7-11). "But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit to profit withal. For to one is given through the Spirit the word of wisdom; and to another the word of knowledge, accord- ing to the same Spirit: to another faith, in the same Spirit; and to another gifts of healings, in the one Spirit; and to another work- ings of miracles; and to another prophecy; and to another dis- cernings of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; an to another the interpretation of tongues; but all these worketh the one and the same Spirit, dividing to such one severally even as He will." Let us notice these nine gifts, and what they were. The nine gifts named were: "Wisdom, Knowledge, Faith, Healing, Miracles, Prophecy, Discerning of spirits, Tongues, Interpretation of tongues." These were all "gifts." That is, they were not acquired through natural means, but given directly by the Holy Spirit. With us, we acquire wisdom by experience and observation, knowledge by study, faith by hearing the Word of God (Rom. 10:17), etc. But the apostles, and other inspired peo- ple of the early church, had no New Testament Scriptures to turn to for guidance, so they had to have guidance from God in some other way. That way was by the direct inspiration by the Holy Spirit, those gifts from the spirit are listed above. There are numerous examples in the Bible of miraculous healings, miracles of various kinds and prophecy (speaking from God). This was all made possible by the gifts of the Holy Spirit. The gift of prophecy enabled one to "speak from God" -- as the apostles did on Pentecost, they "Spoke as the Spirit gave them utterance" (Acts 2:4). And when the apostles went "into all the world and preached the gospel" (Mk. 16:15), "They went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word by the signs that followed (Mk. 16:20). That clearly shows the purpose of thsoe miraculous gifts: to de- liver the Word of God and confirm It by signs (miracles). This is stated also in (Heb. 2:4), "God also bearing witness with them, both by signs and wonders, and by manifold powers, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own Will." And it is said of the miracles of Jesus: "Thse are written that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that, believing, ye might have life in His name" (Jno. 20:31). God tells us clearly that these "gifts of the Holy Spirit" were to cease. In (1 Cor. 12), the apostle Paul lists those gifts (above). Then in the next chapter, he wrote: "Love never faileth: but whet- her there by prophecies, they shall be done away; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall be done away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part; but when that which is perfect is come, that whcih is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I felt as a child, I thought as a child: now that I am become a man, I hae put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror, darkly but then face to face; now I know in part; but then shall I know fully even as also I was fully known" (1 Cor. 13:8-12). Notice that each gift was a "part". But when "the perfect" was come, the parts were to cease. The expression "the perfect" is from the Greek "to telion" which literally means: "complete, full-grown, fully developed." So, when the revelation of God's Word was completed, and confirmed, then the "parts" were done away. Note that Paul says, "For now we see in a mirror, darkly; but then face to face; now I know in part; but then shall I know fully even also I was fully known" (1 Cor. 12:12). This is explained by James, "But be ye doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deluding your own selves. For if any one is a hearer of the Word and not a doer, he is like unto a man behold- ing his natural face in a mirror; for he beholdeth himself, and goeth away, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But he that looketh into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and so continueth, being not a hearer that forgetteth but a doer that worketh, this man shall be blessed in his doing" (Jas. 1;22- 25). Some contend that these "gifts of the Spirit" were to contin- ue until Christ comes, and we then see Him and the Father "face to face." But look at the passage again: "Now we see in a mirr- or, darkly, but then face to face" (1 Cor. 13:12). No one looks into a mirror to see God, or anyone else. We look into a mirror to see ourselves. To shave, to put on makeup, etc., we need to see "face to face." That is the purpose of the mirror. And the Word of God is "the perfect law of liberty," a spiritual mirror, into which we look to see our spiritual condition as God reveals it in His Word. That is what Paul says in 1 Cor. 13. Because we have the revealed and written Word of God, con- firmed (proved) by the miracles which the apostles did, we no longer need those "parts" which brought it into existence. So they have ceased, been done away. And that includes all the miracles -- healing, raising the dead, etc. So, yes, the age and purpose of miracles have ended. Because we have the complet- ed Word of God confirmed by these miracles and therefore there is no more need for such miracles. (Those that claim to be able to do miracles today are false teachers, and those that believe, and follow their false claims, are as the blind that are being led by the blind, JWS) -------- Clem Thurman in Gospel Minutes, Vol. 57, No. 47, Nov. 21, 2008. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20081205/fdf5878d/attachment-0001.html From bloughmiller at nts-online.net Fri Dec 5 09:32:33 2008 From: bloughmiller at nts-online.net (Bryan Loughmiller) Date: Fri, 5 Dec 2008 09:32:33 -0600 Subject: [Biblemat] Thanks Message-ID: Thanks to all of you who responded to my request for the location of a faithful congregation in the Washington DC area. The info for a couple of congregations in VA and MD were provided. I know that there are websites that help locate churches but I always like to hear personal recommendations from members on the list when I am unfamiliar with the area. Once again, thank you for your help. Brotherly, Bryan Loughmiller bloughmiller at nts-online.net -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20081205/e4ee2977/attachment-0001.html From bloughmiller at nts-online.net Fri Dec 5 10:35:36 2008 From: bloughmiller at nts-online.net (Bryan Loughmiller) Date: Fri, 5 Dec 2008 10:35:36 -0600 Subject: [Biblemat] S: The Eyes of Three Men Message-ID: I have not contributed to the list in a quite a while and thought I would present a shell outline that you can use as you see fit. This way you can fill it with appropriate illustrations you feel comfortable using and insert supporting texts. Brotherly, Bryan Loughmiller bloughmiller at nts-online.net The Eyes of Three Men Lk 15:11-32 Introduction: Have you ever tried to envision life through the eyes of other individuals? Have you ever thought it would be a good learning experience to walk in the shoes of another man? That is what I want us to do today. For a moment today I want you to put on the shoes of these three men and imagine what it would be like if you were in their place. You may find that you have experienced many of the same things or because of your age (youth) you may find yourself in similar circumstances in the future. Maybe you are currently traveling through life like one of these three men in our text today. I. Looking Through The Eyes of the Youngest Son A. What kind of eyes does this man have? 1. Wandering eyes 2. Covetous eyes 3. Lustful eyes B. Obscured vision prevents him from seeing the blessings and salvation that were already his. II. Looking Through The Eyes of the Elder Brother A. What kind of eyes does this man have? 1. Angry/hateful eyes 2. Jealous eyes 3. Unforgiving eyes B. Obstructed vision prevents this man from forgiving his brother. III. Looking Through The Eyes of the Father A. What kind of eyes does the father have? 1. Loving eyes 2. Compassionate eyes 3. Forgiving eyes B. His vision is blurred only by tears of joy that his lost son has come home. IV. The Eyes of Repentance A. Are opened by godly sorry that leads to repentance. B. Are clear of worldliness, passions and personal desires. C. Are filled with hope and love for the Father D. By faith can find their way back home. Conclusion: (Read - Lk 15:7; 15:10; 15:32) If you have wandered away from the Father won't you come back home today? -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20081205/9180c90b/attachment-0001.html From richard at thetford.dot5hosting.com Fri Dec 5 20:59:16 2008 From: richard at thetford.dot5hosting.com (Richard Thetford) Date: Fri, 5 Dec 2008 19:59:16 -0700 Subject: [Biblemat] Walking in the Light (12/7/08) Message-ID: <20081206030157.50B4EBC061@dumbledore.whizardries.com> Walking in the Light "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path" (Psalm 119:105) December 7, 2008 www.thetfordcountry.com --- INFORMATION: Walking in the Light is published each week by Richard Thetford. You are encouraged to visit the web site at www.thetfordcountry.com and then click on "Richard's Home Page" to view numerous sermons, articles, radio program scripts, class material and other information. If you know of someone who would like to subscribe to "Walking in the Light," please send their name and e-mail address to richard at thetfordcountry.com --- CONTENTS: "What Are We Feeding Ourselves?" (Zeke Flores) "Give it Back" (Author Unknown) SENTENCE SERMONS --- WHAT ARE WE FEEDING OURSELVES? Zeke Flores We love to feed ourselves! We want what we want and we want it now! The fact that one can drive through any of your favorite fast-food restaurants and order breakfast, lunch or dinner is not lost on today's "society on the go". Hence, the fast food industry has grown to a multibillion dollar one because we just love our Big Macs, Whoppers and tacos. However, an expanding waistline reminds us that a steady diet of this is not the most healthy way to eat and so we are now being enticed by food places that offer "fat free" or "low fat" fare. (Maybe if I eat a low fat dish for lunch, I can have an extra Twinkie tonight!) Or maybe food is not your weakness. Maybe you feed yourself on a steady diet of television. While not everything on TV is "junk food", there are still some things we watch that maybe we shouldn't. What used to be called "soap operas" are now billed as " daytime dramas" and contain everything from pre-marital sex to adultery to murder. "It's just a TV show" you say, but how many women haven't compared their husband to the handsome hunk on one of those shows only to realize that hubby doesn't quite measure up? Perhaps it's the comedy shows you like. The fare on today's prime time sitcoms contain sex (surprise), homosexuality, cussing and even occasional nudity! The fact that we even need a rating system for public television ought to tell us that what's on there isn't always the best thing for a Christian (or anyone) to allow their minds to feed on. There are other things we feast our eyes and our minds upon like magazines and gossip but I think you get a picture of what I mean. As Christians, we don't always infuse ourselves with what we need to "grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ". Let's let the Master (our great example) tell us what He fed on during His time on earth. In John 4 we find Jesus at a well in Samaria while His disciples are gone into town to buy some food. When they returned they tried to get Jesus to eat but He said, "I have food to eat that you do not know about." (Vs 32) While His disciples were thinking of earthly, physical food Jesus explains, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to accomplish His work." (Vs 34) Jesus fed himself on the will of God. It was His drive and motivation to do that which pleases the Father! The Lord continually prayed and it was evident that He knew the Scriptures very well; it was this doing of the Father's will that was His great objective. How awesome it would be if all His children said the same thing! How can we feed ourselves like Jesus did? We must develop a taste for the things of God. In His sermon on the mount Jesus said, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be satisfied." (Matt. 5:6) We ought to go after righteousness, that is the state of being right with God, like a hungry man goes after nourishing food. By making it our greatest desire to be in that state, we develop a hunger and thirst for God that only He can satisfy. Since He promises to reward those who diligently seek him, we can be assured that our longing for Him will be gratified fully. Once we begin to really feed ourselves on His word and live out His will in our lives, then it will become as sweet and nourishing food for our souls, better than anything this old world has to offer! "How sweet are Thy words to my taste! Yes, sweeter than honey to my mouth!" (Psalm 119:103) --- GIVE IT BACK Author Unknown When our kids were little, we had a rule.. "If you can't say thank you, give it back." Maybe the little one just wanted to keep his cookie or his gift, so he at least went through the motions. Hope was that habits were formed and manners cultivated. A thanksgiving heart was the ultimate aim. Each day we are overwhelmed with blessings, both spiritual and physical. We do not realize just how many of our prayers are answered unless we make a list of our requests.....to be reviewed at a later time. Have you had a drink of water today or a meal? Do you have a shirt to put on? Are you safe? Do you have a measure of health? Do you have love? Does anyone love you? Is salvation in your grasp? Have you any blessings at all? How do you suppose Jesus felt when he cleansed ten lepers, and only one returned to glorify Him? (Luke 17). He asked, "Where are the nine?" What an ungrateful lot they were! Leprosy was incurable, and He healed them. Maybe it is a good thing the "give it back" rule is not a broad rule. If we had to give back blessings we didn't thank Him for I guess we would always be standing in the exchange line -- giving back our blessings. --- SENTENCE SERMONS You will never develop eye strain by looking at the bright side. There is no right way to do wrong. It is more difficult for a man to lose his shirt if he keeps his sleeves rolled up. A happy mind contributes t good health - physically and spiritually. Your bank book does not reveal your real wealth or worth. Our courage is tested when we are in the minority. A small deed is worth more than a big intention. The proper use of life is to spend it for something good that will outlast it. --- SERMON NO NEW SERMON THIS WEEK (with PowerPoint Charts) www.thetfordcountry.com --- 1414 Hawk Parkway, Unit C Montrose, CO 81401 (970) 626-5558 www.sanjuanchurchofchrist.org MEETING TIMES Sunday Bible Study..........10:00 A.M. Worship........11:00 A.M. Wednesday Bible Study........6:30 P.M. Evangelist/Editor Richard Thetford Building: (970) 249-8116 Home: (970) 626-5558 E-Mail: richard at thetfordcountry.com Web Site: www.thetfordcountry.com --- RICHARD THETFORD 1491 Canyon Drive Ridgway, CO 81432 (970) 626-5558 E-Mail: richard at thetfordcountry.com Web Site: www.thetfordcountry.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20081205/b0ce1d37/attachment-0001.html -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: image/jpeg Size: 2950 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20081205/b0ce1d37/attachment-0001.jpe -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: image/gif Size: 14927 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20081205/b0ce1d37/attachment-0003.gif -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: image/gif Size: 177 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20081205/b0ce1d37/attachment-0004.gif -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: image/gif Size: 9680 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20081205/b0ce1d37/attachment-0005.gif From terrywbenton at bellsouth.net Fri Dec 5 21:16:19 2008 From: terrywbenton at bellsouth.net (Terry W. Benton) Date: Fri, 5 Dec 2008 21:16:19 -0600 Subject: [Biblemat] By One Spirit...Baptized Into One Body Message-ID: <7B4B7E415CC241FFBF0A2D75BAC02887@TerryPC> By One Spirit...Baptized Into One Body 1 Cor.12:13 1) What does "BY one Spirit" mean? a) Holy Spirit is the element we are immersed in? b) Holy Spirit is the agency directing us to be immersed in the name of the Lord? 2) True or False: By One Spirit: a) 3,ooo Pentecostians were baptized in the name of Jesus Christ in the element of water. Acts 2:38,41 (T or F)? b) The Ethiopian Eunuch was baptized in water in the name of Jesus Christ. Acts 8 (T or F)? c) Cornelius and his household were baptized in water in the name of the Lord. Acts 10:47,48 (T or F)? d) The Corinthian, hearing, believed, and were baptized in the same way as the others - Acts 18:8; Mk.16:16 (T or F)? e) ALL who are baptized in water in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ for remission of sins, do so by the urgent appeal of the same SPIRIT as all of the above. (T or F)? Conclusion: Even without appealing to the meaning and usage of the Greek words "BY one Spirit", we can easily look at the cases of conversion and conclude the following truths: 1) The Holy Spirit is not the element that all are immersed in. 2) The Holy Spirit is the directing agency (by His revealed and confirmed word) that urges all to be baptized (immersed in the element of water) in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins. Acts 2:38; 41; 10:47,48 Those who do not yield to the Spirit's urgent message and "gladly receive His words" will not be baptized into the One Body. The have resisted the Holy Spirit. Acts 7:51. The Corinthians heard the Spirit's message, believed, and were baptized into one body. Acts 18:8; 1 Cor.12:13 By one Spirit we ALL are baptized into one body, unless you harden your heart and refuse His great salvation message. Terry W. Benton Terry W. Benton Visit: www.pinelanechurchofchrist.com Dan Billingsly vs. Terry W. Benton Exchange on the Four Gospels at: http://www.pinelanechurchofchrist.com/SiteFiles/157/Benton%20Billingsly%20Debate.doc -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20081205/28233c69/attachment-0001.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Sat Dec 6 04:39:14 2008 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Sat, 6 Dec 2008 05:39:14 EST Subject: [Biblemat] S) "PEACE WITH GOD" Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. Here is a study from my files. Use to the glory of God. "PEACE WITH GOD" Do you ever feel that God is mad at you? You know, those times you have messed up and don't think God could love some- one like you? Do you ever have moments of doubting that you are a real Christian, that you have failed too many times at too many things to be good enough for God? Or maybe you are not a Christian yet. You might be thinking that the sins you have committed are so bad, even a loving God would have to be angry with you. You might even think that you have no chance to change or be right with God. You feel lost and cut off from God, and you figure that is how it will always be. The great apostle Paul wrote a book to you, both those who are not yet Christians and to those who are. In the book of Rom- ans, Paul explains what happens when we are saved by the grace of God, and put our trust in Him and His Plan to save you and me. Take time just here to read Rom. 5:1-11. In these verses Paul reassures those of us who believe in Christ that we are safe with the Lord. And he tells those of you who are not saved, how good it can be if you will let the blood of Jesus clean- se you. WE CAN HAVE PEACE WITH GOD: -- By putting our trust in the death of Jesus, we can be justified by His sacrifice upon the cross. When that happens, we experience peace with God. This is the great promise, that God is no longer at war with us. When we become Christians, He is no longer our enemy, but our ally. God is now on our side. (God is and has never been an enemy of mankind as such, He has always been an enemy of sin. But He loves each and everyone of us and desires that all should be saved 2 Pet. 3:9. JWS). This was the announcement made at the birth of Jesus: "And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleas- ed" (Lk. 2:13,14). God's promise in Jesus Christ is that He offers peace toward all men. We can see this in fact after the death of Jesus. The Master had been denied by Peter, while the other ten remaining apostles ran away. When Jesus appeared to them, what were His first words? "When therefore it was evening, on that day, the doors were shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst, and said to them: Peace be with you." (Jno. 20:19). Many wonderful things take place when we become Christians. Perhaps the most comfort- ing thing is that you then have peace with God. WE STAND IN GOD'S GRACE: -- Paul declares that our trust in Jesus Christ as our Savior allows us access to His grace. This is a grace that not only saves us, but it is a grace in which we stand. That is, this grace is an ongoing part of our walk with the Lord, in the light of His Word. We stand in grace. We don't wander off into other theories or theologies. We don't serve other gods. But, if we stand with the Lord we are standing in the place of ongoing grace in our lives. (1 Cor. 15:1,2). This is what John meant in his first letter: "And this is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is light , and in Him there is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin" (1 Jno. 1:5-7). If we stand with the Lord, living in His light, then the blood of Jesus keeps on cleansing us, moment by moment. This grace is like your windshield wipers, constantly removing the guilt of your mistakes, past and present. You see, you don't need to worry about being right with God. That is what standing in grace is all about. You can be safe with the Lord once you take your stand in His grace. When you do, your past sins are forgiven. And, if you stumble and fail as a Christian, by standing in His grace you stay cleansed at all times. (This grace of God is a teaching tool as well as a cleans- ing tool. It requires us to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world and be zealous for good works that we should WALK in them. Titus 2:11-14. JWS). WE CAN EXULT IN HOPE AND WITHSTAND TRIBULATIONS: -- Once we realize that we have peace with God and that we stand forgiven before Him, we can rejoice in the hope we are given. We can exult (or rejoice) or be happy that we no longer have any- thing to fear from the wrath of God. Since we have made peace with Him through His Son Jesus Christ, we can stand in joy knowing that we have assurance from Him. If I look at my life and my weak performance before the Lord, I get nervous, not excited. When I look at how poorly I do what the Lord wants, I get discouraged. That is why God offers me grace in which to stand. Now, in spite of my failures, God will for- give me, keep me cleansed and safe. That leads to a joy the world cannot understand. This joy is amazing in that it survives every hardship, every attack, every criticism. No matter what troubles the world throws at us, as Christians our joy, our exultation, never wavers. We can be happy with good experiences, we can be joyous even in the midst of bad experiences. If you are not yet a Christ- ian, this is a smart reason to become one. Wouldn't you like to be able to be happy, to be content, to be joyous, even when life is at its worst? For those of us who are Christians, we can learn to be happy, not based on circumstances, but based on the grace of God in which we walk and wherein we stand. WE ARE SAVED FROM THE WRATH OF GOD: -- When God made peace with us, He gave up on His anger toward our sins. That is, God is no longer angry with us because of our sins and our rebellion towards Him. We have been reconciled to Him through the blood of His Son by our obedience to His Will. This is so important to understand. Too many of us, those who are saved and those who are not, think that God is bound to be angry with us. We know all the sinful things we have done. If we are honest, we can point to the sinful things we did today. We know how much God hates sin, how angry He becomes do to our engaging in sin. We know that "the wrath of God is reveal- ed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness" (Rom. 1:18). We live with our guilt and know we deserve God's anger toward our sins. (If we put to death our sinful activities, God will come and dwell within us and help us to stay free from continued sin, JWS). But, in Christ, His anger is removed. God is not angry with you per se, but He is angry with the sins that you commit. Remember, that He loved you so much that He sent His only be- gotten Son to die upon the cross for the removal of sins. Jno. 3: 16. It has been shown that God doesn't want to have to vent His wrath upon you because of your sins, but He desires that you repent and obey Him. WE CAN EXULT, HAVE JOY, IN GOD: -- Now we are reconciled to God. All the distance between sinful man and the Righteous Lord God has been removed. Through Christ we are brought near to God, into His presence. We have confidence that His anger toward our sins have been abated by our obedience to His Will. Yes, you can enjoy living in the presence of God's grace by doing His Will. All you need to do is to hear and obey His Word. "Or do you know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? Therefore we hae been buried with Him through baptism into death, in order that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life." (Rom. 6:3,4). Doesn't a new kind of life, one without guilt and worry, appeal to you? Wouldn't you like to know that God, instead of being angry because of your sin, is patiently waiting for you to come to Him in penitent obedience? You can have a new life even today if you turn in faith to Jesus, be baptized by a burial in water, for the remission of your past sins. In doing so, you can enjoy all the blessings that are found in Christ Jesus your Lord. ------- Adapted from an article by David Thurman, in Gospel Minutes, Vol. 57, No. 48, Nov. 28, 2008. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20081206/4be7f765/attachment-0001.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Sat Dec 6 04:38:59 2008 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Sat, 6 Dec 2008 05:38:59 EST Subject: [Biblemat] A) GOD HAS SPOKEN Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. A very good Saturday morn- ing to each and everyone. May God bless you and yours. Here is an article from my recent files: GOD HAS SPOKEN Knowledge of God's Truth enables people to be free from sin (Isa. 53:11; Jno. 8:32). This is the greatest of all freedoms. Error always opposes the truth -- sometimes covertly and some- times overtly, and it is always harmful. It brings mankind into bondage which will destroy one's soul unless he is set free by obedience to the Truth (Rom. 16:17,18,23). In addition, error may threaten freedom of worship and civil liberty. Subtle efforts to suppress the truth by denying access to the media as means of communicating truth have been made even here in America, and the threat of Islam is both spiritual and physical. The Koran authorizes and commands physical violence against "infidels" (Sura 47:4,5; 9:29,30,124; 812,13,40). It includes as "infidels," those who declare that Jesus is the only begotten Son of God and those who teach that the Godhead consists of three Persons. Let us be aware of the dangers of error; let us follow God's Truth, which is found in the New Testament, always. I am very thankful to the brethren at Beulah for paying for the publication of these articles (which the News-Courier classifies as advertisement) for the past several years. Our aim has been to inform, to instruct, to encourage, and to warn against dangers to the soul. This continues to be our purpose in this writing. Be- ginning December 5, the church that meets at Valley View, with whom I have begun working, will assume financial responsibility for "God Has Spoken." Please continue to read the articles and tell others about them. ------ Gilbert Alexander. (It has been my pleasure and privilege to be given permission to republish these good, sound articles of teaching on the internet. I will Gilbert the very best as he begins work with the Valley View church. I have known Gilbert for over thirty five years now and he is a true child of God and a preacher of righteousness. May he have a continued ability to spread the gospel of Christ in the Limestone County area through the means of these newspaper articles each week. And I am thankful for the permission to spread them through the internet to thousands of others. JWS). -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20081206/085ba84b/attachment.html From wswalker310 at juno.com Fri Dec 5 14:48:07 2008 From: wswalker310 at juno.com (Wayne S Walker) Date: Fri, 5 Dec 2008 14:48:07 -0600 Subject: [Biblemat] hymn study, "Trust, Try, and Prove Me" Message-ID: <20081206.091826.3844.0.wswalker310@juno.com> Wayne Walker here with another weekly hymn study. "TRUST, TRY, AND PROVE ME" "Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse....and prove Me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts..." (Mal. 3:10) INTRO.: A song which exhorts us to bring all our gifts to the Lord and prove Him is "Trust, Try, and Prove Me." The text was written and the tune (Giving) was composed both by Lydia (Lida) Shivers Leech, who was born on July 12, 1873, at Mayville, NJ. After spending her childhood at Cape May Court House, NJ, she attended Columbia University and Temple University, and became an organist. travelling extensively as a musician in evangelistic services. During her life, she produced some 500 hymns. "Trust, Try, and Prove Me" is dated 1923 and was copyrighted by Charles Hutchinson Gabriel. It first appeared the following year in Robert H. Coleman's Harvest Hymns. In Coleman's 1926 book The Modern Hymnal, it was indicated that the hymn had become the property of Coleman. When the copyright was renewed in 1951, it was owned by Broadman Press. Other hymns by Mrs. Leech include "God's Way Is Best," "I Have Redeemed Thee," "No Fault in Him," "Some Day He'll Make It Plain," "The Sweetest Song," "Thine for Service," When the Veil Is Lifted," and "Win One Every Day." Living for many years in Camden, NJ, she apparently relocated at some time to California, because she died at Long Beach, CA, on Mar. 4, 1962. Among hymnbooks published by members of the Lord's church during the twentieth century for use in churches of Christ, "Trust, Try, and Prove Me" has, so far as I can tell, neither appeared nor is found in any. Among other hymnbooks in my collection, it was found in the 1940 Broadman Hymnal and the 1964 Christian Praise both published by Broadman Press; the 1968 Great Hymns of the Faith and the 1979 Praise: Our Songs and Hymns both published by Singspiration Music; the 1972 Living Hymns published by Encore Publications; and the 1991 Baptist Hymnal published by Convention Press. The song impresses upon our minds the importance of making sure that we give our best to the Lord so that we can receive His richest blessings. I. Stanza 1 encourages us to give "Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, All your money, talents, time, and love; Consecrate them all upon the altar, While your Savior from above speaks sweetly:" A. Perhaps one reason why this song has not been used in any of our books is that it mentions "tithes," and it may be that hymnbook editors were afraid that folks might get the idea that churches of Christ teach tithing. Tithing, literally giving a tenth of one's substance, was an Old Testament command which is not specified in the New Testament. However, we are commanded to give to the Lord generally: 2 Cor. 9:6-7. If we can read Old Testament passages about tithes and make the application to our giving without teaching tithing, we should be able to do the same thing in song. B. The fact is that under the New Covenant, the Lord does not specify that we give Him a tenth, but demands that we actully devote and dedicate to Him everything--money, talents, time, and love--in doing His will, counting all things of this world as loss for Christ: Phil. 3:7-8 C. These things we consecrate upon the altar, again a figurative expression drawn from the Old Testament to indicate that we must present ourselves and all we have as living sacrifices for the Lord: Rom. 12:1-2 II. Stanza 2 encourages us to trust "When my wavering faith in trials falter, When His guiding hand I cannot see, Then in wondrous love and tender mercy, Through His word He says to me, 'My child just...'" A. There are times when trials and tribulations of life may cause our faith to falter, just as the wind and the waves did to Peter: Matt. 14:26-31 B. At such times, we may not be able, as well as at other times, to see or be aware of God's hand guiding us because of our fears and doubts: Matt. 21:21 C. However, regardless of what happens to us in this life, we can always trust in God's love and tender mercy to provide for us and our needs: Matt. 6:25-34 III. Stanza 3 encourages us to yield "I have yielded Him my life forever, All I am, or have, or hope to be; Naught on earth my hold on Him can sever, While I hear Hlm say to me, 'My child, just...'" A. Yielding our lives to Christ is symbolized in scripture by taking up the cross and following Him: Matt. 16:24 B. This means giving to Him all that we are, have, or hope to be, meaning that we should lay treasures in heaven rather than on earth: Matt. 6:19-20 C. When we have this kind of attitude, then there is nothing on earth that can sever or separate us from His love: Rom. 8:38-39 CONCL.: The chorus completes the thought of each stanza: "Trust Me, try Me, prove Me, saith the Lord of hosts, and see If a blessing, unmeasured blessing, I will not pour out on thee." There are not many hymns in our books about giving. Maybe hymnbook editors did not want to seem as if they were asking for money! More likely, there are just not that many good songs on the subject. I have always been impressed with this one. Just as He did to the Israelites during their restoration to Jerusalem following their captivity, He still calls on us to give Him our very best, saying, "Trust, Try, and Prove Me." Brotherly, Wayne S. Walker 9024 Amona Dr. Affton, MO 63123 home phone: (314) 638-4710 e-mail: wswalker310 at juno.com website: www.defenderoftruth.com Notes: Other hymn studies are available at the Defender of Truth website. Also, some of my previous hymn studies are now included in book that I have written entitled Songs of Zion. It can be ordered from the publisher by calling 1-800-423-2484 or going to www.faith-facts.com . And I have a Hymn Studies blog at http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/hymnstudies/ . In addition, since this has been called to my attention, I now feel it necessary to include this disclaimer with each message. As owner of this list, I have nothing to do with the ads and links that Yahoogroups sends out with the Hymn of the Day posts nor do I have any control over them. I do not necessarily approve of them and I do not always endorse those who have placed them with Yahoogroups. ____________________________________________________________ Click to find high quality stock photos and images. http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL2141/fc/PnY6rw1aBm8NvFYGbYf620hdbme9oqsJfbLNhBG3IZwY6nzO36hyk/ From wirtzjack at att.net Sat Dec 6 09:17:59 2008 From: wirtzjack at att.net (Jack Wirtz) Date: Sat, 6 Dec 2008 09:17:59 -0600 Subject: [Biblemat] Miracles & Providence Message-ID: <702F249A-6DDF-4FAD-8769-A980BE0170DC@att.net> MIRACLES & PROVIDENCE -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: MIRACLES & PROVIDENCE.docx Type: application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document Size: 139733 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20081206/d911c14e/attachment-0001.bin -------------- next part -------------- God?s activity in the world is understood and defined only by Scripture I. General Providence ? He holds Creation in the ?hollow of His hand? A. God?s participation in preservation, permission and presence. 1. Preservation a. ?In Him we live and move and exist? (Acts 17:28) b. ?In Him all things hold together? (Col 1:7) c. ?[He] upholds all things by the power of His word? (Heb 1:3) d. In Him is our dependence and confirms our continued existence 2. Permission a. The continuing the natural laws under God?s permissive will. b. Presumes confidence of continuation. c. Attested in scripture 1) He tends the galaxies (Job 38:31,32) 2) Counts and names the stars (Psalm 147:4) 3) Knows the number of hairs on our heads (Matt 10:30) 4) Knows every bird (Psalm 50:11) 5) Marks every death (Matt 10:29) 3. Presence a. He is intimately involved in everything. (Psalm 104:31) 1) By virtue of His creation 2) By virtue of His providential participation II. Special Providence A. God?s purposive will, unlike miracles which violate or bypass natural laws, stays within the boundaries or possibilities, but brings about a result that would not otherwise have happened. 1. Things that happen as a result of God?s intervention 2. God?s intervention into the natural processes necessary for His special purposes 3. Do not violate or override natural law and free will, but He does suspend or negate them causing results a. Blessing b. Chastising c. Punishing d. Much of the prophesy fulfilled e. Makes and establishes Kings (Dan 2:21) f. The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD (Prov 16:33) g. How He rules over the nations (Psalm 22:28) h. His sovereignty rules over all (Psalm 103:19) II. Miraculous Events ? God transcends natural laws by overriding, bypassing or even violating ?natural laws.? A. Characteristic 1. Visible, observable to the senses 2. Contrary to natural law a. ?What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?? (Matthew 8:27; Mark 4:41; Luke 8:25 ) b. When the master of the feast tasted the water now become wine, (John 2:9) c. ?Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up,? (Luke 7:22) d. Serves as a sign, evidence, proof, confirmation of the revealed truth which if confirms e. They create a ?wonder? f. Real, not arbitrary g. Like Special Providence they are the result of God?s purposive will III. Supernatural Spiritual Events A. Without which non of the others matter 1. Outside the sphere of natural law 2. Invisible and hidden 3. Undetectable by human senses 4. God?s redemptive works a. The incarnation b. Forgiveness of sins c. Propitiation d. Regeneration e. Divine works of revelation For to us a child is born, to us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder, and His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Almighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, To God be the glory, Jack Wirtz From disciple_of_iesus at hotmail.com Sat Dec 6 17:16:05 2008 From: disciple_of_iesus at hotmail.com (Ethan R. Longhenry) Date: Sat, 6 Dec 2008 18:16:05 -0500 Subject: [Biblemat] Good News for Norwalk: Volume III, Number 49: December 07, 2008 Message-ID: Good News for Norwalk For I am not ashamed of the good news, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes. (Romans 1:16) A publication of the church of Christ in Norwalk, Ohio Volume III, Number 49: December 07, 2008 ----------------------------------------------------------- 1 John 2:1-2: Jesus Our Advocate My little children, these things write I unto you that ye may not sin. And if any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: and he is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for the whole world (1 John 2:1-2). In 1 John 1, John identifies the source of his message and the message which he brings-- God is light, and in Him there is no darkness. He then establishes the need for all of us to walk in the light if we would follow Jesus. He demonstrates that we all have sin, both past and present, and if we deny such, we deceive ourselves. Nevertheless, if we confess our sins before God, He is faithful to forgive us. John begins chapter 2 by addressing his "little children." We ought not take this statement too literally here; he uses this same term of endearment another eight times in his short letter. John has great love for his fellow believers, like the love of a father for his children, and therefore we have his tender term of address for them. John continues by making clear that he writes to the Christians so that they would not sin. Yet, in 1 John 1:8, John says that if Christians say presently that they do not sin, they deceive themselves. Is John contradicting himself? By no means! We must remember that chapter divisions came much later than the original writing; there is no fixed division between 1 John 1:10 and 1 John 2:1. John is making clear that although the reality is that we all stumble, we are not justified in our stumbling. We have no right to infer from 1 John 1:8 that we have license or excuse to go and sin, and that somehow we cannot "help ourselves." John here is providing the same type of clarification that Paul does in Romans 6:1-10: just because God's grace abounds does not give us license to sin. Christians must strive to avoid sin and to do that which is good (Romans 12:9). We never "have" to sin; there is always a way of escaping temptation (1 Corinthians 10:13). Christians should never be satisfied with removing only a few sins from their lives-- they must keep striving to reflect Jesus in their lives, since they were crucified in Him (Galatians 2:20). Yet, even though John writes so that Christians will not sin, he knows that Christians do stumble. Lest the believers lose hope, John reminds them that if Christians do sin, they have an Advocate-- Jesus Christ the righteous (1 John 2:1). The word "advocate" here is the Greek parakletos, which refers to a legal advocate, a helper, assistant, or comforter (cf. Thayer's). If we were to imagine a heavenly courtroom, with the Father as Judge, Satan as the prosecutor, and the believer as a defendant, Jesus would be the advocate on behalf of the defendant, interceding on the defendant's behalf before the judge. Paul indicates that Jesusis the Mediator between God and man, since He is both (1 Timothy 2:5), and the Hebrew author demonstrates that Jesus can sympathize with us on account of His sufferings (Hebrews 4:14-16). These are very comforting thoughts indeed! Yet how is it that Jesus can be our Advocate? It is because He is the Righteous One, the propitiation for our sins (1 John 2:1-2). As Peter indicated, Jesus committed no sin, and thus was entirely righteous (1 Peter 2:21-24). His death was not for Himself, but for us, that we could be cleansed from sin (Romans 5:6-11, Hebrews 9:11-15). Jesus, as the Lamb of God, brought cleansing from sin for not just "us," but for the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:2, cf. John 1:29). While many throughout time have taught that Jesus' blood only cleanses the sins of believers, and are horrified at the thought that Jesus' blood would be "wasted" on unbelievers, John is pretty clear about the universal efficacy of Jesus' blood. John is not saying that everyone will have the cleansing through Jesus' blood, but is teaching the same thing as the Hebrew author in Hebrews 9:12: Jesus made His sacrifice once, and it is able to atone for anyone. No one is hindered from receiving the redemption of their sin through the blood of Christ (cf. 1 Timothy 2:4). Yet the blood of Jesus can only atone for those who will confess that Jesus is their Advocate (cf. 1 John 1:9). Those who reject Him or deny Him, either by word or deed, refuse their own atonement (cf. Matthew 10:32-33). Jesus' blood is wasted on those who have heard the word of salvation and refuse it to continue in the darkness of sin (1 John 1:6, Hebrews 10:26-31, 2 Peter 2:20-22). It is indeed a horrifying thought that Jesus' precious and righteous blood would be wasted. Claim Him as your Advocate today! Ethan R. Longhenry evangelist at norwalkchurch.org ----------------------------------------------------------- The church of Christ in Norwalk, Ohio Thank you for reading the electronic version of our bulletin, Good News for Norwalk. If you live in Norwalk or happen to be traveling in the Norwalk area, we would certainly love to have you visit one of our assemblies! Our location: 386 North Edgewood Drive (just off US 250 just north of Norwalk's city limits) Norwalk, Ohio 44857 Our assemblies: Sunday morning assembly: 10:30am Sunday evening assembly: 6:00pm Our Bible studies: Sunday morning Bible study: 9:30am Wednesday evening Bible study: 7:00pm ----------------------------------------------------------- For More Information If you have any questions or comments about anything you have read here, or desire more information, please contact our evangelist, Ethan Longhenry, at evangelist at norwalkchurch.org. Good News for Norwalk is a publication of the church of Christ in Norwalk, Ohio, for the promotion of God's truth in our world. For more information about the church of Christ in Norwalk, please visit our website at norwalkchurch.org. Ethan R. Longhenry / disciple_of_iesus at hotmail.com Evangelist, church of Christ in Norwalk, Ohio [norwalkchurch.org] Homepage: deusvitae.com AIM: Deus Vitae / ICQ: 28317056 Y! IM: discipuliiesus Sign up for Good News for Norwalk! goodnewsfornorwalk-subscribe at norwalkchurch.org From crxtra at gmail.com Sat Dec 6 17:23:01 2008 From: crxtra at gmail.com (Steven C. Harper) Date: Sat, 6 Dec 2008 16:23:01 -0700 Subject: [Biblemat] A> Oops! I Forgot! Message-ID: <000001c957f9$9641aed0$c2c50c70$@com> From: TRUTH & REASON, a bulletin of the Glendale church of Christ, Glendale, AZ. Editor: Steven Harper December 7, 2008 Oops! I Forgot! Don't you just hate it when you have an important task to do and you get so wrapped up in other things that you forget about the one thing you really needed to do? I have had more than my share of forgetful moments and I am sure that many more are to come, but I must surely recognize that there are some things that I, as a disciple of Jesus Christ, simply cannot forget. I Cannot Forget to Obey the Lord's Commands. Can you imagine someone standing before Christ in judgment and being asked why he or she didn't ever obey, and replying, "Oh, Lord, I just forgot"? Would we expect Him to simply shake His head, pat us on the back, and tell us to go ahead and enter into heaven and eternal life because, well, "We all forget things"? Really? Of course, we know that God will not do that at all. God has promised we will all one day "appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil" (2nd Cor. 5:10), and He has promised His wrath on "those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus" (2nd Thess. 1:8). Jesus once told of two brothers who were told by their father to go and do some work; the first said he would not go but then repented and went, while the second said he would go but then did not go (Matt. 21:28-30). Jesus asked, "Which of the two did the will of his father?" (v. 31) and the audience rightly answered, "The first." When it comes to 'forgetting' to obey the Lord, I must learn the point of what Jesus said here: I must do the will of the Father! Anything less will not allow me entrance into the kingdom (Matt. 7:21). This I cannot 'forget'! Besides that, how can I 'forget' to do the one thing for which I am here on earth? The wise writer said long ago, "Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man" (Eccl. 12:13). Should I expect that if I 'forget' to obey the Lord and keep His commandments while I live that He will simply pass over my disobedience as mere 'forgetfulness' and welcome me into eternal life? The fact is, there is no excuse for 'forgetting' to obey God or Christ. He has given ample evidence to show that He exists (cf. Rom. 1:20; Acts 14:17), and He has given ample evidence to prove that Jesus Christ is indeed the Son of God (John 20:30, 31) and I will be judged by those revealed words and the commands of Jesus Christ (John 12:47, 48). I can find no words in the Bible that say one who 'forgets' to obey will be excused from the consequences of disobedience. Don't forget to obey the Lord! I Cannot Forget to Serve the Lord. And even if I should remember to obey the Lord's commands and even if I should become a disciple, I must not 'forget' to serve the Lord. I know; the two should go hand-in-hand. But many of those who profess to be believers make an otherwise inexplicable differentiation and some will even convince themselves that one act of obedience [their initial obedience to the gospel call of salvation] is sufficient to ensure their entrance into eternal life. Not so. The problem begins when we try to separate obedience from service! Whether we realize it or not, keeping the Lord's commandments is a part of our service. But, as a disciple, I should not have to be told to serve; it should be my desire. Did I not become a disciple because of what He has done for me? If so, then should I not also want to serve Him for the same reason? The apostle John said it well: "We love because He first loved us" (1st John 4:9). I also serve because He first served man [because of love]. I, as a disciple, am a servant and my duty, therefore, is to serve. I do not do it for rewards, but because it is what I am bound to do (cf. Luke 17:10). I serve because my Lord came to serve (Mark 10:45) and since I am His servant, I should be following the Master (Matt. 10:24, 25) and serving, too. If it was not too much for the Son of God, can I honestly say it is too much for me? Can I simply excuse myself by saying "I forgot"? Surely not! Don't forget to serve! I Cannot Forget to Be Holy. As one of God's people, I am supposed to "be separate from" the rest of the [ungodly] world that God might be my God (2nd Cor. 6:16-18), and that means I must distinguish myself by my conduct. Since I may easily see and recognize the world is full of ungodliness, it follows that the people of God should be godly people - holy. And God says as much when He commanded, "As He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, 'You shall be holy, for I am holy'" (1st Pet. 1:15, 16). In this, there is no option and no one can claim an exemption. I must certainly not 'forget' this, either! Peter exhorted the brethren of the first century to "abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul" and to "Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation" (1st Pet. 2:11, 12). If they 'forgot' to do this, the Lord would certainly not be glorified, but His name would be blasphemed and profaned! But should I 'forget' to be holy, the only other course is unholiness; there is no 'middle ground' where I may stand when it comes to my spiritual character. I cannot be part holy and part unholy anymore than a glass of water can be half pure and half polluted - it's one or the other! The writer to the Hebrews put it plainly: "Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord" (Heb. 12:14). If I truly seek eternal life in heaven with the Lord, then holiness must not be forgotten! Though the world is sinking ever more into unholiness and depravity, I cannot let the lowered standards of conduct by the world prevent me from holding to the highest standard - the one set by God - though it will separate me farther and farther from the world. Don't forget to be holy! I Cannot Forget to Be Merciful. Jesus saved His harshest criticism for the hypocritical Pharisees who, He said, "tithe mint and dill and cumin" but had "neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These," He said, "you ought to have done, without neglecting the others" (Matt. 23:23). They were sticklers for keeping the smallest of the requirements, but somehow missed the "weightier matters" such as mercy?!?! Yes, they did! Jesus earlier chastised them for "a pretense mak[ing] long prayers" even as they "devour widows' houses" (v. 14). Imagine someone making a long, pious-sounding prayer in the assembly and then running home so he could go evict a needy and downtrodden widow from her home and you get a good picture of their hypocrisy. Not a pretty picture, is it? But lest I think "I would never do that," I must take a look around and see if I am not doing the same thing, yet in other ways. Am I unnecessarily harsh on a brother because he is not living up to my standard, or do I lovingly admonish a brother because he is not living up to Christ's standard? Am I more interested in the superficial matters of my service and worship while seemingly unconcerned about where my heart is? Am I unwilling to forgive a brother or sister in Christ because they did something I deem 'unforgivable' while I fully expect God to forgive me of everything? Jesus warned against such (Matt. 7:1-5) and so did James (Jas. 2:13), so if I expect God to be merciful to me, I must be merciful. This is one thing I cannot afford to 'forget'! Friends and brethren, don't forget to be merciful! -- Steven Harper -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20081206/a208d815/attachment-0001.html From tssullivan at charter.net Sat Dec 6 20:46:14 2008 From: tssullivan at charter.net (T. Sean Sullivan) Date: Sat, 6 Dec 2008 20:46:14 -0600 Subject: [Biblemat] The Mesenger Vol 003 Iss 040 Message-ID: T he Messenger 2008 Published Weekly by Main Street Church of Christ 306 West Main Street, Newbern, TN 38059 731-627-3514 Bulletin Editor: T. Sean Sullivan VOLUME 003::ISSUE 04:: December 07, 2008 ARTICLE ONE: Learning from a Little Stone ARTICLE TWO: Is Faith Reasonable? Article One: Learning from a Little Stone Introduction: We begin our lesson on the two mountain tops that form the Valley Elah in the territory that belonged to Judah. It is here that the army of the Israelites and the army of the Philistines were gathered for battle and were engaged in a stand-off as the Philistines had only began to taunt the Israelites. The Philistines had placed there trust in their one great champion, whose great stature and proud proclamations caused the Israelites to crumble in fear. This man was: Defiant to God (v. 10); Reliant on human strength (vs.8); a Giant in his own popularity (vs. 4-6). It was in this man alone that the Philistines had placed their hope and who could stand against such a man? The great army of Israel shook in their armor at the thought of Goliath's challenges; until a shepherd boy-David came up to deliver some food to them-ended up delivering the Israelites from the Philistines (1 Samuel 17:31-49). It is at this moment that Goliath learned some lessons from a little stone. As David slung the stone and struck Goliath, sinking into his head: Goliath learned that human power is not the answer. Goliath learned that worldly popularity is not true success. Goliath learned that there is only one true God. Let's consider these lessons in our time together. Goliath learned that human power is not the answer If the battle were merely human: one man's abilities versus and another's, who could stand against such a giant as Goliath? There is little wonder why the nation of Israel feared this man. They were drawn in and impressed by this man and their minds were taken away from God. There are ways that we can become distracted in this life; our attention drawn away from God and His Greatness. Material wealth impresses many away from God: some will corrupt themselves in the pursuit of wealth (1 Timothy 6:6-10) and others are too reliant on there wealth (Matthew 19:16-22; Timothy 6:17-19). Human Intellect also impresses many away from God. Many fail to study the true source of wisdom and succumb to the twisted logic of a society who does not fear God. Many accept human wisdom over God (1 Corinthians 1:20-29). In the end what profit is there in this life, without God? Ecclesiastes 1:1-14 says, "All is vanity and grasping for the wind". In Matthew 16:26, Jesus says, "What profit is it." to gain everything material but not have your soul saved. All of the physical strength and prominence of Goliath did not help him to enter into relationship with his Creator or save him from death and its realizations. Goliath learned that worldly popularity is not true success Goliath was a lauded hero-a Champion! What greater level of esteem could one enjoy? The Philistines rested their fate on his shoulders alone and among the people perhaps no one more popular. There is danger in the cost of maintaining of popularity. In the desire to please the people Aaron denied the true God of Heaven and built the people a golden calf (Exodus 32:1-6). In the desire to please the people Pilate denied Jesus a fair trial-setting the way to his violent death (Matthew 27:12-16). In a desire for the love of the world, many separate themselves from God (1 John 2:15-17) True success is being saved in the end. We need surround our selves with those who will influence us toward Heaven. We then use the encouragement of that core group to bolster our confidence in fulfilling to need of reaching out to others with the gospel (Mark 16:15-16). Success is ".saving both yourself and those who hear you" (1 Timothy 4:16). Goliath learned that God Is. In great defiance against Israel and therefore against the God of Israel, Goliath taunted them and challenged to send out their greatest warrior for Israel to send out any one who would dare challenge his greatness. This is typical taunt of those who refuse God today: the agnostics and atheists. David rose to the challenge and Goliath failed to see the power behind the young shepherd. As Goliath cursed David by the name of his gods, David proclaimed the great and only Lord God to teach Goliath and all the world that the God of Israel is the only God (1 Samuel 17:46). Death is a point of reality and realization for every soul (Hebrews 9:27). What we do while alive determines the "realization" of that event. Many in this life choose to ignore the evidence supplied by God for them-both in His creation (Psalm 19:1-6) and in His word (Psalm 19:7-11). Their realization will be like Goliath's-that the God whom David proclaimed is God! At death all agnostics and atheists will learn the truth, too late. Many refuse to see God's expectations and they fail to do His will (Matthew 7:21-23). Their realization will be the knowledge being separated from all that is good, forever ("depart from me, I never knew you"). Do not let your death be your first point of realization. Learn from the stone that struck Goliath; you too have a soul that needs to be prepared for its departure. Conclusion: The great warrior who possessed attributes of human "greatness" was brought down by a humble little stone. There were hard lessons that Goliath learned in death. We need to learn from that little stone-before we are faced with its results. The choice of finding and serving God needs to be made now when you have the ability. Will you wait and perhaps not have the opportunity? In death there are no opportunities. Your opportunity is now, will you obey? ~tss Article Two: Is Faith Reasonable? The Bible declares, "Without faith it is impossible to please God" (Hebrews 11:6). This tells me that I need to know more about this "faith" thing. All of us should desire a relationship with God-so that we might fulfill our purpose in this life. Acts 17:24-27 "so that they should seek the Lord." We learn more about faith in Hebrews 11:1 where it says, "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." This is the declaration of what our faith is. It is belief in God. It is trust in Him and His promises. Throughout our daily lives "faith" plays a major role. We need to consider what faith does for us. Let's consider a simple lesson on faith. What Is Faith? According to Hebrews 11:1 faith is the "substance of things hoped for"? These words are not the most clear. They are understandable if we take the time to ponder them. In this life, we hope for many things; most of which we have a less than substantial hope of ever getting. Think about a child hoping for a gift that they may never get. We may hope that some day a distant relative will leave us lots of money in their will. These hopes have no real reason; no proof-no substance. Our "hope" is different, it has substance! 1 Peter 1:3 tells us that our hope is "guaranteed by the resurrection of Jesus Christ". We have faith in the hope of our own resurrection to everlasting life because of the proof God has provided (1 Corinthians 15:42-57). Hebrews 11:1 continues with it description of faith by saying, "it is the evidence of things not seen." Again, this may not, at first, be very clear. We have the same faith that Heaven is real even though no one here has seen it. Our same faith has been perpetuated through the centuries continuously and accurately. This is tangible evidence of God's reality and Heaven's reality. Put these together: the proofs provided by God and the ability of many others to exactly duplicate our actions of faith based on the word of God: because of these we have substance and evidence for our faith. Faith in action is necessary for salvation. Hebrews 11:6 says, "Without faith, it is impossible to please God". We must take action on our faith to find the results of salvation: Galatians 3:26-28 says, "You are all sons of God by faith in Christ Jesus". Faith is much more than simple belief, it is also the action taken on our belief (James 2:14-24 "Faith without works is dead"). Where Is Faith Found? We know that we need faith; so where do we get it? The capability of faith is within us and is brought out by learning. As children we learn to have faith in our parents. Throughout our lives we will place faith in different individuals most of whom, we hope, will not abuse our faith. Faith in God is also learned. Romans 10:17 says, "Faith comes by hearing; hearing by the word of God." God has delivered His word; our faith is established by hearing that word-this "hearing" not just 'audible signal reception' but the true action of hearing-to apply and use the word (James 1:22-24). We must increase our faith in God. Our faith is based on the knowledge revealed in the word. If you want to increase your faith you must increase your knowledge. Prayer, reading, studying (Acts 17:11; 1 Timothy 4:13, 15-16). It is clearly evident that when a Christian waivers in the faith two things have usually diminished in their life: Prayer and reading the Bible. We must increase our knowledge from the foundation of a well-grounded faith. Is Faith Reasonable? God has seen fit to expect faith and faithful service since the beginning-Throughout the scripture we have many heroes of faith. Hebrews 11 is full of these individuals who teach us that faith is reasonable-verses 4-8 Faith in the word of God-demonstrated by doing. 2 Corinthians 11:23-28 records some of the faithful endurance of Paul; Paul was faithful without reservation. Faith is what kept Paul going through all those persecutions-his faith in his salvation and reward (2 Timothy 4:7-8). What about our own lives? Do you see faith as the only true hope? The world will try to convince us differently but the more we discover about ourselves the more we learn about God. Every day more scientists are concluding a supernatural force of creation- we do not see them on the news because the scientific community as a whole does not support their conclusion. All true evidence points to the ultimate conclusion: there is a force behind our creation that caused us to be that the cause is God. God is there, where are you? Draw near to God James 4:6-8 "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you" Conclusion: "Faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen". In a practical application: faith gives us full advantage: In knowledge: We know God's will. In wisdom: Wise in the way of salvation. In direction: We know both where we have been and where we are going. In life: The peace the passes all understanding. In death: glorious victory in the presence of our Father for all eternity. Is your faith founded on the word of God? There is every reason to believe, and doubts are unfounded. Your opportunity to put your faith into action and make it alive is now. Obey God's will today ~tss If you are enjoying The Messenger and you know someone else who would like to receive it. Please forward it to them or send me their email address and I will add it to the list. Sean -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20081206/ac0a2830/attachment-0001.html -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: image/jpeg Size: 2886 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20081206/ac0a2830/attachment-0001.jpe -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: image/gif Size: 9535 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20081206/ac0a2830/attachment-0001.gif From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Mon Dec 8 04:10:05 2008 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Mon, 8 Dec 2008 05:10:05 EST Subject: [Biblemat] S( BAPTISM -- A CONFESSION (1) Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. Here is a the first installment of a study from my ancient files. Use to the glory of God. BAPTISM -- A CONFESSION (1) "Whosoever therefore shall confess Me before men, him will I confess also before My Father which is in heaven" (Matt. 10:32) This is the language of Jesus. In it is couched the secret to eter- nal life. There are many ways in which one may confess Jesus Christ and because we do no here discuss all of these ways it is not to be understood that the importance of any confession the Bible reveals is to be under-estimated. Our present study, how-ever, deals with baptism. Perhaps baptism as taught by Christ and the apostles is seldom thought of as a confession, but such we believe it to be. In fact, there is no phase of baptism that is not a confession. In one instance may be seen the person who confesses. From another view is seen the object of the confess- ion -- Jesus Christ. 1. Baptism Is A Confession Of Faith: -- He who is baptized confesses not only his personal conviction concerning the per- son and identity of his Lord but he acknowledges his faith in the system of faith revealed in and by Jesus. "Go -- preach the gos- pel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned" (Mk. 16:15-17) Confidence in the gospel as the means by which saving faith is validated is here set forth as a necessity for him who is subject to the gospel. Since baptism is a condition the gospel demands the sinner to meet in order to be saved by the gospel, when the sinner is baptized he thereby acknowledges his faith in the gos- pel and in Him who is its Author. 2. Baptism Is A Confession Of One's Faith In The Death Of Jesus: -- It is a declaration not only of a belief that Jesus actually lived upon this earth but that He died and that His death was for the purpose revealed in the Scriptures. It is a testimony to His dying "for our sins" (1 Cor. 15:3) and the apostles reference to it in Rom. 6:3 so declares: "Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death?" Since they had not been and could not be baptized into the liter- al death of Christ, the evident meaning is that they were baptiz- ed into the benefits procured by His literal death on the cross. Thus when they were baptized they recognized in the death of Jesus the payment for sin which was not possible by any other man or any animal. So does any sinner when he is baptized. 3. Baptism Is A Confession Of Faith In The Burial Of Jesus: -- It is a denial of any humanly devised plan for the faking of His resurrection. The proofs of His resurrection are made stronger by the emphasis placed upon the nature and absolute certainty of His burial in a new tomb, hewn out of solid rock, sealed with a Roman seal and secured by a Roman watch. From the human viewpoint the Lord's absolute entombment was the climax of the schemes of the Jewish leaders to ascertain the certainty that His cause was forever thwarted. The baptism of the believer declar- es his faith in the fact of the Lord's burial and witnesses to his confidence that his own old man of sin has been destroyed by the power exercised by Christ while His body was in the tomb and His spirit in Hades. 4. Baptism Is A Confession Of The Disciples' Faith In The Resurrection Of Jesus: -- His emergence from the watery grave bears witness to his confidence that the body of sin has been left in the tomb and that through the power by which Jesus rose from the dead he also is raised as a new creature in Christ. "Like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life...For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise reckon also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Rom. 6"4-11)/ Apart from teh resurrection of Jesus, baptism has no meaning whatever. The believer's willingness to come forth from the waters of baptism is a living witness to hsi faith in the bodily resurrection of Jesus. 5. Baptism Is A Confession Of The Believer's Faith In The Operation Of God: -- "Buried with Him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with Him through the faith of the operation of God, Who hath raised Him from the dead" (Col. 2:12). He who under- stands the Bible's teaching on what God does in baptism compr- ehends that a divine operation is performed in it. It is the circum- cision of the heart. There is a "putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Jesus Christ" (Col. 2:11). Bapt- ism is the act in whcih this operation is performed, and he who is scripturally baptized believes in baptism; thus he confesses it when he is baptized. (More will be posted on this subject to- morrow, the Lord willing, JWS). -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20081208/c166133b/attachment-0001.html From terrywbenton at bellsouth.net Mon Dec 8 07:44:33 2008 From: terrywbenton at bellsouth.net (Terry W. Benton) Date: Mon, 8 Dec 2008 07:44:33 -0600 Subject: [Biblemat] Baptism of the Holy Spirit: How Know? Message-ID: <507A4938554748FC8FDBED2A7E9FD122@TerryPC> The Baptism of the Holy Spirit How could people be SURE they had it? Intro. - Much confusion exists over whether the Baptism of the Holy Spirit is for every Christian to personally experience, or if it was only for the apostles and in a special case of confirming the Gentile inclusion in the gospel. In these lessons we will answer the question, but we will do so in layers. We will remove one layer of misunderstanding at a time so that we can understand the truth. One crucial question is this: How would you know if you have been baptized with the Holy Spirit? What was the evidence that Jesus had baptized people with the Holy Spirit? How could they be sure they had it? I. The Apostles Could Wait in Jerusalem for it - Luke 24:49 II. They would wait "UNTIL you are endued with POWER from on High" - Luke 24:49 1. Did you wait in Jerusalem? 2. Were you endued with POWER from on high? 3. If not, how can you be sure you were "baptized of the Holy Spirit"? 4. How did the Apostles know if and when they were? 5. They knew it was POWER FROM ON HIGH because: a. There was a mighty sound from heaven (from on high) that all heard. Acts 2:1-4 b. Tongues, as of fire, sat on each one of them (from on high) c. They began to speak with other tongues (languages) as the Spirit (from on high) gave them utterance. 2:4,8 6. Since these things did not happen to you, how do you know you were "baptized with the Holy Spirit"? a. Perhaps you assumed you were because someone told you that was what happens to all even without the same proof of it? b. Did you ever study this matter to find out if you are supposed to expect this manifestation? III. A Second Case "From On High": Cornelius and his Household. Acts 10:42-46; 11:15-17 A. Only Jesus Could Send The Holy Spirit From On High To Baptize With the Holy Spirit. 1. John the Baptist could not do this. He freely admitted that only Jesus could do it. Matt.3:11,12 2. Jesus said He would SEND the Holy Spirit. (Luke 24:49; John 14:26; 15:26; 16:7) 3. Thus, from on high Jesus would Baptize with the Holy Spirit. a. Jesus did not do this on earth while He was here. b. He said it was needful for Him to go away in order to SEND the Helper, the Spirit of Truth. See the above references again. B. Without Apostle's Hands or Earthly Channels Involved, the Holy Spirit FELL Upon Cornelius' Household. Acts 10:44 1. In other cases, the apostle's hands were the chosen channel for SHARED power (Act 8:14-21; 19:6; Rom.1:11; 2 Tim.1:6). In other words, in these cases the apostles could SHARE their power or transfer Holy Spirit gifts of power through laying on of hands. 2. In the case at Cornelius' house, there was no expectation at all for what happened. It surprised all. Acts 10:45 3. The apostles were not trying to share power through their hands, nor were they praying for it to happen. 4. This was clearly a second time that Jesus Baptized someone with the Holy Spirit from on high. a) Peter could not relate it to common happenings. b) He related it to what happened at the beginning of the Gospel age on that 1st Pentecost after Jesus' resurrection and ascension ON HIGH. Acts 11:15-17 5. What was the evidence that they were "baptized with the Holy Spirit"? a) He gave them the "same gift as he gave us" (Acts 11:17) which was: "they spoke with tongues and magnified God" (Acts 10:46; 2:4). b) In both cases of the baptism of the Holy Spirit: 1) There was the sign of miraculous tongues (speaking other languages they had not learned on their own). (1 Cor.14:22). 2) It came from "on high", not through a human agency or human channel. 3) It was therefore JESUS doing the baptizing with the Holy Spirit. 6. If this did not happen to you, how could you claim to have been "baptized" with the Holy Spirit? 7. Keep in mind that we are not asking if people today HAVE the Holy Spirit in any way. The question we are addressing pertains to whether one has been "BAPTIZED with the Holy Spirit", not whether you have the Holy Spirit in some indirect way, not whether your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, not whether you have the seal of the Spirit, or have the Holy Spirit influencing you through His powerful word. The BAPTISM of the Holy Spirit was unique and there was a certain kind of evidence associated with it as noted above. Did those things that happened to the apostles and to Cornelius also happen to you? Conclusion: Not everyone received this baptism of the Holy Spirit. Peter had not seen it since the apostles had received it. Therefore, everybody else had not received it. Those who claim today that we must have it, must explain why all Christians did not get it in the first century? Secondly, those who claim that they received it must be able to show the sign (tongues not learned before). Every reception of the Holy Spirit is not thought of as a "baptism" of the Holy Spirit. All Christians have the Holy Spirit in one way or another, not only a few (the apostles and Cornelius' house) received the "baptism" of the Holy Spirit. There are deceiving spirits (1 Tim.4:1-2) that trick people into believing that they too received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. We have checked the words of the Holy Spirit and see what the necessary evidence is for a baptism of the Holy Spirit. In our next lesson we will demonstrate that the Holy Spirit is shared by all Christians, but all Christians did not expect, nor receive the BAPTISM of the Holy Spirit. -Terry W. Benton Terry W. Benton Visit: www.pinelanechurchofchrist.com Dan Billingsly vs. Terry W. Benton Exchange on the Four Gospels at: http://www.pinelanechurchofchrist.com/SiteFiles/157/Benton%20Billingsly%20Debate.doc -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20081208/0087051b/attachment-0001.html From ZekeFlores1 at cs.com Mon Dec 8 13:38:11 2008 From: ZekeFlores1 at cs.com (ZekeFlores1 at cs.com) Date: Mon, 8 Dec 2008 14:38:11 EST Subject: [Biblemat] H> Community Advertising Message-ID: Brethren, I would like to know what methods you've used to "make a splash" in your community such as billboards, direct mail, newspaper ads, door-knocking, etc that have provided some results. Thanks, Zeke Flores Kiber Street church of Christ Angleton, TX www.angletonchristians.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20081208/5f14a225/attachment-0001.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Mon Dec 8 04:09:56 2008 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Mon, 8 Dec 2008 05:09:56 EST Subject: [Biblemat] A) THE WISDOM FROM ABOVE Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. A very good Monday morning to each and everyone. May God bless you and yours. Here is an artic- le from my files: THE WISDOM FROM ABOVE All of us would like to be wise -- to be like the one of old who always knows exactly the best course of action. Many of us long to set at the feet and learn from the wisest of all. Christians are blessed to follow the Son of God. Jesus Christ taught with great knowledge and could direct others with wise counsel. The apostle James asks the queston about the wise one "Who is wise and understanding among you?" (Jas. 3:13). We all know that Jesus Christ is the wise One who is among us. Yet, in the churches we would find men who preached the gos- pel, taught others the Word of God, and in their older years guid- ed the church in the path of righteousness. What would we look for amongst the teachers in the church? James offers these principles: "Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom" (Jas. 3:13b). He continues, "But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy" (3:17). James also describes wisdom that does not descend from above: "But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. This wisdom...is earthly, sensual, demonic. For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there" (3:14-16). Know- ing what is not wise helps us to understand the right course of action to take toward the wisdom from above. Well, we know where we don't want to go in the matter of wis- dom, and we know where we stand in the wisdom that has come from above based on the teaching of James. The picture has been drawn, and the description is fashioned in the powerful attributes of the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22,23). Wisdom like the fruit of the Spirit asks us to be pure, peaceful, gentle, willing to yield, merciful, kind, impartial and not hypocritical. Christians who possess the wisdom from above will make peace. They will conduct their lives with works of meekness. Wise brethren will not envy or be self-seeking. They will not boast and lie against the truth, and they will not see to fulfill their sensual and evil desires. ------------- Ron Drumm. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20081208/65794bfd/attachment.html From rankinjmecoc at earthlink.net Mon Dec 8 10:24:38 2008 From: rankinjmecoc at earthlink.net (joey rankin) Date: Mon, 8 Dec 2008 10:24:38 -0600 Subject: [Biblemat] Prayer Request Message-ID: <065B1DB3E0D44F15A3D2FD7DB98A7C7F@JoeyRankin> Brethren - I am requesting prayer for a young couple in our congregation and their young infant child. The parents' names are Jeremy and Stacie Hyche the young boy's name is Jeremiah. Their child was recently diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy which is serious disease that could prevent the child from ever being able to walk and could greatly shorten his life expectancy. When they received the news Stacie was deployed overseas with the Air Force in Ramstein, Germany. and Jeremy was about to leave for Germany with Jeremiah to be reunited with his wife. Needless to say he did not make the trip and the military got Stacie home with in 48 hours. They have an appointment with a neurologist at UAB Children's hospital this morning at 8:00 am. When you receive this message please pause and pray for this family. We realize the power of prayer and we humbly request that you go to God on their behalf. Thanks ahead of time for all who will honor this request. In His Service, Joey -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20081208/77743ff5/attachment.html From kerux at bellsouth.net Mon Dec 8 13:47:57 2008 From: kerux at bellsouth.net (Kent Heaton) Date: Mon, 8 Dec 2008 14:47:57 -0500 Subject: [Biblemat] A>We Need More Aquila And Priscilla People (Kent Heaton) Message-ID: We Need More Aquila and Priscilla People (Kent Heaton) Examples of great men and women abound in the New Testament as the early church struggled to its feet. Those were difficult days as the nature of the Kingdom of God was being built by the hands of devout disciples. Among the early disciples was a husband and wife name Aquila and Priscilla. Role models are important for learning and the example of these two saints of the Lord serve as a needed pattern for the church today. What we know about Aquila and Priscilla is found in Luke's history of the early church (Acts 18) and Paul's letters to Rome, Corinth and young Timothy. When Paul arrived in Corinth on his second missionary journey, he found "a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, having recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. He came to them, and because he was of the same trade, he stayed with them and they were working, for by trade they were tent-makers" (Acts 18:2-3). Paul enjoyed the blessing of a Godly home that welcomed preachers to stay and work with them. The apostle had learned tent-making in his youth and now enjoyed a common bond with these saints of God. Their home was a wonderful haven of spiritual truth. Paul continued preaching in Corinth for a "year and six months" as he "reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded both Jews and Greeks" (Acts 18:11,4). Finally being opposed at the synagogue he went to the house of Justus and taught there. One can only imagine the wonderful discussions enjoyed by Aquila and Priscilla as they studied with Paul and talked of the days events. One of the great blessings families can enjoy in the church today is the hospitality of faithful men of God in their homes. After some time, Paul left Corinth and Priscilla and Aquila went with him. Now we have a husband and wife who are willing to travel the world to help a gospel preacher in his work. We refer to these journeys as Paul's missionary journeys but they were journeys of many people who traveled with him - many times suffering under the same conditions of the apostle Paul. The church needs more husband and wives who are willing to make these journeys to help gospel preachers in their work. Aquila and Priscilla stayed in Ephesus while Paul continued on his way to Syria. While in Ephesus, Aquila and Priscilla were in the synagogue and heard "a Jew named Apollos, an Alexandrian by birth, an eloquent man . he was mighty in the Scriptures. This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he was speaking and teaching accurately the things concerning Jesus, being acquainted only with the baptism of John; and he began to speak out boldly in the synagogue. But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately" (Acts 18:24-26). This husband and wife were bold to approach a man such as Apollos to correct him in the truth but their love of the truth guided them to seek his salvation. May their tribe increase for boldness to teach the gospel to every man, no matter their station in life. In Paul's letters to Rome and Corinth, he commends this couple as being his "fellow workers in Christ Jesus, who for my life risked their own necks" and mentions "the church that is in their house" (Romans 16:3-5). These were not passive members of the Lord's church. They were workers in the kingdom, even in the face of adversity. How fitting that Paul closes his last recorded letter with mention of their name (2 Timothy 4:19). Aquila and Priscilla are valuable examples of what we can do for the Lord today. Kent Heaton 207 NE Fourth Avenue Trenton, Florida 32693 (H) 352-463-6916 (O) 3793 (C) 352-283-3889 www.trentonchurchofchrist.com www.northfloridabiblecamp.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20081208/6f052557/attachment-0001.html From ZekeFlores1 at cs.com Mon Dec 8 13:40:39 2008 From: ZekeFlores1 at cs.com (ZekeFlores1 at cs.com) Date: Mon, 8 Dec 2008 14:40:39 EST Subject: [Biblemat] W> Website update Message-ID: Brethren, Our website has been updated to include a new article (on the page titled "Featured Article") and some new audio/text sermons. Go to angletonchristians.com and click on "Sermons." You'll see some sermons marked "NEW" and these can be downloaded in either text or audio formats. Thanks, Zeke Flores Kiber Street church of Christ Angleton, TX www.angletonchristians.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20081208/6baa0754/attachment.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Tue Dec 9 03:44:05 2008 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Tue, 9 Dec 2008 04:44:05 EST Subject: [Biblemat] S) BAPTISM -- A CONFESSION (2) Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. Here is the second installment of this particular study from my ancient files. Use to the glory of God. BAPTISM -- A CONFESSION (2) 6. Baptism Is A Confession Of The Authority Of Jesus Christ The deity of Jesus is declared by His resurrection from the dead (Rom. 1:4), and His authority grows out of His Deity and is estab- lished by it. If Christ has been raised to die no more, there is more than humanity in Him for men by nature even raised from the dead again saw corruption. Not so with Jesus, and hence His resurrection declares Him to be of God in a sense different from any other man's being of God. He is referred to as "the only begotten Son of God." He was and is God. Being God, therefore, He possesses the right to all authority. It was in conn- ection with His declaration concerning thsi authority in heaven and on earth that He commanded baptism for the remission of our past sins (Matt. 28:18-20). Apart from the authority He has within Himself, baptism would be nonsense. A recognition of the authority of Jesus Christ makes sense out of baptism to the believer, though it may appear foolishness to the unbeliever. Baptism, then, stands as an open avowal of one's confidence in teh authority of Jesus Christ. 7. Baptism Is A Confession Of Christ As Savior: -- Instead of men looking to the water they look to Jesus when they are bapt- ized. This is evidenced by the instruction Ananias gave Saul of Tarsus: "And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord" (Acts 22:16). If Saul followed the direction of Ananias he called on the name of the Lord. He looked to Jesus to save him, not to the waters of baptism. Yet by virtue of the very authority which com- manded him to be baptized he could not expect the washing away of his sins without doing what the autority of Christ comm- anded. His calling upon the name of the Lord in baptism reveals his confession of faith in Christ to save him; hence baptism as a confession of our faith in Christ Jesus as our Savior. 8. Baptism Is A Confession That Man Is A Sinner: -- The design of baptism as stated by Jesus in Mk. 16:16; and by Peter in Acts 2:38 forever settles this point. That Peter declared "Re- pent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins," as certainly as repentance in this same passage declares man a sinner and in need of repent- ance so it declares man a sinner and in need of baptism for the same reason. "Remission of sins" is an absurdity if there are no sins to be remitted. Both the apostles and the Jews on Pente- cost understood the subjects of baptism to be sinners and there- fore the inquiry "What shall we do?" was answered by Peter and his command was gladly received by the murderers of Jesus. 9. Baptism Is A Confession Of The Sinner That He Cannot Save Himself: -- In Gal. 3 the apostle Paul shows the purpose of the law of Moses, i.e., to bring the Jews to Christ that they might be justified by faith, the system of faith, the gospel: "Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus" (Gal. 3:26,27). The faith in vs. 27 evident- ly refers to the system of faith that puts one into Christ where our salvation is found, this system of faith, the gospel, requires baptism in order to enter into Christ where salvation is found. So, the system of faith is revealed through the gospel of Christ. Then the Holy Spirit declares how this faith is made effectual to the sinner: "For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ" (vs. 27). This passage not only locates salvation as being in Christ; it also shows the sinners helplessness without Him. Outside of Christ, the sinner is hope- less. Gal. 4:1-5 declares this with reference to the Jew, and Rom. 1:16 shows the Gentile in the same condition. Only by being Abraham's seed could either Jew or Gentile be heirs accor- ding to the promise and his was possible only in Christ (Gal. 3: 28,29). But since salvation is in Christ (2 Tim. 2:10) and is by the grace of God without the works of man's making (Eph. 2:8,9), and since the sinner is baptized INTO Christ and, therefore, into salvation, it follows that his submission to baptism denies his ability to save himself. Baptism then is a confession by the sin- ner of his own inability to save himself. (When the Scripture says, "save yourselves from this untoward generation", it has reference to the sinner doing what the Lord requires in order to receive the blessing of salvation from sins, JWS). 10. Baptism Is A Confession That The Kingdom Of God Exists: -- To Nicodemus Jesus said, "Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God" (Jno. 3:5). As certain as the "water" of this passage refers to baptism, that certain it is that the kingdom exists for baptism puts one into the kingdom. It stands between the alien and the citizen. It is the last step in the "naturalization process." Unless baptism is a reality, citizenship in the kingdom is a farce. But since it exists in fact and stands as the door into the kingdom, the kingdom exists and can be entered. Destroy baptism and the kingdom is removed for the kingdom is composed of citizens and citizens are those "born of the water and the Spirit." Baptism then, is a confession that the kingdom of God exists. 11. Baptism Is A Confession That The Church Of Christ Is The One Body: -- "For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body" (1 Cor. 12:13). The one body is the church of which Christ is Head (Eph. 1:23). To be baptized is to enter the one body, the church. Since there is only "one body" (Eph. 4:4) there is only one church of the Lord and but one church. But baptism puts one into the one body, therefore, it declares there is but one church belonging to Him Who is the Head of the body even Christ. ----- James R. Cope in The Preceptor, Vol. 1, No. 9, July, 1952. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20081209/41e68b8e/attachment-0001.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Tue Dec 9 03:43:54 2008 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Tue, 9 Dec 2008 04:43:54 EST Subject: [Biblemat] A) DOWN BUT NOT OUT Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. A very good Tuesday morning to each and everyone. May God bless you and yours. Here is and article from my files. DOWN BUT NOT OUT Who isn't inspired by a competitor who makes a comeback after being down and apparently out of the running? Perhaps it is some ball player plagued with injuries that finally gets health- y again or maybe a player past his prime who is able to put it all back together once again. The same kind of inspiration motivates the Christian who draws courage from the example of his Lord and Savior. No one was ever more humiliated than Jesus before He made a come- back. He was insulted, spit upon, whipped, beaten, and nailed to a cross. His executioners confirmed their success and declar- ed Him dead. Even a military guard secured His tomb. HOW COULD ANYONE BE MORE DOWN AND OUT THAN THAT? However, that was not His end! Three days later, Jesus rose from the tomb and reappeared to many of His disciples. He was the one who was victorious in His struggle over death, over sin, and over Satan. Let us, "Fix our eyes on Jesus the Author and Perfector of our faith, Who for the joy set before Him, endured the cross, des- pising the same, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him Who has endured such hostili- ty by sinners against Himself, so that you may not grow weary and lose heart" (Heb. 12:2,3). Perhaps you feel out of the running today. Maybe you've stumbled badly. Then look at Jesus' suffering and at His resurr- ection. Just imagine what He has to offer you, no matter how far down you are now! "But thanks be to God, Who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Cor. 15:57). Take Note Of God's Plan For Saving Man From Sin: -- We Must Hear The Gospel Of Christ: -- (Rom. 10:17). We Must Believe The Gospel Of Christ: -- (Heb. 11:6; Jno. 20: 31). We Must Repent Of Our Past Sins: -- (Lk. 13:3; Acts 17:30). We Must Confess With Our Mouth What We Believe In Our Heart:-- (Rom. 10:10; Matt. 10:32). We Must Be Baptized By A Burial In Water For The Remiss- ion Of Our Past Sins: -- (Acts 2:38; Mk. 16:16; Gal. 3:27; 1 Pet. 3:21) Then, We Must Live A Faithful Life Toward God And Our Fell- owman: -- (Titus 2:10-14; Heb. 10:35-39; Rev. 2:10). ------ Shane Williams in The Lilbourn Light, Vol. 9, No. 6, Oct. 2008. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20081209/c3821ab3/attachment-0001.html From Pappy01 at suddenlink.net Tue Dec 9 08:36:53 2008 From: Pappy01 at suddenlink.net (Terry Sanders) Date: Tue, 9 Dec 2008 08:36:53 -0600 Subject: [Biblemat] Cambridge Cameo KJV Message-ID: <001801c95a0b$9449e2a0$4463c24a@mccru59fc7f4na> A bookstore in our area is going out of business. I purchased all the Cambridge Bible they had. They are all King James Versions (KJV). Some are the older Cameo style Bible that is no longer available from Cambridge. All of these Bibles are straight off the shelf. The only use they have seen is when someone took them out of the box to look at them and then put them back in the box. The boxes do show shelf-wear. Some of the Cameos are listed as Bonded Leather. Bonded Leather a couple of decades ago had an entirely different feel to it than today's version which feels like cardboard. They are not as soft as calfskin, but they are much more flexible than today's stiffer Bonded Leather. They are currently listed on ebay. Seller name is duezzy Terry Sanders 108 Dandridge St. Tuckerman, AR 72473 Home page: http://duezzy2.brinkster.net/home.html Church page: http://tuckermancofc.com Blog: http://thecondorsnest.blogspot.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20081209/5b434861/attachment.html From mike1616 at juno.com Tue Dec 9 10:14:16 2008 From: mike1616 at juno.com (Mike Thomas) Date: Tue, 9 Dec 2008 16:14:16 GMT Subject: [Biblemat] Books on Ebay Message-ID: <20081209.101416.22744.1@webmail22.vgs.untd.com> Brethren, A man at church here has quite a few religious books available on Ebay, from commentaries to old song books. He also has other personal items for sale, but some of you might be interested in his religious books. He has many more books that he has yet to photo and make available, so you might contact him personally if you are looking for something in particular. His username on Ebay is redbud2000 and his name is Ralph Warren. His email is ralphantiques at hotmail.com. Thanks, Mike Thomas ____________________________________________________________ Find the perfect photo - click now. http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL2131/fc/PnY6rbtzjiBaDTfByF5MNquAigbh2yHYVyxOrO4qQBfgctz6BVG3S/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20081209/2254b054/attachment.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Wed Dec 10 04:58:38 2008 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Wed, 10 Dec 2008 05:58:38 EST Subject: [Biblemat] A) A SIMPLE TIME -- THE BEST OF TIMES Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. A very good Wednesday morning to each and everyone. May God bless you and yours. Here are a couple of short notes from my files: A SIMPLE TIME -- THE BEST OF TIMES When I speak of growing up in the country some seem to find this humorous. This I do no understand. It was a difficult time. Our country was different. Values were different. The prin- ciple upon which this country, the United States of America, was was founded was remembered. This was not exclusive to the rural area where I grew up. There was respect for God. Sunday was considered The Day of Worship nationwide. In recent years it is all about the love of money, the one sub- ject Christ taught about more than any other. Even Publix closed on Sunday until recent years. It was a time of simple living. When a preacher presented his lesson there was no display of celebrities to distract. He simply opened his Bible and spoke the Word of God. There is not a message more powerful than God's Word spoken in simplicity and truth. As a result I have seen people waiting in line to be baptized. I have not witnessed a scene like this in many years. This was in a simple and best of times in this country -- even in the rural areas. ----- Mary Thomas. ****************************************************************************** *** WE CAN STILL ENJOY THE BEST OF TIMES I am sure our sister Mary Thomas speaks for many of our old- er brethren as they remember their past lives of simplicity and dedication to God seen throughout the community where they lived. There are many things of the past that I remember as well concerning respect for God and neighbor. We can never go back, but we can still respect and love God. We can still obey the laws of the land and honor and pray for our leaders. We can still make Sunday a Day of Worship as God wants us to remember Him and His Son. We can still open God's Word and speak God's Word. Praise the Lord that we have the freedom to do these things openly without fear! Our country: in the city, and in the rural areas (yes, we still have some) may not agree to walk the same path we are walking in Christ as it seemed to do in the past. But, that does not pre- vent us from enjoying the best of times in the present. May God bless our country with a revival and conversion that would bring lines of people to be baptized into Christ! ------- Ron Drumm. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20081210/ad894db4/attachment-0001.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Wed Dec 10 04:58:56 2008 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Wed, 10 Dec 2008 05:58:56 EST Subject: [Biblemat] S) SERVING GOD WITH JOY AND GLADNESS Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. Here is a study from my files. Use to the glory of God. SERVING GOD WITH JOY AND GLADNESS In Moses' second speech to the people before his death, he delivers to them blessings and cursings in Deut. 28. They would be blessed and basically have it made if they obeyed all the Lord told them to do. However, if they disobeyed, everything would go wrong for them eventually. In vss. 45-47 he says, "Moreover all these curses that come upon thee and shall pursue thee, and overtake thee, till thou be destroyed: because you hearkened not unto the voice of the Lord thy God to keep His command- ments and His statutes which He commanded you. And they shall be upon thee for a sign and for a wonder and upon thy seed forever. Because thou served not the Lord your God with joyfulness and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things." We conclude from this statement that Israel was not only destroyed for blatant disobedience and idolatry but also because they had a horrible attitude and spirit toward the Law and the blessings God had showered on them. One has to ask if we, the spiritual Israel of God, are not like them at times. It could not have been easy to keep the Old Law. As a matter of fact the Hebrew writer talks of the imperfection of the Old Law and the inadequacy of the blood of bulls and of goats to forgive. In spite of how tough it may have been to keep at times, the peo- ple of Israel were to keep the law with joyfulness and gladness. Imagine what it must have been like to come home from working in the vineyard only to find that your house had mold in it and you had to evacuate it and treat it for a period of time? Ima- gine how difficult it might have been to gather animals to bring for sacrifice. Anyone who has a dog knows that animals do not always do what you want them to do. It had to be a struggle at times to keep your joyful and glad heart, but keep it you must or the sacrifice and service meant little. One of the ways Israel expressed their joy when they heard the law was to say "Amen." There is nothing wrong with a hearty "amen" when a point of truth is made plain even today. "Amen" means, "so be it" and is an apt expression of our agree- ment with the Word. True joy and gladness enabled the Israelites to gather every seven years to hear the entire law read to the people. That could not have been a particularly dynamic presentation by worldly measure, no matter who read, but the beauty of the Words of the Law and the reality of who gave it and why He gave it were to supercede any earthly concept of what constituted joy and glad- ness. We would do well today in the Lord's church to grow in our joy and gladness toward the Word and not be so concerned about how it is presented or how "warm and fuzzy" it makes us "feel." We would also do well to realize that true worship to God is not based on the peppy movement of the notes in a song, or in camp like mood one can manufacture by telling some tear-jerk- ing story. Let us remember, brethren that the power is in the Word (Rom. 1:16) and we need not apologize for its power and beauty or demean it by thinking we can "spiff it up." In Nehemiah the people gathered at the watergate to hear the law read. We read in Neh. 8:7,8 that Ezra, some other, and the Levites "caused the people to understand the law: and the people stood in their place. So they read in the book of the Law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to under- stand the reading." Notice the attitude of the people in standing out of respect for what they were to hear. Can you imagine ask- ing the brethren in any church in Americ to stand for an entire sermon? This must have also beeen a rather long gathering, but no one seems to have noticed the time because they were caught up in the beauty of what was being read and explained. I find it interesting that nowhere in the qualifications for priests of Israel does God mention that they must be dynamic speakers. Although there is nothing wrong with a man being a good, persuasive speaker, the power is not in the man but in the distinct way in which the Word is presented. One preacher years ago was heard to say, "Lord help me not to get in the way of the beauty and power of Thy Word. " I would hope that would be the prayer of all who preach the precious Word of God. All who listen are to thrill at the mere reading of it, every time it is read and preached. Unfortunately, we live in a time when many think the church needs to "get with it" and "jazz up" worship for the young peop- le. If we are not careful, we will raise a generation of Christians who serve God based on false ideas of worship. Worship is not all about me or you and how we feel, it is all about God and showing Him the gratitude of our hearts for the abundance of the blessings He gives and for the grace He has extended to us in giving us opportunity to hear His Word and worship with Him one more time. Artificial joy and gladness does not approach true joy and gladness in pleasing the Lord. In an era of multi-million dollar buildings with all the trapp- ings for comfort and convenience, we can get side-tracked as to what constitutes true worship to God. Ask yourself if you are a Christian who serves the Lord with true gladness and joyful- ness. Ask yourself if you thrill at the hearing of His Word and consider it an honor and privilege to serve Him on a daily basis in the keeping of His Law and "seeking His kingdom first" (Matt. 6:33). We must remember that much of the Old Law addressed what a person was not doing, and admonition was made for them to correct their error. These parts of the Law were not being violated by a faithful Jew, but they were to still find joy and gladness in hearing it read. In Deut. 28:47 the point God is making to the people is that He is rjecting them for their poor attitude toward His Law. When one begins to lose the joy and gladness of keeping God's pre- cepts and of hearing them over and over, then he is well on the way to digression and indifference. Apathy soon sets in and his faith is soon destroyed. No matter what the outside influences in our lives, nothing is to take away from our joy and gladness over the abundance of blessings God has given us in His Law. god will not entertain any excuse for failing to have joyful- ness and gladness of heart. If God will not accept such excuses let's make sure we do not accept what He rejects. Serve Him with joy and gladness for His abundant blessings. ---- Stan Adams in Truth Magazine, Vol. 52, No. 4, April, 2008. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20081210/51bfe3a9/attachment-0001.html From RobSaunder at aol.com Wed Dec 10 08:23:10 2008 From: RobSaunder at aol.com (RobSaunder at aol.com) Date: Wed, 10 Dec 2008 09:23:10 EST Subject: [Biblemat] Funeral Sermon request Message-ID: Brethren, I have a sister in Christ here that has died here. She has 2 wayward children, that are now in the Christian church. I've been asked to do the service. What are some of the lessons you have used in the past for such a service? Thanks, Steven Saunders robsaunder at aol.com **************One site keeps you connected to all your email: AOL Mail, Gmail, and Yahoo Mail. The NEW AOL.com.(http://www.aol.com/?optin=new-dp&icid=aolcom40vanity&ncid=emlcntaolcom00000019) -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20081210/e2aae5db/attachment-0001.html From w_berkley at yahoo.com Wed Dec 10 08:26:41 2008 From: w_berkley at yahoo.com (Warren Berkley) Date: Wed, 10 Dec 2008 06:26:41 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Biblemat] H> Look for Message-ID: <2612.60539.qm@web52212.mail.re2.yahoo.com> Looking for a simple study guide someone can use to move people out of Catholicism to Biblical truth. If there is a study guide or workbook online, all the better. Need something that highlights the historical errors of Catholicism with good documentation. ? thanks, Warren E. Berkley -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20081210/21f78fa9/attachment.html From jerry at eldorable.kscoxmail.com Wed Dec 10 14:17:47 2008 From: jerry at eldorable.kscoxmail.com (Jerry Blount) Date: Wed, 10 Dec 2008 14:17:47 -0600 Subject: [Biblemat] How do churches become liberal Message-ID: Jerry Blount to the list First a housekeeping matter then today's posting. A new Congregation in Wichita, Ks As noted in our last mailing new congregation commonly known as "The Pillar church of Christ" began meeting in Wichita Ks on October 26. We have found a more permanent location and will begin worshiping there effective December 14th. The new address will be 560 S Oliver, Wichita, Ks. We want to thank very gracious hosts of the past two months, Scott, Betsy & Carly Prior who so generously have shared their home, provided a place for the group to meet in worship to our Lord. Those of you in the Wichita area wishing to step out of the multitudes and help to establish and build a new congregation with Jesus as it's only foundation, and the Bible furnishing it's direction are invited to come and join us in this effort. How do churches become liberal? I suppose that everyone recognizes that there are liberal churches and there are conservative churches. Most liberal churches have arisen out of more conservative churches. i.e. Most churches have begun as conservative churches then over time became more and more liberal. Today I look around at the shallow, noisy conglomerations that many call churches and wonder how in the world people are deceived into believing that these are what Jesus founded. They generally operate using Jesus' name, but are not anywhere close to anything described in the New Testament. How do people go from one day believing the Bible to be the Word of God and the next day just jump into a Rock concert while calling this ?noisy gong and clanging cymbals? mentality worship? (See I Corinthians 13:1) Answer generally they don't! Based on Jesus' parable of the Sower we learn that it is a more gradual ?choking out? of respect for the Word of God. Most of all, Satan fears your comprehension. He would prefer that you just not understand (Matthew 13:19) so he can snatch it away. When that fails, the devil tries to offend you away from respect for scripture before you can become long term and stable (Matthew 13:20-21). But what explains the departure from the truth, of those who have been long term and stable? How does Satan deal with them? Again, Jesus answers that the Devil uses this world to choke off submission to God (and the necessary respect for God's word) in a long term stranglehold. It seems that like the term "liberal" is a moving target, so also is the demonic stranglehold. Satan takes you individually (or any particular congregation) wherever he finds you are in terms of growth and respect for scripture and tries to move you further down the road into his kingdom of darkness. I have been around for two liberal vs. conservative splits over some 30 years. I have witnessed several from a distance but two have been up close and personal. One was a very liberal church becoming more liberal. The other was what had been a generally conservative church being taken over by liberalism. The first was in the Christian church of my youth, the second was in October at the congregation (a church of Christ) where I had served for many years. Both of these splits had a lot in common .so I would like to share from experience how all this comes about and why. The first time I witnessed Satan dragging a church down this road through the influence of liberalism was in 1975. I was 19 years old and a newlywed. I had been raised in the very liberal arm of the Christian church. They were ordaining women elders for the first time. The Bible clearly forbids such (I Timothy 2:11-3:7). At the time I didn't even own a concordance. I stayed up half the night looking through my Bible till I found the appropriate passages. The next morning with my knees ?a-knockin? I rose to face a church with an open Bible for the first time. The ?chairperson? promptly told me that if I had wanted to object to the proceedings then I should have gone to the early service All I could do now was vote for it. Out of that huge church the only one to speak up in my defense was another lady (her name was Mrs. Baker). I still remember and appreciate her comment, "If this young man wants to raise an issue of scripture, i.e. that this is scripturally wrong, then if this is a church . . . that should count for something. We should hear him out." She was promptly overruled. I later went in to have a private meeting with the preacher. His advice was, "Don't worry about what you believe until you graduate from college. Then go through the various churches till you find one that fits you." Did you ever wonder why so many young people get turned off by churches? Said churches, after losing faith in scripture, must resort to other non-scriptural means to lure them back. My original reaction was why do I wait until I finish college? This Bible is supposed to be an absolute standard from God. If we aren't to follow it now, why should we follow it then? The Bible appears to written to those of average intelligence and caters to those of no or limited education. (compare Acts 4:13-14 and I Corinthians 1:18-31) So, I followed his advice, only I followed it immediately with a twist. I didn't go looking for a church that "fits me", I went out looking for one that actually listened to and followed the Bible rather than ignoring it. Eventually we ran into a man named John Witt who sat down and taught us how to determine the truth using an open Bible for ourselves. Now, some thirty years later I find a similar set of circumstances opening up. No, the church we recently left over liberalism was not as liberal as the church of my youth but the principles are the same. Been there, done that . Refusing to obey scripture even if it is clearly being violated is refusing to follow scripture, regardless of which scripture it is. In this latest split, it was a classic conservative vs. liberal split. These were the issues that over the space of a couple of years led to this division. 1) Institutionalism and our congregation's interaction with those groups. 2) The social gospel. 3) The structure of the eldership. 4) Marriage, divorce, and remarriage. We had four elders. Over time, two of the elders moved away, one more liberal man replaced them. Then one of the remaining, original two, became more liberal as the influence grew. Should we go with the normal flow of the world or stay behind with only the scripture as our guide? The tension had been growing for a couple of years. The various votes were coming up 2-1 when the first 3 issues listed above would come up. It reached a breach when one of the elder's reported that his son appeared to have left his wife to run off with another woman That pretty much brought some of this into the open and to a boil. The classic position that had been taught here on marriage and divorce was lost. The conservative element, with virtually one voice, objected and then we all left. Here is "how" it happens and "Why" it keeps on happening Over time the majority pressure prevails over the minority. Sometimes ?new? Christians struggle to understand the issues coming forth as the ?mature? Christians dispute over deeper but necessary parts of scripture. Like most Americans they go with the flow i.e. the majority. There is an irony here. If you don?t really know what is happening (or you are struggling to follow it), what should you do? Jesus gives you some sound advice Matthew 7:13-15 "Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.? According to Jesus, the rule of thumb is Wherever the majority is going run the other way! The majority is almost always wrong in spiritual matters. Count on it! I am sure that somewhere, somehow a majority has stood for the truth, but I have never seen it. Every time I have ever seen the liberal/conservative mentalities collide Only a few will return to the faith. That shouldn?t be a surprise; it is how Jesus said it would be. When I was young and watched this is the Christian church on a few in that huge church left actually about the same number that left this time from a radically smaller group of 80. Why? We were a more conservative group. The more liberal a group of people become, the fewer and fewer people there are that really care about Jesus? mandate to worship in spirit and truth (John 4:24). Emotion takes over and becomes the ultimate standard of truth. This is not new, it is as it has always been. Jeremiah 8:4-5 "You shall say to them, 'Thus says the LORD, "Do {men} fall and not get up again? Does one turn away and not repent? Why then has this people, Jerusalem, Turned away in continual apostasy? They hold fast to deceit, They refuse to return.? Let?s see 8 escaped from the flood, when the entire world was destroyed, only 2 believing spies when an entire generation perished. History and Jesus are in perfect sync with their message. Over time two different "kinds" of people emerge and find themselves pulling against each other. Ironically, for us, it wasn't the people who had previously left the more liberal churches that became the source of the liberal strife. The ones that left the liberal churches had left all that behind, having seen the effects of liberalism on their congregation and their children. Rather our source of strife mostly came from the second generation Christians who had never known what it was to deal with having no foundation of scripture under them. These second generation Christians had no fear of being on their own with no scriptural answer. Put another way, what emerges from a single group is one group to whom what is "right" matters, and another group to whom "right" matters less than_______. (You fill in the blank). Over time the ?looser kind? of folks, work themselves into positions of leadership, even though they hold a different "kind" of faith, with different values, than the conservative base that founded the congregations. Their values begin to affect the direction of the congregations subtly through the decisions made. One example of this playing out in practical terms was at a recent deacons meeting when one of the deacons rejected a series of Winter Bible studies we had proposed. "We don't need more Bible studies we need more social things. We have too many Bible studies now; the people in my age group want more social things." Another example would be a comment made in one of our elders meetings, ?I know what the Bible teaches . But I just can?t buy it. I just can?t make myself say that!? The reality is that Jesus seems to think that He has the right to lead His own church. Whether we would have made the same decision or not, Christians claim His as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords I think He is right about that don?t you? Another practical example of the effect of this gradual infiltration can be seen through the standards of fellowship set by God for His church. It becomes normal for a congregation to begin allowing folks to be accepted into fellowship with the congregation while living in various worldly, immoral situations. Numbers and relationships take precedence over what is ?right.? The worldly congregation of Corinthian once boasted of the ?broad nature? of its fellowship. Often times become more about ?who? and their contribution than about the truth. Corinth tried to make peace with and be desirable to the world God considered their decision unacceptable then, and presumably He considers it unacceptable now. Note that the Apostle Paul?s reaction when he heard of this decision was very clear! I Corinthians 5:5-6 {I have decided} to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump {of dough?} Over time folks holding a different "kind" of faith change the priorities of a congregation. Obviously the example above of placing social things over Bible study would also be an obvious illustration here. However, a more telling example from our recent history would be an eldership placing the value of relationships as more important than the truth. Two of our deacons were in a serious disagreement over the conduct of our Sunday Bible classes. The eldership informed one of said deacons that the ?relationship? was more important than the ?scriptural nature? of their faith. Jesus would appear to disagree Who do you think is right? Matthew 10:37-38 "He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me." I recall my meeting with the Christian church preacher of my youth some 30 years ago. He proceeded to tell me that he was well aware that the Bible taught directly on the roles of men and women, but that times had changed. To continue to adhere to these ancient prohibitions would hold the church back and we needed the church to look forward not backward. It is one of those clich? statements that is high sounding but deeply poisonous to your faith if ingested. Numbers or truth? It is a crucial decision that every church as well as every individual must make in every generation Over time folks try to "suppress" part of the gospel. Normally they cannot answer the truth of scripture. so the teaching of it must be suppressed ?for a time? so that folks become desensitized to it. After awhile they don't even know it is an issue. This particular process infuriates the God of heaven and earth, "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness." Romans 1:18 Sometime folks overlook one very practical aspect of the new birth. "Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its {evil} practices, and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him" Colossians 3:9-10 Ok, we catch the lying business but what about the constant renewing to true knowledge? Suppress any part of the gospel and an essential part of the new direction mandated by Jesus is compromised. "True knowledge" is decisive part of the "new self." At Corinth first they suppressed a moral issue, then a doctrinal one. The doctrinal part of the gospel they chose to ?suppress? was the resurrection. How important did that turn out to be? (Take your time and read I Corinthians 15) What part of the New Testament doesn't matter and can be suppressed? Over time folks begin to speak two different languages. This is perhaps the most telling of all the attributes of liberal infiltration. Those that stayed behind in Wichita?s decidedly more liberal group describe their decision thusly, "I certainly can't defend"_____ but I just feel, or "I know this is wrong _____ but I 'feel' that it is best to stay here." ?I want to be a positive influence on them ? Every single person that I discussed this matter with who stayed behind described their decision in this manner. That is the same way people described their decisions 30 years ago in the Christian church. In fact 30 years ago those that remained wished to be an influence after their church destroyed the Bible?s standard for the roles of men and women. Today they have a rock band. As the various basic Biblical principles of right and wrong fell, those that eventually left to form a new group used terminology like, "This is unscriptural," "The Bible says," "The truth," etc. Jesus referred to this principle of words revealing the truth hidden in the depths of the human heart when He said "For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart." Matthew 12:34 In this case the inner standard that drives folks is revealed in their language. Do we follow God or our own feelings? Many of the people that remained behind both 30 years ago and in October, would die before admitting to being liberal, but they will describe how they ?feel? the right thing to do is thus inadvertently telling you just that. Jesus also said, "You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." John 4:22-24 Note the absolutely necessary truth from the mind of God that all worship be based on truth. This inner conflict of feelings vs. truth is the same inner conflict of right and wrong that the human race has always fought. In one of those internal discussions with a failing eldership while we were discussing the Bible's teaching on marriage one of the comments made was to the effect of, "Well, I understand that the Bible teaches that, but I just don't buy it. I can't make myself say that!" He is not alone in that struggle. This is exactly what the Christian church preacher told me 30 years ago in order to destroy the Bible's teaching on the varied roles of men and women. This is also the most basic of all the differences between the liberal and the conservative standards. Decisions that are based on scripture and the authority of God, versus decisions based on the heart of man. Two Bible principles come to mind. "What then? If some did not believe, their unbelief will not nullify the faithfulness of God, will it? May it never be! Rather, let God be found true, though every man {be found} a liar, as it is written, "THAT YOU MAY BE JUSTIFIED IN YOUR WORDS, AND PREVAIL WHEN YOU ARE JUDGED." Romans 3:3-4 "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," declares the LORD." Isaiah 55:8 Over time People lose sight of what is truly at stake in these discussions. What is at stake is whether Jesus is at the head of "your" church or not. Once people start deciding which parts of the gospel they will ignore it isn't long before they make every decision based on what they want rather than what is right and what is wrong. Do you recognize this difference? It is at the core of "who" will lead a church; Jesus or man. Now consider the practical application of one of Paul's most profound insights into Jesus' church. Ephesians 1:18-23 {I pray that} the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. {These are} in accordance with the working of the strength of His might which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly {places,} far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.? Over time this is a repeating cycle. This really shouldn't be much of a surprise if you are familiar with the book of Judges. That is the way it has always been. For example, when I started sending out requests to raise outside support, I started getting responses back to the effect of 'this is the same thing the church there split over the last time.' As I looked into the matter they were right. The folks who were there for the last split buried their heads in the sand because they just don't want to know. Today it has happened again over almost the same matters. Tomorrow it will happen yet another time. When a church advertises itself as a conservative group, it continues to attract conservative people. Those people then will find themselves at odds with the leadership. The remaining two elders are far more liberal that the public positions that have been held by that congregation for many years. Does it matter? Well, an elder's job according to scripture is to, "Hold fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict." Titus 1:9 It's kind of hard to do that if you "just don't buy" parts of the very Word you are supposed to defend. When I sit down with an outsider I promise them they can look around at everything we do and ask whatever question they wish and we will give them a Bible basis for our behavior. In a liberal church you cannot make that promise and keep it! People who have known the darkness of wandering in search of the truth are not hard to convince of the value of this promise. Anyone familiar with the Sermon on the Mount will also see the necessity of said promise. (Matthew 7:21-23) Those "raised in the church" at some level, have ?always known" the truth Because of they have never known the worldly darkness many of them seem to have the same naivet? that Adam and Eve once had. As Adam and Eve learned, each generation seems to have an insane desire to experience again and again what it means to leave the safety of God?s Word. Each generation just seems to ask does God really mean what He says? Yours in Christ Jerry Blount Minister for The Pillar church of Christ 3163204321 www.JerrysChristianJottings.info -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20081210/d58eb1d4/attachment-0001.html -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... 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Name: not available Type: image/gif Size: 2175 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20081210/d58eb1d4/attachment-0011.gif From wrglom at netzero.net Wed Dec 10 14:42:10 2008 From: wrglom at netzero.net (wrglom) Date: Wed, 10 Dec 2008 14:42:10 -0600 Subject: [Biblemat] Comments on NSV BIBLE Message-ID: Comments pro or con Please? O'Neal Martin wrglom at netzero.net Scanned By AVG ____________________________________________________________ TOP Chart Ringtones Get top ringtones on your cell phone. Click here now! http://thirdpartyoffers.netzero.net/TGL2241/fc/u4MuSdTsFE5CpmUjryCvgoM5ENsSojOeRXZJd0Pfrqnr7MAxTmBKY/ From disciple_of_iesus at hotmail.com Wed Dec 10 15:34:19 2008 From: disciple_of_iesus at hotmail.com (Ethan R. Longhenry) Date: Wed, 10 Dec 2008 16:34:19 -0500 Subject: [Biblemat] S:> Mark 12:41-44: The Poor Widow Message-ID: Mark 12:41-44: The Poor Widow I. Base Text: Mark 12:41-44, Luke 21:1-4 II. Understanding the Text A. Jesus is sitting and watching (Mark 12:41) 1. He has successfully withstood the religious authorities 2. He perhaps sits just to take a rest 3. Perhaps He sits because He knows what will soon happen B. Many rich people putting in great sums (Mark 12:41) 1. Much "copper," likely the prutah, the smallest denomination of Jewish money 2. Placed in the "treasury," a place to offer money for sacrifices or the upkeep of the Temple 3. Guidelines said that no fewer than two should be offered 4. Many people with more means gave far more than that C. A poor widow comes by, gives the two copper coin minimum (Mark 12:42) 1. Widows indeed would have it rough in ancient world 2. No "Social Security," no support if there were no family 3. Difficult to keep alive! 4. Yet she still comes and provides an offering for the treasury! D. Jesus summons His disciples, explains that she gives the most money (Mark 12:43) 1. A wonderful "teaching moment" for Jesus 2. Explains that she "put in more" than all the others who gave 3. Yet how could this be? She gave only two coins while the others gave more! E. Explanation: she gave in her poverty, they gave in their excess (Mark 12:44) 1. Jesus is not denying that she put fewer coins in the treasury 2. He is saying that since she gave far more proportionally-- 100%-- versus the contribution "out of the abundance" of the others 3. They all would go home to houses and food-- where would the widow go? What would she eat? Where would she stay? F. What can we gain from this story? III. Lessons From the Poor Widow A. Giving is more than just about numbers 1. It is easy to start thinking about giving in terms of numbers 2. Such is the way that humans often consider it-- your relative value as a giver is determined by how much you give! 3. But God is not swayed by appearance! 4. 2 Corinthians 9:5-7 5. The amount we give might seem like a little but it represents a great sacrifice-- that is commendable! 6. We can also give much but really not be sacrificing! B. She gave sacrificially 1. Jesus says that she gave "everything" that she had 2. Same principle as in 2 Samuel 24:24 3. If we are to give, it needs to cost us something! 4. Acts 2, 4: would we emulate the early church if necessary? 5. Matthew 6:19-21: are we willing to sacrifice on earth to gain treasure in Heaven? C. She trusted in God 1. Her faith was a faith in action 2. She trusted that God would see her through 3. She put Him and His treasury first, and relied on Him to find food, shelter, and whatnot 4. Hebrews 11:1-2, 6 5. How deep is our faith in God? 6. Do we trust God enough to entirely depend on Him? D. Giving is not just for the well-off 1. Many who are often the recipients of assistance do not think that they have the ability or even the need to give themselves 2. Yet we see from this poor widow that giving should be done by everyone! 3. 2 Corinthians 8:1-5 4. The Macedonians gave despite their "poverty" 5. We all have things we can give, even if they do not seem as much as what others can give! 6. Jesus' words in Acts 20:35 have wide application! IV. Conclusion A. It might be a short story, but there is much to gain from the poor widow! B. Giving is not about how much-- it is about faith and sacrifice! C. Something we all can and should do! D. Let us give of ourselves for the benefit of others to the glory of God! E. Invitation/songbook Ethan R. Longhenry / disciple_of_iesus at hotmail.com Evangelist, church of Christ in Norwalk, Ohio [norwalkchurch.org] Homepage: deusvitae.com AIM: Deus Vitae / ICQ: 28317056 Y! IM: discipuliiesus Sign up for Good News for Norwalk! goodnewsfornorwalk-subscribe at norwalkchurch.org From disciple_of_iesus at hotmail.com Wed Dec 10 15:34:39 2008 From: disciple_of_iesus at hotmail.com (Ethan R. Longhenry) Date: Wed, 10 Dec 2008 16:34:39 -0500 Subject: [Biblemat] S:> 1 Samuel Message-ID: 1 Samuel I. Introduction A. 1 Samuel B. The period of Judges is not going well 1. Sinfulness and corruption 2. Distress in Israel C. 1 Samuel covers period from Eli to Saul's death 1. Even some judges get corrupt at the end! 2. Israel calls for a king 3. Benefits, difficulties 4. Saul and David D. Much can be gained from 1 Samuel II. 1 Samuel: The Details A. Authorship 1. Author entirely unknown-- not Samuel 2. No doubt of its inspiration 3. Material cited in Hebrews 11:32 4. Affinities between 1 Samuel, Luke 5. Author seems responsible for 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Kings 6. In Greek Septuagint, book called 1 Reigns B. Dating 1. Events span the end of the Judges, beginning of the kings 2. Possible overlap with end of book of Judges (?) 3. 1 Samuel over 100 year period, ca. 1150-1050 BCE 4. Book likely based on records, information nearly contemporaneous with events 5. Actual final composition likely around the exile (ca. 586 BCE) C. Audience 1. The audience of the book is Israel in exile and beyond 2. We can also gain much from it D. Purpose 1. To describe Israel's transitions from judges to kings, from Saul to David 2. To demonstrate the benefits and difficulties with kings 3. To demonstrate the need of faithfulness to the commands of God III. 1 Samuel: The Story A. Main Sections 1. Samuel (1 Samuel 1-8) 2. Saul and Samuel (1 Samuel 9-16) 3. Saul and David (1 Samuel 17-31) B. Samuel's Birth and Dedication (1 Samuel 1:1-2:10) 1. Elkanah, Penninah, Hannah; Hannah barren; travel to tabernacle yearly for sacrifice (1 Samuel 1:1-4) 2. Hannah's grief over being barren (1 Samuel 1:5-8) 3. Hannah's prayer for a son (1 Samuel 1:9-11) 4. Eli sees her praying, presumes her drunk, chastises her (1 Samuel 1:12-14) 5. Hannah explains herself (1 Samuel 1:15-16) 6. Eli blesses her; she departs; God remembers her; she conceives, bears a son Samuel (1 Samuel 1:17-20) 7. Does not go up that year to the Tabernacle, waits for Samuel to be weaned; at being weaned, presented and dedicated to God and Eli in Tabernacle (1 Samuel 1:21-28) 8. Hannah's song; they return to their home; Samuel in Tabernacle (1 Samuel 2:1-10) C. Corruption of Eli's Sons and Condemnation (1 Samuel 2:11-3:21) 1. Worthlessness of Eli's sons (1 Samuel 2:11) 2. Custom of priests and their portion (1 Samuel 2:12-14) 3. Eli's sons' corruption of the practice (1 Samuel 2:15-17) 4. Samuel blessed; Hannah's visitations; Hannah's other children (1 Samuel 2:18-21) 5. Eli's rebuke of his sons (1 Samuel 2:22-24) 6. Sons will not listen, yet Samuel grows before the LORD (1 Samuel 2:25-26) 7. Prophet of God comes, pronounces condemnation and reduction of Eli's house (1 Samuel 2:27-36) 8. Visions from God rare in those days (1 Samuel 3:1) 9. God calls Samuel three times; Samuel thinks it is Eli (1 Samuel 3:2-9) 10. God speaks with Samuel, confirms reduction of Eli's house (1 Samuel 3:10-15) 11. Samuel reveals message to Eli (1 Samuel 3:16-18) 12. Samuel as prophet (1 Samuel 3:19-21) D. The Ark (1 Samuel 4:1-7:1) 1. Defeat of Israel before Philistia (1 Samuel 4:1-2) 2. Israel calls for the Ark of the Covenant; Eli's sons bring it (1 Samuel 4:3-5) 3. Philistines afraid; take resolve (1 Samuel 4:6-9) 4. Israel defeated; Eli's sons killed; Ark captured (1 Samuel 4:10-11) 5. News revealed to Eli; leads to his death (1 Samuel 4:12-18) 6. News revealed to Phinehas' wife; dies in labor; names child Ichabod (1 Samuel 4:19-22) 7. Ark to Ashdod; humiliation of Dagon (1 Samuel 5:1-5) 8. God sends afflictions of hemorrhoids and mice upon city in which Ark dwells: Ashdod, Gath, Ekron (1 Samuel 5:6-12) 9. Ark there seven months; lords ask magicians what should be done; to be returned to Israel with golden likenesses of the plagues as offerings (1 Samuel 6:1-6) 10. Test: put Ark on cart, attached to two milk cows: if it goes to Beth-Shemesh, difficulties came from the LORD (1 Samuel 6:7-9) 11. Philistines do so; Ark to Beth-Shemesh; great happiness, feasting (1 Samuel 6:10-18) 12. Plague on Beth-Shemesh on account of Ark; Ark to Kiriath-jearim (1 Samuel 6:19-7:1) E. Revenge on the Philistines (1 Samuel 7:2-17) 1. Twenty years elapse (1 Samuel 7:2) 2. Samuel charges people to remove idols; they do so (1 Samuel 7:3-4) 3. Israel gathers at Mizpah; Samuel prays for them, offers sacrifice (1 Samuel 7:5-9) 4. Philistia attacks while Samuel makes offering; Israel, YHWH fight against Philistia; great rout and slaughter of Philistines (1 Samuel 7:10-11) 5. Samuel sets up "Stone of Help," or Ebenezer (1 Samuel 7:12) 6. Restoration of land lost to Philistia; Philistia subdued (1 Samuel 7:13-14) 7. Samuel judges Israel (1 Samuel 7:15-17) F. Give Us a King! (1 Samuel 8) 1. Samuel's sons judge in his old age; corrupt (1 Samuel 8:1-3) 2. Elders, people call for a king (1 Samuel 8:4-6) 3. God explains to Samuel that it is a rejection of Him, not Samuel (1 Samuel 8:7-9) 4. Explanation of conditions under a king (1 Samuel 8:10-18) 5. People still want a king (1 Samuel 8:19-22) G. Saul Made a King (1 Samuel 9-12) 1. Kish the Benjaminite; his son Saul; Saul tallest man in Israel (1 Samuel 9:1-2) 2. Lost donkeys; Saul and young servant search for them (1 Samuel 9:3-5) 3. Attempt to see a seer to ascertain their location (1 Samuel 9:6-14) 4. Revelation to Samuel that God is sending Saul to him, Saul to be king (1 Samuel 9:15-17) 5. Saul meets Samuel; Samuel reassures Saul; eat together; speak together (1 Samuel 9:18-27) 6. Saul anointed king (1 Samuel 10:1) 7. Samuel's instructions for Saul (1 Samuel 10:2-8) 8. All things take place; Spirit of the Lord upon Saul, and he prophesies (1 Samuel 10:9-13) 9. Saul does not reveal to his family regarding his anointing (1 Samuel 10:14-16) 10. Israel at Mizpah; formal selection; Benjamin, Kish called out by lot; Saul hiding in baggage; taken out, hailed as king by most, not all (1 Samuel 10:17-27) 11. Nahash the Ammonite besieges Jabesh-gilead; Saul informed; Saul calls up army of Israel; Ammon defeated (1 Samuel 11:1-11) 12. Men who doubted Saul spared; kingdom renewed at Gilgal; rejoicing before God (1 Samuel 11:12-15) 13. Samuel before people; people testify to his uprightness (1 Samuel 12:1-5) 14. Events in Israel while YHWH was recognized as king (1 Samuel 12:6-13) 15. Plea for Israel to remain faithful to God while having a king, sign against them (1 Samuel 12:14-18) 16. People realize the evil they have sought in desiring a king (1 Samuel 12:19) 17. Samuel acknowledges it, yet pleads for continued faithfulness to God (1 Samuel 12:20-25) H. Saul and the Philistines, Round 1 (1 Samuel 13-14) 1. Saul's reign, his chosen men (1 Samuel 13:1-2) 2. Jonathan defeats Philistines (1 Samuel 13:3-4) 3. Large Philistine army; Israelites hide in many places; Samuel delayed in coming to make a sacrifice; army deserting (1 Samuel 13:5-8) 4. Saul himself offers the offering (1 Samuel 13:9-10) 5. Saul explains self to Samuel; Samuel condemns him for action, first indication that the kingdom will not remain with Saul's descendants (1 Samuel 13:11-14) 6. Israel's army in three companies (1 Samuel 13:15-18) 7. No blacksmiths in Israel; only Saul and Jonathan have swords, spears (1 Samuel 13:19-23) 8. Jonathan makes raid on Philistine garrison (1 Samuel 14:1-16) 9. Panic and confusion amongst the Philistines; Saul calls for Ark, sets out for battle; great rout of the Philistines (1 Samuel 14:17-23) 10. Saul's foolish oath; Jonathan eats some honey; Jonathan testifies to folly of his father's oath (1 Samuel 14:24-31) 11. Proper sacrifice so that people do not eat blood (1 Samuel 14:32-35) 12. Jonathan's "sin" has led God to not be with people; Saul to kill own son, but the people ransom him (1 Samuel 14:36-45) 13. Saul's success against Philistia, other enemies; house of Saul (1 Samuel 14:46-50) I. Israel and Amalek (1 Samuel 15) 1. Saul charged to fight Amalek (1 Samuel 15:1-3) 2. Saul goes and does so, but does not completely destroy them (1 Samuel 15:4-9) 3. God, Samuel displeased; Saul tried to justify self (1 Samuel 15:10-15) 4. Samuel tells Saul of God's message: Saul disobedient (1 Samuel 15:16-19) 5. Saul still attempts to justify himself (1 Samuel 15:20-21) 6. Samuel indicates that Saul has been rebellious and not obedient (1 Samuel 15:22-23) 7. Saul recognizes his sin; Samuel indicates that he has been rejected as king, it will be given to another (1 Samuel 15:24-31) 8. Samuel destroys Agag king of Amalek (1 Samuel 15:32-33) 9. Samuel returns to his house; Saul never sees him again alive (1 Samuel 15:34-35) J. David Anointed (1 Samuel 16) 1. LORD sends Samuel to house of Jesse the Judahite to anoint a king (1 Samuel 16:1) 2. Jesse and sons accompany Samuel at a sacrifice (1 Samuel 16:2-5) 3. Jesse's sons presented: none present found worthy by God (1 Samuel 16:6-10) 4. The youngest, David, brought forth from shepherding sheep; God has chosen him; Samuel anoints David before his family; Spirit of LORD upon him (1 Samuel 16:11-13) 5. Spirit of Lord left Saul, to David; Saul has tormenting spirit; David summoned to play lyre to refresh him; becomes his armor bearer (1 Samuel 16:14-23) K. David and Goliath (1 Samuel 17) 1. Philistines and Saul, round 2; drawn up in battle; Goliath, his appearance (1 Samuel 17:1-10) 2. David and his family; elder brothers lined up for war, David back and forth (1 Samuel 17:11-15) 3. David to the lines; sees Goliath; determines to fight him (1 Samuel 17:16-32) 4. Saul's questioning of David; David previously fought lions and bears (1 Samuel 17:33-37) 5. Saul gives David his armor; too bulky; grabs stones for sling (1 Samuel 17:38-40) 6. Goliath, David taunt each other (1 Samuel 17:41-48) 7. David slings stone, Goliath falls; David uses Goliath's sword to chop off his head; rout of the Philistines (1 Samuel 17:49-54) 8. Identity of David made known to Saul (1 Samuel 17:55-58) L. Saul Against David, Round 1 (1 Samuel 18-20) 1. Jonathan and David become fast friends (1 Samuel 18:1-4) 2. David's success versus the Philistines; David exalted above Saul in eyes of people; Saul jealous and fearful (1 Samuel 18:5-9, 12) 3. Saul tries to spear David while he plays lyre; David evades him; David made a commander of a thousand, grows in favor with God and people (1 Samuel 18:10-16) 4. Saul tries to get David into the family by marriage, first by Merab, finally by Michal; David kills many Philistines to gain the honor; David more feared by Philistia than Saul (1 Samuel 18:17-30) 5. Saul seeks to kill David; David protected by Jonathan (1 Samuel 19:1-7) 6. David successful again against Philistines; Saul again tries to kill him; he evades, also warned by Michal his wife, who covers for him (1 Samuel 19:8-17) 7. David with Samuel at Ramah; messengers sent to get him; they start prophesying; two more sets of messengers do the same; Saul himself goes, he starts prophesying (1 Samuel 19:18-24) 8. David and Jonathan; David seeks to know if he can sit at the king's table; Jonathan and David work out a sign involving a shot arrow (1 Samuel 20:1-23) 9. Saul not amenable to David; Jonathan presents the sign to flee; David flees (1 Samuel 20:24-42) M. David and Ahimelech (1 Samuel 21) 1. David comes to Ahimelech, eats of the bread of the presence (1 Samuel 21:1-6) 2. Doeg the Edomite present (1 Samuel 21:7) 3. David takes sword of Goliath, departs (1 Samuel 21:8-9) 4. David goes to Achish, feigns madness (1 Samuel 21:10-15) N. Saul Against David, Round 2 (1 Samuel 22-24) 1. David becomes leader of gang of four hundred in Adullam (1 Samuel 22:1-2) 2. David's parents left in Moab (1 Samuel 22:3-4) 3. David returns to Israel; Saul hears of it, warns Benjamin about him; Doeg reveals how David saw Ahimelech (1 Samuel 22:5-10) 4. Saul summons Ahimelech, priests of Nob; orders them killed; only Doeg will do it, does so; whole city of Nob destroyed (1 Samuel 22:11-19) 5. One son of Ahitub, Abiathar, escapes, tells David (1 Samuel 22:20-23) 6. Philistines at Keilah; David goes up and saves the city (1 Samuel 23:1-5) 7. Saul hears that he is there, prepares to fight against it; David departs (1 Samuel 23:6-13) 8. David in Wilderness of Ziph, then Wilderness of Maon; Saul always pursuing; Philistine attack elsewhere gets Saul off David's trail; David in Engedi (1 Samuel 23:14-29) 9. Saul then goes to Engedi; David in a cave; Saul enters said cave to relieve himself; David has opportunity to kill Saul, but only cuts off part of garment (1 Samuel 24:1-4) 10. Saul leaves cave; David calls after him, demonstrates his faithfulness against those who claim him of insurrection by the piece of garment cut off (1 Samuel 24:5-15) 11. Saul humbled, recognizes David's greater righteousness; begs mercy for his offspring; granted (1 Samuel 24:16-22) O. Nabal, Abigail, and David (1 Samuel 25) 1. Death of Samuel (1 Samuel 25:1) 2. Nabal and Abigail; David requests food from Nabal; refused (1 Samuel 25:2-12) 3. David readies for conflict (1 Samuel 25:13) 4. Abigail informed of situation; previous protection from David; she prepares food and drink for David (1 Samuel 25:14-18) 5. David swears to kill all of Nabal's household; Abigail meets him, implores him to not take any action against Nabal; future greatness of David (1 Samuel 25:19-31) 6. David impressed with Abigail, her discretion; stays his hand (1 Samuel 25:32-35) 7. Abigail tells Nabal what was to happen; he dies ten days later (1 Samuel 25:33-38) 8. David takes Abigail for a wife; also has Ahinoam of Jezreel as wife; Michal was given to another (1 Samuel 25:39-44) P. Saul Against David, Round 3 (1 Samuel 26) 1. Saul told that David was at Hachilah; Saul encamps (1 Samuel 26:1-3) 2. David learns of it; sends spies; at night, he and Abishai enter Saul's tent; Abishai would kill Saul, but David would have none of it (1 Samuel 26:4-10) 3. Instead, they take spear and water jar and leave (1 Samuel 26:11-12) 4. David taunts Abner for failing at his job (1 Samuel 26:13-16) 5. Saul calls David; David again protests his innocence; Saul recognizes his sin, sends David off in peace (1 Samuel 26:17-25) Q. David With the Philistines (1 Samuel 27:1-28:2) 1. David goes over to the Philistines, stays with Achish of Gath (1 Samuel 27:1-3) 2. Saul does not pursue him there; David given Ziklag (1 Samuel 27:4-6) 3. From there, David attacks Israel's enemies to the south as far as Egypt; claims to be fighting Israelites and Kenites to Achish (1 Samuel 27:7-11) 4. Achish trusts David, thinking he is a complete traitor (1 Samuel 27:12) 5. Philistines to fight Israel; David as his bodyguard (1 Samuel 28:1-2) R. Saul and the Witch of En-dor (1 Samuel 28:3-25) 1. Samuel dead; Saul had put out necromancers, mediums from land (1 Samuel 28:3) 2. Philistines, Israelites encamp against each other; Saul afraid; no message from God (1 Samuel 28:4-6) 3. Saul seeks a medium or necromancer; told of the one in En-dor; goes there in disguise (1 Samuel 28:7-8) 4. Woman initially hesitant; Saul promises that it is alright, asks to conjure up Samuel; woman perceives that it is Saul before her (1 Samuel 28:9-13) 5. Saul speaks to Samuel; Samuel indicates that God is giving Saul's kingdom over to David because of Saul's breeches of faith; he will die as will his army (1 Samuel 28:14-19) 6. Saul fearful and distressed; woman gives him some food; he is strengthened, returns to camp (1 Samuel 28:20-25) S. David, the Philistines, and the Amalekites (1 Samuel 29-30) 1. Philistines want to know why David and Hebrews are with their army; Philistines do not want him there (1 Samuel 29:1-5) 2. Achish sends him back to Ziklag (1 Samuel 29:6-11) 3. When he returns, sees that the Amalekites have raided Ziklag, burned it with fire, took everything captive (1 Samuel 30:1-3) 4. He and his men set out, find a servant of the Amalekites who takes David and his men to them; found them, struck them and killed most of them (1 Samuel 30:4-17) 5. Everything captured was restored, and then some; some who were too tired had not gone on, but David determines that they should also get some of the spoil (1 Samuel 30:18-25) 6. Sends some of spoil as gift to elders of Judah (1 Samuel 30:26-31) T. Saul and the Philistines, Final Round (1 Samuel 31) 1. Philistines defeat Israel at Mount Gilboa (1 Samuel 31:1) 2. Philistines kill Jonathan, other sons of Saul; Saul wounded with an arrow; armor-bearer would not finish him off, so Saul finishes self off; armor-bearer then kills self (1 Samuel 31:2-6) 3. Philistines find their corpses, cut off his head, proclaim their fortune in all of their cities and idol temples (1 Samuel 31:7-10) 4. Valiant men of Jabesh-gilead come forth, recover bodies of Saul and Jonathan from Beth-Shan, burn their remains at Jabesh, buried bones (1 Samuel 31:11-13) IV. 1 Samuel: Important Passages A. 1 Samuel 1:1-2:10 1. Samuel's birth story 2. Consider John the Baptist's birth story in Luke 1-2 3. Strong parallelism B. 1 Samuel 4:6-9 1. Albeit muddled, testimony from the pagans of God and His power 2. More demonstration that the LORD was successful with His purposes in the exodus, conquest C. 1 Samuel 15:22-23 1. Important principle 2. Obedience what God is after! D. 1 Samuel 16 1. Samuel with David 2. God's prophet anointing God's anointed king 3. Parallels with John the Baptist, Jesus, baptism E. 1 Samuel 17-- David against Goliath F. 1 Samuel 21:1-6 1. Background to Matthew 12:1-8 2. Matters of contingency V. Conclusion A. 1 Samuel 1. Sin still often present in Israel 2. Up and down fortunes for Israel 3. Hope is on the way in the form of David B. Much to be learned from this book C. Let us serve God faithfully! D. Invitation/songbook Ethan R. Longhenry / disciple_of_iesus at hotmail.com Evangelist, church of Christ in Norwalk, Ohio [norwalkchurch.org] Homepage: deusvitae.com AIM: Deus Vitae / ICQ: 28317056 Y! IM: discipuliiesus Sign up for Good News for Norwalk! goodnewsfornorwalk-subscribe at norwalkchurch.org From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Thu Dec 11 06:08:40 2008 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Thu, 11 Dec 2008 07:08:40 EST Subject: [Biblemat] A) WHAT ABOUT LATTER DAY REVELATION FROM GOD? Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. A very good Thursday morn- ing to each and everyone. May God bless you and yours. Here is a question from my files: WHAT ABOUT LATTER DAY REVELATION FROM GOD? QUESTION: -- Is the Bible the complete and final revelation from God or is He continuing to give revelation through certain chosen people or organizations, such as the Mormon Church, The Catholic Pope ex cathreda, Mohammad via the Koran, Joseph Smith via The New World Translation, Ellen G. White etc. ? ANSWER: -- Nearly all of the denominations that have sprung up since 1800 have as a basis "latter-day revelation." That is, some religious leader (nearly alway self-appointed) claim- ed to have a direct communication from God in which is reveal- ed a new system of religion. But the Bible says, "God is not a God of confusion, but of peace" (1 Cor. 14:33). We know, there- fore, that all of these cannot be from God, for they contradict one another in many different ways. god has always wanted His people to "be of the same mind and of the same judgment" (1 Cor. 1:10), and He exhorts us, "Let there be no divisions among you." But we don't have to concern ourselves over which one of these "latter day revelations" is right, because the Bible clearly shows them all to be false. All of God's Will for man is given to us in the Bible, and we are forbidden to have any other guide. "Every Scripture is inspired of God and is also profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for instruction which is in righteousness. That the man of God may be complete, furnish- ed completely unto every good work" (2 Tim. 3:16,17). I had a couple of young men come to my door a few years ago with much the same message, new revelation, as is being discussed in this question. They claimed that God had revealed many new teachings which were not in the New Testament, that this was "another testament of Jesus Christ." As we discussed this, and compared it with the Bible, I asked them if this "new teaching" had been preached by Paul and the other apostles. They replied, "No." I then read with them the Scripture: "I mar- vel that ye are so quickly removing from Him that called you in the grace of Christ unto a different gospel; which is not another gospel only there are some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach unto you any gospel other than that which we preached unto you, let him be anathema. As we have said be- fore, so say I now again, if any man preacheth unto you any gos- pel other than that which ye have received, let him be anathema" (Gal. 1:6-9). They nearly knocked the door off its hinges getting out of my house, and I haven't see them since! And so it is with all of these "latter day revelators." When the apostle John completed the Book of Revelation in about A.D. 96 (or before, JWS), all of God's Will had been reveal- ed and recorded. When some were not content to abide by the Scriptures, the apostle Paul wrote: "That in us ye might learn not to go beyond the things which are written" (1 Cor. 4:6). If it had not been written in the days of the apostles, it is counterfeit! Again, note these Scriptures: "Seeing tht His divine power hath granted unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that called us by His own glory and virtue" (2 Pet. 1:3). "Whosoever goeth onward and abideth not in the teaching of Christ, hath not God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet; for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds." (2 Jno. 9-11). "I testify unto every man that hear- eth the words of the prophecy of this book, if any man shall add unto them, God shall add unto him the plagues which are written in this book: and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the tree of life, and out of the holy city, which are written in this book" (Rev. 22:18,19) And one more: "Beloved, while I was giv- ing all diligence to write unto you of our common salvation, I was constrained to write unto you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered unto the saints" (Jude 3). These passages of Scripture show us that God's Will has been completely and for all times revealed to us in the Scriptures. Man dare not tamper with it -- by adding to it or taking from it -- for it will make man "complete," lacking in nothing. Our plea is simple. Return to the Bible as the only guide in religion, the only authority. Then we will all be one in Christ, as He prayed that we would be (Jno. 17:20,21) and com- manded that we be (1 Cor. 1:10-13). ---- Clem Thurman in Gospel Minutes, Vol. 57, No. 47, Nov. 21, 2008. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20081211/2aa9f242/attachment-0001.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Thu Dec 11 06:08:53 2008 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Thu, 11 Dec 2008 07:08:53 EST Subject: [Biblemat] S) THE BLESSINGS OF SIMPLE FAITH (MATT. 5:1-12) Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. Here is a study from my files. Use to the glory of God. THE BLESSINGS OF SIMPLE FAITH (MATT. 5:1-12). Jesus was the Master Teacher. He preached in parables, He engaged His audience, He asked the right questions at just the right moments. He was not just a Masterful Teacher but The Master Teacher. It seems appropriate then, that the greatest preacher of all time would deliver the greatest sermon ever preached. The Sermon on the Mount still stands as the stand- ard for all other discourses. These were not the first public words spoken by the Savior. The stage for the sermon was set by Him "going about in all Gali- lee, teaching in their synagogues, and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of sickness among the peo- ple" (Matt. 4:23). Such things demonstrated His authority as One come from God, an authority later recognized at the conclu- sion of the lesson (7:28,29). This caused great crowds to follow Him and hear about a kingdom not of this world, one that contained spiritual requirements for entry. The Beatitudes (5:3-12) serve as the introduction to the Ser- mon on the Mount. They get their name from the Latin beatitudo which means "blessed," a word that appears nine times in these ten verses. Though some translations substitute the word "happy" here, Jesus has much more than mere cheerfulness in mind. Happiness comes from happenings; blessedness comes from being blessed. While the rest of Jesus' sermon deals with the conduct of the kingdom citizens, these first eight statements address his attitude. They are the foundation fro simple faith. "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." The starting place for the person who wants to enter the kingdom of God is the recognition of his own worthless con- dition. Jesus preached to two classes of men: those who realiz- ed their sinful state and those who refused to admit it. "It is not those who are well who need a physician, but those who are sick" (Lk. 5:31). In order for Him to heal us, we must first see ourselves as destitute and bankrupt without Him. It is only then that you can become rich toward God. "Blessed ae those who mourn, for they shall be comforted" Some mourning is done out of necessity. When death or traged- y intrudes unexpectedly in our lives, we appropriately respond with grief. But these tears recommended by the Man of Sorrows are shed by choice. This is a personal mourning over personal sin. It is an acknowledgment of what our selfish choices have done to our relationship with God. When this godly sorrow works repentance (2 Cor. 7:10), the Lord alone transforms the blackness of night into the brightness of morning. And we are comforted by the thought of Him wiping away every tear, where "there shall no longer be any mourning" (Rev. 21:4). "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth." In the ancient world, the word mek was used to describe an animal that had been tamed and brought under control. Jesus applied this concept to Himself when He claimed to be "meek and lowly" or "gentle and humble in heart" (Matt. 11:29). That is, He remain- ed under control and in submission to His Father though He possessed the power to behave otherwise. Meekness certainly did not mean weakness with Him. A meek man is actually strong because he harnesses his strengths and keeps them con- tained. You are in control only when you are under His control. And your restraint will be rewarded with an inheritance that has no limits. "Blessed are Those who hunger and thirst for righteous- ness, for they shall be satisfied." After Jesus fasted for forty days and forty nights in the wilderness, "He then became hungry" (4:2). That same word is used here to describe the appetite that men must have for spiritual food. This is a call for a complete change of priorities. Our soul's hunger will not be satisfied with an occasional nibble or snack when it's convenie- nt. This craving must be met before all other appetites as one that is essential to survival. Paul said, "for to me, to live is Christ (Phil. 1:21)" If you live for things like riches and pleasure, you will lose yourself in the pursuit of them. If you live for righteous- ness, you will find true rest for your soul. "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy." Most of the world has no room for mercy. They see it as a sign of softness, letting someone off easy when you should have des- troyed them. But mercy is what we all need. It is what God extended to us when we deserved justice and judgment. It is what He compels us to show toward our fellow man as a fellow recipient of mercy. Otherwise, we have not right to ask the Lord for what we are unwilling to give to another. "For judgment will be merciless to the one who has shown no mercy" (Jas. 2:13). You have been forgiven much; you have much to forgive. "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." The condition of the heart has long been the concern of heaven. When David asked, "who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? And who may stand in His holy place?" the answer came clear- ly, "he who has clean hands and a pure heart" (Psa. 24:3,4). Pur- ity speaks to the singleness of our intentions, their freedom from things that do not belong. Man can see what you do. God can see why you do it. When you do the right thing for the right reas- on, you are on the right path to seeing Him. "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God." It is one thing to love peace. That almost comes natura- lly, even instinctively. It is another thing to keep peace. That is simply maintaining what is already present. But it is altogether different to make peace or bring it about where it does not exist. That is exactly what Jesus, who "is our peace" (Eph. 2:14), acc- omplished when He brought man back to the Father by breaking down the barrier of sin that separated them. You are never more like God than when you turn war into peace in all of your relation- ships with His sons and daughters. "Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." The king- dom citizen must set his sights on the prize before hem. If his focus is only on the present world, he will allow the threat of trib- ulation and persecution to influence his behavior. But if he is thinking of eternal joy, his momentary affliction will pale in com- parision and not affect this spiritual constitution that God requir- es. "Rejoice, and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great" (5: 12). It is persecution and not appreciation that awaits those who follow the Savior. Rejoice in it. It's just another way to know you're going the right way. When I was growing up, I thought this section was called the "Be Attitudes." Perhaps there's more truth to that than I knew then. Before we can concentrate on what God wants us to do, we must give some attention to what He wants us to be. After all, conduct is a reflection of attitude. Simple living comes from simple faith. ------- Bubba Garner in Biblical Insights, Vol. 8, No. 4, April, 2008. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20081211/ec11e9ee/attachment-0001.html From terrywbenton at bellsouth.net Thu Dec 11 09:19:34 2008 From: terrywbenton at bellsouth.net (Terry W. Benton) Date: Thu, 11 Dec 2008 09:19:34 -0600 Subject: [Biblemat] The Church Treasury Message-ID: False Arguments of the House-Church-Denomination #1 The Church Treasury Quote: It is true that the disciples were instructed to treasure up some things, "And concerning the collection that [is] for the saints, as I directed to the assemblies of Galatia, so also ye -- do ye; on every first [day] of the week, let each one of you lay by him, treasuring up whatever he may have prospered, that when I may come then collections may not be made;". (I cor. 16:1-2). But you cannot term this, "church treasury" and form a doctrine with rules and guidelines attached with it. They had no, "church treasury", as you say. The expression, "Church treasury", or, "common collection" did not come out of the mouth of God. (Quoted from a house-church-denominationalist). Reply: Not only can a church have a treasury, but they must have one if they are going to do the work that God ordained should be done by the church. The local church is to have a "collection", and the collection is called "treasuring"(in verb form), and by implication that which is collected is the treasury. The above verse shows that every church had its own collected treasury. This is to be done every first day of the week (1 Cor.16:1-2). In the particular case, this collected treasury was to be designated and set in ready collected position so that it would not have to be gathered out of the houses when Paul came. This pooled or collected fund was a treasury of that church. Thus, it was the church treasury of the Corinthian brethren. It is foolish to say that you cannot call it what it is. It was the act of treasuring (God's expression) that allows it to be a "treasury"(noun form). This treasury was "your gift" (1 Cor.16:3). Notice that it was not a bunch of individuals gifts, it was pooled by the church to become "your gift". It would be silly to say that "the church gift" is an unscriptural expression that did not come out of the mouth of God. The combined church is the "your" part, and the fact that it had become one "gift", "your gift" means it was the church's gift. So, the gift was a treasury collected by the church and ready for Paul to come by and endorse. If the church did not have this treasury, God would not have been pleased with them for their selfishness and covetousness. Now, that was a starter precedent for Corinth to see a need far away and feel a common need to collect for that need. Corinth should have seen a need to collectively support those who have sown spiritual things (1 Cor.9:11). Those who had been preaching the gospel to them, including Paul, should have been given "your material things". Well, how would that have taken place, if they had done as they should? It would happen like the common gift they collected on the first day of the week for the poor at Jerusalem. If the church had collected material things to send to Jerusalem, then they could collect material things to give to preachers of the gospel. But, watch this. Once a church understands there are needs such as poor saints in other parts of the world, and preachers of the gospel that God ordained should live of the gospel, and the church desires to fellowship (share) in these ways, then the church will see a need for a regular treasury. There is no escaping this as we will demonstrate by the scriptures. What is to be done with regular collections? Seeking to support men who labor in the word is a good way to "fellowship" those men in the gospel. Paul pointed out that in the beginning of the gospel, "when I departed from Macedonia, no church shared with me concerning giving and receiving but you only(Phil.4:15). Notice that a church should share with preachers of the gospel. How would they do that? They would have regular collections and send it to various gospel preachers. That is a "sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God" (Phil.4:18). (We will demonstrate in another article that giving was for the work of preaching the gospel, not for the fact of being an apostle). What is not acceptable and well-pleasing to God is for brethren to teach that we ought NOT "share" with gospel preachers, when God "ordained" that the church should do this very thing (1 Cor.9:14). Paul took "wages" from other churches (2 Cor.11:7-8) when he should have been supported by Corinth. Corinth was simply blind to this need. It is the need to give and not just the need that needs giving to that is emphasized. The churches of Macedonia had the right spirit. They saw an "opportunity" to give and wanted to be a part. They were practically begging Paul to let them be a part. He said they were "imploring us with much urgency that we would receive the gift and the fellowship of the ministering to the saints"( 2 Cor.8:4). The diligence of the churches of Macedonia was an example by which Paul wanted to "test the sincerity of your love"(at Corinth)(2 Cor.8:8). So, giving is a test of the sincerity of our faith and love. Do we love the gospel and believe in supporting all the men we can who are dedicating their lives to it? Are we wearing blinders and seeing only what we want to see? If a church does not see a need to support needy saints far away and near, they are wearing blinders. If they do not see a need to support men who devote their time and life to sowing spiritual things then they are wearing blinders. God is not pleased with the house-church mentality. It looks for reasons not to give regularly. It invents phony reasons not to have and support preachers of the gospel. Churches should see a need to support elders who "labor in the word and doctrine"(1 Tim.5:17-18). Such laborers in the word and doctrine are "worthy of his wages". His spiritual sowing is worth far more than any material wages reaped by him. If secular education is important enough to give wages to school teachers, then gospel preachers and elders who labor in the word are worth far more. Carnal brethren have blinders on and cannot or will not see it, but God said that man who labors in the word is definitely worthy of his wages. No man should do it for the money, but a man should have a right to expect that brethren appreciate spiritual things and labors of a man to learn it better and expound upon it. Timothy could give himself to reading and meditation and his "profit" from doing so would greatly benefit the church (1 Tim.4:13-16) potentially enlightening them in treasures of wisdom and knowledge and also making them aware of spiritual dangers of false teachings. This could save him and "those who hear you". What price can a church put on this work? The laborer is worthy of his wages. Saving one soul is worth more than the whole world. So, how can you measure the worth of gospel preaching that saves the man and those who hear him and provides protection to the church against apostasy? Now, in order for the church to pay "wages" to such worthy men, the church has got to have a regular source from which to pay those wages. What is this source? It is the common collection, the church treasury. A church has to gather a collection regularly in order to pay wages to worthy men in the gospel and other needed works of the church. This is God's plan, but unfortunately, there are rebellious men among us from time to time who do not want to do the will of God in this matter. They will not only not do it themselves, but they seek to persuade others not to do it either, and they invent arguments to justify their positions. Peter said they "speak great swelling words of emptiness, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through licentiousness"(2 Pet.2:18). They pretend that they are "free" from "organized religion", but are slaves of corruption. We should be as organized as the church at Philippi (Phil.1:1) who pooled their funds and supported Paul time and again (Phil.4:14-18). We should be as organized as Corinth so that we know when the "whole church" has come together and can exercise discipline against a member that walks disorderly (1 Cor.5), organized enough to judge cases between brethren in dispute (1 Cor.6), organized enough to take the Lord's Supper together in the proper way, organized enough to order our assemblies for decent and in order assemblies (1 Cor.14), organized enough to know what the church can and should support from a regular treasury, such as needy saints, and gospel preachers all over the world, as well as at home where we have men laboring in the word and doctrine, and also the ones we need to "take into the number" to be charged to the church (1 Tim.5:8-16). If the church can and should be "charged" and pay wages, then there must be a common and regular treasury from which to pay those charges and wages and support those men who labor in the word and sow spiritual things. There are some things for which the church "ought not" be charged (1 Tim.5:16), but there are some things for which the church ought to be charged. The church should be charged with appreciating the value of the gospel enough to let the teacher receive back "material things" with such thankfulness for the treasures of wisdom and knowledge in Christ and His gospel, that it moves all members to want to give freely to the collection each week to keep it going and to keep men and their families going in this great work. The church ought to be charged with appreciating the riches in Christ enough to make sacrifices to help the church pay wages to laborers in the gospel. The church ought to be charged with love for brethren enough to desire to help brethren in need near and far away. When a church opens its heart and mind, it can see needs that demand a commitment to regular giving on the first day of every week. Giving does not stop with one thing. It opens the door to consider many other things. Those who foolishly argue that the gift from Corinth to Jerusalem was a one-time deal, miss the point altogether. That was a door-opener for them to consider many other needs near and far away. What else would a collection be needed for? How about men who minister spiritual things to the lost and to the brethren here and in other places? How about "widows indeed"? How about anything that accommodates the work of the church in doing its work? How about the rental or purchase of a meeting place? How about Bibles and tracts to hand out to people? How about edification materials to teach each other in psalm, hymns, and spiritual songs? (song books and class materials). The needs are endless when you open your eyes. Therefore, a good church learns to see and yearns to give as much as possible to all that should be charged to the church. A treasury from which to pay wages of support to preachers and widows indeed and elders who labor in the word and doctrine, and also from which to give to needy saints near and far away is a scriptural church treasury. Going back to the argument made at the beginning. A church must have a treasury to do what God "charges" it to do. A treasury is collected from the saints at regular intervals. The example in 1 Cor.16:1-2 is a suitable example that authorizes us to follow it as a pattern of when and how often we can give to the common cause. There is not just one cause to which the church should give (poor saints), but many others. Since the church should pay wages to workers in the word and to widows indeed, then the church must have a treasury. It is shown in the scriptures and implied in the things the church fellowshipped. All members should do their share in a local church to give as they have been prospered. The collection of the local church is scriptural in every way. In fact it is not scriptural for a church to not have a money box or treasury from which to do these things it is charged to do. Those who teach otherwise are blind and should now be enlightened by these truths. If they refuse these truths, then they should be refused membership in any scriptural church. The house-church-denomination is often composed of such people as would deny the need for a regular church treasury. If Paul wanted the church at Corinth to look as far away as Jerusalem for needs to support, then how long should it take a house-church to see endless needs and therefore the need for endless giving? They are blind about needs and sometimes intentionally so. But, they also often invent false arguments about supporting gospel preachers as another excuse not to give regularly. We have addressed this matter in a limited way here in this article, but will deal more in-depth with that in a later article. From the above references it should be easy to see that brethren who refuse to support gospel preachers are refusing to do what God ordained should be done. These brethren need to be marked and avoided as divisive (Rom.16:17). The argument that the expression "church treasury" is not found in the Bible is foolish. It would be as foolish as saying that "personal Bible study" is not a biblical phrase and therefore we cannot do it or say it. Such foolishness is not worthy of further comment. Terry W. Benton Visit: www.pinelanechurchofchrist.com Dan Billingsly vs. Terry W. Benton Exchange on the Four Gospels at: http://www.pinelanechurchofchrist.com/SiteFiles/157/Benton%20Billingsly%20Debate.doc -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20081211/fb543f22/attachment-0001.html From terrywbenton at bellsouth.net Thu Dec 11 12:51:16 2008 From: terrywbenton at bellsouth.net (Terry W. Benton) Date: Thu, 11 Dec 2008 12:51:16 -0600 Subject: [Biblemat] Paying Uninspired Gospel Preachers Message-ID: Terry to the list: False Arguments of the House-Church-Denomination #2 Paying Uninspired Gospel Preachers In discussing the right and expectation preachers ought to have for adequate financial support, I appealed to Paul's statements in 1 Cor.9:4-14 for the proof of that rightful expectation. A man of the house-church persuasion responded, and I think the exchange hits on some very needed points of scriptural understanding on this issue. I've added a few points to the original exchange for purposes of clarity for this article. Quote: First lets notice that you have left out I cor 9:3, "My defense to them that examine me is this". Now lets go back another verse and show what he also said, "If to others I am not an apostle, yet at least I am to you; for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord". So everything that Paul said from I cor 9:4 to 9:14 was his defense of his apostleship. Reply : It is a defense of his apostleship alright because some were questioning that. However, his right to lead about a wife (v.3) is not a right that is his because he is an apostle, but because he is a human being with the same rights as others, only he chose not to have a wife so he could do more work for the kingdom, and the difficulty he faced from place to place would be too much for a wife to handle. Still, it was his right, but he chose not to use that right. So, even though he is an apostle, defending his apostleship, he is not saying that wives and material support are due him because he is an apostle, but that being a man, he has the same right as others to have a wife if he wanted to, and being a preacher of the gospel, he had the same right as others to reap material things from them. Quote: These verses did not apply to anyone else but him. He did not apply them to anyone else but himself. Reply : This is not correct. He mentions a principle from the law that said: You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain. He said that was written for our benefit to tell us that HE WHO PLOWS (not just apostles) should plow in hope, and HE WHO THRESHES in hope (not just apostles) should be partaker of his hope.(v.10). Then he says "if OTHERS (not just apostles) are partakers of this right over you, are we (apostles) not even more?" So, it is actually a perversion of this text to say that only apostles have a right to sow spiritual things and reap the brethren's material things. Now it is true that Paul did not use his right, because they were too critical of him already, and if he took it they would have criticized him for that, saying he was in it for the money. Later on, some criticized him for NOT taking money from them, saying that he knew he was unworthy. He did take wages from other churches to do service at Corinth (2 Cor.11:5-11), but he was having to walk carefully with the carnal brethren at Corinth. But, being an apostle meant that he could DEMAND support if he wanted to, but he did not want to abuse his authority. Had the brethren been spiritually minded they would have wanted to have supported him and all others that they could. It was a very different situation at Corinth that made Paul believe it to be expedient to not demand their support (financially) until he won their support in faith and confidence in him. Now, the principle of receiving spiritual things from a teacher or preacher and so returning in gratitude some material support is a wide open principle that does not apply just to apostles. Paul said the principles applies in this way: "the Lord commanded that those who preach the gospel (not just apostles, but including them) should live from the gospel (v.14). An elder is not an apostle, yet those who "labor in the word and doctrine" are worthy of double honor or support (1 Tim.5:17). The principle is wide-open. There were places Paul went that made it expedient to refrain from demanding support. However, there were times when he took wages ( 2 Cor.11:7-8) showing he did use his right and that it was right and lawful to do so.. There are places I have been where I had to compensate my income with another job. That takes away a preacher's ability to spend as much time in the word and do things he needs to do, but each circumstance dictates what a preacher may need to do. However, once brethren realize how important the gospel is and how much it needs to be understood, expounded upon, and shared with the church and the church to the world, they begin to realize that our teachers and preachers need support to give them time in the word that their profiting may in turn profit the church (1 Tim.4:13-16). Lack of knowledge has destroyed many of God's people (Hos.4:6) and lack of depth is often expedited by having a man who can dig it out, mine it, and bring forth to the church that profit he has gained. Quote: Any man that comes along and declares that he is a "Preacher" and tries to say these verses applies to him is taking them out of context and putting himself in the place of Paul. Reply: That is also incorrect. Paul applied the principles across the board that "he who (anybody) preaches the gospel should live of the gospel". To apply that principle ONLY to apostles is doing violence to the text and the principle Paul used in the text. In fact, the above statement is a perversion of the gospel. He is speaking of compensating a man who preaches the gospel, sows spiritual things to you (the church). He could have said: "The Lord commanded that apostles only should live of the gospel". But, instead he said: "The Lord commanded that those who preach the gospel (now can there be those who preach the gospel today?) should live from the gospel", that is "reap your (the church) material things". That is what SHOULD take place. At Corinth, it wasn't being done due to carnal thinking, but it should have been the case that they pleaded with Paul to take their gifts of love. They SHOULD have seen the value of what he was doing and offered it voluntarily. The modern house-church-denomination is of that same carnal mind-set. They do not want to involve themselves in what the Lord COMMANDED, and they will pay in another way I'm afraid. The church needs to free up faithful men to give themselves to the word and doctrine so that they can sow spiritual things from the deeper waters of knowledge and wisdom in Christ. These men should give themselves entirely to the word that their profiting may be evident to all and that they may save those who hear them (1 Tim.4:13-16). The motive for wanting to go into a house-church to avoid paying preachers, and then to use false arguments like this to justify the position is to demonstrate what lack of depth flows from such house-churches and demonstrates why preachers do need to be supported to help avoid this kind of tragedy in the church. Quote: Paul was an inspired man with gifts to prove that he was from God by miracles. Preachers today that teaches variations of what Paul taught has not received any inspiration. All they can do is teach what Paul or Peter taught. Reply: That is all we need to teach. When we read we can know what they knew (Eph.3:3-5). We can give ourselves to reading and then preach the word, save ourselves and those who hear us (1 Tim.4:11-16; 2 Tim.4:1-4). Paul did not say the principle applies if it is an inspired preacher of the gospel. If he preaches the gospel, he should be supported. Nor was there any implication that if a man works miracles support him. Actually, preaching to help get people's names written in the book of life is greater than any of the miracles that the apostle's performed. It is not about supporting miracle-workers, but supporting preachers of the gospel who sow to you spiritual things. Quote: A Preacher today carries no more weight than the average disciple. He is no more special than the next guy. He may know little more than the next guy but everyone has access to the same new testament. A man that claims to be a Preacher did not receive appointment from God to do anything different than the average disciple. Reply:: No, there are men who have an appetite to teach and learn and teach and learn more and teach more. They have a talent and an interest that drives them that other members do not have. Paul spoke of an elder that "labors in the word" (1 Tim.5:17). Well all elders are to labor in the word to some extent, but here was an elder that was particularly devoted to studying and learning and sharing from his labors in the word. That is what we are talking about. We need men of depth. We need men who want to develop depth. We need to give men room and time to develop depth. We need to support and honor men who dig and search, read, and meditate, and gain profit that they can share with the church and outsiders (1 Tim.4:13-16). We need to desire to support such men. If one man is all a church can afford, then use him to the fullest. If a church can support more full-time teachers and preachers, then it would be wise to do so. But, the church was a beneficiary of the men who preached the gospel to them, and therefore those men were doing something that the other members were not in position to do as well with as much depth, and whoever is given entirely to the word and foregoes a secular job to give himself to that, is a man we all should want to support for the benefit of the church. Quote: But this is not the case with Paul. Now lets read the verses after 9:13. "so also did the Lord direct to those proclaiming the good news: of the good news to live. (TB: Proof that the principle is general, not just the apostles).And I have used none of these things; neither did I write these things that it may be so done in my case, for [it is] good for me rather to die, than that any one may make my glorying void (TB: He knew what some of those carnal brethren would say and thought it best not to raise the issue of financial support); for if I may proclaim good news, it is no glorying for me, for necessity is laid upon me, and woe is to me if I may not proclaim good news; for if willing I do this, I have a reward; and if unwillingly -- with a stewardship I have been entrusted! What, then, is my reward? -- that proclaiming good news, without charge I shall make the good news of the Christ, not to abuse my authority in the good news. "(I cor 9;14-18) Notice it says, "so also did the Lord direct". And then he says, "and I have used none of these things". What things? Well the verse did not say. We do not know exactly. Reply: You forget. He did not use his right to lead about a wife or his right to receive material compensation for his spiritual things he sowed in their hearts. Those are the "things" he chose not to use under the circumstances. But, he used his right in other circumstances. Why not here? Because it was not expedient due to the carnal immaturity they had that even questioned his apostleship, much less supporting him financially. He was glad to do it free of charge, as all preachers should like to do and would do if they could survive that way, but it should not be the case that a church remains too immature to see the value of what they are getting for their soul in a faithful gospel preacher. Paul did not use his right to a wife, or his right to their financial support, but that does not prove this exception should be the rule. The exceptional situation should be the exception, not the rule. Quote: Then on down he says he was "with a stewardship I have been entrusted". Now what was this stewardship? The text does not say. Reply: His stewardship was to be wise with what he does with the gospel. If some are going to accuse him of peddling the gospel for money, then it taints the value of the gospel and casts his work in a bad light. His stewardship was to make judgments about who understood how valuable his message was and would volunteer to help support the preachers of it in every way, and who would be so carnal and childish as to think those who preach it are doing so only for the money. His stewardship made him decide against taking support (a right he had) from the carnal brethren at Corinth. That is what the text is all about. Quote: The point is the arrangement between Paul and the Lord we do not exactly know but we do know there was one. Reply: The arrangement is be a good steward of the gospel. Be careful with this treasure, and don't undermine it's value by making demands of those who do not yet trust you as a messenger. God's arrangement is that "those who preach the gospel should live of the gospel (reap your material things). Quote: Now a days no man who claims to be a Preacher has a special management with Jesus. They have no special instructions. Reply: That is not a correct point to make from the text. I think this abuse of the principle Paul stated is just something that the house-church-movement desires not to do, and this is carnal thinking that is used to justify their covetousness. They do not want to be committed to the support of gospel preachers. A man can be given to preaching the gospel, and if he is preaching the gospel, he has a management with Jesus. Paul committed the gospel into Timothy's trust. He was teach other "faithful men" so that they in turn can teach others also (2 Tim.2:2). That trickles down to us. We need "faithful men" who have a zeal for God and His truth. That stewardship is handed down to this day. Those who sow spiritual things should be freely compensated for their time and spiritual work. Quote: Then Paul says "not to abuse my authority". most people want to take verse 14 where it says, "of the good news to live" as money that is paid out of some church treasury. There is no proof of such and just because people cannot conceive of it being any other way does not make it so. The argument lacks proof. Reply: No, that is a false argument. The church fellowships (shares) with those who preach the gospel. The common commitment is to do what God ordained. If God ordained that those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel, and part of that principle also entails "if we have sown spiritual things for you, is it a great thing if we reap your material things?" All had the same responsibility to support the sower of spiritual things. He also based this upon the shared responsibility the Israelites had to the priests who ministered holy things. The shared responsibility of Israel was to keep up the temple and those who served there. Paul draws from that that those who preach the gospel have every right to expect the shared responsibility of giving the worker his wages knowing that you can never really compensate a man for the value of this work. If the priests of Israel should be supported with a comfortable living for they and their family, the gospel preacher has a more important work to be supported. Quote: Notice where Paul says he was entrusted with a stewardship. This word rightly translated means a management. Like a manager of an estate. And Paul says he was entrusted with it. Now we have no information exactly as to what this was. Reply: Yes we do know what it was. He had this treasure (the riches of knowledge in Christ Jesus) in his earthen vessel (2 Cor.4:1-4). That treasure needed to be protected and distributed carefully. With great care the apostles managed to share that treasure which faithful men in turn continue to manage as well. Quote: But drew out of this management a reward or wage and that when he was proclaiming the good news he could do it without charge. When people read into these verse "church treasury" and apply them to their selves there is no proof from the contest only conjecture. Reply: Call it a pooled giving, if "church treasury" bothers you. The whole church was obligated to fellowship preachers of the gospel in material support. Like the giving to the temple and the upkeep and support of the priests and their families under the Old Testament system, God ordained that the sower of spiritual things should reap material things. From whom? The whole congregation. That means that there should be regular giving from all the members. A means of collecting and protecting those gifts as they await distribution may be scripturally called a "treasury" of the church's gifts. Those gifts are for doing what God ordained should be done. Quote: Notice what Paul said to the Elders, "I have coveted no one's silver or gold or apparel. Yes, you yourselves know that these hands have provided for my necessities, and for those who were with me. I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive". (Acts 20:33-35). I have heard many paid preachers teach these verses trying to get their congregation to give more so they can have a bigger paycheck. Reply: I don't recall ever running into that situation. When I preach about giving and making spiritual sacrifices that smell good to God (Phil4:14-18), I never get an increase in pay. If an increase happens, it goes to another preacher in another location usually. That is good. Paul was glad to get the gifts he got from Philippi, not for the money's sake, but mainly because it reflected the fruit of good, spiritually-minded and committed hearts (Phil.4:14-18) and because it was something that pleased the God as an acceptable sacrifice on their part and an indication of "fellowship" or partnership in the gospel (Phil.1:5). Quote: But what is really ironical is Paul was applying this to himself not being on the taking end but on the giving end. These instructions was not addressed to a congregation of People but to elders. I know of very few modern day preachers that can make this claim like Paul. Reply: Well, I don't know of a preacher who cannot make the same claim. It is the preacher that gets hit up for money more times than the average member. Most never know how much and how often the preacher is on the giving end. But, let us not forget, that giving spiritual things IS being heavily on the giving end of things, and receiving material things is a "small thing" in comparison. It is the preacher who gives as much as he can and beyond his means to help the poor, and gives his heart to digging out spiritual jewels of the gospel treasure to give to his brethren. From money he rightly gets from the church, he returns a portion like all members, and uses a portion for good works. However, you are correct that there are not many like Paul in having to work with his hands to support himself and those traveling with him. Notice that he had to support those traveling with him (was it wrong for those with him to receive his support?). Why did Paul support himself and his companions in travel at times? Why? Because there were carnal brethren who did not want to support him and he was not about to ask or demand it. However, when brethren grew and understood just how important his labors were in the Lord, then they began to give him gifts of love (Phil.4:14-18; or "wages" -2 Cor.11:7-8). Now that we have learned better than the Corinthians did at that time, it should be self-evident that school teachers are valuable, but not nearly as valuable as gospel preachers, physicians are valuable, but not nearly as valuable as those who can preach the remedies for cancer of the soul. There ought to be a DEMAND among brethren raging in their heart, wanting to give to help gospel preachers not have to worry about bills and insurance, and a place for his family and food. Brethren ought to desire to support the preaching of the gospel in every way that they can. We also need to dedicate ourselves to finding ways of helping the weak (those in circumstances that they did not create) where they are not able to make ends meet. Extra income should be sought for that very purpose. Quote: Then Paul said, "follow the tradition which you have received of me". Very few follow Paul in this area. Paul also says that by his working with his hands he also provided for the ones that companioned with him. He not only provide for himself but the ones who traveled with him and then he says by laboring like this that you must support the weak also. Laboring like what? Like this with his hands.What is important is all of this was done as a result of Paul's laboring with his hands. Now how many Preachers today follow Paul in this example? Where are they at? The word weak here is referring to the infirm. I take this to be those who are poor and has physical problems. This is one reason why we like to give 100% to the poor. Reply: Again, Paul had a right to support, a right to lead about a wife, and he chose not to do either because of the circumstances. Now, where those circumstances also occur in and around us, we are to do the same. Now, are we to follow Paul's example in not leading about a wife? Are we to follow Paul's example in refusing church support? Yes, if the circumstance is the same. If the brethren suspect you are in it for the money, then prove them wrong. If brethren know that the preachers they support are not in it for the money, then use the right to be supported. If you are going to travel all over the world into dangerous environments, don't take along a wife. Don't do that just because you have right to. However, if you are going to settle in a town like Philip did in Caesarea and raise a family, then it is fitting to use your right to do so. I can tell you this for sure. No church in the New Testament had a right to give 100% to the poor, and nothing to the preachers of the gospel that God ordained should be supported. Corinth was wrong and needed growth and maturity. Philippi was right, and all the churches that gave wages to Paul were right, and Paul was right to take it on those occasions (2 Cor.11:7-8). Quote: Paul said, "1 Corinthians 4:16 I urge you, then, be imitators of me". "1 Corinthians 11:1 Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ"."Philippians 3:17 Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us". "2 Thessalonians 3:7 For you know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone's bread without paying for it, but with toil and labor we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you. It was not because we do not have that authority, but to give you in ourselves an example to imitate." Now this is what I am looking for a Preacher who walks according to the example that is in Paul. One that works with his hands and does not charge the disciple. I know that person has the right motive like Paul. Usually he will not twist verses to suit his own position. Reply: I've done that on many occasions, and I have also followed Paul's example of taking wages (2 Cor.11:7-8). Now, WHY did Paul labor with his hands at Corinth? Because they were very carnal and immature (1 Cor.3:1) in their thinking and would accuse him of preaching for the money. It was expedient not to take wages from them, but support himself as best he could. WHY did Paul labor with his hands at Thessalonica? Because here was a different situation where brethren thought the coming of the Lord was imminent. Some apparently quit their jobs thinking it was not going to be long and all that work would be burned up, but the longer this went on the more they had to eat from their neighbor's table. This was not good. So, here an apostle comes in, views the situation, and decides to show them that working is still necessary, and providing for your family is still necessary. Did he always do that in every town? Not unless the situation called for it. However, there were times when he received wages from churches as God ordained should be done (1 Cor.9:4-15; 2 Cor.11:7-8; Phil.4:14-18). There are times when a preacher needs to get his hands dirty and be willing to labor physically for influence sake, for the gospel's sake. But, it is a misuse of these passages to say that preachers must always under all circumstances support themselves and never receive material things from the church as God ordained. The circumstances dictate what should be done. As stewards of the gospel, we must do all to keep the gospel honorable. It is a twist of the above scriptures to say that Paul ALWAYS worked with his hands and never received church support. It is a twist of these scriptures to formulate a doctrine that preachers ought not be supported and that all giving must be only for the poor. The fact of the matter is that the house-church-denomination is just not interested in the commitment that God demands of churches to support those who sow spiritual things, and that is why they twist these verse out of context and make a human law to never support preachers of the gospel. God commanded that those who preach the gospel should live of the gospel. The house-church-movement, unfortunately, is committed to disobeying God and teaching false liberty. Quote: To me people that claim to be a preacher and that demands pay has very little regard for Paul when he say be imitators of me. Reply : A preacher of the gospel should make sure he is not preaching for the money, but he should preach what Paul said that God ordained that those who do preach the gospel as a dedication should live of the gospel and that those who benefit from being taught by them in the word should freely reward them with material things to keep going in this great work (Gal.6:6; 1 Cor.9:11,14). A preacher is not going to "demand" pay from a group like Corinth who does not WANT to pay, help, or support. They should demand repentance of their suspicion and covetousness and blindness, which in turn should result in a maturing group WANTING to pay, help, and support. That is what Paul finally accomplished at Corinth. He got them to thinking of opportunities way away in Jerusalem for a need (2 Cor.8-9) and got them to thinking about their lack of sacrifice for the gospel. He rebuked the fact that he had to get wages elsewhere because of their carnality and immaturity (2 Cor.11:7-8). He felt like it was "robbing" other churches, because he should not have had to get his support from elsewhere. He should have been generously received and supported by them. He had to tip-toe around to baby them and bring them to maturity in these matters. A preacher should not demand pay, but he has every reason and right to expect that mature brethren will WANT to. Quote: When a person reads all of Paul's letters to the disciple you will notice there is no mention of Preachers in these congregations. Who was the Preacher at Corinth? Who was the Preacher at Rome? They are not to be found. Did Corinth have a Pulpit Preacher or a Youth minister? None mentioned. Reply: At Corinth, there was Paul planting, and Apollos watering. There were gifted prophets as well. But the principle is "those who preach the gospel should live of the gospel". Thus, anyone that would dedicate his life to that should be supported if he is sound and has faithfulness and depth and dedication. Who was the preacher at Rome? Anyone who dedicated himself to preaching the word there could have been supported to do so. They are found in the Timothy's and Titus' and Paul's and Philips, and Peters of the time. These men were not supported to be apostles, but supported to preach the gospel, and sow spiritual things of eternal value. Pulpit preacher? Yes! If they had a pulpit or stand like Ezra used. Youth minister? No! That is not a good idea at all in my opinion. But, supporting those who preach the gospel is what God ordained, and those who are not willing to do so will not fair well in the judgment. This is one of the sinful attitudes that plagues those who go into the house-church-denomination. Unless they mature out of that thinking, their candlestick will be removed if it has not already been discarded by God anyway. This topic is a clear topic, but an uncomfortable one to many preachers, mainly because preachers do not want to seem covetous or preaching to get a raise or preaching merely for the money. But brethren need to re-examine how carnally they might tend to evaluate the worth of a faithful preacher. The faithful preacher of the gospel is worthy of his wages if anybody is worthy of theirs. That is God's clear judgment on the matter, and woe to us if it is not ours. Terry W. Benton Visit: www.pinelanechurchofchrist.com Dan Billingsly vs. Terry W. Benton Exchange on the Four Gospels at: http://www.pinelanechurchofchrist.com/SiteFiles/157/Benton%20Billingsly%20Debate.doc -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20081211/bcfa6e9f/attachment-0001.html From wrglom at netzero.net Wed Dec 10 20:42:22 2008 From: wrglom at netzero.net (wrglom) Date: Wed, 10 Dec 2008 20:42:22 -0600 Subject: [Biblemat] Mistake Made. ESV Message-ID: <44C180FE411145C097388E1DBE8342D5@yourrvlnhr6v8d> I make a mistake I intended to say the ESV Bible. And wanted some comments on it. What some thought of it. If you would please give me some thought good or bad. O'Neal Martin wrglom at netzero.net Scanned By AVG ____________________________________________________________ Domain Registration - Click Here http://thirdpartyoffers.netzero.net/TGL2241/fc/PnY6rx9SmzcUqCuBVhwAInZdF6K8zHwzlsTA08n456h6r9SfJIaS0/ From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Fri Dec 12 03:35:39 2008 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Fri, 12 Dec 2008 04:35:39 EST Subject: [Biblemat] A) DID I FORGET SOMETHING? Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. A very good Friday morning to each and everyone. May God bless you and yours. Here is an art- icle from my recent files: DID I FORGET SOMETHING? How are you at remembering things? It seems some people have a talent for remembering things: names, events, times, dates, etc. I've pretty much decided I don't have that gift! The harder you try to remember something usually results in a big- ger blank. I often tell my wife if the number of items to get at the store is greater than two, make a list! In Deut. 8, Moses reminded the Israelites repeatedly that they were prone to forgetting God. He told them that when times got better they would forget what the Lord had done for them when they were in hardships. He wanted to caution them that the com- fort of wealth could make it easy to forget how dependent they were on the Lord at all times. "Beware that you do not forget the Lord your God by not keeping His commandments, His judgments, and His statutes which I command you today. Lest when you have eaten and are full, and have built beautiful houses and dwell in them; and when your herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and your gold are multiplied, and all that you have is multiplied; when your heart is lifted up, and you forget the Lord your God Who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage" (Deut. 8:11-14). They needed to realize that without the strength God provid- ed they could not do a single thing! Moses' instruction also applies to us. We must keep remem- bering what God has done for us, praising Him for what He has given us, and thanking Him for His mercy, patience, and forgive- ness. Above all, the Lord Himself is worth remembering just for Who He is. --------------- Shane Williams in The Lilbourn Light, Vol. 9, No. 7, Nov. 2008. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20081212/707dd873/attachment-0001.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Fri Dec 12 03:35:58 2008 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Fri, 12 Dec 2008 04:35:58 EST Subject: [Biblemat] S) THE LOST DIGGER Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. Here is a study from my ancie- nt files. Use to the glory of God. THE LOST DIGGER "But he that had received one (talent) went and digged in the earth and hid his Lord's money" (Matt. 25:18). In describing his coming kingdom, or church, our Lord Jesus compared it to many of the common things of life. In Matt. 25, it is recorded that He likened it to a lord and his servants. People were familiar with such relationships, hence the lesson as usual was practical Many people are familiar with the story of the lord, his servants, and the talents they received, but the spiritual, or heavenly mean- ing of the story is what must needs be emphasized. Faithfulness: -- One servant received five talents; one received two; and the third received only one. They were all servants; two turned out to be faithful in the use of their talents, but one was unfaithful. Both the one who received the five talents and the one that received the two talents fulfilled their responsibility. They used their talents to the best of their ability to make more talents for their master. Though the amount that each did was not the same, nevertheless, both were pronounced to be "good and faithful servants." Both received the same welcome plaudit from their master: "Enter thou into the joy of thy lord." They were not rewarded for the amount of work accomplished, but rather for their faithfulness. The spiritual application is that if we are faithful in fulfilling our responsibilities, we too will be reward- ed by being admitted into our Father's house of many mansions. This is the beautiful side of the story, but we must not overlook the dark, unpleasant, and dismal side of the same story told. Unfaithfulness: -- The one talent man was a servant too, serving the same lord of the house that the other two servants were ser- ving. He was one of the lord's own servants (Matt. 25:14). All that this servant did was something to keep from doing what he was obligated to do. "He went and digged in the earth and hid his lord's money." He used the cover up method and hid his responsibility, thus soothing his own conscience by self decept- ion. Many people do that same thing now in the Lord's church. Such are anti-types, opposed to the Lord's stated requirements. All that the one talent man did was something to keep from doing his lord's will. There are people in the Lord's church and in the world who work harder trying to keep from doing God's Will, than they would work if they were to actually do His Will. The lord of that one talent man said unto him: "Thou wicked and slothful servant," etc. Jesus here taught that one does not have to be a murderer, a thief, an adulterer, or a liar, etc., in order to be a wicked person. One man was called wicked because he would not forgive a fellow servant after his own lord had forgiv- en him so much (Matt. 18:32). Yes, that ungrateful servant was called wicked because he did not and would not do something that he should have done with what he had. So with the one talent man, he failed to do what he should have done. A person can be wicked, therefore, without doing anything except failing to do that which is God's Will for him to do. (Sins of ommission will condemn one as well as the sins of commission, JWS). Would to God that all the members of the Lord's church would learn this great lesson before it is eternally too late. James said: "Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin" (Jas. 4:17). James did not say that it is a mistake, or that it is a blunder, or that it is out of order, BUT, he said it is SIN! Moses told the two and one half tribes that were well established on the eastern side of the Jordan that they had to help the other tribes conquer the land on the west side of the Jordan. And he told them that if they did not do that, they would sin! (Num. 32: 23). (They went across the Jordan and fought with their breth- ren in taking and occupying the land, they did this even though their brethren were very lax in carrying out their duties, it caused them to have to stay away from their own land and families on the eastern side of the Jordan for over seven years, JWS). Hence, even Moses taught that it was sin to fail to do what God desires that we do. It is easy to conceive that there will be as many, if not more, people in hell for having failed to do that which they should have done as those that do what they should not have done. Every transgression (doing what they were not supposed to do) and every disobedience (failing to do that which they were supposed to do) received a just punishment under the law of Moses: "how shall we escape if we neglect," if we fail in the religion of Christ to do what we know to do and must do (Heb. 2:2,3)? The obvious answer is: we shall not esca- pe! Lost: -- The man who digged and hid his lord's money received this verdict: "Cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer dark- ness: there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth" (Matt. 25:30). This depicts the end of all who fail to do in the church of the Lord what God expects of them to be doing. This proves that a child of God an be lost, and will be lost if he does not use his given talents to do the Lord's Will for him. Therefore, away with the damnable doctrine of the impossibility of apostasy. Such not only contradicts the teaching of this parable, but also hund- reds of other passages of holy Scripture. I challenge any preach- er who teaches that a child of God cannot be lost to face this parable fairly and squarely in debate! The servant who digged was consigned to the place of tor- ment. And all the pretty funeral talks that might have been manu- factured and conceived of could not have altered that verdict any at all. When a disobedient child of God dies in disobedience no amount of pretty speeches made at the funeral will help him any at all, or change in any way his awful destiny. After you die it will be too late to learn this lesson; now is the time to repent and pray, brother, if you are failing to do your Father's Will. And remember, that the "lost digger" was the man of least responsi- bility; the man of whom the lord expected the least. But he prob- ably thought that since he was not expected to do as much work as the other servants, therefore to do nothing would be quite alright. He said that he was afraid and went and hid his lord's money. Yes, he was afraid; he digged; he hid his lord's money; AND HE WAS LOST! ----- Basil Overton in The Preceptor, Vol. 1, No. 9, July, 1952. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20081212/de29d2b3/attachment-0001.html From terrywbenton at bellsouth.net Fri Dec 12 12:07:10 2008 From: terrywbenton at bellsouth.net (Terry W. Benton) Date: Fri, 12 Dec 2008 12:07:10 -0600 Subject: [Biblemat] Let's Keep The Mass in Christmas? Message-ID: Terry to the list: Let's Keep The Mass in Christmas? I may seem to be a fuddy-dud or a scrooge in saying this, but Christmas is a national holiday that started out under the misguided influences of people who blindly accepted it as a proper time to celebrate the birth of Christ. Christmas, as a concept, has evolved and has meant different things to different people. God's people have always tried to tell the truth that this is not the time Jesus was born, and that we should not go along with the lies that others are telling and singing when they say such things as "Christ was born on Christmas morning". We have tried to honor the Lord's birth at all times of the year, but frankly too much is made of Jesus' birth in an incorrect time of year, and too little is made of His death which provides the salvation of mankind through consistent and persistent faith in Him. The Lord told us to do something to memorialize His death (1 Cor.11:17f) and even tells us that is it to be done each first day of the week (Acts 20:7; 1 Cor.16:1-2), yet the clear instructions are ignored while inconsistently insisting on a yearly human tradition be observed (and that on the wrong day). God did not tell us a day to observe a birthday party for Jesus, yet people insist on picking out a poorly chosen date, and acting like God is pleased with what they are doing to erroneously celebrate Jesus' birth. All the fuss about "keeping Christ in Christmas" is a lot about nothing. Christmas is not a divinely given command. It is a misguided human tradition. It makes no sense for Christians to tell people to "keep Christ in Christmas" when we would not equally demand that people "keep the Mass in Christmas". The religious origins of the term for Christmas goes back to Roman Catholicism. The Roman Catholics adapted a Mass to coincide with an earlier pagan festival. Thus, the term "Christ-Mass". Protestants did not want to keep the mass in Christmas (a Catholic usage), so they retained the term "Christmas" while removing the mass as a practice. They wanted to keep the concept of celebrating Jesus' birth, but they dropped the Catholic concept of MASS. Through the years, the Catholics have wanted to keep the mass in Christmas. Protestants did not mind the term "Christ-mas" as long as one did not actually observe the "Mass" that Catholics had associated with the day. Thus, Christmas evolved to mean different things to Catholics and to Protestants. The term has evolved further. As different people found the holiday a fun time of family and color and personal traditions, it has been the tradition of many families who did not associate the time of year called "Christmas" to anything religious, to use the time to celebrate the blessings of family and children. Trees, and lights, and decorations, and gifts have just been a nice, enjoyable, time of year for the family. Some associate it to the birth of Christ (without good Biblical reason to do so) and others, realizing it has no Biblical support, do not associate it to the birth of Christ. Some of these are Christians who see no biblical basis for supporting the error that Jesus was born in December, particularly, December 25. Others do not mind the term "Christmas", because it has come to mean nothing religious anymore. Just as the terms "Monday" and "Thursday" have lost their religious association to pagan gods, Christmas is not viewed by many as an inherently religious term. It has religious origins, just as "Monday" and "Thursday" have religious origins, but the terms have lost religious associations, and the use of the terms themselves do not prove anything about what is believed about those terms. The term has come to mean different things to different people, some with religious significance and some without it. Some Protestants are speaking out about how upset they are about the reference to "Christ" in Christmas, being dropped, but they do not want to confess that a MASS is built into the term too. They simply ignore it, and then adjust to it, and then adopt it with a different connotation to what they choose to think about the day of Dec.25. If they can keep the term and make it mean to them what they prefer it to mean, then why cannot others adopt the term and say it means fun and family? The truth is, this is exactly what has happened. Christ Himself was never associated with Dec.25 as a holy day. If we should join the cry to keep Christ in Christmas religiously, then consistency demands that we also make an equal plea to get the MASS back in Christmas religiously. While I do not like the ever increasing efforts to remove references to God, Jesus, or Christ from public displays, and have every American right to confess and profess the name of Jesus where I please, and while I defend the American right to profess God in any way an American feels compelled to profess Him, I am not at all convinced that GOD was ever honored by men adapting His name to a pagan holy day. I'm certain that when people say "Lord haven't we done this in your name" (Matt.7:21f), that the Lord will say it was all "lawlessness" and iniquity, done without His authority at all. A lot of what men say they are doing in His name, is not done by His authorization at all. The American way and the Bible way are often polls apart. Traditional religion and the Bible are often very different. I don't have an American gripe about people wanting to put Christ in Christmas. I have a biblical gripe that people don't seem to want Christ much at all in many other days of the year, but they pretend that it is important to God that we tell people Jesus was born on Dec.25. That is just plain wrong. Let's put Jesus in our hearts every day of the year. And if we are going to say anything about a day that matters to God, let's be sure to mention every first day of the WEEK (Act2. 20:7; 1 Cor.16:1,2). Do you want to put the MASS back in Christmas? Christ never was in Christmas. Men invented it according to their own will. Christ never was in the Mass. Men invented that too. Christ belongs in every heart every day of every year. Let us put Christ where He belongs and deserves to be, right there in your heart and mine. Only then will He be honored. Terry W. Benton Terry W. Benton Visit: www.pinelanechurchofchrist.com Dan Billingsly vs. Terry W. Benton Exchange on the Four Gospels at: http://www.pinelanechurchofchrist.com/SiteFiles/157/Benton%20Billingsly%20Debate.doc -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20081212/60b420b3/attachment-0001.html From RobSaunder at aol.com Fri Dec 12 23:52:53 2008 From: RobSaunder at aol.com (RobSaunder at aol.com) Date: Sat, 13 Dec 2008 00:52:53 EST Subject: [Biblemat] Thanks for the help! Message-ID: Thanks to those who sent sermon material they've used for funerals. Steven **************One site keeps you connected to all your email: AOL Mail, Gmail, and Yahoo Mail. The NEW AOL.com.(http://www.aol.com/?optin=new-dp&icid=aolcom40vanity&ncid=emlcntaolcom00000019) -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20081213/b994b6ee/attachment-0001.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Sat Dec 13 03:53:43 2008 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Sat, 13 Dec 2008 04:53:43 EST Subject: [Biblemat] A) GOD HAS SPOKEN Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. A very good Saturday morn- ing to each and everyone. May God bless you and yours. Here is an article from my recent files: GOD HAS SPOKEN A huge buffet is set before life's travelers today, attractively decorated and with an enticing aroma that draws great throngs of people who partake with gusto and delight in what they are led to believe is nourishing and wholesome food for the soul. "You will not surely die," the devil told Eve as she contemplated the fruit with a goodly appearance which whetted her appetite (Gen. 3:4-6). Israel grew tired of manna and pined for variety (Exo. 16:31-35; Num. 11:4-10). Even so, people today turn from God' provision of wholesome, life-giving Words, disdaining the simplicity and flavor of God's Message (1 Tim. 4:6; Jas. 1:21-25; Jno. 6:63,66-68), which sometimes reproves and corrects and causes temporary grief by its chastening, finally yielding the fruit of righteousness in those who are created anew by it (Heb. 12: 11; 2 Cor. 7:8-11). Friends, what do you seek? Does the simple food of God's provision appeal to you? Do you hunger and thirst for true right- eousness (Matt. 5:6)? Do you desire to worship God in spirit and in truth (Jno. 4:24)? Are you seeking a place to serve God as well as to be edified in the faith? Is the manna of God's truth more desirable than the whipped topping of amusement and entertainment after the traditions of men which starve the soul? Spiritual starvation in the midst of spiritual plenty is one of life's saddest ironies. The church of Christ which meets at Valley View, 14278 Hwy 72 West, Athens, AL 35611, invites you to visit, to see and hear, and to become a fellow-worker in the kingdom of Christ. We seek to offer only the pure milk and meat of the gospel of Christ, to worship and work only by the authority of Christ, having our fellowship in Him (1 Jno. 1). "Come!" (Rev. 22:17-21). -------------- ------- Gilbert Alexander. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20081213/d4547063/attachment-0001.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Sat Dec 13 03:53:54 2008 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Sat, 13 Dec 2008 04:53:54 EST Subject: [Biblemat] S) SALVATION BY GRACE Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. Here is a study from my files. Use to the glory of God. SALVATION BY GRACE Many times, in talking to people about God's terms of salvat- ion (Heb. 5:9; Mk. 16:16), the argument is offered that we are "saved by grace" (Eph. 2:8), not by some kind of "plan" we "must do." Yet the very same passage goes on to say we are saved "by grace through faith." And since faith comes by hear- iong the Word of God (Rom. 10:17), we are back to the same point: "What does Christ demand of Us?" (Matt. 7:21-23). After all, Christ is not going to give us two different plans! He is not the God of confusion (1 Cor. 14:33). But since we want to talk about "grace," let us note another passage that also talks about our salvation by grace. "The grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present age" (Titus 2:11,12). Now, let us pause here and ask a few questions: Are there two sources of salvation? After all, the "grace of God" is also "teaching us" and making some requirements on how we live. Where is this "teaching" revealed? Does that mean we don't need the New Testament any more, or is it found in the New Testament? And, if there are two sources, are these two "sources" compatible? How do we know? When Barnabas urged the church in Antioch to "continue in the grace of God" (Acts 13:43), was he saying that the New Testament was not important, just the "grace of God"; or did he mean for them to abide in the teachings of Christ (Jno. 8:31)? And how do we harmonize all this with Acts 15 (which says they were to abide in the apostles' doctrine) and Rom. 1:16 (which says the gospel is God's means of salvation? The truth is that unless we wish to affirm God has two differ- ent sources of revelation (one known only to a few people) and two different plans of salvation (making Him a respecter of per- sons), something is wrong with our interpretation of the "grace of God." And since God does not teach two different "faiths" (Eph. 4:4-6), we need to take a close look at what Titus 2:11,12 is also teaching us. it goes on to say in vs. 14 that Christ redeem- ed us from "every lawless deed." So, we still come back to the law of Christ (Gal. 6:2), by which we will all be judged (Jas. 2:12; 2 Cor. 5:10). So what does Titus 2:11,12 tell us about the "grace of God"? It does show we are saved by God's grace (Eph. 2:8). But what is God's grace? God's grace is mercy extended to those who don't deserve it (see Rom. 5:8-10). But it still has the right to have terms -- "teaching us" how to live properly in this present age (Titus 2:11). Christ died for us -- that was His grace in offer- ing us salvation. He then gave us the New Testament, His law, so we could have that salvation (Heb. 5:9). That too was part of His grace (as He didn't need to offer us anything at all). If we obey what He instructs, we can have that salvation "through faith," which is still part of His grace in even offering it. So "grace" is Christ dying and giving us the New Testament to guide us. When we obey its terms, we can have the salvation it offers. Truly the "grace of God" is a wonderful gift that we really do not deserve! But, if we don't obey it, we reject God's grace and are lost (2 Thes. 1:8). So, read His terms (Matt. 7:21-23; Mk. 16:16; Acts 2:38; 22:16; Rom. 10:9,10)! Will you reject the "grace of God" that He has offered you (Rom. 6:23)? If you do not heed its "teaching," He cannot give you the salvation He wanted you to have! ------ Donald P. Ames in The Truth Maga- zine, Vol. 52, No. 5, May, 2008. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20081213/e758aa18/attachment-0001.html From tedwards at onemain.com Sat Dec 13 05:54:52 2008 From: tedwards at onemain.com (tedwards at onemain.com) Date: Sat, 13 Dec 2008 05:54:52 -0600 Subject: [Biblemat] B> Gospel Observer 12/7/08 Message-ID: <49434E2C.23598.FF503A@localhost> ____________________________________________________ THE GOSPEL OBSERVER ____________________________________________________ "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations...teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:19,20). ____________________________________________________ December 7, 2008 ____________________________________________________ The City of Babylon by Mark Mayberry Introduction Babylon, an ancient city-state famous for its magnificence and culture, was located on the banks of the Euphrates River in the region of Shinar. Babylon is mentioned over 250 times in the Bible. Biblical writers often portray this ancient capital of Babylonia as archetypal of pagan idolatry. The city of Babylon was situated along the Euphrates River about 300 miles north-west of the Persian Gulf and approximately 30 miles southwest of modern Baghdad in Iraq. At one time, the Euphrates flowed through the midst of the city. However, as rivers are often wont to change their course, today the river runs somewhat east of the ancient city. In the Hebrew language, the name Babylon is derived from the root Babel, meaning "to confound or confuse," and has reference to the confusion of tongues that occurred at the Tower of Babel (Gen. 11:9). The Genesis account says the ancient prehistoric city of Babylon was founded by Cush and the followers of Nimrod (Gen. 10:8-10). Her History The storied history of Babylon can be divided into two distinct periods: The Old Babylonian Kingdom which dates from 1830-1550 B.C., and the New Babylonian Empire which dates from 626-539 B.C. The great Hammurabi, remembered for the ancient code of law that bears his name, is associated with the first period, while King Nebuchadnezzar is identified with the second. Babylon did not play a significant role in Bible history until she reached the Neo-Babylonian Period. The Bible refers to Babylon, the capital of Chaldea, as "the beauty of kingdoms" and "the glory of the Chaldeans' pride" (Isa. 13:19). The Chaldean empire is also known as the Neo-Babylonian empire. Its leaders include Nabopolassar, Nebuchadnezzar II, Evil-Merodach, Neriglissar, and Nabonidus. However, the most famous and successful of all these rulers was Nebuchadnezzar. Nebuchadnezzar II, the son of Nabopolassar, ruled Babylon from 605-562 B.C. During his days, Babylon reached the zenith of her power and glory. Nebuchadnezzar was a skillful builder and master administrator as well as mighty conqueror. From a biblical standpoint, Nebuchadnezzar is remembered for having deported the nation of Judah. His army first marched into Palestine in 606/605 B.C. At this time, the first group of Jewish nationals was taken into Babylonian captivity. Daniel was numbered among the leading citizens who were exiled at this time. His army returned in 597 B.C. The first Babylonian attack on Jerusalem occurred on March 15-16 of that year, as recorded in the Babylonian Chronicle, a contemporary cuneiform text. After Jerusalem fell, Jehoiachin, the king of Judah, and 10,000 captives, including Ezekiel, were taken as prisoners to Babylon. For about eight years the Jews endured the Babylonian yoke and paid tribute to Nebuchadnezzar. However, in 589 B.C., Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon, perhaps trusting in the Egyptian promises of military aid. Nebuchadnezzar and his army marched against Jerusalem and besieged the city for about two years. Finally, in July of 586 B.C., the wall was breached and the Chaldean hordes poured into the city. After the smoke had cleared, the city lay in ruins. Solomon's temple was razed to its very foundation, and nearly all the Jewish inhabitants of Palestine were carried away into exile. Such was the severity of God's judgment upon his wayward people. Her Grandeur The city of Babylon did not reach the height of its glory until the reign of Nebuchadnezzar (Dan. 4:30). He spent lavish sums of money in splendid building programs. His brilliant city included vast fortifications, famous streets such as the Processional Way, canals, temples, and palaces. The Ishtar Gate, which led into the city through the double wall fortifications, was decorated with rows of bulls and dragons on enameled brick. Likewise, the walls of Nebuchadnezzar's throne room were covered with enameled brick. During his days, the towering ziggurat was rebuilt. Nearby was the temple of Marduk, the patron god of Babylon. Not far distant were the hanging gardens of Babylon, which the Greeks considered one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. According to the Greek historian Herodotus, who wrote in the 5th century B.C., Babylon lay in the shape of a huge square, surrounded by 60 miles of walls, the greatest of which was 300 feet high and 87 feet wide. Within these walls, the streets of the city ran at right angles to each other. These boulevards were lined with houses that stood three to four stories high. Archaeological excavations that occurred between 1899 and 1917, and then again after 1958, have revealed much about this enormously wealthy city. While the description of Herodotus was somewhat exaggerated, the city was all the same quite impressive. The walls were about eleven miles long with a total of eight or nine gates. The outer wall was 25-feet thick and the inner one was 23-feet thick. Watchtowers stood 65 feet apart on the walls. Archaeologists estimate that the population of greater Babylon (i.e., the walled city and its suburbs) in Nebuchadnezzar's day was approximately 500,000. Her Sin -- Lust of the Flesh Babylon followed after the lust of the flesh. In particular, she is condemned for her "sensuality" (Isa. 47:8-11). This Hebrew word, which means voluptuousness, comes from the root word eden, which not only describes the garden home of Adam and Eve, but refers to that which is luxurious, dainty, and delightful (2 Sam. 1:24; Ps. 36:8; Jer. 51:34). Fleshly lusts could be easily indulged in Babylon (Dan. 5:1-4). While it was customary for all who dwelt in the palace of Nebuchadnezzar to eat the king's choice food and wine, Daniel and his friends determined that they would not defile themselves with such (Dan. 1:5,8). Lust of the Eyes Babylon followed after the lust of the eyes. Motivated by grasping rapaciousness, she conquered many weaker neighboring kingdoms, thus acquiring their wealth and land. Although Babylon served as the arm of God's avenging wrath, nevertheless, she enjoyed her role too much. Her capacity for violence and bloodshed was unrestrained (Isa. 14:3-6). Thus Babylon would be held guilty for her savage cruelty (Hab. 1:1-11). The Pride of Life Babylon was condemned for her pride. Called "the beauty of kingdoms, the glory of the Chaldeans' pride," nevertheless, she would be overthrown and brought low (Isa. 13:19-22). Although Babylon was lifted up to the heavens, yet she would be humiliated and disgraced, stripped of her eminence, excellence, and glory (Isa. 14:11-15). God would judge her haughty and arrogant spirit (Jer. 50:29-32). Her Overthrow -- Old Testament Prophecies Babylon was the focus of many Old Testament prophecies. In particular, Isaiah and Jeremiah predicted the downfall of the city of Babylon (Isa. 13-14; Jer. 50-51). This sentence would be administered against Babylon because of her overweening pride, her depraved sensuality, and her cruel violence. She would be completely overthrown, never to rise again (Isa. 13:17-22; 14:16-23). These prophecies were clearly fulfilled. In 539 B.C., Babylon was conquered by Cyrus, leader of the Medo-Persian alliance. Herodotus says that the army of Cyrus diverted the Euphrates River and then marched up the riverbed under the city walls. Babylon fell without a fight. Afterwards, the city of Babylon began to slowly decay. Xerxes plundered it. Alexander the Great thought to restore it, but the cost proved prohibitive. The city soon thereafter fell into ruins and was re-taken by the desert. Babylon was never to be revived. Today, the ruins of this ancient city stand as an eloquent testimony to the passing of proud empires and to the providential hand of God in history. New Testament Symbolism Thus, considering the history, grandeur, and transgressions of Babylon, it is not surprising to find this city used as a symbol in the Book of Revelation. As ancient Babylon had been noted for cruelty, oppression, and wickedness, so also the Imperial City of Rome had a similar reputation in the New Testament era (Rev. 18:1-3). Christians were suffering persecution from the Roman Empire. Nevertheless, God is still in control. Even as the capital of Chaldea was ultimately overthrown (Isa. 21:6-9), so Rome was also destined to fall (Jer. 50:9-13; Rev. 14:8). Her Seductiveness -- Wrong Approach King Hezekiah foolishly sought to impress the ambassadors from Babylon by showing them all the treasures of his house (Isa. 39:1-8). We make the same mistake whenever we try to impress the world. Many would replace the preaching of the cross with a message that is more popular, more positive, more pleasant, more palatable. They sacrifice gospel preaching on the altar of pop psychology. They appeal to the world through the lust of the flesh (through emphasizing food, fun, frolic), the lust of the eyes (through emphasizing impressive and imposing facilities), and the pride of life (through emphasizing a self-esteem stroking, self-affirming philosophy). Instead of fire and brimstone, they minister to the hearer's felt needs. Yet, all such compromises are doomed to failure (1 Cor. 1:18-31). We need to quit trying to entertain the goats and get back to feeding the sheep. Gospel preachers have been given a sacred charge: They must preach the word! With courage and conviction, they must reprove, rebuke and exhort with all authority (2 Tim. 4:1-5). Right Approach In closing his first epistle, Peter said, "She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you greetings" (1 Pet. 5:13-14). It matters not whether Peter was referring to saints in Mesopotamia or saints in Rome. Either way, the people of God must learn how to live in the world, and yet remain apart from the world (John 17:14-17). No matter how impressive Babylon may seem, the people of God must maintain their distinctiveness. God demands our full allegiance, and will not countenance divided loyalties (Rev. 14:6-13). We must come out and be separate (2 Cor. 6:14-18; Rev. 18:4-5). Conclusion Thus we have examined the history, grandeur, sin, overthrow, and seductiveness of Babylon. The lessons are many: God still rules in the kingdoms of men (Jer. 27:5). Righteousness still exalts a nation, but sin is still a disgrace to any people (Prov. 14:34). Apart from God, all human accomplishments continue to be vanity and striving after the wind (Eccl. 1:2). Satan still would tempt us through the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life (1 John 2:15-17). Let us not be seduced by the deceitfulness of sin (Heb. 3:13). Rather, let us resolve to fear God and keep his commandment, recognizing that this is the whole reason for our existence (Eccl. 12:13-14). Sources Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary, s.v. "Babylon." The New Unger's Bible Dictionary, s.v. "Babylon." The New Unger's Bible Handbook, 198-200. The Revell Bible Dictionary, s.v. "Babylon." -- Via Truth Magazine Vol. XLIV: 4 p10 February 17, 2000 ____________________________________________________ CHURCH OF CHRIST 201 Rushing Road (at the Hampton Inn) Denham Springs, LA 70726 Sunday: 9:15 AM, 10:00 AM, 4:00 PM evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards (225) 667-4520 tedwards at onemain.com http://home.onemain.com/~tedwards/go DIRECTIONS: Take the Denham Springs exit (exit 10) off of I-12. At the end of the exit ramp, turn north. Go about a stone's throw to Rushing Road. (You'll see a Starbucks, Circle K, and two other gas stations; with each on each corner.) Turn left on Rushing Road, and go less then 0.3 of a mile. Hampton Inn will be on the right. We assemble in its meeting room, which is very close to the reception counter. ____________________________________________________ From robertwater at gmail.com Fri Dec 12 16:42:28 2008 From: robertwater at gmail.com (Robert Waters) Date: Fri, 12 Dec 2008 16:42:28 -0600 Subject: [Biblemat] =?windows-1252?q?=93The_Commandments_of_the_Lord=94_?= =?windows-1252?q?=96_Love_or_Apostolic_Teachings=3F?= Message-ID: Robert Waters with greetings to the lis. Below is an article on a very important topic. I hope you profit from it. Brotherly, Robert Waters *"The Commandments of the Lord" ? Love or Apostolic Teachings?* 1 Corinthians 14:37 By Robert Waters There are many in the church of Christ today who seem convinced that the church, as an organization, can in a collective way do anything it desires without Biblical authority. One person wrote: *"The law of Christ is love. It is NOT a list of commandments to be searched out from the New Testament." *False teachers have resounded this false teaching over and over again, and the result has been devastating for the Lord's church. They preach love and minimize the importance doctrine?it is unimportant they say. But to reject doctrine is to reject knowledge. Note the plight of God's ancient people when they rejected knowledge: (Ho 4:6) *My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.* Indeed, when Christians reject the commandments of Christ by claiming that the epistles are merely love-letters, they are destroying themselves by rejecting knowledge. This error has developed due to a misunderstanding and misapplication of the following passage: Rom. 6:14-15 - *For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.* True, we are not under Law but under grace, but how are we to understand this teaching? Does it mean the kingdom of Christ is a lawless kingdom? Before we deal with the above passage we need to emphasize the need for good hermeneutics when we study a passage, because a failure to do so is sure to result in misunderstanding and misapplication of a text. We must look for passages that might shed light on the topic and then study them and prayerfully come to a conclusion that allows for harmony of the scriptures. Was *love* all that the apostle Paul wrote about and emphasized? Paul wrote: "?*The things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord*" (1 Cor. 14:37b).Surely no one would suggest that Paul only wrote about love? He provided examples of church practices designed to teach us to do the same. Thus, the concept of the "law of Christ" being nothing but love and that we need not bother looking for and following commandments, was not in the apostle's mind. The Lord's church is an organization and organizations have rules by which they are governed. The concept of rules, laws, and commandments are synonymous. In view of the passage presented below, the idea that the Lord's church has no rules or commandments to follow is absurd: *"Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ" *(Gal 6:2)*.* Unfortunately, commenting on the above text, many commentators refer the reader to a statement made by Jesus that leads people astray: "*A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another" *(John 13:34)*.* Jesus said, "I give unto you *a* new commandment". He did not say, "Love is the ONLY commandment," or "love is My entire law". Jesus' law was taught by the apostles. Don't ever forget Paul's statement: "?*The things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.*" Paul said, "Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ" (Gal 6:2).Commenting on the word "fulfill", Gill says, "...by 'fulfilling', it is meant, doing it, acting in obedience to it, and not a perfect fulfilling it, which cannot be done by sinful creatures". Now let us get back to the Roman text. Rom. 6:14-15 - *For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.* Paul states that we are not under the Law, i.e. the Law of Moses, but are under grace. Does this mean one may reject rules, law and commandments and still benefit from grace, or that the commandments of Jesus (other than love) are not important? Let us look now at various passages that relate to this issue: (Joh 15:10a) - *If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; (John 14:15) If ye love me keep my commandments.* These passages tells us that we can't even love the Lord or be loved by the Lord UNLESS we keep His commandments. Note that "commandments" is plural rather than singular, which means "love" cannot be what Paul was talking about when he said "the things I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord" (See also John 14:21 and 1 John 3:24). (1 John 3:4) *"Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law."* Is John talking about the Law of Moses? No, he is talking about the law of Christ (Gal. 6:2). (1 Cor 7:19) *"Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God." * *Albert Barnes** hits the nail on the head with his commentary: **"But the keeping of the commandments of God. *Is something, is the main thing, is everything; and this can be done whether a man is circumcised or not." (1 John 2:3) *"And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments." * Some think they know Him because they "feel it in their heart", i.e., they believe that love is all they need to be saved. But God said, *"The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?" *(Jer 17:9). (1 John 2:4) *"He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him." * In view of the fact that one is a liar who DOES NOT keep His commandments, how can we NOT emphasize the importance of keeping His commandments, which includes the teaching of Paul (1 Cor. 14:37)? (1 John 3:22) *"And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight."* Love is a motivator, but if we want to receive anything from Jesus we must keep His commandments and DO certain things. (See also James 1:22-25). (Rom 6:16) *"Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?"* Since obedience is "unto righteousness" we are forced to conclude that there is more to Christianity than love and grace. (2 Thes 1:8) *"In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ."* Is the apostle merely concerned with whether one has "love" or is he concerned about people who do not obey the gospel? (Heb 5:9) *"And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him".* If it were true that love is the only important thing, then wouldn't the word "love" be found where the word "obey" is found in the above passage? (1 Peter 4:17) *"For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?" * >From Peter's statement it is evident that obedience to the gospel is essential. Unfortunately, because of the error that is taught, many today who claim to be Christians have not, in fact, obeyed the gospel. These same people scoff, ridicule and brand as Pharisees those who emphasize obedience. The real power of salvation is in the blood of Christ (Matt. 26:28; Acts 20:28; Rom 3:25; 5:9; Eph 1:7; Heb. 9:13-14; 1 Pet 1:18-19; 1 John 1:7).Thus, one cannot save himself by works (Eph 2:8, 9). By His grace God saves us through faith. But "faith" that has not proven itself by actions is dead (James 1:22-25; 2:17-24). When you hear someone teaching that we are not under law and that one's salvation is based entirely on love or grace, and that the church can engage in any work it desires without seeking authority because it is all about love and nothing about commandments, you can be sure that he is not teaching from the inspired word of God. The "commandments of the Lord" very definitely contain apostolic teaching directed to churches and individuals. We must learn of them and obey them. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20081212/cfa9b8fb/attachment-0001.html From Listed at bible.ca Sat Dec 13 08:44:38 2008 From: Listed at bible.ca (Jedi) Date: Sat, 13 Dec 2008 09:44:38 -0500 Subject: [Biblemat] Encyclopedia list of sins Message-ID: <20081213144438.C62791070@smtp01.mountaincable.net> I would appreciate any input you have on the list of sins. this is for a flyer I am printing for door knocker hangers with the hole on the top. Door to door distribution. I am printing 10,000 so I would like your input. Great deal by the way, 10,000 door knocker flyers 4.25 x 11 inches double sided two colour, printed in dallas for $330! Steve Rudd www.bible.ca ============================== The problem: All have sinned (Rom 3:23) Have you committed on of sins in this list? Sin is disobeying any of God?s commands Religious sins: atheism, denying Satan exists, denying Jesus died on the cross or rose from the dead, hating God, sorcerery, idolatry, fortune-tellering, casting spells, interpreting omens, calling up the dead, mediums and spiritists, soothsayers, seances, Ouija boards, horoscopes, witchcraft, divination, worshipping nature or cows or statues of fat men, praying to dead Christians instead of to God, not praying, repeating the same prayer many times in a row, not attending church regularly, any doctrine not taught in the Bible blueprint, taking God?s name in vain by saying, ?Oh my God? or ?Jesus Christ? when not saying it to God, loving pleasure rather than God, vow breaking. Sexual sins: adultery, living common law, fornication (sex before marriage), immorality, divorce (except when your spouse has had sex with another), sensuality, internet porn, impurity, sexual promiscuity, homosexual sex, pedophilia, sex with animals, effeminate, cross dressing, lewd or immodest dressing, public nudity or topless beaches, incest, rape. Society sins: murderer, kidnapping, lying, perjurer, slander, malicious gossip, strife, enmities, disputing, dissensions, factions, racism, rebellion, bribery, cursing, disobeying or disrespecting parents, parents who abandon their children, parents failing to discipline children, complainers, laziness, freeloaders unwilling to work, foolish talking, inventors of evil, untrustworthy, unloving, angry tempers, outbursts of anger, irreconcilable, brutality, treachery, recklessness, inhospitable, refusing to pay taxes, disobeying civil law, civil insurrection, employees who work only when boss is watching, employers who cheat employees, not helping the genuine needy or orphans or widows or sick or unjustly oppressed, young disrespecting the older, pacifism by failing to do the right thing, rejecting valid criticisms. Partying sins: drunkenness, drinking parties, reviling, carousing, smoking cigarettes, recreational use of drugs like marijuana & ecstasy, dirty or vulgar jokes, over eating, squandering money with gambling or loose living. Materialism sins: swindling, fraud, stealing, craving another?s things, greed, using dishonest scales, loving money, not content with what you have, valuing money above family, ostentatious (flashing your wealth around). Heart sins: pride, boasting, envy, jealousy, conceit, vanity, cowardice, selfishness, narcissism, unmerciful, hypocrisy, unthankfulness, malice, insolent, unloving, without self-control, haters of good, unforgiving, remembering another?s sins, holding a grudge against one who wronged you. You can look up all the above sins in your own Bible: Gal 5:19?21; Rom 1:29-32; 3:23; 13:1-13; 2 Cor 12:20-21; Eph 5:3-5; 1 Tim 1:8-10; 2 Tim 3:1-8; Lev 18; Job 31; Deut 18:9-12; 22:5; 2 Chron 33:6; Titus 1:5-12; Matt 6:7; Lk 15:12; Jas 4:17; 1 Jn 3:4; Rev 21:8; 22:15 If you have sinned once, you are destined for Hell and need Jesus' blood You must believe Jesus rose from the dead: ?He who believes and is baptized shall be saved? Mk 16:16 You must decide to stop sinning: ?Repent and be baptized for remission of your sins? Acts 2:38 You must tell others you believe in Jesus: ?I believe Jesus is the Son of God? Acts 8:37 You must be baptized: ?Why do you delay, arise and be baptized and wash away your sins? Acts 22:16; 1 Peter 3:21 Steve Rudd -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20081213/1ee17745/attachment-0001.html From wswalker310 at juno.com Sat Dec 13 08:51:37 2008 From: wswalker310 at juno.com (Wayne S Walker) Date: Sat, 13 Dec 2008 08:51:37 -0600 Subject: [Biblemat] hymn study, "Savior and Friend" Message-ID: <20081213.085138.2108.3.wswalker310@juno.com> Wayne Walker here with another weekly hymn study. SAVIOR AND FRIEND "My spirit hath rejoiced in God, My Savior" (Lk. 1:47) INTRO.: A hymn which encourages our spirits to rejoice in God, our Savior is "Savior and Friend," also known by its first title "Rest of the Weary." The text was written by John Samuel Bewley Monsell (1811-1875). A minister with the Church of England, he produced eleven volumes of poetry which included around 300 hymns, nearly a fourth of which remained in common usage for many years. "Rest of the Weary" was first published in his 1863 Hymns of Love and Praise for the Church's Year. Among his other hymns which have appeared in our books are "Fight the Good Fight with All Thy Might" and "My Sins, My Sins, My Savior." He was killed in a fall from the roof of the church building at St. Nicholas', Gildford, while it was being rebuilt. The traditional tune (St. Cecilia--Sewell) used with "Rest of the Weary" was composed by Frank Sewell (1837-1915). A Swedenborgian minister and President of Urbana College (now University) in Urbana, OH, he provided words or music for over twenty hymns and helped to edit the hymnbook The Magnificat published by the Swedenborgian Committee of Worship. Among hymnbooks published by members of the Lord's church during the twentieth century for use in churches of Christ, ?Rest of the Weary? did not appear in any. A form of it, copyright in 2000, may be found, under the title ?Savior and Friend? in the 2007 Sumphonia Hymn Supplement published by the Guardian of Truth Foundation as a prototype for their new hymnbook and edited by Steve Wolfgang, et. al. The first stanza of Monsell?s hymn was used, with some slight alterations; two additional stanzas, which seem to be drawn somewhat from Monsell?s other stanzas, were provided by Matthew W. Bassford and Craig A. Roberts; and a new tune (Coulson) was composed by Roberts. The song is a statement of how much we rely totally on God in every aspect of our lives. I. Stanza 1 calls Him the rest of the weary ?Rest of the weary, joy of the sad, Hope of the dreary, light of the glad; Home of the stranger, strength to the end, Refuge from danger, Savior and Friend!? A. God offers rest to the weary: Ps. 37:7 B. His word is a light unto our pathway: Ps. 119:105 C. Through His word He gives us a refuge from danger: Ps. 46:1 II. Stanza 2 identifies Him as a pillow for our heads ?Pillow where lying, love rests its head; Peace of the dying, life of the dead; Path of the lowly, prize at the end, Breath of the holy, Savior and Friend!? A. Just as we lay our heads on a pillow at night, so the Christian can lie down in peace and sleep with his mind resting on the pillow of God?s love: Ps. 4:8 B. This same love brings peace to those who are dying in the Lord and life to those who are dead: Ps. 116:15 C. It also directs us along the strait and narrow path of the lowly with the prize of eternal life at the end: Ps. 16:11 III. Stanza 3 says that He is the one who helps us when we stumble and wander ?When my feet stumble, to Thee I?ll cry, Crown of the humble, cross of the high; When my steps wander, over be bend True and fonder, Savior and Friend!? A. Sometimes our feet stumble and we are in danger of falling: Ps. 56:13 B. However, when we cry to God, He will hear our cry and save us: Ps. 61:1 C. Even when our steps wander, His word will help us find our way back: Ps. 119:9-12 IV. Stanza 4 indicates that He is worthy of our praise forever ?Ever confessing Thee, I will raise Unto Thee blessing, glory, and praise; All my endeavor, world without end, Thine to be ever, Savior and Friend!? A. Because God is our Creator, we should be ever confessing Him and blessing His name: Ps. 145:1-2 B. The reason is that He is worthy of our praise: Ps. 48:1 C. However, it is not enough just to praise Him with words; we must also praise Him in deed by devoting all our endeavors to Him: Ps. 119:38 CONCL.: The two additional stanzas in the Symphonia Hymn Supplement are as follows: 2. ?Wealth of the giving, Heart of the kind, Breath of the living, Sight of the blind; Path of the lowly, Crown at the end, Bread of hte holy, Savior and Friend.? 3. Song of the sighing, Lamp of the led, Prayer of the dying, Life of the dead; Be my Endeavor, Unto the end, Love me forever, Savior and Friend.? This hymn would fall into the category of devotional songs, designed to make us more aware of how much we need the Lord and thus to draw us closer to Him as our ?Savior and Friend.? Brotherly, Wayne S. Walker 9024 Amona Dr. Affton, MO 63123 home phone: (314) 638-4710 e-mail: wswalker310 at juno.com website: www.defenderoftruth.com Notes: Other hymn studies are available at the Defender of Truth website. Also, some of my previous hymn studies are now included in book that I have written entitled Songs of Zion. It can be ordered from the publisher by calling 1-800-423-2484 or going to www.faith-facts.com . And I have a Hymn Studies blog at http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/hymnstudies/ . In addition, since this has been called to my attention, I now feel it necessary to include this disclaimer with each message. As owner of this list, I have nothing to do with the ads and links that Yahoogroups sends out with the Hymn of the Day posts nor do I have any control over them. I do not necessarily approve of them and I do not always endorse those who have placed them with Yahoogroups. ____________________________________________________________ Save $15 on Flowers and Gifts from FTD! Shop now at http://offers.juno.com/TGL1141/?u=http://www.ftd.com/17007 From terrywbenton at bellsouth.net Sat Dec 13 19:18:40 2008 From: terrywbenton at bellsouth.net (Terry W. Benton) Date: Sat, 13 Dec 2008 19:18:40 -0600 Subject: [Biblemat] A>The Notable Day of the Lord Message-ID: <34B8CFED44264F4DADE10B23DEC0275E@TerryPC> Terry to the list: When Is "The Great and Notable Day of the Lord" of Joel 2? The "last days" is most often spoken of a final period before something is brought to a close. Peter said that Joel's prophecy of the "last days" was being seen as engaged then on that very day as the Spirit was poured out and then filled the house and filled the apostles with power from on high. Acts 2:16f. This is the beginning of the last days of Judaism, as it would wind down to the final fall in the destruction they would experience in AD 70. That would be the "notable day" of the Lord, that notable day Jesus described in Matthew 23-24 when Judaism would see Jerusalem fall and not one stone be left upon another. That was not the "final day" of the Lord in final judgment, but it was the "notable day" of the Lord. He told his disciples to look for certain signs that would clue them in to get out of Jerusalem and not look back to get things. The "days of vengeance" and the desolation of Jerusalem would involve Jerusalem surrounded by armies (Luke 21:20-22). This judgment would have Jesus written all over it, for He told them and warned them with many "woes" (Matt.23). He told them it would happen to that very generation (Matt.23:34-38). The prophet Joel was not describing what would happen on Pentecost alone but what would happen in the "last days" which would be the last days of the Jewish system that would end with the destruction of Jerusalem. Jesus described the end of that system that would happen to that very generation (Matt.23-24). The Hebrews writer said that they were in "these last days"(Heb.1:1), and gifts were given to others later through the laying on of the apostle's hands (Acts 8:14-18; Heb.2:1-4). No miraculous gifts were given to others on the day of Pentecost except the power from on high that had Baptized the apostles only. The fact of the matter is that Pentecost was simply the start of the prophecy of Joel starting to be fulfilled. On Pentecost no one spoke in tongues or told their visions, dreams, or prophecies except the apostles only. They were experiencing the start of the fulfillment of Joel's prophecy. Ac 2:18 And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy: This is covering many "days" that would wind down to the final destruction of the center of Judaism. Pentecost was just the start of those days. It was a start of the Spirit revelations that would give the Jews a chance to call on the name of the Lord. In these final days the evidence of the Spirit giving these new revelations would be the prophesying, visions, and dreams that would be poured out. The apostles were the start of this, and others would be given the Spirit through their hands ( Acts 6:6; 8:14-18; 19:6; Rom.1:11; 2 Tim.1:6). The "last days" of Judaism would wind down in "that generation" when their temple and Jerusalem would be left desolate. The language Jesus used was of darkness and blood and doom, and was almost identical in Joel's prophecy. The notable day of the Lord is the judgment that came down upon the Jerusalem center of Judaism in AD 70. Why would it the the notable day? Because, their chances to call on the name of the Lord would wind down to that final day of vengeance when the whole system is destroyed (Matt.23:34-36). No day in Judaism has been more notable than those days of vengeance when Jerusalem was surrounded by the Roman armies (Luke 21:20-22) and then the prophecies would reach their climactic fulfillment, and it would be obvious that Jesus was riding on that dark cloud in His judgment against them (Matt.24:1-34). A bloodier day had never been seen in Judah, because there had always been a recovery and rebuilding and a remnant of qualified Levitical priests. This time, it would be the end of Judaism as it had been known. No temple rebuilt, no qualified priests, no sacrifices and offerings. The moon of Jewish greatness and leadership would be turned to blood. Josephus described it in great detail as the very worst of disastrous wars and suffering they had ever seen. It was truly "the notable day of the Lord" that Jesus told them to look for in that generation. There are other contexts that speak of the last day of earth existence. Joel 2 and Acts 2 are not referring to that last day. No, that is a different text and context. There is the last day of the "last days" of Judaism, and there is also the "last day" of final judgment for all. The hour of resurrection (Jno.5:28,29) of evil and good to the judgment (John 12:48) when comes the end of all rule, all authority and earthly power (1 Cor.15:22-26) when the last enemy, death itself, will be destroyed. This is the "last day" that Peter is describing in 2 Pet.3:10. The end of Judaism and it's Jerusalem temple system had a "notable day of the Lord" for it in AD 70. But, the entire world will have a final end, a final last day for the earth. So, it is wrong to confuse the two issues. The pouring out of the Spirit with new visions, prophecies, and dreams would not continue till the final judgment day. But, they would continue to appeal to Judah in the last days of that system. Peter told them to "save yourselves from this perverse generation"(Acts 2:40). That generation would see the end of the temple system, a last day for their system of religious faith in the temple as the place of God's presence. But, death has not been put down. The last enemy has not been destroyed yet, and a final "last day" for that is still ahead. The miraculous gifts are no longer being distributed. By the time the last apostle died which was not long after AD 70, there was no longer the apostle's hands available to impart the gifts, and the New Testament had accumulated into a written whole. The Spirit has not been revealing more things to add to the New Testament. They were supposed to "cease" (1 Cor.13:8-10), at a time when faith, hope, and love would go on. They did cease, and faith. hope, and love are still going on. Thus, the argument that the prophecy of Joel 2 has not been fulfilled in whole is actually not true. Joel spoke of the last days of Judaism, not the last days of earth history. Terry W. Benton Visit: www.pinelanechurchofchrist.com Dan Billingsly vs. Terry W. Benton Exchange on the Four Gospels at: http://www.pinelanechurchofchrist.com/SiteFiles/157/Benton%20Billingsly%20Debate.doc -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20081213/94f67fc0/attachment-0001.html From crxtra at gmail.com Sat Dec 13 23:20:50 2008 From: crxtra at gmail.com (Steven C. Harper) Date: Sat, 13 Dec 2008 22:20:50 -0700 Subject: [Biblemat] A> A Good Name Message-ID: <000001c95dab$bc61da10$35258e30$@com> From: TRUTH & REASON, a bulletin of the Glendale church of Christ, Glendale, AZ. Editor: Steven Harper December 14, 2008 A Good Name The wise writer tells us, "A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches" (Prov. 22:1). After a lifetime of seeking in vain for earthly happiness, he also concluded, "A good name is better than precious ointment" (Eccl. 7:1). He was not talking about having a name like John versus Judas, or Elizabeth over Jezebel [though you might want to think about those before you name your children], but the importance of having a good reputation, based on good character. Along those lines, the great basketball coach, John Wooden, once said, "Be more concerned with your character that your reputation, because character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are." I would have to agree, but I would also add that - often - our reputation [what others think of us] is based on the type of person we really are [our character]. From the inspired Scripture cited above, we know that having a good name is more important than being materially rich and is pleasing to all who may be near the one of good reputation, but who believes that today? Very few, it seems. Ask someone today if they would rather have a good name or lots of money and they will likely choose the money! Some might even pessimistically add, "Reputation doesn't pay the bills!" To many today, they simply cannot see the value of a good name, and they live accordingly. The existing financial crisis in this country was made possible because not a few people were willing to lie on the mortgage application about their income, thinking they would somehow 'make it' on non-existent income; they were helped along by bankers and mortgage brokers who were willing to turn a blind eye to what they knew was false information so they could get their commission. They were not concerned about any possible fallout because, as they then believed, they would simply sell the loan to someone else and it would be their problem. Well, now it is everyone's problem. May I say now that lies don't pay the bills, either? What does this have to do with our reputation? Well, have you tried getting a loan lately? If you happen to need or want one, you will have to fill out the forms as usual, but now the system is actually checking and verifying income and those who are applying are facing a stricter look at whether or not they will actually 'qualify' for the loan. It seems now that one's [financial] reputation now matters! Your credit rating is now being considered [like it used to be] as a determining factor of whether or not one can be trusted. It seems that, now, some people are actually beginning to see that one's reputation does matter. They found out - the hard way - that some people should never have been given a loan because they [1] couldn't afford the payments and [2] had no moral imperative to pay it. This generation that has been raised without moral grounding thinks nothing of walking away from contracts, obligations - not even the marriage relationship - because they simply do not know what is right anymore. And are we surprised that it took a financial crisis for them to discover that character matters? As Christians - people who live as sojourners and not citizens of this world - we should, of course, be concerned with our reputation and character, and we should be most concerned about living in such a way as to not bring a reproach on our name. But even more importantly, we should be concerned about living in such a way as to not bring reproach on the name we wear - the name of Christ! As Christians, we wear the name of Christ - the Son of God - and it demands that we honor Him and His name by the way we live. You see, it is - as Paul said - no longer us who live, but Christ in us (cf. Gal. 2:20). How we live is now not just a reflection on us, but also on Christ and the church. And the world is watching! The world knows whether or not our faith is genuine, and we would do well to remember that. [Hopefully, we already acknowledge that Christ knows whether our faith is genuine or not!] If we are known to be hypocrites, it reflects not just on us, but on Christ and on the church; if we are known to be dedicated, real disciples, that will reflect on Christ and the church, too. Which reputation would you rather have if you go to your neighbor to try to teach them the gospel? Can we agree that a good name matters when trying to reach the lost? So, if having a good name is so important [and it is], how do we attain it? And what are some things we may do to ostensibly attain a good name but, in reality, will bring shame? Let's take a quick look. Attaining a Good Name. Let us admit, first of all, that a 'good name' is one that is primarily based on pleasing God (cf. 1st Thess. 4:1). We all know there are religious men who have a good reputation among men, but whom God would not accept. Jesus condemned those who sought the praise of other men and not from God (John 5:43, 44); they were condemned because they sought the praise of one another and really didn't care what God thought. Seeking the praise of men will hinder us from doing that which is pleasing to God, as exemplified by the rulers of the first century who would not confess Christ (John 12:43, 44). Attaining a Good Name The Right Way. The wise writer said long ago, "Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips." (Prov. 27:2). He would also say, "It is not good to eat much honey, nor is it glorious to seek one's own glory" (25:27). It is one thing to tell everyone you are a 'good guy' and another for someone else to say it about you! As disciples - preachers included - we need to heed these words! It is bordering on arrogance the way I have heard some preachers tell everyone what a good name they have, and how everyone just needs to listen to them because of it - and some brethren believe it! Instead of falling for someone's self-promotion we, as brethren, should be willing to check what anyone says against God's word; we should also be prepared to check their lives against God's word, too. If the apostle Paul's words were not immune to being scrutinized (cf. Acts 17:11), should we do anything less today with uninspired men? And should we not also verify that their lives reflect what they preach? Maintaining a Good Name. While we must rest on past history for our reputation, we should not be afraid to be constantly checking to make sure we are continuing to please God. A good reputation is not guaranteed to last a lifetime; it must be maintained. That comes only when we continue to "walk in the light, as He is in the light" (1st John 1:7). Just because I followed or taught truth in the past does not mean I will in the future - or am even now. Right now, some men are relying on their past reputation to get people to gloss over or plainly ignore what they are teaching or doing now. Those who blindly follow them are willing accomplices and should be ashamed! It is a sad day when men defend others based a past reputation instead of by God's word! So, what kind of reputation do you have among your brethren? To those of the world? Let us not forget the words of Paul: "Conduct yourselves wisely toward outsiders, making the best use of the time" (Col. 4:5). What little time we have here on earth should be used to lead others to salvation, and we do much damage to our efforts if a reputation of worldliness, doubt, and unreliability precedes us. To the world, our reputation is a reflection of Christ, the church, and the faith. Let's must make sure our reputation is one that reflects the character of our Savior. -- Steven Harper -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20081213/cfee7085/attachment-0001.html From tssullivan at charter.net Sat Dec 13 23:35:32 2008 From: tssullivan at charter.net (T. Sean Sullivan) Date: Sat, 13 Dec 2008 23:35:32 -0600 Subject: [Biblemat] The Messenger Vol 003 Iss 041 Message-ID: T he Messenger 2008 Published Weekly by Main Street Church of Christ 306 West Main Street, Newbern, TN 38059 731-627-3514 Bulletin Editor: T. Sean Sullivan VOLUME 003::ISSUE 04:: December 07, 2008 ARTICLE ONE: Is There Evidence for God? ARTICLE TWO: Guilty of Neglect? Article One: Is There Evidence for God? Introduction: All creative projects have indicators that identify their creator. In artwork there are certain techniques that are employed by the artist that provide evidence of their identity even if they do not sign the work with their name. The greatest creative works of all time are without doubt the world itself and the great written work that we call the Bible. If we take the time to look around we must come to the rational conclusion that we are created beings in a designed and created world-therefore we search for our Creator. We need to consider some wonderful elements of design that show God's signature. If we seek to know of our Creator, His second great work is waiting for our learning. We need to consider His word-the Bible and we will do that Lord willing next week. In this article let's look around and see the marks of God's work and the reasons to believe that our "Greater Cause" is the God of Heaven-let's consider Psalm 19:1-6 and look for the evidence that God supplies in the world that He created for us. The heavens declare the Glory of God How wonderful would it be to have to ability to show you God? Can you imagine if we could turn the eyes of men toward heaven and for a moment stretch out a hole in the skies so that they could see God in all His glory? How many hearts would melt at the sight of that irrefutable proof? We live in a society that is typically not used believing without seeing. We are used to the full color demonstrations of everything on our televisions, magazines, movies, or Internet. So it is more and more difficult to stir up faith in an unseen Creator. This, of course, is a very shallow conclusion; one that we need to remedy because the fact is that God is clearly seen in so many levels of evidence. The proof is all around us we only need to open the eyes of our fellow man to see it. The Psalmist declares a vast array of evidence that science is yet to discover but that we have known all along (Psalm 19:1-6)-the heavens declare the glory of God. The immensity of the outlying cosmos is but a glimpse of the vastness of God's glory. The night sky is large and beautiful but it is only a small picture of God's greatness. Our galaxy alone is 5.87x1017 or it this make more sense it is 587 quadrillion miles. It is a number with seventeen zeroes after it-sounds like a long trip. Ours is but one.God's glory is immense! The Firmament shows His handiwork The Psalmist draws our attention closer to home to our immediate atmosphere and that which is inside it. The natural realm, our home, the earth has no comparison, it is not mistake that mankind inhabits the earth and no where else will sustain our lives-God has designed it that way for us (He set "the boundaries of our dwelling" Acts 17:24-27). The bubble of air that surrounds the earth is a perfect combination of life sustaining gases (oxygen, nitrogen, carbon-dioxide, and small percentages of others). These gases also filter the sunlight and heat for our proper limits. There are so many proofs of design in the creation let's quickly consider three that cannot be explained by evolutionists. The termite is one insect that is never alone. Termites only live because they have little creatures inside their stomachs that digest the wood into usable nutrients. The question: How did termites ever survive without those little protists inside them? According to Bug-Guy.com-Termites could not feed on wood without the help of symbiotic protists living inside them. God design these two creatures completely distinct yet complete dependant. The Woodpecker has shock absorbers. There is shock absorbing material that attaches the hard beak to the skull that dampens the pounding (Some woodpeckers have been known to peck continuously for over six hours and even peck holes into concrete boxes). Needless to say man is yet to develop a similar shock absorber. The human cell. When Darwin was writing his assumptions of our origin in the 1800's he assumed that the human cell was simply protoplasm and did not realize that the world would discover how intricate, and impossible to randomly cause, the single human cell is. A human body contain a upwards of 10 trillion cells each of which contains nearly 100 miles of programmed DNA. That is incredible and wondrous. We are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14). The facts of the God's creation are clearly point to an infinitely powerful Cause. Evidence does not contradict Faith: It Strengthens It. I know that you believe in God and that you do not personally require additional proof beyond His special revelation. But all this information only bolsters your present faith to higher levels. It was difficult to endure the words of my instructors in high school and college as they so adamantly denounced my faith in our Creator God through the proclamation of evolution. Today, the tables are turning, more and more evidence is declaring the necessity of a Designer and those who honestly follow the evidence will come to see that our faith was right all along. The scripture clearly warns us against the lies of individuals and groups who are not mindful of God and who do not promote His will. The Psalmist tells that that happiness is not found in the counsel of the world (Psalm 1:1). The apostle Paul shows us that men's wisdom is not to be followed: Romans 1:18-23 "Professing to be wise"-they are fools. 1 Corinthians 1:20-21 Paul asks, "Where is the wise" -not in the world, and again in that same chapter we are told "not many wise"-will listen (1 Corinthians 1:25-31). The Psalmist declares a vast array of evidence that science is yet to discover but that we have known all along (Psalm 19:1-6). Yes, God has given us the Bible in which He reveals Himself, but He has also given us other evidence to notice and use to edify our faith. Just as we use the Bible to share our faith we can also use the other points of evidence as well. Conclusion: All creative projects have indicators that identify their creator. In artwork there are certain techniques that are employed by the artist that provide evidence of their identity even if they do not sign the work with their name. The greatest creative works of all time are without doubt the world itself and the great written work that we call the Bible. If we take the time to look around we must come to the rational conclusion that we are created beings in a designed and created world-therefore we search for our Creator. We have many wonderful elements of design that show God's signature. To know our Creator and his expectations we must turn to His second great work-His word. God's word reveals a plan of salvation for every soul who will commit to serving Him, are you ready to serve your Creator God? ~tss Article Two: Guilty of Neglect? The Hebrew writer poses a question in chapter two verse three. "How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?" It is this question that we should ask our selves today and everyday so that we do not neglect our salvation. Mr. Webster tells us that neglect means, "to give little attention, or respect to, to disregard." He further defines the term with this statement, "It implies giving insufficient attention to something that has claim to one's attention." Let's puts the two together and see what it means to "neglect" our "great salvation." We may form our question with these words, "How shall we escape if we 'give little attention to' our great salvation?" or these words, "How shall we escape if we 'give little respect to' our great salvation?" Or perhaps by saying it this way "How shall we escape if we 'disregard' our great salvation?" Do any of these questions seem to fit the situation that you are in? Have you been disregarding or giving little respect or attention to your salvation? At first thought, I was certain that most of us would quickly answer, "Of course not!" to the above questions. We may, however, find that answer a little harder to state so boldly after we take the time the to consider some of the things that pertain to our "great salvation" that we may find being neglecting in our lives. Neglecting Growth Growth as a Christian is absolutely essential to our salvation (2 Peter 3:11-18). We are instructed to prepare for the last day by seeing that we "grow in the grace and the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ." We accomplish this growth by doing something that many neglect, which is prayer. The neglect of prayer leads to a lack of growth. The fact that God desires our prayers is clear (1 Peter 5:7). We are told to pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17). We pray to share our cares (1 Peter 5:7). We pray to draw close to God (James 4:8). When stop praying we stop growing in our relationship with God. Many also neglect studying. The neglect of study leads to a lack of growth. How essential is it that we read and study the Bible? The Psalmist saw it as essential to his every day life (Psalm 119:97-105). He also commends the word to all who would desire to find true happiness and contentment (Psalm 1). The Bible is God's delivered will for mankind (Hebrews 1:1-2; 2 Timothy 3:16-17). God took the time to consider man and deliver to them His will as a guide for their lives. As the apostles of Jesus said, these are the words of eternal life (John 6:68). The Bible is the standard of our judgment (John 12:48). We study by reading, meditating and giving ourselves entirely to the word (1 Timothy 4:13, 15-16). If we desire the word as we should, and study it, as we should, we will grow (1 Peter 2:1-3). If we neglecting our growth we neglecting our salvation. Neglecting Worship How about worship? Many neglect to worship. By this I do not exclusively mean those who do not attend. Although, that is a problem, there is another situation that I want you to consider. The problem is with those who actually attend worship. Those who are physically present but mentally absent. The scriptures are clear in regard to the worship that God desires and deserves God never accepts lip service (Matthew 15:8-9). God regards such as vain or empty-useless. We must worship acceptably. Not in a way that we merely feel like offering. God has established that He desires worship that is in spirit and truth (John 4:23-24). Through our worship we praise God and offer glory and honor to Him. We need to be careful that our worship is no less! We must enter into worship knowing there is more to singing than saying some words with a melody. There is more to prayer than words. There is more to communion than just eating and drinking. There is more to our offering than just money. Sharing the Bible in study and preaching is more than just a book report. There is more to our service than just three visits to this place in a week. Worship is acceptable only when it is done, as God desires in spirit and truth (John 4:24). Both truth and spirit, of necessity, must be equal. The acts of worship, singing, praying, remembering and offering, are to be done with the fullness of our ability and concentration. God desires our worship let's not neglect to offer Him the worship that He is due. If we neglect to worship as God desires we neglect our salvation. Neglecting Self Examination Where are you right now? Many neglect to examine themselves. This article began by covering the points of not growing and not worshipping. Too many people have assigned those charges to others. In other words, as we read, we are saying to ourselves."I pray enough", "I study enough". "I offer acceptable worship". "Do you?" We are told to keep a close eye on our where our own feet are falling (Ephesians 5:15). Paul also said, "Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith, and Test yourselves" (2 Corinthians 13:5). Then later, to Timothy, Paul said, "Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine" (1 Timothy 4:13). We need to pay careful attention to where we are. We must not allow ourselves to become merely self-approved. We may forget to look at where we are standing and assume that we are okay. So many in the world today think the same thing. We may become like the Pharisee in Luke 18:9-14. He found justification for himself by looking at someone who seemed worse. Justifying our self by finding greater fault in others will only merit some type of self-approval. The fact is we will always be able to find someone worse off than our self but that does not change our responsibility toward God. We are to be approved by God not ourselves (2 Timothy 2:15). Conclusion: Is it possible to neglect so great a salvation? "Yes!" Have you been neglecting your salvation? The opposite of neglect is maintenance we need to maintain our salvation (Hebrews 10:35-39). Remaining faithful all the way through to the end of life with prayer, study, and self-examination. Being diligent to show our selves approved of God, workers who do not need to be ashamed (2 Timothy 2:15). If you are a Christian today but you have been neglecting your great salvation then what are you going to do? I pray that today you change and make your way back to the Lord. If you are not a Christian and you know that you need to be then you are presently neglecting a great salvation that is waiting for you. Won't you stop neglecting and do what you need to do today? ~tss If you are enjoying The Messenger and you know someone else who would like to receive it. Please forward it to them or send me their email address and I will add it to the list. Sean -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20081213/c56af2a1/attachment-0001.html -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: image/jpeg Size: 2886 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20081213/c56af2a1/attachment-0001.jpe -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: image/gif Size: 9535 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20081213/c56af2a1/attachment-0001.gif From richard at thetford.dot5hosting.com Sun Dec 14 19:44:55 2008 From: richard at thetford.dot5hosting.com (Richard Thetford) Date: Sun, 14 Dec 2008 18:44:55 -0700 Subject: [Biblemat] Walking in the Light (12/14/08) Message-ID: <20081215014741.9342610C6F3@dumbledore.whizardries.com> Walking in the Light "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path" (Psalm 119:105) December 14, 2008 www.thetfordcountry.com --- INFORMATION: Walking in the Light is published each week by Richard Thetford. You are encouraged to visit the web site at www.thetfordcountry.com and then click on "Richard's Home Page" to view numerous sermons, articles, radio program scripts, class material and other information. If you know of someone who would like to subscribe to "Walking in the Light," please send their name and e-mail address to richard at thetfordcountry.com --- CONTENTS: "Satan's Many Devices" (Richard Thetford) "In Your House" (Ellen Kyle - Poem) SENTENCE SERMONS --- SATAN'S MANY DEVICES Richard Thetford One thing that we should learn is not to be ignorant of Satan's many devices. We read in 2 Corinthians 2:11 "lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices." We need to realize that Satan is constantly trying to find out what it is that can carry us away from God. But if we stay tuned into the Word of God then we will be less susceptible to falling for his devices. Satan prefers to have good company (Job 1:5), and is always ready and willing to tempt the children of God. Remember Eve? Who did she quickly put the blame on when she was tempted? It was Satan, disguised as a serpent! Later, Satan came to tempt the Son of God, asking Him to "command these stones be made bread" (Matt 4:3). Jesus did not succumb to Satan's temptation as he responded with "it is written". Jesus, the Son of God, in the form of a man, knew about Satan's devices and was not about to sin. Satan is the Prince of the World! Jesus is our Prophet, Priest, and King, but Satan is the Prince of this world! There is nothing that Satan would like better than to get you and I wrapped up in the materialistic things of his worldly kingdom so that our minds will be made distant of doing those things that will please our Father. Do you think he's succeeding? Sure he is, and its because man does not think enough about his soul to be concerned about where it will end up! We better make sure we are doing everything possible to ensure that we are going to heaven because Satan certainly will not be there (John 12:31). All Satan does is cause war. He has the power to just annoy! The apostle Paul wrote: "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places" (Eph 6:12). Man wrestle's within himself because Satan is doing everything possible to lead us away from God. Satan is a Deceiver and a Murderer! We need to recognize who Satan is and what he is all about. The student of God's Word will know the things that are pleasing to God and then realize that anything contrary to God's will is something Satan would not only approve of, but try to get us to do! Jesus said: "You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it" (John 8:44). Satan is nothing but a liar! When someone tries to sweet talk us into doing something that we KNOW is contrary to Bible teaching, it is Satan's deception at work. Satan is a Hindrance to Our Salvation! Oh how much easier it would be to stay on that straight and narrow road to heaven if Satan wasn't in the way! Notice what the Bible says concerning Satan's hindrance to our salvation: "whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them" (2 Cor 4:4). He has blinded the minds of many people, keeping them from believing the truth of Jesus Christ who is "the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him" (Heb 5:9). Jesus has the truth and it has been revealed to us through His gospel. Satan says he has the truth, but he is a liar! He hinders our salvation! In the parable of the sower Jesus talked about Satan as being the one who takes the word away from the hearts of those who hear the word of God, so that they will not believe the teaching of Christ and be saved (Luke 8:12). Satan will always try to make God's Word serve his purpose (Matt 4:5-6). But we should always strive to resist him (Jam 4:7). Let us be ready and willing to fight Satan by putting on the whole armor of God (Eph 6:11). --- IN YOUR HOUSE Ellen Kyle If Christ had grown up in your house, what kind of man would He be? Would He still care enough to save the lost and die at Calvary? Would He have the knowledge of God's precious Word, Would He daily from the scripture, God's lessons have heard? When it came time to worship, would He have an excuse for why He wasn't there? Or would He allow no worldly thing, to keep Him from being in His Chair? Would the TV have filled His mind with such trash, that God's message became unclear? Would you have allowed popularity and peers, to slowly His conscience sear? Would you teach Him that money and power and fame, He could never get enough of? Or would He care so much for lost souls, that He'd still give His life in love? Would He say, "I know I'm supposed to die, but lets put it off somehow? Maybe next week or next month or next year, I'm watching the game right now!" If Christ had grown up in your house, would sinful man be lost? Because the life you lived and example you set, kept Him from the cross? --- SENTENCE SERMONS Multitudes are making a good living, but not good lives. A smile is a curve that can help set things straight. "He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much." The world is moved by men who cannot be moved by the world. You cannot hide your influence - either for good or evil. "He that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much." It is much better to love good and hate evil than to be loved by the world. Your life either sheds light or casts a shadow - and you determine which. --- SERMON The Silence of God (with PowerPoint Charts) www.thetfordcountry.com --- 1414 Hawk Parkway, Unit C Montrose, CO 81401 (970) 626-5558 www.sanjuanchurchofchrist.org MEETING TIMES Sunday Bible Study..........10:00 A.M. Worship........11:00 A.M. Wednesday Bible Study........6:30 P.M. Evangelist/Editor Richard Thetford Building: (970) 249-8116 Home: (970) 626-5558 E-Mail: richard at thetfordcountry.com Web Site: www.thetfordcountry.com --- RICHARD THETFORD 1491 Canyon Drive Ridgway, CO 81432 (970) 626-5558 E-Mail: richard at thetfordcountry.com Web Site: www.thetfordcountry.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... 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Name: not available Type: image/gif Size: 8518 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20081214/69cb55a4/attachment-0005.gif From bgreen at tycom.net Sun Dec 14 21:02:44 2008 From: bgreen at tycom.net (Bill Green) Date: Sun, 14 Dec 2008 21:02:44 -0600 Subject: [Biblemat] Need help with Christmas and New Years Sermon. Message-ID: Hello All, I am planning on doing a sermon on Christmas (Its origin, why we don't celebrate it) and a New Years sermon (New Years resolutions we need to keep, etc). If you have any ideas, old outlines you have used, or just some thoughts please send them my way. Thanks for everyone's help. Brotherly, Bill Green -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20081214/c40b70cf/attachment-0001.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Mon Dec 15 03:37:05 2008 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Mon, 15 Dec 2008 04:37:05 EST Subject: [Biblemat] A) WHY CHRISTIANS CANNOT BELIEVE IN EVOLUTION Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. A very good Monday morning to each and everyone. May God bless you and yours. Here is an article from my recent files: WHY CHRISTIANS CANNOT BELIEVE IN EVOLUTION What of the Christian's outlook on evolution? Is it possible for the Christian to believe in the theory? In addition to rational, scientific reasons for rejecting evolution there are some other solid Biblical reasons why the Christian must reject it. 1. The Bible teaches a fiat creation, that is, a creation by the command of God. (See what God said in Gen. 1:3,6,9,14,20,24, Now compare these with Psa. 33:6; 148:1-5; 2 Cor. 4:6). How- ever, evolution denies this, saying that the earth came about by a slow, pruely materialistic process. 2. The Bible record reveals that the first plants and animals were crated full grown (Gen. 1:11,12,20-25). Evolution denies this, teaching that the first life forms were quite small and incom- plete. 3. The Bible states that plants and animals only produced "after their kind" (Gen. 1:11,12,21,24,25). However, evolution, by its very nature implies that plants and animals must produce off- spring not after their kind. 4. The Bible says there was one original man (Gen. 2:7,8; Matt. 19:4; 1 Cor. 15:45-47). However, evolution says that by the time man became man he was an entire race. 5. The Bible plainly teaches that woman was taken from the side of man (Gen. 2:21-23). However, evolution teaches that wo- man evolved along side man. 6. The Bible presents man in the image of God and reveals his decline and fall (Gen. 1:27; 3:1-24). Man, then, begain at the highest point and fell to the lowest depths. Evolution, on the other hand, has man beginning as a small mass of protoplasm and out of this climbing to the greatest heights. 7. In the Bible man is said to have an immortal soul (Matt. 10: 28; Eccl. 12:7). However, evolution pictures "early man" as not much more than mere beast and hardly a candidate for possess- ing a soul. Did God at some point just "zap" souls into mankind or did the soul also evolve? 8. If evolution is true then there was not first man, no fall, no sin, no punishment for sin and no redemption from sin. This makes void the redemptive plan of man's salvation from sin by the blood of Christ (1 Jno. 1:7). Evolution, therefore, nullifies the Christian system. 9. The Bible teaches that all things were created through Christ (Jno. 1:3; Col. 1:16; Heb. 1:2). It would be interesting to hear evolutionists explain how Christ worked through the evol- ution process. But again, such an idea is absurd. 10. Under no circumstance can the Christian believe the phil- osophy of evolution. The two concepts are separated by a vast gulf. These are some excerpts from a book entitled, The Other Side Of Evolution, by Jon Gary Williams. Copies of this little book may be ordered, free of charge, from: P.O. Box 123, Dunlap, TN 37327. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20081215/10856647/attachment-0001.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Mon Dec 15 03:37:13 2008 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Mon, 15 Dec 2008 04:37:13 EST Subject: [Biblemat] S) PRESENT DAY "ARMAGEDDON" Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. Here is a study taken from my recent files. Use to the glory of God. PRESENT DAY "ARMAGEDDON" Note: The battle of Armageddon (Rev. 16:16) is the symbol- ic name of the spiritual battle fought between God, Christ, His angels and Christians in the latter part of the 1st century against the beast-like government of Rome and the pagan cults (called the false prophet) of the Empire. From the founding of the church of Christ on Pentecost in May 30 A.D. until the summer of 64 A.D. the government of Rome had been a reasonable govern- ment that had often protected the saints against their persecut- ors (Acts 17:7-9; 18:12-16; 21:31,32); but from July of that year Nero, under the influence of the Devil, turned the government in- to a beast that persecuted God's people severely over the next thirty-five years. As we are told in Rev. 13:2, it was Satan (sym- bolized as a dragon) who turned the Roman government into a beast. The work of God and His forces in the battle was to re- structure the Roman government into being a better canopy of peace under which Christians could spread the borders of Christ's kingdom. The Book of Revelation was written explicitly to the saints in the churches of the last decade, (some think it could more likely fit into the middle decade of) the first century (Rev. 22:16); and they were told four times (Rev. 1:1,3; 22:6,10) that the purpose was to reveal things that were to SHORTLY take place. Thus if we learn the principles applied by our Lord to peoples and nations in that time we can apply the same in our time. This is the manner that we understand other books of the New Testa- ment, e.g., the Book of Romans, which was written explicitly to the saints in Rome (Rom. 1:7), but implicitly to us. Jesus said, heaven and earth would pass away, but His Words would not pass away (Matt. 24:35). It is time that we as New Testament Christians look at our own land and see the hand of Satan turning this free land into a beast. This I say due to the gross evils found across this beauti- ful country. Such as: 1. 3,500 little innocent babies are ripped from their mother's wombs every day by the abortion milles run by Planned Parent- hood and other slaughter houses around the nation. 2. Political leaders are boldly endorsing and voting to uphold this evil that God hates (Prov. 6:16,17), even affirming without blushing that they will back judges that will continue to uphold this evil. 3. The weak, the elderly, the depressed, the maimed and the infirmed are being euthanized in Oregon and the merchants of death want a law in all fifty states that will allow the same. 4. The supreme courts of California and Massachusetts have declared it to be legal for sodomites and lesbians to marry one another, man with man, woman with woman. And the governor of New York State has stated that such perverted forms of matri- mony will be accepted by his state. 5. Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely: Politicians are using tax dollars to buy votes -- (needless to say the souls as well) -- of both men and women. The Roman Empe- rors used bread and circuses to buy power; today it is done by all manner of handouts. And the people love to have it so (Note: Jer. 5:30,31). There is a book entitled The Lamb/The Lion is a commentary on the book of Revelation based on 576 questions on the text. You may obtain a copy of this book by writing to P.O. Box 123, Dunlap, Tn 37327. This book contains such questions as: 413. To What Does The Battle Of Armageddon Apply? 417. What Did The Noises, The Thunderings, The Lightnings, And The Great Earthquake (Rev. 16:18) Symbolize? 493. What Was The Outcome Of The Battle Of Armageddon? 494. Who Was The False Prophet Spoken Of In Chapter 19 Of Revelation? 495. What Happened To The Beast And The False Prophet? 496. What Happened To "The Rest" Of Those Who Had Served With The Beast And False Prophet? --------------------- Jim Waldron in Bulletin Briefs, Vol. 11, No. 12, December, 2008. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20081215/1cb6b39d/attachment-0001.html From disciple_of_iesus at hotmail.com Mon Dec 15 14:08:44 2008 From: disciple_of_iesus at hotmail.com (Ethan R. Longhenry) Date: Mon, 15 Dec 2008 15:08:44 -0500 Subject: [Biblemat] S:> Spiritual Health Message-ID: Spiritual Health I. Introduction A. We all, at least in theory, recognize the value of our physical health 1. It is something we prize, especially when we are not doing as well! 2. We recognize that we probably should take our health into consideration when we make decisions B. What is true of our physical health can also be true of our spiritual health! C. Matthew 9:11-13 1. In context, condemnation of the Pharisees, demonstration of Jesus' purpose 2. Nevertheless, we see that Jesus uses the imagery of health and wellness to describe spiritual realities D. Thus, we have precedent for discussing the "health" of our spiritual lives! E. Just as it is advisable to have physicals occasionally to make sure all is well, it is advisable to have similar "spiritual checkups" as well! F. How is your spiritual health? II. Diet A. Part of being healthy physically is to consider one's physical diet 1. What foods are you eating? 2. What drinks do you consume? 3. Are you getting sufficient nutrition from your food? 4. Does your food cause health problems? B. Just as physical diet dictates physical health, so our spiritual diet dictates our spiritual health! C. 1 Peter 2:2, Hebrews 5:12-6:4 1. Imagery: spiritual milk, spiritual meat, spiritual food 2. All of these refer to understanding the will of God and His truth! D. Deuteronomy 8:3, John 4:13-14; 31-34, John 6:32-35, John 7:37-38 1. All of these points to the same reality: we are sustained spiritually on God and His words 2. If we would subsist spiritually, we must feast on God's message! E. Therefore, how is your spiritual diet? 1. Are you consuming enough of God's message to survive? 2. Are you balanced in that which you consume spiritually? 3. Is your spiritual diet leading you to growth and health? F. What does all of this mean? 1. Are you taking every opportunity to hear God's Word being preached? 2. Are you reading the Bible? 3. What are you reading in your Bible? Is it helping you to better understand God's will for you? 4. How can you spiritually develop better based on your reading and understanding? 5. Have you become complacent and feel no imperative to reading God's Word? Would you feel that way about your physical diet? G. Just as our physical diet is critical for our continued existence and growth, so is our spiritual diet! III. Exercise A. It is the dreaded reality 1. No matter how well one maintains diet, diet is never enough to lead to good physical health 2. One must keep the body in good condition through some form of physical exercise! 3. Everyone knows the benefits and value of exercise, but how many put the time into it? 4. Alas, without constant movement, body parts wear down; complete lack of use can lead to becoming an invalid! B. Exercise is necessary physically, and spiritual exercise is just as necessary! C. 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, 1 Timothy 4:7-8, Hebrews 12:1-3 1. Life of the Christian like a race! 2. Physical training has some value-- training in godliness much more so! D. Spiritual exercise represents the practice of the faith 1. Hebrews 5:14: maturity means that we constantly practice our faith! 2. It is never enough to just know God's truth-- His message must be practiced as well as understood! 3. James 1:22-25 E. How is your spiritual exercise? 1. Are you the spiritual version of the couch potato? 2. Are you diligently seeking to put God's principles to action in your life? 3. Do you seek to avoid committing acts of sin (Galatians 5:17-21)? 4. Do you seek to do what is right and good (Galatians 5:22-24, James 4:17)? 5. Do your actions meet your intentions in any way? F. Just as good physical health requires good diet and exercise habits, so good spiritual health requires good learning and practicing habits! IV. Overall Wellness A. We have been considering comparisons and contrasts between physical and spiritual health B. Nevertheless, as humans, we are physical, spiritual, mental, and emotional creatures! 1. This is the way God made us (Genesis 1) 2. God seeks for us to love Him with all of these faculties (cf. Deuteronomy 6:4-6, Matthew 22:37) C. Therefore, while we can consider each of these aspects on their own, we must recognize that overall wellness requires each of them to be well! 1. If we are suffering through emotional difficulties, it often leads to difficulties with our bodies, minds, and souls 2. Spiritual difficulties can lead to emotional, mental, and physical ones! 3. If our body has difficulty, the rest of us is greatly impacted! D. Therefore, we cannot consider spiritual health in a vacuum-we must be holistically healthy! E. We must take care of our physical health 1. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, Galatians 5:22-24, 1 Timothy 4:7-8 2. We are not to be so spiritual as to neglect the physical 3. We must exhibit self-control in our bodies 4. We should take care of the body which God has allowed us to use for His glory F. We must have control over our minds 1. Matthew 22:37: must love God with the mind 2. Matthew 5:27-28, 2 Corinthians 10:5: importance of keeping our mind in control so that we do not sin with our minds 3. Philippians 4:8: need to train our minds to focus on the positive, that which edifies G. We must also consider our emotional health 1. Philippians 4:4: need to rejoice in the Lord 2. Ephesians 4:26: anger without sin 3. Colossians 3:15: allowing Christ's peace to rule in our hearts H. If we suffer with difficulties in other aspects of our lives, it will hinder our spiritual health! 1. Low physical self-esteem often means low spiritual self-esteem 2. Many people are beset with psychological illness that hinder their spiritual growth 3. Many people are controlled by their negative emotions or let themselves be controlled by their negative emotions, hindering the manifestation of God's fruit I. We must remove every obstacle so that we can be truly well! V. Conclusion A. As we can see, our spiritual health is very important B. As with all health matters, prevention of difficulty through examination is critical! C. 2 Corinthians 13:5 D. How is your spiritual health? E. Look to the Great Physician today and be well! F. Invitation/songbook Ethan R. Longhenry / disciple_of_iesus at hotmail.com Evangelist, church of Christ in Norwalk, Ohio [norwalkchurch.org] Homepage: deusvitae.com AIM: Deus Vitae / ICQ: 28317056 Y! IM: discipuliiesus Sign up for Good News for Norwalk! goodnewsfornorwalk-subscribe at norwalkchurch.org From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Tue Dec 16 05:37:34 2008 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Tue, 16 Dec 2008 06:37:34 EST Subject: [Biblemat] A) PRAY -- AND PLAN! Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. A very good Tuesday morn- ing to each and everyone. May God bless you and yours. Here is an article from my recent files: PRAY -- AND PLAN! Have you thought much about the relationship between "Praying" and "Planning"? For example, would we show a lack of faith if we prayed for good health and continued to have health insurance? Would it be a reflection of our faith to pray for God to provide for us, yet be saving money in a retirement account? In the Bible, wise planning and humble dependence on God go hand-in-hand! Nehemiah provides us with a biblical illustration of how to combine planning with prayer. He was a Jew far from home, working as cupbearer to the king of Persia. After the nation of Israel had been in captivity for 70 years, Cyrus, the first Persian king, allowed a number of Jews to go back home with Zerubbab- el. Later, Ezra took more Jews back to Jerusalem to rebuild the people's spiritual condition. In the first chapter of Nehemiah, though, we read that the returned captives were having a terrib- le time. "The remnant there in the province who survived the captivity are in great distress and reproach, and the wall of Jerusalem is broken down and its gates are burned with fire." (Neh. 1:3). Nehemiah wept, mourned for days, fasted, and prayed when he heard about the distress of the Jews who had returned to Jerusalem from exile but he also acted. He prayed for forgive- ness and help but it's clear from his prayer that he intended to ask the King for assistance (vs. 11). So he prayed, made careful plans, and took a great risk in asking the king for permission to help the Jews. Of course, we know the story, he was successful. Against incredible odds, the wall was completed in just 52 days (6:15). Likewise, if we maintain a humble dependence on God, we must also DO all that we can. By all means we need to pray -- and plan to do our part! --------- Shane Williams in The Lilbourn Light, Vol. 9, No. 7, November, 2008. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20081216/18ea5872/attachment-0001.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Tue Dec 16 05:37:43 2008 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Tue, 16 Dec 2008 06:37:43 EST Subject: [Biblemat] S) HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO BE A CHRISTIAN? Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. Here is a study from my recent files. Use to the glory of God. HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO BE A CHRISTIAN? That thought seems to have been on the mind of the rich young ruler. He wanted to know "what good thing" he could do to have eternal life (Matt. 19). That would be great, to have all your spiritual obligations wrapped up in one single act of piety! But as in so many other things of life, being a Christian is more than a single act of glory whereby one is forevermore marked as the Lord's. Just how long does it take to be a Christian? Long Enough To Hear The Gospel: -- "How shall they believe in HIm of whom they have no heard...?" (Rom. 10:14). But some must think that they have heard enough after becom- ing Christians, because they are not present to hear preaching afterwards. (Heb. 5:17). Ever how long it takes to be instructed, exhorted, and admonished by the Word -- that's how long it takes to be a Christian. Long Enough To Attend Services: -- That same book of the Bible which speaks of continued hearing and study (above) also teaches about the need to attend worship services (Heb. 10:25). They go together, exposure to God's Word and worship. Ever how long it takes to attend worship -- that's how long it takes to be a Christian. Long Enough To Work For A Living: -- Christians are to work for a living (2 Thes. 3:10). Gambling, freeloading, and stealing are frowned upon by society, you've probably noticed. Being a Christian is more than just what happens on Sunday and Wed- nesday evening. Ever how long it takes to work for your bread -- that's how long it takes to be a Christian. Long Enough To Maintain Your Marriage: -- The Scripture is plain that husbands are to love their wives, and that wives are to respect their husbands (Eph. 5). If it takes time to work throu- gh problems, keep the home fires burning, make each other happy, so be it. God intends for His people to have godly off- spring (Mal. 2:15), but too many homes are nests of bitterness and misery. Ever how long it takes to make a marriage work properly -- that's how long it takes to be a Christian. Long Enough To Be A Good Neighbor: -- The story of the Good Samaritan shows the responsibility Christians have to interuptions, going the second mile, and extending ourselves (Lk. 10). The epistles portray Christians who invite the lost to worship services (1 Cor. 14:23), who watch their tongues care- fully (Col. 4:5,6), and who do good to all (Gal. 6:10). Ever how long it takes to be a good neighbor -- that 's how long it takes to be a Christian. Long Enough To Exhort And Encourage Brothers And Sist- ers In Christ: -- We are to "incite love and good works" (Heb. 10: 24) bear one another's burdens (Gal. 6:2), and otherwise encour- age one another as Christians. Ever how long it takes... Long Enough To Be Faithful To The End: -- When will it all stop? The Christian has to be in the race for the long haul. Doing so will change attitudes and build character. The rich young ruler apparently never made any significant changes in his life. Ther are no quick fixes for sinners. There is a new creat- ure growing inside Christians, and ever how long a Christian's life lasts -- that's how long it takes to be a Christian. Is it just too much time? When a shirking lady was approach- ed by the preacher about missing services, she exclaimed, "Well if I made all the services, that would be my whole life!" Exactly! Christians must have enough time to do these things, becau- se God doesn't expect something of us that we cannot produce. On the other hand, Christians don't have enough time to get into too much trouble, if they're engaged in good works and the res- ponsibilities listed above (Eph. 5:15,16). Not being Christians explains why some have too much time on their hands. ---------- George Hutto in Tidings, Vol. 23, No. 12, December, 2008. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20081216/723018e0/attachment-0001.html From ZekeFlores1 at cs.com Tue Dec 16 09:24:51 2008 From: ZekeFlores1 at cs.com (ZekeFlores1 at cs.com) Date: Tue, 16 Dec 2008 10:24:51 EST Subject: [Biblemat] Community Outreach Methods Message-ID: Some have asked for the responses to my question regarding communit outreach. Here are the responses I have received. Here in Angleton, Texas, we have knocked on doors to invite people to gospel meetings; we mail out a monthly postcard to new area move-ins inviting them to services; we publish a monthly article in our local newspaper on various religious topics under the title "Bible Questions, Bible Answers"; and we anticipate going door-to-door with some door hangers. So far, we've seen little community response but it is our intention to simply "keep us out there" in the public view. If anyone has any other method not mentioned here, I'd be very interested in knowing about it. Thanks for the replies, Zeke Flores Kiber Street church of Christ Angleton, TX www.angletonchristians.com ****************************************************************** We use: Radio Program TV Program Website Knocking On Doors Encouraging Folks TO Speak To Friends/Family Setting Up Bible Studies With Visitors (We are on the hwy and visitors are here almost every Sunday) -- The first three, I believe are "conversation starters" or ways to open the door to familiarity with us, so we can invite others, study with them, etc. -- The more you (and all the brethren) are out in the community, and are seen at the grocery store, bank, etc., the more people will become familiar with you, and talk to you about the Bible, and opportunities will come. These are my thoughts --- you're cooking in a crockpot (II Tim. 4:2b) not a microwave. ***************************************************************************** Newspaper articles have been very productive here. Some past articles are found on our website. I have enclosed some more in the attachment. God bless your efforts to spread the gospel. ************************************************************************* We've done several things. For the past six months or so we've been advertising on placemats that are used by local restaurants. That has generated about a half a dozen phone calls and a couple of visitors to our services, but no Bible studies or conversions. I've attached an example. It cost us about $130 every two weeks for about 5-6,000 placemats. This summer we had a gospel meeting at a shelter in a local park. We ran 8 1/2 by 11 "inserts" in our local papers. In total about 54,000 inserts were sent out in the weekly newspaper and local weekly shopping paper. I believe the total cost was around $1,700. We had about 10 visitors come to our gospel meeting, which (by far) was a record for us. We had one conversion, but that person has been very difficult to ground in the faith. I've attached copies of the two inserts. In addition to putting the insert in the paper, we printed about 2,500-3,000 copies and a half a dozen of us knocked on doors in three of the major towns in our county and passed all of them out. It was an interesting experience!! The reactions were across the spectrum. Everything from having the door slammed in your face to having a pleasant conversation. To my knowledge none of the visitors were from the door knocking group. The process was educational and I'm glad we did it, but it probably is not a valuable use of time and resources (IMHO). In the past we ran a weekly article (see attached example) in our weekly county newspaper entitled "What Saith the Scriptures?" We did this for about two and a half years. The articles generated some interest and generated many negative letters to the editor of the newspaper in which it ran. We had two conversions that were contacts generated by the articles. However, the articles were quite expensive ($262 per week). We are a small congregation of only about ten. Further, we live in a very rural county whose largest town is only about 4,500 population. So I imagine our newspaper ad rates would be cheaper than most areas. I really enjoyed writing the articles and responding to the controversy they generated. It was quite a faith-building exercise for myself and most of the members. They were really shocked at how agitated some people became when the truth was published and widely distributed. It really opened some people's eyes to the controversial nature of the gospel. Also, in the past we put together a mailing list by having members contribute 10-20 people's names and addresses they knew (e.g., relatives, neighbors, friends, etc.). Whenever we had a gospel meeting (in the past we've had as many as three meetings a year) we would mail out meeting announcements using this list. We found that this was very ineffective and decided to try the other methods I've mentioned above. I believe our efforts have definitely made many people aware of our presence in the community and educated many about where we stand and taught many important Bible truths. In some respects the results have been disappointing. Obviously we would like to see many more converted. But we are convinced that God's word has not returned void (Isa. 55:11). On the day of judgment we believe our community will not be able to say they didn't have a chance to hear the truth. We've sown much seed, will continue to do so, and will rely on God to give the increase (1 Cor. 3:7). We take comfort and solace in that we are "God's fellow workers" (1 Cor. 3:9). ************************************************************************ At our congregation we are using have used radio ads in the past and are currently using a billboard and website. Most visitors say they found us by our website. We are going to try and put an ad in the local Air Force Base paper. If you go to our website (http://www.bossierchurchofchrist.com/) and scroll to the bottom of the front page you can see our billboard. We have paid for that one and it is hung in different places in town at different times by the advertisers. Hope this helps and I would be interested in hearing what other responses you get. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20081216/d376027e/attachment.html From kerux at bellsouth.net Tue Dec 16 09:51:03 2008 From: kerux at bellsouth.net (Kent Heaton) Date: Tue, 16 Dec 2008 10:51:03 -0500 Subject: [Biblemat] A>And He Healed Them (Kent Heaton) Message-ID: And He Healed Them (Kent Heaton) "Jesus was going throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness among the people. The news about Him spread throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all who were ill, those suffering with various diseases and pains, demoniacs, epileptics, paralytics; and He healed them" (Matthew 4:23-24). The human body is a remarkable creation of design, purpose and beauty. Few things in this world rival the intricate patterns of each part of the temple housing the eternal spirit of man. Because of its fleshly nature, the body is attacked with various diseases, maladies and sicknesses that bring sorrow, pain and discomfort. Through the knowledge of science men have been able to find medicines to help mend the broken bodies and stay off disease. The medical field has exploded with new technologies that have given life when there was no hope of life; quality of life to many who had despaired at their handicap; inoculation to stay the dreaded diseases of the past. Nothing in our world can marvel the power of a single man in Galilee who by the "finger of God" (Luke 11:20) healed all manner of disease. He was not a doctor nor was He learned in the science of man. The Healer of Galilee was not an educated man who touted his own wisdom as the cure for the diseases. The people came to a humble man who was a carpenter's son. There were no diseases Jesus could not heal. He was not limited to sickness but also to those who were possessed of demons showing His power over the realm of the devil. Crippled people received strength to their muscles and bones to give them a hope they never had before. Blind men could see, deaf would hear the joyous music of His soothing voice and those who could not speak were able to praise God with a new found voice. It is unknown how many people Jesus healed. Perhaps thousands number the roll of those who lives were changed in a moment by the healing touch of the Son of God. They would never be the same as they returned home free of the plague of leprosy or knowing firsthand the joy of a cleansed body of disease. What power and demonstration of compassion through the healing hand of Jesus. The stories of Jesus healing are unparallel in history and will never be repeated again. While the impact would have been unimaginable in any time it was but for a temporary period that His healing hand changed lives. Through these wonderful acts of mercy He was confirmed as the Son of God (John 20:30,31). The greatest healing Jesus performed was on a wooden cross in a place called Golgotha (Matthew 27:33-35). The hands that had been used to bring relief to the mortal body were now nailed to the cross to heal the dark spirit of sinful man. The blood of Jesus was poured on Calvary for the healing of all mankind. This healing was not temporary but lasting through the ages of time. "Knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ" (1 Peter 1:18-19). Those who heard of Jesus came when they heard the news of His power and desired to be cleansed of their sickness. His power today saves men from their sins. Come to this power and find the cleansing through His blood (Acts 22:16). Kent Heaton 207 NE Fourth Avenue Trenton, Florida 32693 (H) 352-463-6916 (O) 3793 (C) 352-283-3889 www.trentonchurchofchrist.com Audio files available www.northfloridabiblecamp.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20081216/0d333782/attachment.html From jmickells at juno.com Tue Dec 16 11:55:26 2008 From: jmickells at juno.com (Jimmy R Mickells) Date: Tue, 16 Dec 2008 11:55:26 -0600 Subject: [Biblemat] Bulletin article - Unless Message-ID: <20081216.115527.2104.1.jmickells@juno.com> ?UNLESS? The word ?unless? is used several times in the Scriptures. The Greek word, e?a`? ??? (eh-an' may), is often translated ?except? in the King James Version and ?unless? in the New King James. This word is found some sixty times in the New Testament. Thayer, in his Greek English Lexicon, defines this word as, ?in conditional and final sentences: unless, if not? (p. 408). Look with me at a few of the verses where we find this word and notice how a blessing is only received when we meet certain conditions. When Philip, the evangelist, met the Ethiopian eunuch on his way home from Jerusalem, he (the eunuch) was reading from Isaiah the prophet (Acts 8:27,28). The preacher asked him if he understood the things he had read (v. 30). His response was, ?How can I, unless someone guides me?? And he asked Philip to come up and sit with him? (v. 31). This eunuch was humble enough to admit that he needed help in understanding who Isaiah had reference to in chapter 53. Philip began at that same Scripture and preached Jesus to him (v. 35). Would we be willing to admit that we don?t know? Would we allow someone to teach us the Bible? Would we be willing then to search the Scriptures to make sure the things taught are so like the Bereans (Acts 17:11)? Unless we are willing, we may remain in ignorance and be condemned! In the conversation that Jesus had with Nicodemus, He said, ?Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God? (John 3:5). He had to be born again (v. 3). This spiritual birth involved two things, the water and Spirit. How can one be born of the water and of the Spirit? Under the direction of the Spirit, through whom the word of God has been revealed (2 Peter 1:20,21), man has been told that he must be baptized in water for the remission of his sins (Acts 2:38). When he willingly submits to those instructions given by the Spirit, being baptized, he comes forth from that water a new creature, instructed to walk in newness of life (Romans 6:1-6). He has been born again! Baptism would do one absolutely no good unless it is preceded by faith, repentance, and one?s confession of Jesus as Lord. It is only when one submits to the Lord through faith that he can be saved by His grace (Romans 5:1,2). Do you want to enter the kingdom? Unless you are born again you cannot! Shortly after Jesus fed the five thousand, He traveled across the Sea of Galilee to Capernaum (John 6). Many came to Him while there and He rebuked them saying that they did not seek Him because of the signs He did, but because they ate of the loaves and were filled (v. 26). Later they were told, ?Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you? (v. 53). How can one eat His flesh and drink His blood? Obviously, they could not do such literally. It seems to me that verse 63 will help us to understand this expression. ?It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.? We must consume His word or else there will be no spiritual life within us. This is something, as Christians, we should be busy doing day by day. Paul told Timothy, ?Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine? (1 Timothy 4:13). Do you want spiritual life? Unless you eat His flesh and drink His blood you cannot have it! Jesus said, ?Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me? (John 15:4). Notice how He said that we could abide in Him. ?If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you? (John 15:7). It is by obeying His word. If we do not bear fruit, by abiding in that word, we will be like a branch that is broken off, withered, and cast in the fire and consumed (vv. 2,6). The Lord expects us to be faithful to Him till death takes us home (1 Corinthians 15:58). He did not save us so that we could continue in the ways of the world. We are a separate people to live a separated life of holiness and godliness (1 Peter 1:13-15). Unless we abide in Him, there is no fruit that will result in our being saved! Are you willing to do the things required by God to be saved? Are you willing to continue to be obedient to His will so that you can enjoy fellowship with Him? Unless we are willing, His grace will not cover one?s disobedience. He promises to save only those who will obey Him (Hebrews 5:8,9). Jimmy Mickells ____________________________________________________________ Become a Medical Transcriptionist. Click here to find schedules designed to fit your life. http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL2141/fc/PnY6rw2bxgF424itnJzaYUWlzKW5gdObaLr3whcfH5EBgeXqdEzH2/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20081216/9336d4b3/attachment.html From jmickells at juno.com Tue Dec 16 12:14:54 2008 From: jmickells at juno.com (Jimmy R Mickells) Date: Tue, 16 Dec 2008 12:14:54 -0600 Subject: [Biblemat] I Am A Debtor Message-ID: <20081216.121454.2104.2.jmickells@juno.com> Here is a sermon starter. Just add what Scripture you need to make each point. Hope it helps. I AM A DEBTOR 1) To The Spirit (not the flesh) - Romans 8:12-14 2) To Sinners - Matthew 6:9-15 3) To The Law (if I try to keep it) Galatians 5:1-4 4) To Saints - Romans 15:25-27 5) To Preach - Romans 1:13-15 I have this sermon in powerpoint if anyone would like to have it. I will be glad to sent it to you. Just e-mail me. Jim Mickells ____________________________________________________________ Save $15 on Flowers and Gifts from FTD! Shop now at http://offers.juno.com/TGL1141/?u=http://www.ftd.com/17007 From gharmon at idworld.net Tue Dec 16 20:10:11 2008 From: gharmon at idworld.net (Gary H. Harmon, Jr) Date: Tue, 16 Dec 2008 20:10:11 -0600 Subject: [Biblemat] Building Financing Message-ID: Our congregation is preparing a submission package for construction and operating loans as we march toward a new building on our property. We want to shop our business to financial institutions that can offer us a positive relationship. If you have financed a building project using bank, credit union or bonds please let me know who you recommend. If you know of other financing alternatives I'd like to know that as well. Brotherly, Gary H. Harmon, Jr. 6003 Archwood San Antonio, TX 78239-1504 210.884.6926 gharmon at idworld.net "Too many projects, not enough time!" -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20081216/f4652998/attachment.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Wed Dec 17 03:39:08 2008 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Wed, 17 Dec 2008 04:39:08 EST Subject: [Biblemat] A) PURE AND UNDEFILED RELIGION Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. A very good Wednesday morning to each and everyone. May God bless you and yours. Here is a article from my files: PURE AND UNDEFILED RELIGION How can you know your religion is right before God? You are a Christian -- what should you be doing in your religious activity? According to James it is not just one thing but rather many things that confirm you have a pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father (Jas. 1:26,27). The Word of God presents a summary that calls for a bridled tongue, visitation of orphans and widows, and keeping oneself unspotted from the world. Religion comes from the heart of be- lief and is realized in the physical practice of doing certain activi- ties that God has requested of His children. Believers are called to a deep spiritual relationship with the Father of heaven through the Son of God, Jesus Christ (1 Jno. 1:1-7). The Father graciously allows His children to approach Him in worship. He then lovingly expects His followers to prac- tice what He has practiced among mankind through His Son. Jesus kept His tongue under control, He constantly cared for the needy around Him, and He kept Himself from the sin that was in the world. The child of God who lives his religion is a person who has not deceived himself but rather speaks the word and lives the word to the glory of His Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It is im- portant that believers live what God teaches through His truth. God gives simple requirements, yet, living and serving God through pure and undefiled religion often seems so difficult. Consider how most people cannot control their tongues as they should. Look at nursing homes filled with widows who receive few visits. Notice that many people are burdened by personal inability to stand against the evil world that is around them. Religon is defined by what we say and do in our day-to-day living. Purity is determined by how we deal with the testing of our faith. Christians are constantly being tried and tested. So, personal religion is pure and undefiled when we stand strong and do daily what God has asked us to do. Our religion is Christianity because we follow Jesus and His example. We live and worship as He has instructed in His Word. God is concerned about how we live our faith. He wants us to practice a pure and undefiled religion. -------- Ron Drumm. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20081217/e35296b6/attachment-0001.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Wed Dec 17 03:39:18 2008 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Wed, 17 Dec 2008 04:39:18 EST Subject: [Biblemat] S) "I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH" Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. Here is a study from my files. Use to the glory of God. "I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH" The first occurrence of the word ekklesia, usually translated church, if found in the New Testament in Matt. 16:18. Peter ack- nowledged Jesus as "the Christ, the Son of the living God," and the Savior replied, "And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it." It seems strange that the first mention of the church comes so late in Scripture, since Paul says that it is part of the "eternal purpose" of God: He intended that His "manifold wisdom...might be made known by the church... acording to the ETERNAL PURPOSE which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Eph. 3:10,11). Matt. 16:19 provides us a solution to this puzzle, when Jesus continues, "And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven." I will build My church, said Jesus, and I will give you the keys of the kingdom. Some Kingdom Prophecies: -- The numerous Old Testament pro- phecies of the kingdom pointed toward what Jesus now identi- fies as the church. For example, God told David, "And your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before you. Your throne shall be established forever" (2 Sam. 7:16). This prophecy (and others like it) was fulfilled in Christ, especial- ly as He was raised from the dead and exalted to the right hand of the Father. In Acts 2:25-36, Peter quoted from Psa. 16:8-11 and then drew this inference concerning David: "Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, He would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne, he, forseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ" (vss. 30,31). A few verses later he concluded, "Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and christ" (vs. 36). Jesus' kingdom is established; the church has begun. Jesus will continue to build it, as God gives the increase (Acts 2:41, 47; 4:4; 5:14; 6:1; et.al.). But just what has been established? What has begun? Some sort of institution? With a chairman and board of direct- ors? A denomination? A collection of denominations? A loose coalition of local congregations? No. Acts 2 records nothing of such things, nor does nay other passage of Scripture. What then did begin here? It should help us to consider the meaning of our terms, first the word kingdom and then the expression church. Kingdom: -- Kingdom is from the Greek basileia, meaning, accor- ding to Vine, "sovereignty, royal power, dominion." Thayer con- curs, givng "royal powr, kingship, dominion, rule." Both sourc- es acknowledge that only in a secondary sense does it refer to a realm, i.e., the territory and people under the dominion of a king. When we see the word kingdom, therefore, we ought first and al- ways to see royal power or kingship. Sometimes we will also see people (the subjects of the king), but only in a secondary sense, because rule or dominion is pointless without subjects or the realm over which to exercise it. God's sovereignty is universal; He rules the entire world. During one period of history, He manifested this dominion over the nation of Israel through His chosen representatives (ultimat- ely descendants of David of the tribe of Judah) for the purpose of bringing redemption to mankind. God's rule was and is furth- er exhibited through the dominion of Christ, David's greatest descendant, as established in Acts 2. Though He is at God's right hand "far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in tht which is to come," His kingship has a spiritual, non- worldly dimension as "Head over all things to the church, which is His body" (Eph. 1:19-23). His dominion or rule is not of this world (Jno. 18:36). Church: -- In the term church, we see primarily the subjects of King Jesus, the great ekklesia of the saved. He is the Savior of the body (Eph. 5:23), because He "gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the Word" (Eph. 5:25,26). Sinners, one by one, are baptized into this body (bride) of Christ, as they gladly receive the Word of the gos- pel (Acts 2:41; 1 Cor. 12:13). Jesus arose from the dead, ascended to the right hand of God, and, on Pentecost in Acts 2, "received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:29-33), and thus became, by the power of God, both Lord and Christ (vs. 36), that is, both ruler and anointed one. The rule, lordship, dominion, kingship, kingdom of Jesus began. As stated earlier, when we see the term kingdom, we must see the rule of Jesus. But as also noted before, when we see the term church, we must see people. Not just any people, mind you, but the ones who, upon hearing the Word of God, gladly receive it and are baptized (Acts 2:41), and continue steadfastly in the Will of God (vs. 42). When we think of church in its universal sense, we must think simply of the relationship of saved people under their king. Jesus continues to build the church, stone by stone, and block by block, as He continues to add the saved ones to His body. ------------- Jim Ward in the Lost River Bulletin, Vol. 58, No. 6, December, 2008. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20081217/ce438021/attachment.html From thornhill1 at frontiernet.net Wed Dec 17 08:16:16 2008 From: thornhill1 at frontiernet.net (thomas thornhill) Date: Wed, 17 Dec 2008 08:16:16 -0600 Subject: [Biblemat] The Buckhorn Teacher 12-14-08 Message-ID: THE BUCKHORN TEACHER "Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching." 2.Tim.4:2 Buckhorn church of Christ - Thomas Thornhill - editor. 13675 Hwy 341, Randolph MS 38864-9117. Tel. 662-568-2960. Cell 662-419-5378. E-mail thornhill1 at frontiernet.net Vol.7 December 14, 2008 No.15 Baptized but Not Converted By Fred Shewmaker Years ago in a home Bible study, the couple with whom we were studying complained that the words I was using were too big. Being somewhat inexpe?rienced in home Bible studies, I was sur?prised by their complaint. The words about which they were complaining were all words found in the Bible. I offered to try to explain any word I had used which they did not un?derstand. One of the words they asked me to define was conversion. That very week the local newspaper had reported the construction of a sea-water conversion facility to begin near San Diego, California. I asked if they had read that arti?cle. They had. They understood the facility was to remove the impurities from the sea-water entering it and produce pure water. Working from this understanding, I pointed out that the facility was called a conversion facility because it converted impure water into pure water. Returning to biblical usage of the word, we noted that conversion in?volves the removal of the impurities of sin in one's life thereby leaving that one's life pure in the sight of God. By comparing the parallel between Acts 2:38 - "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins,..." and Acts 3:19 - "Repent therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out,..." it is easy to see that by means of baptism God removes the impurities of sin from one's life and con?verts a sinner into a saint. Experience and observation have forced me to the conclusion that a good many people who are baptized are not converted. Certainly this is not God's fault. He has not lost His power to convert through baptism. It is not the fault of Christ. His blood has not lost its strength to cleanse the sinner. The fault cannot be laid on the preacher who has preached the truth. The fault lies with the one baptized, but not converted. The reasons why some who are baptized are not converted are many and varied. We wish to examine a few of these reasons. The reason some are baptized, but not converted is their desire to please men rather than to obey God. Children have re?quested baptism in order to please their parents and parents have sometimes been baptized in order to please their children. Husbands sometimes, desiring to please their wives, request baptism and wives are sometimes baptized to please their hus?bands. Boy friends have been baptized to please a girl friend and girl friends have been baptized to please a boy friend. In some communities where the church is large in numbers merchants have been baptized to please their customers. This list could be continued, but it already is long enough to make the point. Those who have been baptized for such reasons have been baptized, but not converted. One day my telephone rang and when I answered it, a sis?ter asked me to baptize her neighbor. I was acquainted with her neighbor and this request caused me to wonder if she was really being converted. I agreed to baptize her upon her confession of faith in Jesus as the Son of God. As it turned out, after her baptism, my fears were confirmed. She had merely been convinced that only immersion is baptism. She had not conceded her false religion to accept im?mersion. Her false religion allowed sprin?kling, pouring or immersion; but did not practice immersion. Some of the preachers of that persuasion refuse to administer im?mersion. She simply did not bother a preacher of her false religion with her de?sire to be immersed. When the sister was kind enough to volunteer my services, she was glad to accept. She was baptized, but not converted. A few years back my wife and I engaged in a rather lengthy home Bible study with a lady. She had a quick mind and was able to see and express biblical truths quite easily. Because we desired that she understand what the Bible teaches about the unique?ness of the church, we made an extensive study of Ephesians 1:22 & 23; 4:4-6 & 12; showing that the church is the body of Christ ("His body") that "there is one body" and that the "one body" has only "one faith." during the study she indicated that she un?derstood these things. We expected such a willing and capable student to desire to be baptized and true to our expectations, when asked the question Ananias asked Saul of Tarsus, she was ready to be baptized. With joy and great expectations, I baptized her. My expectations were short lived. She never attended another service of the church. When we asked her about this, she then in?formed us that she did not accept the teaching that God only approves of one church. She had been baptized, but not converted. & SENTENCE SERMONS The atheist is puzzled when he is really thankful and has no one to thank. He who can live contented with little possesses much. If love can be bought it is not worth taking home. The person who has a sound reason needs no alibi. Some preachers fish for compliments (and money) while others fish for men. Reaching down and lifting people up is a good exercise for the heart. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20081217/505f4492/attachment-0001.html From chris.gautney at gmail.com Wed Dec 17 08:35:00 2008 From: chris.gautney at gmail.com (chris.gautney at gmail.com) Date: Wed, 17 Dec 2008 14:35:00 +0000 Subject: [Biblemat] Contemporary Christian Music Message-ID: <0016363104a715b17b045e3efb0c@google.com> Brethren: Seeking information/thoughts for study and consideration in regards to whether or not it is acceptable for Christians to participate in events such as "Christian Concerts" or listening to the "modern Christian" music you hear on the radio. Arguments given by proponents include: "it's better than what you normally hear on the radio" and "since it's outside of the worship assembly it should be acceptable." The main focus for the study is for applications outside the worship assembly. ~Brotherly Chris Gautney chris.gautney at gmail.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20081217/89ed3142/attachment.html From crxtra at gmail.com Wed Dec 17 12:21:54 2008 From: crxtra at gmail.com (Steven C. Harper) Date: Wed, 17 Dec 2008 11:21:54 -0700 Subject: [Biblemat] Contemporary Christian Music In-Reply-To: <0016363104a715b17b045e3efb0c@google.com> References: <0016363104a715b17b045e3efb0c@google.com> Message-ID: <49494342.1070809@gmail.com> An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20081217/decd5f82/attachment.html From gharmon at idworld.net Wed Dec 17 15:43:53 2008 From: gharmon at idworld.net (Gary H. Harmon, Jr) Date: Wed, 17 Dec 2008 15:43:53 -0600 Subject: [Biblemat] Locate Evangelist Message-ID: <89EC5EC309AB49B2AD587ACF4D38FD29@garyh4i1k3x2lw> In the "Searching For Truth" book by John Moore, there is a minister mentioned named "B. J. Clarke". Does anyone know a way to contact him? Vr, Gary H. Harmon, Jr. 6003 Archwood San Antonio, TX 78239-1504 210.884.6926 gharmon at idworld.net "Too many projects, not enough time!" -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20081217/ba538a29/attachment.html From carlopeterson at gmail.com Wed Dec 17 22:42:42 2008 From: carlopeterson at gmail.com (Carl Peterson) Date: Wed, 17 Dec 2008 23:42:42 -0500 Subject: [Biblemat] Contemporary Christian Music In-Reply-To: <0016363104a715b17b045e3efb0c@google.com> References: <0016363104a715b17b045e3efb0c@google.com> Message-ID: <6ac0ff0e0812172042s376c41d2i84a1a2985c403680@mail.gmail.com> Brethren, I understand that the point of Bible Matters is not a discussion list, and that there is a forum for that. However, like Bro. Harper (who responded in a previous posting), I've dealt with this issue a couple of times in the last couple of years, and feel that the perspective and observations from someone of the "younger generation" (21) may be helpful. I have a slightly different twist on this that ends up with the same conclusion as Brother Harper. Since the institution of divine law, there has always been a distinction between what is holy and what is profane (common). God's name is holy. In the Ten Commandments, God tells Israel, "You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain" (Ex. 20:7, NASB). While we are no longer under the Old Law, the principles of God's holiness and the glory of His name are restated in the New Testament (note, among other passages, 1 Th. 1:11-12, where Paul prays that God's name will be glorified in the Thessalonians, and 1 Peter 1:16 - "You shall be holy, for I am holy"). We also see where we are to use our speech for proper purposes (Hebrews 13:5 - "Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name."). In this light, let us consider contemporary "Christian" music. Consider the argument about being acceptable because "it's outside of the worship assembly." Our speech is not regulated differently inside the worship service from our speech outside the worship service. Most of these songs invoke the Lord's name in some capacity. If we aren't using the song for a spiritual purpose (that is, if the song is not bringing glory to the Lord's name), then we are taking the Lord's name "in vain," or making it common (just as if we were to exclaim, "Oh, my God!" with every other sentence like some on TV do). So, if we *are* using it for a spiritual purpose, it's worship, whether we're in the assembly or not. Since this is worship, we must follow the rules God has set for worship. That means we have to sing. Carl Peterson On Wed, Dec 17, 2008 at 9:35 AM, wrote: > **** > * Bible Matters mailing list > * http://biblematters.net/mailman/listinfo/biblemat > * You are subscribed as: carlopeterson at gmail.com > * Send postings to: biblemat at biblematters.net > New Forum addresshttp://www.network54.com/Forum/602460 > Join Bible Matters Group for forum at - > http://www.network54.com/Group/158452 > > * List owner: Mike Hughes (macmikeal at me.com, http://www.mikealrhughes.com, > Mickey Chandler (mickc at churches-of-christ.com, > http://www.churches-of-christ.com/) > ***** > > Brethren: > > Seeking information/thoughts for study and consideration in regards to > whether or not it is acceptable for Christians to participate in events such > as "Christian Concerts" or listening to the "modern Christian" music you > hear on the radio. Arguments given by proponents include: "it's better than > what you normally hear on the radio" and "since it's outside of the worship > assembly it should be acceptable." > > The main focus for the study is for applications outside the worship > assembly. > > ~Brotherly > Chris Gautney > chris.gautney at gmail.com > _______________________________________________ > Biblemat mailing list > Biblemat at biblematters.net > http://www.biblematters.net/mailman/listinfo/biblemat > > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20081217/59ebf553/attachment-0001.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Thu Dec 18 05:28:39 2008 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Thu, 18 Dec 2008 06:28:39 EST Subject: [Biblemat] A) NAMES FOR GOD'S PEOPLE Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. A very good Thursday morn- ing to each and everyone. May God bless you and yours. Here is an article from my recent files: NAMES FOR GOD'S PEOPLE In today's culture, we rarely consider the meaning of the names that we give to our children. But other cultures -- Ameri- can Indians for one -- have focused on the meaning of names. In Bible times Abraham, Esau, Jesus, Peter -- and countless others -- were given names that fit them for specific reasons. In the New Testament God has given His people, both individually and collectively, names or designations that have significance. Individually: -- Christians. This means belonging to Christ. He purchased us with His own blood. "For you wre bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's" (1 Cor. 6:20). (We also see in 1 Pet. 4:16 that we are to glorify God in the name Christian, JWS). Believers. This speaks of faith and trust. The miracles of Jesus "are written that we may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing we may have life in His name" (Jno. 20:31). Disciples. Disciples of Christ learn from Christ, follow Christ, and sprad the message of Christ. "It is enough for a disciple that he be like his teacher" (Matt. 10:25). Children of God. Offspring bear the qualities of their parents. "In this the children of God and the children of the devil are mani- fested: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother" (1 Jno. 3:10). Collectively:-- Kingdom. Jesus "Freed us from our sins by His blood and made us a kingdom of priests to His God and Father" (Rev. 1:5,6). We have pledged our allegiance to King Jesus, Whom we now serve as loyal subjects. Church. The Greek term ekklesia, meaning those who are called out, has been expanded and elevated in the New Covena- nt. It refers to those who have been gathered and united in Christ. God has decreed tht His "manifold wisdom...might be made known by the church" (Eph. 3:10). Family. Paul declared that "we are the children of god, and if children, then heirs -- heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ" (Rom. 8:16,17). Body. Speaks of our mutual care and submission to our Head (1 Cor. 12). Temple. As a Temple, we are the abiding place of God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 3:16). Vineyard. It is the task of a vineyard to bear fruit to the glory and honor of God (Jno. 15). Bride of Christ. As such we are to submit ourselves to our Husband. (Eph. 5). As you read your Bible, mull over these, and other, "names" God has called His people. Ponder their meaning, as well as the blessings and obligations they imply. ------- Jim Ward in The Lost River Bulletin, Vol. 58, No. 6, December, 2008. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20081218/0725f115/attachment-0001.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Thu Dec 18 05:28:50 2008 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Thu, 18 Dec 2008 06:28:50 EST Subject: [Biblemat] S) DOUBLE CROSSED Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. Here is a study from my recent files. Use to the glory of God. DOUBLE CROSSED There were three crosses on Mount Calvary the day Jesus died. The Son of God was crucified between two thieves, one on His left, the other on His right. These two common criminas were crucified along with Jesus. Too often we get bogged down in discussions about the thief who spoke with Jesus about the next life. We argue about whether he was actually saved. We have to explain that Jesus could save him, but that was before baptism was commanded. So, unlike the thief, people today need to believe, repent and be baptized in order to have their past sins removed. When we chase these issues (and they are valid discussions) we can lose sight of the bigger lessons in this story. Luke records all this for a reason. So, lets see what we can learn about the double cross- es that stood alongside the cross of Christ. Take time just here to read: Lk. 23:32-34, 39-43. First, notice what we learn concern- ing sinners: All Sinners Suffer Justly: -- These two thieves deserved their fate, as one of them admits. That is, these men were the genuine article, guilty of their crimes. And, they had stolen so long and so much that the authorities passed the death sentence on them They deserved their punishment. This is not a popular theme in our world today. It seems peo- ple want to live any way they want and still not have any conseq- uences. So, instead of losing weight, we seek gimmicks that will "melt the pounds away". Or, instead of giving up smoking, we want doctors to cure the illnesses we create by smoking. And, when it comes to sin in our culture, no one wants to be held accountable. Anything goes, as long as "no one gets hurt." Yet, these two crosses prove otherwise. Sinners, DO stand guilty before God. And even if our society will let sinners off the hook, God will not. All sinners deserve the punishment that comes with sin. And God said plainly, "The wages of sin is death" (Rom. 6:23). Some Sinners Sin Until The End: -- One of these two condemn- ed men asks Jesus to help, "if" He is the Christ. In fact, he goes further, mocking Jesus. It is hard to imagine a man who is dying still wanting to be cruel or ugly. What is the point? But, we learn that some sinners are going to keep on sinning right up to the bitter end. (We hear of criminals that would curse and swear against God and their fellowman as they were breathing their last breaths, JWS). But, again, haven't we all seen that person, dying from lung cancer, reach for another cigarette? Or, an alcoholic, dying from liver disease, call for another drink? Some people get so deep into their foolish behaviors that even in the face of death they will not change. Like this one thief, they make fun of righteous- ness right up to the time they take their last breath. Why, faced with his own mortality and imminent death, a man will persist in sin, I just don't know. But many sinners will do just that. Some Sinners Seek Salvation Upon Their Death Bed: -- In con- trast to the one thief, the other seems contrite. He rebukes the other criminal, and then turns to Jesus seeking some recognit- ion, some kind of help. He doesn't ask to be spared, only to be remembered by the Lord. He makes no demands, does not whine about how unfair it all is. He owns his guilt and asks Jesus' help when the time comes. Of all the lessons to learn this may be the most important. No matter what your sin has been, you can turn to Jesus for sal- vation. No matter how deeply you have fallen into Satan's power, you can be set free. You can be free from addiction, from dishonesty, from selfishness. You can be set free from a lifetime of sinful actions. You no longer have to be a slave to sin. Like the thief, you can come to the Christ and find the mercy your life so desperately needs. Watching Jesus die between these two sinners teaches us something about Jesus, about sinners and about His concern for sinners. Jesus Died For Every Person: -- This event begins with Jesus asking the Father to forgive all these people, including the ones nailing His hands and feet to the cross. He prays for those peo- ple, He prays for the two thieves that flank Him, and He was pray- ing for you and for me. Jesus died for the whole world. For the Romans killing Him, for the crooks dying with Him, for you and for me. "But we do see Him who has been made for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone" (Heb. 2:9). The authorities who killed Jesus thought that making Him die with known criminals, people would determine He must be a criminal too. But, Jesus didn't mind. He had come to earth to associate with sinners. He had spent His life trying to rescue people from their foolish mistakes. He was willing to die with sinners because He was willing to die for sinners. Jesus Died For Every Sin: -- As Jesus prays, He says those kill- ing Him didn't realize what they were doing. Jesus knew that many, if not most sinners, might be unaware of their sinfulness and may not recognize Him as Savior. Still, He died for you and for every one of your sins. Like the men crucifying Jesus and the thieves, we may not have ever faced our guilt, accepted our failure or acknowledged our need. Still, Jesus died for us, ignor- ant and mistaken as we might be. Jesus was, "the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" (Jno. 1:29). His death with these two men was designed to remove the guilt of sin from every person for every sin. There are no sins beyond Jesus' reach. There are not fail- ures He cannot forgive and forget. By dying between those two thieves Jesus offered mercy to all who have failed. And, even if you think some of your sins are too bad for Him to forgive, you have failed to grasp the majesty of His death. Jesus Died For Your Sins: -- This might seem