From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Thu Oct 1 04:48:22 2009 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Thu, 1 Oct 2009 05:48:22 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] A) FREEDOM FROM BONDAGE 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 files: FREEDOM FROM BONDAGE Moses was born during a perilous time for Israel. The Egypt- ian kng who exalted Joseph and invited Jacob's family to live in the land of Goshen was a distant memory. The new monarch did not know Joseph. He became frightened by the dramatic in- crease in Israel's population. So he enslaved Israel and made them rigorously serve in Egyptian building projects. Out of fear, the Egyptian monarch ordered newborn male Hebrew children to be thrown into the Nile River. Moses' parents disobeyed this command. instead, they made a little basket in which they plac- ed the baby Moses and set him among the bulrushes near the bank of the Nile Pharaoh's daughter came to the river to bathe. She found the babe crying and she had compassion on the child. She adopted him as her own son. She named him Moses because she had drawn him out of the water. As Moses grew to manhood he defended a Hebrew who was being abused by an Egyptian. He killed the Egyptian. When this became known, Moses fled tot the land of Midian and lived there for the next 40 years. In the meantime, things were getting worse for Israel. They were grievously suffering. "And God look- ed upon the children of Israel and God acknowledged them" (Exo. 2:25). Israel was in bondage and they needed a deliverer. The Lord instructed Moses from the burning bush to return to' Egypt and lead His people out of captivity. Moses obeyed and ten plagues later God brought them out of Egypt with His mighty hand. The final plague, the death of the firstborn, brought great suffering throughout all Egypt. There was not an Egyptian household that was not affected. At the same time, not one death occurred among the Hebrews. They had been instructed to kill a Passover lamb and put the blood on the sides of the doorposts and upon the lintel. "And when I see the blood, I will pass over you" (Exo. 12:13). Pharaoh was distraught and ordered the Hebrews to leave immediately. Israel had watched God do many wonders to pro- tect them and humble Pharaoh. Now it was their turn to acts. They had to turn their backs on bondage, trust God, and follow Moses to freedom. There is a parallel between the Hebrew bondage and our sin. Sin is often a horrible taskmaster. We become slave to it (Rom. 6:12-18). We have all been under its power before. Like Israel we needed a deliverer. Jesus Christ was sent from God to 'de- liver us from the power of darkness' (Col. 1:13). He did this, not with animal blood, by with His own precious blood (Heb. 9:11- 15). Even after all that our Lord has done, we must take steps to be free from bondage. We must have faith in Jesus as God's Son, turn our backs on sin, and upon confession of our faith be baptized into Christ (Gal. 3:26,27). Israel went through a bapt- ism that freed them from Egyptian bondage (1 Cor. 10:1,2). We must do the same. --------- David Hartselle, via. The Jackson Drive Reporter, Sept. 27, 2009. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091001/ad5c262d/attachment.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Thu Oct 1 04:48:32 2009 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Thu, 1 Oct 2009 05:48:32 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] S) THOSE "STRANGE" MACEDONIANS (4) Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here.is the fourth and final install- ment of this particular study. Use to the glory of God. THOSE "STRANGE" MACEDONIANS (4) AN ENLIGHTENED PEOPLE: -- III. The Macedonian Christians Were An Enlightened People Who Understood That Giving Is Not A Painful Duty, But A Prec- ious Privilege: -- "...Praying us with much entreaty that we would receive the gift..." These enlightened Christians of Mace- donia had learned a secret that twentieth century Christians need desperately to understand: t give is not to lose, but to gain. We do not impoverish ourselves by giving: on the contrary, we enrich ourselves. "Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again" (Lk. 6:38). It is because many do not understand this that they are so reluctant to give. Many actually seem to look upon giving as some species of a "necessary evil" and never part with a red penny without inward reluctance and pain. They do nto under- stand that if they gave unselfishly, they would gain abundantly. It was because the Macedonians understood this that they literally begged for the privilege of giving. They would not allow the fact that they were poor to deprive them of the privilege of every child of God to share what they had with those less fortun- ate. They were determined that not even the pain of affliction and the privation of poverty would rob them of doing their part in God's work! How different the attitude of many Christians would be if they would only learn the secret that the Macedonians under- stood. They would then regard giving as a privilege to be pur- sued, won and claimed, and not a painful duty to be avoided, shirked and held in contempt. Now suppose the Macedonians had labored under the same misconceptions regarding giving that seals the pocketbooks of so many modern day church members. Why, they could have written a large book of excuses behind which to disguise their stinginess. Let us take a quick look at some of the excuses they could have made: 1. They Could Have Used Distance As An Excuse: -- "Jerus- alem is a long way from Macedonia. We have problems of our own to solve. Charity begins at home. There are people in our own back yard that need our help." That sounds plausible, but the trouble is that church members who drag this red herring across the trail rarely take very much interest in the folks in their own back yard except to use them as an excuse for their failure to help those who live at a great distance! 2. They Could Have Pleaded Ignorance Of The Circumstanc- es: -- "After all we have no first-hand knowledge of the situation at Jerusalem. Of course, Paul and other preachers have told us that your needs are real, but preachers are a soft-hearted and gullible lot who are always begging for help for some cause that has appealed to their sympathies. How do we know that you are really worthy of our help? For all we know, your need may be the result of your own carelessness. Some of you might take our hare-earned money (the Lord's money-- not our money), but many church members would let hundreds starve rather than risk helping a few unworthy ones! By the way, "unworthy" peo- ple need help, too -- help in finding the way to Christ, who can remove their unworthiness! 3. They Could Have Reasoned That Their Help Might Do More Harm Than Good: -- "If we help you it might make you lazy, shiftless, no account." That is possible, of course, but many times that reasoning is employed by those who are not really worried about the harm they will do to others, but rather about what a painful process it is to open their own pocketbooks! 4. They Could Have Pleaded Their Own Poverty And Afflict- ion: -- "How can you have the nerve to expect our help when we are so poor and afflicted ourselves?" This excuse, along with other matters, will be discussed in the coming issue entitled MORE ABOUT THOSE " STRANGE" MACEDONIANS. Please look for more on the subject shortly. --- Bonds Stocks in The Preceptor, Vol. 1, No. 12, October, 1952. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091001/2723be87/attachment.html From Mikejohnson104 at aol.com Thu Oct 1 17:18:56 2009 From: Mikejohnson104 at aol.com (Mikejohnson104 at aol.com) Date: Thu, 1 Oct 2009 18:18:56 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] B> The Elon Challenger V 6 N 11 Message-ID: The Elon Challenger ELON CHURCH OF CHRIST New Hope, Alabama Seeking to challenge your interest in things spiritual & eternal (Eph. 6:10-18). Volume VI Number 11 July, 2009 =================================================================== ?THE SURE FOUNDATION (S) OF GOD? Charles G. Maples, Sr In Second Timothy 2:19 we read, ?Nevertheless, the solid foundation of God stands...?(NKJV) The King James translation of that Scripture uses the word ?SURE.? The context of that statement contrasts the ?foundation? of false teachers and their followers: ?...profane and vain babblings...destroy the faith of some!? To begin with, we would expect that any work (? foundation?) of God be ?Sure!,? ?Solid!? In our beginning of revelation of His Works, we read, a number of times, ?...and it was Good!? (Gen.1:4ff) Not so with the ?...doctrines and commandments of men!? (Matt. 15:9) But the Inspired apostle Paul spoke of this ?Foundation? in another sense in I Corinthians 3:11, ?For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Christ.? In the apostle?s labors in ?laying? that Foundation, he strove to ?Preach Christ...? (I Corinthians 1:23); he stated to the Ephesian Elders, in Acts 20:26, 27, that he was ?free from the blood of all men, for I have not shunned to declare the WHOLE COUNSEL OF GOD.? In his preaching, ?the whole counsel of God,? he was ?preaching Christ,? and he was LAYING ?THE FOUNDATION OF GOD? for the salvation of his hearers. ?THE FOUNDATION? OF OUR FAITH is that ?SURE FOUNDATION OF GOD!? The apostle Paul wrote in Galatians 3:26 that those Christians were ?children of God, by faith in Christ Jesus.? Jesus, Himself, affirmed in John 8:24, ?If you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.? In the first ? laying? of that ?Foundation? by those who were to ?...go teach all nations...,? which we read of in Acts chapter two, the apostle Peter; began with, ?Men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God...you have taken by lawless hands , have crucified and put to death...God has made this same Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ!? (Vs 22, 23 &36) ?JESUS, BOTH LORD AND CHRIST,? THAT?S THE ?SURE FOUNDATION OF GOD? OF OUR FAITH! The Philippian Jailer, when he asked what he must do to be saved, was told he must ?Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ...?(Acts 16:31). The Ethiopian Treasurer; when requesting to be baptized; was told, ?If you believe with all of your heart, you may.? Thereupon he confessed, ?I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.? We then are told that when Phillip had baptized him, the Ethiopian ?went on his way rejoicing...!? It would appear from the context that the ?foundation? of his faith had been in Judaism, but now his faith was built upon ?The Sure Foundation Of God,? since Phillip had ?preached unto him Jesus? (Acts 8:35), he had come to believe with all his heart that Jesus was The Christ, and had been ? baptized into Christ? (Galatians 3:27). SECONDLY, THE ?FOUND-ATION? UPON WHICH THE CHURCH IS BUILT IS ?THE SURE FOUNDATION OF GOD!? When Peter had confessed that Jesus was ?The Christ, The Son of The Living God,? our Lord responded by saying, ?...upon this Rock, I will build My church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it!? (Matthew 16:18) This is in harmony with the apostle?s statement to the church at Corinth: ?According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation...for no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, WHICH IS JESUS CHRIST.? (I Corinthians 3:10,11) To go back, even before Jesus promised to ?Build My Church,? God clearly had it in His ?Eternal Purpose? (Ephesians 3:10f), and in those verses you will notice that His ?Purpose? was ?...accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.? The Hebrew writer refers to it as ?...the true tabernacle which the Lord erected, and not man.? (Hebrews 8:2) Universally speaking, He is not only our ?High Priest? (v.1), ?He is the head of the body, the church...? (Colossians 1:18), as well as being ?the Sure Foundation of God,? upon which it is built. (Matthew 16:18) And so, as OUR FAITH and THE LORD?S CHURCH are founded upon God?s ?SOLID FOUNDATION? (2 Tim. 2:19 NKJV), so it is that the Son of God is the ? Foundation? for our HOPE OF SALVATION! The apostle Paul wrote, ?...the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is CHRIST IN YOU, THE HOPE OF GLORY.? (Colossians 1:27), and in I Corinthians 15:19 he wrote that this ?Hope (is) in Christ...? Thus, our Hope of Eternal Salvation has as it?s ?Sure Foundation? Jesus Christ, the Son of God! And the apostle Paul urges us that we ?be not moved away from the Hope of (His) Gospel.? See again the text of our theme: ?Nevertheless the sure foundation of God STANDS, having this seal: ?The Lord knows those who are His,? and, ?Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.? The writer of the Proverbs promises, ?When the whirlwind passes by, the wicked is no more, But the righteous has an EVERLASTING FOUNDATION!? (Prov. 10:25) CONCLUSION: Heaven established ?The True Foundation(s) of God,? ? it is up to US to be sure that we ?STAND FAST ?(Phil. 4:1) upon them! __________ A POLITE NOTE CONCERNING SOME POPULAR EXPRESSIONS Jason Malham In the confusing religious realm today, there are many different groups, with many names, teaching many things, in many different ways. It?s enough to make an honest individual worn out when trying to work and worship with a group that works and worships according to New Testament teaching. We have observed that there are many telltale signs indicating a religious organization to either be the Lord?s church worshiping in the Lord?s way or just a ?FALSE? religion. May I now suggest to you that there are many expressions floating about in religious dialogue today that do not have their origin in the scriptures of God, but rather in the writings and thinking of men uninspired by God (that is, men who have not received direct revelation from God). So, if you were to hear these expressions, you would know instantly that these are people not too terribly impressed with the authority of God (hence, not the Lord?s church) but who are more inclined to accept the counsel of men in religious matters. May I let you in on a few of these ? man-made? ideas? (1) ?Baptism isn?t necessary. It?s just the OUTWARD SIGN OF AN INWARD CLEANSING.? It?s the what? Have you ever heard an expression similar to this one? It?s one of the most common expressions used today to minimize the role of baptism in God?s scheme of redeeming man. If you hear someone use this curious idiom on you, cordially request the person to provide some scripture that supports the concept. If they provide 1 Peter 3:21, make sure that whatever interpretation they offer doesn?t change the plain statement made by Peter that baptism ? . . . now saves us.? (2) ?Everyone ought to just JOIN THE CHURCH OF THEIR CHOICE.? Join the what??? How about this one? Ever heard it? When I look into the divine record of God?s mind, I see that the Lord Jesus GAVE HIMSELF UP FOR the church (Eph. 5:25), that he BOUGHT WITH HIS OWN BLOOD the church (Ac.20:28), that he is the HEAD OF the church (Col.1:18), and that there is JUST ONE church (Eph.4:4, Col.1:18,24). There is no other passage in the New Testament which suggests that there is more than this one church so sacredly referred to by these divinely communicated writings. Thus, I beg you, good reader, do not accept such a quibble as that noted above without scriptural justification that has been interpreted according to its context. For if the Lord has DIED so that the ONE CHURCH should exist, how exhaustingly should we seek until we find it? (3) ?I know there?s no verse for it but GOD DIDN?T SAY NOT TO DO IT.? God didn?t say what? I can just see it. I?m 13 and my mother sends me to the Kroger store down the road a bit with the specific direction to buy a gallon of milk, a loaf of bread, and a carton of eggs. I, in turn, go to the store and get these very things . . . PLUS . . . a candy bar, a pack of bubble gum, and a Coke. When I get home, she interrogates me as to why the bag is more full than expected and I show her the EXTRA goods I got with her resources. When she questions me as to what gave me the right to get the candy and Coke when she specifically told me what to get, I simply and matter-of-factly would reply?: Well, Mom, you didn?t tell me NOT to get a candy bar, a pack of bubble gum, and a Coke.? The response? That?s right. POW!! That arrogant attitude would get me whipped by my mother, sent out in the hall by my teacher, and fired by my employer! Yet there are actually individuals today who are conditioning themselves to stand before the Almighty God and give answer for their religious practices in this unfortunate way. Tsk, tsk. Friends, condition yourselves rather, to think with reverence and respect toward the Lord?s teaching. Do not allow yourselves to be duped by the shallow thinking of such expressions as these. They merely reflect the man-made Creed, not the God-Given Word. Edited __________ ?WHAT SAVES US?? Selected There are several different views on this subject and they all can not be right. Honesty demands that we look to the Holy Bible and accept all that it says about it. The scriptures teach that there are many things that save us. Some of them are as follows: 1. God?s Grace (Acts 15:1; Eph 2:8; Tit 3:7) 2. God?s Mercy (Tit 3:5; 1 Pet 1:3) 3. The Gospel (Rom 1:16; Col 1:5; Eph 1:13; Jam 1:21) 4. Our Faith (Rom 5:1; Eph 2:8; Heb 11:6; Acts 16:31) 5 . Obedience (Rom 6:16-17; Heb 5:9; Rom 10:16) 6. Calling upon the name of the Lord (Rom 10:13) 7. Ourselves (Jam 2:24; Acts 2:40; Phil 2:12) 8. Hearing God?s Word (John 5:24; Rom 10:17) 9. Repenting (Luke 13:5; Acts 2:38; 17:30; 3:19) 10. Confession (Rom 10:10; 1 John 4:3; Luke 12:8) 11. Baptism (Acts 2:38; Mark 16:16; 1 Pet 3:21) 12. Faithfulness (Rev 2:10; Jam 1:12; Gal 6:9) 13. Blood of Christ (Rom 5:9; Rev 1:5; Eph 1:7) Why not believe ALL the Bible? This list contains things that God has provided that man must do. __________ CHURCH GROWTH (V) Factors in Church Growth (2) ?The Times We Are Living In? Mike Johnson There are a number of factors which can affect church growth. Sometimes, the lack of growth in a congregation is explained by the ?times that we are living in.? Certainly, the moral and religious climate of today can have a negative bearing on the growth of a congregation. We do live in a very worldly society. Many people do not believe in the existence of God. The divorce rate is higher than ever. Many couples do not even marry? they just live together instead, and adultery is very common. Homosexuality is not only being widely practiced but is being accepted by a large segment of our society. But, many people in our country are very religious. However, man-made doctrines are commonly taught and believed. Furthermore, many people do not understand the concept of Bible authority, choosing instead to follow their own feelings, the beliefs of their parents, denominational dogmas, and creeds. Many people are so confused religiously that it is very difficult to teach them. Thus, we face the difficult task of, in a sense, unteaching them before we can successfully instruct them regarding the truth of God?s Word. An examination of the New Testament, however, shows that many were converted to Christ even though they previously lived very immoral lives. Consider the kind of lives that many of the Corinthians lived prior to their conversion. Paul said in I Corinthians 6:9-11, ?Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God? (NKJV). The Corinthians, as we can see, prior to their conversion, had been involved in much immorality and sin. However, the key is that they were taught and became Christians and thus were ?sanctified? and ?justified? in the name of Christ. Immoral people certainly can be converted. One big problem that Paul and others had in teaching the Gentiles is that the Gentiles did not, generally, believe in the true God. In Athens, for example, the city was full of idolatry, so Paul had to preach to them about God (Acts 17:22-31) and had to preach against their idols. When he talked to them about the resurrection (v. 31-32), they apparently interrupted his sermon. Some mocked him and others said that they would hear him again. Yet, even among these idolaters, some became believers (v. 34). Idolatry was common throughout the Roman world, but in spite of this, the gospel was preached, many people became believers, and churches were established throughout the world (Col. 1:23). Another major obstacle in the days of the early church was the task of trying to change the Jewish people from the religion of the Old Law, which they had always known, to Christianity. This would not have been an easy task. Even during the ministry of Christ, many of the Jews rejected Him (Jn. 6:41-42, 59-60, 66). Thus, the teachers in the early church had an extremely difficult task of convincing the Jews that the old law had been nailed to the cross (Col. 2:14-17), and that the Law of Christ (the perfect law of liberty ? Jas. 1:25) was intended to replace the Law of Moses. The Jews, many of whom were very religious, would need to turn away from the religion that they had grown up in and would have had to start serving Christ. In spite of these obstacles, thousands of Jews were converted to Christ; they became Christians, and the early church grew., Yes, we do live in very immoral times. There is much confusion in the religious world. This might be a factor in people not being converted and a factor in a particular local congregation not growing. Yet, this situation existed in the days of the early church, but, in spite of it, the Word was still taught, and they grew! While the times that we live in might be a factor in a congregation not growing as we would like, it is clear that people can still be converted in spite of our wicked times. __________ ?BEING A GOOD LISTENER? Glen Young Have you ever tried to have a conversation with someone who did not listen to what you were saying? Frustrating isn?t it? We have all had conversations where we were asked to repeat ourselves because the other person was not listening. Preachers see it in the eyes of their audiences more times than they want to admit. True conversation can only be experienced if both parties listen to one another. When one participant does not listen to what the other says, the conversation becomes one sided. Any attempt to share information is lost. The non-listener will miss important information necessary for their well being. When that information comes from God, it becomes imperative that we listen. When Jesus was teaching daily in the temple, the chief priests, scribes and principle men of the people wanted to kill Him, ?and they could not find what they might do; for the people all hung upon him, listening.? (Luke 19:48). This implies that Jesus had the undivided attention of the people. Their minds were upon Him and on what He was saying. They were deadly serious about hearing what was said. They were not going to let anyone or anything come between them and hearing the words of this man who spoke like no other they had ever heard before. Jesus proclaimed John the baptizer to be the greatest man born of woman, thus assigning him a place in God?s scheme of things. Jesus then said, ?He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. ?(Matthew 11:15). After introducing the parable of the seed and the sower, Jesus said, ?He that hath ears, let him hear.? (Matthew 13:9). John writes of the sea beast and those who worship him in the book of Revelations. Once John has introduced this image, he writes, ?If any man hath an ear, let him hear.? (Revelation 13:9). There are many other places in Scripture that we could cite. These will suffice to illustrate the point of how necessary it is to be a good listener, especially to God?s word. At this point, we shall address the problem many have with listening to a sermon. It should go without saying but least some doubt the validity of preaching, consider this, ?How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?? (Romans 10:14). So it is that God has established for men to hear His Words via preaching. In my preaching experience, I have seen people nod sleepily, play with babies, talk among each other, look aimlessly around the room and get this glazed look in their eyes which indicates they are deep in thought. Thoughts which I doubt seriously have anything to do with the subject of the sermon. We all realize there will be distractions, babies crying and older children being restless. With such incidentals, I do not have a problem. However, I acknowledge there is a problem when people are consistently poor listeners. Practice being a good listener. Your soul depends on it. __________ SOME THOUGHTS ABOUT PUBLIC PRAYER Greg Gwin We commend our men who are willing to help during the assemblies by leading the congregation in prayer. You are doing a good work! Please allow us to make a few suggestions that can improve our efforts in public prayers: 1) Speak UP! If you cannot be heard, you are not really doing your job. How can you ?lead? others if they can?t hear you? You must project your voice in a louder and more forceful tone than you commonly do in normal conversation. A good way to measure how loudly you should speak is to imagine someone standing in the farthest corner of the building - then speak so they could easily hear you. 2) Remember that this is a public prayer. This will dictate what sort of things you should pray about. Private matters should be dealt with in private prayers. 3) Don?t pray to be seen or heard by men (Matthew 6:5-8). You are not trying to impress men. You are speaking to the eternal Father in Heaven. 4) Give some thought to the length of your prayer. Public prayers do not need to be extremely long. The model prayer that Jesus prayed (Matthew 6:9-13) can be recited in less than 20 seconds. But, having said that, we should also advise you not to get in a big rush, either. Nervousness can make you speak so rapidly that it is hard for others to understand. 5) Don't sermonize. Again, you are speaking to God, not men. Don't use your prayer as an opportunity to ?make a point? with others who are in the assembly. 6) Do everything (volume, speed, content, motive, etc.) in such way that others will be able to add their ?amen? at the end of the prayer (1 Corinthians 14:16). __________ A foolish man can make money. It takes a wise man to know how to spend it. __________ Evangelist: Charles G. Maples Sr. Phone-256-530-0772 Evangelist & Editor: Mike Johnson Phone -256-776-2223 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091001/7b85bfbe/attachment-0001.html From terrywbenton at bellsouth.net Thu Oct 1 22:58:40 2009 From: terrywbenton at bellsouth.net (Terry W. Benton) Date: Thu, 1 Oct 2009 22:58:40 -0500 Subject: [Biblemat] A>Not By Faith Only Message-ID: Not By Faith Only (God's Word Versus Denominational Dogma) We live in a time of multiple religious cultures, ideas, beliefs, that are covering the territory of souls with voices of confusion, error, and misleading ideas. There needs to be a voice of truth, a voice that correctly represents the teaching of Jesus and his apostles. To bring this voice into the public arena, there needs to be conviction, caution, and concern for God's word as well as the souls that need so desperately to hear it. I am fully convinced that unless we are devoted to "the truth and nothing but the truth", we are doomed to be overly influenced by the doctrines and opinions of men, and these men can themselves be "blind leaders of the blind", just as the Pharisees were in Jesus' day. One way that we can detect a liberal drift in our own local congregation is to notice when brethren seem to be unwilling to be distinct in teaching and practice from the denominations. Our distinctiveness must always be that we emphasize biblical "truth" no matter who that truth confronts with error. If we are unwilling to oppose error, then we are happy to be friends of error. The stage is set to entertain error, be teachers of error, and to then find ourselves embarrassed by brethren who still preach truth. In this study, I will challenge the reader to think. I will challenge you to search for truth. I do not want you to get caught up in "Reformation" teaching of the 15th century, but in the divinely given teaching of the 1st century. Those who are teaching the modern idea of justification or salvation by FAITH ONLY, are usually seen wandering off into discussions of Reformation History, what Martin Luther thought, or what John Calvin thought, instead of what the apostles taught. I want you to think about getting back to the context of the Bible. I want you to be brave enough to stand on that biblical ground no matter where it will lead you. It WILL lead you away from modern denominational teaching. You may have to decide to leave a family tradition in order to do the will of God. Jesus will help you and challenge you to put His will first, and to take a stand that may not be popular. A Faint Voice In The Wilderness In the first century the religion of the Pharisees had become one of the most dominant voices among the Jews. Their teaching and doctrine had leavened the thinking of the common Jew. People were impressed with the externals of the Pharisees' denomination. They had the popular voice in the synagogues. There was not a lot of room for a voice like that of John the Baptist. His voice was not heard in the popular places of the local synagogues. John's voice was a faint voice heard in the wilderness. His voice called to people a message of "repentance" even among Jewish leaders. There was just enough knowledge of prophecy scattered around to inspire curiosity about this man. People knew that the time was close for the Messiah to arrive, and they knew that a forerunner was going to alert the public to get ready for the coming king. But, John's voice said that the leaders among the Jews needed to "flee the wrath to come". This was a voice that made him remain unpopular among the elite leadership of the Jews. The leadership had developed their traditions and was too proud to admit that they had missed the mark of truth and had become blinded by their own emphasis upon externals. They had, in fact, painted the outside, but had neglected qualities of faith, justice, and mercy, and righteousness on the inside. John's voice was a confrontational voice. It challenged all men to take an honest look as to whether they were really prepared to "be holy" and invite the holy Messiah into their defiled hearts. That kind of voice had to find audience outside the popular assembly places and go into the wilderness. There is a very real similarity between the conditions of John's day and ours. Today, the popular voice, most commonly and dominantly heard, is the denominational voice that "justification is by faith ONLY". This voice dominates every major denomination. The Methodist discipline says that the doctrine of salvation by faith only is a most wholesome doctrine and "very full of comfort". The leaders of this denomination have not stopped to question this idea. Most would be surprised to learn that this doctrine is not true and cannot be sustained by the New Testament. The voice of the New Testament is clear. The inspired writer, James, specifically said that a man "is justified by works, and NOT BY FAITH ONLY" (James 2:24). James' voice is the voice of truth on this matter. The traditions of men have dominated the religious scene and pushed James out of the church buildings and synagogues, and into the wilderness, so that his voice is faintly heard or recognized. Some, in order to protect their traditional view of salvation by faith only, have treated James as the one in error, as one not really inspired of God. Some have acted like he is in conflict with Paul on this matter. However, James is in complete agreement with Paul. Paul also spoke of "faith working through love", "obedience of faith", and doing various things "by faith". In order for Paul to be in conflict with James, Paul would have to say "a man is justified by FAITH ONLY". He never says that. He says "by faith", but he NEVER says anything about "faith ALONE". Paul Addresses Works of a Different Sort We will look at the context of Paul's discussion of "works" and we will see an amazing alteration of the context in order to make it seemingly fit the modern denominational doctrine of "faith only". Paul talks about "not of works", but his discussion has to do with meritorious works of law-keeping, not whether the nature of faith in Jesus has to involve obedience. Paul's discussion is in a Jew-system of works (without faith in Jesus) versus the Christian system of believing that only Jesus can save us from our failure of perfect law-keeping. He does not discuss whether the nature of faith in Jesus is obedient or not. He discusses the Jew system of works versus the Christian system of faith in Jesus. James discusses the nature of faith in Jesus. It is a faith that moves us to action, compassion, mercy, and proof of faith. James points out that the quality of faith is only seen in the proofs or service and compassion that real faith produces. James and Paul are in complete harmony on the issue of faith only. They both believed that the nature of saving faith is obedient, active, working. Two Different Voices The voice of Paul and James is much different from the modern discussion of justification by faith alone. In the 1st century discussion, the context was on whether one could work so as not to even need Jesus' sacrifice. Could the Jew work his way through the holy demands of God's law so as to be justified before God on the merits of his own conduct? If not, should he not look into the good news that Christians were espousing? Would it not be worth considering whether Jesus could indeed have been "wounded for our transgressions" (as Isaiah had prophesied, Isa.53), and thus be the only viable way for Jews or Gentiles to be justified before God? That is the context of Pails' discussions about "works" versus "faith". He does not discuss directly the modern debate among professed Christians as to whether we are justified by faith-working or faith-without-works. The modern discussion has been invented centuries later and applied to a completely different context. Instead of a Jew-system versus Christian-system (works versus faith), the words of Paul have been lifted and transferred to a discussion between two groups of professed Christians. The one group is claiming that the nature of real faith in Jesus is obedient, active, and working compassionate acts of faith, while the other group is claiming that the nature of faith is wholly inactive at the moment of justification. The transfer from the Jew-Christian context to the issue of active-versus-inactive-faith is truly amazing. More amazing is that this transfer of context has been so readily swallowed by so many studious people. A recent book, Justification by Faith Alone, illustrates how serious and how polarizing this new issue has become. The authors of the book are John MacArthur, R.C. Sproul, Joel Beeke, John Gerstner, and John Armstrong. The subtitle of the book is, Affirming The Doctrine By Which The Church And The Individual Stands or Falls. That subtitle seems to contradict the premise of the title. If the doctrine of justification by faith alone is true, then all who have ever had a moment of faith alone will stand no matter how far astray in doctrine they get. If it is true that faith alone, without any other actions, attitudes, or responses, will get the justification of God, then it cannot be the case that any that has had that moment of faith can "fall" due to any "doctrinal" influence. We will discuss this matter more fully later on. For now, let us get a feel for what these authors perceive about the importance of "faith ALONE". On page xi, the authors say, In this work, we hope to expose any system that teaches other than "justification by faith alone" as unbiblical and, therefore, fatal. Since James, the Bible writer, said "NOT by faith only"(James 2:24), then we must assume that these authors believe that James and those who believe James (like myself) are in danger of something fatal. This means that James is "unbiblical" and "fatal" in his belief and teaching. Obviously, he did not teach justification by faith alone. He taught the opposite. This puts these authors in a very incredible position. On page 1, the authors say, No doctrine is more important to evangelical theology than the doctrine of justification by faith alone-the Reformation principle of sola fide. Martin Luther called it the article that determines whether the church is standing or falling. I want the reader to make note that these authors did not go all the way back to the BIBLE to get their very important doctrine. They did not say "the apostle's doctrine of sola fide" (which is the only legitimate place to find such a doctrine, if it can be found there). They went back only to the "Reformation"(15th-16th century). They quoted from Martin Luther instead of Peter, John, Paul, James, or the other 1st Century apostles. This should be revealing enough in itself to cause us to reflect carefully upon this important doctrine. I challenge the reader to find where the apostles of Jesus Christ ever taught that justification is by "faith alone". Sola fide is not in the New Testament. Nestl?'s Latin translation in James is non ex fide tantum. This is also the same in Jerome's Latin Vulgate. This is the equivalent of saying non ex sola fide. This doctrine IS in the New Testament. The doctrine that justification is NOT by faith only IS in the Bible, while the doctrine of justification by faith ONLY is NOT in the Bible. The authors chose to contradict the New Testament (James 2:24) and find support for their doctrine 15 centuries later. This puts them in the unenviable position of having to affirm that such an "important" ("no doctrine is more important") doctrine was missing for 15 centuries. They had to go to the "Reformation" principle of men like "Martin Luther". They should have, if they could have, gone to the New Testament to find such an important doctrine. They further claimed on the same page that It would not be far from the truth to define evangelicals as those who believe in justification by faith alone. Since neither James, nor any other apostle ever taught justification by faith ALONE, then these men are in the unenviable position of having to affirm that the early church was not "evangelical". Who can believe that? We are forced immediately to decide if we will cow to the doctrines of men (faith alone) or if we will stick to the Bible ("not by faith alone"-James 2:24). James and Paul Agree While Paul taught that justification is by faith in Jesus Christ and not by works of merit, he never used the Greek equivalent of the Latin "sola fide". His discussion in Romans was not a contradiction of James. Paul is addressing the issue of justification by merit or forgiveness. This comes down to the matter of whether one needs to believe in Jesus or whether one's own works, without Jesus, such as the unbelieving Jews hoped to have, could earn one the status of justification before God. He is dealing with the theory that one can stand justified before God on the merits of one's own works, or whether faith in Jesus is the only legitimate hope for justification before God. Paul is contrasting two systems: the Jews' system of works of law, and the Christian system of forgiveness through faith in Jesus. Paul concludes that it is by faith in Jesus, not by works of the law or meritorious works. Albert Barnes states it this way: James 2:24 James, therefore, does not contradict Paul, but he contradicts a false explanation of Paul's doctrine. He does not deny that a man is justified in the sight of God by faith, for the very passage which he quotes shows that he believes that; but he does deny that a man is justified by a faith which would not produce good works, and which is not expressed by good works; and thus he maintains, as Paul always did, that nothing else than a holy life can show that a man is a true Christian, and is accepted of God. (from Barnes' Notes). Matthew Henry made these agreeable observations: 1. When Paul says that a man is justified by faith, without the deeds of the law (Rom 3:28), he plainly speaks of another sort of work than James does, but not of another sort of faith. Paul speaks of works wrought in obedience to the law of Moses, and before men's embracing the faith of the gospel; and he had to deal with those who valued themselves so highly upon those works that they rejected the gospel (as Rom 10, at the beginning most expressly declares); but James speaks of works done in obedience to the gospel, and as the proper and necessary effects and fruits of sound believing in Christ Jesus. Both are concerned to magnify the faith of the gospel, as that which alone could save us and justify us; but Paul magnifies it by showing the insufficiency of any works of the law before faith, or in opposition to the doctrine of justification by Jesus Christ; James magnifies the same faith, by showing what are the genuine and necessary products and operations of it. (from Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible) Please make note that Henry spoke of "sound believing", which implies there is an "unsound kind of believing". James is addressing the unsound, "faith only", kind of believing. Faith only is not sound believing. Active, obedient, submissive faith in Jesus is sound believing. Please make note also that Paul does not use the Greek equivalent of the Latin "sola" in his discussion of faith versus works. This was something generated in the 15th century in response to Catholic penitential works. The Reformers were trying to address the meritorious works that had developed among the Catholics. They formulated a phrase that seemed to them to summarize the truth that Jesus is not synonymous with all the Catholic traditions, orders, and penitential rules. It is by faith in Jesus, not by the merits of the works one does according to the Catholic teachings, that one can find justification before God. The phrase "sola fide" (faith alone) was coined to summarize the doctrine that counters the Roman Catholic system of works. This Reformation phrase has since evolved into teaching that repentance and baptism are not part of the faith that saves. A new version of faith only has surfaced, a version that Luther himself would not have agreed with. John Wycliffe says of James 2:24: By works James does not have in mind the Jewish doctrine of works as a means of salvation, but rather works of faith, the ethical outworking of true piety and especially the "work of love" (cf. James 2:8). (From The Wycliffe Bible Commentary) Most of the Reformers knew that James was not in contradiction of Paul. Works of perfect law-keeping was not a means to justification. Faith in Jesus was the only means. However, the character and quality of that faith in Jesus was active and obedient, moving to action, and if it did not have that quality, it was no better than what the devils have. Who Will Speak The Truth Today? It has become clear that confusion has been passed along through the various denominations of our modern world, and that same confused voice continues to dominate the generations to come. Jesus thought of the Pharisees as a brood of vipers. Their poison was deadening people to the deeper applications of important principles. Jesus warned His disciples to "beware of the leaven of the Pharisees". Because their voice was larger in the synagogues, there was the danger that their leavening influence would pass to the disciples. Their doctrine and teaching would influence the disciple. The religion of the scribes and Pharisees was more visibly impressive in terms of pomp, show, size, and emphasis upon the external things. Jesus wanted His disciples to "continue in His word, know the truth, and know how to detect the leaven of the Pharisees. Truth needed a voice, even if it was at first a lonely, minority voice. Will there be a clear voice for the words of the Bible today? Who can we count on to teach it correctly? The fact that the major denominations of today will drive out into the wilderness the man who denies their cherished doctrine of faith only, shows that we cannot count on them to tell it just like James told it in the first century. The major denominations of today insist on the doctrine that is the very opposite of what James said. Beware of the leaven of denominations who teach either: 1) justification is by faith only (leaven of the Baptists, Methodists, Presbyterians, Lutherans, etc.), 2) justification is earned by works (Jews, some Catholics, and various other religions), or 3) Justification is obtained through the practice of certain commandments of men (Roman Catholics). The Bible teaches none of these doctrines, and we need to give the Bible a voice into our hearts and the hearts of all mankind. The scriptures never say "faith alone" except to say "NOT by faith alone". Inadequate Definitions of Faith Not only do we have the problem of the leaven of the denominations teaching salvation or justification by faith only, but part of the problem is found in their very inadequate definition of faith. It is usually very vaguely defined. Does it have to obey anything in order to be saved? Does it have to repent of sin? Does it have to be baptized? What is excluded and included under the term "faith"? The voice of the denominations fails to relate the nature and character of saving faith. The Bible shows that salvation is by faith at the moment in faith that one is baptized in Jesus' name for the remission of sins (Acts 2:36-40; Acts 8:33f; 22:16; Rom.6:3-6; Col.2:11, 12). This biblical voice is denied by most modern denominations. This is due in part to the leaven of modern faith-only perspective. Because they have inadequately defined the moment of salvation by faith, and have promoted a vague idea that salvation is at some mental point when a fact is accepted, they have found themselves in denial of some of the Bible's clearest passages. We cannot depend upon the denominations to say exactly what Peter said on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:38). In answer to the question, "What shall we do?" the denominations would answer differently than Peter. They would say, "there is nothing you can do" and "Jesus has already done it all for you". Never will they say the same thing that Peter said in answer to that question. We cannot depend upon the modern 7-denominations to give the world the right answer to the question, "What shall we do to be saved?". We cannot count on the Catholics to speak the truth. They will add works of human doctrine, teaching as doctrine the commandments of men. The voice of truth will whimper beneath the weight of the added rules and traditions of men. We need to give the Bible (God's only true revelation) the voice it had originally. Unfortunately, we cannot depend on many churches of Christ today. Many of them have left the truth. They have quit abiding in the doctrine of Christ and have compromised the message of truth. Max Lacado is no longer a voice for truth. He has caved into the pressures of rubbing elbows with good denominational folk. Their leaven has influenced his own perspective. Now, we cannot depend on this great and influential writer to speak where the Bible speaks. The desire for the praise of men has moved many a man to compromise the truth of God. We need young voices to rise up with conviction enough to carry forth the voice of truth for tomorrow. Do not let the voice of truth be just a whimper in wilderness. Instead of compromising truth in order to stay in the modern synagogues of modern popular religion, we need men and women who will stand firm for the truth of the Bible. We need teachers, preachers, writers, and debaters who will not fear to challenge modern religion. Who will go into the wilderness if necessary? Who will stand alone if necessary? Who will call for "repentance" in this present evil world when the popular voice says "all you have to do is believe"? Who will teach like the early disciples the truth that baptism is part of the process of a saving faith? God wants you on His team if you will beware of the leaven of denominationalism and teach only what the Bible says. Faith Is Active and Obedient "What shall we do?" asked the convicted, believing crowd on Pentecost. Here was a perfect time for Peter to say something about the doctrine of "faith only". Since they were convicted, it would have been a perfect time to tell them that there is "nothing you can do, it has already been done for you". However, the truth is that they did not buy in to the doctrine of justification by faith only. Their faith needed to work, not deservedly, but obediently to the condition of repentance and baptism in Jesus' name. Remission of sins (justification) was by faith. To reject Peter's inspired command to "repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins" would only be proof of a lack of faith. Real faith surrenders and obeys. Real faith is demonstrated in repentance and baptism in Jesus' name for remission of sins. Faith is the guiding motivation. Repentance and baptism form the moment in faith that man is forgiven and united with Christ. (Col.2:11,12; Rom.6:3-6; Gal.3:26,27; Acts 2:37-38,40). Faith is active and obedient in coming "into Christ". We are baptized into Him. In scriptural baptism we are "buried with Him" and "raised with Him" to walk in newness of life. Faith is also active in STAYING in Christ. We have to exercise faith and caution to remain or "abide in Him" (Col.1:21-23; John 15:1-5). Obedience does not equate with meritorious works. Dying to sin (repentance) is faith in action. Being "buried with Christ" in baptism is more than just some mental agreement to some propositional truth about Jesus. To be buried with Christ in baptism one's faith must move him to repentance, surrendering body and soul to the will of Jesus. Repentance is not a meritorious work or deserving. Baptism is not a meritorious work or deserving. These together form the moment of salvation by faith in Jesus Christ, and without these, there is no real faith in Jesus Christ. If it is faith only, it will remain dead. If they gladly receive the word and are baptized, they will walk away rejoicing to have been justified by faith in Jesus Christ. If they are only momentarily convicted, and it remains to be "faith only", then they will not receive the remission of sins (justification) and they can take their usual place among the rest of the unbelieving Jews on that day and since then. Faith Is Inherently Obedient Hebrews 11 gives us several demonstrations of how faith is active and obedient. By faith Abel OFFERED (11:4). Notice that his faith moved him to do something. If he merely claimed to have faith (faith only) but did not offer the sacrifice that pleased God, then he would have been in the same boat with Cain. Cain had a mental belief in God, but his offering did not show it. By faith Noah "moved with godly fear" and "built the ark". By faith Abraham "obeyed". Notice that by faith we "obey". If you will scan through the whole book of Hebrews you will discover that faith and obedience are synonymous (Heb.3:18-19; 5:9). Obeying does not earn salvation. Obeying expresses the reality of faith in Jesus Christ. How can we have faith and not do what Jesus commands? By faith we repent and be baptized in Jesus' name for remission of sins (Acts 2:38). Without obedience there is no real faith. Justification is by faith, but it is not by faith only. Those who teach that salvation is by faith only are teaching another gospel, one not preached by the early disciples of Jesus. God cannot be pleased that men today are teaching the opposite of what God said. Another gospel will tickle the ears of many, but it will cause them and those who listen to them to be accursed (Gal.1:6-10). Let us make sure that our message is the same as the New Testament. Justification is by faith in Jesus Christ, but NOT BY FAITH ONLY. Terry W. Benton www.pinelanechurchofchrist.com terrywbenton at bellsouth.net -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091001/a015cf7e/attachment-0001.html From GLClair at aol.com Thu Oct 1 10:56:25 2009 From: GLClair at aol.com (GLClair at aol.com) Date: Thu, 1 Oct 2009 11:56:25 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] Article - Godliness or Ungodliness Message-ID: GODLINESS OR UNGODLINESS The subject; ?salvation? is a subject of great debate among religious practioners. The very idea of sin itself is unacceptable to the materialist; the materialist envisions a world with no admittance of evil or of sin and personal sin because to the materialist there is no God. If there is no God there can be no sin because God is the condemner of man?s sin (1 John 3:4 ? ?Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.? (KJV). Indeed, sin is the transgression of DIVINE LAW. The source of DIVINE LAW is the Bible. We say; ?It is God who determines what is sin and what is not sin.? Consequently, this matter of identifying and cataloguing sin is entirely dependent upon God who is the Author of the Bible (i.e. the 66 Books of Jewish and Christian Bible). The matter of whether sin exist; then, is a matter predicated upon the confidence (i.e. faith) of religious minded people who profess a faith in God, the Bible and its contents, as their guide in life and conduct. Therefore there is of necessity at least two schools of thought in the hearts of mankind; one is belief in God and all that pertains to God as revealed in the Bible or disbelief (atheism, materialism, unbelief, etc.) on the other choice. MAKING A DECISION: Since mankind is possessed of the ability to think, and make choices based on creditable evidence he is equipped to decide for himself whether he will acknowledge and serve God or whether he will ignore and/or reject the God of the Bible and live a life void of God?s instruction. These two positions are necessary to the person because of ?free-moral-agency? (i.e. the innate ability to choose between the two possibilities ? godliness or ungodliness) that is present in each person. GOD (i.e. via the Bible); speaks to man and reveals the knowledge to know what is expected from him by Almighty God (Jeremiah 10:23). Man is therefore in control of his own eternal destiny; he may choose to follow God?s instructions or choose to reject God?s instructions. The ultimate decision about man?s destiny will be determined by the individual as he/she lives on this earth (Rev. 2:10; Joshua 24:15). The final outcome will be either eternal joy in a prepared place called Heaven or eternal separation from anything good in a place called Hell (i.e. the lake of fire) ? (Matt. 25:31-33). Every person will make the choice about where they will be forever, whether Heaven or Hell (1 John 3:7-9 - 7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous , even as he is righteous. 8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. 9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. (KJV). _Glclair at aol.com_ (mailto:Glclair at aol.com) October 1, 2009 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091001/3484d944/attachment-0001.html From Mikejohnson104 at aol.com Thu Oct 1 17:17:29 2009 From: Mikejohnson104 at aol.com (Mikejohnson104 at aol.com) Date: Thu, 1 Oct 2009 18:17:29 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] B> The Elon Challenger V 6 N 10 Message-ID: The Elon Challenger ELON CHURCH OF CHRIST New Hope, Alabama Seeking to challenge your interest in things spiritual & eternal (Eph. 6:10-18). Volume VI Number 10 June, 2009 =================================================================== ?Preach Christ and Not a Plan?? Donald Townsley Down through the years since I have been preaching the gospel there have been (and still are) men who advocated that we should preach Christ and not a plan of salvation. They phrase it this way: ?Preach the man and not the plan.? They seem to think that one cannot preach a plan of obedience to Christ (Rom. 1:5; Heb. 5:9) and, at the same time, preach Christ. What they need to understand is that Jesus Christ is revealed to us in the word of God, and that He is inseparably connected with every book of the New Testament. Jesus said, ?Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my word in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels? (Mark 8:38). You can see from this passage that Christ is inseparably connected with His words. To fully preach Christ one must preach His commands, His promises, His warnings, His church, His supper, His plan of salvation and righteous living (Acts 8:4-5, 12). All of this being true, we cannot ignore any part of what He has said without ignoring that much of Christ (James 2:10). The New Testament is filled with expressions that make it clear that a ? plan of salvation? is taught therein. The Romans ?obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine? (Rom. 6:17). In their obedience to that ?form (or mold) of doctrine,? they were ?called of Jesus Christ? (Rom. 1:6) and ?made free from sin? (Rom. 6:18). Paul also told the Romans, ?And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose? (Rom. 8:28). They were called according to God?s purpose, scheme or plan. They were called of Jesus Christ (Rom. 1:6), called by the gospel (2 Thess. 2:14), and called by His (God?s) grace (Gal. 1:15). To be called of Jesus Christ (Rom. 1:6), called by the gospel (2 Thess. 2:14), and called by God?s grace (Gal. 1:15) is to obey the plan of salvation, or ?that form of doctrine? (Rom. 6:17). The Hebrew writer said in chapter 9, verse 8 that while the old covenant was in effect ?the way into the holiest of all was not yet manifest? ? in other words, the plan (or scheme) of salvation had not yet been revealed. Then the writer goes on to tell us in chapter 10, verse 20 that now, under the new covenant, there is ?a new and living way,? which is consecrated by Christ. Christ is ?the way? (John 14:6), and there cannot be any separation between Christ and His ?way? (or his plan of salvation). To reject His plan is to reject Him (John 12:48; Mark 8:38). The plan of salvation that Christ ?consecrated? (or, dedicated) for us (Heb. 10:20) is simple. One must hear the gospel (Rom. 10:17), believe the gospel (Mark 16:16; Acts 8:37), repent of past sins (Acts 2:38; 17:30), confess faith in Christ (Rom. 10:10; Acts 8:37), and be baptized for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38). Friend, have you obeyed the gospel? (2 Thess. 1:8) If not, won?t you do so, and ?hold the pattern of sound words?? (2 Tim. 1:13 A.S.V.) __________ GOD HAS SPOKEN Gilbert Alexander Jesus? teaching was a full diet: proofs to establish faith in His divine identity, instruction for necessary responsible behavior, correction of erroneous practices in religion, and strong reproof and rebuke for deceit and disobedience among professed followers of the Law. He set the perfect example for His disciples and told them, ?Follow Me? (Matt. 16:24; Lk. 9:59,60; Jno. 1: 43; 10:27; 12:26). He left us instruction to teach His Word, reproving, rebuking, and exhorting with all longsuffering and doctrine using the Scriptures, which are ?profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness? (2 Tim. 3: 16,17; 4:1-6; 2:1,2). If Jesus walked the earth today in the flesh, what do you think His message would be? Would Jesus praise the pomp, the splendor, and false religious practices of today? Would He praise all men, all religious activities, and preach only a positive message of broad platitudes and flattery? Would He tell people to rest ? or to get up, get busy, and work diligently? If He perceived the religious Jews as having in their number many hypocrites (Matt. 6:2,5,16; 15:7; 22:15-18; 23:13-29), should we suppose that He would smile with approval upon the religious world today? Why would He hold THOSE people accountable, if they were not capable of change; and why do you suppose that He holds people account- able today and calls for repentance and obedience (Rom. 14:12; Acts 17:30; Rev. 22:14)? ____________ SATAN?S ?STEALTH WEAPON? COMPROMISE Charles G. Maples, Sr. The word ?compromise? is not, so far as I know, found in any translation of the Bible. But the principle is abundantly dealt with by Inspiration! It is one of the devil?s most effective ?devices? in blurring the distinction between those who profess to serve the Lord, and those who are his servants! Children of God are expected to be ?peculiar? (Titus 2:14); ? separate? (2 Cor. 6:17); conducting themselves in such a manner as to cause the world to ?think (them) strange...!? (I Peter 4:4). Definition(s): ?A committal to something derogatory, hazardous or objectionable; a prejudicial surrender; as a compromise of character... a thing intermediate between, or blending qualities of two different things ...to adjust and settle by mutual concessions...? -Web. (underling mine- cm) ? Compromise is but the sacrifice of one right or good, in the hope of obtaining another; too often ending in the loss of both!? - Tyron Edwards, via ? Dictionary of Thoughts.? Consider the ?compromise? of Lot: He had need; he thought; of better pasture lands for his great flocks (with which God had blessed him), and so he selfishly ?pitched his tents (in) the well-watered plains of the Jordan: and toward Sodom.? (Genesis 13:12 - KJV) If you do not know the story, then please begin there and read what a terrible price that child of God paid...the cost of compromise! The loss of his wife, sons-in-law, most, if not all of his possessions; and comes to the terribly degraded state of incest with his only other surviving members of his family! God?s ?Wise Man,? Solomon compromised, in marrying ?strange? women, and we read that ?...his wives turned away his heart after other gods; and his heart was NOT LOYAL TO THE LORD HIS GOD....!? (I Kings 11:4) Such is the devastating fruits of compromise! Compromise is so often the manner in which we let the Devil ?get one foot into the door? of our lives! And this happens in a number of different ways: In apparel the young lady begins to wear her dresses ?just a little? shorter, or cut ?just a little? lower, etc., and very soon you cannot distinguish between her manner of dress from that of the world! Young people who have never partaken of worldliness, decide to ?just go? to the prom. They won't dance, or drink the cocktails; but will just ?stand on the sidelines? and drink, maybe, tea or coke, which can look the same as the cocktails, so that no one will see them as ?different, or ?strange? (I Peter 4:4). They are trying to ?blend in!? This is far from the admonitions of our Lord in such Scriptures as Matthew 5:14,16; Romans 12:2, etc.! Then they might hear Satan say, ?Gotcha!? And in this manner they are led to ?surrender? to Satan! Someone likens compromise to what they think of as slowly ?boiling a frog;? placing the frog in a pan of cold water and begin to ever so slowly turn up the heat; ?the frog is boiled before he knows it!? Maybe a rather crude illustration, but ?you get the point!? Compromise often takes the form of ?just a little matter,? but then it leads us further and further away from ?righteousness!? Just try going out on the border of your nice, neatly kept lawn and setting out just one sprig of Kudzu! Ignore ?just a few cancer cells!? Compromise is DECEPTIVE! It is insidious! Indeed, it is like a ?STEALTH WEAPON!? Our military has planes that can hardly be detected by enemy forces; they can have their bombs dropped and gaining distance away from the target area before the enemy forces know that they are even in the area! Such is the insidious power of compromise in the Devil?s arsenal of ?devices!? (2 Corinthians 2:11). Someone has said that ?Compromise is a greased skid to one?s Conscience!? Every time one yields to the temptation to compromise, that experience simply ? greases the skids? for another compromise, and another....! As with ?the desire to be rich,? compromise often causes Christians to ? ...fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition!? (I Timothy 6:9) Such desire, for material gain, can lead to ?Idolatry!? The inspired apostle warns of such in Colossians 3:5. Surely no child of God would plan to ?exchange God for idols,? but compromise with ?a bit of covetousness? that is where, even a ?stingy giver? might wind up! God promises that if we will ?seek first the Kingdom of Righteousness (then) all these THINGS (our needs) will be added!? (Matthew 6:33) Churches do not commonly depart from the Divine Pattern ?over night,? or suddenly. Departures usually have a very insidious beginning. It might be, in the choosing of Elders, or Bishops that men are not ?completely? qualified,? in light of I Timothy 3 and Titus 1, but they are ?the best men that we have;? maybe very good men, but to place such ?good men? in that Divinely directed role is to compromise Truth! Churches have been known to ? just use the piano for weddings, and such special occasions,? and then it moves into the worship! Such has been the fruit of compromise! Finally, let us remember that where there is a compromise of any ?little bit? of Truth; it is bargaining with the Devil! It is to become victims of his ?Stealth Weapon!? And such compromise with ?the god of this world,? (2 Cor. 4:4), will bring us to be ?...condemned along with the world!? (I Cor. 11:32) Beware of ?Compromise;? beware of the Devil?s ?STEALTH WEAPON!? __________ Jesus the Proper Influence Gary N. Patton When we have a great respect for someone, that one can have a great influence on us. Especially do we see this clearly illustrated in the teacher-student relationship. If our children have a strong love or attachment to a teacher, whatever that teacher does or says will have a strong influence on what the child accepts or rejects. This type of relationship can also be seen in those who are religiously minded. If we have a great love or respect for someone, whatever they may say can influence our feelings and actions. So often we hear people say, ?Well if Bro. So and So says it?s so, it?s so.? This kind of statement indicates the strong influence many men can have on the belief and actions of other people. Often, the deep respect we may have for someone else is well deserved. They have gained it through diligent study and service. But we must remember we are all human beings and capable of making mistakes. If our faith is built on the teaching of men, we may find ourselves on shaky ground, and our faith shaken because of a change in teaching or conduct of the teacher we have respected so long. With this idea in mind, it is important we examine ourselves (2 Corinthians 13:5) and see if our life and faith is dictated by the teaching of some man or men rather than by Jesus Christ. In Matthew 28:19,20 Jesus said, ?Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost; teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you....? If we have the proper respect for Jesus as our teacher here on earth, His Word will be our rule of faith in this life and not man?s. In fact, Paul points out in Colossians 3 the different areas in which the teaching of Christ can influence our life. He begins by saying, ?If ye then be risen with Christ....? If we are in Christ, that is we have been buried with Him in baptism and raised to a new life, then we will ?seek those things which are above....? He continues by pointing out that if we are seeking those things he teaches, it will influence our affections, verse 2. We will love those things which are above, spiritual things, rather than the material things of this earth, because our ?life is hid in Christ in God.? Not only will it have an influence on our affections but also on our heart. ?Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence (evil desires) and covetousness, which is idolatry; for which things sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience,? v. 5. Since the heart of man is that with which he knows, thinks, feels emotion and wills to do, these all would apply to man?s heart, for ?as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.? The teaching of Jesus will guide us to fight against such things. The teaching of Jesus can influence our speech (verses 8,9). We are told to put off anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth and lie not. If our respect for the teaching of Jesus is as it should be, our attitude will also be influenced (verse 12-17). We will, among many things listed, manifest kindness, meekness, forgiveness, letting the Word of God rule in our hearts. In verses 18-21 of this same chapter, he points out that the teaching of Christ directs the home. Wives, husbands and children are all given their responsibilities to one another in the home. Finally he points out, in verses 22-25, that the words of Christ?s teaching will influence us at work. We are told that we must work honestly and diligently for our employer, ?in singleness of heart, fearing God.? Truly, if we have the proper respect and love for our Lord, His words will influence us in every way. Why not always turn to Him as the foundation and strength of our faith. He will not fail or disappoint us as man can. His promises and rewards are everlasting. His Word is truth. Via The East Florence Contender, Florence, Alabama __________ CHURCH GROWTH (IV) Factors in Church Growth (1) Location of the Building Mike Johnson When a church does not grow, or even declines in its membership, questions are often raised as to why this has occurred. Why do some churches grow while others decline in numbers? A number of factors can come into play. One factor can be the location of the building. Certainly, the location of a meeting house can be an important reason why a congregation does not grow. If a building, for example, is located in the center of a fifty-mile area where there is a population of a hundred people, then obviously its location will be an important factor in the growth of that church. In that situation, even though the congregation described above can serve an important function in that area, until the population numbers change, the congregation will most likely be small. The retail world suggests that there are three important factors for success: LOCATION, LOCATION, and LOCAT-ION! Looking at matters in a realistic way, ?location? is an extremely important factor for growth in any congregation. Congregations, in choosing a site for their building, should keep this factor in mind. They also need to think further into the future than the next ten to fifteen years in considering a good location as a new building is a big expenditure of the Lord?s money. It is certainly advantageous to locate a building in an area which has good growth potential, and wise choices by brethren in choosing where to locate has no doubt contributed greatly to the growth of many congregations. But, there is another issue to consider. Some buildings originally were located in what would be called ?good neighborhoods.? A ?good neighborhood,? euphemistically, is sometimes used to mean that the people in the neighborhood are of the same race and economic status as the members of the congregation. When the neighborhood ?changes,? members begin to move off to the more prosperous parts of town. Young people in the church eventually grow up, leave home, and choose to live elsewhere. Some people will remain members of the congregation in the old neighborhood, perhaps out of loyalty or because of friendships, driving significant distances to attend services. Eventually, a few older members will be the only ones left living in the area, and the neighborhood, as it changes, will often be regarded as unsafe. As time goes on, the membership in the congregation will dwindle, and finally, the building will be sold, and the congregation will cease to exist. Numerous congregations no longer exist today having followed this cycle. When neighborhoods change, a congregation must adapt to these changes. A congregation facing the above circumstances is doomed to failure if it is not willing to make extensive evangelistic efforts toward the new residents of the neighborhood. Brethren facing this situation need to put away any prejudice which might exist and evangelize the lost regardless of their race, social status, or economic condition (Gal. 3:27-28; Acts 10-11; Rom. 2:11). Truly, the gospel is for all. A strong congregation can continue to exist in such a location, provided that the evangelistic efforts of the members there are successful. A good location is desirable. Though difficult, it is possible for a congregation to grow in an area that, for one reason or another, might not be considered the best of locations. Examples could be cited where churches have grown and prospered facing this circumstance. Examples could also be cited where congregations with a building on a very busy highway have closed. But, if location is an issue in the growth of a church, then before it becomes too late, a group ought to consider finding a more favorable location with more potential for growth and, ultimately, for the saving of more souls. __________ Patiently Enduring Evil Treatment None of us like injustice. If someone has been mistreated, we all desire justice with the evil doer being punished. For the persecuted Christian there is a promise that God will at the coming of His Son, Jesus Christ, mete out the retribution evil doers deserve (2 Thes. 1:5-10). It is important to realize that God?s wrath will come upon everyone who has done evil (Rom. 2:1-11). All can escape such judgment by the grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ (Eph. 2:4-10). Knowing judgment will not come until the Lord returns, means that persecuted children of God will not see God?s justice until that day of God?s wrath. So, in this life, the people of God must be patient and endure unfair treatment and possibly death because of their faith in Christ. The Apostle James addresses the importance of patience for the followers of Christ (Jas. 5:1-12). James?s discussion of this subject first addresses the rich who mistreat their workers (vss. 1-6). Next, brethren are encouraged to be patient like a farmer waiting for the rain needed for his crops, the suffering and patience of prophets, and the perseverance of Job (vss. 7- 12). In the midst of these examples of patience, James also calls upon the brethren not to grumble against one another, and not to swear by heaven or earth or any other oath, but rather let their yes be yes and their no be no (vss. 9,12). God?s people are to be patient because of the great reward they are to receive (vs. 11); because God will punish those who have persecuted them (vss. 1-6); and because God will establish their hearts (vs. 8). James reminds the brethren ?that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful? (vs. 11). The child of God does not want anyone to receive from God what they deserve ? God?s wrath. A believer wants everyone to be saved and not face judgment for their sins. Just as God?s longsuffering continues so that mankind can come to repentance (2 Pet. 3:9), the Christian with great patience reaches out to his enemy with the gospel of hope. Brethren, let us be people who are willing to patiently endure evil treatment knowing the Lord is very compassionate and merciful, and He will punish all evil doers! ? Ron Drumm. __________ Evangelist: Charles G. Maples Sr. Phone-256-530-0772 Evangelist & Editor: Mike Johnson Phone -256-776-2223 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091001/2b048d6b/attachment-0001.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Fri Oct 2 00:34:38 2009 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Fri, 2 Oct 2009 01:34:38 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] A) GOD HAS SPOKEN. 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 artic- le from my files: GOD HAS SPOKEN "But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eter- nal life" (Jd. 20,21). Edification (upbuilding spiritually) begins with self and extends to others in the church of Christ, particular- ly in the local churches. There our assemblies are found and our collective work is based, just as the New Testament reveals and authorizes. To this objective we focus our energy, as Paul said, "Let all things be done for edification" (1 Cor. 14:26). Our singing, our praying, our teaching or being taught, our partaking in the Lord's Supper, and our giving as we have been prospered are all to the edification of all. Here the root of spiritual growth and strength is found. Our need for each other and the need to edify others are keenly felt in smaller local churches. Here, serving one another comes to the forefront and "fervent charity" flourishes (1 Pet. 4: 8). All local churches, and especially smaller churches, need the vigor and zeal of young couples, and young individuals, the pre- sence of children who can be trained in godly ways, and the mat- urity and sober-mindedness of those who are older. We should and so appeal to young people and their families to look for plac- es to serve, for such places abound. And sacrifices made to serve others are repaid many times over by one's own spiritual growth and the sense of duty instilled in one's own spiritual growth and the sense of duty instilled in one's children, as they become regular active participants in the work of edification. We do not isolate our children from other good children by working and helping in smaller churches if we attend singingsd and special series of Bible studies as such opportunities arise in such frequency that we cannot attend all of them. We appeal to young people to reverse the current trend which is threatening the continued existence and influence for good of smaller churc-hes in their respective communities. The world needs the salt of local churches everywhere, and smaller churches need matur- ing Christians to stay with them to become elders and deacons, teachers, and preachers. If I am wrong, please instruct me. ------ Gilbert Alexander. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091002/07d129ee/attachment-0001.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Fri Oct 2 00:34:58 2009 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Fri, 2 Oct 2009 01:34:58 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] S) EVANGELISM (1) Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. Here is the first installment on this particular study. Use to the glory of God. EVANGELISM (1) INTRODUCTION: -- 1. We hear a lot about "Evangelism" and "Personal Evangelism." Added to this word "Evangelism" should be added the word "Enthusiasm." I wish I could find spray cans of both of these terms to enable me to just spray such on every audience that I stand before. 2. Actually, the word "Evangelism", per se, is not found in the Bible. A. But the idea of such is very prevalent in many places. I. DEFINITIONS: -- A. Evangelism, Evangelize: Sounding forth the good news. B. Evangelist: One who announces good tidings. (Acts 21:8 Eph. 4:11; 2 Tim. 4:5; Acts 8:40). 1. The word "Evangelist" comes from the same word that we get the word "Angel." The word "Angel" means "Messenger." C. Preacher: -- One who proclaims, brings, and tells good tid- ings. D. Preach, Proclaim, Pulish, Declare, Herald: -- These are things that a preacher does. E. Proclamation or Message: -- That which is preached, pro- claimed, published, declared and heralded. II. EXAMPLES FROM THE PAST: -- A. I have a bound copy of 12 monthly issues of a religio- us paper called "The Evangelist". These papers were writ- en by brother Walter Scott in 1832. 1. Even though the paper is nto given exclusively to trying to convert people from their past sins, which many think constitutes evangelism, it still is considered a tool of evangelism. 2. Evangelism, as such, does nto require an ordained, sent from headquarters, evangelist. a. One that is "missionary" in nature, working in a field of endeavor that is not his native home. 3. Nor does it necessarily require a public proclamation by word of mouth. a. Evangelizing can be done by one's life and conduct in the presence of others (1 Pet. 3:1-4). B. With these thoughts before us, let us look at some evang- elists. 1. Abel -- (Gen. 4:4; Heb. 11:4). a. In a negative sense, Cain, practiced a form of evangel- ism by his conduct with regard to his sacrifice and his conduct and attitude oward his brother Abel. He didn't offer acceptable sacrifice. Then he asked: "Am I my brother's keeper?" 2. Enoch: -- (Gen. 5:21-24; Heb. 11:5; Jd. 14,15). 3. Noah: -- the first one to be called a preacher. (2 Pet. 2:5; Gen. 6:8,9; 1 Pet. 3:18-20). 4. Solomon: -- is the second one referred to as a preacher. (Eccl. 1:1,2). 5. Paul: -- refers to himself as a preacher. (1 Tim. 2:7; 2 Tim. 1:11). 6. Timothy: -- was told to preach, so he would be consider- ed as a preacher. (2 Tim. 4:2,5). (More will be posted on this subject tomorrow, the Lord willing, JWS). -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091002/9a7ed69c/attachment-0001.html From terrywbenton at bellsouth.net Fri Oct 2 10:28:07 2009 From: terrywbenton at bellsouth.net (Terry W. Benton) Date: Fri, 2 Oct 2009 10:28:07 -0500 Subject: [Biblemat] A>Save Yourselves Message-ID: <97F4EEA66283429CBE7B505CA7C2CE6F@TerryPC> Save Yourselves by Terry W. Benton Only because of what Jesus did for us on the cross and only through knowledge of what He did can we engage in the activity of faith that will result in our salvation. There is a common expression these days that "there is nothing you can do, Jesus did it all for you" which is misleading. Jesus did not believe for you. He did not repent for you, and He was not baptized for you. When Peter told the Jews who asked "what shall we do?" (Acts 2:37) what they should do (Acts 2:38), and then told them with many other words to "save yourselves from this perverse generation" (Acts 2:40), he was not denying that Jesus had paid the price for their sins, but he was affirming that the benefit of what Jesus did is not automatically applied to our account until and unless we meet these conditions. No one is saved by the blood of Christ until and unless they truly believe enough to meet these conditions: "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for remission of sins...." The gift is offered freely on those terms. Those who believe will "gladly receive his word" (Acts 2:41) and be baptized accordingly. Those who do not will be condemned (Mark 16:15-16). Now, let us also observe that baptism is to be "in the name of Jesus Christ", which is by His authority. On our own authority we could not be baptized and the act itself save us or give us remission of sins. But, baptism that is done in the name of Jesus Christ will be active faith that puts us in the position to have saved ourselves from this perverse generation. It is a separating act that cuts out sins and ties to a perverse generation of people and allows us to cross the Red Sea of Jesus' blood to rise on the other side totally free from the past sins and now totally committed to the leadership of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior (I Corinthians 10:1-3; Romans 6:3-5; Colossians 2:12; Acts 22:16; Acts 8:33ff). 3,000 gladly received his word, were baptized, crossed over into the heavenly land, the heavenly places in Christ (Ephesians 1:3,7; Colossians 1:13), and were saved from sin and condemnation (Romans 8:1). They were now risen to new life in Christ with Christ as their head. This is what happens when a person gladly takes the exit route Jesus offers. This is how they were able to "save themselves." This is how we must cut the ties we have to a perverse generation and save ourselves from the condemnation that is certain to come upon a world of spiritually blind people (II Corinthians 4:2-4). Jesus wants you to be saved (Matthew 11:28ff; II Peter 3:9). Jesus died to pay for your sins. He told you what to do now to save yourself. Have you done it? If not, why not? -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091002/a31d5f91/attachment-0001.html From crxtra at gmail.com Fri Oct 2 13:21:12 2009 From: crxtra at gmail.com (Steven C. Harper) Date: Fri, 2 Oct 2009 11:21:12 -0700 Subject: [Biblemat] Looking for Steve Wolfgang Message-ID: I am in need of contact info, as I have someone leaving for Germany Saturday and they need to find a church in or near Munich, or Berlin. [Not sure which area they will be in on Sunday.] Thanks Steven Harper -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091002/a7906520/attachment-0001.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Sat Oct 3 03:27:33 2009 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Sat, 3 Oct 2009 04:27:33 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] S) EVANGELISM (2) Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. Here is the second installment of this particular study. Use to the glory of God. EVANGELISM (2) V. THE PROCLAMATION OR MESSAGE TO BE PREACHED: -- A. All had to be done according to the requirements of the time. B. There were different dispensations requiring different laws. 1. To all in Noah's day. 2. To all the Patriarchs. 3. To Jews, the Law of Moses. 4. To Jews, John the Baptist. 5. Jesus, to Jews primarily. 6. The apostles, to Jews first, and then to Gentiles. C. Such teachings as: 1. Preparation -- Baptism of Repentance (Matt. 3:1-3; Mk. 1:1-4). 2. Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand (Matt. 4:17; 3:2; 10:7; Mk. 1:14,15). 3. Christ Jesus (Acts 5:42; 8:5). 4. The Word (Acts 8:4). 5. The Gos- pel (1 Cor. 15:1). 6. The kingdom (Lk. 4:43; Acts 28:31). VI. RESULTS OF PREACHING: A. Repentance -- In the case of Jonah, the city of Ninevah was saved from destruction. (Jonah 3; Matt. 12:41). B. Baptism and Salvation from past sins. (Acts 2:38-47). VII. EVANGELISTS: A. Philip was referred to as an evangelist. (Acts 21:8). B. We are told that God set some in the church as evangelists. (Eph. 4:11). C. Timothy was told by Paul to do the work of an evangelist. (2 Tim. 4:5). VIII. EVANGELIZE: A. To evangelize successfully, one must get the attention of his audience. 1. Let us take the example of the Bumble Bee and the Butter- fly. a. According to the law of dynamics the Bumble Bee should not even be able to fly. It has such large body and such small wings. b. On the other hand, the Butterfly has very large wings compared to its body weight. c. A Butterfly flits here and there. It can land on you and you never know it is there, unless you see it. d. When a Bumble Bee lands on you, he usually does it for a definite purpose and you definitely know that he is there or has been there. e. A Butterfly is usually a beautiful thing to behold and no one is seemingly concerned about them being around. f. But a Bumble Bee is there for a purpose and you keep your eye on him because he can get your attention and that quite quickly. And when he has gotten your attent- ion, did his work, and then flew away, you continue to remember he has been there. He leaves you with a memory of him that takes some time to overcome. 2. To live the life of a Christian and to get and retain other's attention, one must make his presence known, with the authority of God's Word behind him. 3. People who believe the Bible do not have to concede any- thing to Organic Evolutionists with regard to animal or hum- an or earth age. 4. God says that He spoke things into being, as full-grown entities. 5. He tells us that through His Wisdom He made things that are not as though they are in order to confuse the wisdom of men. B. Just how much evangelizing and attempts to convert people were done in Old Testament days, we do not know. 1. Noah was a preacher of righteousness we are told. a. I feel assured that he tried to get people to turn from their wicked ways and thoughts, unto the Lord. b. But with all of his preaching, over a long period of time, he was only able to save himself, and and his family. 2. After the flood and after the confusion of languages at Babel, we have no way of knowing just how much evang- elizing took place. 3. It was from Noah's son Shem that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and ultimately Israel came. a. Abraham, seemingly, lived among idolaters in his early life. b. Just how much evangelizing and proselytizing did Israel do among the Gentiles. 1) We re told that the Gentiles did not receive God into their knowledge. (Rom. 1:28). 4. It seems that most of what we would call evangelism was done this side of the cross. (More will be posted on this subject, Monday, the Lord willing, JWS). -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091003/2148b592/attachment-0001.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Sat Oct 3 03:27:24 2009 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Sat, 3 Oct 2009 04:27:24 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] A) GOD HAS SPOKEN Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. A very good Saturday morn- ing to each and every one. May God bless you and yours. Here is an article from my files: GOD HAS SPOKEN "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts" (Isa. 55:8,9). God's people walk in God's ways, not in the ways of the world. This code of conduct makes Christians a truly distinctive group of people. People of the world lie for advantage, follow lust for entertainment, avenge themselves when wronged, estab- lish strength by armament, do physical battle through religion, and establish their own standards of moral, ethical, and religio- us conduct. Thus, the contrast between those who follow God's ways and those who follow man's ways is strikingly obvious. Governments and nations follow the ways of men. They lie, they spy, they rule by physical power and force. Christians love their enemies, do good those who hate them, and pray for those who treat them shamefully (Matt. 5:44). Christians bless those who persecute them (rom. 12:14), repay to no one evil for evil (Rom. 12:17), avenge not themselves (Rom. 12:19), and give no occasion to any adversary to speak reproachfully (1 Pet. 2:11,12 Titus 2:6-8). Governments overcome evil by punishment; Christ- ians overcome evil with good (Rom. 12:21; 13:1-4). Since God's ways are higher by far, we must conclude that man's ways are lower by far. Christians must always seek the higher ground. Their choosing God's ways will sometimes make them a spectacle to the unbelieving world (Heb. 10:32,33; 1 Pet. 4:12-16). Governments of the world will continue to follow the ways of men; and God will use men of the world to punish people in this life (Rom. 13), but Christians have a higher calling set forth in the New Testament. As long as we live here, we will be sojourners and pilgrims, a separate people in a corrupt world. ----------- Gilbert Alexander. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091003/6f9b1b25/attachment-0001.html From wswalker310 at juno.com Sat Oct 3 15:24:12 2009 From: wswalker310 at juno.com (Wayne S Walker) Date: Sat, 3 Oct 2009 15:24:12 -0500 Subject: [Biblemat] hymn study, "Purer in Heart, O God" Message-ID: <20091003.152413.2840.5.wswalker310@juno.com> Wayne Walker here with another weekly hymn study. ?PURER IN HEART, O GOD? ?Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God? (Matt. 5:8) INTRO.: A hymn which asks God to help us to be pure in heart is ?Purer in Heart? (#150 in Hymns for Worship Revised, #53 in Sacred Selections for the Church). The text was written by Fannie Estelle Church Davison, who was born in 1851 at Cuyahoga Falls, OH, the daughter of Philo and Sarah Ann Linsted Church. Her father was killed when she was ten years old, and her mother married Henry Christian Warner who moved the family to Carthage, MO, where he owned a hotel. Fannie married Asa Lee Davison, a court reporter, and they settled first in Chicago, IL, and later moved to Madison, WI. Two daughters were born to this home?Myrtle Estelle, born in 1871, who became Mrs. Samuel Morris Brogan, and Iva Belle, born in 1881, who became Mrs. Charles M. Jewett. Mrs. Davison was the author of a number of hymns, most of which appeared in collections published by the Fillmore Brothers Music House in Cincinnati, OH. The tune for this one (Gratitude or Pastor) was composed by James Henry Fillmore (1849-1936). It first appeared in 1877 in his Songs of Gratitude. Two other collections which contain songs by Mrs. Davison were Joy and Gladness, published in 1880, and The Voice of Joy in 1882. Also she provided the libretto for a cantata, Faith, Hope, and Love, in 1866, for which the music was composed by James Holmes Rosecrans (1845-1926). During the latter years of her life, Mrs. Davison was in poor health and was cared for by her mother. After her death on Mar. 10, 1887, in Chicago, IL, she was buried at Carthage, MO, where her mother still lived at the time. Among hymnbooks published by members of the Lord?s church during the twentieth century for use in churches of Christ, ?Purer in Heart? appeared in the 1921 Great Songs of the Church (No. 1) and the 1937 Great Songs of the Church No. 2 both edited by E. L. Jorgenson; the 1935 Christian Hymns (No. 1), the 1948 Christian Hymns No. 2, and the 1966 Christian Hymns No. 3 all edited by L. O. Sanderson; the 1963 Abiding Hymns edited by Robert C. Welch; and the 1963 Christian Hymnal edited by J. Nelson Slater. Today it may be found in the 1971 Songs of the Church, the 1990 Songs of the Church 21st C. Ed., and the 1994 Songs of Faith and Praise all edited by Alton H. Howard; the 1978/1983 Church Gospel Songs and Hymns edited by V. E. Howard; the 1986 Great Songs Revised edited by Forrest M. McCann; and the 1992 Praise for the Lord edited by John P. Wiegand; in addition to Hymns for Worship, Sacred Selections, and the 2007 Sacred Songs of the Church edited by William D. Jeffcoat. The song gives us several reasons why we should strive to be pure in heart. I. Stanza 1 tells us that we should be pure in heart so that we may devote our lives wholly to God ?Purer in heart, O God, Help me to be; My I devote my life Wholly to Thee. Watch Thou my wayward feet, Guide me with counsel sweet; Purer in heart. Help me to be.? A. We devote our lives wholly to God by seeking first His kingdom and righteousness: Matt. 6:33 B. In order to do this, we need His help to watch our wayward feet: Ps. 56:13 C. And we need His counsel to guide us in life: Ps. 33:10-11 II. Stanza 2 tells us that we should be pure in heart so that we may do God?s will on this earth ?Purer in heart, O God, Help me to be; Teach me to do Thy will Most lovingly. Be Thou my Friend and Guide, Let me with Thee abide; Purer in heart, Help me to be.? A. It is important to do the will of the Father: Matt. 7:21 B. Therefore, we must seek the Lord as our Friend and Guide by keeping His commandments: Pa. 48:14 C. In this way, we abide in Him as the branch abides in the vine: Jn. 15:4-7 III. Stanza 3 tells us that we should be pure in heart so that we may be with God in heaven ?Purer in heart, O God, Help me to be, That I Thy holy face One day may see. Keep me from secret sin, Reign Thou my soul within; Purer in heart, Help me to be.? A. The desire of every child of God is to see His holy face one day: 1 Jn. 3:1-3 B. Thus it is imperative that we ask the Lord to keep us from secret sin: Ps. 19:12-13 C. To do this, we must allow Christ to reign in our souls by making Him Lord of our hearts: Rom. 10:9-10, 1 Pet. 3:15 CONCL.: As Christians, we have a responsibility to ? be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity? (1 Tim. 4:12). To accomplish this aim, we must ?pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart? (2 Tim. 2:22). Therefore, our desire from the Lord should be that we might be ?Purer in Heart, O God.? Brotherly, Wayne S. Walker 503 S. Jefferson St. Salem, IL 62881 home phone: (618) 548-6286 office phone: (618) 548-1774 e-mail: wswalker310 at ... 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. ____________________________________________________________ Earn your accounting degree online. Free info. Click Now! http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL2141/fc/BLSrjpTEP2nu6P18I5HuH62EWLY6xW0pMnXW69QKcRFVHoLltspEZXnnMNS/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091003/66e95f13/attachment-0001.html From wswalker310 at juno.com Sat Oct 3 15:21:23 2009 From: wswalker310 at juno.com (Wayne S Walker) Date: Sat, 3 Oct 2009 15:21:23 -0500 Subject: [Biblemat] Search for Truth, 10/4/09 Message-ID: <20091003.152413.2840.4.wswalker310@juno.com> SEARCH FOR TRUTH "You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me" (John 5:39) Published by Wayne S. Walker, 503 S. Jefferson St., Salem, IL 62881; phone, (618) 548-6286 home, (618) 292-2694 cell; e-mail, wswalker310 at juno.com . _______________________________________________________________ Volume II October 4, 2009 Number 10 TO CALM AND QUIET THE SOUL by Wayne S. Walker ?Surely I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with his mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me? (Psalm 131:2). It is so easy to get frustrated and upset with things and with people. One thing that I have noticed in pitching baseball or softball to kids is that when some of them cannot hit the ball right away they become very irritated and annoyed which actually makes it more difficult for them to concentrate on watching the ball and reaching out to hit it. Often someone has to tell them to calm down, breathe deeply, and take it easy. Kids are not the only ones who have that problem. There were times when our children were younger that they did something which made me so angry that I had to stop and do the proverbial ?count to ten? before reprimanding or punishing them so that I would not do something rash or foolish (and occasionally I would do something rash or foolish anyway!). Probably all of us have had times when someone said something so wrong or so outlandish that we had to bite our tongues to keep from popping off and saying or doing something which we knew that we would later regret. But what does it mean to have calmed and quieted our souls ?like a weaned child with his mother?? Charles H. Spurgeon noted, ?He had become as subdued and content as a child whose weaning is fully accomplished To the weaned child his mother is his comfort.? Thus it refers to the fact that our needs have been met by God and we are satisfied. God will not always remove trying situations in our lives, but like Paul?s thorn in the flesh, we can find that if we trust Him His grace will be sufficient for us (2 Corinthians 12:9). That knowledge should help us to calm and quiet our souls. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX SEND THE LIGHT by Dee Bowman How? Did you say, "how?" Get Next to the Light Jesus said, "I am the light of the world: he that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life" (Jno. 8:12). It's mighty important for the person who wants to let his light shine that he be near the Savior. As long as that proximity is maintained, you won't walk in darkness. The implication is that when you get away from the light, you walk in darkness and you know what that means, don't you? It means stumbling around, not knowing where you're going. And that's bad, right? The Master said, "He that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God" (Jno. 3:21). In other words, "...everyone that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds be reproved" (Jno. 3:20). If you want to be good and do good, you have to get next to the light. Flip the Switch Jesus also said, "Ye are the light of the world" (Matt. 5:14). But the light you are doesn't shine until you turn it on. It's up to you whether or not you shine as a light. "Let your light shine" (Matt. 5:16) indicates there's a choice involved in the matter. You have to decide to turn it on. And the reason is simple: "that they may see your good works." The primary purpose of light is to illuminate things so that it's easy to see. Actually, you can't see anything when there's no light. And furthermore, when folks see your light shining, they will be constrained to "glorify your Father which is in heaven" (Matt. 5:16). So, turn it on and let it shine. Get the Light out of the House Now that's not meant to say that the light is not important in the house, for the Lord said, "...men do not light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house" (Matt. 5:15), but it's also so that if the light is going to do any good we have to get it out where it can light stuff up ? or as we say, bring things to light. "A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid" (Matt. 5:14) indicates that you need to put it out where it can be seen. No matter how good the light, it's of no benefit to anybody when it's not being used. Actually, it's the purpose of light to shine. No telling how much good we could do if we'd just get our light out where folks can see it. Don?t Let the Light Go Out Paul implores that we "walk as children of light" (Eph. 5:8), for, says he, "ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord." And wasn't it the apostle John who said, "If we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another" (1 Jno. 1:7)? In fact, "If we say that we have fellowship with Him and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth." You can't walk in the light and do bad things any more than you can walk in the light and in the dark at the same time. You're either going to keep your light on or let it go out -- it's up to you. Jesus said, "the light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light" (Matt 6:22). You can't shut your eyes to the light and still see where you're going. You have to keep your eyes open and fixed on the goal. And that's how you send the light! (---via Earnest Heed, May, 2009; published monthly by the Simcoe church of Christ, Highway 69 East, Cullman, AL.) XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX ?FOR SUCH A WORM AS I? by Wayne S. Walker "Alas, and did my Savior bleed, And did my Sovereign die; Would He devote that sacred head For such a worm as I.? These words were written by Isaac Watts (1674-1748). The hymn was included in his 1707 Hymns and Spiritual Songs. Most of us have sung it to a tune (Hudson) that was composed and the chorus added both by Ralph Erskine Hudson. This version of the song, called ?At the Cross,? first appeared in Hudson's 1885 Songs of Peace, Love and Joy. It is believed that both the words and music of the chorus, which Hudson added to his original tune, were adapted from an old camp meeting melody. The statement the original, "For such a worm as I," uses the concept of being a worm as a symbol of our being sinners. Several recent books have changed it to "such a one as I" or "sinners such as I," including some of our books. William J. Reynolds in Hymns of Our Faith claims that "Deleting the word 'worm' involves a literary expression and in no way implies any theological compromise." However, Steven Clark Goad wrote, "Why do we use antiseptic on our hymns and seek to sterilize our songs? Are we allowing a second cousin of political correctness to invade our thinking and our hymnals? Are we no longer...worms? Dare we admit that once upon a sinful time we were all but mere... worms without a snail's chance in a salt mine of making anything of our lives apart from the Master? I don't know about anyone else, but being reminded of what I was before Jesus came into my life helps me to enjoy the sense of His presence all the more." The fact of the matter is, when we compare ourselves to God, we are forced to the conclusion that we are as worms (Job 25.6, Psa. 22.6) Ernest K. Emurian said, "While this generation substitutes 'sinners such as I' for the original, confident that we are not worms, it is well to remember that a worm is the only thing in God's world that can change into a butterfly. And Watts well knew the transformation, wrought in the human heart by the grace of God whereby the 'old man' dies and the 'new man in Christ Jesus' is born, finds its parallel in the process of nature whereby a worm dies that a butterfly may be born." The message of this good song is that Jesus died for us because we are sinners ("worms") and because God loves us. As Christians we should ever be grateful for all the wonderful gifts that God has made possible by what Jesus did for us "At The Cross." ____________________________________________________________ Accounting Education Free information on accounting education. Click Now! http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL2141/c?cp=_wsxXk38YLvDdGdKzUTDyAAAJ1AqWLnxUT_Og0R1xxm43-TkAAYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAADNAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABaQAAAAA= -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091003/d7d174d6/attachment-0001.html From disciple_of_iesus at hotmail.com Sat Oct 3 18:42:19 2009 From: disciple_of_iesus at hotmail.com (Ethan R. Longhenry) Date: Sat, 3 Oct 2009 19:42:19 -0400 Subject: [Biblemat] B:> Good News for Norwalk: Volume IV, Number 40: October 04, 2009 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 IV, Number 40: October 04, 2009 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 John 3:17-18: Demonstrating Love But whoso hath the world's goods, and beholdeth his brother in need, and shutteth up his compassion from him, how doth the love of God abide in him? My Little children, let us not love in word, neither with the tongue; but in deed and truth. (1 John 3:17-18). John has been spending much time in his letter encouraging fellow Christians. He has encouraged them to walk in the light, since God is the light, abiding in His commandments (1 John 1:1-2:6). John has spoken of the "new old commandment," to love one another, to not love the world, and to not be troubled by the "antichrists," those denying that Jesus is the Christ (1 John 2:7-29). In 1 John 3, John has been contrasting the righteous with the wicked. The righteous set their hope on God, are pure, do not sin, and love one another; the wicked engage in sin, lawlessness, and hatred (1 John 3:1-16). 1 John 3:16 is quite parallel to John 3:16: Jesus' death is the demonstration of love, and we should be willing to "lay down our lives" for the brethren. While John is famous for his abstractions and general discussions, he turns and becomes much more specific in 1 John 3:17-18: how does the love of God abide in someone who has the "world's goods," who sees his brother in need, and closes off compassion for him? John does not want Christians to walk away from his letter thinking of love in only generic, abstract ways. Love is not just some feeling, emotion, or impulse-- love must be translated into action! As Jesus indicates in Matthew 7:16-20, people are known by their fruit. John's very specific application involves the relationship between Christians of unequal class or wealth. One such brother has the "world's goods," and with those goods comes responsibility, as Paul shows in 1 Timothy 6:17-19: they are not to trust in the uncertain riches of the world, but be full of good works, using their physical wealth to store up treasures in Heaven. One easy way to do that would be to assist his fellow Christian in need. After all, this is one of the standards of the judgment as portrayed in Matthew 25:31-46! Yet, for whatever reason, some Christians with the "world's goods" have closed off their compassion for their fellow man. John's word choice here is deliberate, for the primary motivation we have to help others in need ought to be compassion. In the parable of the good Samaritan, the Samaritan is moved by compassion on the man, and that is why he provides the necessary assistance (cf. Luke 10:25-37). We ought to follow the "Golden Rule:" since we would want to be helped if we were the poor brother, we ought to provide that assistance (cf. Luke 6:31)! The answer to John's rhetorical question is evident: if a brother has the world's goods, but closes off compassion to his brother in need, the love of God does not abide in him, no matter his protestations. It is not enough to just say or believe that we love one another-- we must communicate that love in deed and truth! And thus we have the message of 1 John 3:18: John wants his "little children" to love not in word or "tongue" but in deed and truth. John also uses the designation "little children" in 1 John 2:18 and 1 John 5:23. He perhaps uses this very tender designation to gently remind his audience of his authority and his love for them and their need to heed what he is about to say. The message is quite important. It is akin to James 1:22-25, the exhortation to be doers of the word and not hearers only. A lot of people are willing to profess Jesus Christ and to say that they believe in His truth, but few are the ones who are willing to really act upon it (cf. Matthew 7:13-14, 21-23). It is easier to profess to love God and to love one another than it is to demonstrate that love through deed and sincerity. As John has just indicated, God has already demonstrated His love for us by accomplishing the means of our salvation through the blood of Christ (1 John 3:16): if God was willing to make such a great demonstration of His love for us, we ought to be willing to help one another in need and to demonstrate the love we say we have for one another. Let us do so, and fulfill God's purpose for our lives! 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. 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 Spiritual Manna A biweekly devotional for your life. http://www.deusvitae.com/faith/manna From richard at thetford.dot5hosting.com Sun Oct 4 22:24:18 2009 From: richard at thetford.dot5hosting.com (Richard Thetford) Date: Sun, 4 Oct 2009 21:24:18 -0600 Subject: [Biblemat] Walking in the Light (10/4/09) Message-ID: <000c01ca456b$b543b110$1fcb1330$@dot5hosting.com> San Juan Logo PNG.png Walking in the Light "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path" (Psalm 119:105) October 4, 2009 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. In addition, if you want to advertise for "churches looking for preachers" and "preachers looking for churches," go to www.thetfordcountry.com and click on the appropriate link. Fill out the easy form and your listing will be uploaded to the web site within 48 hours (usually the same day). --- CONTENTS: "How Does the Holy Spirit Witness Today?" (Roger D. Campbell) "I'll Do It Later" (Poem) (Ellen Kyle) "SENTENCE SERMONS --- HOW DOES THE HOLY SPIRIT WITNESS TODAY? Roger D. Campbell Many people are convinced that the Holy Spirit speaks to them and testifies to them. Count me in, because I am one of those folks. Yes, the Spirit of God speaks to me and bears witness to me. That the Spirit talks and testifies is an undeniable biblical fact. The question which we must address, though, is how does He do it? On the night before Jesus' death when He was gathered with His apostles in an upper room in Jerusalem, He told them, "But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me. And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning" (John 15:26,27). Jesus went on to tell the apostles, "Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you" (John 16:13,14). We would make these observations from the above statements about the Holy Spirit. First, the Christ promised that the Comforter would testify of Him (Jesus). Second, according to Jesus, the Holy Spirit would not glorify Himself, but would glorify Jesus. Third, the promise of the Comforter miraculously guiding someone into all truth was not given to every person in the world, nor was it even made to every follower of the Christ. Rather, it was a special promise made to a specific group of people - the apostles of Jesus. When the apostles testified in the first century, of what were they witnessing? On the Day of Pentecost they witnessed the resurrection of Jesus (Acts 2:32). At the temple, John and Peter testified of Jesus' resurrection (Acts 3:15). In Jerusalem, the apostles gave witness of our Lord's resurrection (Acts 4:33). In Acts 5 we read that both the apostles and Holy Spirit bore witness in Jerusalem of Jesus' death and resurrection (5:30-32). The apostles were simply telling of what they had seen and heard. They were eyewitnesses to Jesus' death, then later saw and heard Him after He rose from the dead. How was the Holy Spirit testifying in the first century? He was not going to and fro and whispering in the ears of lost people, "Jesus is Lord." Make no mistake about it, the Holy Spirit got the message out about Jesus' death, Jesus' victorious exit from the tomb, and Jesus'' instructions about what to do in order to be saved. But, the Holy Spirit did not give witness of such matters by speaking directly to lost people. The Holy Spirit gave witness to Jesus and glorified Jesus through the message that He (the Spirit) inspired. At first, that witnessing was done orally. The Holy Spirit revealed the mystery of the Lord to apostles and prophets and inspired them to preach it mistake-free to others (Eph. 3:4,5). The Holy Spirit thus testified through them. At the same time, the Godhead gave witness or testified to the authenticity and authority of the Gospel by providing the preachers and teachers with the power to do miracles. Those miracles served to confirm the word, that is, show to all that heard it and observed the accompanying miracles that the message came from God and thus must be true (Mark 16:19,20). Hebrews 2:3,4 also records that God bore witness to the truthfulness of the Gospel message by means of "signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to His own will." Those miraculous signs from the Spirit were temporary (1 Cor. 13:8). Once "all truth" was revealed to mankind (John 16:13), there was no further need for such miracles. When God's revelation was given in its fullness, there were no more miracles needed since there would be no more new revelations. So, in the first century the Holy Spirit testified through the oral propagation of the Gospel. God's Spirit also witnessed or gave confirmation through the "signs" that He empowered the disciples of Jesus to perform. Furthermore, the Holy Spirit testified through the written Word. That the Spirit spoke through the written Word is a matter of indisputable fact. When quoting from Psalm 95, the writer of the Book of Hebrews wrote, "Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, Today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts ... They shall not enter into my rest)" (Heb. 3:7,8,11). Thus, it is clear that the Holy Spirit spoke through the written message of the Book of Psalms. Let's turn our thoughts to a statement that is recorded a few chapters later in the Book of Hebrews. In a context in which the subject is the once-for-all-time-saving sacrifice of the Christ, the writer of the Book of Hebrews wrote, "For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before, This is the covenant that I will make with them, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them" (Heb. 10:14-16). Note what verse 15 says: "...the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us." In this instance, to whom was the Spirit witnessing? To the Christians. How did the Spirit witness to them in the first century? He witnessed through the written Word, which in this case was the inspired Book of Hebrews coupled with a quotation from Jeremiah 31. What about Romans 8:16? There it is written, "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God." According to this verse, there are two spirits that bear witness of the truth that we are God's sons and daughters: the Holy Spirit and our personal spirit. If we have obeyed the Gospel, then we are children of God by "faith" and through "the faith" (Gal. 3:26,27). When we have complied with the conditions set forth in the Gospel about how to become a child of God, then our mind/spirit knows that and can say, "I have done what God said to do to become a Christian, and since He keeps His promises, then I know that I am His child. But what about the Holy Spirit's witness? How does He give witness that we are the children of God? He does so through His sword, which is the word of God (Eph. 6:17). The Holy Spirit revealed the Gospel by which we are born again (1 Peter 1:23-25). When we comply with the conditions of salvation that the Spirit of God set forth in the Gospel, then we are born of water (baptism) and of the Spirit (John 3:5). The Holy Spirit's testimony is that anyone who complies with God's terms of salvation is God's child. That is His witness. The correct conclusion is that the Holy Spirit speaks today and testifies today, but He does so through, and only through, the message of the Bible (the Word of God). The Holy Spirit's witness is not a feeling, it is not a hunch, and it is not a direct message from Him. Anyone that thinks the Holy Spirit has directly witnessed to him that he is a child of God either misunderstands the Bible or has been deceived. Anyone who claims to others that the Holy Spirit has miraculously revealed to him that he is a child of God is a deceiver. Beware of the deceived and deceivers. --- I'LL DO IT LATER Ellen Kyle We see all around us those who've passed away, They said "Yes I'll be baptized, but on another day." >From the time they were accountable, till the moment they die, "I'll do it later," became their battle cry. They put off the tings they knew they should do, And wouldn't heed God's words, although knowing they're true. He told them they must come to Him and that they must repent, Before the days He'd give them had all been spent. They heard His words again and again, then left with a hard heart, >From the world and it's fleeting charms they would not depart. So pray for those who hear the truth and refuse to be baptized, Pray that they be given precious time to finally realize, How differently they'd live their lives if they could only see, The reality and closeness of their OWN mortality. --- SENTENCE SERMONS If you hold your religion lightly, you are sure to let it slip. Faith is never surprised at success. Beware of the rubber conscience and the concrete heart. The trouble with little sins is they don't stay little. If you want to get to the top, you must get to the bottom of things. A lie has no legs; it requires other lies to support it. --- SERMONS WORLDLINESS: Introduction to the Series (with PDF Charts/PPT Charts/Audio) Hell is Real (with PDF Charts/PPT Charts/Audio) www.thetfordcountry.com --- cid:image003.gif at 01C9DCB3.EEF5E980 1414 Hawk Parkway, Unit C Montrose, CO 81401 (970) 626-5558 www.sanjuanchurchofchrist.org MEETING TIMES Sunday Bible Study...........10:00 A.M. Morning Worship..11:00 A.M. Afternoon Worship..2:00 P.M. Wednesday Bible Study........6:30 P.M. (No Wednesday night Bible study November - February) Evangelist/Editor Richard Thetford 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/20091004/ea4d5c2c/attachment-0001.html -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: image/gif Size: 69751 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091004/ea4d5c2c/attachment-0002.gif -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... 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Use to the glory of God. EVANGELISM (3) IX. WHO ARE TO EVANGELIZE AND WHAT ARE THEIR QUALIFI- CATIONS TO BE? A. John had disciples that worked with him in his preparation for the coming of Christ. 1. No doubt they tried to get peoplt (Jews) to repent and look for the comingof the Messiah. To be baptized in preparat- ion for His coming. B. The disciples of Jesus worked in the establishing of His king- dom by converting souls to Christ. 1. He told them to go everywhere preaching the gospel. 2. Andrew finding Simon, and Philip finding Nathaniel sugg- est some personal one on one work toward that end. (Jno. 1:41-46). 3. In looking back on the disciples of Jesus, and how they went about trying to interest people in the kingdom, we find that they first had an interest in their personal friends and neighbors. a. They were not selfish with that which they had found but were desirous of sharing it with others. C. If one is to be successful in the field of evangelism, he must have a great love for lost souls and be willing to seek them out in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds. 1. One must approach every situation with a positive attitude. D. One must be a true child of God himself before he can teach others. 1. He must have conviction that is rooted and grounded in the Word of God, in live, and in faith. (Eph. 3:14-19; Col. 1: 19-23). 2. He must realize that the power of evangelism and conver- sion lies in the gospel and not in the preacher himself. (Rom. 1:16; 2 Cor. 4:5-7). E. One must be a diligent student of the Word of God. (2 Tim. 2: 15; Jno. 8:32). 1. He must know and understand what he is religiously, where he stands before God, and how he came to be in that posit- ion. a. Then he must be willing and able to tell others of his hope and cite the Scriptures that made him such. (1 Pet. 3:13-17 F. The life of one who is engaged in evangelism must be above reproach. (2 Cor. 3:2,3; Matt. 7:1-5). 1. One's life must exemplify what he is trying to teach others. (Matt. 5:13-16; 1 Tim. 4:11-13,16). 2. A poem by Edgar A. Guest will fit in well here: SERMONS WE SEE I'd rather see a sermon than hear one any day; I'd rather one should walk with me than merely tell the way. The eye's a better pupil and more willing than the ear, Fine counsel is confusing, but example's always clear; And the best of all the preachers are the men who live their creeds, For to see good put into action is what everybody needs. I soon can learn to do it if you'll let me see it done; I can watch your hands in action, but your tongue too fast may run. And the lecture you deliver may be very wise and true, But I'd rather get my lessons by observing what you do. For I might misunderstand you and the high advice you give, But there's no misunderstanding how you act and how you live. G. One must be willing to seek out and use every Scriptural method and means at his disposal to contact and teach others the gospel. 1. Word of mouth, phone, printed page, radio, TV, home studies, Bible readings, etc. Mail outs, Correspondence Courses, Internet, etc. 2. One must initiate the effort himself and not just sit back and wait for someone to bring up a religious subject be- fore he will speak of such. (More will be posted on this subject tomorrow, the Lord willing, JWS). -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091005/85d7869a/attachment-0001.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Mon Oct 5 02:45:45 2009 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Mon, 5 Oct 2009 03:45:45 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] A) IT'S JUST NOT IN THE BIBLE! 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 as artic- le from my files: IT'S JUST NOT IN THE BIBLE! Men say: "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me." The Bible says: "And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell" (Jas. 3:6). The uncontrolled tongue can inflict a great deal of hurt. Men say: "If you can't say somthing nice about someone, don't say anything at all." But the Bible says: "Remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck out of your broth- er's eye. Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine" (Matt. 7:5,6). Sometimes courteous silence must give way to helpful words. Men say: "Love meas never having to say you're sorry." But the Bible says: "Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; loves does not parade itself, is not arrogant; does not behave itself rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in truth" (1 Cor. 13:4-6). Love means always having to say you're sorry when something has been done or said to be sorry about. Men say: "Time heals all wounds." But the Bible says: "If you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift here before the altar, and go your way. First be recon- ciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift." "If your brother sins against you go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brot- her" (Matt. 5:23,24; 18:15). Loving action is what heals wounds. Men say: "It can't be wrong when it feels so right." But the Bible says: "O Lord, I know the way of man is not in him- self, it is not in man who walks to direct his own steps" (Jer. 10: 23). "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways, says the Lord" (Isa. 55:8). "There is a way that seems right to a man; but its end is the ways of death" (Prov. 14:12). Feelings are never enough to make right decisions. Men say: "Only believe in Jesus as your personal Savior and you shall be saved." But the Bible says: "But why call ye Me Lord, Lord, and do not do the things which I say?" (Lk. 6:46). "Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven" (Matt. 7:21). Belief in Jesus was never meant to stand alone or apart from observing His will. ---------- via, The Jackson Drive Reporter, Oct. 4, 2009. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091005/0c178c34/attachment-0001.html From GLClair at aol.com Mon Oct 5 10:32:04 2009 From: GLClair at aol.com (GLClair at aol.com) Date: Mon, 5 Oct 2009 11:32:04 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] WORLDINESS Message-ID: --- WORLDINESS --- (HUMANISM PURSUIT) The subject today has to do with the lifestyle of most people in the world today. Many are pursuing the worldly lifestyle and rejecting the lifestyle of the righteous. Why is this happening? Perhaps the Bible can enlighten us as to why this is happening today. First of all, people today are no different than the first man and woman that lived on the earth (i.e. Adam and Eve). You see, Adam and Eve were given the opportunity to possess paradise and raise their family and enjoy all the very best of God?s creation without end. Yet, they choose to disobey God in the matter of the ?fruit of the tree of in the midst of the Garden of Eden.? THE ORIGIN OF THE TREE - Gen. 2:9 And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil. KJV THE PROBITION FROM GOD - Gen. 2:16-17 16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shall not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shall surely die. KJV THE DECISION BY EVE and ADAM - Gen. 3:1-6 1 Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? 2 And the woman said unto the serpent, we may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: 3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. 4 And the serpent said unto the woman, ye shall not surely die: 5 for God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. 6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. KJV CONSIDER THIS: The fact that God placed the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the Garden of Eden has been a stumbling block to many who consider this a temptation by God to Adam and Eve. Perhaps we can better understand the placing of the tree in the midst of the Garden by God when we understand that God desired for mankind (i.e. Adam and Eve and their children) to voluntary choose to fellowship the Godhead continually. God therefore gave mankind (Adam and Eve and their children, ?free moral agency (i.e. the ability to choose between God and Satan ? THE KNOWLEDGE OF SIN AND THE WORLDLY). Adam and Eve failed to volunteer their fellowship to God and choose rather to fellowship that which they knew was evil (i.e. God had told them so ? Gen, 2:16-17). THE CHOICE IS STILL THE SAME TODY: Most people today are still are making the choice that Adam and Eve made in the beginning. Most people today are choosing to fellow sin, worldliness, and hedonism, as will as other forms of rebellion against God and God?s lifestyle; just like Adam and Eve. The decision to fellowship (i.e. live in sin) is a personal decision that people individually make. No one can make a person rebel (i.e. reject) God and God?s lifestyle revealed via the Holy Scriptures. CONSIDER THE ULTIMATE COST OF REJECTING GOD?S WAY: John 12:48 48 He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.KJV 2 Peter 3:9-13 9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. 11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, 12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? 13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. KJV _glclair at aol.com_ (mailto:glclair at aol.com) October 5, 2009 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091005/3d14ef54/attachment-0001.html From kerux at bellsouth.net Mon Oct 5 15:14:45 2009 From: kerux at bellsouth.net (Kent Heaton) Date: Mon, 5 Oct 2009 16:14:45 -0400 Subject: [Biblemat] A>Nehemiah's Prayer (Kent Heaton) Message-ID: Nehemiah's Prayer (Kent Heaton) Not everyone has a mind to work as diligently as the man Nehemiah, cupbearer of King Artaxerxes. Nehemiah was driven by his devotion to God and his earnest desire to help his people. While serving in the king's court, Nehemiah was overwhelmed with the plight of his people in Jerusalem as he explained, "May the king live forever! Why should my face not be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers' tombs, lies waste, and its gates are burned with fire" (Nehemiah 2:3)? The king allowed Nehemiah to go to Jerusalem and under the oversight of this man of faith the walls of Jerusalem were rebuilt in fifty-two days (Nehemiah 6:15). Throughout the book of Nehemiah the ridicule, fear, guile, corruption and vicious attacks did not hinder his goal of rebuilding the walls of the city. His work did not end with the building of the wall as he went on to help Ezra reestablish the Law and to exhort the people to confess their sins. The key to Nehemiah's success was rooted in his deep love of prayer. Before approaching the king with the request to go to Jerusalem and before undertaking the enormous task that lay before him - Nehemiah went to God. "O Lord, I pray, please let Your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your servant, and to the prayer of Your servants who desire to fear Your name; and let Your servant prosper this day, I pray, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man" (Nehemiah 1:11). There are four things that Nehemiah prayed for that will help you and I come to a fuller understanding of the nature of prayer. First, he begins by asking God to hear his prayer. This is where faith opens the door of prayer. "But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways" (James 1:6-8). Faith had declared in Nehemiah's prayer the "awesome" (Nehemiah 1:5) God and repentance representative of the nation of Israel and plea for forgiveness (Nehemiah 1:5-7). He pleads the promises of God (Nehemiah 1:8-10) and asked for mercy in his prayer. Our prayers should begin in faith and the recognition of the sovereignty of Him who is "awesome" and "Our Father which is in heaven (Matthew 6:9). There is none like Him (Isaiah 40:18). Second, Nehemiah recognizes the importance of fear before the Lord. Those who do not fear the name of the Lord will not prosper (Proverbs 1:28-33). "If you do not carefully observe all the words of this law that are written in this book, that you may fear this glorious and awesome name, THE LORD YOUR GOD" (Deuteronomy 28:58). Prayer is coupled with the fear of the Lord. Nehemiah will need this courage later in the story (Nehemiah 4:14) and the people will proclaim it in Nehemiah 9:32. The third part of his prayer is asking for the Lord to allow him to prosper and to do the work he wanted to do. The request was tempered by the fourth element of prayer - the mercy of God. Nehemiah only wanted to serve the Lord and his prayer was to seek prosperity not of himself but the cause of his God. How often do we pray that God's will be done (Matthew 6:10) and not our own and to accept the answer given by God - even if is not the answer we desired. Prayer is the expression of our faith in the wisdom of God to carry out His will through us. Nehemiah guided the people to the incredible task of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem in 52 days. What can we accomplish with prayer? Kent Heaton 207 NE Fourth Avenue Trenton, Florida 32693 (H) 352-463-6916 (O) 3793 (C) 352-283-3889 www.trentonchurchofchrist.com Audio Sermons Available www.northfloridabiblecamp.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091005/8d56c5fe/attachment.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Tue Oct 6 03:53:05 2009 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Tue, 6 Oct 2009 04:53:05 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] A) QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. A very good Tuesday morning to each and everyone. May God bless you and yours. Here are a coup- le of questions and aswers from my files: QUESTION: -- Should We Baptize Babies? ANSWER: -- The baptizing of infants began because people thought that they were "born in sin, totally deprav- ed," and that babies inherited Adam's sin by being born of hum- an parents. But the Bible does not teach that babies are born in sin, inheriting sin from their parents because of Adam's sin. But one cannot inherit sin from someone else. Note what God says: "The soul that sinneth, it shall die: the son shall not bear the ini- quity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son" (Ezk. 18:20). When King David sinned with Bathsheba, then had her hus- band killed (2 Sam. 11,12), God told him through the prophet, Nathan, that he would pay "fourfold" for those sins. The baby that was born to Bathsheba became ill, and David would not be comforted. When the baby died, the servants of David were afraid to tell the king, but he asked them, and they then told him. He ended his grief at that point, taking food, and those servants were amazed. But David said, "While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, Who knows whether Jehovah will not be gracious to me, that the child may live? But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he will not return to me" (2 Sam. 12:22,23). You see, David knew something we should learn. Babies have no need of salvation, for they have never been lost in sin. Babies are not fit subjects for baptism for several reasons. First, sin is "a transgression of God's Law" (1 Jno. 3:4), and babi- es have never transgressed God's Laws to become sinners be- fore Him. Second, they are not capable of hearing and believing and repenting of sins as Peter told those on Pentecost to do. He said, "Repent ye, and be baptized every one of you in the Name of Jesus Christ, unto the remission of your sins" (Acts 2: 38). Jesus said through Mark: "He that believeth and is baptiz- ed shall be saved" (Mk. 16:16). Babies do not have faith, they have no sins of which to repent, and they cannot be saved for they have never been lost. Babies are pure and innocent of all sin, and therefore they do not need to be saved. As Jesus said; "Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto Me: for to such belongeth the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 19:14). You just cannot improve on their spiritual condition by baptism. They are already safe from sin. ----- Adapted from a question by Clem Thurman in Gospel Minutes, Vol. 58, No. 41, Oct. 9, 2009. QUESTION: -- Would You Explain What Is Said In 1 Pet. 3:21, when it is said, "the answer of a good conscien- ce before God"? ANSWER: -- "And corresponding to that, baptism now saves us --- not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience -- through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead." (1 Pet. 3:21). Notice how other versions of the New Testament translate this word: "Pledge" NIV, "Answer" KJV, "Interrogation" ASV. This word in Greek si "exeporema" which literally meant a quest- ion. This is the only time in the New Testament it is used and it has stirred some controversy as to what exactly Peter meant. Most scholars will admit they are not sure. We know the "question" is related to our baptism. Baptism cleanses us, not physically, but spiritually, for all past sins of which we repent. Maybe the NAS translates best. Baptism saves "by the appeal for a good conscience before God." The question seems to be an appeal to God by being baptized with the promise of cleansing us from all past sins. So the question is an appeal, or in modern terms a request. So, my conclusion is that the text should read, "The request to God for a good con- science before Him." This being accomplished by obedience to God by being baptized for the remission of our past sins. But, I cannot be rigid about that. ---- adapted from a question and answer by David Thurman in Gospel Minutes, Vol 58, No. 41, Oct. 9, 2009. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091006/edd0b71e/attachment-0001.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Tue Oct 6 03:53:15 2009 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Tue, 6 Oct 2009 04:53:15 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] S) EVANGELISM (4) Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. Here is he fourth and final installment of this particular subject under this particular heading. Use to the glory of God. EVANGELISM (4) X. EVANGELIZING AMONG PEOPLES OF DIFFERING CUST- OMS AND CULTURES: -- A. One must be willing to accept the inconvenience that will come with a lot of such work. 1. In such places as Mexico, parts of North America, South America, Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, Russia, etc. B. We must not try to Americanize the peoples of these foreign countries. It is not our business to make Americans out of these peoples, but to make Christians out of them. C. As long as a custom or cultures do not violate the law of God, then we are to let such customs and cultures be as they are. D. It would be good to learn the language of the country in which we are preaching. 1. This can be especially true of a country that has only one major language and all the people speak that one langua- ge. Such as, French, Spanish, Portugese, German, etc. a. This is in contrast to working in a country that has many, many languages and you are working with many differing languages from one district of the country to another. 1) This is true of such countries as Nigeria in West Africa. In Nigeria there are four major languages and more than two hundred and fifty differing dialects involved in the these four major languages. E. Be prepared to meet many different types of religions that might only be native of that particular country in which you are working and will not necessarily be known in the USA. F. Don't allow the poverty and suffering that you might witness in these countries cause you to call upon the church, as such, to become engaged in general benevolence and build- of medical clinics, schools, etc. Such, belongs to secular organizations and is not the work of the church. CONCLUSION: -- Much more could be said about evangelism, personal work, or what - ever you might want to call it. And I intend to say quite a bit more on the subject under a different heading, beginning tomorrow, the Lord willing. But what has been said already will hopefully help you in your responsibility to teach the Word of God. Wherever and when- ever you have the opportunity. You can be helpful in making the opportunity yourself. Remember: that you, a Bible, and another person are setting the table for a good go at evangelism. Even if you might find your- self sitting on one end of a log and your student on the other end as you drive home to him the Gospel of Christ. Or you and he might be in a car driving along the road. May God bless you as you put forth the effort to evangelize the area in your little corner of the world. In other words, brighten the corner where you are, let your light shine among men that they might see your good works and glorify God in the process. This is what really matters. ------ Jim Sasser. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091006/60ef85a2/attachment-0001.html From thomasc at msu.edu Tue Oct 6 06:36:26 2009 From: thomasc at msu.edu (Craig Thomas) Date: Tue, 06 Oct 2009 07:36:26 -0400 Subject: [Biblemat] A>Blessed Are Ye (Beatitudes) Message-ID: <20091006113629.6895BE08016@dumbledore.Whizardries.com> Blessed Are Ye Craig Thomas We humans are a forgetful race. We spend so much time with our lives out of focus; with our priorities out of order. This is surely true of people in the world, but also sadly true of many Christians. One great problem I see among brethren is a misunderstanding of the basic fundamentals of the gospel. There?s a tendency to think we have the ?basics? totally covered when we teach, believe, and practice the truth on things such as no instrumental music, oneness of the church, scriptural work, worship, and organization of the church, the necessity of baptism and that baptism is via immersion. Don?t get me wrong. These things are vital! To teach and practice otherwise is to transgress and ?not abide in the doctrine of Christ? and God rejects us (2 John 9). Further, I am not suggesting we not teach on these themes often, clearly, and unequivocally. As Paul told Timothy, we must ?charge some that they teach no other doctrine? (1 Tim. 1:3). But, just because we teach, believe, and practice the truth on these vital matters doesn?t mean we?re in fellowship with God and imbibing the true essence of New Testament Christianity! Even though many things we do as Christians involve collective activity (e.g., worship), Christianity at its heart is a very ?individual? religion. Our standing before God centers around the quality of our individual lives (Rom. 14:12; 2 Cor. 5:10; Matt. 25:31-46). Nowhere in scripture is this more evident than in the ethical core of the gospel, The Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5-7). And, at the core of Jesus? mountain discourse are the beatitudes (Matt. 5:3-12). Please don?t misunderstand me or the purpose of this article. I?m not claiming some sort of superior knowledge or spirituality, nor trying to describe some ?better felt than told? feeling or experience. My purpose is to hearken us back to the most basic and fundamental aspects of what Jesus wants us to be. I believe one writer put it well when he said, ?Though I have tried at times to dismiss [the sermon on the Mount] as rhetorical excess, the more I study Jesus, the more I realize that the statements contained here lie at the heart of his message. If I fail to understand this teaching, I fail to understand him? (Philip Yancey, The Jesus I Never Knew, p. 105). True words indeed. Until and unless the character traits of the beatitudes are ours and we often remind ourselves to reenergize our souls at this wellspring of refreshment: 1) we will never truly be the people God desires and demands, 2) we will never experience the true joy of fellowship with our heavenly Father, and 3) our Christian walk will not bring us the peace of mind we all so desperately crave (Phil. 4:7). Furthermore, I have come to believe the beatitudes should be the most natural place to begin in teaching the gospel to the lost. If those we teach have hearts that are truly ?noble and good? (Lk. 8:15), Jesus? teaching here will be received favorably into their hearts and they?ll cry out, ?Men and brethren, what shall we do?? (Acts 2:37) If the teaching of the beatitudes is not received, other teaching (e.g., necessity of baptism, instrumental music, oneness of the church) will not find hearts willing to receive ?the word with all readiness of mind? (Acts 17:11). As we consider each beatitude we must keep in mind Jesus is beginning His proclamation of the gospel of the kingdom. The beatitudes follow closely on the heels of Matthew 4:17 where Jesus said, ?Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.? He is describing eight qualities of character of one to whom that message would appeal. As one commentator put it, Jesus is ?laying down the spiritual charter of His kingdom? (Kenneth Chumbley, The Gospel of Matthew, pp. 82-83). It is critical to note that the ?kingdom, first and foremost, has to do with what we are.? (Chumbley, p. 83) If we do not possess these traits God cannot bless us with salvation because salvation won?t be appealing to us! Hence, these traits are the most fundamental conditions we must meet. For ?Divine blessing is not unconditional; for God to bless us we must be blessable; and to be blessable we must have the qualities herein described.? (Chumbley, p. 83) Before considering each trait, it?s important to consider that each one brings a blessing. Some versions use ?happy? or ?fortunate? instead of ?blessed.? I believe those words miss the point. Happiness depends on external circumstances which are often beyond our control. Blessedness, on the other hand, comes from internal circumstances. That?s a big difference! Chumbley put it well saying, ? there is more to blessedness than happiness. In the world the basis for happiness is happenings; but in the kingdom, it is a right relationship with God (Ps. 33.12). Secular happiness is an emotional state contingent on circumstances; Christian blessedness is rooted in character. This fact makes possible a life that is radiant and complete, despite outer turmoil (7.24-25) When the qualities He lists in the Beatitudes mark our spirit, we can thrive and prosper even when our present circumstances are desperate (vv 10-12, Ps. 1:1-3).? (pp. 83-84) Let?s briefly consider each of the beatitudes: 1) The Poor in Spirit (v. 3). Remember, Jesus is talking about attributes of people to whom the words ?Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand? would be appealing. What a shock this must have been to the typical Jew in His audience who considered material wealth a sign of Divine favor (Matt. 19:23-26). One ?poor in spirit? is a man who recognizes his total spiritual bankruptcy (Rom. 5:6). It is the man who, like the tax collector, is so painfully aware of his abject spiritual poverty that he will ?beat his breast, saying, ?God, be merciful to me a sinner!?? (Luke 18:13) Unless and until we come to the realization of the dire circumstances of our lost condition, our total inability to do anything about it, and that within ourselves there is nothing to justify us before God; ?the kingdom of heaven? will not truly appeal to us (cf. Psa. 51:16-17; Isa. 66:2). 2) Those Who Mourn (v. 4). Mourning arises over the sorrow of losing something. ?This beatitude is the natural sequel to the previous, for when a man is touched by the utterness of his spiritual poverty, he will grieve at the realization he has lost God?s fellowship (2 Kgs. 22.10-13, 19; Neh. 8.8-11; Ps. 119.136; Isa. 6.5).? (Chumbley, pp. 84-85) People who don?t grieve over sin in their lives never experience true ?godly sorrow? and are thus never led to repentance and salvation (2 Cor. 7:10). Ironically most preaching today is designed to make people feel good about themselves. That?s not biblical preaching. True Bible preaching provides comfort by first making the sinner realize and grieve over his very uncomfortable state of spiritual bankruptcy! ?Godly grief, however, is good grief, for it is that which leads to repentance (2 Cor. 7:10). The comfort Christ promises comes from the cleansing of forgiveness (Ps. 51.10-12). To be comforted is to feel the weight of the past and the stain of our wrongdoing lifted from our shoulders (11.28-30).? (Chumbley, p. 85) This comforting frees us not only from the guilt of sin, but makes it possible for us to forge ahead spiritually and emotionally forgetting our checkered past and facing the future with confidence (Phil. 3:13-14). 3) The Meek (v. 5). ?Meek? is a paradoxical word containing both the ideas of softness and strength. We usually equate meekness with weakness. However, ?The meek are those who have enough strength of character to be soft in spirit; to retain their poise in the face of provocation.? (Chumbley, p. 85) I have heard the Greeks used this word to describe the bits used to control horses. Thus, ?The meek are strong people who decline to domineer; they are ?those who do not throw their weight about, but rely on God to give them their due? (France, 110; 11.29).? (Chumbley, p. 85) Inheriting the earth is a Hebraism (cf. Psa. 37) conveying the idea of receiving the rewards God has reserved for the righteous (cf. Matt. 16:26). 4) Those Who Hunger and Thirst For Righteousness (v. 6). Our most constant and unrelenting physical appetites are those of ?hunger and thirst.? Without meeting these needs in the physical realm we cannot survive. That?s why Abraham Mazlow, the noted psychologist, put them at the very foundation of his famous ?Hierarchy of Needs.? The same is true for our spiritual survival. If we as disciples of the Lord do not have an intense craving for the right foundation for our character we are unfit for the kingdom. Jesus states the same principle in Matthew 6:33, ?But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.? The self-righteous have no desire to be ?filled? with such thoughts and activities, but ?if we yearn for the ultimate satisfaction of a relationship with God, we can have it.? (Chumbley, p. 86) 5) The Merciful (v. 7). ?Mercy (eleeo) is that aspect of love that cannot walk away from suffering (9.27).? (Chumbley, p. 86) Are you able to ease another?s hurt and pain, even if they don?t deserve it? God did so for you! ?But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.? (Rom. 5:8) ?Mercy is not to be a random impulse, but a habitual trait. Those who receive it are to show it; to fail to do so is to invite judgment (18.23-25; 25:31-46).? (Chumbley, p. 86) Even though our showing of mercy doesn?t necessarily qualify us for God?s mercy; our failure to extend mercy will guarantee God will deny us mercy (Matt. 6:15; 18:25-35; 25:41-46; Jas. 2:13). 6) The Pure in Heart (v. 8). ?Pure? is the idea of clean, unadulterated, without blemish, spotless. Such is gained, not by adherence to outward rituals, but is at the center of our character?our heart! It?s gained only by an obedient faith (Acts 15:9). The ?heart? is the spiritual fountain from which all our thoughts and actions flow, thus, it is where cleanliness must begin and reign (Matt. 5:28; 15:19). That?s why the Psalmist said, ?He who has clean hands and a pure heart...He shall receive blessing from the LORD? (Psa. 24:4-5). Without purity of heart fellowship with God and true disciples is impossible (1 Jn. 1:5-7; 3:2-3). 7) The Peacemakers (v. 9). Jesus is not talking about peace in the earthly, fleshly realm (Jn. 14:27; 16:33). He is speaking of our making of spiritual peace with God (Rom. 5:1; Eph. 2:13-16), helping other men make that same peace with God (Mk. 16:15-16; 2 Cor. 5:20; Acts 2:39), and for us to ?live peaceably with all men? (Rom. 12:18; Matt. 5:23-25, 43-44). ?Note that Christ refers to peace-makers, not peace-keepers. The peace corps He blesses are those who sow the seed that yields righteousness in themselves, and others (Jas. 3.18). To such belongs the privilege of being the ?sons of God? (NASB).? (Chumbley, p. 87) 8) Those Who Are Persecuted (vv. 10-12). Many commentators believe this beatitude does not describe a facet of our character, but rather a problem we encounter when we possess the qualities just enumerated. I believe some of both are involved. Our willingness and ability to endure persecution is a character trait in the sense that it can only result from a synergistic possession of all the previous traits. For example, the only person capable of enduring such persecution is one who: A) is deeply convinced of his own spiritual bankruptcy and that his need for the saving power of Christ outweighs any other consideration in his life (i.e., ?poor in spirit?), B) is so mournful over his sin that he is determined to do right regardless of the cost (?they that mourn?), C) is so controlled in spirit as not to lose his focus on the ?prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus? (Phil 3:14) and seek retribution on his tormentors (?the meek?), D) is so filled with an unquenchable desire to please God that he will not let even severe persecution dampen his zeal (?they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness?), E) is so merciful that he will even cry out on behalf of his persecutors as did Stephen, ?Lord, do not charge them with this sin? (Acts 7:60)(?the merciful?), F) is so pure of heart that he will allow God to avenge him (Rom. 14:19) and thus ?not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good? (Rom. 12:21), and G) is so deeply concerned for all men to experience the ?peace of God? (Phil. 4:7) that his attitude towards even his tormentors would echo that of the great apostle Paul, ?I would to God that not only you, but also all who hear me today, might become both almost and altogether such as I am, except for these chains? (Acts 26:29)(?the peacemakers?). Only one who truly possesses all these spiritual qualities has the strength and depth of character, as well as the correct perspective on life and eternity, to be able to endure persecution and ?Rejoice and be exceedingly glad? (Matt. 5:12). And, what a glorious blessing it brings! It bring rejoicing and gladness instead of stoic endurance or wallowing in the mire of self-pity. Then ultimately the elevation and esteem of being worthy of company with the likes of Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Daniel! (cf. Heb. 11:33-38) Indeed it is a blessing to be ?counted worthy to suffer shame for His name? (Acts 5:41). These attributes are the bedrock of Christian character. Thus, I encourage you to read, review and meditate on the beatitudes often, carefully, and completely. For we must make sure we are anchored securely and steadfast to this foundation lest our walk with God becomes a vain, empty, and legalistic exercise in futility. "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord." (1 Corinthians 15:58) ************************************************************************* M M III Craig V. Thomas M M M M I Just a Christian (Acts 11:26) M M M M I 350 Pineridge Lane M M M M I Sandusky, MI 48471 M M M III E-mail: thomasc at msu.edu Phone: 810-648-5009 (home) Phone: 810-404-3402 (cell) Web site: churchofchristnow.com ************************************************************************* "Perseverance is that quality of character that sees a thing through in spite of adversities and even though results are not immediately visible." John Witt -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091006/f041c238/attachment-0001.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Wed Oct 7 04:49:16 2009 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Wed, 7 Oct 2009 05:49:16 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] A) FAITHFULNESS 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 thoughts from my files. FAITHFULNESS Is a car that starts 7 times out of 10 faithful? Is a refrigerator that only quits once a month faithful? Is your paper boy faithful if he only misses delivering your paper two or three times a week? If your hot water heater greets you with hot water five mornings out of seven, would you call it faithful or would you call a plumb- er? If you don't come to work one or two mornings a week, would your boss consider you faithful -- or unemployed? If you attend church services in a similar manner, only missing occasionally, coming most of the time...ARE YOU FAITHFUL? Take time to read Heb. 10:25. **************************************************************************** **** SOMETHING LEARNED FROM MULES A mule can't pull the plow or wagon while he is kicking, and when he is pulling he won't be kicking. It is the same in the church. When saints have their feet in the sand pulling hard to do the Will of God, there is no time for kicking, gossip, and/or idleness. We never move the gospel chariot forward while kick- ing. Also, when one has two or more mules hitched together they have to pull at the same time, and in the same direction, in order to move the load. This is also true in the Lord's church. Pulling "together" accomplishes great things. Trends: -- More than half of the states in the United States have casinos, and 48 states allow some form of legalized gambling. Americans gamble more money each year than they spend on groceries. There is a direct link between problem and patholog- ical gambling and divorce, child abuse, domestic violence, bank- ruptcy, crime, and suicide. 88% of America's young people are already gambling on everything from card games to sports teams to casinos and lotteries. In Eph. 4:28, we read: "Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth." ------------------ W. R. Jones via The Jackson Drive Reporter, Oct. 4, 2009. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091007/c18b0393/attachment.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Wed Oct 7 04:49:33 2009 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Wed, 7 Oct 2009 05:49:33 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] S) PERSONAL EVANGELISM (1) Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. Here is the first installment of this particular study. Use to the glory of God. PERSONAL EVANGELISM (1) INTRODUCTION: -- 1. Evangelism means: The publishing of good tidings or good news. 2. Personal evangelism: Individual effort in reaching other indivi- duals. 3. Person to person -- house to house -- the most efficient meth- od. a) We can learn this from insurance companies and others. 4. Preaching to masses is good but person to person is better. a) An example: Billy Sunday's campaign in New York City: We are told that 65,000 "hit the sawdust trail" but only 200 "converts"(?) found in later survey of cooperating church- es in the area. The cost of putting on this campaign was $350,000. This took place back in 1917. b) Sunday's meeting in Tulsa, OK in 1921; 10,000 "hit the trail" but in a survey held a year later, only 500 were found assoc- iated with the cooperating churches of the area. The cost was $25,000 plus. 5. Gospel meetings among churches of Christ is not as effective now and they used to be. a) In days gone by there would be ten, twenty, fifty, or more baptisms -- why? b) Now we seld- om have such large numbers of baptism -- why? 6. Our greatest need today: is individual effort and contact -- "personal evangelism." a) Lessons on this subject is a must in all classes and pulpits. b) There is no easy way to build up a congregation numerically and spiritually without personal involvement with contacts. 7. YOU not only CAN but YOU MUST do "personal evangelism." a) YOUR salvation and the salvation of OTHERS depend upon it. (1 Tim. 4:16). I. THE IMPORTANCE OF WINNING SOULS TO CHRIST: -- A. The value of the soul demands it (Matt. 16:24-26). B. The price paid to redeem the soul demands it (Matt. 20:26) 1. This shows the value Jesus placed upon souls -- "seek and save the lost." C. The purpose of Christ's coming in the first place, emphas- izes it -- (Lk. 19:10; 1 Tim. 1:15) Paul speaks of himself as the "chief of sinners." D. The command of Christ embodies it -- (Matt. 28:18-20; Mk. 16:15,16) "Go into all the world..." E. The apostles insisted upon it -- (2 Tim. 2:1,2; 4:1-8; Acts 20:20). F. Men are lost and must be found, won, saved -- (Acts 4:12) 1. Because all have sinned and fallen short of the gospel, (Rom. 3:23). 2. Charles Russell said, that "Millions now living may never die" but, in truth, millions now dying may never live with Christ. (Rom. 5:12-21). G. Pray for those who are workers in the fields that are now white unto harvest. (Lk. 10:2). 1. There is no room for slackers and/or shirkers in this harvest field. H. We are in debt, great debt -- to Christ, the apostles, proph- ets and all that have gone on before and labored in the fields of the Lord. 1. The only way to pay such a great debt is to win souls to Christ, thereby showing our appreciation for those who have labored before us. 2. WE ARE WON TO WIN! (More will be posted on this subject tomorrow, the Lord willing, JWS). -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091007/199e2d2a/attachment.html From Jerry at eldorable.kscoxmail.com Wed Oct 7 22:42:29 2009 From: Jerry at eldorable.kscoxmail.com (Jerry ) Date: Wed, 7 Oct 2009 22:42:29 -0500 Subject: [Biblemat] The Precious death of a Christian Message-ID: Jerry Blount to the list. The "Precious" death of a Christian Psalm 116:15-17 Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints. O Lord, truly I am thy servant; I am thy servant, and the son of thine handmaid: thou hast loosed my bonds. I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the Lord. After my last "Jotting" I received word that a Christian lady that I had only once met was dying. Last month the father of a dear friend, and a dear friend, who was the wife of a dear friend, (all Christians) had passed away. Yet another friend sent me the linked video of a gospel preacher's saying farewell to his congregation 5 days before his cancerous death. after preaching there for 40 years. You can click on the following link to listen to his last sermon. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZfwV5DkAig There is a beauty to knowing you have done the best you could with all integrity and now it is time to receive your reward. Not because you are famous, but because your Lord knows you. and you know Him. You are not just one of the endless hordes. you matter, God knows and cares for you. We use euphemisms to try to soften every aspect of death. On the contrary, our Lord teaches us to embrace it. We cannot control death, that is why we fear it so. We can cause it, but we cannot avoid it. He has promised. that we need not fear. >From ancient times God has reassured His people. Psalm 23: 4. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Today I want to pursue the knowledge granted to God's people long before the coming of Christianity. Death has been with us almost since the beginning. It is at the same time viewed as the ultimate punishment for earthly crimes. and the relief to those that are in pain. What is this "precious" enigma of the human experience? To the Christian physical death is the temporary separation of the soul and body. James 2:26. "For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also." Jesus promised (or threatened depending on your standing with Him) that the soul and body would be united and that all of us would stand before our Maker. We, by nature, fear new things. Death obviously separates us from virtually everything familiar to us. Just as clearly, nothing in this earth goes with us. All that is important to us here is left behind. We must go forward seemingly alone.. But God has promised that His people we are not now, nor shall we ever be alone. That fact of faith is the glory of a Christian! Yes, the Bible uses the word "glory" to describe all this. I Corinthians 15 "42. So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown a perishable {body,} it is raised an imperishable {body;} 43. it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; 44. it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual {body.}" Perhaps it is the preparation for this "leap of faith" that causes scripture to place such emphasis on faith. You cannot see the angels come to get you. but the Bible describes them clearly. Luke 16: 22. "And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried." To the Christian death is a reward . Matthew 16 "26. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? 27. For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works." Folks rush in with lottery tickets to receive their carnal rewards. This is their ultimate reward. A life spent in pursuit of the goose that lays the golden eggs. only to discover that true treasure is not to be found here. Where is the joy of it all? We often really do believe all this but we are torn with what is "here." There is always "more" to do, or that "needs" done. The reality is that sometimes tomorrow is beyond our reach. Paul wrestled with this very real concern. Philippians 1 "20. according to my earnest expectation and hope, that I will not be put to shame in anything, but {that} with all boldness, Christ will even now, as always, be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. 21. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22. But if {I am} to live {on} in the flesh, this {will mean} fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to choose. 23. But I am hard-pressed from both {directions,} having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for {that} is very much better;" What of those left behind? Death is often the ultimate gift. One of the greatest ironies of life is that the last gift a Father or Mother can often give to their children is given by leading the way in faith. Death entered in faith is a direct demonstration that it is all true, and that faith really will sustain you through the most fearful part of the human experience. Consider Paul's farewell to his spiritual son in Christianity. II Timothy 4 "6. For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. 7. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: 8. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous" Can they make it on their own? I remember when the first of my children was about to wed and go off on his own. My grandfather was having one of those discussions about his philosophy of life with me. His comment was simple, "Isn't this what you have been working for?" It is easy to hold onto the past but you worked a long time for him to grow up and to be able to make it on his own. This is his chance to do just that. Take joy in what you have accomplished. He'll take what you gave him and he'll do well. Well, my grandfather was right in this matter. All three of my children are fully capable of making it on their own. I like to think they want me around. but push comes to shove. my role has been completed. They can and will make it on their own. By the grace of God it is as it should be. It is the destiny of a Christian to do his dead level best to help all those around him to take hold of the resources given to all of us by God. It is our role in life, having led to the best of our ability to let go. If we have done well and they have take advantage of what we have given them. all will be well. Here is how Paul opens his letter to Timothy as Paul was awaiting his beheading for the cause of Christ. His concern was for Timothy. as any other parent's concern would be. 2 Timothy 1 "1. Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus, 2. 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. 6. Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands. 7. For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." Whether an Apostle, or "just" a Christian. there comes a time when we must let go of all that is here. to gain all that is there. Yours in Christ Jerry Blount Minister for the Pillar church of Christ 560 S Oliver (SE corner of Oliver &Kellogg) Wichita, Ks 67218 316-320-4321 www.JerrysChristianJottings.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... 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Name: not available Type: image/gif Size: 5097 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091007/6559e6e4/attachment-0003.gif -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: image/jpeg Size: 5359 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091007/6559e6e4/attachment-0005.jpe From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Thu Oct 8 12:01:35 2009 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Thu, 8 Oct 2009 13:01:35 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] A) THE WORD OF 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 an article from my files: THE WORD OF GOD "Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the Lord hath spoken." (Isa. 1:2). This declaration commands heaven to give audience, and the earth to heed the spoken things of God. Christ Jesus declared to the world the God of heaven. (Jno. 1: 18). Again, "For he whom God hath sent speaketh the Words of God." (Jno. 3:34) in the light of His face, and in the brightness of His raiment the apostles learn they are to "hear HIm." (Matt. 17:5) On a throne exalted and with power unlimited the Holy Spirit announces God...hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son. (Heb. 1:1,2). ITS POWER: -- It is "sharper than any two-edged sword." (Heb. 4:12). The "sword of the Spirit is the Word of God." (Eph. 6:17). So keen, sharp, and pointed is the Word of God that it is the most potent weapon in all the world. To Cain the Word said, "Sin lieth at the door." (Gen. 4:7). To Belshazzar, "God hath numbered thy kingdom and finished it. Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting." (Dan. 5:26,27). To the Pharis- ees, "For if ye believe not that I am He, ye shall die in your sins." (Jno. 8:24). To the young rich man, "Sell that thou hast and give to the poor." (Matt. 19:21). To the rich farmer, "Thou fool, this night shall thy soul be required of thee." (Lk. 12:20). Some day the Word of God will paralyze unbelievers, stagger the unfaithful and sentence all the wicked into the corridors of eternal misery, and, at the same time, beckon to the faithful, "Come ye blessed of My Father." (Matt. 25:34). ITS AUTHORITY: -- God's word is the "first and the last," "the beginning and ending" the A and the Z, in all matters pertaining to our salvation. It is the voice of origin, "in the beginning" and will be the voice of destiny at the final day of account. Science can discover, but it cannot create; it can imitate, but it cannot duplicate; it can copy, but it cannot originate. Thus, God's Word hurls a challenge to the sages of the day, to those gone by, and those to come hereafter. Until man can create, duplicate and originate we cling tenaciously to God and His Holy Word. The Bible is the oldest legal document in all earth; herein we have the "voice of law." God's laws were given to be kept, not broken Adam, the patriarchs, and the Jews testify to this fact. "The voice of the heavens" breaks forth in exaltation, "the heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth His handi- work." (Psa. 19:1). There is nothing unreturned to God; every- thing begins with God, and everything ends with Him. Finally, the Word of God is the voice of the kingdom of Heaven. It is employed in its commands, promises, blessings, and curses. "If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God." (1 Pet. 4:11). ITS OFFICE: -- This office is seen clearly in Jno. 1:1,8, "In the be- ginning was the Word, and the Word with with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him; and without Him was not anything made that was made. In Him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through Him might believe. He was not the Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light." To reveal the truth in light and life was Jesus' mission. (Jno. 8:32). God declared His Son twice on earth. (Matt. 3:13,17; 17:1,5). His great resurrection from the tomb further established this fact. (Rom. 1:4) and declares Him to be the Son of God with power. The dignity of the Word is seen in Heb. 1, as being the bright- ness of His glory, the express image of His person, and uphold- ing all things by the Word of His power, is seated at the right hand of the Majesty on high. His name is greater than that of the angels, greater than any name in all of God's realm. He is our object of worship. His throne is forever and ever. He laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of His hands. They are to perish, but He is to remain. Seeing his exalt- ed position, why look for anything higher, than Jesus Christ or better than His Law? The Bible has weathered ever fierce storm, escaped the flam- es of fire, endured the battering rams of centuries, and has out- lived every book on earth. Infidels have denied it, many have forsaken it, some betrayed it, others scoffed at it, and while it stands they lie at its feet in the dust of the earth. It changes tears of sorrow into smiles of joy and lifts the burdens of life. It transforms the sinner into a child of God and changes ugliness into beauty. It is responsible for enlightenment, education, sani- tation, respect, hope, love and faith. "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every Word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." (Matt. 4:4). ------ Wallace W. Thompson via, Gospel Power, Vol. 16, No. 39, Sept. 27, 2009. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091008/dfd528d1/attachment-0001.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Thu Oct 8 12:01:47 2009 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Thu, 8 Oct 2009 13:01:47 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] S) PERSONAL EVANGELISM (2) Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. Here is the second installment of this particular study. Use to the glory of God. PERSONAL EVANGELISM (2) II. PERSONAL EVANGELISM IS THE WORK OF EACH MEMBER. A. Christianity is a taught (not caught) religion. (Jno. 6:44,45). 1. The Lord put the responsibility into the hands of men. (Rom. 10:13,17; 1 Cor. 1:21). a. Paul called upon the Lord after hearing His word. B. Preaching the Gospel is OUR job. No one else will or can do it for us! (2 Tim. 4:1-5). 1. Take time just here to see the attitude of early Christians: -- (Acts 5:42; 8:4). C. The church is like "leaven" in the meal of life. (Matt. 13:33). D. The church is the "salt" of the earth. (Matt. 5:13). E. The church is to be "The light of the world". (Matt. 5:14-16). F. You might be ready to ask "Am I my brother's keeper?" (Gen. 4:9). 1. What would YOUR answer be to this important question? G. Note the divine admonition: -- (Mk. 1:17; Matt. 9:36-38). H. "When I say ... and ... thou sayeth not." (Ezk. 3:18,19). I. It took a trip to Hades to convert one man to personal work on behalf of others, his own brothers. (Lk. 16:27,28). 1. But with him it was TOO LITTLE -- TOO LATE!! (More will be posted on this subject tomorrow, the Lord willing, JWS). -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091008/58432730/attachment-0001.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Fri Oct 9 05:02:31 2009 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Fri, 9 Oct 2009 06:02:31 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] A) WRONG IS ALWAYS WRONG 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 artic- le from my files: WRONG IS ALWAYS WRONG WRONG IS WRONG -- Even if you don't get caught. The eyes of the Lord are in every place. WRONG IS WRONG -- Even if you do it for a good cause. The end never justifies the means. The honorable purpose does not justify a dishonorable deed or action. WRONG IS WRONG -- Even if it doesn't bother the conscience. The conscience can be trained or educated to accept wrong do- ing; even an honest sin or an evil done in sincerity is sinful in the sight of God. "Whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap." WRONG IS WRONG -- Even if it is commonly considered accept- able. The Bible says "Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil." WRONG IS ALWAYS WRONG -- Despite our efforts to excuse our actions. Remember, there is never a right way to do wrong! And there is never a wrong way to do right! ----- ------------------ Author Unknown, via Gospel Power, Vol. 16, No. 39, Sept. 27, 2009. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091009/72cbd983/attachment.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Fri Oct 9 05:02:45 2009 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Fri, 9 Oct 2009 06:02:45 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] S) PERSONAL EVANGELISM (3) Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. Here is the third installment of this particular study. Use to the glory of God. PERSONAL EVANGELISM (3) INTRODUCTION: -- 1. It is said that gospel meetings would be rendered unnecessary if proper exercise in personal evangelism was practiced. 2. Such gospel meetings were used to be called "revivals." But it is also said the "a working church, made up of personal evangelists, did not need reviving." Therefore such gospel meetings every year, two or three in number, would not be needed. 3. A congregation should come together to worship and then go forth to work in the field of personal evangelism to find and save lost souls. a. When such actions are followed, the church will grow in both spiritual and numerical numbers. I. NEW TESTAMENT EXAMPLES OF PERSONAL EVANGELISM: A. The personal effort of Jesus to save Nicodemus -- (Jno. 3:1- 21). B. Jesus and the woman at the well in Samaria -- (Jno. 4:1-26). 1. Which one of the above did Jesus try harder to save? C. The Samaritan woman with new-found joy, went to her villa- ge to bring others to hear the Master (Jno. 4:28-30,39,40). 1. Have we lost "the joy of salvation"? (Psa. 51:12,13-17). D. Andrew "findeth his own brother Simon" (Jno. 1:40-42). E. "Philip findeth Nathaniel" (Jno. 1:43-45). 1. Naturally there should be much interest in saving loved ones and friends. 2. What about a person that says, "I have never tried to influ- ence my children and loved ones about religion. I feel that that is a private matter with them and they should be able to determine their own actions in the matter." a. Everyone else, who has a religious belief, will try to influe- nce your children and loved ones. If you have the truth as it is found in the Bible, are you not responsible to try to get others to follow the truth to be made free from sin? (Jno. 8:32; 17:17; Rom. 10:17). F. Philip left a large audience that he had been teaching in Sam- aria, in order to preach the gospel to just one man that was on his way from Jerusalem to Gaza. This man was the Ethiopian eunuch. By him the gospel was then carried into his own country of Ethiopia. (Acts 8:26-40). 1. When I was preaching the gospel in the African country of Nigeria, I was often asked, "If you say you have the only truth that will save us, why haven't you been here before?" a. My answer was, that the gospel was brought into Africa by the Ethiopian eunuch in the first century. G. Paul and Silas, and the conversion of the Philippian jailor: -- (Acts 16:25-34). H. Paul and others went from "house to house proclaiming the gospel..." (Acts 5:42; 20:20). 1. How big and well-known does a preacher have to be before he is excused from personal evangelism? a. My son is a very good preacher, but most of his accompli- sments come from his constant personal contacts with individuals. There is seldom a day that goes by that he is not engaged in one or more Bible studies with individuals. I. Have YOU ever won one soul to Christ? J. At your present rate of winning souls to Christ, how many do you expect to win within the next five or ten years or before judgment day? K. If you have not yet won ONE soul to Christ, when do YOU expect to start on your FIRST one? L. Have you ever tried to get others to attend the worship serv- ices of the church with you? Have you offered to pick them up at their home and bring them to the building for servic- es? M. Efforts to get RESULTS not EXCUSES is what the Master wants of you. N. Paul says, "I can do ALL things through Christ Who strengt- hens me" (Phil. 4:13). What about you? II. PERSONAL OBLIGATIONS TO OUR FELLOW MEMBERS: ----- A. We are to submit one to another -- (Eph. 5:21; 1 Pet. 5:5-11). B. We are to exhort one another -- (Heb. 3:12,13,14; 10:22-25). C. When a brother errs, what is MY duty toward him? (Gal. 6:1,2 Jas. 5:19,20). 1. It is said in the above passages, that the "spiritual ones" are to do the restoring. Note the case of Apollos. D. Some personal efforts in restoring preachers to the truth: -- 1. Apollos -- (Acts 18:24-28. Peter -- (Gal. 2:11-13). E. Before we can reach the aliens and erring brethren within our community, we must try to straighten out the erring with- in the membership of the local church. 1. It is said that the majority of the work of the congregation is done by about 10% of the members of the congregation. a. Brethren this should not be the case where we are mem- bers, or in any other congregation for that matter. CONCLUSION: Remember: -- you are your brother's keeper, and you are the working hands of Christ upon the earth in the matter of saving souls. (We will continue to post lessons on this particular matter, JWS). -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091009/0fa92611/attachment.html From GLClair at aol.com Fri Oct 9 10:03:46 2009 From: GLClair at aol.com (GLClair at aol.com) Date: Fri, 9 Oct 2009 11:03:46 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] Article - I Did Not Know That Message-ID: I Did Not Know That! {A Look at the word Autonomy} Not long ago a person I was working with in an attempt to convert him from a false religion stopped me while I was presenting a statement about the independence of each congregation by exclaiming ?I did not know that.? After some consideration it dawned on me that there may be many people who are seeking true Biblical doctrine who were unaware of the independence of each congregation of churches of Christ. For that reason this article has been written. I do pray that some will examine my reasoning and exegesis of the Bible texts to follow and find satisfaction (i.e. acceptance) of the Biblical doctrine of local congregational autonomy. What does the word autonomy mean? -(Autonomy: "self-law", hence, self-governing...the right of self-government...a self-governing community.) -Autonomy = Independence & self-government. CHURCHES IN THE EARLY N.T. ERA WERE AUTONOMOUS: The Biblical pattern of the early church (i.e. independent congregational government) is the only way a congregation may organize to this very day. There is no other organizational structure reveled for the local congregation found in the New Testament. Each Local Church Is A Complete Organization Within Itself Acts 14:23 - And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed. KJV Acts 20:28 - Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. KJV Phil. 1:1 - Paul and Timothy, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons: KJV CONSIDER THIS: The organizational structure of a congregation is revealed in the three references sited above; the Biblical organization for local congregational function consists of elders, deacons, and other members. This concept will work perfectly with each congregation wherever the congregation exists in the world. The congregation has no organizational function beyond its own ability. The ability of each congregation is determined by the size, spirituality of its members (i.e. maturity), and its financial strength. Each congregation is responsible to God in three area of work: Eph. 4:10-16 - 10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) 11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ: 14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. 1. Evangelism - spreading and supporting the teaching of Christ. 2. Benevolence ? Taking care of the congregation?s needy. 3. Edification of itself ? building up the membership of the congregation (i.e. aiding the members to grow ? mature in the faith). The above three areas of work assigned by the Lord for the congregation when performed to the extent of their ability with their resources is authorized, pleasing to the Lord, and completely acceptable to God. Through the above process each congregation is acceptable to God. I know of no Biblical teaching that authorized a plurality of elders in one church to assume or accept the responsibility of a sister congregation?s work; either in part or the whole. The concept of sponsoring elderships, congregational interlinking such as is current in the Roman Catholic Church, the Methodist, Presbyterian, Lutheran, Baptist, and many others religious organizations pursuing unauthorized means and methods to activate the universal church (i.e. all the members throughout the world or all the churches throughout the world) is without Biblical support. CONSIDER THIS: Any system or any organizational arrangement that is not authorized by the Bible is unacceptable to our Lord. Anything that is unauthorized by our Lord via the Holy Scriptures that is practiced by man is sinful. There is no other statement that will adequately define this departure from the Biblical pattern; this is transgression of God?s instruction. SEE ALSO THE FOLLOWING BIBLICAL REFERENCES: Jesus Christ is the only Head of the Universal Church and has not delegated any authority to any man or men to take His place while he sits at the throne of the Father in Heaven. Matt. 28:18-20 - And Jesus came and spoke unto them, saying, all power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen. KJV Eph. 1:22-23 - 22 and hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him that fills all in all. KJV Col. 3:15-17 - 15 and let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. KJV _glclair at aol.com_ (mailto:glclair at aol.com) - October 8, 2009 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091009/28519cb5/attachment-0001.html From wswalker310 at juno.com Fri Oct 9 18:22:37 2009 From: wswalker310 at juno.com (Wayne S Walker) Date: Fri, 9 Oct 2009 18:22:37 -0500 Subject: [Biblemat] hymn study, "Inside the Gate" Message-ID: <20091009.183231.3072.3.wswalker310@juno.com> Wayne Walker here with another weekly hymn study. (NOTE: We are leaving on Sat., 10/10, for the weekend, so this is being sent a little early, and the hymn studies for Monday and Tuesday of next week may be a little late, for those of you on the daily hymn study list.) ?INSIDE THE GATE? ?Blessed are they that do His commandments, that they may enter through the gates into the city? (Rev. 22:14) INTRO.: A song which describes both the beauty that is found and the joy that is experienced by those who enter through the gates into the city of heaven is ?Inside the Gate (#691 in Hymns for Worship Revised, and #419 in Sacred Selections for the Church). The text was written and the tune was composed both by John Whitefield (J. W.) Vaughan, who was born at Heflin in Cleburne County, AL, on Jan. 22, 1879, to John Wesley and Beady Vaughan. Music was always a part of his life, and when he was seven years old he began studying it, learning shaped notes. His father loved singing, and his mother was considered one of the finest soprano singers in their part of the country. Because young John enjoyed music so much, he often stayed up until after midnight studying harmony and composition. Some of his teachers included B. C. Unseld, Adger M. Pace, S. M. Denson, W. W. Combs, J. M. Bowman, G. H. Riddles, and B. N. Hultsman. Also John attended the Vaughan School of Music in Lawrenceburg, TN, where he studied under James David (J. D.) Vaughan, with whom he was sometimes confused. A member of the church of Christ, John spent the greater part of his life as a composer and teacher of religious music. In 1904 he began teaching singing normals. In the early part of his life, he taught literary school in the winter and singing schools in the summer. In 1910 he married Annie Mae Wager, and they had three children, Mrs. Christine Beatty of Waynesboro, TN; N. S. Vaughan of Cleveland, TN; and T. D. Vaughan of Chattanooga, TN. In all Vaughan produced about one hundred songs. Probably the most popular of them was ?If I Could Hear My Mother Pray Again,? with words by James Rowe beginning ?How sweet and happy seem htose days of which I dream,? published in 1922. Loved by millions through the nation, it has been sung over many radio stations and recorded several times. ?Inside the Gates? was written in 1930, copyrighted J. W. and J. D. Vaughan, and published in 1932. Another J. W. Vaughan song, ?The Old Country Church? beginning ?There?s a place dear to me where I?m longing to be,? written in 1934, is a sentimental song with simple, impressive words which many people have hummed or sung as they went about their daily chores. A couple of other songs by Vaughan include ?In the Morning Bright and Fair? beginning ?How the glad songs of victory will ring,? and ?When Mother Sang Me to Sleep? beginning ?I am thinking of those happy days gone by.? In addition to his music, he was engaged in the telephone business, owning telephone properties in Marshall, Lawrence, and Wayne Counties, TN. A stockholder and director of the Alabama Telephone Company, he was also an officer for several years in the Tennessee Independent Telephone Association, serving as its director and vice-president until his death at Waynesboro, TN, on Sept. 21, 1945. Among hymnbooks published by members of the Lord?s church during the twentieth century for use in churches of Christ, ?Inside the Gates? appeared in the 1940 Complete Christian Hymnal edited by Marion Davis. Today it may be found in the 1971 Songs of the Church and the 1990 Songs of the Church 21st C. Ed. both edited by Alton H. Howard; in addition to Hymns for Worship, Sacred Selections, and the 2007 Sacred Songs of the Church edited by William D. Jeffcoat. The song suggests several reasons that should motivate us to want to enter the gates into that city. I. Stanza 1 says that we shall be able to see beloved saved ones in glory ?Loved ones in glory are waiting for me, Just inside the gate; Some golden morning their faces I?ll see, Just inside the gate. There will be shouting and singing up there; Glory forever with them we shall share, When we shall enter our mansion so fair, Inside the gate.? A. The Bible promises that Christians have the hope of being reunited with those who have fallen asleep in Jesus: 1 Thess. 4:13-17 B. Thus, we understand that those whom we have loved among the saints will be there to serve Christ: Rev. 22:3 C. This will take place when we enter the mansion so far that Jesus has gone to prepare for His people: Jn. 14:1-3 II. Stanza 2 says that we shall be able to live in a city of gold ?Think of that beautiful city of gold, Just inside the gate, Where with the ransomed we?ll live, I am told, Just inside the gate; There our dear Savior and friends we shall meet, And with the angels we?ll walk down the street, Beautiful home where our joys are complete, Inside the gate.? A. Gold is used to symbolize the great beauty and majesty beyond imagination in heaven: Rev. 21:18 B. There we shall be in the very presence of our dear Savior: Rev. 21:22-23 C. It will certainly be a beautiful home in the continuing city which we seek to come: Heb. 13:14 III. Stanza 3 says that we shall be able to join in the wonderful music of the redeemed ?Wonderful music there surely will be, Just inside the gate; All the sweet singers of heaven we?ll see, Just inside the gate; We shall rejoice while the ages shall roll, Joining with angels His name to extol, There in the beautiful home of the soul, Inside the gate.? A. Heaven is pictured as a place where the redeemed will make wonderful music by singing eternal praises to God: Rev. 5:8-9 B. All the sweet singers of heaven we shall see because many will come from the east and the west to sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven: Matt. 8:11 C. Also, we shall rejoice and join in extolling the name of Christ with the angels who always see the face of the Father in heaven: Matt. 18:10 IV. Stanza 4 says that we shall be able to see Jesus ?We shall see Jesus, O praise His dear name, Just inside the gate; All through the ages His grace we?ll proclaim, Just inside the gate. Angels and loved ones are looking this way, Hoping to greet us some wonderful day, When we move over to heaven to stay, Inside the gate.? A. Of all blessings in heaven, the best must surely be seeing Jesus Himself: 1 Jn. 3:1-3 B. All through the endless ages we shall proclaim the grace of Him who washed our robes and made them white: Rev. 7:9-15 C. Thus, we certainly look forward to that time when we move over to heaven to stay in that new Jerusalem: Rev. 21:1-4 CONCL.: In Sacred Selections, Ellis J. Crum wanted to make sure that we knew beyond doubt that every Christian will have some loved ones who will not be in heaven, so he changed the first line of stanza 1 to ?Saved ones in glory,? the fifth line of stanza 2 to ?There our dear Savior and saints,? and the fifth line of stanza 4 to ?Angels and saved ones.? Apparently all of our other current books copied from him since they contain these changes too. There is a chorus that expresses the hope of the Christian to enter that eternal city, but in many places where I have been located we just did not have the alto singers needed, so there have been times when I have just led the stanzas and omitted the chorus. Surely, there can be no greater joy for the child of God than the thought of dwelling forever with the Savior and the redeemed of all ages ?Inside the Gate.? Brotherly, Wayne S. Walker 503 S. Jefferson St. Salem, IL 62881 home phone: (618) 548-6286 office phone: (618) 548-1774 e-mail: wswalker310 at ... 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. ____________________________________________________________ Best Weight Loss Program - Click Here! http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL2141/fc/BLSrjpTFoYbJkk1CNsAtFTYvN0mcpa7Mptz2AHDNB2D78l7uVdG550rQPmg/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091009/aeb9b072/attachment-0001.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Sat Oct 10 04:41:42 2009 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Sat, 10 Oct 2009 05:41:42 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] S) PERSONAL EVANGELISM (4) Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. Here is the fourth installment of this particular study. Use to the glory of God. PERSONAL EVANGELISM (4) INTRODUCTION: -- 1. The weaknesses of many or our "gospel meetings" are as follows: -- a. Lack of individual or personal effort on the part of the memb- ers of the congregation. b. Lack of real desire to have a good meeting and win souls to Christ. c. Lack of a clear view of the importance of God-given work -- teaching. 2. Whose responsibilitry is it to preach the gospel (1 Cor. 9:16-27 3. What seems to be desire of the doomed in Hades (Lk. 16:27- 31)? 4. Let us note a few things important to real soul-winning work: I. SOME OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF A PERSONAL EVANGEL- IST: -- A. A passion for souls: both lost and saved (Jno. 4:32-34). 1. Love of Christ, and humanity "constraineth us" (2 Cor. 5: 14). B. Knowledge of the truth (Jno. 8:32,36; 2 Tim. 2:14-19). C. Wisdom in using the truth (Matt. 10:16; 1 Cor. 9:22,23). D. We must be zealous in our work (Col. 4:12,13; Jno. 2:17). E. We must persevere -- refuse to give up (Gal. 6:9). F. We must be bold (Matt. 10:28-31; Acts 4:12,13,19,20; 5:28, 29). G. We must be humble (Matt. 23:12; Rom. 12:16; Jas. 4:10). 1. Willingness to serve (Matt. 20:28; 1 Cor. 9:19; Phil. 2:6-11). H. We must be honest -- which is essential (Phil. 4:8; Rom. 12: 17-21). 1. The person who would knowingly wrest a passage of Scrip- ture in order to make a point stand up is not honest (2 Cor. 4:1-18). I. Prayer is important in personal evangelism (Lk. 6:12; 22:41- 46; Eph. 6:18-21). J. We must be earnest -- there is no substitute for it! K. We must have confidence -- in God, in man, and in ourself. (Phil. 4:13). L. We must have friendliness, genuine and natural (Prov. 18:24 M. We must be alert -- watchful at all times (Matt. 26:41; 1 Tim. 4:16; 1 Pet. 5:8). N. We ourselves, MUST BE TRULY CONVERTED TO CHRIST. II. REQUIREMENTS OF A FAITHFUL CHRISTIAN: -- A. We must be faithful in our everyday life (Rom. 12:1-21). B. We must be faithful in our services to both God and man (1 Cor. 15:58). C. We must be faithful in our worship of God (Matt. 4:10). D. We ourselves must be a faithful Christian if we are to be suc- cessful as a personal evangelist. E. No man can pray right when he insists of living wrong. F. Do you work harder to make a success of a social party than you do to get others interested in Christianity? Do you put forth more effort to attend a social gathering than you do to attend a service of a Bible class or a worship service? G. Note what the average person does with his time: The aver- age 70 year old man has spent: 1. 23 years sleeping. 2. 19 years working. 3. 6 years of his life eating. 4. 4 years in sickness. 5. 2 years dressing. 6. 1 year of the 70 in religious devotions. 7. 15 years in recre- ational activities. (Mostly fishing). CONCLUSION: -- According to what is said above, just how qual- ified are you to be a personal evangelist? (More will be posted Monday on this particular subject, the Lord willing, JWS). -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091010/3b12f4de/attachment-0001.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Sat Oct 10 04:41:31 2009 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Sat, 10 Oct 2009 05:41:31 EDT 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 files: GOD HAS SPOKEN Those who teach that faith alone saves sinners and that obedience is not essential to salvation are not teaching the whole counsel of God. Paul could say that he was "innocent of the blood of all men," for he had not shunned to declare to his hearers, "the whole counsel of God" (Acts 20:26,27). What did Paul teach about salvation for those lost in sin? Paul taught the redemptive sacrifice of Christ on the cross by the grace of God (Eph. 1,2). He taught that Christ has been given all authority and that we have access to God only through HIm. He being the one foundation (1 Cor. 3:10,11). He taught that we must HEAR Christ's Word in order to BELIEVE in Him (Rom. 10:17), and that repentance must follow (Acts 17:30,31). He taught that believers must CONFESS Christ "unto salvation" (Rom. 10:10). He taught that those who believe in Christ are to be "baptized into Christ" (Gal. 3:26,27), thus becoming children of God, that those in Christ are new creatures (2 Cor. 5:17), and that the "new creatures" in Christ are to live as obedient servan- ts of righteousness (Rom. 6). Paul preached by revelation of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 2:13), and what he taught are the comm- andments of God (1 Cor. 14:37). Paul taught that the gospel was made known for obedience to that teaching (Rom. 1:5; 16:25,26). Preachers, are you preach- ing what Jesus commanded to be taught to every person (Mk. 16:15,16; Matt. 28:19,20)? Are you telling people that Jesus is the Author of eternal salvation to those who OBEY Him (Heb. 5: 8,9)? Are you telling people that those who OBEY NOT THE GOSPEL will be punished with everlasting destruction (2 Thes. 1:7-9)? Are you withholding vital information and giving sinners a false sense of security? Dear readers, what are you hearing? -------------- Gilbert Alexander. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091010/c2b5d616/attachment-0001.html From brschoolau at yahoo.com.au Sun Oct 11 19:00:37 2009 From: brschoolau at yahoo.com.au (david) Date: Mon, 12 Oct 2009 11:00:37 +1100 Subject: [Biblemat] Rising Above In-Reply-To: <708264.35442.qm@web83912.mail.sp1.yahoo.com> References: <708264.35442.qm@web83912.mail.sp1.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <5A9E279A73414EDE9758D9DBAC8DF6CF@Moses> Looking for help with a lesson or sermon on "'Rising above mediocrity" or not being mediocre Thanks David -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091012/b589229f/attachment-0001.html From myhan at cox.net Sun Oct 11 20:26:49 2009 From: myhan at cox.net (Bob Myhan) Date: Sun, 11 Oct 2009 21:26:49 -0400 Subject: [Biblemat] Withdrawing from a family member Message-ID: <8EAC13D32874427099941E94EBC4A99D@desktop> Any thoughts on withdrawing from a family member? Bob Myhan 3901 Northside Drive, Apt. 2L Macon, GA 31210 myhan at cox.net 478-476-4768 www.foresthillschurchofchrist.com Get InstaVerse FREE http://www.wordsearchbible.com/InstaVerse -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091011/b45fdcc9/attachment-0001.html From richard at thetford.dot5hosting.com Mon Oct 12 00:19:01 2009 From: richard at thetford.dot5hosting.com (Richard Thetford) Date: Sun, 11 Oct 2009 23:19:01 -0600 Subject: [Biblemat] Walking in the Light (10/11/09) Message-ID: <000601ca4afb$ae6bd670$0b438350$@dot5hosting.com> San Juan Logo PNG.png Walking in the Light "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path" (Psalm 119:105) October 11, 2009 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. In addition, if you want to advertise for "churches looking for preachers" and "preachers looking for churches," go to www.thetfordcountry.com and click on the appropriate link. Fill out the easy form and your listing will be uploaded to the web site within 48 hours (usually the same day). --- CONTENTS: "Walking in the Counsel of God" (Richard Thetford) "And God Said NO" (Selected) "SENTENCE SERMONS --- WALKING IN THE COUNSEL OF GOD Richard Thetford Do you want to be happy? Do you want a peaceable, stress free life? Do you want to be free of worry? Surely every single one of us would answer a resounding "YES" to everyone of these questions. Believe it or not, this is possible. When we are determined to walk in the counsel of God then we will become happy, peaceable, living a stress free, worry free life! The counsel of God was given to man for the very purpose of making our life easier, not more complicated while we live here on earth. When we allow God's counsel to guide our life, then we will understand peace. The Psalmist wrote: "You will guide me with Your counsel, and afterward receive me to glory" (Psalms 73:24). It is only when we let God's counsel guide us that we can gain true happiness because only God can provide this avenue for us. After all, He created us didn't He? Therefore, He should know what we (His creation) need to sustain our life and to live it more abundantly (John 10:10). In addition, the counsel of God encourages us. The Hebrew writer says: "Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath, that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us" (Hebrews 6:17-18). God wants each one of us to be with Him in glory forever. In order for us to obtain this glory we must want to do only those things that God's counsel directs of us. If we have the right heart, truly seeking to linebe pleasing to God, then we will WANT TO follow God's counsel. Do you really want peace, happiness, and a stress free, worry free life? If so, then listen to God. What Should We Do With God's Counsel? Don't reject the counsel of God. We'll never be any better off than we are today when we continue to reject God's message to us. To reject God's counsel is to be no better than the Pharisees and lawyers of Jesus' day. "And when all the people heard Him, even the tax collectors justified God, having been baptized with the baptism of John. But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the will of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him" (Luke 7:30). Instead of rejecting God's counsel and continuing in our stress and worry of life, why not try to understand the message? Micah 4:12 says: "But they do not know the thoughts of the LORD, nor do they understand His counsel; for He will gather them like sheaves to the threshing floor." When we fail to try to understand God's message to us then we can know our eternal fate. Understand now before it is everlastingly too late! When we open our hearts to learn and understand God's will for us then we can declare the whole counsel of God as the apostle Paul did (Acts 20:27). God''s Counsel to Us God simply asks us to BELIEVE Him and OBEY Him (Luke 7:30; Acts 20:20,21,27). Listening to God's counsel is likened to the buying of fine gold. Jesus said: "I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent" (Revelation 3:18-19). What does this mean? This passage means that we should invest in those things that will store up treasure for us in heaven, not on earth. It means that we should strive to be pure in every area of our life. It means that we should keep our eyes constantly looking, aware of the evil one, lest we be consumed. It means that each day of our life we should be determined to allow God's law to counsel us and be willing to repent when we sin. Why Follow God's Counsel? The only way we can stand guiltless before God's judgment seat is to follow His will. Jesus said: "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven" (Matthew 7:21). To be God's people, we must follow His commands (Acts 13:22,26). Of course the only way to enter into heaven is to be well pleasing to God, and that only occurs when we obey God, listening to His counsel. Are you happy? Are you at peace? Are you free of stress and worry? If not, you are not letting God truly guide your life. Jesus said: "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light" (Matthew 11:28-30). --- AND GOD SAID "NO" Selected I asked God to take away my pride, and God said, "No." He said it was not for Him to take away, but for me to give up. I asked God to make my handicapped child whole, and God said, "No." He said his spirit is whole, his body is only temporary. I asked God to grant me patience, and God said "No." He said that patience is a by-product of tribulation, it is not granted, it is earned. I asked God to spare me pain, and God said, "No." He said, "Suffering draws you apart from worldly cares, and brings you closer to me." I asked God to make my spirit grow, and God said, "No." He said I must grow on my own, but He will prune me to make me fruitful. I asked God if He loved me, and God said, "Yes." He gave His only Son who died for me, and I will be in heaven someday, because I believe and obey. I asked God to help me love others, as much as He loves me, and God said, "Ah, finally, you have the idea." --- SENTENCE SERMONS Some people are hard boiled because they stay in hot water most of the time. Many people know how to make a living, but not how to live. Voluntary slavery to sin is some people's idea of personal liberty. Courage is not the absence of fear, but the conquest of it. You don't have to institute a lawsuit in order to collect the wages of sin. Do not give from the top of your purse, but from the bottom of your heart. --- SERMONS WORLDLINESS: Dancing (with PDF Charts/PPT Charts/Audio) www.thetfordcountry.com --- cid:image003.gif at 01C9DCB3.EEF5E980 1414 Hawk Parkway, Unit C Montrose, CO 81401 (970) 626-5558 www.sanjuanchurchofchrist.org MEETING TIMES Sunday Bible Study...........10:00 A.M. Morning Worship..11:00 A.M. Afternoon Worship..2:00 P.M. Wednesday Bible Study........6:30 P.M. (No Wednesday night Bible study November - February) Evangelist/Editor Richard Thetford 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: 9271 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091011/0d5d8b3f/attachment-0003.gif From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Mon Oct 12 04:35:52 2009 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Mon, 12 Oct 2009 05:35:52 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] A) DRINKING FROM MY SAUCER 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 a poem from my files: DRINKING FROM MY SAUCER I've never made a fortune And it's probably too late now. But I don't worry about that much, I'm happy anyhow. And as I go along life's way, I'm reaping better than I sowed. I'm drinking from my saucer, 'Cause my cup has overflowed. I don't have a lot of riches, And sometimes the going's tough. But I've got loved ones around me, And that makes me rich enough. I thank God for His blessings, And the mercies He's bestowed. I'm drinking from my saucer, 'Cause my cup has overflowed. I remember times when things went wrong, My faith wore somewhat thin. But all at once the dark clouds broke, And the sun peeped through again. So God, help me not to gripe About the tough rows that I've hoed. I'm drinking from my saucer, 'Cause my cup has overflowed. If God gives me strength and courage When the way grows steep and rough, I'll not ask for other blessings, I'm already blessed enough. And may I never be too busy To help others bear their loads. Then I'll keep drinking from my saucer, 'Cause my cup has overflowed. ------ John Paul Moore, via Reminisce Magazine, Oct/Nov. 2009 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091012/308b7859/attachment.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Mon Oct 12 04:36:05 2009 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Mon, 12 Oct 2009 05:36:05 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] S) PERSONAL EVANGELISM (5) Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. Here is the fifth installment of this particular study. Use to the glory of God. PERSONAL EVANGELISM (5) INTRODUCTION: -- 1. How many things are required of a person- al worker that are not required of others? 2. A genuine Christian endeavors to win others at all times. a. A Christian's FIRST love is mentioned in (Rev. 2:4). b. Have we the desire of a real Christian? 3. What is the greatest requirement of a personal evangelist? 4. Let us emphasize the importance of this study by noticing two points: I. WHOSE RESPONSIBILITY IS IT TO DO PERSONAL WORK? A. Is this responsibility one belonging only to elders and deac- ons? 1. All work should be done under the elders' oversight (1 Pet. 5:1-3). 2. Elders are the superintendents of all the work of the church 3. Deacons are to assist the elders in the things requested by the elders (1 Tim. 3:8-13). 4. Inasmuch as the elders are chosen and appointed to and for the work of overseeing the activities of the church, they should be highly interested in seeing that such is done. B. Should the local evangelist do personal work? 1. Who should know more about the personal work of the members of the congregation, where he preaches on a regular basis, than the local evangelist himself? He should thereby teach such by word and example. 2. All members of a congregation have their personal responsibilities, in the field of evangelism, including the local preacher. C. Should the Bible class teacher have a part in personal work? 1. These have a wonderful opportunity to inform the class concerning the doing of personal evangelism among their peers. 2. They are also in a position to inform the new converts in the class concerning their responsibilities in the field of evangelism. They are to have a hands-on help to such new converts. D. What about the song leaders in a congregation? Do they have any responsibilities in the field of personal evangel- ism? 1. Is there anyone in a local congregation that does not have duties to fulfill, as members of the congregation, in the field of personal evangelism? E. It seems that we rely too much on pulpit preaching to get the job done for us. 1. It is as though we say, and I have heard such myself, we pay the preacher to get out and do the personal work that needs to be done. We just don't have the time, after work- ing all week to make a living for our family, to get out and do any personal work. II. WHERE SHOULD A PERSONAL EVANGELIST DO HIS/HER WORK? A. Wherever he or she finds themselves in life. 1. It is not required only in one's local community. 2. He or she should do personal work in any place that they might find themselves. a. When visiting relatives in other cities, while on vacation, when required to travel on work assignments. Every hour of our day might have an opportunity for one to speak to another about their soul and its salvation. CONCLUSION: -- There is a saying we hear now and then: "Lord, Send a Revival among us, And let it begin with me." We sing a song suggesting the Lord "Revive Us Again." I am sure that the Lord is among us as we do His will and He is ready to help us to revive our work ethics and become better and more efficient every day in the field of personal evangelism. (More will be posted on this subject tomorrow, the Lord willing, JWS). -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091012/962340bb/attachment.html From kerux at bellsouth.net Mon Oct 12 10:48:34 2009 From: kerux at bellsouth.net (Kent Heaton) Date: Mon, 12 Oct 2009 11:48:34 -0400 Subject: [Biblemat] A>He Died Alone (Kent Heaton) Message-ID: <282236D915FB40FA81160D9F37F2B50D@D2381J91> He Died Alone (Kent Heaton) Roman soldiers brought the condemned out of the city to a place called Golgotha, that is to say, "Place of a Skull." A scene of carnage and smell of death welcomed all who came to this knoll outside Jerusalem. Death lingered long here as a place of execution. The curious and the religious gathered around to watch the execution of three men upon wooden instruments of Roman justice. Flickering in the eyes of the crowd two thieves were nailed to their crosses and between the two another was nailed. These men were suffering the justice of Caesar's law upon those accused and found guilty. The crowd gathered to watch men die. A mob of people sat and watched three men agonize in painful cries of misery and suffering. The two robbers reviled the one in the middle "who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously" (1 Peter 2:23). The religious zealots saw a criminal; the people saw the Son of God. Jesus of Nazareth, "a Man attested by God . by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him . delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, [was] taken by lawless hands . crucified, and put to death" (Acts 2:22-23). He died alone. Roman soldiers took the sandals, girdle, outer robe, head-dress and garments of Jesus and cast lots among themselves for possession. The coat of Jesus was included in the casting of lots. It was without seam (as would be found in the tunic of a high priest; Josephus, Ant. iii.7.4) and was bundled away with the soldier who won the lot. They laughed, argued and gambled away the last earthly possessions of God's Son while Jesus died alone. The Jewish leaders came to watch Jesus die. Only a few moments earlier they had cried out to Pilate, "Away with Him, away with Him! Crucify Him!" Pilate said to them, "Shall I crucify your King?" The chief priests answered, "We have no king but Caesar!" (John 19:15). Standing in the stench of Golgotha the chief priests, rulers, scribes and elders of the Jews looked with hatred upon Jesus. They mocked him with reviling words and insults while Jesus died alone. Crowds of people passed by railing on Jesus and wagging their heads at him in derision. The voices sounded loud and rang in the ears of God's Son as he suffered a slow death. People murmured among themselves talking of what they saw and laughing and jeering and Jesus died alone. Among those gathered were a great multitude of disciples mourning and lamenting what they witnessed (Luke 23:27). "Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene" (John 19:25). John the apostle was there (John 19:26). But Jesus died alone. Jesus died to bear "our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness" (1 Peter 2:24). He died alone in that scene of chaos on Golgotha because only He could bear that cross (Matthew 20:28). As Jesus died alone at Golgotha He was not left alone at Calvary. "Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me" (John 16:32). In His death Jesus has not left us alone (1 Corinthians 15:55-57). Our promise in life is that we do not have to die alone. Kent Heaton 207 NE Fourth Avenue Trenton, Florida 32693 (H) 352-463-6916 (O) 3793 (C) 352-283-3889 www.trentonchurchofchrist.com Audio Sermons Available www.northfloridabiblecamp.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091012/d81880c4/attachment.html From disciple_of_iesus at hotmail.com Mon Oct 12 15:32:26 2009 From: disciple_of_iesus at hotmail.com (Ethan R. Longhenry) Date: Mon, 12 Oct 2009 16:32:26 -0400 Subject: [Biblemat] Good News for Norwalk: Volume IV, Number 41: October 11, 2009 In-Reply-To: <53027.1255376973@norwalkchurch.org> References: <53027.1255376973@norwalkchurch.org> 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 IV, Number 41: October 11, 2009 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Gods of This World: Fame And they said, "Come, let us build us a city, and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven, and let us make us a name; lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth" (Genesis 11:4). >From the beginning, mankind has feared mortality and oblivion. The idea that we will die one day, rather nameless and unknown, is extremely scary. As human beings, we do not want to die. We know that physical death is unavoidable, but the idea that our existence and the knowledge thereof would be entirely extinguished seems intolerable. In order to achieve a sort of "immortality," humans have often sought fame and renown. In the ancient world, this led to the Tower of Babel, an attempt to make a name for mankind, and the many stone monuments built by pharaohs of Egypt, kings of Mesopotamia, rulers in Greece, Roman emperors, and the like. The Egyptians believed that a soul would remain alive as long as its name was on the lips of the living. This idea is quite comforting, but underlies this idea of immortality through fame. Today this desire manifests itself in many ways. Some build stone monuments to people or events so that they will not be forgotten. But today we have many "new" and "innovative" ways of attempting to achieve lasting fame. Some will engage in stunts in order to get an entry in the Guinness Book of World Records. Others will humiliate themselves or open themselves to public mockery in order to gain their "15 minutes of fame" on a reality or talk show. Some in religious circles will even try to get known as a "big-time preacher" to satisfy this desire for fame. Sadly, some will even resort to heinous crime-- murder, burglary, etc.-- in order to bask in all the media coverage and achieve notoriety. As the Preacher demonstrates, this all is vanity: earthly "immortality" is entirely illusory (Ecclesiastes 3:18-22, 8:10). The stone monuments of the ancients were overturned and rediscovered only quite recently. One's record will be there only until someone breaks it. Over time, stints on television shows are forgotten, and even heinous crimes fade into the past. Ultimately, all physical matter will be entirely destroyed (cf. 2 Peter 3:9-13). At that point, every attempt made to achieve earthly immortality will have entirely failed. Whether we like it or not, in this physical world, we are doomed to death and being forgotten (Ecclesiastes 8:10). Yet the "immortal impulse" is in man for a reason: God has put eternity into his heart (cf. Ecclesiastes 3:11). After the Fall, that impulse is there to remind us that there is much more to this plane of reality than meets the eye (cf. Romans 1:19-20, 2 Kings 6:15-17). God desires for man to turn toward Him, in whom they live and move and have their being, and participate in immortality (cf. Acts 17:27-28). We can participate in immortality not through building up stone monuments or earthly wealth, but by establishing the spiritual monument of proclaiming the Lord's death through our life and the building up of spiritual wealth of love, kindness, compassion, and good works (Romans 8:29, Galatians 2:20, Matthew 6:19-21, 1 Timothy 6:17-19). After all matter is destroyed, our spiritual treasure will remain, and we can then enjoy that which truly is life forever with God (cf. Revelation 21:1-22:6). The recognition that there is more to life than this physical realm and that we should strive for immortality, then, is well and good and given by God. But, as with all idolatrous sin, that good impulse is often perverted and misdirected toward earthly ends, and thus we see the grand desire in our society to achieve immortality through earthly fame. The desire for earthly fame is truly a "god of this world," and many serve it constantly. Fame, by itself, is not sinful. One may receive commendation or recognition for doing good. Jesus, after all, remains one of the most "famous" people in the world. The distinction involves our purpose: if we focus our lives on Jesus and, as a result of our obedience to Him, obtain some kind of commendation or honor, well and good. But if our goal is to obtain that commendation or honor, then we fall prey to idolatry (cf. Galatians 5:19-21). Humans have expended great amounts of effort throughout time in the quest for this illusory earthly immortality. Let us not seek unstable "earthly" fame, but seek the commendation of God for eternal life! 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. 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 Spiritual Manna A biweekly devotional for your life. http://www.deusvitae.com/faith/manna From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Tue Oct 13 04:01:49 2009 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Tue, 13 Oct 2009 05:01:49 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] A) FILL THE WATERPOTS 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 a poem from my files: FILL THE WATERPOTS In village called Cana In the land of Galilee An event took place so long ago That calls out to you and me. A day of joy and happiness; A wedding was taking place. And in the crowd of celebrants Was Jesus with the rest. A day of smiles and congratulations, Of that there is no doubt. But a problem was beginning -- The wine was running out. Mary told Jesus, Even though it was not yet His time, That their host was facing embarrassment Because they had no wine. What would Jesus do? I don't believe Mary really knew. But to the servants Mary said, Whatever He says, Do. At the words of this man Just who He was they did not know The servants filled the waterpots Until they began to overflow. Most probably know the the story Of what took place that day The water was changed into wine That was better in every way. It isn't upon the miracle that I want us to focus (Although it was glorious, that is true); It is upon what Mary said, Whatever He says, Do. If you had been a servant on that day And Mary said, Whatever He says. Do Would you have been so quick to act And filled the waterpots too? There is a tremendous lesson to be learned >From those nameless men that day For they did as Jesus told them to do And they did it right away. These men did not know who Jesus really was Or why He'd come, that's true. But you and I can't say that Because we really do. As we learn more and more Of what Jesus said and what is true Do we hear the voice of Mary Whatever he says, Do? This life is all we have; It is the chance we've got. Let's make sure we use the time To fill the waterpots. ------ By Greg Litmer in That Ye May Grow Thereby. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091013/a0c1f21f/attachment-0001.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Tue Oct 13 04:02:04 2009 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Tue, 13 Oct 2009 05:02:04 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] S) PERSONAL EVANGELISM (6) Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. Here is the sixth and final installment of this study under this heading. More akin to this subject follows. Use to the glory of God. PERSONAL EVANGELISM (6) INTRODUCTION: -- (Mk. 1:17). Let us review previous lessons: 1. Importance of winning souls to Christ. 2. Personal evangelism is the work of each church member. 3. New Testament examples of personal evangelism. 4. Personal obligations of a personal evangelist. 5. Some requirements of a faithful personal evangelist. 6. Requirements of a faithful Christian -- not different. 7. Whose responsibility is it to do personal work? 8. Where should the personal evangelist work? 9. The teaching is worse than wasted when it is not accepted! I. THE SOURCE OF PROSPECTS FOR THE PERSONAL EVANG- ELIST: -- A. Daily contacts: 1. Business world -- fellow-workers. 2. Shopping -- courtesy to clerks and customers. 3. Conduct behind the steering wheel of our car marks us in the eyes of others. 4. Social contacts. Never kick a man when he is down -- you can never tell how big he will become when he gets up! B. Occasions of distress and sickness -- fraternities and chur- ches. C. Loss of loved ones -- kindness never forgotten. D. Strangers -- new comers to town (Heb. 13:1-3). E. Bible class records of visitors could furnish prospective members and converts. 1. Are we playing church like children "play house?" F. Visitors to the services -- sufficient excuse for calling or writ- ing a card expressing your pleasure in having them visit. G. Be friends to the unsaved, who have shown an interest in us or in the congregation. We need more of such people. II. PRINCIPLES OF SALESMANSHIP APPLIED TO PERSONAL EVANGELISM: -- A. Know what you have to sell -- (Phil. 3:10; 2 tim. 2:15). B. Find a prospect to work with in studying the Bible. 1. You cannot substitute for personal contact. 2. The pulpit, TV, Radio, printed materials, are but suppliments D. Create a friendly environment and atmosphere -- it may take weeks, months or even years to bring such to fruition. 1. Don't get impatient and lose concern. 2. Don't approach your contact with an attitude of one that has come to condemn. 3. Try to meet each contact on as common ground as possib- le. D. Dress the part, not physical dress (Rev. 3:15-20; Eph. 6:10- 17). E. Be sure to remove any prejudice you may have toward your contact or his background before you meet with him. 1. Don't disagree bluntly. 2. Try to lead the discussion into the simpler subjects upon which you may agree in your initial approach. F. Deliver your teaching, message, possitively but kindly. G. Explain the subject simply -- lead the way -- get a decision on each point if possible -- don't hurry. III. THE REWARD OF PERSONAL EVANGELISM: -- A. God counts the evangelist as wise (Prov. 11:30). B. It is said that such evangelist, "Shines as the stars" (Dan. 12: 3). C. And evangelist will receive comfort here and in the here-after (Psa. 126:5,6). 1. There are those who "sigh and cry" (Ezk. 9:4; Matt. 5:4). CONCLUSION: -- 1. There are troubled waters to consider (Jno. 5:7). 2. Set the pulpit on fire with the Word of God and people will come to see it burn. 3. To set the church on fire, if possible, would be much better. 4. There is a story about a man who lived close to the church- building. One day the building begin to burn and the fire- trucks came to put it out. The above mentioned man was standing close by watching it burn. A member approached him and said, "I have not seen you here before, have I?" The man said "No" but the church has not been on fire before. 5. God truly got Moses attention with a "burning bush." We too can get people's attention if we are on fire for the Lord and His cause. 6. Remember: "LORD, SEND A REVIVAL AMONG US, AND LET IT BEGIN WITH ME!" 7. I trust that these six lessons on Personal Evangelism will be helpful in your efforts to spread the gospel of Christ in your neighborhood. May God bless you in your efforts. 8. I plan to write a few more articles that are akin to these for your perusal. ----- Jim Sasser -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091013/c329edc6/attachment-0001.html From ZekeFlores1 at cs.com Tue Oct 13 10:17:03 2009 From: ZekeFlores1 at cs.com (ZekeFlores1 at cs.com) Date: Tue, 13 Oct 2009 11:17:03 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] H> Epistles of Paul Message-ID: Brethren, is anyone aware of a correspondence course on the epistles, specifically Paul's? Please reply privately. Thanks Zeke Flores Kiber Street church of Christ P.O. Box 1162 Angleton, TX 77516 979-849-8376 (Office) angletonchristians.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091013/9e951f1e/attachment.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Wed Oct 14 03:28:05 2009 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Wed, 14 Oct 2009 04:28:05 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] S) WHY SEEK THE LOST? Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, JIm Sasser here. In our studies on personal evangelism, we will continue to post some thoughts on the subject. Use these articles in your efforts to save the lost. And thereby glorify God. WHY SEEK THE LOST? INTRODUCTION: -- Lk. 19:10. I. BECAUSE THEY ARE IN SIN: -- Rom. 3:23; 1 Jno. 3:4; 5:17. II. BECAUSE THEY ARE WITHOUT CHRIST: -- Eph. 2:12. III. BECAUSE OF THEIR ETERNAL DESTINY: -- Matt. 25:41-46. IV. BECAUSE THEY CANNOT DIRECT THEIR OWN STEPS: -- Jer. 10:23; Prov. 14:12. V. BECAUSE THEY ARE CONFUSED: -- 1 Jno. 5:19;Rom. 8:13. CONCLUSION: -- 2 Pet. 3:9; 1 Tim. 4:16. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091014/e4ece564/attachment.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Wed Oct 14 03:27:57 2009 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Wed, 14 Oct 2009 04:27:57 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] A) EQUAL TREATMENT 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: EQUAL TREATMENT Airplanes are remarkable machines. It's amazing that some- thing so big and heavy can fly. It's astonishing that there are so many different sizes and varieties of airplanes. One can view all sizes at an airport or some large airshows such as the one held in OshKosh, Wisconsin every July. There are prop planes and jets, and even mixtures of the two, there are commercial, private, and even military planes to be seen. It is fascinating that a small plane has the same rights as a large plane, even the jum- bo jet varieties. A small private plane is not viewed as less im- portant or disposable even though it is nto carrying as much cargo or as many passengers. It is similar to how God views a Christian. When we pray, it doesn't matter if we are "small" in comparison to others. We do not take a back seat. No one is given priority over another. "Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need" (Heb. 4:16). In a world that offers privileged treatment to the wealthy, the famous, and the influential, it's encouraging to know that every child of God has an equal right to the Father in heaven. The psalmist wrote, "The Lord is near to all who call upon HIm, to all who all upon HIm in truth" (Psa. 145:18). With that assurance we can come confidently to God in pray- er, knowing we will never be turned away or placed on hold. Are you a child of God? If not, you need to be one (Gal. 3:26,27). Do you utilize your right to come boldly to the throne of grace? ----- Shane Williams in The Lilbourn Light, Vol. 10, No. 5, Sept. 2009. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091014/7a2b92b2/attachment.html From tssullivan at charter.net Wed Oct 14 10:38:23 2009 From: tssullivan at charter.net (T. Sean Sullivan) Date: Wed, 14 Oct 2009 10:38:23 -0500 Subject: [Biblemat] Values Based Hope for Tennessee Message-ID: <68DAB60283F94CCAA667B1256B64C994@sean2e3f41f1ba> Brethren, Especially brethren in Tennessee, the election for the Governor of Tennessee will be in 2010 and one the members of the Lord's church here in Newbern, TN is officially running. He would like your support. Find out more at www.doddsforgov.com T. Sean Sullivan -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091014/c89322c3/attachment.html From edcaskey at gmail.com Wed Oct 14 11:48:45 2009 From: edcaskey at gmail.com (Eddie Caskey) Date: Wed, 14 Oct 2009 11:48:45 -0500 Subject: [Biblemat] A>Don't Ever Give Up Message-ID: *Don?t Ever Give Up!* Eddie J. Caskey Perhaps you have started some project or job, or started toward some goal, only to go part way and then give up. Why did you quit? Was it that the task was too hard? Maybe it was too costly. Maybe you did not believe it would yield the desired results. People give up for a variety of reasons. Let us notice a few reasons why people quit on God. Some people are like Demas, who quit on God because they love the present world (*2 Timothy 4:10*). It may be that Demas simply lost interest in pursuing godliness, or maybe he was afraid for his life, but whatever the reason, he quit. Notice Jesus? warnings in the parable of the sower: ?Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word, and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful? (*Luke 4:18-19*). John tells us that we are not to love the world or the things in it (*John 2:15-17*). These temporary things will drive out the love of God. Be on guard against the weeds of this life choking out the true message of Jesus Christ in your life. Some others quit because of the sins of others. The great prophet, Elijah, fled to the mountains and felt alone after the showdown with the prophets of Baal (*1 Kings 18-19*). He believed he was the only one left that was faithfully serving God. He wanted to give up, until God reminded him that there were 7,000 others who had not bowed their knee to Baal. God then tells Elijah, essentially, to get back to work. Let us not give in to the devil?s temptation to drown ourselves in self-pity, but rather immerse ourselves in the work of the Lord. Still others will give up because of their own sins. We remember vividly the scene in the garden of Gethsemane, when Judas Iscariot leads a well-armed multitude to arrest Jesus and lead Him to His eventual death (*Luke 22*). The ultimate betrayal of the traitor?s kiss has burned itself into our imaginations. The effect on Judas was even more devastating. After trying unsuccessfully to return the ?blood money?, he hangs himself (*Matthew 27:1-5*). No matter how great our sin may be, let us never quit on God. Paul points out that some in Corinth were formerly fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, homosexuals, sodomites, thieves, covetous, drunkards, revilers, and extortioners, yet God washed, sanctified, and justified them (*1 Corinthians 6:9-11*). Though there may be times when others have quit on us, let us never give up on God. There was a time when Paul rejected John Mark (*Acts 15:38*), considering him unprofitable to the service of the Lord. Later, however, John Mark is Paul?s first choice to help him (*2 Timothy 4:11*). Don?t you ever give up! You can be of service in the Lord?s Kingdom. Eddie J. Caskey Melrose Drive Church of Christ 740 Melrose Drive Richardson, TX 75080 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091014/354b27cb/attachment.html From tthornhill06 at yahoo.com Wed Oct 14 19:41:12 2009 From: tthornhill06 at yahoo.com (Tom Thornhill) Date: Wed, 14 Oct 2009 17:41:12 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [Biblemat] Gospel Meeting Sermons by Brian Yeager Message-ID: <977016.55245.qm@web50905.mail.re2.yahoo.com> Greetings Brethren, We are in the midst of a gospel meeting this week in Bellflower, CA. Brian Yeager is our speaker. The topics are recorded and posted (thus far) at our webpage, www.roseavenue.org Thomas Thornhill Jr. 17903 Ibbetson Ave. Bellflower, CA 90706 (562)867-4416 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091014/d8195b85/attachment.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Thu Oct 15 04:55:22 2009 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Thu, 15 Oct 2009 05:55:22 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] A) WATCH OUT FOR THE BEARS! 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 files: WATCH OUT FOR THE BEARS! If you have ever been to an area with a bear population, you no doubt have seen warnings. People who know the habits of bears, offer the following suggestions for safety: 1. Don't climb a tree. 2. Don't run. 3. Never feed a bear. 4. Most importantly, don't get between a mother bear and her cubs. In the book of Hosea, God described Himself as being as angry with Israel as a mother bear who has been deprived of her cubs. (Hos. 13:8,9). "Like a bear robbed of her cubs, I will attack them and rip them open. You are destroyed, O Israel, because you are again- st Me, against your Helper." God had done so much to show His love, but His people had wandered away from Him and taken the path of disobedience. So He allowed their enemies to cause them trouble, while reminding them of His love (Hos. 13:4-6; 14:1-9). We need to learn from what happened to Israel. To avoid God's anger and enjoy His love today. 1. Love And Worship Him Above All: -- "Yet I have been the Lord your God since the land of Egypt; And you were not to know any god except Me. For there is no savior besides Me." (vs. 14). 2. Don't Try To Hide Your Sin Or Dismiss Your Sin -- Confess It:-- "Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God, For you have stumbl- ed because of your iniquity. Take words with you and return to the Lord. Say to Him, 'Take away all iniquity, And receive us graciously, That we may present the fruit of our lips'" (Hos. 14:1,2). 3. Stay On The Path Of Righteousness: -- "Whoever is wise, let him understand these things. Whoever is discerning, let him know them. For the ways of the Lord are right, And the right- eous will walk in them, But transgressors will stumble in them." (Hos. 14:9). Our God is a jealous God (Ex. 34:14). He loves us and wants what is best for us but He will not tolerate disobedience. "For we msut all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad." (2 Cor. 5: 10). -------- Shane Williams in The Lilbourn Light, Vol. 10, No. 5, September, 2009. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091015/4196e928/attachment.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Thu Oct 15 04:55:32 2009 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Thu, 15 Oct 2009 05:55:32 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] S) "WORKERS TOGETHER WITH GOD" (1) Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. Here is the first installment of this particular study. Use to the glory of God. "WORKERS TOGETHER WITH GOD" (1) INTRODUCTION: -- Take time just here to read: 1 Cor. 3:5-9, 2 Cor. 6:1; Titus 2:11-14. 1. One of the most arresting statements found in the Words of Christ are these: a. "Son, go work today in My vineyard." (Matt. 21:28). 2. Even though this charge is given in a lesson on repentance, it has a very definite application to all who would serve the Lord. 3.We want to study in depth the five W's of this charge: WHO; WHAT; WHEN; WHERE; and WHY. 4. We think that an examination of God's Word in this way will give us a greater incentive for service to God and man. I. WHO -- "SON". A. This command is not given indiscriminately. 1. It is addressed very specifically: a. "Son" denotes a very definite relationship with God the Father! b. Not all have obtained this relationship in Christ: 1) "But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name: which were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." (Jno. 1: 12,13). B. This call to labor is to all who have come into Christ: 1. "For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ." (Gal. 3:26,27). a. These are they who have become heirs according to God's promise (vs. 29). C. Paul tells of our divine relationship with God: 1. "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God." (Rom. 8:14). D. John also wrote: "Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God...Behold, now are we the sons of God" (1 Jno. 3:1,2). E. The supreme endeavor of Christ was: 1. "In bringing many sons to glory." (Heb. 2;10). a. And as sons of God, we are called to serve. 2. Our being in God's family is greater reason to serve. a. One is required to serve his own family first and foremost. b. So, this is the WHO (the Son) that we are to serve in our personal evangelism. (More will be posted on this subject tomorrow, the Lord willing, JWS). -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091015/51e49944/attachment.html From dmillwee at bak.rr.com Thu Oct 15 12:08:05 2009 From: dmillwee at bak.rr.com (Dick Millwee) Date: Thu, 15 Oct 2009 10:08:05 -0700 Subject: [Biblemat] Looking for a Bible Message-ID: <18DD7C7E49A84BCCACC7D4AEE2FE4DB3@P4Desk> Well, my old friend for the past 12 years, my Bible, gave up the ghost and fell apart. I am in need of a new one. I am looking for a Thompson Chain Reference in either NAS updated or NKJ version with the largest font type possible(old eyes, but not blind) that I can find. If you have any information regarding these version, please email me privately at dmillwee at bak.rr.com. Appreciate any help you can give me. Dick Millwee dmillwee at bak.rr.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091015/99346fb0/attachment.html From bgreen at tycom.net Thu Oct 15 18:21:18 2009 From: bgreen at tycom.net (Bill Green) Date: Thu, 15 Oct 2009 18:21:18 -0500 Subject: [Biblemat] Men training and fasting. Message-ID: <31F18CB1BE9C4F9C81DFED2592C6C35F@your4105e587b6> I am looking for material on fasting (as found in the new testament) and I am also going to start a men's training class and would like any material you might have on training young men to take a part in the worship services (leading prayer, leading singing, etc). Thanks for your time and help. You can email me at bgreen at tycom.net Brotherly, Bill Green Bruce church of Christ Bruce, Ms -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091015/5ed72979/attachment-0001.html From tedwards at onemain.com Thu Oct 15 20:01:15 2009 From: tedwards at onemain.com (tedwards at onemain.com) Date: Thu, 15 Oct 2009 20:01:15 -0500 Subject: [Biblemat] B> Gospel Observer 9/27/09 Message-ID: <4AD77F8B.657.53DD1D@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). ____________________________________________________ September 27, 2009 ____________________________________________________ Contents: 1) A Challenge to the Saints (Joshua Gurtler) 2) Our Need of Reverence (Gilbert Alexander) ____________________________________________________ -1- A Challenge to Saints by Joshua Gurtler Another year has come and gone. In fact, another century has come to pass and what has man done to the glory of his Lord? Before the foundation of the world, our Creator desired that his creation would accomplish great things thus glorifying his majestic name. "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them" (Eph. 2:10). In this new year what are our intentions for achievement? In Romans we read of man exchanging the glory of our Father for that of corruptible man (Rom. 1:25). Without thought, Christians behave the same with their carefree absorption into the pagan environment around them. The United States is a country which has excelled like no other known civilization in the history of man's existence. Americans are masters at work, productivity, and efficiency in the secular realm. Oh, if the myriads of Christians in this great land would but transfer these invaluable talents, immeasurably blessed to us, into the service of the King (Matt. 25). Dear friends, this coming year we will be visited by two great forces. To which will we pledge our allegiance, our diligence and our talents? The Visitation of Satan Through Christ, Peter received this warning, though it was left unheeded: "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat; but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers" (Luke 22:31,32). The man who doubts the presence and power of the Tempter is truly a naive and disillusioned individual (1 Pet. 5:8; Eph. 6:11,12; 2 Tim. 4:17; Eph. 4:14). Though the power of the evil one may be great, the man of God is not defeated but is reminded of the Greater Power from above (1 Cor. 10:13; 2 Pet. 2:9; Jas. 4:7; 1 Pet. 5:9). Be prepared for the visitation of Satan, for his eminent presence is just as sure as the inevitable consequences of his captors. The Visitation of the Lord Our Father with greater fervor and an assured love also desires our submission. This is manifest by innumerable opportunities for repentance and continual longsuffering on his behalf. Paul said, "Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?" (Rom. 2:4). While one might argue that the way of the cross is a difficult road to find, there are undeniable proofs and truths God has laid before us. When presented with the love of God, we can but accept or reject the Lord's directives. Stephen, in Acts 7, told the Jews they were turning a blind eye to such. "You men who are stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears are always resisting the Holy Spirit; you are doing just as your fathers did." Moreover, Saul of Tarsus resisted the Lord unknowingly until confronted with the truth. "And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew dialect, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads'" (Acts 26:14). The course is set before us. Will we kick against the righteous chastening hand of the Lord? In this new year God desires to make you what you can and will be for him if you will but comply. Jeremiah 18:1-6 describes the potter making and remaking the clay. We then read, "Can I not, O house of Israel, deal with you as this potter does? Declares the Lord. Behold, like the clay in the potters hand, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel." This is our challenge. Not just for the new year, but until the Saviour's return. From this beautiful text, Mr. and Mrs. Clyde Williams penned the corresponding hymn: "O Lord, you know my strength indeed is small, Lest thou should lead I'm prone to slip and fall; Guide and direct, o'er evil help me stand, Make me as clay in the potter's hand. "Thou art the Potter, I am the clay, Make of my life as pleases Thee each day; Weave into beauty as You have it planned, Make me as clay in the potter's hand. "Father, we pray for power to be strong, Let not our lives be marred by sin, and wrong; Lead to Thy throne, by love take full command, Make us as clay in the potter's hand. "Mold me, make me, as You'd have me be, Take me, use me, that the lost may see; Guard me, guide me, thru this pilgrim land, Make me as clay, in the potter's hand." -- Via Guardian of Truth, Vol. XLVII, Jan. 2003, No. 1 ____________________________________________________ -2- Our Need of Reverence by Gilbert Alexander Reverence toward God is the only proper way for us to draw near to Him. "Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear" (Heb. 12:28). "Holy and reverend (awesome -- NKJV) is His name" (Psa. 111:9). It is because of reverence for God that we can love Him and walk humbly with Him (Mic. 6:8). Reverence also helps us to worship in spirit and in truth (Jno. 4:24) "God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be held in reverence by all those who are around Him" (Psa. 89:7). "When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained, what is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him?" (Psa. 8:3, 4). "By the Word of the Lord the heavens were made, and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth" (Psa. 33:6). "It is He Who has made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people and the sheep of His pasture" (Psa. 100:3). "The earth is the Lord's, and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell therein" (Psa. 24:1). "All things are of God" (2 Cor. 5:18). "In Him we live and move and have our being...We are the offspring of God" (Acts 17:28,29). "And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him Who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell" (Matt. 10:28). We show reverence for God when we use His name only with the greatest respect. "Hallowed be Your name" (Matt. 6:9). It is irreverence to use His name as a by-word or in any other empty fashion. We also show reverence when we respect the authority of God and of His Son. We show respect for His authority when we study diligently to learn what He wants us to do, and when we then obey His instructions without murmuring or disputing with His Law (Phil. 2:14). Humility demands that we "consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness" (1 Tim. 6:3-5). All of us should be able to see that reverence is a learned disposition of mind and behavior. Children must be taught continually in order that they learn to show reverence to God in a PROPER way. Cain's, Nadab's, and Abihu's offerings were not displays of true reverence, regardless of how "reverently" they offered them. We as adults must also be reminded of these lessons. We should prepare our minds as the time draws near to offer praise and worship in the assembly of the saints. We can (but should not) set a wrong example for children by acting indifferently and frivolously as worship is offered to God. Our quietness and reverence and our hearty singing of praise to God, plus our teaching our children to participate and our restraint upon them in requiring respectful behavior, will show them the way until they are able to understand why we are behaving this way. No person of understanding expects little children to understand the depth of meaning in songs, in prayers, and in the Lord's Supper; but we have every reason to expect proper discipline to be exercised in order to train children in the ways of righteousness. All of us must learn the greatness of God and our complete dependence upon Him so that we may live in awe of His power, in respect of His holiness, and in love for His love and mercy offered to all who will obey Him (Heb. 5:9). -- Via The Bulletin of the Church of Christ at New Georgia, August 16, 2009 ____________________________________________________ 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 Oct 16 00:13:32 2009 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Fri, 16 Oct 2009 01:13:32 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] A) THE JOURNEY OF YOUR LIFE 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: THE JOURNEY OF YOUR LIFE Think about your relationship with your spouse. Over the period of time you've been married, you have likely grown tre- mendously in your relationship. You can easily wee how little you knew the person before you were married compared to now. Over the course of your marriage you have exchanged countless words in conversation, you have made thousands of decisions and you have cooperated in the rearing of your children. Imagine how odd it would be to assume that once we said our wedding vows there was nothing else we needed to do. What if we said, "We are done! We made the decision. We don't need to cultivate our relationship beyond this point." Now think about the decision you also made if you are a Christian. Just because you have followed Christ and were bap- tized into Him, do you think there is nothing else to do? That would be worse than failing to nurture your marriage. Following Jesus in doing what's necessary to be saved is the first step in the journey of our life. Our relationship with God will grow stagnant if we don't talk to Him, grow in our knowledge of HIm, and increase in our live for Him. "...be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord" (1 Cor. 15:58). The "Christian graces" listed in 2 Pet. 1, are a call for growth. Diligence must be applied. If we apply this diligence to our faith, virtue, knowledge, self control, perseverance, godliness, brother- ly kindness and love, we will not be useless or unfruitful. Peter concluded this epistle by saying: "but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Pet. 3:18). How's your relationship with the Lord today? Is it a journey of growth or just a distant memory? ---- Shane Williams in The Lilbourn Light, Vol. 10, No. 5, September, 2009. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091016/c408202a/attachment-0001.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Fri Oct 16 00:13:42 2009 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Fri, 16 Oct 2009 01:13:42 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] S) "WORKERS TOGETHER WITH GOD" (2) Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. Here is the second installment of this particular study. Use to the glory of God. "WORKERS TOGETHER WITH GOD" (2) II. WHAT? -- "WORK". A. This is not a call for idlers, loafers, dead heads, and dead beats. B. There is work to be done, or He would not call for workers. C. The vineyard of the Lord is not a place for slothful time-serv- ers. 1. It is not a place to put your engine in neutral and let it idle. 2. Paul said: "Wherefore we labor, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of Him." (2 Cor. 5:9). a. This should also be our dedication to His work. b. Yet, Paul was not alone in his labors: he said: "Where- unto I also labor, striving according to His working, which worketh in me mightily." (Col. 1:29). D. This is a personal matter: "But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another." (Gal. 6:4). E. When the end of the day is done, and our labor has ended, each one of us should want to hear God say: 1. "Well done, thou good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joys of thy Lord" (Matt. 25:23). 2. But this reward will only be for those who work. a. "And every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labor. For we are laborers together with God" (1 Cor. 3: 8,9). 3. However, Paul had to rebuke some for not working. a. "For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither let him eat. For we hear that there are some which walk disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies" (2 Thes. 3:10, 11). 4. This life provides opportunity for work: the next life will offer rest. a. "Therefore my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmove- able, always abounding in the work of the Lord, foras- much as ye know tht your labor is not in vain in the Lord" (1 Cor. 16:58). (More will be posted, on this subject, tomorrow, the Lord willing, JWS). -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091016/491fed91/attachment-0001.html From thornhill1 at frontiernet.net Fri Oct 16 12:42:27 2009 From: thornhill1 at frontiernet.net (thomas thornhill) Date: Fri, 16 Oct 2009 12:42:27 -0500 Subject: [Biblemat] The Buckhorn Teacher 10-18-09 Message-ID: <069F33D70C9348F2920BC9E22B73DAF9@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.netTV program - the internet - w07bn.com Vol.8 October 18, 2009 No.11 THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD Anyone who studies the Bible carefully comes face to face with the providence of God. His hand is seen in events that unfold throughout the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation. If one really believes the Bible one will also believe in the providence of God. Yet, many who see God's hand in past events will deny that God is still active in the affairs of His universe and His people. The problem is that God's providence has been cast into mysterious and unexplainable terms, resulting in many unwarranted and false claims of special divine providence. Admittedly it is not easy to understand how God does what he does but does one really need to know HOW God does something in order for it to be accepted and believed. God may be INVISIBLE to us, but He certainly is not INACTIVE. He has not ceased to provide for that which He has created. WHAT IS MEANT BY THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD One of the difficulties encountered in understanding the providence of God is that the word "providence" appears only one time in the scriptures Acts 24:2, and is not used in reference to God's providence, but man's. The Biblical use of the word in reference to God is not present, but the doctrine of "divine providence" is very real in the scriptures. The word "providence" is defined in the dictionary as "the care or benevolent guidance of God." The English word comes from the Latin, "providere" which in turn is made up of two words, "pro" (before) and "videre" (to see), thus "to foresee." The corresponding Greek word is "pronoia" (forethought). Thus, the idea "to see before," which expresses the idea of foresight and forethought, implies a future end or goal with a definite purpose and plan for sustaining that end. In exercising forethought and foresight, God created a universe that He could control for His own purpose. God's control cannot be denied, "For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist" Col.1:16-17. Paul declared to the Athenians, "God who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth . gives to all life, breath and all things. And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and bounds of their habitation . for in Him we live, and move and have our being ." Acts 17:24-28. How can one believe in the God Paul proclaimed on that day and deny His providential care today? WHEN IS IT THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD People talk much about the providence of God, generally with a misunderstanding of what they are talking about. One talks about being delivered from some serious accident by "the providence of God." How does one know? Another says "I was providentially hindered" from doing something. Can one be sure that God caused the thing to happen? People need to be careful in attributing to God that which cannot be proved. Mordecai would not affirm God's providence in making Esther queen of Persia, rather he said, "Yet, who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" Esther 4:14. Paul did not know that the escape and ultimate conversion of Onesimus was caused by the hand of God. He wrote, "For perhaps he departed for a while for this purpose, that you might receive him forever, no longer as a slave but more than a slave, as a beloved brother ." Philemon 15, 16. In reality, no one can speak with certainty about when God exercises His providence, unless it is so stated. The KNOWN providence of God is recorded as past events. When did Joseph know that God had a hand in the things that happened in his life? It was years later, after being reconciled to his brothers that Joseph said, "So now it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He . has made me Lord of Egypt" Gen.45:8-9. He even understood that God's providence in his life was not for him alone. "But as for me, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day to save many people alive" Gen.50:20. Another problem encountered in a study of providence is the thinking of some that God can only exercise His providence through miracles. Since the age of miracles has now ceased, they assume that God's providential care has also ceased. In so doing they limit God's exercise of care and guidance to the past ages. They seem to liken God to a computer programmer, who after setting the program steps back and lets everything run without any further control. So, God after setting things in motion does nothing else for man today. This is not the God I worship. While it is true that God sometimes used miracles to accomplish His will, on other occasions He used natural means, often unseen by man, to bring about His purpose. We must keep in mind that both the natural and the miraculous are under the control of the Creator. God, by a miracle, created the universe, and then established natural laws by which it would continue. Both are expressions of His will. Both employ a supernatural source. "Providence employs a supernatural source via a natural means, while a miracle used both a supernatural source and a supernatural means" (Flavil Yeakley Jr.). "Providence is the working of God through His provision in the natural and spiritual realms, and yet it is a control that violates neither the sovereignty of the human will nor the divine natural and spiritual laws" (Homer Hailey). People need to recognize their inability to know when and how God directs the affairs of this world. Just accept the fact that He does, even if one never knows HOW He does it. "For I considered all this in my heart, so that I could declare it all; that the righteous and the wise and their works are in the hand of God" Eccl.9:1. My conclusion in this article is that while the supernatural means have ceased, the supernatural source in ways unseen by human eyes, continues to control His universe and His people today. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091016/6b0147ed/attachment.html From robertwater at gmail.com Thu Oct 15 19:59:29 2009 From: robertwater at gmail.com (Robert Waters) Date: Thu, 15 Oct 2009 19:59:29 -0500 Subject: [Biblemat] request for newspaper articles Message-ID: Greetings, The church I worship with has begun publishing newspaper articles. I don't have the time to write one every week. THus, I'm asking for help. If you have some please send them to me. robertwaters at yahoo.com Thanks in advance. rw -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091015/32741b38/attachment.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Sat Oct 17 03:00:42 2009 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Sat, 17 Oct 2009 04:00:42 EDT 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 files: GOD HAS SPOKEN "In the beginning GOD CREATED the heavens and the earth" (Gen. 1:1). The existence of physical things necessarily is traced to only two possibilities of origin: eternal existence of physical things, or creation. Since natural science MUST take into account the aging proess, it looks back to a BEGINNING, and a beginning necessarily involves creation. The acknowled- gement of a superior, eternal power that is the essence of life seems to be beyond the capacity or willingness of many self- esteemed "scientists", who reject the Biblical explanation of creation. To accept the Genesis account of creation by the eternal God is to accept the creation of mankind as mankind, thus end- ing the folly of trying to trace man's roots back into primordial muck. To deny the Genesis account is to deny the Diety of Jesus Christ and to make Him a false teacher, because Jesus affirmed the Genesis account (Matt. 19:4-6; Gen. 2:24). Such a denial also rejects the divine inspiration of the Apostles and mak- es them false teachers, because they also affirmed the Genesis account of creation (2 Pet. 3:1-7; Heb. 1:2; 1 Tim. 2:13; 1 Cor. 15: 45-49). It is the height folly to deny the existence of God and to refuse to retain Him in one's knowledge (Psa. 14:1-6; Rom. 1:18- 32). Artists' conceptions are limited only by their imagination and their agenda of promoting evolutionary theories. The Bible stands firm as a rock and will continue to stand (1 Pet. 1:23). Young People, immerse yourselves in the knowled- ge of the Scriptures. Know that the foundation of human exist- ence, purpose, and society is found therein. Without knowledge of God, there is no marriage law, no moral or ethical code, no distinction between man and beast, no purpose for human exist- ence, no right and wrong, no sanctity of human life, no hope of a resurrection and eternal life. True faith in God and obedience to Him embodies all that is good, and establishes what is good, as it makes clear and condemns what is evil. As a ship upon the vast sea of life, which will you be: without compass, chart, rudd- er, or anchor; or with tried and proven compass, chart, rudder and anchor? --------- Gilbert Alexander. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091017/cf0ebb60/attachment-0001.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Sat Oct 17 03:00:51 2009 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Sat, 17 Oct 2009 04:00:51 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] S) "WORKERS TOGETHER WITH GOD" (3) Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. Here is the third installment of this particular study. Use to the glory of God. "WORKERS TOGETHER WITH GOD" (3) III. WHEN? -- "TODAY". A. God has never called anyone for delayed service. 1. There are no delayed reserves held back for future action. B. This is an urgent summons for immediate action: 1. "Go Work Today." It must not be delayed until tomorrow. a. "For He saith, I hafge heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation" (2 Cor. 6:2). C. Others may be waiting for tomorrow; but God is saying, "To- day". Heb. 3:7,13,15. D. The time for working in His vineyard is NOW! 1. Jesus says; "Do you not say, 'there are still four months and then comes the harvest'. Behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white al- ready unto harvest" (Jno. 4:35). E. Every wasted moment is a forfeited opportunity, never to be returned. In the meantime souls perish. 1. Jesus knew full well this urgency, when He said, "I must work the works of Him that sent Me, while it is day: for night cometh, when no man can work" (Jno. 9:4). 2. Paul said, "See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil" (Eph. 5:15,16). F. Never has there been a greater need for immediate action than now! 1. Saints have the message of salvation, and the whole world needs it! (More will be posted on this subject Monday, the Lord willing, JWS). -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091017/a76bd432/attachment-0001.html From wswalker310 at juno.com Fri Oct 16 15:48:54 2009 From: wswalker310 at juno.com (Wayne S Walker) Date: Fri, 16 Oct 2009 15:48:54 -0500 Subject: [Biblemat] hymn study, "Walk Beside Me" Message-ID: <20091017.125156.3736.0.wswalker310@juno.com> Wayne Walker here with a weekly hymn study. ?WALK BESIDE ME? ?Show me Thy ways, O Lord; teach me Thy paths, lead me in Thy truth, and teach me? (Ps. 25:4-5) INTRO.: A hymn which asks the Lord to show us His ways, teach us His paths, and lead us in His truth is ?Walk Beside Me? (#701 in Hymns for Worship Revised). The text was written by Katharine E. Nash Purvis, who was born probably sometime in the early 1840s, most likely in Pennsylvania. I have not been able to find out much information about her. She was the daughter of a Methodist minister in Pennsylvania?s Wyoming Conference. After graduating from Williamsport Dickinson Seminary in 1860, she married and continued living in Williamsport where she was a member of the Mulberry St. Methodist Episcopal Church and became a vocal and instrumental music teacher at the seminary of the Methodist Episcopal Church there from 1884 to 1888. Hymnary.org credits her with 25 hymns. Later, she was an invalid for the last several years of her life and died on Oct. 23, 1907 (some sources give the year as 1909). The tune for ?Walk Beside Me? was composed by James Milton Black (1856-1938). Black is best remembered perhaps for the song, ?When the Roll Is Called Up Yonder.? Many sources list Purvis and Black as the originators of the song ?When the Saints Go Marching In.? It is true that they produced a song that appeared in the 1896 Songs of the Soul No. 2 entitled ?When the Saints Are Marching In,? but this is not the same as the traditional song which was played by many New Orleans jazz bands beginning around the end of the nineteenth or the beginning of the twentieth century. The precise origins of the folk song are not known, though some researchers believe that it came as a spiritual from the Bahamas and migrated to the mainland where it was used as a funeral hymn by African Americans of the South in the 1800s. It is thought that maybe Purvis and Black were influenced by it in their hymn, of which various sources say, ?Very similar to the contemporary song, the latter is obviously a derivative of it,? and that the two ?bear an uncanny similarity.? ?Walk Beside Me? was copyrighted in 1896 by Black and first published that year also in his Songs of the Soul No. 2 which he edited for Curtis and Jennings of Cincinnati, OH. Among hymnbooks published by members of the Lord?s church during the twentieth century for use in churches of Christ, it appeared in the 1960 Hymnal edited by Marion Davis; and the 1964 Songs for the Shadows edited by Morris Lynwood Smith. Today it may be found in Hymns for Worship. It was not in the original edition but was added around 1992 in an arrangement by the editor, R. J. Stevens. When the Revised edition was published around 1995, a different arrangement by Stevens was used. Then, when the type was completely reset, around 2005, still another arrangement by Stevens, who now changed the time signature from 3/4 to 4/4, appeared. I happen to like the original better. The song asks the Lord to walk with us during the morning, noon, and evening of our lives. I. Stanza 1 talks about the morning of life ?Walk beside me, O my Savior, While life?s morning sky is bright. Grant me now Thy loving favor; Flood my path with heavenly light. Whether good or ill betide me, Whether skies be dark or clear, Ever stay so close beside me, I may know and feel Thee near.? A. Morning is often used poetically to refer to the younger years of one?s life: Eccl. 12:1 B. Especially when we are young we need to be taught to walk in the heavenly light of God?s word: Ps. 119:105 C. Through the rest of one?s life, both good and ill will appear, and sometimes the skies will be dark while other times they will be clear, but the young person who has learned to stay close beside the Savior will have His help to bear whatever burdens life may bring: Ps. 55:22 II. Stanza 2 talks about the noontide of life ?When the noontide?s glowing splendor Brings its weight of toil and care, May Thy love, so pure and tender, All my heavy burdens bear. In a weary land, provide me Sheltering rock and cooling spring; When the tempest rages, hide me Underneath Thy folded wing.? A. Noontide is used to refer to what we call the ?prime of life? which brings a weight of toil and care: Ps. 90:10 B. It is when we feel that we are in a weary land that we can look to the Lord as a sheltering rock and cooling spring: Isa. 32:2 C. And when the tempest rages, we can seek His protection underneath His folded wing: Ps. 63:7 III. Stanza 3 talks about the twilight of life ?When the twilight shades, descending, Warn my soul that night is near, With the hues of sunset blending, Let the light of heaven appear. Through the valley, Savior, take me; Close my eyes when night shall come. Then bid angel voices wake me, Sweetly singing, ?Welcome home.?? A. The twilight of life is a warning that the night is coming when no man can work: Jn. 9:4 B. But as we approach the valley of the shadow of death, we can look to the Lord to be with us: Ps. 23:4 C. And we can look forward to hearing the angel voices welcome us home: Lk. 16:22 CONCL.: The chorus seeks the Lord?s presence to take away our fear. ?Blessed Savior, walk with me; Take away all anxious fear. Ever stay so close beside me, I may know and feel Thee near.? Walking is such a simple task that most of us take it for granted and are reminded of what a blessing it is to be able to do it only when we have contact with someone who cannot walk. Throughout the Bible, the idea of walking is used figuratively of how we live. We can either walk with God, and He with us, or we can walk our own way without Him. However, if it is my desire to be received into His eternal presence, I must live in such a way that I tell Him, ?Walk Beside Me.? Brotherly, Wayne S. Walker 503 S. Jefferson St. Salem, IL 62881 home phone: (618) 548-6286 office phone: (618) 548-1774 e-mail: wswalker310 at ... 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. ____________________________________________________________ Diet Help Cheap Diet Help Tips. Click here. http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL2141/c?cp=YL1s4mzLomywQ7bdlteqTwAAJ1AqWLnxUT_Og0R1xxm43-TkAAYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAADNAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYQAAAAAA= -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091016/8b8d9419/attachment-0001.html From onealpha2 at mchsi.com Sat Oct 17 21:21:15 2009 From: onealpha2 at mchsi.com (art loeber) Date: Sat, 17 Oct 2009 21:21:15 -0500 Subject: [Biblemat] Correspondence course Message-ID: <4389F84AD1674DF5A96EBD77B3FB966A@yourd2def5f568> Hi ye all Do have or know where I can find a good correspondence course on the church. I am in contact with a Baptist preacher who wants a home study course. I thougth a course on the church would be good for him. Thank you all and God bless all of you. Art Loeber Davenport, IA -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091017/0455dd62/attachment.html From disciple_of_iesus at hotmail.com Sun Oct 18 13:06:10 2009 From: disciple_of_iesus at hotmail.com (Ethan R. Longhenry) Date: Sun, 18 Oct 2009 14:06:10 -0400 Subject: [Biblemat] Good News for Norwalk: Volume IV, Number 42: October 18, 2009 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 IV, Number 42: October 18, 2009 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A "Conservative" Bible? It has been made evident over the past few decades that we are living in the midst of a very polarized political climate. There are very well-defined characterizations of two different points of view, generally deemed the politically "liberal" perspective and the politically "conservative" perspective. There are many in this country who look at all manner of events through these lenses, and many ideologues who will stop at nothing to defend their particular point of view. It is therefore not too surprising that the Bible itself would come under political/ideological scrutiny in this type of climate. The online conservative wiki encyclopedia Conservapedia has recently begun the "Conservative Bible Project," an attempt, in their minds, to rid the Bible of "liberal distortions" by using "conservative principles" to provide a better translation ("Conservative Bible Project," http://conservapedia.com/Conservative_Bible_Project). Their goal is to make a "thought-for-thought" translation that reflects their "conservative" principles. This project represents an alarming and most unwelcome intrusion of political ideology into the text of the Bible. The difficulty is not principally in the idea that the project involves "conservatives" against "liberals," but that it would use political ideology as any form of standard to translate or adapt what the Bible teaches. Consider the "ten guidelines" for which the persons behind the project feel that there is no "fully conservative Bible translation" that "satisfies": Framework against Liberal Bias; not emasculated; not dumbed down; utilize powerful conservative terms; combat harmful addiction; accept the logic of hell; express free market parables; exclude later-inserted liberal passages; credit open-mindedness of disciples; prefer conciseness over liberal wordiness (ibid.). Please notice that these standards are not being upheld to preserve the Bible's integrity or to provide the most accurate and faithful rendering of the Bible: instead, they are designed to reinforce a politically conservative worldview. The methodology and approach of this project is highly suspect. The project desires to come out with a "thought-for-thought" version, akin to the New International Version (NIV). "Thought-for-thought" translations are not nearly as accurate or as faithful as "word-for-word" translations, and are much more open to interpretive bias. A "conservatively biased" Bible that distorts the original message is no better than a "liberally biased" Bible that does the same. The project's specific criticisms seem more ideologically motivated than substantive in fact. "Defective" translations are criticized for using the term "comrade" over "volunteer," as the ESV does in Judges 7:13-14, 22. Yet, in context, the translation is appropriate: soldiers are speaking to their fellow soldiers, and "comrade" is more consistent with such than "volunteer." Criticism is given regarding the use of "cast lots" in passages like John 19:24 and Acts 1:26: the "conservatives" prefer to call it "gambling" in an attempt to "combat harmful addiction" (ibid.). Yet, especially in Acts 1:26, "casting lots" is not really akin to gambling, but represents a mechanism to make a decision, somewhat similar to drawing straws or a coin toss, and the casting of the lot in these cases was believed to be divinely directed (cf. Acts 1:23-25). Furthermore, since this casting of lots was divinely inspired and an approved example, if it were translated as "gambling," it would give many people the impression that gambling was justified and an acceptable practice before God! These are excellent reasons to show why the translation of the Bible should be based on textual, and not ideological, grounds. Many other aspects of this project are troubling. The people behind the project provide an example of "liberal falsehood" in Luke 23:34a: And Jesus said, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do." The people behind the project insinuate that this verse is a "liberal corruption of the original," based on the fact that it is not found in many ancient manuscripts, it did not appear in the other Gospels, and the statement that some of the persecutors did know what they were doing (ibid.). It is true that some of the ancient manuscripts do not include this statement, and most modern versions make a note of that. While it does not appear in any other Gospel, the concept is similar to what Stephen will say in similar circumstances in Acts 7:60, and there is no argument regarding that passage. Paul, in 1 Corinthians 2:8, makes it clear that the world rulers did not know God's wisdom, for if they had, they would not have crucified Jesus-- thus demonstrating that the Romans did not truly know what they were doing. Finally, the idea that the insertion of this verse would be a "liberal corruption" is itself preposterous-- even if it were "inserted," it would have been done 1700 years ago, before either the modern "liberal" or "conservative" movements. Since these arguments are extremely shallow and specious, it is evident that the real reason for the concern over this verse is the fact that it is a "favorite quotation of the liberals." This represents the real difficulty with the "Conservative Bible Project:" it is attempting to force the Bible to fit the conservative worldview, as opposed to allowing the conservative worldview to be informed by the Bible. Let us consider Paul's warning in Colossians 2:8: Take heed lest there shall be any one that maketh spoil of you through his philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. The "philosophies of the world" are not limited to things like Platonism, modernism, or postmodernism: they also can include political philosophies. Political philosophies can be just as seductive as modernism and postmodernism and the like. Just as some truths can be found in general types of philosophy, so also can some truth be found in political philosophies. On the other hand, there is no general or political philosophy that is entirely consistent with Christianity. That is why Paul tells us to not be taken captive by philosophy: we must allow the truth of Christ to reign supreme in our lives, and allow all other views to be conformed to that truth, and not the other way around. A "conservative" Bible, therefore, is just as misguided and as dangerous an effort as a "liberal" Bible would be. The Bible does not endorse the entirety of either the "liberal" political ideology or the "conservative" political ideology. Therefore, both "liberals" and "conservatives" will find parts of the Bible that are to their political liking, and other parts that provide challenges to their ideologies. In the end, however, the Bible rises above these competing worldviews and proclaims God's Kingdom and His righteousness (Matthew 6:33). Since the Bible is translated by fallible men, there certainly may be some biases present-- but there is no good reason, aside from partisan prejudice, to assert that the Bible has been hopelessly "perverted" in one direction or another. Let us elevate the Bible above partisan politics-- its message is too important to be left to any ideologues! 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. 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 Spiritual Manna A biweekly devotional for your life. http://www.deusvitae.com/faith/manna From richard at thetford.dot5hosting.com Sun Oct 18 19:08:42 2009 From: richard at thetford.dot5hosting.com (Richard Thetford) Date: Sun, 18 Oct 2009 18:08:42 -0600 Subject: [Biblemat] Walking in the Light (10/18/09) Message-ID: <001e01ca5051$3c4183a0$b4c48ae0$@dot5hosting.com> San Juan Logo PNG.png Walking in the Light "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path" (Psalm 119:105) October 18, 2009 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. In addition, if you want to advertise for "churches looking for preachers" and "preachers looking for churches," go to www.thetfordcountry.com and click on the appropriate link. Fill out the easy form and your listing will be uploaded to the web site within 48 hours (usually the same day). --- CONTENTS "Can A Christian Fall From Grace?" (Richard Thetford) "Fellowship" (Robert F. Turner) "SENTENCE SERMONS --- CAN A CHRISTIAN FALL FROM GRACE? Richard Thetford The question asked is a valid question. There are many in the Lord's church who must believe that a child of God cannot fall from grace as evidenced by the life they live after becoming a Christian. The Bible is very clear as to what we must do to be saved AFTER becoming a Christian. In Revelation 2:10 it says "....Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life." Obviously then, if we are not faithful, we will NOT receive the crown of life. If one believes that a Christian cannot fall from grace, then why has God warned against it? The Hebrew writer said: "Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God" (Heb 3:12; see also 1 Corinthians 10:12; Hebrews 4:1; 6:4-6). The Bible teaches Christians to avoid things that may cause one to fall from grace (James 5:12). Peter writes: "You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked" (2 Pet 3:17). It is clear that Christians can and sometimes do fall from grace; if this is not possible, then why does the Bible teach that when one does fall, that they need to repent in order to return to God? Repentance would never have to take place if we can never fall from Grace. Notice what is written in Revelation 2:5: "Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place-- unless you repent." Yes, the Christian CAN fall from God's grace and that is why the Christian is instructed to develop the appropriate character in their life in order to keep one from falling (2 Peter 1:4-10). When we do not attempt to live our lives FOR Christ then we fall in the same category as those Galatians that the apostle Paul wrote: "You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace" (Gal 5:4). May we all strive to take hold of God's grace and never let go as we journey through this life looking for the blessed hope of eternity with Jesus! --- FELLOWSHIP Robert F. Turner In 1 John 1: John describes his fellowship with God as one dependent upon his walking "in the light" of God's truth. He had learned of Christ first hand, and then wrote this truth for our benefit; so that we may have the same kind of fellowship he had, i.e., fellowship with God. There is no fellowship with God for those who walk in darkness - error and sin. But in 3 John (verses 9-10) John tells us of some of his brethren (evidently folk who had fellowship with God) who had been cast out of the church. Diotrephes had severed fellowship with them, and forbad others to have such fellowship. This was wrong, undoubtedly; but the fact remains that it could and did happen. This is a case where God maintained a fellowship which men refused. The opposite is true in 1 Corinthians 5. Here, a member of the church in Corinth (whom we conclude to have had fellowship with God at one time) now lived in immorality. According to 1 John 1: (and implied here) this man had now severed his fellowship with God. He walked in darkness. But the brethren in Corinth continued to keep fellowship with him. This too, was wrong - but it did happen. Men maintained a fellowship which God refused. Thus, two types of fellowship are apparent - that with God, depending wholly upon our walking in truth; and that with men (even brethren), which is subject to man's approval or disapproval. Saying we should approve only that which God approves (with which I agree) does not change facts. Brethren sometimes approve that which they should not - or disapprove that which they should accept. God knows the difference, and judges accordingly; but the 'party' doesn't always act as God would have it act. As we individually obey the gospel we pledge ourselves to serve God. To Him we must individually give account when life is through (Matthew 16:24; Romans 14:4, 12). Following this agreement of allegiance, and subject to these obligations, we join hands with others to work and worship together in a local fellowship, or congregation. God commands this union; the ties of this association are grand and its obligations real; but it remains the means of serving the Master, and must never become our Master. Fellowship of men with men is an earthly tie which has an acceptable religious significance only when it complements our service to God. It is given divine regulations, but men do not always follow those regulations. One who counts on the outward bond of 'church' fellowship alone to guarantee his spiritual redemption, leans on a broken reed. No, I do not depreciate the importance of the church. I seek to emphasize the meaning of the true church, as God's people, we do God's work in God's way - praised for their allegiance and service to God, rather than for their faithfulness to the 'party'. Brethren who are primarily interested in keeping their fellowship with God intact, will be drawn to one another by his common interest, and find a congregational fellowship that forecasts the sweetness of heaven. --- SENTENCE SERMONS A selfish "Christian" has no true love for others, nor God. When there is no thirst for righteousness, the sermon is "dry." Lying covers a multitude of sins-temporarily. The world is too small a place to afford safety to the man who disobeys God. Conviction, not convenience determines human destiny. He who remembers only himself will soon be forgotten. --- SERMONS WORLDLINESS: Drinking (with PDF Charts/PPT Charts/Audio) Fellowship (with PDF Charts/PPT Charts/Audio) www.thetfordcountry.com --- cid:image003.gif at 01C9DCB3.EEF5E980 1414 Hawk Parkway, Unit C Montrose, CO 81401 (970) 626-5558 www.sanjuanchurchofchrist.org MEETING TIMES Sunday Bible Study...........10:00 A.M. Morning Worship..11:00 A.M. Afternoon Worship..2:00 P.M. Wednesday Bible Study........6:30 P.M. (No Wednesday night Bible study November - February) Evangelist/Editor Richard Thetford 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/20091018/aab387f2/attachment-0001.html -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: image/gif Size: 69751 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091018/aab387f2/attachment-0002.gif -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: image/png Size: 129359 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091018/aab387f2/attachment-0002.png -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: image/png Size: 688 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091018/aab387f2/attachment-0003.png -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: image/gif Size: 9271 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091018/aab387f2/attachment-0003.gif From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Mon Oct 19 01:57:32 2009 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Mon, 19 Oct 2009 02:57:32 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] A) TOMORROW Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. A very good Monday morning to each and everyone. May God bless you and yours. Here are a cou- ple of poems that I think you will like: TOMORROW He was going to be all that a mortal should be To-morrow. No one should be kind or braver than he To-morrow. A friend who was troubled and weary he knew, who'd be glad of a lift and who needed it, too; On him he would call and see what he could do To-morrow. Each morning he stacked up the letters he'd write To-morrow. And thought of the folks he would fill with delight To-morrow. It was too bad, indeed, he was busy to-day, And hadn't a minute to stop on his way; More time he would have to give others, he'd say, To-morrow. The greatest of workers this man would have been To-morrow. The world would have known him, had he ever seen To-morrow. But the fact is he died and he faded from view, And all that he left here when living was through Was a mountain of things he intended to do To-morrow. ------------ Edgar A. Guest **************************************************************************** ** PREPARE TO MEET THY GOD Careless soul, why will you linger, Wand'ring from the fold of God? Hear you not the invitation? O prepare to meet thy God. Why so tho'tless are you standing While the fleeting years go by, And your life is spent in folly? O prepare to meet thy God. Hear you not the earnest pleadings Or your friends that wish you well? And perhaps before tomorrow You'll be called to meet thy God. If you spurn the invitation Till the Spirit shall depart, Then you'll see you sad condition, Unprepared to meet thy God. Careless soul, O heed the warning, For your life will soon be gone; O how sad to face the judgment, Unprepared to meet thy God -------------- J.H. Stanley. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091019/e5121cbf/attachment-0001.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Mon Oct 19 01:57:42 2009 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Mon, 19 Oct 2009 02:57:42 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] S) "WORKERS TOGETHER WITH GOD" (4) Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. Here is the fourth installment of this particular study. Use to the glory of God. "WORKERS TOGETHER WITH GOD" (4) IV. WHERE? --- "IN MY VINEYARD". A. Jesus Christ is calling on ALL those outside His kingdom to enter in for labor. 1. "Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and lab- or of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of God the Father" (1 Thes. 1:3). 2. But these things will not be remembered OUT of Christ, for such is performed in the wrong place. a. This is a good place and time to read what Christ says in Jno. 15:1-8. B. There is no eternal reward for works performed outside the body of Christ, the Church, the Vine. 1. There is only one field in which we may do acceptable labor and that is in the vineyard of the Lord. a. "I will work, I will pray, I will labor every day, in the Vineyard of the Lord." Songs of The Church, 230. C. A lot of fuzzy thinking has entered into the minds of men when they make such statements as: 1. "Join the church of your choice." and "You can be saved out of the church as well as in it." D. The Lord established HIS church -- (Matt. 16:18). 1. He gave His blood for it -- (Acts 20:28). 2. He adds the saved to it -- (Acts 2:47). 3. He is the Savior of it -- (Eph. 5:23). a. So, how can a man be saved outside of the body or church that Jesus saves? E. Jesus will finally reward those that work in His vineyard! 1. But who will reward those who work in the devil's vineyard? (Rom. 6:23) ---- Separation from God. (More will be posted on this subject tomorrow, the Lord willing, JWS). -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091019/5039c268/attachment-0001.html From brschoolau at yahoo.com.au Mon Oct 19 07:51:14 2009 From: brschoolau at yahoo.com.au (david) Date: Mon, 19 Oct 2009 23:51:14 +1100 Subject: [Biblemat] Q: In-Reply-To: <81F4CDFF303742CC9F96887B022BF3C3@westsidecoc> References: <81F4CDFF303742CC9F96887B022BF3C3@westsidecoc> Message-ID: <4A899FEE34C245C19088152C614D04C4@Moses> I received this question from a firend and would appreciate some help with an answer David The question is The book of Isaiah 2: 2-3 , makes two statements that is 1) The church ( Lord's house) would be established in Jerusalem and the fulfillment of this prophecy would be in the latter days.So that means the church would be established during the latter days according to Isaiah 2:2-3 and Micah 4 :1-2. The question that I have is... According to my understanding the latter days begun as soon as christ ascended to heaven ... But the arguement that I have been in is, if the church was established in the latter days, its still the begininning days of the church i.e, the initial days of the church, coz the church is brand new.. so when jesus gave his world wide commission, it would obvisouly involve a little amount of time since the gospel has to reach to the whole of creation. .. so why are those days called as latter days ? If those were called the latter days then were these latter days continuing for two thousand years ? Latter days are last days.. why are these called latter days ? or is my understanding of latter days wrong ? -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091019/383c9477/attachment-0001.html From GLClair at aol.com Mon Oct 19 09:07:16 2009 From: GLClair at aol.com (GLClair at aol.com) Date: Mon, 19 Oct 2009 10:07:16 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] Article - No One Will Miss ThiS Appointment Message-ID: NO ONE WILL MISS THIS APPOINTMENT [The end of this universe] The fears of many people today throughout the world are rooted in events that have taken place over the past 60 years. You see back in the World War II days the use of weapons of mass destruction such as poison gases, disease, and the atomic and hydrogen bombs were being developed and were being used in some cases. These weapons of mass destruction were spreading throughout the world from country to country. It was thought by some that the use of these weapons would wipe out mankind from the earth. This was and still is a false expectation on man?s part because God say that HE will destroy t he universe in HIS own time. These ideas that man will end his own existence in this universe is impossible because God has said that the destruction of the universe will come as scheduled someday ? cf. 1 Thess. 5:1-4 - 1 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. 2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. 3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. 4 but ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. The end of this universe, all that God has created and sustained for all these past 6,000 + years will come to an end at the trumpet of God at the last day ? cf. 2 Peter 3:9-14 - 9 The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. 10 a New Heaven and Earth but the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up. 11 Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat! 13 but according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells. 14 Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless, (NASU) There will be no 1,000 year reign of Jesus Christ on the earth as is predicted by some religious teachers; there will be no warning, there will be no second chance, no purgatory for some Roman Catholics who are hoping that such a place exists. Indeed, the day will come swiftly, without warning, and the whole event will take place on the last day ? cf. John 6:39-40 - 39 And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. 40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day. (KJV) John 11:24-26 - 24 Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. 25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: 26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? (KJV) John 12:48 - 48 He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day The Bible tells us these things so that we will know that we must make preparations for the after life now. We must not delay our belief and obedience to the instructions of our Lord revealed to us in his Book, the Bible. You can be prepared for that day that will include everyone that has ever lived on this earth; the last day. You see there cannot be but one last day ? will you seek the way of the Lord before that day comes - it is our sincere hope that you will. There will be no survivors to live, work, play, and hope for another day because the end has come! Therefore, dear reader as God spoke to Israel of old --- Amos 4:12-13, 12 Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel: and because I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel. 13 For, lo, he that formeth the mountains, and createth the wind, and declareth unto man what is his thought, that maketh the morning darkness, and treadeth upon the high places of the earth, The LORD, The God of hosts, is his name. (KJV) _glclair at aol.com_ (mailto:glclair at aol.com) October 18, 2009 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091019/aabfd893/attachment-0001.html From edcaskey at gmail.com Mon Oct 19 10:20:46 2009 From: edcaskey at gmail.com (Eddie Caskey) Date: Mon, 19 Oct 2009 10:20:46 -0500 Subject: [Biblemat] A>Overcoming Through Prayer Message-ID: *Overcoming Through Prayer* Eddie J. Caskey Have there ever been times in your life when you have been driven to your knees by the burdens and hardships of human existence? Perhaps the guilt of the reality of your own weakness or sin has caused you to crumple beneath its weight. Like a child lost in a forest of trees, with every direction looking just as hopeless as the others, where can we turn for deliverance? God be thanked that, as Christians, we can ??come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need? (*Hebrews 4:16*)! We can look up! Throughout the Holy Scriptures we see example after example of strong men and women of faith looking to God for much needed assistance. Consider the great patriarch, Abraham. As he journeyed from place to place along his sojourn he would often erect an altar and call upon the Lord (*Genesis 12:8; 13:4; 21:33*). He also ?boldly? came before God to make intercession for Sodom (*Genesis 18:23-32*). Further, what about Moses? Consider the scene when Moses comes down from the mount after receiving the commandments of God in *Exodus 31-32*. He finds that the Israelites have given themselves to all sorts of immorality and are even worshipping a golden calf. God?s anger burns hot and He tells Moses to step aside so that He may consume them. Moses, however, intercedes on behalf of the people and, as a result, changes the mind of the most sovereign God! As we turn to the pages of the New Testament we come upon the example of the great Apostle Paul. Paul, as busy as he was, found time to pray. In *Acts 16 *, we read of he and Silas being arrested, beaten, and bound in stocks in the inner prison. These two souls found strength by praying and singing praises to their God (*22-25*). At every turn, Paul proved himself to be a man of prayer (*Acts 20:36; 21:5*). In nearly every one of his epistles, he reminds the brethren of his prayers for them and requests their prayers for himself. Let us reflect upon the beautiful words penned to the church in Philippi in *Philippians 4:6-7*, ?Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.? Most assuredly, Jesus Christ Himself is our greatest example of overcoming by prayer. He spent countless hours communicating with the Heavenly Father ( *Luke 3:21-22; 6:12-13; Mark 1:35; John 17*). After His emotional prayer in Gethsemane, He received strength from an angel from Heaven (*Matthew 26; Luke 22; Hebrews 5:7*). Since all these, including Jesus, found strength to overcome through prayer, can we not be confident that we can as well? Eddie J. Caskey Melrose Drive Church of Christ Richardson, TX (972) 231-5242 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091019/fd0be7d2/attachment-0001.html From kerux at bellsouth.net Mon Oct 19 14:36:07 2009 From: kerux at bellsouth.net (Kent Heaton) Date: Mon, 19 Oct 2009 15:36:07 -0400 Subject: [Biblemat] A>They Found A Man Of Cyrene (Kent Heaton) Message-ID: <3EAA8B62180449A0B33DFCB17169E9F1@D2381J91> They Found A Man Of Cyrene (Kent Heaton) He was twelve-hundred miles from home and coming through the fields outside Jerusalem he noticed a great multitude of people making a procession along the road. Pausing for a moment to witness what was going on; soldiers compel him to the middle of the procession where he came face to face with three men bearing timbers of wood upon their backs. These were sentenced men with death waiting for them at the end of the road. They were bloodied, dirty, and sweaty and weakened. The soldiers took the timber off the back on one of the men and forced it upon the traveler's back. The procession continued with wailings and curses upon those about to be crucified. Simon was a man from Cyrene (modern day Tripoli, Libya). He had been in the country and was passing by (Mark 15:21) when Roman soldiers compelled him to bear the cross of a man from Nazareth. He stumbled under the heavy load (probably 75 pounds or more) until they reached the place of crucifixion. The soldiers took the timber from his back, laid it on the ground and began nailing this man from Nazareth to it. Simon stumbled backward as the execution began. His eyes filled with the cruel manner the guards treated the condemned men. The men were lifted up - crucified. Some taunted the men, some cried and wailed loudly and many just sat and watched. Simon disappears from the story as quickly as he enters. We know he was from Cyrene and he will forever be imprinted on Holy Scripture as the one who bore the cross for Jesus. Mark mentions in his gospel that Simon was the father of Alexander and Rufus (15:21) and great interest is made of the only other Rufus mentioned in scripture as Paul wrote in Romans 16:13 - "Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine." Without certainty it cannot be ascertained any connection but hearts fond of good stories concede the relationship. Whatever Simon was doing that day it seems certain the last thing he had in mind was to bear a condemned man's cross. Where he was going is unknown but as he passed by he was compelled by the soldiers to bear a cross. Jesus spoke of cross bearing often in his teaching. "Whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple" (Luke 14:27). "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me" (Luke 9:23). Cross bearing was not easy, filled with pain and ended in death for the condemned. There are many times in life when we are suddenly thrown to the ground and a huge cross is placed upon us. We did not want the cross and we did not want to carry the cross but compulsion demanded we bear under the cross. The image of Simon bearing the cross of Jesus shows us the suddenness of cross bearing. But it also shows us the road to the cross leads to where we can leave the cross. Simon left the cross at Golgotha and Jesus bore the full weight of the cross in his death. Because of his death, we have an answer to our cross bearing. "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light" (Matthew 11:28-30). "O death, where is thy victory? O death, where is thy sting . thanks be to God, which gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Corinthians 15:55-57). Jesus died on the cross so we can carry our cross with hope. Kent Heaton 207 NE Fourth Avenue Trenton, Florida 32693 (H) 352-463-6916 (O) 3793 (C) 352-283-3889 www.trentonchurchofchrist.com Audio Sermons Available www.northfloridabiblecamp.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091019/a4f35a51/attachment-0001.html From disciple_of_iesus at hotmail.com Mon Oct 19 15:12:34 2009 From: disciple_of_iesus at hotmail.com (Ethan R. Longhenry) Date: Mon, 19 Oct 2009 16:12:34 -0400 Subject: [Biblemat] S:> Give It Up! Message-ID: Give It Up! I. Introduction A. One of those "catch phrases" you might hear B. Give it up! C. Used often to dissuade people from futile behavior 1. Addictions or temptations 2. Hope for sports teams, etc. D. While not directly Biblical, a useful phrase for us to consider in regards to many challenges we experience in our faith E. Let us consider some things concerning which we need to say, "give it up!" II. Give Up Sin A. The first thing we must "give up" is sin! B. Romans 6:1-13 1. We are to consider ourselves as having "died to sin" 2. Thus, we must no longer live in sin C. Romans 8:3-9, Galatians 5:17-24 1. We are to "walk by the spirit," not by the flesh 2. Mind set on flesh is dead 3. Works of flesh lead to condemnation, fruit of Spirit to life III. Give Up Burdens A. We must also "give up" our burdens! B. Our Burden of Sin 1. The burden of our past sin and guilt must be given up 2. Psalm 32 demonstrates the pain and misery of keeping sin within 3. Worldly guilt paralyzes, destroys (cf. 2 Corinthians 7:9-10) 4. We must release them (cf. 1 John 1:9) C. Our Burdens of Care 1. Matthew 11:28-30, 1 Peter 5:6-7 2. We maintain heavy loads of anxiety and care 3. What can we really do about them? (cf. Matthew 6:27, Luke 12:25) 4. We are not strong enough to bear them all! 5. Thus, we are to place them upon the Lord IV. Give Up Control A. Why do we cling fast to our burdens, our sin, and other such things? B. Deep down we have insecurities and seek control 1. If we are honest with ourselves, we would find a deep-seated desire to have control over everything, or at least the illusion thereof 2. We fear that others will let us down, therefore, we can only trust ourselves C. A good example of a worldly way we need to "give up!" 1. Jeremiah 10:23, Proverbs 3:5-9, 14:12 2. This insecurity may have the appearance of worldly wisdom, but runs counter to God's desire for us D. As believers, we must be people of faith! 1. Faith: Hebrews 11:1, 6 2. We must be trustful and trustworthy 3. Faith in God: confidence that we do not need to be in control \ to be successful, give up control to God, become His servant, be directed by Him (cf. Matthew 11:28-30, Luke 17:7-10) 4. Faith in one another: willingness to be open and part of a community, take advantage of the resources of the congregation (1 Corinthians 12:12-28) E. We could live enclosed lives, be loners emotionally/spiritually if not physically, but then we only open ourselves up to the Devil (cf. 1 Peter 5:8)! V. Give Up Everything A. Ultimately, we must learn to give everything up to God! B. Matthew 13:44-46 1. Parables of treasure in field, pearl of great price 2. Note what both individuals do: sell all they have to obtain this one thing 3. Kingdom as valuable enough to lose everything else to gain it! C. Matthew 10:37-39, 16:24-27 1. This teaching made explicit 2. Jesus must be esteemed most important 3. Must sacrifice daily in order to follow Him D. Galatians 2:20, Philippians 3:13-14 1. We must renounce everything that is our own, have Christ live through us 2. We must press forward to the prize E. Great Hymn: "None of Self and All of Thee" 1. Progressive message: begins with all of self and none of Christ 2. Moves on to some of each, less of self, more of Christ 3. Finally, none of self and all of Christ 4. This song should mirror our spiritual development: constantly growing to be more like Christ, less clinging to our own ways and thoughts! VI. Conclusion A. There are many things we are called to "give up" in life B. Those include sin, burdens, control, and all of ourselves C. We ought to "give up" since Christ gave up so much for us (Philippians 2:5-11) D. Let us give up everything that hinders our faith in and service to 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 Spiritual Manna A biweekly devotional for your life. http://www.deusvitae.com/faith/manna From disciple_of_iesus at hotmail.com Mon Oct 19 15:13:01 2009 From: disciple_of_iesus at hotmail.com (Ethan R. Longhenry) Date: Mon, 19 Oct 2009 16:13:01 -0400 Subject: [Biblemat] S:> The Godhead Message-ID: The Godhead I. Introduction A. Let us turn our consideration today to a highly contentious topic throughout time B. What is the nature of the Godhead? C. A question fraught with many difficulties 1. What does Scripture have to say about the nature of God? 2. What can we humans understand about the nature of God, and what is beyond our understanding? D. An often argued and debated question 1. Much of the first millennium CE spent on various controversies over the nature of the Godhead, the Persons therein 2. Other theories advanced: modalism/Sabellianism/patripassianism 3. And then there is the matter of the Trinity-- what does that term mean? E. Considering all of this controversy, it is good to try to understand what can be known about the Godhead II. The Scriptures on the Godhead A. The Father 1. Is God: John 8:42, Romans 1:7 2. Before the beginning, the Creator: Genesis 1:1 3. Source of all authority: Matthew 28:18, 1 Corinthians 15:24-28 4. Spirit: John 4:24 5. Has not been seen in His true form: John 1:18, 1 John 4:12 B. The Son 1. The Word manifest in the Flesh: John 1:1, 14; 1 John 1:1-3 2. Is God: John 1:1, John 8:58, John 10:30-36, John 20:28, Romans 9:5, Colossians 2:9 3. Present at Creation, active in Creation: Genesis 1:27, John 1:2-3, Colossians 1:15-16 4. Exalted by God: Philippians 2:5-11 5. Given authority by the Father, will return it on the last day: Matthew 28:18, 1 Corinthians 15:24-28 6. Subject to the Father: John 14:28, 1 Corinthians 15:28 7. Son of Man, of real flesh: John 1:14, 2 John 1:7 8. Son of God, fully divine: John 1:14, Colossians 2:9 9. Revealer of Father: John 1:18, John 14:9 C. The Holy Spirit 1. Distinct from the Father: Genesis 1:2, Matthew 3:15-17 2. Identified with God: 2 Peter 1:21 a. Isaiah 52:11 / 2 Corinthians 6:17 b. Jeremiah 31:33-34 / Hebrews 10:15-17 3. Revealer of God's purposes to men: John 14:16-17, John 15:26, John 16:13, 2 Peter 1:21 4. Sanctifier: 2 Thessalonians 2:13, 1 Peter 1:2 D. The Father, the Son, the Spirit, and YHWH 1. All three present within concept of YHWH (Genesis 1) 2. Father: John 8:41-42, 54 3. Son: John 8:58, John 20:28, 1 Corinthians 10:9 4. Holy Spirit: Ezekiel 11:5, 2 Peter 1:21, see also II.C.2.a-b E. In all of this, God as one 1. Deuteronomy 6:4 2. Isaiah 45:5, 6, 18, 21 III. Attempting to Make Sense of the Revelation A. We have God as one, and yet God as three B. How to make this all work? C. Really one, different manifestations? 1. Called Modalism, Patripassianism, Monarchianism 2. Idea: God is really one, just has different modes-- the Father, the Son, the Spirit 3. Problem: Distinct manifestations exist (Matthew 3:15-17; John 8:17-18) 4. Cannot be different "modes"-- different Persons must exist D. Standard Trinitarian belief-- Three in One, One in Three 1. Difficult to understand, difficult to express 2. God as one in His "economy"-- one purpose, one substance, one power/authority 3. Three Persons of Godhead distinct in degree, form, aspect 4. Different not in diversity but distribution; different not by division but distinction; different in dispensation 4. "One only substance in three coherent and inseparable Persons" (Tertullian, Against Praxeas 7) 5. Hence, God as having distinct Persons yet so inseparable as to be considered only as united God-- no room for "other gods," as the pagans believed E. Concept at work in the Scriptures 1. Unity of Father and Son: John 10:30, John 17:11, 21-23 2. Unity of Father and Spirit, Son and Spirit: Romans 8:9, Isaiah 61:1/Luke 4:18, John 14:16, John 15:26 F. Other issues 1. Unlike pure Catholic trinitarianism, Scriptures indicate hierarchy within Godhead a. Father -> Son -> Spirit b. Functionally may not mean much, but made manifest in the revelation 2. Different images can be used to describe relationship a. Root -> Tree -> Fruit: all make up a tree, yet distinct parts with distinct functions b. Fountain -> River -> Lake: each proceeds from the other, same water, different forms c. Consider also Ephesians 5:31-32 / Genesis 2:24-- two as one-- distinct yet unit IV. Conclusion A. We have seen, therefore, the nature of the Godhead as far as we can know 1. God as One in economy, Three Persons 2. The idea of the "Trinity" 3. Makes the best sense of what the Bible reveals about the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit 4. Other theories do not work! B. Let us praise God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit for all they have done! C. 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 Spiritual Manna A biweekly devotional for your life. http://www.deusvitae.com/faith/manna From disciple_of_iesus at hotmail.com Mon Oct 19 15:13:33 2009 From: disciple_of_iesus at hotmail.com (Ethan R. Longhenry) Date: Mon, 19 Oct 2009 16:13:33 -0400 Subject: [Biblemat] S:> Zephaniah Message-ID: Zephaniah I. Introduction A. Zephaniah B. "God has hidden," or "God has protected" C. Discussion of the day of the LORD and all that means D. Let us consider the book II. Zephaniah: The Details A. Authorship 1. Portion of Zephaniah's genealogy given (Zephaniah 1:1) 2. Descendant of Hezekiah the king? 3. Nothing known regarding final compiler B. Dating 1. Dated to reign of Josiah (Zephaniah 1:1) 2. Thus, 640-612 BCE (cf. Zephaniah 3:13) 3. Last great moment of hope in days of kings of Judah C. Audience 1. Judah 2. Much we can gain from it D. Purpose 1. To reveal the word of God that came to Zephaniah 2. To proclaim the day of the LORD: condemnation for sinners, blessing for believers III. Zephaniah: The Story A. Judgment on Judah (Zephaniah 1) 1. Introduction; God to sweep everything from face of earth; man and beast, birds and fish; man to be cut off (Zephaniah 1:1-3) 2. Hand of God against Judah, Jerusalem; those serving Baal, Milcom, other idols, those not serving God or inquiring of Him to be cut off (Zephaniah 1:4-6) 3. Call for silence before God; God has prepared sacrifice; on day of sacrifice, officials, those in foreign attire, those leaping over threshold, those practicing violence to be punished (Zephaniah 1:7-9) 4. Cries to be heard on that day throughout Jerusalem; traders, merchants cut off; those complacent to be punished, plundered, will not prosper (Zephaniah 1:10-13) 5. Day of the LORD near; day of wrath, devastation, darkness against cities (Zephaniah 1:14-16) 6. Distress to be brought on mankind; walking as blind because of sin; blood, flesh poured out; will not be able to be delivered by silver or gold; earth to be consumed in jealousy of the LORD; He will make full and sudden end (Zephaniah 1:17-18) B. The Day of the LORD (Zephaniah 2-3) 1. Shameless nation to gather together before day of LORD against them; humble to seek LORD so as to be hidden on day of LORD's anger; Philistia to be devastated (Zephaniah 2:1-4) 2. Woe to Cherethites of the seacoast; word of LORD against Canaan, Philistia; God will make thorough destruction; seacoast to become pastureland; seacoast to become Judean possession when God restores their fortunes (Zephaniah 2:5-7) 3. God has heard the taunts of Moab and Ammon against Judah; as God lives, Moab and Ammon to be as Sodom, Gomorrah, a wasteland; Judeans who remain to plunder them because of their taunts; LORD against them, will famish gods of earth, all nations to bow to Him; Cushites also to suffer God's sword (Zephaniah 2:8-12) 4. Assyria also to be destroyed, Nineveh made a desolation; animals to live there; city now exultant, proud, but will be made desolate; all will hiss and shake fist who pass by (Zephaniah 2:13-15) 5. Woe to rebellious, defiled, oppressing city, who does not listen to God or trust in Him; officials as roaring lions, judges as wolves; prophets as fickle and treacherous, priests profane the holy and violate law; LORD is righteous, just; shows forth His justice, but unjust have no shame (Zephaniah 3:1-5) 6. Nations cut off, streets laid waste, their cities desolate; God expected Judah to see this and learn to accept correction, not meet same fate; yet they corrupted their deeds, thus wait for God when He rises up to seize prey; God will gather nations and pour out His wrath on Judah; all earth to be consumed (Zephaniah 3:6-8) 7. Speech of peoples to be made pure speech that day; all to call upon LORD's name and serve Him together; offerings to be brought from beyond Cush; will not be put to shame that day despite rebellion; proud and arrogant to be removed that day, lowly and humble to remain; they will seek refuge in name of God, will be righteous; none will make them afraid (Zephaniah 3:9-13) 8. Zion to sing and rejoice, for LORD has taken away judgment against you, cleared enemies; LORD in their midst, will not again fear evil; Zion not to fear, let hands grow weak; God in their midst, will save, rejoice over them, quiet them with His love, exult with singing; He will gather those who mourn so as to not suffer reproach; God to deal with oppressors, will save lame, gather outcast, change shame into praise; God to bring them in, make them renowned and praised among people on earth, fortunes restored (Zephaniah 3:14-20) IV. Zephaniah: Important Passages A. Zephaniah 3:13 / Revelation 14:5 B. Zephaniah 3:14-20 V. Conclusion A. Zephaniah the quintessential prophet 1. Day of judgment, condemnation upon the sinful of people of God, nations who rise against them 2. Promise of future day of restoration for God's people 3. All of these fears and hopes wrapped up in the "day of the LORD" B. Let us learn from Zephaniah and serve God while we have time! C. Invitation/songbook Ethan R. Longhenry / deusvitae at hotmail.com Evangelist, church of Christ in Norwalk, Ohio [norwalkchurch.org] Homepage: deusvitae.com AIM: Deus Vitae / ICQ: 28317056 Y! IM: discipuliiesus Spiritual Manna A biweekly devotional for your life. http://www.deusvitae.com/faith/manna From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Tue Oct 20 01:10:56 2009 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Tue, 20 Oct 2009 02:10:56 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] A) STAND 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 a short article from my files: STAND Hurts, Loss, Disapppointment. They are part of life under the sun, but no less painful and no less life changing. The quest- ion is not, will they come, but what will be our response when they do? Will we turn our back on everyone who has been part of our life up to that present point? Will we turn our back on God? Will the world run over us? Will we shut down completely? Will we become vengeful or spiteful? All these are possibilities and describe what some have done. Knowing what to do, then, is dependent on the faith and character we are building today. Rest assured, as surely as night follows day we will respond. If we wait until the time of crisis to develop our faith we will respond emotionally and most likely, wrong. On the other hand, if we are building our faith to- day for the crisis that will happen tomorrow, we will have the Lord to carry our load. Building our foundation on God every hour of every day cannot be over emphasized. The reason Paul could say, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" was because he had been doing it all along. The reason young Daniel could say, "I will not eat the king's meat nor drink the king's drink" was because he had al- ready settled this issue in his heart. Peter failed in his moment of trial because he decided emotio- nally. The good news however, is that Peter repented and turn- ed again to the Lord. He used personal failure and disappoint- ment as motivation to wake up to the need of having a stronger relationship with the Lord. Often when life turns against us, people retreat into the world and leave God behind. Please understand that when we choose to do that, Satan wins. Every time. But every time we stand firm, moved by our faith in God, and refuse to give up our faith in God, and refuse to give up or give in, Satan looses. Every time. We are made stronger and the roots of our faith grow deeper. Paul challenges, "Stand strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. And, having done all to stand, stand therefore..." (Eph. 6:10-13). When your moment of trial comes -- will you stand? ------------ Rickie Jenkins in Biblicl Insights, Vol. 8, No. 10, October, 2008. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091020/99f00e2a/attachment.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Tue Oct 20 01:11:06 2009 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Tue, 20 Oct 2009 02:11:06 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] S) "WORKERS TOGETHER WITH GOD" (5) Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. Here is the fifth and final instal- lment on this particular subject. Use to the glory of God. "WORKERS TOGETHER WITH GOD" (5) V. WHY? --- A PROMISED REWARD. A. Those who work in the vineyard of the Lord, will hear Him say: 1. "Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou has been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord" (Matt. 25:21). B. What a welcome home that will be! 1. After the labor is done, "There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God" (Heb. 4:9). C. There can be great confidence with all who labor in the vine- yard of the Lord. (See, Songs of the Church, 630). 1. "Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ" (Col. 3:24). D. Our blessed Lord promised us mansions in HIs Father's house, if we labored faithfully. (Jno. 14:1-3). E. Paul also says: "For we know that if the earthly house of this tabernacle be dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens" (2 Cor. 5:1). 1. Knowing this, he could say with joy: a. "There is laid up for me a crown of righteousness which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at the last day: and not for me only, but unto all them also that love His appearing" (2 Tim. 4:8). CONCLUSION: -- 1. Are you a worker together with God? 2. If you are not in His vineyard, His church, doing His Will, you are in the service of Satan. 3. Let us read what Paul says in: Rom. 6:1-23. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091020/587c59bc/attachment.html From bgreen at tycom.net Tue Oct 20 20:33:11 2009 From: bgreen at tycom.net (Bill Green) Date: Tue, 20 Oct 2009 20:33:11 -0500 Subject: [Biblemat] Institutionalism Message-ID: Brethren, I am looking for sermon outlines and other material on Institutionalism. Thanks for your help, and help with earlier post I have made, you can email me at bgreen at tycom.net Brotherly, Bill Green Bruce church of Christ Bruce, Ms -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091020/51feec64/attachment.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Wed Oct 21 05:45:45 2009 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Wed, 21 Oct 2009 06:45:45 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] A) QUESTION AND ANSWER 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 question and answer from my files: QUESTION: -- What about observing special days in religious activities? ANSWER: -- Observance of certain days as "holy days" was found in the Law of Moses, which governed the people of Israel. However, the apostle Paul shows that we are under a different law today. He writes of Christ: -- "Having blott- ed out the bond written in ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us: and He hath taken it out of the way, nailing it to the cross; having despoiled the principalities and the powers, He made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it. Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of a feast day or a new moon or a sabbath day; but the body is Christ's" (Col. 2:14-17). This passage shows that a "feast day" or even the "sabbath day" is not to be observed und- er the Gospel of Christ. When some Christians were observing such days as "holy days," the Scripture says, "Ye observe days, and months, and seasons, and years. I am afraid of you, lest by any means I have bestowed labor upon you in vain" (Gal. 4:10,11). But the early Christians never knew anything about the special days mention- ed in the letter for they originated much later. (The special or holy days mentioned above, were special days that were requir- ed of the Jews by Moses in the Law of Moses. But such special days came to an end upon the death of Christ upon the cross. These special or holy days were never required of the Gentiles who were never under the Law of Moses. Of course the Gentiles had their special days required in honoring their many and differ- ing gods in those early days. But once, either Jew or Gentile be- comes a Christian by obeying the first principles of the Gospel of Christ, they are no longer to keep those special or holy days. JWS). Such days that appeared later among those that became Christians, such as, "Christmas" is from "Christ Mass," which was a special day created by the Catholic Church to observe the birth of Christ. Such day is not mentioned in the New Testament Scriptures. Then, there is "Easter" begun as a celebration of the Spring rites to honor the Spring goddess, Eastre. The Catho-lics borrowed this day and changed it into a day to celebrate the resurrection of Christ. For one to observe any of these days is to acknowledge the authority of Rome, and not the true God of the Bible. Under the covenant of Christ there are no special or holy days as are set aside by religious leaders. The only day that is mentioned in the New Testament that is to be given any special observance is the First Day of the Week, Sunday. Which is set aside for worship of the true God of the Bible. On that day, the church of the Lord meets together to partake of the Lord's Supper to honor His death and suffering on behalf of all men. It is also a time to lay aside a portion of our blessings in order to help those in need, and also to spread the Gospel of Christ. It is a day when Christians gather and sing praises to God, study His Word and pray unto Him. There are many days that are set aside as national holidays; such as the 4th of July; Mother's Day, Thanksgiving, etc. that are not observed in a religious way. These days can be observ- ed by Christians. We, as Christians, have no authority to obser- ve any man-made religious holiday. Let us not follow after the religious world in observing these man-made religious holidays in any religious way. (Adapted from a question and answer by Clem Thurman in Gospel Minutes, Vol. 58, No. 42, Oct. 16, 2009.) -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091021/4a2b8e16/attachment-0001.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Wed Oct 21 05:45:54 2009 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Wed, 21 Oct 2009 06:45:54 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] S) WINNING SOULS TO CHRIST (1) Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. Here is the first installment of a particular study that is still in the field of personal evangelism. Use to the glory of God. WINNING SOULS TO CHRIST (1) INTRODUCTION: -- The question is often asked "How can I win souls for Christ? Since the devil began his campaign for the souls of Adam and Eve, a great contest has been in progress upon earth. Because of this the Bible speaks of "winning" souls. "The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life: And he that is wise winneth souls." Prov. 11:30. "And they that are wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament: and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever." Dan. 12:3. Also note: Lk. 21:19. Today we are engaged in the greatest enterprise on earth: "And Jesus came to them and spake unto them, saying, All auth- ority hath been given unto Me in heaven and on earth. God ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world." Matt. 28:18-20. we are facing opposition by man's most cunning enemy. It is from this enemy, Satan, that souls must be won unto Christ. We are told that Jesus came to "seek and to save that which was lost." The reason for this lies within the nature of man and the consequent value of his soul. Man is a creature of God's handiwork. He was made of the dust, ye he is a living soul in the very image of God. Gen. 1:26,27; 2:7; Psa. 95:6; Eph. 4:23,24. Because he is a living soul, he cannot "live" by bread alone. It is not in man that walketh to direct his own steps Jer. 10:23. All we like sheep have gone astray. We have turned everyone to his own way... Isa. 53:6. Before God, we stand in the need of His mercy. Being therefore lost, and facing the wages of our own sin, Rom. 6:23, we need to be won to Christ if we are to be saved from the eternal wrath of God. In order to win souls to Christ, at least four things are needed, Jude 23. (We will begin to study these four things in our posting tomorrow, the Lord willing, JWS) -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091021/b69f06ac/attachment-0001.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Thu Oct 22 03:54:58 2009 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Thu, 22 Oct 2009 04:54:58 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] A) QUESTION AND ANSWER 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 and answer adapted from my files: QUESTION: -- How could Jesus die on Friday and be raised on the first day of the week, Sunday, and still have been in the belly of the earth three days and three nights? ANSWER: -- "Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered Him, saying, 'Teacher, we want to see a sign from You.' But He answered and said to them, 'An evil and adulter- ous generation craves for a sign, and yet no sign shall be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet; for just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the sea monster, so shall the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth'" (Matt. 12:38-40). I have included the text surround- ing the verse you ask about. I do this so we can see the context. The religious leaders were seeking a sign from Jesus, even though Jesus had performed many exorcisms and healings in their midst. They still wanted a bigger, more definite sign. Jesus says the sign they seek will come and it will be like that of Jonah who spent three days and nights in the belly of the fish. So Jesus would die and be back, just as Jonah figuratively died and came back. The issue over the days and timing of Jesus death is not a new one. Some in western culture read this and immediately see it only in terms of our language and idioms. But, in first cent- ury terms the Jews would count any part of a day or night as a whole. So, Jesus was raised on the third day. "For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures" (1 Cor. 15:3,4). Paul says it very plainly, Jesus was raised on the third day. So, the solution to this is simple. Understand and read these words as a first century Jew would, then the idiom makes sense. Jesus is equating His upcoming resurrection with Jonah's experience in the fish. As Jonah was received back from the dead figuratively, so Jesus would be received back in actuality. If you insist on three full days and nights as being literal in the modern sense, you have another proplem. Now, you have Jesus being raised on the fourth day. He Himself said it would be the third day (Matt. 16:21). So the simple solution is to see this in terms of the language of the day. Jesus died on Friday (the first day) and was raised on Sunday (the third day). In Jew- ish minds this would be three days and three nights. -------------- David Thurman in Gospel Minutes, Vol. 58, No. 42, Oct. 16,2009. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091022/8d18a838/attachment-0001.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Thu Oct 22 03:55:11 2009 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Thu, 22 Oct 2009 04:55:11 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] S) WINNING SOULS TO CHRIST (2) Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. Here is the second install- ment of this particula study. Use to the glory of God. WINNING SOULS TO CHRIST (2) I. A WINNING HEART: -- A. A Winning Heart Is A Tender, Compassionate Heart: -- 1. Our Master possessed such a heart: -- "And Jesus went about all the cities and the villages, teaching in their syna- gogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of disease and all manner of sickness. But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with com- passion for them, because they were distressed and scatt- ered, as sheep not having a shepherd. Then saith He unto his disciples. The harvest indeed is plenteous, but the laborers are few. Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he send forth laborers into his harvest." (Matt. 9:35-38) "And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not." (Lk. 7:13). This was said to the widow of Nain that had lost her son. 2. In His teaching He emphasized the importance of this qual- ity. "But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he was moved with compassion." (Lk. 10:33). "And he arose and came to his father. But while he was yet afar off, his father saw him, and was moved with compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him" (Lk. 15:20). 3. The apostles also gave emphasis to the need of compass- ion. "In love of the brethren be tenderly affectioned one to another: in honor preferring one another" (Rom. 12:10). "And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other, even as God also in Christ forgave you" (Eph. 4:32). "Finally, be ye all likeminded, compassionate, loving as brethren, tenderhearted, humbleminded" (1 Pet. 3:8). 4. A passion for lost souls is an essential if we would win others to Christ. 5. We must cultivate this kind of heart before it is too late. "And he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou would- est send him to my father's house: for I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment" (Lk. 16:27,28). B. A Winning Heart Will Be Merciful And Forgiving: -- 1. "What doeth Jehovah require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?" (Mic. 6:8) 2. When He named some of the "weightier matters of the law," Jesus included mercy on His list. "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypochrites! for ye tithe mint and anise and cummin, and have left undone the weightier matters of the law, justice, and mercy, and faith: but these ye ought to have done, and not to have left the others undone." (Matt. 23:23). 3. A merciful spirit was one of the traits possessed by both Jesus and the early disciples. "And Jesus said, Father, for- give them: for they know not what they do..." (Lk. 23:34). "And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge." Acts 7:60). 4. A forgiving spirit must also be in us if we are to win this con- test for souls. C. A Winning Heart Is One That Is Pure And Sincere, Strong And Manly: -- "Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God" (Matt. 5:8). "When I was a child, I spake as a child, I felt as a child, I thought as a child: now that I am become a man, I have put away childish things" (1 Cor. 13:11). "Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong" (1 Cor. 16:13). 1. A heart that is deceitful, hypocritical, double-minded, or vac- illating, will be impotent and worthless in efforts to win souls 2. A winning heart must be full of genuine faith in the gospel of Christ. "Having been reminded of the unfeigned faith that is in thee: which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother, Eunice; and, I am persuaded in thee also" (2 Tim. 1:5). Take note of: Col. 3:16,17; Gal. 3:11b. "Withal take up the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the evil one" (Eph. 6:16). 3. It must be possessed of a pure conscience: -- "Hereby shall we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our heart before HIm: because if our heart condemn us, God is great- er than our heart, and knoweth all things. Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, we have boldness toward God: and whatsoever we ask we receive of Him, because we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight" (1 Jno. 3:19-22). Take note of: Acts 23:1; 24:16. D. A Winning Heart Will Be A Heart That Is Generous With Mater- ial Means: -- (1 Cor. 16:1,2; Matt. 6:33; 2 Cor. 9:6,7). (More will be posted on this subject tomorrow, the Lord willing, JWS). -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091022/3f1786bc/attachment-0001.html From ZekeFlores1 at cs.com Thu Oct 22 10:49:44 2009 From: ZekeFlores1 at cs.com (ZekeFlores1 at cs.com) Date: Thu, 22 Oct 2009 11:49:44 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] A> Communing With The Lord Message-ID: Communing With the Lord in His Supper Zeke Flores There are many considerations worthy of study in regard to the Lord's supper. For instance, some question whether or not Christians today should even partake of it. The command of the Lord (Matt 26:26-29) and the subsequent approved practice of the apostles and those they taught quickly takes care of that. We could discuss the authorized frequency of the Lord's supper since many evidently consider it fine with God to partake of it daily, monthly, quarterly, or even annually. However, the context in which we find Acts 20:7 certainly shows that the early disciples partook of it on the first day of the week (Sunday) and it is implied that it was done every Sunday. Too, we could talk about the authorized elements that serve as the memorial of the Lord's body and blood are plainly implied as unleavened bread and specified as fruit of the vine. But, there is another, deeper aspect to this supper that remains a highly spiritual act of devotion and worship to the Christian: fellowship. Jesus gives a hint of this in Matthew's gospel when He says, "I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until I drink it new with you in My Father's kingdom." (Matt 26:29) The implication is that it is something that the disciple and his Lord do together. Thus, there is a participating, a sharing, a communion occurring. 1 Cor 10:16 reminds us of that very thing: "Is not the cup of blessing which we bless a sharing in the blood of Christ? Is not the bread which we break a sharing in the body of Christ?" Since it is by the offering of His body and blood that attaches us to Him (Rom 6:3), it is the sharing in the emblematic body and blood of Christ that is also the means by which we celebrate that attachment to Him and He to us as well as to each other. It is a solemn memorial by which we demonstrate that by remembering His death, we affirm that it is His death that unites us, thus making us fellows with Him; hence the fellowship we proclaim by eating the bread and drinking the cup. "We have communion with one, (?koinonia,' that which is in common, that which pertains to all, that which evinces fellowship,) when we partake together; when all have an equal right, and all share alike; when the same benefits or the same obligations are extended to all. And the sense here is, that Christians partake alike in the benefits of the blood of Christ; they share the same blessings; and they express this together, and in common, when they partake of the communion." (Barnes' NT Commentary) In this way, we share alike in the benefits which are communicated through the body and blood of Jesus, uniting us with Him. The "cup of blessing" referred to in 1 Cor 10:16 indicates that the cup itself, as well as the bread, is blessed, holy, sanctified, set apart. That is hardly surprising since it communicates the holy body and blood of the sinless Lord, but consider also that those who partake of it are also blessed, holy, sanctified, and set apart. Thus, it is essentially meaningless for a non-Christian to take it since there is a misunderstanding of what they are partaking of. While the Scriptures offer no guide as far as "policing" others who take the supper, it does tell us how we ought to approach the blessed elements: "A man must examine himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup." (1 Cor 11:26) How can one who has never had the blessing of forgiveness made possible by the Lord's sacrifice truly appreciate that sacrifice? But the Christian is allowed an opportunity, week after week, to remember and value anew that utterly selfless act that made it possible for him to have relationship with his Creator, and then, to renew his pur pose in serving the risen Lord. The Lord's supper is rich with import and substance. It is a sanctified supper for a set apart people. It is significant and meaningful for Christians. Let us renew our appreciation for this simple act of worship that helps us in our fellowship, our communion, with Jesus. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091022/ff8a06c8/attachment-0001.html From tedwards at onemain.com Wed Oct 21 16:59:15 2009 From: tedwards at onemain.com (tedwards at onemain.com) Date: Wed, 21 Oct 2009 16:59:15 -0500 Subject: [Biblemat] B> Gospel Observer 10/4/09 Message-ID: <4ADF3DE3.10935.23C032E@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). ____________________________________________________ October 4, 2009 ____________________________________________________ Contents: 1) Sanctify the Lord God in Your Hearts (Bill Moseley) 2) The Christian's Creed (Rufus R. Clifford) 3) We Must Be Careful (Lewis Willis) ____________________________________________________ -1- Sanctify the Lord God in Your Hearts by Bill Moseley Peter said, "but sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear" (1 Pet. 3:15). This verse is usually used to show that we should know why we are Christians, and to tell others the reason why, and to be able to reply to their inquiries to this effect. This is well and good, but many times we completely overlook the import of the first part of the verse. We are commanded to "sanctify the Lord God in your hearts." In order to do this, we need to find out something about the heart as Peter uses the term, and know what it is and what it does. First of all, the "heart" here is the mind; the intellect of man. The mind of man thinks and reasons. Jesus asked, "wherefore think ye evil in your hearts" (Matt. 9:4). In the long ago God said that "the thoughts of man's heart were evil continually" (Gen. 6:5). Again, the Lord asked his disciples, "why are ye troubled, and why do thoughts arise in your hearts" (Lk. 24:38). So we see that with the heart man thinks. The heart is also the center of desires. "My heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved" ( Rom. 10:1). This is what Paul desired for Israel. How did he desire it? In his heart! The Psalmist said, "delight thyself in the Lord, and he shall give thee the desires of thy heart" (Psa. 37:4). That which is evil as well as good originates and proceeds from the heart, or mind. This is evidenced again by the Psalmist. " ... which imagine mischiefs in their hearts" (Psa. 140:1-2). That which is evil as well as good originates and proceeds from the heart, or mind. Jesus taught that man's deeds, good or bad, come forth from the heart (Matt. 12:34-35; Mk. 7:20-23). The heart is also a workshop of spiritual activity. When the heart is not willing, man does not produce for God. Moses said, "whosoever is of a willing heart, let him bring his offering ..." (Exo. 35:5). In this same chapter (vv. 21, 26, 29) we see people working for the Lord because their hearts were "stirred up." They were active. Solomon said to "keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life" (Pro. 4:23). So we will do what our heart determines. When you see one busily engaged in God's work, you can usually be assured that "his heart is in it." The heart is the seat of courage. We read of people who lost courage, and it is said that their "hearts melted" (Josh. 5:1). Do we lose heart when called upon to face the enemies of God? David said to Saul, king and commander of Israel's armies, "let no man's heart fail because of him (Goliath)" (1 Sam. 17:32). Before this terrible enemy the soldiers of Saul's army lacked "heart," or courage. But David's heart did not fail, and the result was that he defeated the Philistine giant and routed their army. As God's people today, we need to continually take "new heart" and go forth and meet all the enemies of truth. That is the only way that victory may be assured. Finally, the condition of the heart determines the life a person may live (Pro. 14:30). We will do what the heart commands us to do. We see from these passages some things the heart does, and what it is. But what of the command to "sanctify the Lord God in your hearts"? "Sanctify" is to hallow, separate from things profane and dedicate to God; to consecrate, set apart for God, to be as it were exclusively his (Thayer). Have we done this with God in our hearts? Since we have seen that the heart thinks, reasons and is the seat of desires and passions, to "sanctify God" in our hearts is to allow God to overrule any of these other things in the heart. Anything else in the heart, or mind, is to be subservient to God's will. He is to be "set apart" in our thinking and reasoning from these other things; to occupy first place in our hearts. Some people have not done as Peter instructs. God, in their heart, occupies a position on the same plane, or level, as other things. He is not particularly revolting to such people; they simply think as much of other things that arise in their hearts as they do of the Lord. When this condition exists, it ought to be changed. We need to give God first place; set him apart -- "sanctify God in the heart." Whether or not a person has done this is evidenced by the things he thinks, says and does, for "as a man thinketh in the heart, so is he." -- Via Putting the Brethren in Remembrance, June 1997 ____________________________________________________ -2- The Christian's Creed by Rufus R. Clifford If you were to ask a Christian for a copy of the "creed" or "book of rules" of the church of Christ, he could only offer you a copy of the New Testament. The only written creed the church that Christ built (Mtt. 16:18) has ever had is the New Testament. It was given by inspiration of God, and is sufficient to furnish the man of God unto all good works (1 Tim. 3:16-17). It meets the needs of the whole world (Mk. 16:15). This is the only message we are authorized to use in the conversion of sinners (Mk. 16:15-16; Mtt. 28:18-20). Jesus taught that the word of God is enduring and that by it we shall all be judged (Lk. 21:33; Jn. 12:48). The authority of Christ, as expressed in the New Testament, is the only safe guide for the church. It is sinful for the church to submit to any other authority. The Gospel is God's power to save (Rom. 1:16). James says it is able to save (Jas. 1:21). Paul writes that it did save the Corinthians (1 Cor. 15:1-2). The curse of God rests upon the man who preaches another Gospel or dares to add to or subtract from it (Gal. 1:8; Rev. 11:18-19). In spite of the plain Bible teaching above, we find good, religious people subscribing to human creeds. Even those who subscribe to man-made creeds will not claim for them any saving power. They are but the products of human opinion and stand as barriers to the unity of religious people. Man-made creeds are based upon two wicked assumptions: (1) The New Testament is not sufficient to meet the needs and govern the people of God, (2) This supposed insufficiency can be remedied by weak, fallible, erring man. Without such assumptions there is no excuse for the making of any human creed. Human creeds are objectionable for a number of reasons. 1. They are not inspired of God. 2. They do not meet the needs of the whole world. 3. They are not perfect. 4. They must be revised every few years. 5. We will not be judged by them. 6. They set aside and make void the word of God. 7. They teach many things contrary to the New Testament. 8. They keep people divided on the question of religion. -- Via Bible Basics ____________________________________________________ -3- We Must Be Careful by Lewis Willis The children of Israel were often taunted by their heathen, idolatrous adversaries. Because they could see no physical presence of Jehovah, they mocked at his existence. One of the Psalms makes an excellent point based on this conflict: "Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is now their God? But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased" (Psa. 115:2-3). The Psalmist proceeds to discuss the idols of men. He said they were made of silver and gold. They had mouths but could not speak; eyes but could not see; ears but could not hear; noses but could not smell; hands but could not handle; feet but could not walk; nor could they speak through their throat. In fact, he said, they had been made in the image of the men who made them (vv. 4-8). How could these people seriously question Jehovah? They wanted to know where God was. David said that he was not on the earth, but that he resided in heaven. Thus, to expect God to resemble dumb idols made in the image of man, by men's hands, was futile. All of this is undoubtedly true and I have noted as much in the paragraphs above. However, the point I wish to make is stated in the last phrase of our text: "he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased." This is a truly profound and important fact to recognize and respect. In his deliberations concerning time, earth and man, he has acted as it has pleased or suited him! Candidly, I do not see how we could ever please him without recognizing this truth. Furthermore, things that God has done to his own pleasure are "good" for man. Moses spoke of God's commandments, "And the Lord commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the Lord our God, for our good always, that he might preserve us alive, as it is at this day" (Deut. 6:24). Jeremiah made a similar statement, "And I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me forever, for the good of them, and of their children after them: And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good, but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me" (Jer. 32:39-40). It is essential that we recognize today that when God did as he pleased, his every act was good for man. If we deny this, then we will be searching for something else that we believe to be good for us. If we acknowledge this truth, we will content ourselves with what God has done and set ourselves to the task of submissive obedience unto his will. It occurs to me that this could well be the reason why so many of us are disobedient unto God; why we are trying almost constantly to rework what God has done. Now, let us apply what we have learned. God had the right, being Almighty God, to do whatever pleased him. That is exactly what he did and we must accept this. "Good" will come to us only if we confine ourselves to his pleasure. Consider, then, the following thoughts: 1. It pleased God to put the blessing of salvation in Christ and his body, the church (Eph. 3:11; Acts 2:47). We must be careful to respect this and get into Christ and his church. 2. It pleased God to grant entry into Christ on the conditions and terms of the Gospel (Gal. 3:26-27; Rom. 6:3-4; Mk. 16:16; Acts 2:38). We must be careful and obey those things he has commanded. 3. It pleased God to assign a specific worship to be offered by the church (Acts 20:7; 2:42; Eph. 5:19; 1 Cor. 16:2). We must be careful that we confine our worship to that which pleased God who appointed it. After all, we are not worshiping ourselves so it does not matter what pleases us. 4. It pleased God for the church to engage itself in only edifying itself, discharging its benevolent duty and evangelizing the world (Eph, 4:12). We must be careful that we not try to involve the church in more than God assigned. 5. It pleased God to organize the church so that each congregation was independent of all the rest, governed by elders who were assisted by deacons, evangelists and all the saints (Acts 20:28; 1 Pet. 5:2; Phil. 1:1). We must be careful that we not try to set up an organizational structure different than the one God gave. Many other aspects of the doctrine of Christ could be included in this list of things that pleased God. I think enough has been said to establish the point I am seeking to emphasize. Too many people are trying to re-work the provisions God has made, and re-write the law that governs our lives today. We cannot improve upon that which God has given, nor should we try. We should simply be obedient to his will in all things. Only then will things be "good" for us. "For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure" (Phil. 2:13). -- Via Guardian of Truth XXXV: 6, p. 170, 3/21/91 ____________________________________________________ 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 Oct 23 03:28:40 2009 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Fri, 23 Oct 2009 04:28:40 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] A) POEM 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 a poem from my files: DIRT FLOWS IN MY VEINS My mother taught the basic facts On how a garden grows; She pulled the weeds and hoed the corn, And grew the lovely rose. I often followed as she worked, To see the fruits of labor, She put the fresh foods on or plates, And shared with friends and neighbors. Across the years when springtime comes And brings the gentle rains; I hve the urge to plant and grow, 'Cause dirt flows in my veins. As I recall my childhood days, And work my mother did; I crave the garden vegetables Enjoyed when just a kid. Sweet corn and squash, beans, and okra, Always a tasty treat; The country cooking we consumed Just never could be beat. I start my own tomato plants As winter slowly wanes; The love for gardening My mother gave, like dirt, flows in my veins. ------- Charles W. Cook, via The Historical News. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091023/a16a3f9c/attachment-0001.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Fri Oct 23 03:28:55 2009 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Fri, 23 Oct 2009 04:28:55 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] S) WINNING SOULS TO CHRIST (3) Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. Here is the third installment of this particular study. Use to the glory of God. WINNING SOULS TO CHRIST (3) II. A WINNING LIFE:-- A. A Winning Life Will Be A Life Of Devotion To God. 1. Many lack the power to win souls for this reason. 2. Their minds are carnal, and their lives reveal it: -- "But in giv- ing you this carge, I praise you not, that ye come together not for the better but for the worse. For this cause many among you are weak and sickly, and not a few sleep." " And I , brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spirit- ual, but as unto carnal, as unto babes in Christ. I fed you with milk, not with meat: for ye were not yet able to bear it: nay, not even now are ye able: for ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you jealousy and strife, are ye not carnal, and do ye not walk after the manner of men?" (1 Cor. 11:17,30; 3:1-3). 3. They haven't surrendered fully to God. 4. If the spirit of Christ dwells in us, we will be constant in pray- er and steadfast in worship: -- "But ye are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you. But if any man hath not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His." "Look ye out therefore, brethren, from among you seven men of good report, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. But we will con- tinue stedfastly in prayer, and in the ministry of the Word." (Rom. 8:9; Acts 6:3,4). 5. From this our lives will gain power to win souls: -- "In like manner, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands: that, even if any obey not the Word, they may without the Word be gained by the behavior of their wives: beholding your chaste behavior coupled with fear. Whose adorning let it not be the outward adorning of braiding the hair, and of wearing jewels of gold, or of putting on apparel but let it be the hidden man of the heart, in the incorruptible appar- el of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price." (1 Pet. 3:1-4). B. A Winning Life Will Be A Life Of Service To Man: -- 1. We need to give ourselves as "living sacrifices." "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service. And be not fashioned accor- ding to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is the good and acc- eptable and perfect Will of God." (Rom. 12:1,2). 2. The world needs to see Christ in us as we go about serving others: -- "Now when they beheld the boldness of Peter and John, and had perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled: and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus." (Acts 4:13). 3. Here we often fail. But here is the secret of Paul's power in winning souls: -- "I have been crucified with Christ: and it is no longer I that live, but Christ liveth in me: and that life which I now live in the flesh I live in faith, the faith which is in the Son of God, Who loved me, and gave Himself up for me." (Gal. 2:20). 4. When we are faithful in duty the world can see the fruit of the Spirit in our lives: -- "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness, self-control: against such there is no law." (Gal. 5:22,23). 5. The light of the world will cast its glow and the devil will be on the run: -- (Matt. 5:13-16). C. A Winning Life Will Be Unspotted From The World: -- "Pure religion and undefiled before our God and Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction and to keep oneself unspotted from the world." "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 enemy of God." (Jas. 1:27; 4:4). 1. A pure heart will result in a pure life, one that is "worthy of the gospel of Christ." "Only let your manner of life be wort- hy of the gospel of Christ: that, whether I come to see you or be absent, I may hear of your state, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one soul striving for the faith of the gospel" (Phil. 1:27). 2. Jesus gave Himself for the church, "that He might sanctify it, having cleansed it by the washing of water with the Word that He might present the church to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish." (Eph. 5:26,27). 3. A life given to drinking, gambling, or dancing, etc., will be powerless to win souls. Also, we might add, indifference as to being powerless or not to win souls. 4. As we hold forth the Word of Life before an unbelieving world, may God help us to make our life harmonize with our holy calling. (More will be posted on this subject tomorrow, the Lord willing, JWS). -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091023/5fe565e4/attachment-0001.html From tedwards at onemain.com Fri Oct 23 05:31:30 2009 From: tedwards at onemain.com (tedwards at onemain.com) Date: Fri, 23 Oct 2009 05:31:30 -0500 Subject: [Biblemat] B> Gospel Observer 10/11/09 Message-ID: <4AE13FB2.20441.248E66@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). ____________________________________________________ October 11, 2009 ____________________________________________________ Contents: 1) Naaman the Syrian (Irvin Himmel) 2) "Bless Our God" (Edward O. Bragwell, Sr.) 3) News & Notes ____________________________________________________ -1- Naaman the Syrian by Irvin Himmel The lessons of the Old Testament are for our learning (Rom. 15:4). A study of characters who lived in ages past can be both profitable and interesting. Naaman lived in the days of Elisha the prophet. His story is related in 2 Kings 5. Naaman was captain of the Syrian army. Syria was Israel's neighbor to the north. Although he was considered great, honorable, and mighty in valor or courage, Naaman was afflicted with a dreaded disease of leprosy. The Syrians had gone oft in companies and raided the Israelites. In one of those hostile attacks they had captured a little maid. The girl became the servant of Naaman's wife. One day she remarked that if he could be in Samaria with the prophet of God, Naaman could be healed of his leprosy. In time, Naaman went into the land of Israel, and after some confusion he appeared before the prophet. When the Syrian arrived with horses and chariots, Elisha sent a messenger, saying, "Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean." Naaman was full of anger and reacted according to the emotion that flooded his heart. Despite his being noted for courage, Naaman lacked humility -- a characteristic necessary for any man who seeks God's blessing. Naaman was wroth because he expected the prophet to come out, stand, call on the name of the Lord, strike his hand over the place, and thus recover the leper. He said, "Behold, I thought. . . ." His mistake was in supposing that God should operate according to Naaman's plan. He expected show and ceremony. Many people in our times are like Naaman in attitude. They expect God to conform to their plans. They stumble at His simple commands in their zeal for ceremony and elaborate schemes. They will either have their way about things or die and go to hell. Naaman argued that if it was necessary to dip in a river he should at least be permitted to choose the river. After all, water is water, and Abana and Pharpar, rivers in his own country, appeared better and cleaner than the muddy Jordan. Overlooking the fact that the difference was in God's choice in the matter, and ignoring the command given through the prophet by the messenger, "he turned and went away in a rage." Before we become too harsh in censuring Naaman, let us ask ourselves if we have not acted in much the same way at times. The New Testament commands baptism for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38; 22:16; 1 Pet. 3:21). Has anyone ever scoffed at baptism and argued that it is non essential? The Bible calls baptism a burial followed by a resurrection. Has anyone ever chosen to ignore Romans 6:3-5 and Colossians 2:12, reasoning that sprinkling and pouring will suffice, and either would be much more convenient than immersion? Has anyone ever turned away, perhaps even in a rage, when it was insisted that God means exactly what the Bible says? Naaman's servants reasoned with him, reminding him that if he had been asked to do some great thing he would have complied. But think how simple and easy the command of God was! The mighty Syrian captain humbled himself and dipped seven times in Jordan, according to God's will, "and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean." The waters of Jordan did not cleanse Naaman. God did it. But God would not cleanse him until he obeyed. When a person is baptized today, the water does not remit his sins. It is God who forgives sins. But God has not promised remission of sins until one obeys in baptism. As God used water to test the faith of Naaman, water is used to test our faith now. How strong is your faith? Let us learn from Naaman that it pays to comply with God's requirements. Let us humble ourselves, trust and obey the Lord. Our eternal salvation is at stake. -- Via Guardian of Truth XXVII: 6, pp. 171-172, March 17, 1983 ____________________________________________________ -2- "Bless Our God" by Edward O. Bragwell, Sr. "Oh, bless our God, you peoples! And make the voice of his praise to be heard" ( Psalm 66:8 NKJV). Psalms 65 and 66 are songs of praise. They were likely composed at the same time -- likely at the end of the year (see 65:11). Both call upon Israel to praise God for his goodness toward them. Just as Israel had so much to praise God for, so do we. We individually and collectively as the children of God in this country have so many reasons to praise God for his blessings. Let's examine what the psalmist himself had in mind in these two psalms. Material Prosperity In Chapter 65:9-13, God is praised for blessing their crops and pastures. This allowed their grain and flocks to flourish. God richly blessed them materially. Since World War II, this country has enjoyed a prosperity unprecedented in world history. Compare our standard of living with that of just a few years ago, to say nothing of that of a generation or two ago. I tell my children that when I was growing up that we did not have wall-to-wall floors, to say nothing of wall-to-wall carpet and that when you spoke of drywall, it meant that the roof was not leaking. Compare the cars we drive and the clothes we wear with that of our parents and their parents before them. Think of the things that we can now buy in the marketplace to make our lives more comfortable and pleasant that were not available to anyone just a few years ago. Just think of the household appliances and electronics that most of us have in our houses today. If we could have had them in my early childhood, we would not have had the electricity to run them. Congregations have prospered materially as well. Compare the buildings and other facilities with those of just a few years ago, especially in rural communities. Central heating and air has replaced the old potbellied stove, and the funeral home fans. The hard seats of yesteryear have been replaced with cushioned pews. Paved parking lots have replaced the mud that surrounded many buildings. And state-of-the-art sound systems allow us to hear those preachers and others who take a public part in our worship, who are not blessed with a strong voice. Many churches, who could not afford full-time preachers to work with them in the community, now have them. Brethren, we have been so richly blessed materially. Let us pray to God that we have the sense and gratitude needed to use all these things wisely. God's Working in History "He turned the sea into dry land; they went through the river on foot. There we will rejoice in him" (66:6). I believe the psalmist is speaking of the deliverance of Israel at the Red Sea in the first phrase, and the crossing of the Jordan into Canaan in the second phrase. I understand that God's hand in these two events was miraculous in nature. But when you look at the history of Israel as a whole you can see God's helping hand at work in their lives -- both miraculously and providentially. Though the age of miracles ceased with the complete revelation of God's will for man by the end of the first century (1 Corinthians 13; Jude 3), God's providence continues to work in the affairs of men (Matthew 6:25-33; 1 Corinthians 10:13). I know that we cannot always point to a specific event today and know with absolute certainty that it is an act of providence. But I do believe that the Bible clearly teaches that God's providence continues to work today in the affairs of men. Would I be too presumptuous if I were to say that God's providence has been at work in our own history as a nation? Our forefathers were able to form a nation free of state-sponsored and state-imposed religion. This was at a time when religious tyranny was rampant in Europe from one source or another. Such freedom to worship provided an atmosphere for the "Restoration Movement" to become a reality and to thrive. Most of us in America who are beneficiaries of the preaching of the pure gospel, whether we realize it or not, owe our salvation to that movement. Of course, we understand that ultimately we owe our salvation to the gospel which they preached and which the apostles preached before them -- and to the Subject of that gospel, Jesus Christ and him crucified for our sins and raised the third day of our justification (Romans 4:25). But I am sure that none of us can fathom the depth of God's providence at work in history in order to put the gospel into our hands. God's Refinement through Trials In 66:10-12, he says: "For You, O God, have tested us. You have refined us as silver is refined. You brought us into the net; You laid affliction upon our backs. You have caused men to ride over our heads; We went through fire and through water; But You brought us out to rich fulfillment." The psalmist is saying to God, "You have refined us through trials and made us spiritually rich." God has always used adversity to purify and refine His people. That is the reason that James admonishes us to count it all joy to fall into temptations and trials (James 1:2-4). The chastisement or discipline that the Hebrew writer spoke of in Chapter 12 is persecution that the Lord uses for his purposes of discipline, according to the context of this passage. God can even use factions among brethren as a tool of refinement for his church (1 Corinthians 11:19). One should not tempt God by seeking trials, but when they come, God uses them to his and our advantage. (Cf. Matthew 4:6-7; 1 Corinthians 10: 13). This gives us reason to "rejoice in tribulation." Spiritual Satisfaction "Iniquities prevail against me; As for our transgressions, You will provide atonement for them. Blessed is the man You choose, And cause to approach You. That he may dwell in Your courts. We shall be satisfied with the goodness of Your house, Of Your holy temple" (65:3-4). "Come and hear, all You who fear God, And I will declare what he has done for my soul" (66:16). Here the writer expresses his satisfaction with the goodness of God's house and what God has done for his soul. He declares that God had provided atonement (NKJ), forgiveness (ASV), or purging (KJV) for his sins. Surely, today we are satisfied with the goodness and sufficiency of God's house, the church (1 Timothy 3:15) -- at least, I would hope so. God has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus. He has made each of us a part of his spiritual house, of his holy nation, of his holy and royal priesthood, as his own special people (1 Peter 2:5-9) -- how can we not "bless our God!" No wonder the psalmist said, "Make a joyful noise unto God..." (66:1-2). -- Via The Reflector, March 2008 ____________________________________________________ -3- News & Notes Let those of us who are Christians be praying for the family and friends of Weldon Warnock -- especially for his wife Betty, their daughter Julie, and his brother Larry. Brother Warnock passed away October 4. We extend our condolences to all his family and friends. He had served the Lord as a gospel preacher for about 55 years or more. May the truth he taught and life he lived continue to be an encouragement, comfort, and blessing to those who knew him. ____________________________________________________ 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 tssullivan at charter.net Fri Oct 23 08:36:19 2009 From: tssullivan at charter.net (T. Sean Sullivan) Date: Fri, 23 Oct 2009 08:36:19 -0500 Subject: [Biblemat] The Messenger Vol 004 Iss 040 Message-ID: <2200444FF06D4A29BFEE92E70D0D0AC8@sean2e3f41f1ba> The Messenger 2009 Published Weekly by Main Street Church of Christ 306 West Main Street, Newbern, TN 38059 Bulletin Editor: T. Sean Sullivan VOLUME 004::ISSUE 040: October 11, 2009 This Week?s Article: Building Now for the Future Introduction: How is your year going? In less than three months, as the Lord wills, we will begin another new year. That time will be normal, as was the beginning of this year--we will set great goals for ourselves, again. What about this year? Have you achieved your goals yet? Have you improved; become more for the Lord? There are only eighty-one days left to reach our goals for the year, if we haven?t. So to save ourselves from disappointment let?s consider three great goals that will help us now and in the future, Lord willing. Three essential building blocks of life are to be increased in our life for our own betterment. Let?s examine kindness, faith, and zeal. Kindness The Greek term for brotherly kindness is philos-storgio. It is a ?self-less care? for the welfare of others. If you add a good measure of kindness to your life you will be well equipped to accomplish God will. You will be more ready to care for your brethren and you will also provide the needed hope to those outside more readily. Sometimes it is easy to slip into ?oblivion? where we are not thinking about anything or anyone other than ourselves. When we choose to live in oblivion we fail to be what we need to be for everyone around us. Kindness is described by the admonitions of Romans 12:9-11. The care described in that passage toward our brethren certainly covers material things, but it is also about the spiritual well-being of our brethren. Let?s just run through the epistles looking for specific mention of things we must do for each other: Romans 12:10-16 ?Be kindly affectionate to one another?; Romans 13:8 ?love one another?; Romans 15:5 ?Be patience and comfort one another?; Romans 15:7 ?Receive one another?; Romans 15:14 ?Admonish one another?; Ephesians 4:2 ?Bear with one another in love?; Ephesians 4:32 ?Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving?; Colossians 3:13 ?Bear with one another, and forgive one another?; 1 Thessalonians 3:12 ?Abound in love to one another?; 1 Thessalonians 4:9 ?Love one another?; 1 Thessalonians 4:18 ?Comfort one another?; Hebrews 3:13 ?Exhort one another daily?; Hebrews 10:24 ?Consider one another?; James 5:16 ?Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray?; 1 Peter 1:22 ?Love one another fervently with a pure heart?; 1 Peter 3:8 ?Compassion for one another?; 1 Peter 4:8 ?Fervent love for one another?; 1 Peter 4:9 ?Be hospitable to one another?. Those eighteen references, in seven New Testament books, require us to pay attention to our brethren. Accomplishing all of these things simply requires kindness?Selfless concern for another?s well-being. With a strong measure of kindness we can accomplish great things. We can be better servants of God and we can bring more souls to God. Faith Faith is absolutely the foundation of our action and intention. We cannot even begin to please our Creator without faith (Hebrews 11:6). We cannot conduct our lives, as we should, without faith (2 Peter 1:5-10). Faith is the first course; rested on the foundation? Jesus Christ and the structure on which the remainder of our attributes must be built. Without faith we lack the virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love that keeps one bound to proper conduct and makes a person a true disciple of Christ. Without these necessary attributes we will not survive the difficult way, which leads to life (Matthew 7:13-14). We need strong faith. We must go to ?faith?s source?. Romans 10:17 tells us that faith comes by hearing the word of God. Certainly this must be understood to also mean that application of that word is a necessary action. Even as Paul instructed Timothy to read, study and ?give himself entirely? to the word (1 Timothy 4:13, 15-16). Faith is developed. It grows through increased knowledge of our Creator (Hebrews 11:6b): Who He is (Genesis 1. 2; Psalm 19:1-11; Acts 17:24-27); What He has done for us (John 3:16; Romans 5:6-8); What He continues to do for us (Romans 1:16); What He expects from us (Matthew 7:21; James 1:17-22); Knowledge of His rewards (Hebrews 11:6c); His daily help (Matthew 6:25-33; 1 Corinthians 10:13); His constant care (1 Peter 5:7); His promise of everlasting life in His glory (John 14:1-6; Revelation 21:22-27). With strong faith we can accomplish great things. We can be better servants of God and we will bring more souls to God. Zeal: Zeal is excitement. Zeal is strong desire. It is interesting to see how people can achieve great things when they get excited. There have been many stories of great accomplishments, all of which were achieved by those who simply became excited with a certain goal. We need zeal to lay hold of the hope that Jesus promises. Jesus told us plainly that the way, which leads to life, is difficult but we will make it if we add the right amount of zeal to the equation. The Bible provides plenty of motivation to fuel our zeal. The terrifying descriptions of Hell motivate us to avoid that place (Matthew 25:30, 41, 46; Mark 9:44, 46, 48). The beautiful descriptions of Heaven motivate us that make that place our own (Matthew 25:21, 23, 34; Revelation 21:10-27). The picture of our loving Creator who offers His care motivates us to seek that Divine care (1 Peter 5:7). We keep our zeal strong by recognizing our role in the success of this work. There is no more zealous worker than one who knows that the work will never be the same without their help (Ephesians 4:16). Every member of this congregation is needed. We are not the same without your abilities. With a strong zeal we can accomplish great things. We can be better servants of God and we can bring more souls to God. Conclusion: There are things that we need to bring into our life. We need to be established and built up on the truth of God?s word and receive His divine guidance found in His word. The hope of eternal life is a promise to those who develop as they should in Christ. The three factors that we examined today are essential building blocks toward our success?do you have them? God desires your salvation. He has provided the opportunity today for you to be saved. The hope of eternal life is not something to put off for later. Now is the time. Are you ready? ~tss Those who are not Christians: Need to really think about their life and consider what God desires from them. You have some growing to do as well but you must first start by becoming a child of God. The opportunity of obedience is yours today. ~tss If you are enjoying The Messenger and you know someone else who would like to receive it. Please forward this copy to them and send their email address and I will add them to the list. Sean -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091023/0f60edf6/attachment-0001.html -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: image/gif Size: 3298 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091023/0f60edf6/attachment-0002.gif -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: image/gif Size: 7776 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091023/0f60edf6/attachment-0003.gif From tssullivan at charter.net Fri Oct 23 08:38:47 2009 From: tssullivan at charter.net (T. Sean Sullivan) Date: Fri, 23 Oct 2009 08:38:47 -0500 Subject: [Biblemat] The Messenger Vol 004 Iss 040 Message-ID: <499C8187FBFF465D9B2020A297C2B17B@sean2e3f41f1ba> The Messenger 2009 Published Weekly by Main Street Church of Christ 306 West Main Street, Newbern, TN 38059 Bulletin Editor: T. Sean Sullivan VOLUME 004::ISSUE 041: October 18, 2009 This Week?s Article: Reading the Manual Let?s start by stating some facts. God desires for you to succeed (2 Peter 3:9). God wants you to be happy (Galatians 5:22-25). God has provided a plan to achieve both (James 1:17-22). Your ability to achieve is real! My Dad used to work for a man named John. John built green tractors. Dad was working in Minot, North Dakota on some experimental equipment; on rainy days he would do some troubleshooting for local dealers. One customer had a continuous complaint about his swather running crooked down the field. (A swather is used out west in the huge wheat fields to cut the top of the wheat stalk; gathers it; and place After following the tractor in the field for only a short time Dad called the owner over and showed him the locking pin that was supposed to be place on the rear caster wheel. This pin was designed to hold the machine straight in the field. Dad also went on to show the owner the poly-bag on the frame that held the owner?s manual for the unit. He also showed him the page that clearly informed him where he was told to place the pin in the wheel shaft once in the field. This is surely a life lesson. There are too many people who haven?t opened up the owner?s manual for their life. The instructions for success are still unopened and they wonder why they are having so many problems. How many make the dire mistake of not seeing that God?s instructions are for their success? Too many are satisfied with being mediocre, middle-of-the-road. Too many are not willing to see the possibilities of God?s way?God?s instructions are for bringing us up to our best. We need to consider true success and how to achieve it in this life, the success that we will carry with us beyond this life. We need to seek improvement and God provides the way. Getting Started There is a need for us to desire improvement. We need to want this or it will not work. We need to go to God (Acts 17:27). We need to seek His counsel (Psalm 1:1-6; James 1:17-25). We need to know that we are not at our fullest without Him. Our lives can be improved! We can all be happier. We can all be more fulfilled. Why can these statements be made? Because God is the source for both happiness and fulfillment and we will always grow toward more and more with God (John 15:1-8). To find this success we need to commit to the plan. Righteousness is not a diet it is a lifestyle change. Righteousness is a new way of living, not just an occasional reading or prayer. Preface to the Plan Proverbs 1:1-7 God has provided for you and me a plan, a source of information, or directions that lead us to true success. If we follow God?s plan we can transform our lives and become more than we are now. We can be wise (Proverbs 1:2; James 1:5). We will know the elements and applications of justice, judgment, and equity (Proverbs 1:3). We will know the truth (John 8:31-32): about life (2 Peter 1:3), about salvation (1 John 5:13), and about the path of love, joy, peace? (Galatians 5:22-23). God?s plan changes us for the better (Proverbs 1:4-6). If we are presently lacking wisdom, God?s plan teaches prudence: Success is not found in foolishness. God?s way teaches us to know better and do better (James 1:22). If we are young we will be taught knowledge and discretion. The rebellion of youth does not lead to success (Ephesians 2:1-3). The young can be wise in their conduct (1 Timothy 4:12). If you are already a ?wise? man; there is more to hear and you will still increase by learning. Working the Plan God?s word is the plan of success for every life. The words of Proverbs 1:1-6 are also the preface to a life of true success. There is no true success without God. Even those who have managed to live without God?s influence are still on a road that leads to death (Proverbs 14:12). Only God?s plan will save us from that death and bring us to new and better heights of true success. The word of God is the source of all knowledge leading to salvation. We must willingly open our hearts to that word in order to find success?we must take it in (1 Timothy 4:13-16); we must be diligent. Diligent commitment is required for success (Ephesians 5:8-10; 2 Timothy 2:15). The effort of diligence is rewarding (Hebrews 10:35-39). Are you thinking ?Do you mean that I will have to do something to get this success?? The answer to your question is ?Yes?. You will have to be educated in God?s word?the plan. You will have to purposely and intentionally conform your life to it. You will have to commit to this new way of living. Conclusion: What do I get for all this effort? You finally get to experience God?s ability to direct you toward: Love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. You will have the promised hope of Heaven (John 14:1-6). What do I need to do now? Start! If you are a Christian: read more, study more, pray more, attend more services, increase your education in the word of God?you will succeed. If you are not yet a Christian, become one today and begin to read more, study more, pray more, attend more services, increase your education in the word of God?you will succeed. ~tss God desires your salvation. He has provided the opportunity today for you to be saved. The hope of eternal life is not something to put off for later. Now is the time. Are you ready? ~tss If you are enjoying The Messenger and you know someone else who would like to receive it. Please forward this copy to them and send their email address and I will add them to the list. Sean -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091023/7abdd322/attachment-0001.html -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: image/gif Size: 3298 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091023/7abdd322/attachment-0002.gif -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: image/gif Size: 7776 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091023/7abdd322/attachment-0003.gif From tssullivan at charter.net Fri Oct 23 09:41:09 2009 From: tssullivan at charter.net (T. Sean Sullivan) Date: Fri, 23 Oct 2009 09:41:09 -0500 Subject: [Biblemat] The Messenger Vol 004 Iss 042 Message-ID: <8C4FE7D7DDC04423AE6785B09C935AEE@sean2e3f41f1ba> The Messenger 2009 Published Weekly by Main Street Church of Christ 306 West Main Street, Newbern, TN 38059 Bulletin Editor: T. Sean Sullivan VOLUME 004::ISSUE 042: October 25, 2009 This Week?s Article: Asking Some Questions Introduction: Never underestimate to importance of questions in both the asking and receiving. It has often been said, ?There are no dumb questions?. This is certainly true if the inquisition is honest. Questions are the building blocks of understanding; answers are the building blocks of knowledge. The disciples often questioned Jesus (Mark 4:10; 9:11; 9:28; 10:10). When Jesus spoke in parable, they did not understand completely so they asked, ?What does this parable mean? (Luke 8:9-11). Knowing that questions are important, let?s consider some questions this morning. In this article let?s examine some questions and see what answers we are given. Question: Can I Know the Truth? Often when the truth is spoken of, many think of it in a relative sense. Surely the modern day view of truth is entirely subjective and individually determined. In other words, truth to you is different than truth to me, and that is okay. If this were a correct way of looking at the matter of truth, we could all leave right now and go our separate ways except for those of us who believe that we should continue to meet. We must know that truth does not work that way. Truth, by definition, is the expression of FACT, not opinion. So we can eliminate the idea of truth being relative to each person or situation. However, there appears to be a distinction in most minds when it comes to the truth in religion. What about religious truth? Is it different? It is forced by definition to be the same. Truth is a rule. Truth is not truth, unless it is truth. So there cannot exist an untruthful truth. For something to be truth it must be the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Knowing this we must therefore find the facts associated with service to God and then we will know the truth. Many claim that the Bible is truth: What is the Bible? The Bible is the recorded word of an Almighty Creator God (Hebrews 1:1-2; John 14:24). God is the absolute source of truth, it is not within His character to be dishonest?He cannot lie (Titus 1:2). Jesus states that the word is truth (John 17:17). Peter declares that the word is not fables (2 Peter 1:16). The Bible speaks of only one truth in this way: There is one faith (Ephesians 4:5). The one faith has been delivered (Jude 3). There is one doctrine (2 John 9). There is no other acceptable teaching (Galatians 1:6-8). Can we know the truth about serving God? Yes, if we will take the time and energy to abide in the word (John 8:31-32). Question: Can I Be Righteous? Is it possible to be right in God?s sight, and be certain of it? There are some individuals who truly believe that it is impossible to be a successful servant of God. Their mindset is, ?No matter how hard I try, I can?t make it?. How sad, that one might give up without trying. According to the word, righteousness is in Christ; therefore you need to be in Christ to be righteous. Ephesians 1:3-10 speaks of a relationship in Christ and specifically verse 6 says we are made acceptable in Christ. So the question must be, ?How do I become one who is in Christ?? Again turning to the word, we are told that we enter into Christ through obedience to God?s will. Entrance is gained by obedience and we enter into Christ upon being baptized (Romans 6:1-4; Galatians 3:27). Once we are counted as righteous, we must begin our maintenance. Righteousness is an ongoing process: One step at a time down the difficult road (Matthew 7:13:14). Jesus said it was hard, it is not impossible if you want to succeed. This new road requires a new way of living?it requires change (Ephesians 4:17-23), it requires meeting challenges (1 Peter 1:6-9), and it requires patient preparation (2 Peter 3:9-15a). This new way of living is based on, and needful of, faith (Hebrews 11:6; Revelation 2:10). Question: Will You? We know that the truth can be known. Now the remaining question is, ?Will you accept the truth as God has revealed it?? The word of God is our only hope (John 14:6). Paul said there is one hope (Ephesians 4:4). It is the standard for judgment (John 12:48) by which every one of us will be judged (2 Corinthians 5:10-11). We know that righteousness is something we can have. The remaining question is, ?Will you reach for righteousness?? The Bible is the source for truth; a key passage we used was 2 Timothy 3:16-17 which also tells us that the Bible instructs us in righteousness. We become right in God?s sight through obedience to His will. Is it not just what we know, it is also what we do (Hebrews 10:35; James 1:21-25). You can do what God expects and you can reach the ultimate goal of Heaven. Conclusion: These were some simple questions with important answers. The answers are now yours to use. We know that there is absolute truth and the truth of God is right here, His word. God?s word reveals how to become what you need to be and how to stay there for the rest of your life. Everyone is capable of doing God?s will in this life. ~tss If you are enjoying The Messenger and you know someone else who would like to receive it. Please forward this copy to them and send their email address and I will add them to the list. Sean -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091023/bdb3257e/attachment-0001.html -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: image/gif Size: 3298 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091023/bdb3257e/attachment-0002.gif -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: image/gif Size: 7776 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091023/bdb3257e/attachment-0003.gif From Churchmousejd at wmconnect.com Fri Oct 23 14:47:47 2009 From: Churchmousejd at wmconnect.com (Churchmousejd at wmconnect.com) Date: Fri, 23 Oct 2009 15:47:47 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] articles Message-ID: Brethren, I have a request of you. When you post articles would you consider making them at least 16 font size? I don't see as well as I used to and it is very difficult to read them. Any consideration would be appreciated. in his name.......jd. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091023/7271e25e/attachment-0001.html From GLClair at aol.com Fri Oct 23 18:54:46 2009 From: GLClair at aol.com (GLClair at aol.com) Date: Fri, 23 Oct 2009 19:54:46 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] Article - About Reliable Directions Message-ID: ABOUT RELIABLE DIRECTIONS This coming week Barbara and I will make a trip to a city in Florida. I do not know how to reach this point but I have begun by contacting MapQuest (i.e. an online map service) that tells us the way to get there by referring us to specific highways in various cities and states. I have used MapQuest before and know that it is a dependable source of correct directions when traveling to distant points in this world. While in Florida I will preach six sermons at one of the congregations there, I have been preparing sermons for the meeting for some time. As you may have guessed I plan ahead, use reliable sources of information and always pray about the trip, safety, and our personal health. I expect that there will be some who are not Christians that attend the meeting and so I have planned to confront them with the truth of their condition before God as an unsaved persons and also to warn the faithful of the need to continue faithfully. CONSIDER THIS: In the previous portion of this short article I pointed out how important it is to acquire reliable information when one has a place to visit or longs to go somewhere other than locally. We all (i.e. every person) surely have a desire to go to heaven someday. We have heard about heaven and we know from the most reliable source (i.e. God; via the Holy Scriptures) that in order to get there we must follow God?s instructions because we cannot know how to get there on our innate knowledge ? (Jer. 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. (KJV). As I suggested earlier in order to arrive at the location of the coming gospel meeting in Florida I must follow reliable directions ? In order to go to heaven someday I must follow reliable directions that only God can supply me. Everyone surely has a desire to go to heaven; won?t you prepare and come and go with me to the glorious place; HEAVEN - John 14:1-3, 1 let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. (KJV) _glclair at aol.com_ (mailto:glclair at aol.com) October 23, 2009 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091023/199b56bc/attachment-0001.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Sat Oct 24 04:26:50 2009 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Sat, 24 Oct 2009 05:26:50 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] S) WINNING SOULS TO CHRIST (4) Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. Here is the fourth installment of this particular study. Use to the glory of God. WINNING SOULS TO CHRIST (4) III. SOME WINNING METHODS: -- A. Sound Gospel Teaching Will Not Make Up For Lack Of Wis- dom And Due Consideration For Others. As Jesus sent forth His disciples to win souls, He instructed them to be "wise as serpents, and harmless as doves." (Matt. 10:16). 1. Paul confirms our need of this in: Eph. 5:15,16, "Look there- fore carefully how ye walk, not as unwise, but as wise: re- deeming th time, because the days are evil." Col. 4:5, "Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time, 6, Let your speech be always with grace, seasone with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer each one". We need to ask God for wisdom in these cases (Jas. 1:5). 2. A good attitude of patience, kindness, etc., will add strength to our efforts to teach the lost: -- "A soft answer turneth away wrath: But a grievous word stirreth up anger." Prov. 16:1; "Brethren, even if a man be overtaken in any tres- pass, ye who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; looking to thyself, lest thou also be tempted" Gal. 6:1. 3. It is plainly stated that "The Lord's servant must not strive, but be gentle towards all, apt to teach, forbearing in meek- ness correcting them that oppose themselves" 2 Tim. 2:24, 25. 4. Our work is nto to condemn or destroy: -- "For God sent not the Son into the world to judge the world: but that the world should be saved through Him" Jno. 3:17. a. It is to teach, instruct, clarify, to save through teaching, admonition, and obedience. 5. We also need to remember that a perfunctory, mechanical manner will easily reveal no real interest in the lost. 6. A winning heart, a winning life, and some winning methods are essential. a. Yet these alone are insufficient to win souls to Christ. They might alone win souls to some person, party, or sect; or even to some theory or fad; but not to Christ. We must also have: A WINNING MESSAGE. (More will be posted on this subject next Monday, the Lord willing, JWS). -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091024/0f2517da/attachment-0001.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Sat Oct 24 04:26:39 2009 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Sat, 24 Oct 2009 05:26:39 EDT 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 files: GOD HAS SPOKEN God is the great Shaper of mankind, the great Disciplinarian. "For those whom the Lord love, He disciplines, and He scourg- es every son whom He receives" (Heb. 12:6). Discipline is the training suited for a true follower. Instruction, reproof, and corr- ection are all part of that discipline (2 Tim. 3:16,17). It is the mani- festation of the LOVE OF GOD shown to both individuals and nations. Israel suffered corrective punishment at God's hand when they were rebellious or indifferent toward God. Even their prayers became an abomination to God when they refused His discipline (Jdgs. 2; Prov. 28:2-9). King David suffered because of his transgression with Bathsheba, and humbled himself in great sorrow for his sin (2 Sam. 11,12). When we are rebuked and condemned by the Word of God, and when we suffer the natural consequences of wrong doing, this discipline, if we are corrected by it, works for our good. "All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been TRAINED by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness" (Heb. 12:11). Sexually immo- ral people and those living in unlawful marriages, found guilty even by their own consciences, are not glad to be made miserab- le; but if they correct their lives, greater joy and peace of mind as well as peace with God can make them thankful for the discip- line. The plight of those who refuse God's discipline, whom God gives up (Rom. 1:26-32), is abysmal in its despair. Let us draw near to God by the means He has given, having been TRAINED by His Word, "with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water" (Heb. 10:22). Let us live holy lives BY HIS STANDARD, trained in work and worship to do so "in spirit and in truth", honoring His plan for His church and His saints, recognizing His exercise of authority in INSTRUCT- ING US FULLY IN ALL TRUTH, TO RESTRAIN US, TO GUIDE US AND TO GOVERN US completely as His true disciples (2 Pet. 1: 2,3). ----------- Gilbert Alexander. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091024/efc0f9af/attachment-0001.html From wswalker310 at juno.com Fri Oct 23 17:40:25 2009 From: wswalker310 at juno.com (Wayne S Walker) Date: Fri, 23 Oct 2009 17:40:25 -0500 Subject: [Biblemat] hymn study, "There Is a Balm in Gilead" Message-ID: <20091024.092716.3496.2.wswalker310@juno.com> Wayne Walker here with another weekly hymn study. ?THERE IS A BALM IN GILEAD? ?Is there no balm in Gilead; is there no physician there?? (Jer. 8:22) INTRO.: A song which takes the idea of balm in Gilead and applies it to our spiritual needs today is ?There Is a Balm in Gilead.? The text and the tune (Balm in Gilead) are both identified as a traditional African-American spiritual or folk hymn of unknown origin. The first appearance of the song in something close to its current form is uncertain. A version of the refrain can be found in Washington Glass?s 1854 hymn ?The Sinner?s Cure,? which read, ?There is balm in Gilead To make the wounded whole; There?s power enough in heaven To cure a sin-sick soul.? Glass attributed the hymn to himself, but like several other hymns so attributed, it is substantially made up from the work of another. The refrain was evidently used in revival meetings and was also published in the upstate New York Revivalist of 1868. The present version is taken from the source in which it first appeared, the Folk Songs of the American Negro, published at Nashville, TN, in 1907 by Frederick J. Work and John W. Work Jr. Most books have two traditional stanzas. The second stanza beginning ?If you can?t sing like angels? has sometimes been attributed to Daniel March, but it may be that he just altered a traditional stanza that began ?If you can?t preach like Peter.? Some books add a third stanza from an unknown source. I have also included a fourth stanza which was actually written by John Newton (author of ?Amazing Grace). Apparently, Newton?s hymn was very popular in the South, including among slaves, and because of its last line is thought by some to have possibly influenced the development of the spiritual. Many arrangements of the song have been made. Several have expressed various ideas about what the song means. Wikipedia says, ?The ?balm in Gilead? is a reference from the Old Testament, but the lyrics of this spiritual refer to the New Testament concept of salvation through Jesus Christ. The Balm of Gilead is interpreted as a spiritual medicine that is able to heal Israel (and sinners in general).? Another source made a similar comment yet with a different twist. ?The ?balm in Gilead? is quoted in the Old Testament, but the lyrics of this spiritual refer to the New Testament (Jesus, Holy Spirit, Peter, and Paul). This difference is interesting . In the Old Testament, the balm of Gilead cannot heal sinners. In the New Testament, Jesus heals everyone who comes to Him.? William J. Reynolds in the ?History of Hymns? noted, ?In the Old Testament days, Gilead was the name of the mountainous region east of the Jordan River, mentioned 80 times in the Old Testament. Gilead was famous for having skillful physicians and for an ointment with special qualities made from the gum of a tree peculiar to that area. The balm, a fragrant, transparent, pale yellow ointment, was known far beyond the boundaries of Gilead. Many believed in its mysterious, miraculous powers to heal the human body. Jeremiah?s question is answered in the spiritual with the assurance that the work of the Holy Spirit makes the wounded whole, and heals the sinsick soul.? Among hymnbooks published by members of the Lord?s church during the twentieth century for use in churches of Christ, ?There Is a Balm in Gilead? appeared in the 1975 Supplement to the 1937 Great Songs of the Church originally edited by E. L. Jorgenson; and the 1978 Hymns of Praise edited by Reuel Lemmons (both in an arrangement by Jack Boyd). Today, it may be found in the 1978/1983 Church Gospel Songs and Hymns edited by V. E. Howard; the 1986 Great Songs Revised edited by Forrest M. McCann (both in the arrangement by Boyd); the 1990 Songs of the Church 21st C. Ed. and the 1994 Songs of Faith and Praise both edited by Alton H. Howard (and both in an arrangement by David Sexton); and the 1992 Praise for the Lord edited by John P. Wiegand. Among other hymnbooks, I have seen some form of the hymn in the 1964 Methodist Hymnal with an arrangement by Daniel Rideout and the 1989 United Methodist Hymnal with an arrangement by William Farley Smith both from the (United) Methodist Publishing House; the 1974 Hymns for the Living Church and the 2001 Worship and Rejoice hymnal both from Hope Publishing Company; the 1976 Hymns for the Family of God from Brentwood-Benson Music Publishing; the 1979 Praise: Our Songs and Hymns from Singspiration Music with an arrangement by Jon Drevits; the 1986 Hymnal for Worship and Celebration from Word Music; the 1987 Worship His Majesty hymnal from Gaither Music Company; the 1989 Worship the Lord Hymnal of the Church of God from Warner Press; the 1991 Baptist Hymnal from Convention Press; the 1992 Hymnal: A Worship Book from Brethren Press; the 1993 Sing to the Lord Hymnal from the Lillenas Publishing Company; and the 2006 Christian Life Hymnal from Hendrickson Publishers Inc. The song can be used to encourage us in continuing our service to the Lord. I. Stanza 1 talks about being discouraged and then revived ?Sometimes I feel discouraged, And think my work?s in vain, But then the Holy Spirit Revives my soul (hope) again.? A. We all likely feel discouraged at times, as did Elijah: 1 Ki. 19:10 B. Sometimes we even think that our work is in vain, as did Paul: Gal. 2:2 C. However, at such times we can be revived by the influence of the Holy Spirit who taught the apostles all things to reveal to mankind from God: Jn. 14:26 II. Stanza 2 talks about telling others that Jesus died for them ?If you can?t sing like angels, If you can?t preach like Paul, Just tell the love of Jesus, And say He died for all.? (Some sources begin, ?If you can?t preach like Peter, If you can?t pray like Paul;? other sources end, ?Go home and tell your neighbor, ?He died to save us all.??) A. We may not know exactly how angels sing, but we know that they do sing praises to Christ: Rev. 5:9-12 B. We have never heard Paul preach, but we know that he was a preacher of the gospel: 1 Tim. 2:8\7 C. But if we cannot sing like angels or preach like Paul, we can still tell others about the love of Jesus and how He died for all: 2 Cor. 5:14 III. Stanza 3 talks about having Jesus for a friend ?Don?t ever feel discouraged, For Jesus is your Friend, And if you look (lack) for knowledge, He?ll ne?er refuse to lend.? A. Jesus came to be our Friend: Jn. 15:15 B. Sometimes we lack the knowledge and wisdom to do what we need to do: Jas. 1:5 C. However, because Jesus is our Friend, He will never refuse to provide for our needs as we ask Him: Matt. 7:7-8. IV. Stanza 4 talks about being lost and then made whole ?How lost was my condition Till Jesus made me whole! There is but one Physician Can cure a sin-sick soul.? A. At one time or another, everyone of us is lost, like the prodigal son, because of sin: Lk. 15:24, Rom. 3:23 B. However, there is a Physician who can make us whole: Matt. 9:12 C. Jesus can cure our sin-sick souls through His implanted word: Jas. 1:21 CONCL.: The chorus points to the fact that just as there was a balm in Gilead, so there is healing for our souls in Christ Jesus. ?There is a balm in Gilead To make the wounded whole; There is a balm in Gilead To heal the sin sick soul.? Each person has a problem with sin and needs to be saved, and even Christians have a problem with discouragement from time to time and need encouragement. Thus it is good to be reminded that in order to meet all our spiritual needs, we can find that through Jesus Christ ?There Is a Balm in Gilead.? Brotherly, Wayne S. Walker 503 S. Jefferson St. Salem, IL 62881 home phone: (618) 548-6286 office phone: (618) 548-1774 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. ____________________________________________________________ Best Weight Loss Program - Click Here! http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL2141/fc/BLSrjpTFoYc4s3vXftlcRYdus20UgFaAmqKGdN1bs2azmfSmvBYX2nmtHPq/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091023/fe69599b/attachment-0001.html From disciple_of_iesus at hotmail.com Sun Oct 25 13:01:21 2009 From: disciple_of_iesus at hotmail.com (Ethan R. Longhenry) Date: Sun, 25 Oct 2009 14:01:21 -0400 Subject: [Biblemat] Good News for Norwalk: Volume IV, Number 43: October 25, 2009 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 IV, Number 43: October 25, 2009 --------------------------------------------------------------- Spiritual Authority Whether we actively consider it or not, authority is a very important part of our existence as human beings. Throughout time people have always recognized that there must be some person or entity that maintains power and regulates everyday existence. That person or entity is thus vested with authority, or power. Since America, at least in theory, is a representative republic-- two-thirds of the government is directly chosen by election by the people to represent them-- many feel that they are the ones who have the authority. The great amount of liberty that exists in America also provides legitimacy to this idea. On account of these things, along with inherited cultural traditions, Americans often have difficulty respecting authority and submitting themselves to authority. While at least the pretense of a representative republic may exist in the political sphere, we must recognize that no such thing is true in the spiritual arena. The Bible makes it very clear who has all authority in heaven and on earth: Jesus the Christ (Matthew 28:18-20, Acts 2:36). The Bible reveals that God the Father, who as the Creator has all authority over His creation (cf. Genesis 1, Romans 9:20-21), gave this authority over heaven and earth to Jesus after His resurrection and ascension (cf. Philippians 2:9-11). Jesus obtained this authority because He glorified the Father an d learned obedience through the things that He suffered, being made high priest in the order of Melchizedek (Hebrews 4:15, 5:5-10). If we recognize that Jesus is indeed Lord and Christ-- in fact, the Lord of lords and King of kings (Acts 2:36, Revelation 19:16)-- our obligation should be evident: we must serve Him and do His will (Luke 17:5-10, Romans 6:16-22). The Bible teaches us that everything we do in word or deed should be done "in the name of," that is, by the authority of, the Lord Jesus Christ (Colossians 3:17). The Bible also makes clear that those who do not serve Him and do His will shall be condemned eternally to the misery of Hell (Romans 2:5-10, 2 Thessalonians 1:6-9). It is critical, therefore, for us to make sure that everything we do is according to the will of God in Jesus Christ! But how do we go about establishing that kind of authority? How can we know whether what we are doing is really by Jesus' authority? Some people believe that Jesus directly communicates to them what they should do. Others believe that God entrusted a religious organization and its officials with that responsibility. Many look to the New Testament and the teachings of the Apostles alone to establish justification for faith and practice. Which of these, if any, is appropriate? 1 Corinthians 13:8-10 makes it difficult to believe that Jesus directly communicates to anyone today; even if He did, it would be according to what was already revealed (Galatians 1:6-9, 1 John 4:1). You will search the New Testament and early Christian history in vain to find any idea or example of God investing any religious organization with the ability to determine faith and practice. Instead, the Bible makes it quite clear that while on earth, Jesus invested the twelve Apostles with authority. They would bind and loose on earth what had already been bound and loosed in heaven (cf. Matthew 16:19, 18:18). God would send the Spirit to the Apostles to remind them all things that Jesus taught them and to establish the will of God for mankind in the new covenant He made with them through Jesus the Christ (cf. John 14:26, 16:7-13; Hebrews 9). The New Testament records that the Spirit descended upon the Apostles on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-13), and from that point onward they preached the good news of Jesus living, dying for the sin of the world, being raised from the dead in power, and ruling from heaven (cf. Acts 2:16-36, etc.). >From that point on, disciples of Jesus Christ devoted themselves to the Apostles' doctrines (Acts 2:42). The Apostles taught many things recorded for us in the New Testament, and we can devote ourselves to those teachings (cf. Hebrews 2:2-4, 2 Peter 3:1-2). There is no indication that the authority vested in the Apostles was ever vested in any man or organization: instead, Jesus maintains all authority, and He has set forth His will for us in the Scriptures. Therefore, if we seek to serve God according to His will, to be able to do all things in the name of the Lord Jesus and to be saved, we will seek to establish authority for our words and deeds in the Bible, declared sufficient to equip us for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16-17). The Bible will provide us authority for our actions either by direct command, approved example, or necessary inference. Everything we do ought to be justified by an appeal to Biblical precedent or a justified Biblical liberty. Anything that cannot be so proven ought not be done! What about you? Do you, and/or the church with which you associate, do all things according to Jesus' authority? Can you show us from the Bible all things that you do? If not, by what authority are you doing the things that you do? Let us all serve Jesus the Lord according to His will as revealed in the Bible! 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. 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 Spiritual Manna A biweekly devotional for your life. http://www.deusvitae.com/faith/manna From richard at thetford.dot5hosting.com Sun Oct 25 18:47:56 2009 From: richard at thetford.dot5hosting.com (Richard Thetford) Date: Sun, 25 Oct 2009 17:47:56 -0600 Subject: [Biblemat] Walking in the Light (10/25/09) Message-ID: <000c01ca55cd$f578ed00$e06ac700$@dot5hosting.com> San Juan Logo PNG.png Walking in the Light "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path" (Psalm 119:105) October 25, 2009 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. In addition, if you want to advertise for "churches looking for preachers" and "preachers looking for churches," go to www.thetfordcountry.com and click on the appropriate link. Fill out the easy form and your listing will be uploaded to the web site within 48 hours (usually the same day). --- CONTENTS "Attitudes Toward Error and Sin" (Richard Thetford) "Some People Are Like Eggs" (William M. Fletcher) "SENTENCE SERMONS --- ATTITUDES TOWARD ERROR AND SIN Richard Thetford In 2 Timothy 4:3-4 the apostle Paul warned young Timothy that "the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables." Paul told Timothy to "watch out" because men would leave the doctrine of Christ and would accumulate teachers that would teach a doctrine that they wanted to hear. Thousands today have done this very thing. They have turned their ears from the truth and fallen victim to fables and doctrines of men. We learn from God's word that individuals who remain in sin will suffer an eternal death, and that only those who abide in righteousness will receive eternal life (Romans 6:23). "What is our attitude toward error and sin?" When faced with this question, one has four possible ways to deal with error and sin. We Can Deny Them The Pharisee in Luke 18:11 would not admit that he was guilty of sin. He was quick to see sin in the lives of others, but not in his own life. This man trusted in his own self, while despising others. He appeared righteous outwardly, but his heart was not right. His attitude was wrong. John tells us that we lie if we deny that we are sinners (1 John 1:8). Everyone of us have sinned (Romans 3:23) and are foolish to deny that error and sin is occurring around us. James admonishes everyone to confess their sins (James 5:16), not deny them. We Can Ignore Them In Daniel, chapter 5, we read about Belshazzar who ignored the fate which his father Nebuchadnezzar had suffered because of sin and was overcome by sin himself. His life was taken and his kingdom given to another. We can ignore sin now but we will face it in the judgment. Our sins will find us out (Numbers 32:23). Many of the Jews in Jesus' day ignored their sins and closed their eyes and ears to the truth (Matthew 13:15). The apostle Paul instructed Timothy to take heed unto himself and unto the doctrine (1 Timothy 4:16). This is good advice for all children of God. We must continually examine our lives to ensure that we are not living in error and sin. We can't ignore our sins and pretend they are not there. We Can Live With Them Pilate knew he was guilty of sin when he refused to free the sinless Christ (Matthew 27:15-25). He knew that he was delivering an innocent man. This kind of attitude and practice reflects a greater desire to please men than God. To live with error and sin is to become a party with them. When one knows that sin is occurring and yet goes along with it, then that individual is partaking in the evil (2 John 9-11). Members of the church in Corinth were unconcerned about the sin among them. They were condoning it by living with it (1 Corinthians 5:1ff). There is error and sin in some congregations today, yet many live with it. We cannot live with sin and still be pleasing to God! We Can Oppose Them Paul was never afraid to stand for truth and oppose error and sin (Galatians 2:4-5). At the close of life he knew that he kept the faith by opposing error (2 Timothy 4:7-8). We can and should have the attitude that we are going to fight against error and sin. This is the ONLY way God will approve of us. Let's always strive to oppose sin in our lives, the lives of others, and within the Lord's church! --- SOME PEOPLE ARE LIKE EGGS William M. Fletcher Someone once said that people are a lot like eggs, "They may look tough on the outside, but they're pretyy easily cracked." God is fully aware of our humanness. He knows how weak we truly are. That's why He's concerned about our every need. He stoops with compassion to treat us with gentle care. He knows how easily we crumble under pressure. Such gentle caring is the responsibility of all Christians. Paul said: "And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you" (Ephesians 4:32). A church should be comprised of people who are sensitive to each other's needs and ready to offer support. --- SENTENCE SERMONS A lie is a coward's way of trying to get out of trouble. No man ever got lost on a straight road. Time spent in pitying oneself is worse than a waste of time. Being ignorant is not so much a shame as being unwilling to learn. Full trust in the Lord puts anxiety to rest. It is twice as hard to crush a half truth as it is to crush a whole lie. --- SERMONS WORLDLINESS: Gambling (with PDF Charts/PPT Charts/Audio) www.thetfordcountry.com --- cid:image003.gif at 01C9DCB3.EEF5E980 1414 Hawk Parkway, Unit C Montrose, CO 81401 (970) 626-5558 www.sanjuanchurchofchrist.org MEETING TIMES Sunday Bible Study...........10:00 A.M. Morning Worship..11:00 A.M. Afternoon Worship..2:00 P.M. Wednesday Bible Study........6:30 P.M. (No Wednesday night Bible study November - February) Evangelist/Editor Richard Thetford 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/20091025/d9fb5f8b/attachment-0001.html -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: image/gif Size: 69751 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091025/d9fb5f8b/attachment-0002.gif -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: image/png Size: 129359 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091025/d9fb5f8b/attachment-0002.png -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: image/png Size: 688 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091025/d9fb5f8b/attachment-0003.png -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: image/gif Size: 9271 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091025/d9fb5f8b/attachment-0003.gif From doug at kibler.us Sun Oct 25 20:57:37 2009 From: doug at kibler.us (Doug Kibler) Date: Sun, 25 Oct 2009 21:57:37 -0400 Subject: [Biblemat] Psalm 23 (for work) Message-ID: <001601ca55df$b1ac7da0$150578e0$@us> I found this thought-provoking, and thought others might enjoy it and profit from it as well. Psalm 23 (for work) The Lord is my real boss, and I shall not want. He gives me peace, when chaos is all around me. He gently reminds me to pray and do all things without murmuring and complaining. He reminds me that he is my source and not my job. He restores my sanity everyday and guides my decisions that I might honor him in all that I do. Even though I face absurd amounts of e-mails, system crashes, unrealistic deadlines, budget cutbacks, gossiping co-workers, discriminating supervisors and an aging body that doesn't cooperate every morning, I still will not stop--- for He is with me! His presence, His peace, and His power will see me through. He raises me up, even when they fail to promote me. He claims me as His own, even when the company threatens to let me go. His Faithfulness and love is better than any bonus check. His retirement plan beats every 401k there is! When it's all said and done, I'll be working for Him a whole lot longer and for that, I WILL BLESS HIS HOLY NAME. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091025/1b593711/attachment-0001.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Mon Oct 26 05:28:19 2009 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Mon, 26 Oct 2009 06:28:19 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] S) WINNING SOULS TO CHRIST (5) Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. Here is the fifth installment of this particular study. Use to the glory of God. WINNING SOULS TO CHRIST (5) IV. A WINNING MESSAGE: -- A. God Has Clearly Made Known To Us The Importance Of The Word Of Christ In The Scheme Of Redemption: -- "Jesus therefore said to those Jews that had believed Him, If ye abide in My Word, then are ye truly My disciples: and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." (Jno. 8:31,32), "So belief cometh of hearing, and hearing by the Word of Christ" (Rom. 10:17). "For though ye have ten thousand tutors in Christ yet have ye not many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I begat you through the gospel." (1 Cor. 4:15). 1. The ancient church, the members thereof, "went about prea- ching the Word." (Acts 8:4). "How I shrank not form declar- ing unto you anything that was profitable, and teaching you publicly, and from house to house, For I shrank not from declaring unto you the whole counsel of God" (Acts 20:29, 27). 2. Part of the Christian's armor today is "the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God" (Eph. 6:17; Heb. 4:12). 3. It is through obedience to the Word of God that our souls are purified and sanctified. "Seeing ye have purified your souls in your obedience to the truth unto unfeigned love of the brethren, love one another from the heart fervently: hav- ing been begotten again, not of corruptible seed, but of in- corruptible, through the Word of God, which liveth and abid- eth forever" (1 Pet. 1:22,23; Jno. 17:17). 4. It is our duty to preach the Word, and hold it forth as we are seen as lights in the world: -- "Preach the Word: be urgent, in season, out of season: reprove, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching." (2 Tim. 4:2). "Do all things with- out murmuring and questionings: that ye may become blam- eless and harmless, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom ye are seen as lights in the world, holding forth the Word of Life; that I may have whereof to glory in the day of Christ, that I did not run in vain neither labor in vain" (Phil. 2:14-16). 5. There is no substitute for sound teaching in our efforts to win souls. The finest teach methods will not take the place of the Gospel in the hearts of sinners; nor will a model life on the part of all Christians remove the need for proclaim- ing the Word. B. God Has Given Us A Wonderful Message To Teach -- The Story Of Jesus And His Redeeming Love: -- 1. This message contains facts to believe upon reasonable evidence: -- "Many other signs therefore did Jesus in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book but these are written, that ye may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye may have life in His name" (Jno. 20:30,31). 2. It contains commandments to be obeyed which are not grie- vous: -- "For this is the love of God, that we keep His com- mandments: and His commandments are not grievous." (1 Jno. 5:3). 3. It describes a life to live which is "blessed." (Matt. 5:3-11). 4. It offers promises to enjoy which are eternal: -- (2 Pet. 1:3-11 5. The message of Christ is light for the lost, comfort for the dying, and eternal hope for every faithful disciple. (More will be posted on this subject, tomorrow, the Lord willing, JWS). -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091026/b0f37106/attachment-0001.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Mon Oct 26 05:28:08 2009 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Mon, 26 Oct 2009 06:28:08 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] A) PENTECOST 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: PENTECOST Pentecost was the second of the three great annual festivals of the Jews. It was celebrated on the fiftieth day after the Sabb- ath of the Passover week. Because the Jews were to count out those seven weeks, Pentecost was also known as the "feast of weeks." Pentecost was also referred to as the feast of harvest or the day of first fruits because it celebrated the close of the grain harvest. It was a day of joy and celebration, and even though it occurred on the first day of the week, or Sunday, it was observed as a Sabbath. All work was suspended and the people expressed their gratitude toward God on that day. The most extraordinary Pentecost of all was the Pentecost that followed the resurrection and the ascension of our Lord Jesus. A careful reading of Acts 1:3 - 2:1 indicates that there were forty days between our Lord's resurrection and His ascen- sion into Heaven, and less than ten days from the ascension to Pentecost. On that Jewish feast day, on that day of celebration, the church that Jesus had promised to build began. Acts 2:1-4 tells us, "And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began tos peak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." The prophecies that pointed to the coming of the church, such as Joel 2:28-32, were being fulfilled. On this glorious Sun- day, we find Peter exercisin the "keys of the kingdom" as he effectively opened the door to the church by proclaiming Jesus to be both Lord and Christ. In response to the question, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" Peter told those Jews assem- bled in Jerusalem for the celebration of the feast of Pentecost what to do to be saved. He said, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, adn ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost" (Acts 2:38). That same day about 3,000 people were baptized for the remission of their sins and were added by the Lord Himself to His church. The Lord's church has existed from that day forward and will continue to exist on earth as long as this old world is still here. When the Lord returns, He will deliver up the church, the king- dom, to God, His Father, (1 Cor. 15:24). ------ Greg Litmer in That You May Grow Thereby. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091026/9e959138/attachment-0001.html From edcaskey at gmail.com Mon Oct 26 11:01:59 2009 From: edcaskey at gmail.com (Eddie Caskey) Date: Mon, 26 Oct 2009 11:01:59 -0500 Subject: [Biblemat] A>More Than Simply Hearing Message-ID: *More Than Simply Hearing* Eddie J. Caskey Paul said, ?For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek? (*Romans 1:16*). This is one of the most greatly admired statements that Paul ever uttered. His conviction is clear and understandable. We cannot help but be amazed when we view the changes, affected by the gospel, in the lives of ourselves and others, who ??once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air?fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind? (*Ephesians 2:2-3*). No other power could have been the catalyst for such a transformation than the power of God?s saving gospel. It is no great wonder then, why Paul and others, seemed so intent on spreading the gospel to the whole world. There is nothing in life that is as supremely important as giving heed to the gospel of Christ. It is much more important than any of the daily concerns and cares of life. There was once an occasion when a very just and honorable woman, named Martha, was visited by Jesus. Understandably, Martha wanted her honored guest, and His companions, to be comfortable and attended to, so she busied herself with serving them. Her sister, Mary, chose rather to sit at Jesus? feet and listen to Him. Martha, left alone to see after her guests, complains to Jesus about Mary?s choice, even directing Jesus to order Mary to help her. Jesus? reply is very telling. He says, ?Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her? (*Luke 10:38-42*). Likewise, much too often we are distracted from honestly investigating what God has to say because of undue concern for the cares of life. Be warned, however, simply hearing is not enough. While ??faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God? (*Romans 10:17*), ??faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead? (*James 2:17*). Obedience is a very necessary part of our salvation. The gospel is God?s power to save, but in obedience we yield to that power. The Hebrew writer reminds us, ??without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him? (*Hebrews 11:6*). Even here we see that simply believing is not sufficient; God will only be pleased by those who diligently seek after Him. Earlier, in this same letter, we are told Jesus is ??the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him? (*Hebrews 5:8-9*). The only faith that pleases God is an obedient faith. Will you not obey, from the heart, that same form of doctrine that disciples of old obeyed to be delivered from their sins (*Romans 6:17*)? Eddie J. Caskey Melrose Drive Church of Christ Richardson, Texas 972-231-5242 www.melrose-drive.org -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091026/a07b8c31/attachment-0001.html From disciple_of_iesus at hotmail.com Mon Oct 26 16:13:16 2009 From: disciple_of_iesus at hotmail.com (Ethan R. Longhenry) Date: Mon, 26 Oct 2009 17:13:16 -0400 Subject: [Biblemat] S:> The Basis of the Christian Life Message-ID: The Basis of the Christian Life I. Introduction A. What is the basis of the Christian life? 1. We recognize that the New Testament provides us with the information we need to be Christians (2 Timothy 3:16-17) 2. But where do we really start in that life? What are the fundamental and primary aspects to that life? B. The Bible makes it evident that the basis of the Christian's life is to be the example of Jesus of Nazareth 1. Romans 8:29, 1 Corinthians 11:1, 1 John 2:6 2. It is enough for Christians to be like their Lord and Master (cf. Matthew 10:25)! C. There is much to the example of Jesus! D. Nevertheless, we can discern three fundamental values in the life of Christ that should represent the basis of our lives as Christians E. These three values are love, humility, and service F. Let us consider these values and how we can develop them in our lives! II. Love: The Prime Element A. The New Testament is quite clear about the primary virtue and element B. God as love: 1 John 4:7-21 C. God's love manifest to us: John 3:16, Romans 5:5-11 D. Our need to love God, one another; primacy of love: John 14:15, Romans 13:8-10, 1 Corinthians 13 E. Love permeates the life and work of Jesus of Nazareth 1. Teaching: Matthew 5:43-44, 46, Matthew 19:19, 22:37, 39 2. Practice: John 13:34, John 15:9, 13, Ephesians 5:25-27 F. How will people know that we follow Jesus? Our love for one another (John 13:35)! G. The first manifestation of the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22) H. This love not a feeling but a decision! 1. While feelings may come naturally at times, true Biblical love is a decision 2. Seeks the best interest of the beloved, even if that is not our best interest! 3. Is to be made manifest even toward enemies and those who would do us evil (Matthew 5:43-44)! 4. Is to be demonstrated even when there is no love given in return, even when unacknowledged! 5. As God loved us when unlovable, we are to love others even when they are "unlovable" (Romans 5:5-11)! I. Love's primacy evident 1. Without it, everything else ultimately profitless (1 Corinthians 13:1-3) 2. Primary attribute of God and Jesus-- if we are to be godly, we must love! 3. Love reforms the mind, attitude, and actions J. All else must flow from love! III. Humility: The Prime Perspective A. A constant warning in the New Testament involves the need for humility 1. Matthew 23:12, Luke 14:11, Luke 18:14, James 4:10, 1 Peter 5:6 2. Those who exalt themselves will be humbled, but those who humble themselves will be exalted! B. This speaks to the need for humility! 1. Matthew 18:4, James 4:6, 1 Peter 5:5 2. Humility is clearly an important element of Christianity! C. Jesus of Nazareth represents the example of humility 1. Matthew 11:29 2. Philippians 2:1-11 D. In turn, Jesus' humility the model and pattern for our humility! 1. If anyone had reason for pretension, it would have been Jesus! 2. And yet consider how greatly He humbled Himself! 3. God dwelling as man, peasant from Galilee, no less, serving, not being served, giving His life a ransom for many 4. If we truly understand the depth of Jesus' humility, how can we continue to hold onto our pride and still consider ourselves His disciples? E. There are many reasons/justifications for various levels of pride 1. Belief in superiority based on education, geography, nationality, language, etc. 2. Belief in being better than that which is different from us 3. Belief that we are better based on being Christian, "holiness," etc. 4. Pure racism, classism, sexism, etc. F. Yet Jesus devastates all these reasons 1. We are no better than anyone else-- we are all sinners needing God's grace (Romans 3:23, Ephesians 2:1-10, 1 John 1:8-10) 2. Belief in anyone's "superiority" or "inferiority" based in worldly "wisdom," not in Scripture 3. God has given different people different talents and expects all to use them for His glory (Matthew 25:14-30, Romans 12:3-8, 1 Corinthians 12:12-28, 1 Peter 4:10-11) 4. None are "better" or "more necessary" than any other! G. A difficult pill to swallow, but quite necessary! H. Humility allows us to keep ourselves, others in perspective 1. When we develop humility, we recognize that we have no basis for pretension 2. Compassion, love for our fellow man can flow 3. We will not insist on our own way to the detriment of God's purposes (cf. Philippians 2:1-4) 4. We will be able to show the love of God more effectively! I. Without humility, we cannot be like Christ! 1. If we maintain pride or arrogance, we are not reflecting Christ 2. We will make excuses for not loving, showing compassion toward our fellow man whom we consider "inferior" or "insignificant" 3. We will have an improper view of our own opinions to our own detriment (cf. Galatians 6:3-6) 4. We will not appreciate God's manifold wisdom made evident in the church (Ephesians 3:10-11)-- interdependent, different parts working together! J. All things must flow from love while maintaining a humble attitude! IV. Service: The Prime Effort A. Matthew 20:25-28 1. Jesus indicates values of the Kingdom here 2. Greatest is the one who serves 3. Jesus Himself as One who serves, not is served! B. Prevailing Image: God as Master, We as Servants 1. Luke 17:7-10 2. Romans 6:15-22 3. Constantly used description of Biblical authors: Paul (Romans 1:1), James (James 1:1), Simon Peter (2 Peter 1:1), Jude (Jude 1:1), John (Revelation 1:1) 4. Note that those of "reputation" in the church consider themselves as servants (cf. Galatians 2:6)! C. Jesus provides the ultimate example of service 1. John 13:1-17 2. Jesus washes His disciples' feet-- the most humiliating task 3. Note Peter's sensitivity to this (vv. 6, 8-9) 4. Furthermore, Jesus is quite explicit about what He is doing: He is providing an example for emulation (vv. 12-16) D. Jesus' message should be loud and clear: we are not "too good" for any form of service! 1. If Jesus of Nazareth, God in the flesh, the Lord and Savior, washed feet, we have no right to claim that we are "too good" to engage in any given act of service, no matter how "degrading" or "humiliating!" 2. Furthermore, He expects us to follow His example and serve, even if the service is unpleasant, seemingly trivial, or repetitive! 3. How often does Jesus explicitly indicate that we are to do exactly as He did, just as He does here in John 13? 4. Humility must be functioning here: we are certainly no better than Jesus, and if He humbled Himself to wash feet, we ought to humble ourselves to "wash feet" ourselves! E. Service, then, critical for the Christian 1. Our lives as sacrifices to God-- Romans 12:1 2. We must do "what is our duty," obeying God (cf. Romans 1:5, 1 Peter 1:22) 3. That involves service: doing what God says because God says it, not seeking self-gain or self-congratulation! 4. As Jesus has served us, so we ought to serve God and our fellow man (cf. Matthew 20:25-28)! F. All things must flow from love while maintaining a humble attitude in order to serve! V. Conclusion: The Basis of the Christian Life A. We have considered love, humility, and service 1. Love: seeking the best interest of God, others 2. Humility: recognizing we are not better than anyone else, our station 3. Service: doing what God says, "washing feet" of others B. If we get these three elements right, everything else will follow! 1. It is easy to get caught up in various matters of the faith and get out of balance 2. If we focus on love, humility, and service, everything else will follow as it ought 3. If we love God and recognize that He is in control, we will seek to understand His will and do what He says to do 4. If we love our fellow Christians, we will seek to encourage them at every opportunity 5. If we love our fellow man, recognize that we are no better than they, and seek to help them, we will teach them the good news of Jesus 6. Faith, doctrine/truth, assembling, evangelism, holiness, hospitality, compassion, mercy, benevolence, and all kinds of other things will be handled appropriately by the Christian who reflects Christ's love, humility, and service! C. If we fail to get these elements right, nothing else will work! 1. 1 Corinthians 13:1-3: it does not matter what we do without love-- it is worthless if not accompanied by love! 2. We can understand God's truth and try to live properly, but if we are pretentious and arrogant, we will repel people from the Gospel and fail to love and serve God and our fellow man 3. Even if we love and are humble, if we are not serving God and others, we are not putting the faith to work in our lives, and we might as well be dead (cf. James 2:14-26)! 4. Be not deceived: it is possible to accept the truth completely-- to be correct in all matters of doctrine-- and still go to hell (cf. Matthew 7:21-23)! 5. Likewise, one can assemble with a church every time the doors are open, and still go to hell! D. Let us be conformed to the image of Jesus the Son of God, and love, be humble, and serve! 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 Spiritual Manna A biweekly devotional for your life. http://www.deusvitae.com/faith/manna From disciple_of_iesus at hotmail.com Mon Oct 26 16:13:52 2009 From: disciple_of_iesus at hotmail.com (Ethan R. Longhenry) Date: Mon, 26 Oct 2009 17:13:52 -0400 Subject: [Biblemat] S:> Haggai Message-ID: Haggai I. Introduction A. Haggai B. "Festal" C. Exhortation to rebuild the Temple D. Let us consider the book II. Haggai: The Details A. Authorship 1. Material from Haggai, prophet in Judah (Haggai 1:1) 2. Ezra 5:1, 6:14: Haggai and Zechariah prophesy to encourage people to rebuild Temple despite official opposition 3. Nothing known regarding final compiler B. Dating 1. Dates provided for prophecies (Haggai 1:1, 2:1, 2:10, 2:20) 2. Roughly late August and mid-December, 520 BCE 3. Postexilic period: Ezra 4 describes how Samaritans conspired to halt work on the Temple, God desires work to continue and be completed C. Audience 1. Postexilic Judah 2. Much we can gain from it D. Purpose 1. To reveal the word of God that came to Haggai 2. To encourage the people to finish the Second Temple III. Haggai: The Story A. Exhortation to Return to Temple Building (Haggai 1) 1. (520 BCE) Word of LORD comes to Haggai: people say that time has not yet come to finish Temple; God asks if it is time for the people to live in nice houses when Temple in ruins; God asks them to consider their ways: they sow much, harvest little; eat and drink but are not satisfied; clothe themselves but are not warm; one earns wage but does not keep it (Haggai 1:1-6) 2. God asks them again to consider their ways; go to hills, get wood, build Temple; they looked for much, found little, brought it home, it blew away; God did so because Temple lies in ruins, and yet they build their houses; thus the heavens withhold dew, no produce, drought in land (Haggai 1:7-11) 3. Zerubbabel, Joshua, people heed word from God, obey; they fear the LORD; Haggai speaks with LORD's message that He is with them; spirit of people stirred up, returned to work on the Temple (Haggai 1:12-15) B. Glory of Temple, Blessing to People (Haggai 2) 1. Word of LORD to Haggai: speak to people: who saw First Temple, its glory?; people to be strong, work, for God is with them, according to covenant made when they came out from Egypt; Spirit in their midst, they ought not fear; God will soon shake creation and treasures of the nations will come to Temple; glory of Second Temple to surpass glory of First Temple; peace to be given there (Haggai 2:1-9) 2. Word of LORD to Haggai: ask priests about law: does man who carry holy meat in clothing make other food that touches clothing holy?; answer is no; if someone who is unclean from touching corpse touches them, are they unclean?; answer is yes; Haggai says that it is the same with these people/nation; the work of their hands offered is unclean (Haggai 2:10-14) 3. God asks them again to consider: before building Temple again, heap of 20 measures actually 10, wine vat of 50 measures actually 20; loss of produce from blight, mildew, hail, but they did not turn to God; consider again: since Temple foundation laid, is seed in barn?; vines, fig trees, pomegranates, olives yielded nothing; from this day forth, God will bless them (Haggai 2:15-19) 4. Word of LORD to Haggai for Zerubbabel: God about to shake heavens and earth; throne of kingdoms overthrown; their strength and armies overthrown; on that day, Zerubbabel will be taken, made like signet ring, for God has chosen him (Haggai 2:20-23) IV. Haggai: Important Passages A. Haggai 2:3 / Hebrews 12:26 B. Haggai 2:21 / Hebrews 12:26 V. Haggai: Conclusion A. Thus we have the book of Haggai 1. Exhortation to complete Temple 2. God caused people to suffer because of disobedience 3. They turned, God blessed them! B. Let us learn from their example, and serve God, and receive the blessing! C. 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 Spiritual Manna A biweekly devotional for your life. http://www.deusvitae.com/faith/manna From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Tue Oct 27 03:07:31 2009 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Tue, 27 Oct 2009 04:07:31 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] A) A LIBERTY ONLY TO BE BOUND 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 files: A LIBERTY ONLY TO BE BOUND Micaiah, the prophet of Yahweh, understood the pivotal issue of man's relationship with God: "As the Lord lives, what- ever the Lord says to me, that I will speak" (1 Kgs. 22:14). We are not at liberty to tweak it, massage it, bend it, or pervert it. We are at liberty to do one thing: be bound by it. How many grasp this fundamental truth? The following quote is not taken from a preacher who is a member of the Lord's church: "Before you sits a nice, romantic, post-modern couple who want you to perform thier marriage. One of them, a professing Christian, is a member of the church you serve; the other, you have divined by question and conversation, is not a Christian. You tell the latter so and then inform the couple that Scripture does not allow you to join them in marriage (1 Cor. 7:39). But, they say, they were going to attend church here (the suggestion being that now they won't do so). You realize, don't you, that the member's family (also members) will be irate over your refusal? Don't you know there are other clergy who have no such scrupl- es? While you may have your opinion about what the Word of God requires, why do you have to be bound by that? Aren't a lot of these things open for reinterpretation?" --- Dale Ralph Davis, in The Wisdom and the Folly, pg. 324. I have been there; and, I might add, I use 1 Cor. 6:14-18, too. I have looked people in the eye and refused to perform their marriage ceremony. A fellow preacher, who disagreed with my application of Scripture, performed the ceremony I refused. I do not use this example to say that you emulate my position on this issue; but that you, and I, follow hard on the lead of Micaiah! When we have studied out a position from Scripture, we are not at liberty to tweak it, bend it, massage it or pervert it. We are at liberty only to be bound by it whatever the consequences may be. Slapped on the face or slapped into a jail cell matters not. Only one thing matters: we are bound by the Word of the Lord. People still don't get this fundamental reality. The pressure to compromise comes not only from Samaria...but church pews as well. I want to stand solidly in the company of Micaiah. Safe- ty never comes in numbers, but in One, and One alone. --------- Chuck Durham in Biblical Insights, Vol. 8, No. 10, Oct. 2008. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091027/bd5a2050/attachment-0001.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Tue Oct 27 03:07:43 2009 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Tue, 27 Oct 2009 04:07:43 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] S) WINNING SOULS TO CHRIST (6) Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. Here is the sixth and final in- stallment of this particular study. Use to the glory of God. WINNING SOULS TO CHRIST (6) IV. A WINNING MESSAGE: (CONTINUED): -- C. Though We Have Such A Message, Many Still Wander In The Fields Of Sin: -- 1. Why have we not won more to Christ? a. Some have never heard and learned of Christ. We haven't told His story as often, as fully, and as effectively as is nec- essary for all to hear: -- "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in Him whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher, And how shall they preach except they be sent? even as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that bring glad tidings of good things!" (Rom. 10:13-15). "No man can come to Me, except the Father that sent Me draw him; and I will raise him up in the last day. It is written in the prophets, And they shall all be taught of God, Every one that hath heard from the Father, and hath learned, cometh unto Me." (Jno. 6:44,45). 1) Even though the above teaching, especially of that found in Rom. 10:13-15, has primarily to do with the apostles, we too can, in a secondary sense, carry the gospel to the lost and needy world. b. Some have put off their obedience too long. No man can be sure that he will have tomorrow in which to obey Christ. "And working together with Him we entreat also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain for He saith, At an acceptable time I hearkened unto thee. And in a day of salvation did I succor thee: behold, now is the acceptab- le time: behold, now is the day of salvation" (2 Cor. 6:1,2). c. Others have not been won because their hearts are stubb- orn or wicked: -- "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, that killeth the prophets, and stoneth them that are sent unto her! how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!" (Matt. 23:37). d. Still others have not been won because they have not seen Christ in us: -- "And He died for all, that they that live would not longer live unto themselves, but unto Him Who for their sakes died and rose again." (2 Cor. 5:15). e. Then there are many, in religious error, who think they have already accepted Christ, but who are in reality lost: -- "Not every one that saith unot Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven: but he that doeth the Will of My Father Who is in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy by Thy Name, and by Thy Name cast out demons, and by Thy Name do many mighty works? And then I will profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from Me, ye that work iniquity." (Matt. 7:22,23). CONCLUSION: -- May we bow our knees unto the Father, that He may grant unto us the ability to seek the souls who are lost, plus the desire and cour- age, and wisdom, to win them. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091027/bccc513d/attachment.html From kerux at bellsouth.net Tue Oct 27 07:42:51 2009 From: kerux at bellsouth.net (Kent Heaton) Date: Tue, 27 Oct 2009 08:42:51 -0400 Subject: [Biblemat] A>The Oldest Book Ever Written (Kent Heaton) Message-ID: <5F9FADAB7A4641DDA9469EB9250B116C@D2381J91> The Oldest Book Ever Written (Kent Heaton) The Bible is the most wonderful book anyone could ever read. Contained within its frail pages is found the eternal message of the One who has existed before time began. Holding the wealth of sixty-six books man is able to explore his beginning, his reason for living and his hope beyond the grave. No book ever produced by man can make that claim. The Bible reveals the creation of the world by the hand of an Almighty Creator. Explained upon pages of holy writ man learns of his nature and his needs. As a light shining in darkness the words of God open for man the revelation of grace, mercy and saving love. History marches through its pages as sentinels of time marking the progress of man and the failures of men seeking wisdom apart from God's word. The Bible is a most remarkable book. Written by different men spanning hundreds of generations with diverse backgrounds this simple yet complex manuscript of eternal wisdom unfolds the character of the Creator. "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth" (Genesis 1:1) declares the mysteries that will be unfolded in the thousands of stories that range from a garden of paradise to the wilderness of man's struggle with obedience to his creator. There will be times of great victory when men stand for truth and righteousness; yet many times when men turn from God's word and find destruction and death. The Bible is a book of grace. Measured from the love of a graceful Creator man finds he is not alone in the world. Grace is given for man's potential and not for what man shows himself to be. A promise is given early of a seed (Genesis 3:15) that will redeem the failed nature of man and explodes upon the pages of the Bible in the nature of Jesus Christ (Galatians 3:16). The early disciples of Christ describe in detail upon ancient parchments the words, deeds and character of the Creator's Son. Jesus becomes the revealed hope of all man's failures. The Bible sets forth the path of peace leading to the throne of God. There is no book found among men today that can rival the depth of the Bible. Nothing written by man can go before creation and see into the mind of God; nor delve beyond the grave and peer at the endless expanse of eternity. All books are second nature to the Bible. "Many, O LORD my God, are Your wonderful works which You have done; and Your thoughts toward us cannot be recounted to You in order; if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered" (Psalms 40:5). "He has made His wonderful works to be remembered . The works of His hands are verity and justice; all His precepts are sure. They stand fast forever and ever, and are done in truth and uprightness" (Psalms 111:4,7-8). The oldest book ever written still finds itself forgotten upon the tables of neglect and carelessness as men fail to listen to its message. How sad that in the Bible God has revealed "all things that pertain to life and godliness" (2 Peter 1:3) and yet as a people we spend little time among the pillars of its wisdom. "Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Romans 10:17) and lacking the wisdom of the word of God we have little faith. We blame God for the failures in our lives when truth reveals the failure is our neglect in listening to Him. "Great peace have those who love Your law, and nothing causes them to stumble" (Psalms 119:165). Kent Heaton 207 NE Fourth Avenue Trenton, Florida 32693 (H) 352-463-6916 (O) 3793 (C) 352-283-3889 www.trentonchurchofchrist.com Audio Sermons Available www.northfloridabiblecamp.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20091027/821c8487/attachment.html From jwquinn at sbcglobal.net Tue Oct 27 17:36:53 2009 From: jwquinn at sbcglobal.net (Jon W. Quinn) Date: Tue, 27 Oct 2009 17:36:53 -0500 Subject: [Biblemat] Scam going on Message-ID: Jon Quinn here. I received a phone call as follows a couple weeks ago: A man called saying he was a the preacher at one of the churches in Charleston, SC. He was celebrating his 35th wedding by taking his wife to Jamaica and they were just getting ready to leave. But he wanted to give me a heads up that his daughter is moving to our locality... His daughter and 4 kids are moving to our town with a government job Her husband is in Iraq She has a large IRA roll over check from the federal credit union that she needs to deposit in your town & will ask you to help her find a bank. He asked for us to assist his daughter in finding housing and said she will be very active in the church. Someone claiming to be the daughter will call later (she called about 45 minutes later in my case). She has bent the axle and it needs repairs. She will say that she does not have enough to cover the bill but that the man at the garage said he would accept her check if she signed it all over to him, and then he w