From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Tue Sep 1 04:32:46 2009 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Tue, 1 Sep 2009 05:32:46 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] A) QUESTION AND ANSWER 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 quest- ion and answer from my files: QUESTION: -- Why do you argue so much about denomination- alism? Many churches and choices are a good thing. God has allowed us many churches to choose frim. Why not honor Him for doing so? ANSWER: -- This is an excellent question. There are, indeed, many churches to choose from. And, living in the USA today, each of us is free to choose among the various religious groups, Christian or not. But, your idea that God wants us to have many church- es to choose from and that He has furnished such to us, flies into the face of what God actually says in His Word, the Bible. Look at what God says in His Word: "There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your call- ing, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all" (Eph. 4:4-7). Paul says it plainly: "There is one body." To claim that many religious bod- ies are good and that God intended it that way is impossible if there is only one body. And that one body is the one church bought and established by the Lord Jesus Christ (Matt. 16:18; Acts 20:28). Some will contend that we are all added, by the Lord, to the one body, but that we meet in different groups with different names. We are all part and parcel of the big, universal body or church, but some of these smaller bodies are grouped together into a certain denomination, named and controlled by a man or a group of men, that establish creeds that the denomination should follow. But, again, that goes against all that Jesus and the inspired apostles taught. Look at what Jesus says in His prayer to His Father: "I do not ask in behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; that they may all be one; even as Thou, Father, are in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be one in us; that the world may believe that Thou didst send Me" (Jno. 17:20,21). Jesus wants us to be one. The Lord said this because He knew that our unity would be a declaration of our faith. When we subdivide into groups of differ- ing ideas, we cannot accomplish what Jesus was praying for. The inspired apostle Paul knew this and he taught it. "Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree, and there be no divisions among you, but you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment. For I have been informed concerning you, my brethren, by Chloe's household, that there are quarrels among you. Now I mean this, that each one of you is saying, 'I am of Paul,' and 'I of Apollos,' and 'I of Cephas,' and 'I of Christ.' Has Christ been divided? Paul was not crucified for you, was he? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?" (1 Cor. 1:10-13). The church in Corinth is the closest example we have in the New Testament of some trying to divide and be different groups among them. But notice what Paul said about this notion or idea: First, he tells us that we should all follow the same doctrine. The same mind and judgment. And with emphasis, he says in plain words, that there should be no divisions among us. Secondly, he says that dividing up into smaller groups with allegiance given to a certain man, under a given name, is wrong. Note it is said, that one followed Paul, one followed Apollos, one followed Cephas (Peter) and another claimed to be following Christ. Today, there are those that use different names, follow differ- ent affiliations with different doctrines and styles of worship. Paul writes the entire letter of First Corinthians to refute the idea that Christians are allowed to divide themselves into different groups under different names and follow different creeds and doctrines. But Paul stresses that we are to speak the same thing and follow the same doctrine and that there are to be no divisions among us but that we are to be united in the same law and the same judgment. Finally, let us be reminded, that in the New Testament there was only one church mentioned and it was made up of those who had obeyed the gospel, taught by the apostles, and were added by the Lord Himself to His church. On the first Pentecost after the resurrection of the Lord, the Holy Spirit came upon the apostles and they began to speak as the Spirit gave them utter- ance, and Peter preached the first gospel sermon under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. The people believed what he was saying, and they asked what they should do about the situation in order to be pleasing to God and saved from their sins. Peter told them to repent of their past sins and to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for remission of those sins. When they did what he told them, we are told that the Lord added them to His church on that day. (Acts 2:37-47). Denominations may be started by the very best intentions, but, good intentions are not enough. What we do must be according to the teaching of the gospel as found in the New Testament. I trust that this answers the question of the querist. ----------- Adapted from an article by David Thurman found in Gos- pel Minutes, Vol. 58, No. 34, August 21, 2009. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20090901/eb1dc326/attachment-0001.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Tue Sep 1 04:32:56 2009 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Tue, 1 Sep 2009 05:32:56 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] S) DENOMINATIONALISM OR UNITY (4) Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. Here is the installment of this particular study. Use to the glory of God. DENOMINATIONALISM OR UNITY (4) TRUE UNITY (contenued) -- One Spirit: -- This, of course, is the Holy Spirit, one of the Godhead, Who was to guide the apostles into all the truth, in Whom the apostles were baptized on Pente- cost, and Whom God Has promised to all them who obey Him. One Hope: --It is often said, "It doesn't make any difference what route we take to heaven. We all have the same hope, anyway." But do we? The Christian's hope is an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast (Heb. 6:19), but it is a hope which is connected with faith (1 Pet. 1:21). Regardless of how earnest- ly one may desire heaven, there is no Scriptural hope without obedience to the gospel of Christ; but since all children of God have obeyed the gospel, they have the one hope mentioned. One Faith: -- Used in this sense, the term faith refers to a system of doctrine (that contained in the New Testament) upon which personal faith must be based. "The faith" is often used in this sense in the New Testament. "A great company of the priests were obedient to the faith" (Acts 6:7). Christians are exhorted "to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all deliver- ed unto the saints" (Jude 3). Paul retraced his route as he return- ed on the first missionary journey, exhorting the disciples "to continue in the fatith" (Acts 14:22). To affirm that there is "one faith" is, therefore, to affirm that there is one system of doctrine which men must believe. Such a concept is now ridiculed almost universally as narrow minded and bigoted, but it is unquestionably the concept which Paul affirms. True unity is impossible among people whose views on fundamental questions are widely divergent; therefore unity upon the basis of "one faith" is the only possible alternative to denominationalism. One Baptism: -- Acceptance of the one faith would lead all to submit to the "one baptism," which is an immersion in water for the remission of sins. "Modes" of baptism or "purposes" of baptism are unknown to the New Testament. Scripturally there is only one baptism, for it has one action, one subject and one purpose. One Body: -- The one baptism is into the one body, and this body is the church of Christ. God gave Christ "to be Head over all things to the church, which is His body" (Eph. 1:22,23). The New Testament recognizes the existence of one church, but only one. Christ's promise was singular, "I will build My church." The history of Acts is the history of only one church, and the epistles declare that there is "but one body." In spite of this evidence, the religious world ridicules belief in one church more vociferously than it does faith in one Lord or even faith in one baptism. To them, the very zenith of religious bigotry is the idea that God recognizes only one church. When the Baptist, Methodist or Presbyterian agree that faith in "one God" is essential to religious unity, with what logic does he reject the "one faith" and insist that many different faiths are equally right? If he believes that there is only "one Lord" and only "one Spirit," how consistently can he plead for many bapt- isms and many bodies? If the New Testament teaches that one God, one Christ and one Holy Spirit are essential to unity, it is equally emphatic that one faith, one baptism and one body are essential. Unity may be founded as easily upon many gods as upon many faiths: denom- inationalism will disappear as readily before many Lords as before one Lord with many bodies! ---- Bill J. Humble in The Preceptor, Vol. 1, No. 12, October, 1952. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20090901/a29a02c5/attachment-0001.html From GLClair at aol.com Tue Sep 1 12:23:35 2009 From: GLClair at aol.com (GLClair at aol.com) Date: Tue, 1 Sep 2009 13:23:35 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] HILLIARD BULLETIN for September 2009 Message-ID: Hilliard Bulletin Published by the church of Christ Meeting at 4840 Cemetery Road ? P.O. Box 96 Hilliard, Ohio 43026 Phone 876-4089 Preacher & Editor: Garreth L. Clair Phone: (614) 850-7252 Email: _glclair at aol.com_ (mailto:glclair at aol.com) ============================================================== Volume 11 Number 9 September 2009 ============================================================== Opportunities Are Present Garreth Clair The church must continue to extend its borders. When we find ourselves self-satisfied as to the amount of outside work that is being done with the lost, we should stop and take inventory of our direction. Sometimes congregations of God's people become so self-secure in their own local work that they turn from the areas around them, and seek things to their own benefit. There are many worthy men and places which deserve whatever help that they receive. All of us ought to consider all calls for help. In consideration of men and places to help, we ought to secure whatever information is readily at hand. If then, the man and place appear deserving; we ought to help according to our ability. A Serious Danger: The message to one of the seven churches of Asia (Rev. 3-4) reveals to us that there will, from time to time, be presented to us an open door of opportunity. The church under consideration is the church at Philadelphia (Rev. 3:7-13). Similar opportunities might be presented to some congregation today. Such opportunities are to be grasped if the congregation is able. It would appear from the text that failure to take advantage of this opportunity on the part of the Philadelphian church would result in their rejection by God. If such an opportunity were presented to a congregation today, do you suppose that failure to take advantage of it would result in any less than rejection by God? I believe that we can all see the dangers in failure to act when opportunity and ability are present. Yes, we must act, when a door of opportunity is offered to us. Never Be Self-satisfied >From time to time such opportunities will be offered to most any congregation. We must take advantage of these opportunities if we are able. Failure to do so could condemn us eternally. The attitude that we manifest ought to be, "if we can, we will." TRUTH MAGAZINE, XV: 21, pp. 8-9 --- April 1, 1971 "A Missionary Church - Philippi" Garreth L. Clair Paul himself tells us of the devotion and zeal of the Philippians church. While Paul was in Thessalonica shortly after leaving Philippi (Acts 17:1-9), the church in Philippi at least twice had sent gifts for his needs (Phil. 4:16). They kept up this good work when the apostle went to Corinth and was "in want," for it was not Corinth but Philippi alone at first that supplied his wants above what he could supply with his own hands (2 Cor. 11:9; Phil. 4:15). The example set by the Philippians church was later followed by some other congregations, though never by all. Concerning Corinth, Paul states, "I robbed other churches, taking wages of them that I might minister unto you" (2 Cor. 11: 8). "In the beginning of the Gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church had fellowship (ekoinonesen - "had partnership") with me in the matter of giving and receiving but ye only" (Phil. 4:15). It is inferred that Thessalonica and Berea (perhaps) soon joined with Philippi and helped Paul at Corinth. Certainly Thessalonica became "an example to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia" (I Thess. 1: 7). From them "has echoed forth the word of the Lord" (I Thess. 1: 8). None of the churches with which Paul worked was as thoroughly missionary in spirit and in deed as the church in Philippi. The church in Philippi rallied heartily and steadily to the support of Paul's missionary work throughout the vast Roman Empire. They set the example for all time for the church that has a desire to show its love for the lost souls of fallen humanity. The church at Philippi probably did far more for Paul than he has revealed in his letters. The last instance of their "fellowship," after an interval when they lacked "opportunity" (Phil. 4: 10), was while, Paul was in Rome the first time, when they sent Epaphroditus, "your messenger and minister, to my need" (Phil. 2:25). Paul referred to this gift as "an odor of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, well pleasing to God" (Phil. 4:18). Paul depended on the church in Philippi greatly in raising the collection for the poor Saints in Jerusalem from the churches in Galatia, Macedonia, Achaia, and Asia. The churches in Achaia were quick to promise and slow to pay, like some congregations today. Under the prodding of Titus they promised a whole year ahead (2 Cor. 8: 10), and Paul used their prompt pledge to stir the Macedonian churches (9:2). And now he has to spur the Achaian churches on to actual response by the liberality and prompt response of the Macedonian churches (8:1-15; 9:1-5). Paul does not wish to be ashamed of the Achaian churches if he comes with some of the Macedonian brethren to whom he has boasted of the Achaian liberal promises. It is all a very modern situation drawn from everyday life. But it is clearly the congregation at Philippi I poor and generous, which has long had the habit of giving, that set the mood for the other Macedonian churches and for the Achaian churches as well. The church no longer exists in Philippi, but the example which the church left for us to follow is very clear. We must not ignore the need in other places. If the local congregation is able, it should support all the preaching and teaching that it can, anywhere the need arises. Yes, our responsibility begins at home but it does not end at home. TRUTH MAGAZINE, XV: 32, pp. 9-10 - June 17, 1971 OLD HILLIARD STREET FAIR The congregation here in Hilliard will have a 10 X 10 booth set up and there will be two or more members in the booth during the fair on Saturday ? September 12. There will be tracts, DVD?s relating to the church, salvation, etc. Everyone is welcome to come by the booth on Saturday, 10AM to 6:00 PM Remember our gospel meeting September 20-23 With Billy Ford from Marion, Arkansas ---- Everyone is invited --- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------- Our monthly study about Bible Teaching continues for September at 7:00 PM The date this month is September 19 The study will be led this session by Fred Ridgley SEE YOU THERE ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------- A Special Bible study on the ?CHURCH JESUS BUILT? is ongoing two times a month. The study meets September 10 and 25 this month at 7:00 PM at the meeting house of the Cemetery Road church of Christ. The preacher ? _glclair at aol.com_ (mailto:glclair at aol.com) is teaching this class. Everyone is invited and study materials will be available for all. SEE YOU THERE ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------- Articles this month in the HILLIARD BULLETIN are reprints from TRUTH MAGAZINE for 1971 Through the years the editor has written often for our brotherhood papers but as the years have accumulated the writing has slowed some. The writing has slowed not because of infirmity or age but because of personal preference to be involved in more personal work and member association. Request for past issues of HILLIARD BULLETIN MAY BE FOUND ONLINE AT considermagazine.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------- TIMES FOR WORSHIP Sunday: 9:30, 10:30 AM and 6:00 PM MIDWEEK ? WEDNESDAY: 7:30 Bible study for all ages Everyone is welcome ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------ REMEMBER THE SHUT IN MEMBERS REMEMBER THOSE THAT ARE SICK Gal. 6:10 - As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith. KJV James 1:27 - Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world - KJV ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------ CONCERN FOR THE LOST As we continue to work here in Hilliard with the good people that make up the congregation we are concerned about those multitudes within the area here who are not Christians and who live according to standards contrary to God ?s will. There are so many people that we desire to talk with and/or set down in a quiet place and discuss the will of God. Many people do not understand that life is short and there are possible consequence to delaying a decision about becoming familiar with the God of the Bible and becoming a subject to the King of Kings in this present existence - 1 Tim 6:14-15 14 That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ: 15 Which in his times he shall show, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings , and Lord of lords; KJV No person can adequately predict their future life and the length of their days upon this earth. Because life is uncertain we ought to remind those that we know about the frailty of life and the uncertainty of tomorrow. - James 4:13-14 13 Come now, ye that say, today or tomorrow we will go into this city, and spend a year there, and trade, and get gain: 14 whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow - What is your life? For ye are a vapor, that appeared for a little time, and then vanished away. ASV --- Don?t forget our Bible study sessions and special opportunities to participate in some of the work that the congregation is involved in. We especially encourage everyone to attend the regularly scheduled Bible studies. The teachers are all doing excellent preparation and the studies are sound and well presented. WE WILL SEE YOU NEXT MONTH - REMEMBER THIS: 2 Peter 3:10 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. KJV **************A Good Credit Score is 700 or Above. See yours in just 2 easy steps! (http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100126575x1222846709x1201493018/aol?redir=http://www.freecreditreport.com/pm/default.aspx?sc=668072&hmpgID=115&bcd =JulystepsfooterNO115) -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20090901/97f3fad6/attachment-0001.html From thornhill1 at frontiernet.net Tue Sep 1 12:51:53 2009 From: thornhill1 at frontiernet.net (thomas thornhill) Date: Tue, 1 Sep 2009 12:51:53 -0500 Subject: [Biblemat] question about birth control Message-ID: Dear brethren, I would like to have some imput (pro and con) on the scripturalness of a married couple practicing birth control and a man getting a vasectomy. One has suggested that God's command to be fruitful and multiply would prohibit birth control. The answer is "No" to some of you who know me that I am asking for myself. My wife and I are a little past age. Today we are celebrating our 51st anniversary. Sept.1, 1958. You can answer me privately if desired. brotherly, Tommy Thornhill thornhill1 at frontiernet.net 13675 Hwy 341 Randolph MS 38864 tel. 662-568-2960 cell- 662-419-5378 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20090901/d21ea6aa/attachment-0001.html From jwquinn at sbcglobal.net Tue Sep 1 13:58:12 2009 From: jwquinn at sbcglobal.net (Jon W. Quinn) Date: Tue, 1 Sep 2009 13:58:12 -0500 Subject: [Biblemat] Expository Files 16.9 (September, 2009) available Message-ID: Our 16th year of publication (1994-2009) Expository Files - September 2009 **Our 189th monthly issue** Expository Files is a monthly electronic journal dedicated to Biblical studies. It is edited by Warren E Berkley and Jon W. Quinn. This effort began with the January, 1994 issue and continues to this day. In addition to the four or so expository articles by different writers in each issue, there are special topical studies. In addition, each issue begins and ends with editorials by the editors. We have expository material from every book in the Bible, though there are still portions that are much more lightly covered than others. Thanks to our writers and our readers for making Expository Files such a success! ---------------------------------------------------------- Expository Files 16.8; August 2009 Co-edited by Warren E. Berkley and Jon W. Quinn ---------------------------------------------------------- This month's issue contains: Front Page 16.9 Grief: Our Steady Unwelcomed Companion By Warren E. Berkley Paul's Wake-up Call Ephesians 5:14-18 By Warren E. Berkley Today Matthew 6:34 By Jay Taylor Tears at Night-A Shout of Joy in the Morning "...His favor is for a lifetime ." Psalm 30:1-12 By Jon W. Quinn You Sinned...AGAIN?? Luke 17:1-4 By Allen Dvorak 6 Ways to Handle Tough Times Topical Article By John Mulligan {used by permission} Plan of Salvation By Jon W. Quinn The Final Page 16.9 A Modern Example of an Ancient Warning By Jon W. Quinn ---------------------------------------------------------- EF can now, or soon will, be found at the following places: http://www.bible.ca/ef/ Every issue - 1994 to present; every article; html; arranged by book; topic and/or issue; Search engine http://expositoryfiles.homestead.com/index.html 2004-2006 in html by issue; 1994-2003 in zipped self executable format for IBM http://www.geocities.com/w_berkley/ EF in PDF by issue; Sept 2003 to present Jon W. Quinn Bradley Church of Christ Bradley, Illinois http://www.bradleychurchofchrist.com Expository Files Sites http://www.bible.ca/ef/ http://www.expositoryfiles.homestead.com/ From disciple_of_iesus at hotmail.com Tue Sep 1 19:47:43 2009 From: disciple_of_iesus at hotmail.com (Ethan R. Longhenry) Date: Tue, 1 Sep 2009 20:47:43 -0400 Subject: [Biblemat] S:> Why Jesus Died Message-ID: Why Jesus Died I. Introduction A. Luke 9:21-22, 43-45 B. The disciples just could not figure it out: how could Jesus die? 1. After all, they all believed that He was the One-- the Messiah, the Holy One of God (cf. Luke 9:20) 2. They would see Him enter into Jerusalem in triumph (Luke 19:29-40) 3. Surely He would now take on His role as son of David, king of Israel, and defeat the Romans! C. And yet, as all four Gospel accounts attest, Jesus goes to Jerusalem, and a week later is betrayed, condemned, and executed as a common criminal (Matthew 26-27, Mark 14-15, Luke 21-22, John 18-19) D. How was this even possible? 1. Was He not the Word, God Incarnate (John 1:1, 14)? 2. It is said that He committed no sin, and deceit was not found in His mouth (Hebrews 4:15, 1 Peter 2:22) 3. If He is God, and if He did nothing wrong, how could He possibly have been killed? E. Furthermore, why would Jesus know that He was going to be killed and presume that such was, in fact, God's plan all along (Luke 9:21-22, 43-45; Matthew 26:39)? F. Why, then, did Jesus die? II. The Message From the Gospels A. We are given a couple hints as to the reason within the Gospels themselves 1. John 1:29 2. Matthew 20:28 B. What does John mean that Jesus is the "Lamb of God"? What does Jesus mean when He says that His life would be given as a "ransom for many"? C. The Lamb 1. In order to understand the image of the lamb, one needs to understand animal sacrifices and the Law 2. Exodus 12:1-9, Leviticus 5:1-6 3. Lambs were often used (among other animals) as sacrifices to atone for sin 4. The sacrifice of the lamb was also a major feature of the Passover observance (cf. 1 Corinthians 5:7) D. Why a Lamb? 1. But why would one sacrifice a lamb for sin? 2. Leviticus 17:11 (cf. Hebrews 9:22) 3. God established that the life of a creature is in the blood, and atonement can only be accomplished by the giving up of the animal life 4. The animal is considered as sinless-- the animal "takes on" the sin of the one offering the sacrifice, allowing for the one offering to be cleansed of that sin 5. The lamb, therefore, dies so that the sinner can be cleansed and live E. Thus, Jesus the Lamb of God, taking away the sin of the world! III. The Message From the Letters A. But why does Jesus have to be the Lamb of God? What is the "sin of the world" that needs to be taken away? B. The problem: all have sinned! 1. Why were the Israelites supposed to offer all of those animals? Because they had sin against them! 2. The problem of sin goes back to the Garden of Eden-- Adam and Eve sinned, on that day they died a spiritual death, no recourse found (Genesis 3, Romans 5:12-18) 3. Ever since, all people have committed sin at various times in their lives (Romans 3:9-23) C. The Problem of Sin 1. What's so bad about sin? 2. Sin separates man from God (Isaiah 59:1-2) 3. Sin is an affront to God's majesty, justice; He turns away from those who do evil (Habakkuk 1:13, Psalm 34:16, 1 Peter 3:12) 4. Those who have committed sin obtain the penalty of death, condemnation, eternal torment (Romans 6:23, 2 Thessalonians 1:6-9) D. Sin, therefore, leads to our spiritual ruin and condemnation! E. What can we do about our sin? 1. Unfortunately, absolutely nothing! 2. Any and all good works do not "erase" or "outweigh" the evil-- this decision not based on "fairness" and "equality" (Romans 3:20)! 3. We have sinned, deserve death and condemnation, and can do nothing about it! F. What about animal sacrifices? 1. Yes, God did command them... 2. ...but the Hebrew author declares that they cannot really take away sin (Hebrews 10:4)! 3. No one can stand before God and expect to be justified by themselves or cleansed by the blood of animals! G. Thus, God would be just to condemn everyone for sin, and man would have no recourse! H. Yet God not only is a God of justice, but also love and mercy (Deuteronomy 32:4, Isaiah 30:8, 1 John 4:9, Nehemiah 9:17, 31)! I. Thus God sent His Son Jesus to be the Lamb who would take away the sin of the world, to give His life to be a ransom for many! 1. John 3:16, Ephesians 2:1-10, Titus 3:3-8 2. Jesus' blood could atone since He was perfect and sinless, like a lamb (Isaiah 53, Hebrews 9:11-15) 3. Yet, unlike a lamb, Jesus was a conscious and willing sacrifice! J. Jesus' sacrifice done once for all 1. Hebrews 9:24-26 2. No more need for sacrificing of animals-- Jesus' blood suffices to cover our sins 3. Sin, then, able to be entirely put away (cf. Romans 6:1-12) 4. Furthermore, it was for all people-- there is not one person on earth whose sins cannot be forgiven by the blood of Christ (cf. 1 Timothy 1:12-16) K. Jesus' death inaugurates the new covenant 1. Hebrews 9:15-23 2. Through His death, Jesus begins a new covenant in His blood between God and man, with Himself as Mediator (1 Timothy 2:5) 3. The old covenant could then be done away with (Colossians 2:14-17, Hebrews 7-8) L. Jesus' death kills hostility between men 1. Ephesians 2:11-18 2. Jews were to find salvation in Jesus (cf. Romans 7:1-4) 3. Yet God also brings in the Gentiles (cf. Acts 10, 15) 4. Great hostility between these people 5. How could that hostility be ended? Through the blood of Christ, shed to reconcile both groups together 6. Indeed, salvation through Christ the equalizer of all people, regardless of race, class, culture (Galatians 3:28, Colossians 3:11) M. Indeed, the salvation of all men and reconciliation of man in Jesus Christ the eternal plan of God (Ephesians 3:10-11)! IV. Why Jesus Died A. Yes, Jesus is God, the son of David, king of the Jews, the Messiah, the Holy One of God the disciples were expecting B. His death was not an accident or a mistake-- it was part of God's plan! C. Jesus as the Lamb of God, the sinless One who was able to atone for the sin of all men through His blood D. We all have sinned, and there is nothing we could do to save ourselves E. Jesus provides the means of salvation through His blood! F. Do you believe that Jesus is the Christ? G. Do you recognize that you have sinned, and that Jesus died to atone for your sins? H. Have you died to sin? Do you now walk in newness of life? I. Be Jesus' obedient disciple today! J. 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 GLClair at aol.com Tue Sep 1 20:04:25 2009 From: GLClair at aol.com (GLClair at aol.com) Date: Tue, 1 Sep 2009 21:04:25 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] Hilliard Bulletin for September 2009 Message-ID: Hilliard Bulletin Published by the church of Christ Meeting at 4840 Cemetery Road ? P.O. Box 96 Hilliard, Ohio 43026 Phone 876-4089 Preacher & Editor: Garreth L. Clair Phone: (614) 850-7252 Email: _glclair at aol.com_ (mailto:glclair at aol.com) ============================================================= Volume 11 Number 9 September 2009 ============================================================= Opportunities Are Present Garreth Clair The church must continue to extend its borders. When we find ourselves self-satisfied as to the amount of outside work that is being done with the lost, we should stop and take inventory of our direction. Sometimes congregations of God's people become so self-secure in their own local work that they turn from the areas around them, and seek things to their own benefit. There are many worthy men and places which deserve whatever help that they receive. All of us ought to consider all calls for help. In consideration of men and places to help, we ought to secure whatever information is readily at hand. If then, the man and place appear deserving; we ought to help according to our ability. A Serious Danger: The message to one of the seven churches of Asia (Rev. 3-4) reveals to us that there will, from time to time, be presented to us an open door of opportunity. The church under consideration is the church at Philadelphia (Rev. 3:7-13). Similar opportunities might be presented to some congregation today. Such opportunities are to be grasped if the congregation is able. It would appear from the text that failure to take advantage of this opportunity on the part of the Philadelphian church would result in their rejection by God. If such an opportunity were presented to a congregation today, do you suppose that failure to take advantage of it would result in any less than rejection by God? I believe that we can all see the dangers in failure to act when opportunity and ability are present. Yes, we must act, when a door of opportunity is offered to us. Never Be Self-satisfied >From time to time such opportunities will be offered to most any congregation. We must take advantage of these opportunities if we are able. Failure to do so could condemn us eternally. The attitude that we manifest ought to be, "if we can, we will." TRUTH MAGAZINE, XV: 21, pp. 8-9 --- April 1, 1971 "A Missionary Church - Philippi" Garreth L. Clair Paul himself tells us of the devotion and zeal of the Philippians church. While Paul was in Thessalonica shortly after leaving Philippi (Acts 17:1-9), the church in Philippi at least twice had sent gifts for his needs (Phil. 4:16). They kept up this good work when the apostle went to Corinth and was "in want," for it was not Corinth but Philippi alone at first that supplied his wants above what he could supply with his own hands (2 Cor. 11:9; Phil. 4:15). The example set by the Philippians church was later followed by some other congregations, though never by all. Concerning Corinth, Paul states, "I robbed other churches, taking wages of them that I might minister unto you" (2 Cor. 11: 8). "In the beginning of the Gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church had fellowship (ekoinonesen - "had partnership") with me in the matter of giving and receiving but ye only" (Phil. 4:15). It is inferred that Thessalonica and Berea (perhaps) soon joined with Philippi and helped Paul at Corinth. Certainly Thessalonica became "an example to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia" (I Thess. 1: 7). From them "has echoed forth the word of the Lord" (I Thess. 1: 8). None of the churches with which Paul worked was as thoroughly missionary in spirit and in deed as the church in Philippi. The church in Philippi rallied heartily and steadily to the support of Paul's missionary work throughout the vast Roman Empire. They set the example for all time for the church that has a desire to show its love for the lost souls of fallen humanity. The church at Philippi probably did far more for Paul than he has revealed in his letters. The last instance of their "fellowship," after an interval when they lacked "opportunity" (Phil. 4: 10), was while, Paul was in Rome the first time, when they sent Epaphroditus, "your messenger and minister, to my need" (Phil. 2:25). Paul referred to this gift as "an odor of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, well pleasing to God" (Phil. 4:18). Paul depended on the church in Philippi greatly in raising the collection for the poor Saints in Jerusalem from the churches in Galatia, Macedonia, Achaia, and Asia. The churches in Achaia were quick to promise and slow to pay, like some congregations today. Under the prodding of Titus they promised a whole year ahead (2 Cor. 8: 10), and Paul used their prompt pledge to stir the Macedonian churches (9:2). And now he has to spur the Achaian churches on to actual response by the liberality and prompt response of the Macedonian churches (8:1-15; 9:1-5). Paul does not wish to be ashamed of the Achaian churches if he comes with some of the Macedonian brethren to whom he has boasted of the Achaian liberal promises. It is all a very modern situation drawn from everyday life. But it is clearly the congregation at Philippi I poor and generous, which has long had the habit of giving, that set the mood for the other Macedonian churches and for the Achaian churches as well. The church no longer exists in Philippi, but the example which the church left for us to follow is very clear. We must not ignore the need in other places. If the local congregation is able, it should support all the preaching and teaching that it can, anywhere the need arises. Yes, our responsibility begins at home but it does not end at home. TRUTH MAGAZINE, XV: 32, pp. 9-10 - June 17, 1971 OLD HILLIARD STREET FAIR The congregation here in Hilliard will have a 10 X 10 booth set up and there will be two or more members in the booth during the fair on Saturday ? September 12. There will be tracts, DVD?s relating to the church, salvation, etc. Everyone is welcome to come by the booth on Saturday, 10AM to 6:00 PM Remember our gospel meeting September 20-23 With Billy Ford from Marion, Arkansas ---- Everyone is invited --- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------- Our monthly study about Bible Teaching continues for September at 7:00 PM The date this month is September 19 The study will be led this session by Fred Ridgley SEE YOU THERE -------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------- A Special Bible study on the ?CHURCH JESUS BUILT? is ongoing two times a month. The study meets September 10 and 25 this month at 7:00 PM at the meeting house of the Cemetery Road church of Christ. The preacher ? _glclair at aol.com_ (mailto:glclair at aol.com) is teaching this class. Everyone is invited and study materials will be available for all. SEE YOU THERE ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------- Articles this month in the HILLIARD BULLETIN are reprints from TRUTH MAGAZINE for 1971 Through the years the editor has written often for our brotherhood papers but as the years have accumulated the writing has slowed some. The writing has slowed not because of infirmity or age but because of personal preference to be involved in more personal work and member association. Request for past issues of HILLIARD BULLETIN MAY BE FOUND ONLINE AT considermagazine.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------- TIMES FOR WORSHIP Sunday: 9:30, 10:30 AM and 6:00 PM MIDWEEK ? WEDNESDAY: 7:30 Bible study for all ages Everyone is welcome ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------ REMEMBER THE SHUT IN MEMBERS REMEMBER THOSE THAT ARE SICK Gal. 6:10 - As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith. KJV James 1:27 - Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world - KJV ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------ CONCERN FOR THE LOST As we continue to work here in Hilliard with the good people that make up the congregation we are concerned about those multitudes within the area here who are not Christians and who live according to standards contrary to God ?s will. There are so many people that we desire to talk with and/or set down in a quiet place and discuss the will of God. Many people do not understand that life is short and there are possible consequence to delaying a decision about becoming familiar with the God of the Bible and becoming a subject to the King of Kings in this present existence - 1 Tim 6:14-15 14 That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ: 15 Which in his times he shall show, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings , and Lord of lords; KJV No person can adequately predict their future life and the length of their days upon this earth. Because life is uncertain we ought to remind those that we know about the frailty of life and the uncertainty of tomorrow. - James 4:13-14 13 Come now, ye that say, today or tomorrow we will go into this city, and spend a year there, and trade, and get gain: 14 whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow - What is your life? For ye are a vapor, that appeared for a little time, and then vanished away. ASV --- Don?t forget our Bible study sessions and special opportunities to participate in some of the work that the congregation is involved in. We especially encourage everyone to attend the regularly scheduled Bible studies. The teachers are all doing excellent preparation and the studies are sound and well presented. WE WILL SEE YOU NEXT MONTH - REMEMBER THIS: 2 Peter 3:10 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. KJV -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20090901/78d93c39/attachment-0001.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Wed Sep 2 03:08:48 2009 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Wed, 2 Sep 2009 04:08:48 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 another question and answer from my files: QUESTION: -- My denominational friends refer to their preacher as "Pastor" or "Reverend." What is the proper way to address the preacher, or how do you refer to him as you speak of him to others? ANSWER: -- For me it is easy to answer what I call the preacher who preaches for our congregation. He is about fifty years my junior so I call him David for that is his given name. David is not a 'pastor', so I don't refer to him in that way. Nor do I call him 'Reverend' for God is the only One who is called 'Reverend' in the Bible and I dare not give that title to a mere man. Even though I respect David for what he does, he preaches the gospel regularly in our assemblies. He also teach- es classes in our Bible class assemblies. It may seem odd to some when they hear you call the preach- er by his first name. But why not? If Peter could refer to Paul as 'Paul,' and Paul could refer to Timothy as 'Timothy,' then why can't we use the same terminology when we speak to or of the person that preaches in the congregation of which we are mem- bers. I firmly believe that we can, and should. Now, if David happened to be a person that was several years older than my- self, I would respectively refer to him as 'Brother' Deason. This is done with respect to age, but not to put him on a pedestal in a spiritual way. We, as Christians, refer to our brothers and sist- ers in Christ, as brother so and so or sister so and so. With regard to the term "Pastor," as it is used in the Bible, it refers to a shepherd or elder of the flock, or church. A plurali- ty of pastors, elders, or bishops are those men who meet certain qualifications as are given in 1 Tim. 3, and Titus 1. They then are appointed to oversee the congregation, especially in Spiritual matters. They can only oversee the congregation of which they are members and not several congregations. The preacher is not to be referred to as "Pastor" "Reverend" nor "Father." In most cases the preacher is not one of the 'elders' in the congregation. And certainly, he is not in a posit- ion to be called "Reverend" because that term is only applied once in all of the Bible and then it refers to God. Then, one is not to be referred to as 'Father' in a religious sense because we are told not to be referred to in that sense Matt. 23:9. Preachers are referred to as 'evangelists' in the Bible (Acts 21:8; 2 Tim. 4:5), because he brings the 'good news' (the gospel) to us. The preacher is also referred to as 'minister' which basically means 'servant' (Eph. 6:21; Col. 4:7). So, it is proper to refer to the preacher by these Scriptural terms. But the terms used to denote the preacher are never designed to "put him on a pedestal" above the other members of the congre- gation. A preacher's work is done under the oversight of the elders of the congregation for which he preaches. They are responsible to be sure that he preaches the truth as it is found in the Bible, the Word of God. ----- Adapted from an article by Clem Thurman, via Gospel Minutes, Vol. 58, No. 34, Aug. 21, 2009. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20090902/89be4254/attachment-0001.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Wed Sep 2 03:08:59 2009 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Wed, 2 Sep 2009 04:08:59 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] S) SINS OF IGNORANCE -- DO THEY MATTER? Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. Here is a study from my files. Use to the glory of God. SINS OF IGNORANCE -- DO THEY MATTER? So often people develop he attitude that if one doesn't know about his sins, he is OK; or if we sin in ignorance, we are OK. This subtle doctrine seeks to destroy the importance of sin, and causes us to become careless in teaching others the import- ance of sin. First and foremost, if one could be saved in ignorance, then the worst thing we could do would be to teach them the truth! They might learn and reject it, and then they would be lost. This makes the gospel a means of condemnation and not the "good news" of salvation. The message of the gospel is what we can do to be saved from our sins, not to condemn us (Jno. 3:17). But there are conditions attached to the gospel that we are to obey (Heb. 5:9). In Lev. chapters 4 and 5, God shows His attitude toward sin, including sins done in ignorance. He points out if a person, or even a priest, sins in ignorance or unintentionally, he is still guilty of sin, regardless of his sincerity, and when he learns of his sin, he must offer up the proper sacrifice for that sin (Lev. 4:2,3). If the whole congregation sins unintentionally, they still have sinned, and must offer up a sacrifice for that when it be- comes known to them (4:13,14). If a ruler sins unintentionally, and learns of the sin he committed, he too must offer up the appropriate sacrifice (4:22,23), as well as any of the common people (4:27,28). In (5:1,2), he points out if a vow is taken which causes one to sin, he is guilty of sin; or if one unknowingly touc- hed the carcass of a dead animal. If he utters something unawa- re it is a sin, he is guilty of that sin, and upon learning of it, he must make the appropriate sacrifince (5:4-6). In 5:17, God sums it all up by saying, "If a person sins, and commits any of these things which are forbidden to be done by the commandments of the Lord, though he does not know it, yet he is guilty and shall bear his iniquity." Thus, he must make the proper sacrifice of that sin when he learns of his sins. Certainly this is in full harmony with what we read about in the New Testament in such passages as Rom. 10:2; Acts 3:17; Eph. 4:18 and Heb. 9:7 (to mention just a few). Since our sins can separate us from God (Isa. 59:1,2), then they are indeed important. Does God allow some time in there for us to learn (assuming we are desirous of learning)? Apparently so from the reading of Rev. 2:5, etc. But that is not a "resource" to be counted upon, as 1) we do not know how long we may have -- or when death might claim us before we are ready. 2) The wages of sin is still death (Rom. 6:23), and we do not want to take that chance. If you speed through a town at 80 mph, unaware of a sign that may haven gotten knocked down that said "45 mph," the cop is not going to excuse your ignoran- ce just because "you didn't see the sign." So what must we do about the matter? We must study the Word of God, that we might learn what our sins are, and then obey His Word to get rid of them (Jno. 8:31,32). My friends, sin is still sin, and until we seek His forgiveness, we have sin in our souls when we have done that which is wrong. Learn the Word of God, find out if what you are doing is wrong (even if you were very sincere when doing it -- Acts 23:1; 26:9), then take the steps God requires to get rid of those sins before it is eternally too late (Acts 22:26; Jas. 1:21; 1 Jno. 1:5-10). ----- Donald P. Ames, in Truth Magazine, Vol. 52, No. 9, Sept. 2008. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20090902/ca4bf7c2/attachment-0001.html From tedwards at onemain.com Wed Sep 2 13:57:33 2009 From: tedwards at onemain.com (tedwards at onemain.com) Date: Wed, 02 Sep 2009 13:57:33 -0500 Subject: [Biblemat] B> Gospel Observer 8/23/09 Message-ID: <4A9E79CD.10508.7C0796@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). ____________________________________________________ August 23, 2009 ____________________________________________________ Contents: 1) How Does the Holy Spirit Lead? (Herschel E. Patton) 2) The Danger of Alcohol (Steve Wallace) ____________________________________________________ -1- How Does the Holy Spirit Lead? by Herschel E. Patton Obviously, the Holy Spirit does lead certain ones. "Sons of God" are thus led. "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God" (Rom. 8:14). Jesus was "led up of the Spirit" into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil (Matt. 4:1). Paul and his companions were being led on their journey by the Holy Spirit when they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, "having been forbidden of the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia," and when "they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit of Jesus suffered them not" (Acts 16:6-7). The Holy Spirit led Peter to the house of Cornelius, and Philip was led by the Holy Spirit to the eunuch. No one denies the fact that the Holy Spirit leads or guides. Many, however, differ on the matter of how he leads. Some believe and teach that the Holy Spirit acts miraculously in leading to salvation and sanctification, without means or instrumentality. These fail to recognize a difference in ordinary and miraculous manifestations. They want to make every action of the Spirit toward the sinner or saint miraculous. Some who claim to be Christians feel that the Holy Spirit dwells in them personally and leads them to speak in tongues, heal, make utterances (preach) as the Spirit gives it to them, and even directs them in various experiences in life. One told of the Holy Spirit leading him to a parking space when he sorely needed one. Some seem to feel that the Holy Spirit in them serves like a radar beep leading, guiding, and warning always. We need to look to the Bible and see what it reveals about the leading of Deity. Each member of the Godhead is said to lead just as each is said to dwell in us. Learning how Deity leads and dwells in us should clear up the confusion in the minds of many about the "how." Some speak of the dispensations of God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit. They are referring to the times when God spoke directly with man or led by direct contact, when Christ was here on earth, and after Christ ascended and sent the Holy Spirit. Looking at how God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit led during these periods should help answer the question of this article. God led Noah to build an ark wherein he and his family were saved from the flood (Heb. 11:7). The Genesis account tells us that God "said unto Noah . . . make thee an ark of gopher wood . . . and this is the fashion which thou shalt make it" (Gen. 6:13-16). "And Noah did according to all that the Lord commanded him" (7:5). How did God lead Noah to build the ark? He spoke to him in a language Noah understood, giving detailed instructions, and Noah followed (did) all that God commanded. God led Abraham out of Ur of the Chaldees. How? Abraham received instructions from God and his faith resulted in obedience (Heb. 11:8-9; Rom. 10:17; Gen. 12:1-4). God led Abraham by speaking to him and Abraham obeyed. God led Israel out of Egyptian bondage, and through the wilderness (Deut.8:14-15; 29:4-5). In doing this he used the instrumentality of Moses and Aaron. "Thou leadest thy people like a flock, by the hand of Moses and Aaron" (Psa.77:20). He confirmed his leadership and his appointed agents by many miracles (plagues, parting waters, pillar of cloud and fire, etc.). God led them by choosing and equipping Moses who spoke God's will to the people and they obeyed. Christ made disciples by teaching instruction. He commanded and they obeyed (Jn. 1:43). No mysterious or supernatural power possessed the individuals to make them follow Jesus. Miraculous proof that Jesus was from God, and was God, was given to induce faith in the individual to accept the instruction Jesus gave, and to follow him. People became followers of Christ by being taught -- hearing, learning, and coming (Jn. 6:44-45). Jesus led people by speaking truth to them (taught in a way that they could understand) and they followed him. This is the same way that God led Abraham and Israel in their day. The Spirit's Leading We have already pointed out that the Holy Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted by divine instruction and led Paul in his journeys by divine instruction. The word of God teaches that the Holy Spirit leads sons of God today (Rom. 8:14). Does he do it differently from other examples of the leading of Deity? A careful study of Scripture shows that the Holy Spirit, an intelligent speaking person, also speaks to people and they hear and obey. There were different manifestations of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 12:4-7). The apostles were promised baptism of the Holy Spirit for revelation and confirmation of the word of truth (Acts 1:5; Jn.14:26; 16:13-15; 1 Cor.2:12-13; Mk. 16:20). There were "gifts of the Spirit" (miraculous powers) used in revealing and confirming truth (1 Cor. 12:1-11,28) that were bestowed on certain ones by the laying on of an apostle's hands (Acts 8:17-18; 19:6). These gifts of the Spirit were temporary and would vanish away when maturity (complete, finished revelation and confirmation of truth) was reached (1 Cor. 13:8-10). The Holy Spirit led three thousand souls to be saved on Pentecost. How? The Holy Spirit came to the apostles with miraculous demonstrations, giving proof that these men were truly messengers of God. Peter spoke "as the Holy Spirit gave utterance." Many were convicted by the truth spoken and asked, "What shall we do?" The Holy Spirit, speaking through Peter, said, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins" (Acts 2). Thus about three thousand were led by the Holy Spirit to salvation, when they heard, believed and did just what the Holy Spirit said for them to do. This is exactly how the Holy Spirit leads Christians today. Redeemed people need the leading of the Spirit in living the Christian life as much as they did in coming to Christ. In leading, guiding and edifying the Christian, the Spirit uses the instrumentality of truth -- the revealed, confirmed word of truth. The word of God is said to be the "sword (instrument) of the Spirit" (Eph. 6:17). The Holy Spirit "speaks expressly" (1 Tim. 4:1-2) giving instruction, warnings, exhortations through the New Testament. The Holy Spirit has never laid aside the agency of truth, substituting fleshly feelings, emotions, or imaginations, in the guidance of Christians. Sons of God are led by the Spirit of God as they hear the Spirit revealed message of truth, believe and obey it. This is the way that Christians "walk after the Spirit," "mind the things of the Spirit," are "in the Spirit," "live in the Spirit," and are "led by the Spirit" (Rom. 8:1,4,5,9,13,14). Deity has always led by the agent/agency of revealed, confirmed truth (God's will) being made known to man, coupled with man's faith and obedience. The leading of Deity never overrides the will (free moral agency) of man, so that he cannot choose to do or not do the will of God. -- Via Guardian of Truth XXXV: 8, pp. 237, 239, April 14, 1991 ____________________________________________________ -2- The Danger of Alcohol by Steve Wallace Alcohol is such an accepted part of American society and society in general that our title may strike some as odd. After all, so many popular, fashionable, and successful people are known to drink. Also, commercials, movies, advertisements, etc., picture drinking as something to be desired, as it seems as proper to have a drink in one's hand in many different settings as it does to be wearing the latest fashion. Plus, it has become so socially acceptable that one can be led to think it necessary to fit in. Indeed, many Christians work with or have as relatives those who cannot think of a social gathering without a bar or a "bring your own bottle" type of invitation. When we add to all of this the seemingly endless number of brands of hard liquor, wine, and beer available, the picture is complete. Intoxicants are popular, acceptable, and accessible in our world. In light of the above facts why would the child of God or any other person want to refrain from drinking? After all, it seems like a proper activity for anyone. Are there facts which would give us a view more balanced than that so apparent in our world? There are, but as we approach them we must recognize that they are not as popular or widespread as the facts in our opening paragraph. The liquor industry is big business and has money for advertising and promotion necessary for such a business, that its victims and opponents usually do not have. Plus, institutions and associations that help said victims must put the bulk of their funds into the services they render rather than into publicizing the facts they glean from their work. Hence, what we say herein does not rest or rely on popular notions. Rather, it appeals to truth and fact with the hope that the reader will weigh them against the ideas common in our society. What, then, are the dangers of alcohol? * Alcohol perverts judgment (Isa. 5:22-23). King Ahasuerus, when "merry with wine," attempted to show his wife off before a crowd of his subjects (Esth. 1:10-11). Lot would never have committed incest had he been sober (Gen. 19:32-35). People "utter perverse things" under the influence of alcohol (Prov. 23:33). Statistics often do not show the effects alcohol has in this area. Marriages are entered into by people who have met and courted under the influence of alcohol; they later dissolve or lead to the kind of terrible homes that abused spouses and children, and criminals come from. Alcohol can cause one to wrongly invest or spend his money, think he is capable of driving, enter into strife, or make a multitude of other mistakes. Alcohol-influenced judgment leads to other sins! By contrast, sober minds are necessary for one to live the life of a Christian (1 Thess. 5:6; 1 Pet. 5:8). * People become dependent on alcohol. The Bible warns against being "given" or "addicted" to wine (1 Tim. 3:3). The pull of drink is clearly seen herein: After experiencing the effects of it the man arises from his stupor and says, "I will seek it again" (Prov. 23:35). When hard times come, as they will to all, the one who depends on alcohol will turn to his "help." The Christian must remember the song that says, "Savior in my joy or sorrow I will ever go to thee" (Phil. 4:11-13). If I become dependent on alcohol it will endanger my relationship with God from this standpoint alone. * Alcohol ruins lives (Prov. 23:29-30). As one considers how popular alcohol is among the stars of Hollywood he would do well to also consider the high rate of divorce, alcoholism, and drug abuse among these people. Further examples of this point come from our experiences in Lithuania. It is common there to meet men who live on the street because their wives have thrown them out of the house because of their drinking habits. A man with ability in his profession became a crazed woman beater when under the influence of alcohol. He was later put into prison. A talented musician has ruined his marriage and chances for success because he will not keep away from alcohol. A number of brethren have tried in vain to help him. His father, by the way, died in his 40s from alcohol abuse, something not uncommon there. Such stories could be multiplied many times over in our own country. Christians are stewards who must be found faithful (1 Cor. 4:2). They must keep themselves from the blight of alcohol if they are to lead faithful lives. Conclusion Our study has touched on the social, physical, and spiritual dangers of alcohol. We have not dwelt on how drinking will harm a Christian's influence or the high financial cost that our country is paying for alcohol abuse. However, in light of all these things, why would any Christian want to use alcohol? -- Via Truth Magazine Vol. XLIV: 3 p5 February 3, 2000 ____________________________________________________ CHURCH OF CHRIST 201 Rushing Road (at the Hampton Inn) Denham Springs, LA 70726 Sunday: 9:15 AM, 10:00 AM, 4:00 PM evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards (225) 667-4520 tedwards at onemain.com http://home.onemain.com/~tedwards/go DIRECTIONS: Take the Denham Springs exit (exit 10) off of I-12. At the end of the exit ramp, turn north. Go about a stone's throw to Rushing Road. (You'll see a Starbucks, Circle K, and two other gas stations; with each on each corner.) Turn left on Rushing Road, and go less then 0.3 of a mile. Hampton Inn will be on the right. We assemble in its meeting room, which is very close to the reception counter. ____________________________________________________ From GLClair at aol.com Wed Sep 2 16:17:43 2009 From: GLClair at aol.com (GLClair at aol.com) Date: Wed, 2 Sep 2009 17:17:43 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] EMAIL Edition - Hilliard Bulletin for September 2009 Message-ID: Hilliard Bulletin EMAIL EDITION Published by the church of Christ Meeting at 4840 Cemetery Road ? P.O. Box 96 Hilliard, Ohio 43026 Phone 876-4089 Preacher & Editor: Garreth L. Clair Phone: (614) 850-7252 Email: _glclair at aol.com_ (mailto:glclair at aol.com) =========================================================== Volume 11 Number 9b September 2009 ============================================================ BEING FAITHFUL [Willing to obey [i.e. work; grow]: Being faithful, making a commitment are two phrases that religious people use in conversation about their response to the Bible?s teaching. Most religious people think that they are faithful or that they are committed to their religion. Although this sounds good, unless their relationship to God is based upon truth and the compliance to truth [John 8:32 - 32 and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free ASV] - John 17:17 - 17 Sanctify them in the truth: thy word is truth ASV.] - John 12:48-50 - 48 He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my sayings, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I spake, the same shall judge him in the last day. 49 For I spake not from myself; but the Father that sent me, he hath given me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. 50 And I know that his commandment is life eternal: the things therefore which I speak, even as the Father hath said unto me, so I speak ASV]. their faithfulness or commitment is vain [Matt. 15:8-9 - 8 This people honoreth me with their lips; But their heart is far from me. 9 But in vain do they worship me, Teaching (as their) doctrines the precepts of men. ASV], for they are still in their sins and have need of being converted to Christ. DEFINITIONS: FAITHFULNESS (Heb. 'emuna, "faithfulness, stability"). An attribute ascribed to God in many places, especially in the Psalms (Ps 36:5; 89:2,5,8; Isa 11:5; etc.), which exhibits His character as worthy of the love and confidence of man and assures us that He will certainly fulfill His promises as well as execute His threats against sin. It covers "temporal blessings (1 Tim 4:8; Ps 84:11; Isa 33:16); spiritual blessings (1 Cor 1:9); support in temptation (10:13) and persecution (1 Peter 4:12-13; Isa 41:10); sanctifying afflictions (Heb 12:4-12); directing in difficulties (2 Chron. 32:22; Ps 32:8); enabling to persevere (Jer. 32:40), and bringing to glory (1 John 2:25)." Faithfulness is also predicated of men: "he was a faithful man" (Heb. "trustworthy," Neh. 7:2); "who then is the faithful and sensible steward . . .?" (Luke 12:42; etc.). The faithful was the general and favorite name in the early church to denote baptized persons. (From The New Unger's Bible Dictionary. Originally published by Moody Press of Chicago, Illinois. Copyright ? 1988.) COMMITMENT: Pronunciation: k&-'mit-m&nt Function: noun 1 a: an act of committing to a charge or trust: as 2 a: an agreement or pledge to do something in the future; especially: an engagement to assume a financial obligation at a future date b: something pledged c: the state or an instance of being obligated or emotionally impelled CONSIDER THIS: Indeed, faithfulness and/or commitment to God and to the Divine instruction received via the Written Word are necessary qualities of the true Christian. But remember this, before one can be faithful to, or committed to God, one must be one of His Children. If you have not followed the teaching of God about conversion revealed to mankind then your commitment or acts of faithfulness are vain ? see also Matt 7:22-23 - 22 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? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity ASV. QUALITIES INVOLVED IN FAITHFULNESS [i.e. COMMITMENT] CREDITABILITY [i.e. Trust] IS A QUALITY OF THE FAITHFUL: Prov. 11:13 - 13 He that goeth about as a tale-bearer revealeth secrets; But he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth a matter. ASV Prov. 14:5 - 5 A faithful witness will not lie; But a false witness uttereth lies ASV. THE PERSON WHO IS FAITHFUL IN GOD?S WORK WILL BE BLESSED, THE PERSON WHO PURSUES OTHER THINGS WILL BE PUNISHED: Prov. 28:20 - 20 A faithful man shall abound with blessings; But he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be unpunished ASV. FAITHFULNESS IN LITTLE THINGS ENCOURAGES GREATER TRUST FROM OTHERS: Luke 16:10-12 - 10 He that is faithful in a very little is faithful also inmuch: and he that is unrighteous in a very little is unrighteous also in much. 11 If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true (riches)? 12 And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another's, who will give you that which is your own ASV. STEWARDS ARE TO BE FAITHFUL: 1 Cor 4:2 - 2 Here, moreover, it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful ASV. Greek Definitions: STEWARD, STEWARDSHIP A. Nouns. 1. oikonomos NT:3623 primarily denoted "the manager of a household or estate" (oikos, "a house," nemo, "to arrange"), "a steward" (such were usually slaves or freedmen), Luke 12:42; 16:1,3,8; 1 Cor. 4:2; Gal. 4:2, RV (KJV, "governors"); in Rom. 16:23, the "treasurer (RV) of a city (see CHAMBERLAIN, Note); it is used metaphorically, in the wider sense, of a "steward" in general, (a) of preachers of the gospel and teachers of the Word of God, 1 Cor. 4:1; (b) of elders or bishops in churches, Titus 1:7; (c) of believers generally, 1 Peter 4:10. 2. epitropos NT:2012 is rendered "steward" in Matt. 20:8; Luke 8:3: see GUARDIAN. 3. oikonomia NT:3622 is rendered "stewardship" in Luke 16:2,3,4, and in the RV in 1 Cor. 9:17: see DISPENSATION. B. Verb. oikonomeo NT:3621, akin to A, Nos. 1 and 3, signifies "to be a house steward," Luke 16:2. In the Sept., Ps 112:5. (From Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, Copyright ? 1985, Thomas Nelson Publishers.) THE TRUTH IS TO BE COMMITTED TO FAITHFUL MEN: 2 Tim. 2:2 - 2 And the things which thou hast heard from me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also ASV. CONCLUSION: Faithfulness; then, implies consistent obedience. What does consistent obedience involve? ? Consistent obedience involves individual growth; individual growth is attained through obedience to God?s instruction (i.e. obeying commands, etc). How can a Christian maintain their good relationship to God if they choose to ignore God?s instruction via the Holy Scriptures on any point or points? ? ?Faith Only? does not produce salvation; the doctrine restricts man by contending that once he/she commits to Christ they cannot ever loose that saved status. What if they do not attend worship, do not give of their money and time to God?s service, fail to love God with their whole being ? (See John 14:15 - John 15:10 - 2 Thess. 3:4-6). Are you faithful (i.e. committed) in your relationship to God and to others in the Family of God? Each Christian is to be faithful in everything, not just in the things that are apparent but also in the not too visible lifestyle. Faithfulness is to permeate our whole life including thoughts, unseen plans, and hopes for the future. Christians are to be completely committed to the Biblical instructed lifestyle after initial obedience [i.e. belief, repentance, confession, and baptism]. Dear Christian; Phil. 2:12-15 - 12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. 14 Do all things without murmurings and disputings: 15 That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; (KJV) OLD HILLIARD STREET FAIR The congregation here in Hilliard will have a 10 X 10 booth set up and there will be two or more members in the booth during the fair on Saturday ? September 12. There will be tracts, DVD?s relating to the church, salvation, etc. Everyone is welcome to come by the booth on Saturday, 10AM to 6:00 PM ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------- Our monthly study about Bible Teaching continues for September at 7:00 PM The date this month is September 19 The study will be led this session by Fred Ridgley SEE YOU THERE ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------- A Special Bible study on the ?CHURCH JESUS BUILT? is ongoing two times a month. The study meets September 10 and 25 this month at 7:00 PM at the meeting house of the Cemetery Road church of Christ. The preacher ? _glclair at aol.com_ (mailto:glclair at aol.com) is teaching this class. Everyone is invited and study materials will be available for all. SEE YOU THERE ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------- Articles this month in the HILLIARD BULLETIN are reprints from TRUTH MAGAZINE for 1971 Through the years the editor has written often for our brotherhood papers but as the years have accumulated the writing has slowed some. The writing has slowed not because of infirmity or age but because of personal preference to be involved in more personal work and member association. Request for past issues of HILLIARD BULLETIN MAY BE FOUND ONLINE AT considermagazine.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------- TIMES FOR WORSHIP Sunday: 9:30, 10:30 AM and 6:00 PM MIDWEEK ? WEDNESDAY: 7:30 Bible study for all ages Everyone is welcome ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------ REMEMBER THE SHUT IN MEMBERS REMEMBER THOSE THAT ARE SICK Gal. 6:10 - As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith. KJV James 1:27 - Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world - KJV ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------ CONCERN FOR THE LOST As we continue to work here in Hilliard with the good people that make up the congregation we are concerned about those multitudes within the area here who are not Christians and who live according to standards contrary to God ?s will. There are so many people that we desire to talk with and/or set down in a quiet place and discuss the will of God. Many people do not understand that life is short and there are possible consequence to delaying a decision about becoming familiar with the God of the Bible and becoming a subject to the King of Kings in this present existence - 1 Tim 6:14-15 14 That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ: 15 Which in his times he shall show, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings , and Lord of lords; KJV No person can adequately predict their future life and the length of their days upon this earth. Because life is uncertain we ought to remind those that we know about the frailty of life and the uncertainty of tomorrow. - James 4:13-14 13 Come now, ye that say, today or tomorrow we will go into this city, and spend a year there, and trade, and get gain: 14 whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow - What is your life? For ye are a vapor, that appeared for a little time, and then vanished away. ASV --- Don?t forget our Bible study sessions and special opportunities to participate in some of the work that the congregation is involved in. We especially encourage everyone to attend the regularly scheduled Bible studies. The teachers are all doing excellent preparation and the studies are sound and well presented. REMEMBER OUR GOSPEL MEETING Billy Ford ? Speaking September 20-23 Sunday ? 9:30; 10:30 AM and 6:00 PM ALL ARE WELCOME WE WILL SEE YOU NEXT MONTH - REMEMBER THIS: 2 Peter 3:10 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. KJV -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20090902/fe7ac525/attachment-0001.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Thu Sep 3 03:38:43 2009 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Thu, 3 Sep 2009 04:38:43 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] A) ALWAYS FACING 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: ALWAYS FACING GOD Whenever I have been camping, I always find it natural to orient the tent toward something important -- usually the fire, a lake or other such scenery. Likewise, as the book of Numbers begins, God gave various instructions to His people. In chapter two, He tells them how they are to arrange their tribes as they camped along the way to the Promised Land. While they were to camp in certain assigned places, they were all oriented aroun- d one thing: the tabernacle. At all times, their lives were to be centered around the pres- ence of God. When they awoke in the morning and exited their tent, there was the pillar of cloud above the tabernacle. When they retired at night, they could look over their shoulder before stepping in to rest and see the tabernacle glowing under the light of the pillar of fire. They were always facing God. In 2 Cor. 5, Paul compares our physical bodies to a tent. With that in mind, to what have you oriented your tent? Make no mistake: it will be oriented and facing whatever you feel is most important. Some will face worldly pursuits or occupation. Some will face leisurely activities while others will orient towards family. But we will all focus our attention on something. If we learn a practical lesson from Num. 2, it is this: we must always be oriented toward God. Our lives must be centered on Him and His will. I have met Christians over the years that have exemplified such an attitude -- always centering and speaking of godly things. You aren't in a conversation with them very long before spiritual elements will enter. They speak of helping others, visiting others, Bible studies, sermons, preachers, elders, people they admire, people for whom they are concerned etc. And they are always at worship services. Mind you, i under- stand there are times when some can't assemble with the saints of God, and God does not hold us accountable to do things we cannot do. But, there are Christians I know that -- if they are not with the saints of God at appointed times -- you know something is wrong. They are early to services because they take their time with the Lord and His people seriously. They go to gospel meet- ings because they want to hear the Word of God preached over and over again. Finally, I have noticed, they are always doing godly things. They are always calling or visiting someone in the hospital or one who needs encouragement somehow. They are preparing meals and writing cards. Their lives are selfless. They do these things not for the praise of men, but because of the One they have oriented their lives around. God is always before them. He is a reality they see every morning and throughout the day. To what is the tent of your life facing? To what have you oriented the camp of your family today? ----- Mark McCreary in Biblical Insights, Vol. 8, No. 9, Sept. 2008. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20090903/54e6b400/attachment.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Thu Sep 3 03:38:54 2009 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Thu, 3 Sep 2009 04:38:54 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] S) WHEN THE HEAT IS ON (1) Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. Here is the first installment of this particular study. Use to the glory of God. WHEN THE HEAT IS ON (1) Life can bring real hardships. When we are all in the middle of a recession, when jobs are lost or the swine flu threatens, we all face issues that are daunting. How can we best handle all this? What is the best choice when the heat is on? And, most especially, how are Christians to act, or react, when the world brings pressure upon them? The apostle Peter gives us an answer to this question as he writes to a group of believers who are facing life and death pers- ecution. Throughout his letter, he teaches them how to handle hardship. "For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, Who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him Who judges righteously; and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed. For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls" (1 Pet. 2: 21-25). Follow His Example: -- The first thing Peter tells us is that we should act like Jesus did. When the pressure is on, when hard- sips come at you, you want to respond in the same way the Lord did. For those of you who are not yet Christians, this may not make sense. But, the fact is, if you follow in the footsteps of Jesus, you can successfully navigate all of life's challenges. No person ever lived a more successful life than Jesus. He did this without wealth, without social status, without all the things we think we need to be happy. If you follow in His steps, you can be happy even when people are unkind or cruel or hateful. For those of us who are Christians, this is a vital point. We cannot go on being like the world around us, especially when hard times hit us. Whent he heat is on, Christians don't get to choose their responses. They must follow in the steps of Jesus and do what He would have done, even when others are at their worst. Being like Jesus has a negative aspect, things we should not do. It also has a positive aspect of what we should do. No Sin: -- Jesus did not sin, even when men spat upon Him, or beat Him, or even when they crucified Him. No matter what others did to the Lord, He did not use their behaviors as a reason to sin. He always did the right thing, even when wrong things were being done to Him. If you are not a Christian, listen to the logic of this. Do you really think if you are hated and treated hatefully that you will be better off if you respond in kind? The fact is, when we stoop to the level of those who abuse us, we are not better than they are. If you are a Christian, don't let hard times be an excuse to fall back into sinful habits. It might seem okay to cut corners, to take more than your share, to help yourself to thing that belong to others. After all, you might think, they won't miss it and I (or my family) need it. Jesus didn't let the sins of others lead Him into sin. Christians today msut follow His example. No Deceit: -- Jesus did not play games whent he heat was on Him. That is, He did nto equivocate or shade the truth just a little. He did not try to avoid the stress He was under by chang- ing His story to make things easier. If He would have merely said He was not God's Son, they would have left Him alone. But He would not lie. There was no deceit in Him. If you are not yet a Christian, I still want you to see the power in this choice. When did lying ever improve any situation. Oh, you might think you are sparing someone's feelings, or that you are avoiding an unnecessary problem. But in fact, if you use deceit in hard times, people will merely come to view you as un- trustworthy. Having worked with hundreds of married couples, I can tell you firsthand how damaging lack of trust can be. And , for those of us who wear the name of Christ, we must follow this principle closely. We cannot shade our stories, or adjust the facts to suit the situations. Like the Lord, we must stand up and be honest, even when the heat is on. We should not call ourselves Christians fi we think any kind of deception is okay. (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/20090903/05151c98/attachment.html From tedwards at onemain.com Fri Sep 4 13:21:57 2009 From: tedwards at onemain.com (tedwards at onemain.com) Date: Fri, 04 Sep 2009 13:21:57 -0500 Subject: [Biblemat] B> Gospel Observer 8/30/09 Message-ID: <4AA11475.4344.EB507A@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). ____________________________________________________ August 30, 2009 ____________________________________________________ Contents: 1) When Bad Things Happen (Jeff Belknap) 2) "Demas Hath Forsaken Me" (Jarrod Jacobs) ____________________________________________________ -1- When Bad Things Happen by Jeff Belknap One thing to remember when bad things happen to God's people -- "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" (Romans 8:28). Not all that happens to us is good, but all things can work out for good if we will patiently look at it from the right perspective. Can good come out of devastating things and deeds? Yes, consider these: The Lord's Crucifixion Isaiah 53:11 says, "He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities." Without this horrible injustice, we could not be saved. The Evil Brothers of Joseph Sold Him Into Slavery What did Joseph say about this evil deed years later? "And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God? But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive" (Genesis 50:19-20). Joseph's great faith, noble character, and magnificent patience and courage would have never been brought to light if this evil deed, and the sufferings that ensued, had never taken place! Persecution In Acts 8:1-5 the Bible says, "And Saul was consenting unto his death (Stephen, ch. 7; jhb). And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria... As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison. Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word. Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them...." The very thing that Satan was using in an attempt to destroy the church, caused the church to grow! Physical Weaknesses In 2 Corinthians 2:7-10 it is written, "And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong." Trials, Temptations & Tribulations In James 1:2-4 the Spirit says, "My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing." In 1 Peter 1:5-7 the text says, "Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ." The temptations of the devil bring out the great character of those who love God (1 Corinthians 10:13; Philippians 4:13), just as the darkness brightens the flickering stars. "Great occasions do not make heroes or cowards; they simply unveil them to the eyes of men" (Readers Digest, August 1962, pg. 63). For example, the awful trials, responsibilities and heartaches thrust upon Lincoln by the Civil War did not MAKE his noble and truly great character; they simply unveiled it to the eyes of men. His magnificent character was attained through the lean, long, weary years BEFORE he became the President! Heresies, Factions, or Parties In The Church "For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you" (1 Corinthians 11:19). Dissentions and difficulties cause us to "plainly recognize" those who are "genuine and of approved fitness" and "sound." Trials within the body are helpful to reveal the true character of the individual members of it. We learn who we can count on to be true! "Giant" Problems In Life In 1 Samuel 17:32-37 the Bible says, "And David said to Saul, Let no man's heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine. And Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth. And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father's sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock: And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him. Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God. David said moreover, The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the LORD be with thee." David had faith to overcome the giant, because he had a history! Many times there's a purpose for our difficulties! -- Via Contending for the Faith ____________________________________________________ -2- "Demas Hath Forsaken Me" by Jarrod Jacobs Paul's words, "Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world..." are familiar to most students of the Bible. Demas was one of Paul's friends and companions (Col. 4:14; Phile. 23-24). He associated himself with Paul, and other Christians. Have you ever wondered why Demas "loved this present world"? What was he doing? Paul did not reveal the specifics. However, there are lessons for us to learn from this short verse. Demas is the example of all who have (or will) become unfaithful to God in this life. When Paul said, "Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world" we learn: He Had Misplaced Love. Demas loved "this present world" rather than God. Though this is not an uncommon thing (even today, II Tim. 3:1-5, esp. v. 4), it is still tragic!! Those who are Christians, must understand that our first priority in this life is to love God (Matt. 22:36-40). Why? Because He created us (Acts 17:24; Rev. 4:11), He sent His Son to die for us (Jn. 3:16; Rom. 5:6-9), and He has given us a Bible to read and study so that we might know God, and know He wants us to be with Him in Heaven (II Pet. 1:20-21; Jn. 14:1-3). Besides the physical blessings (Matt. 5:45), God provides spiritual blessings to those in Christ (Eph. 1:3). The saddest part of II Timothy 4:10 is knowing that Demas was a partaker of all these things and still turned away. Can we understand why this was so foolish? Even in the face of persecutions and death threats, Demas and other early Christians had it better than the richest Roman (II Cor. 4:17-5:1)!! How many of us in this great nation forget all the great blessings that are showered upon us by God? He Rejected Christ As King. "This present world" ruled Demas, rather than God (II Tim. 4:10; Rom. 6:16; Matt. 6:24; II Pet. 2:19). Let us remember that when we put on Christ in baptism, we are declaring that our life is not our own, and we live for Christ (Gal. 2:20, 3:27)! Do we truly believe that Christ is King (I Tim. 6:14-15)?? If we believe this, we will not argue or refuse to do what Christ tells us to do!! Who will rule us? We will either serve God or sin (Matt. 6:24; Rom. 6:16). Look at who ruled Demas (II Tim. 4:10)!! He Crucified Christ Afresh. This is the result of Demas turning from God and turning to the world (II Tim. 4:10; Heb. 6:4-6)! Peter said that Christians who turn from God like Demas did are like a dog turning to his own vomit or a sow that had been washed that then turned back to the mire (II Pet. 2:21-22). Hebrews 10:26-31 shows us that it is a fearful thing to stand in opposition to the God of Heaven!! His Influence Was Ruined. Demas was once a good friend and trusted companion of Paul (Col. 4:14; Phile. 23-24). While not everything is recorded about Demas, we do know that he was known and had influence on the Colossian brethren (Col. 4:14). He was known by Philemon, and had influence upon Epaphras, Mark, Aristarchus, and Luke (Phile. 23-24). He also was known by Timothy (II Tim. 4:10). In addition to this, there were untold individuals that were influenced by him. His leaving the Lord had an impact on many. Regardless of the reasons, Demas' influence for good was ruined when he turned and left the Lord for worldly, sinful pleasures! (Ezek. 18:24, 26). Modern-Day Demas' Though Demas is dead, his attitude lives in the hearts of men and women who turn from God and turn back to their lives in sin! Modern-day Demas' are those who say and do not (like the Pharisees, Matt. 23:3-6, 6:5, 16). Modern-day Demas' are those who will not sacrifice the old man (Rom. 6:3-6; Col. 3:1-10). They "resurrect" the old man and willfully sin time and time again! Modern-day Demas' are "fair-weather" Christians. They are only faithful to God when they "feel like it." There is no difference between them and Demas (II Tim. 3:4). Modern-day Demas' are those who forget who is the master and who is the slave. Some think that they can simply "pick and choose" what they will obey and leave the rest out. These people have forgotten the Lord who bought them (Rom. 6:16-18; II Jn. 9-11)!! Conclusion Are you on the verge of being a modern-day Demas? The Bible says it is possible (I Cor. 9:27; Gal. 6:1; II Pet. 3:17). Though the Bible is not more specific than to say, Demas "loved this present world," it doesn't have to be more specific. Anything that takes our focus off of God is based in "this present world" (I Jn. 2:15-17)!! An erring child of God can return to God if he or she has been unfaithful (Acts 8:22; I Jn. 1:9). So long as we have this day, it is not too late to return to the Lord! Don't harden your heart, and turn away from the truth!! -- Via In-Depth Studies ____________________________________________________ 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 Sat Sep 5 02:38:20 2009 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Sat, 5 Sep 2009 03:38:20 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] S) WHO IS IN WHOM? Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. Here is a study from my files. Use to the glory of God. WHO IS IN WHOM? In The Successful Communicator, Earl Nightingale told of an occasion in which he was flying to a meeting to deliver a motivat- ional speech to a group of salespeople. It turned out that the man seated next to him on the plane was going to the same meeting; in fact, he was being honored at the meeting as the top salesperson of the year. Curious, Mr. Nightingale asked the man what was the secret of his success. The man replied, "Funny thing...I have been in this business for years and for most of them it was just a job and I never accomplished much. Then a strange thing happened -- the business got into me and that is when I became successful!" As Christians, we need to be "in Christ." To be "in Christ" does not mean we physically get inside the person of Jesus as a parasite would enter. To be "in Christ" means we have estab- lished and maintain a relationship with Him; we are followers of Him (Rom. 6:3; Matt. 28:19; Acts 11:26; 1 Cor. 12:13; Eph. 1:22, 23). There are good reasons to be "in Christ." "Every spiritual blessing" is in Him (Eph. 1:3). And that means: 1. Those Who Are In Christ Are Children Of God. "For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus" (Gal. 3:26). 2. Redemption Is In Christ. -- We are "justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus" (Rom. 3:24). 3. In Christ Is No Condemnation To Those Who Walk As The Scriptures Direct: -- "There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit" (Rom. 8:1). 4. Salvation And Eternal Glory Are For Those In Christ: -- "Therefore I endure all things for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eter- nal glory" (2 Tim. 2:10). 5. The Hope Of Resurrection Is In Christ: -- "For as in Adam all die, evn so in Christ all shall be made alive. But each one in his own order: Christ the first fruits, afterward those who are Christ's at His coming" (1 Cor. 15:22,23). We not only need to be "in Christ," we need for Christ to "dwell in us." For Christ to "dwell in us" does not mean that the literal person of Jesus enters and dwells in our bodies any more than our being "in Christ" means we literally enter His person. Christ "dwells in" us when we are submissive to Him and allow Him to "have His way with us." We "put on Christ" (Gal. 3:27), "adorn" His doctrine (Titus 2:10), and are "conformed" to His image (Rom. 8:29). What is the difference between seeking to be "in Christ" and being both "in Him" and allowing Him to "dwell in us?" It is the difference between: 1. Having An Outward "Form" Of Religion Versus Having A Religion That Produces Changes In Us: -- Paul encourages us, "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God" ( Rom. 12:2). 2. Not Growing Spiritually Versus Continual Growth: -- Paul spoke of some who were "ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth" (2 Tim. 3:7). If Christ is in us, we will "press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus" (Phil. 3:14). 3. Service With Weariness Versus Service With Joy: -- Long ago God worned: "Ye said also, Behold, what a weariness is it! and ye have snuffed at it, saith the Lord of hosts" (Mal. 1:13). 4. Being A Person With Little Influence Versus A Person Of Great Influence: -- We should be "the salt of the earth" and the "light of the world" (Matt. 5:13,14). However, we cannot shine a light without The Light shining in us. 5. Being Lost Versus Being Saved: -- Being "in Christ" and having Christ "dwell in us" will make a difference in life and in eternal life. ----------- Harold Hancock in Biblical Insights, Vol. 8, No. 9, September, 2008. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20090905/05e41fdf/attachment-0001.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Sat Sep 5 02:38:07 2009 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Sat, 5 Sep 2009 03:38:07 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 An early audience of Jesus MARVELED at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth (Lk. 4:22). Officers sent to arrest Jesus returned to the chief priests and Pharisees emptyhanded, with this explanation: "No man every spoke like thsi man!" (Jno. 7:44,45). "Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb" surely is a fitting description of the Words of Jesus as well as the law of the Lord (Psa. 19:10). Jesus' disciples' app- reciation of His Words was expressed by Peter: "Lord, to whom shall we go? YOU HAVE THE WORDS OF ETERNAL LIFE" (Jno. 6:63-67). Promises gave hope; instuction pointed out the path- way to that hope; and assurance strengthened resolve to perse- vere. The keen edge of appreciation is sometimes blunted by long access to a blessing. Long have we Americans had free and abundant access to the Word of God. Time after time, many have heard the Words of Christ and the appeals to listen, study, and obey th good news of salvation, until at last the preciousne- ss of divine truth is lost to their consciousness. Has this happened to you? We must tear down the wall of indifference that separates us and blocks all communication about the "wonderful words of life." Neighbor, will you talk to me about the Bible? Will you allow me to talk to you about God and His revealed Will of us? Enough has been said about the weather; politics is now a hot topic; but the "implanted word which is able to save your (our) souls" (Jas. 1:21) is being ignored, with consequences that directly affect our eternal destiny. The invitation to call is open. My schedule is very accomodative. Jesus said, "If you abide in My Word, your are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" (Jno. 8:31,32). Are these words precious to you? --------- Gilbert Alexander. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20090905/e525a888/attachment-0001.html From wswalker310 at juno.com Fri Sep 4 16:37:13 2009 From: wswalker310 at juno.com (Wayne S Walker) Date: Fri, 4 Sep 2009 16:37:13 -0500 Subject: [Biblemat] hymn study, "This Is My Father's World" Message-ID: <20090905.091322.1172.0.wswalker310@juno.com> Wayne Walker here with another weekly hymn study. "THIS IS MY FATHER'S WORLD" "The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth His handiwork" (Ps. 19:1) INTRO.: A hymn that extols the glory of God and His handiwork is "This Is My Father's World" (#127 in Hymns for Worship Revised, and #578 in Sacred Selections for the Church). The text was written by Maltbie Davenport Babcock, who was born in Syracuse, NY, on Aug. 3, 1858, of a socially prominent family and received his education at Syracuse University and Auburn Theological Seminary, where he was recognized as an outstanding student, a vigorous competitor on the athletic field, and a skilful musician. Tall, broad shouldered, and muscular, he was an expert pitcher with the baseball team, a good swimmer, and an avid fisherman. Becoming one of the outstanding Presbyterian ministers of his generation, he began his work at the First Presbyterian CHurch in Lockport, NY, near Lake Ontario. As both a great admirer of nature and a skilled athlete who enjoyed all outdoor activity, he was in the habit of taking morning walks around Lockport, especially in an area known as "the escarpment," which is an ancient upthrust ledge with a marvellous view of farms, orchards, and the lake, to keep in shape, always saying, "I am going out to see my Father's world." Moving from Lockport in 1886, Babcock served for fourteen years as minister with the Brown Memorial Church in Baltimore, MD, where he worked among the students of Johns Hopkins University. Then in 1899 he was called to the Brick Presbyterian Church of New York City, NY, where he succeeded the retiring Henry Van Dyke (1852-1933). Van Dyke is best remembered as the author of "Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee." However, the pressures on Babcock became more and more burdensome. Having served the Brick Church for only eighteen months, he made a trip to Palestine in 1901 to recuperate his powers, and his untimely death occurred at the age of 43 from brucellosis under somewhat mysterious circumstances in a hospital at Naples, Italy, on May 18, 1901, while returning from this trip. His wife put together a collection of his writings, Thoughts for Everyday Living, which was published by Charles Scribner's Sons a few months after his death. First printed in this posthumous work with sixteen four-line stanzas, this hymn may have been produced perhaps earlier in 1901 or more probably in 1900. Others believe that it could date back to Babcock's days in Lockport. The tune (Terra Beata or Terra Patris) was composed for this text by Babcock's close friend, Pennsylvania businessman, musician, and fellow Presbyterian, Franklin Lawrence Shepherd (1852-1930). It first appeared with six of Babcock's stanzas, made into three eight-line stanzas, in Shepherd's Alleluia, a 1915 Presbyterian Sunday school songbook published by the Presbyterian Board of Education. Thinking that maybe it was a tune unconcsiously carried over from his childhood, he designated it as a "traditional English melody arranged by S. F. L.," which are pseudonymous initials for Shepherd. The melody does appear similar to a traditional English folksong named Rusper found in the 1906 English Hymnal. Modern editors disagree as to the source, but many commonly accept it as an original tune by Shepherd. Among hymnbooks published by brethren during the twentieth century for use in churches of Christ, the song appeared in the 1963 Abiding Hymns edited by Robert C. Welch; the 1963 Christian Hymnal edited by J. Nelson Slater; the 1966 Christian Hymns No. 3 edited by L. O. Sanderson in an arrangement by the editor; the 1975 Supplement to the 1937 Great Songs of the Church No. 2 originally edited by E. L. Jorgenson; and the 1978 Hymns of Praise edited by Reuel Lemmons. 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 which uses Sanderson's arrangement. The song presents the Creator not merely as a "First Cause" but as "our Father" because of His personal interest in man. I. According to stanza 1, we can listen to the sound of God's creation "This is my Father's world, And to my listening ears All nature sings, and round me rings The music of the spheres. This is my Father's world; I rest me in the thought Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas--His hand the wonders wrought." A. This is our Father's world because the earth is the Lord's: Ps. 24:1 B. As we listen to the sounds of God's creation, we can hear "the music of the spheres": Job 38:7 C. This is because the rocks, trees, skies, and seas all demonstrate that "He spoke, and it was done": Ps. 33:6-9 II. According to stanza 3, we can see the beautiful sights of God's creation "This is my Father's world; The birds their carols raise. The morning bright, the lily white, Declare their Maker's praise. This is my Father's world; He shines in all that's fair. In the rustling grass I hear Him pass; He speaks to me everywhere." A. Both the birds and the lillies declare their Maker's praise by reminding us of His care: Matt. 6:26-30 B. Thus, God shines in all that's fair because when He created everything, He saw that it was good: Gen. 1:31 C. Some might object to this stanza as sounding pantheistic, but while the pantheist sees the essence of God in every object, the Christian, while recognizing that God Himself dwells in heaven, sees the influence of God in every object so that even the rustling grass reminds us that it was God who formed the mountains and created the wind: Amos 4:13 III. According to stanza 3, we can reflect upon the meaning of God's creation "This is my Father's world; O let me ne'er forget That though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the ruler yet. This is my Father's world; The battle is not done. Jesus who died shall be satisfied, And earth and heaven be one." A. We recognize that the all is not right with the world but also must remember that though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the ruler and is still on His throne: Rev. 4:1-3 B. Therefore, the battle is not done but will continue until the end of time, and we must fight: 1 Tim. 1:18, 6:12 C. However, God's moral law will be upheld because Jesus paid the price by His death: Acts 4:24-30 IV. According to stanza 4, we can sense the presence of God and His Son in creation "This is my Father's world; Dreaming, I see His face; I ope my eyes in glad surprise: 'The Lord is in this place.' This is my Father's world, From shining courts above, The B'loved One came, His Only Son, A pledge of deathless love." V. According to stanza 5, we can be glad because of God's creation "This is my Father's world; Why should my heart be sad? The Lord is King--let the heavens ring; God reigns--let earth be glad. This is my Father's world, Closer to heaven bound, For dear to God is the earth Christ trod: No place but holy ground." A. Because this is our Father's world, our hearts should not be characterized by general sadness but we should rejoice always in the Lord: Phil. 4:4 B. The Lord in whom we can rejoice is King, so the nations should be glad and sing for joy: Ps. 67:4 C. We walk on "holy ground" in a figurative sense as we are drawn closer to heaven by following the example that Christ left us: 1 Pet. 2:21-22 VI. According to stanza 6, we can be at home anywhere in God's creation "This is my Father's world. I walk a desert lone. In a bush ablaze to my wondering gaze God makes His glory known. This is my Father's world, A wanderer I may roam. Whate'er my lot, it matters not, My heart is still at home." A. Sometimes in this life we must walk as in a desert alone: Ps. 63:1 B. However, even at such times, we can see God's glory in the world just as Moses saw His glory ablaze in the burning bush: Exo. 3:1-5 C. Therefore, wherever it may be our lot to wander, we can still be at home in heart with God, as we seek for the city which is to come: Heb. 13:14 CONCL.: Modern editors apparently just do not like the last four lines of stanza 3. Here are L. O. Sanderson's changes to the last four lines of stanzas 2 and 3. 2. "This is my Father's world! He moves in ever place-- In height and depth, in life and death, We see His marks of grace." 3. "This is my Father's world! The earth and heavens declare His wonders here, His glory there, For He is everywhere." I happen to prefer Babcock. Ellis Crum in Sacred Selections, evidently thinking that to say "The battle is not done" and "Earth and heaven be one" is somehow premillennial, made the following alterations to the last four lines of stanza 3 (which is followed by a couple other books of ours). "This is my Father's world; In battle we must trod. Jesus who died shall be satisifed; The kingdom turns back to God." First, this involves a curious oddity. "Trod" is the past tense of "tread." We may say, "have trod," but we should say "must tread." It is like saying, "We must went." To say, "we must trod" is simply incorrect. Besides, I do not see a problem with the original wording. The fact is that as long as we live on this earth, the battle is not done. The righteous must continue to fight the good fight of faith until that day when it will be done, at which time Jesus who died shall be satisfied, and earth and heaven will be one in eternity because all the saved of earth will receive their eternal home in heaven. Finally, some books replace the last four lines of stanza 3 with the first four lines of stanza 5, perhaps because the editors think that the mention of a "battle" is a bit out of place in a song extolling God's place in nature. However, I think that Babcock had it right. We cannot really appreciate God's place in nature without understanding that there is a spiritual battle going on and that we must wage a good warfare to be victorious. In any event, this hymn contains an excellent message of God's presence, personality, and purpose. It tells me that while I am travelling upon this earth as a pilgrim, I must always remember that "This Is My Father's World." 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/BLSrjpTFoYeOybHyDHfMvtKwa6PeIqECISHo1DY4uoBpyQbflIdhFzJBoze/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20090904/3de49f1a/attachment-0001.html From tssullivan at charter.net Sat Sep 5 15:16:12 2009 From: tssullivan at charter.net (T. Sean Sullivan) Date: Sat, 5 Sep 2009 15:16:12 -0500 Subject: [Biblemat] The Messenger Vol 004 Iss 035 Message-ID: <0AFC93BA241E4A29B136278A71253D03@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 035: September 6, 2009 This Week's Article: What Will Happen; What Needs to Happen Now? L.1 Christ will Return; You need to Prepare While reading 2 Peter 3:1-9 we learn that there have always been those who mock at God's promises; those who will not take God seriously. These are people of a worldly mindset, right? Certainly, "Yes". Even today, in the heights of rebellion, many find themselves denying the person of their Creator. God has again issued a promise of destruction. With these words we know what will happen, so we need to be prepared. In the book of Revelation in chapter 22 we find John preparing to lay down his pen and let the ink dry on the pages of the Revelation. The very last words of Jesus Christ are a promise that He will "come quickly". We certainly know, or at least we should, that time is relative. God is not bound by our time. It is, however, interesting to read the reaction that John writes, to the final words of our Lord and Savior. Fully aware that when Jesus comes all that he knows will be dissolved and all the souls of man will be taken away to judgment before the great throne of God-just as he had seen in visions not many days before. With this knowledge and the knowledge of his own soul's condition, John wrote the words, "Even So, Come, Lord Jesus!" Never have so few words captured the essence of faith and willing preparedness. This having been said, it has been a long, long time since Jesus left and Christians have looked for His return. Nearly two thousand years has gone by and Christ has still not returned: Should we begin to think that He is not coming? Should we become like the scoffers in the world (2 Peter 3:1-4)? Or should we stand fast in the full promise of God that Christ's return is eminent (Acts 1:9-11)? We are constantly living in "time" that cannot be taken for granted. We have the same promise of Jesus' return, as John did. It is just as real today as it was those many centuries ago. Are you willing to look into your heart this morning and say, "Even so, come, Lord Jesus"? Let's open our Bible this morning and consider Christ's return and how we can be prepared to say those words. Will Christ Come Back? Is "Yes" too short of an answer? Two angels from Heaven promised His return in Acts 1:9-11 saying, "This same Jesus who went up will so come in like manner" This is an interesting point since it is a promise of His return as well as some insight to the way in which He will return. We might also consider the apostle Paul who through inspiration promised Christ's return in both 1 Corinthians 15:20-23 and 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17. The promise of Christ's return is certain. Guaranteed by His resurrection and ascension (1 Peter 1:3 "living hope"). Jesus Christ Himself promised His own return: John 14:1-3 "If I go.I will come again." and Revelation 22:20 "Surely I am coming quickly". When Will Christ Come Back? It could happen anytime-this next weekend, tomorrow, tonight, today, this very hour. The brethren in the first century looked for it every day. Paul exhorted them to be prepared every moment (1 Thessalonians 5:1-6). Peter, as well, exhorted saying, "the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night."(2 Peter 3:9-12). The truth of the matter is, "no man knows" (Mark 13:32). We have the assurance of the scriptures that He will come. How Can I Prepare? Jesus told us how. John 14:4-6 "I am THE WAY, THE TRUTH, and THE LIFE." Jesus' way is the only way. His way is revealed to us in the New Testament. By His own voice, "He that believes and is baptized will be saved" (Mark 16:16). He also told us that only those who do the will of His Father in Heaven would be accepted in the last day (Matthew 7:21). As the apostles of Jesus carried out the message of the gospel we learned from them what is required of us in preparation. Throughout the New Testament we find people from all sorts of different backgrounds coming to the obedience of God's will. Every one of those examples has a common thread of action. Every case of conversion can be shown to involve: hearing and believing the gospel (Romans 10:17). They open confess (Romans 10:10; Acts 8:37). They willingly change their lives through repentance (2 Peter 3:9). Every one of them was baptized (Acts 2:38). From that point forward they begin to follow the path of truth and they live on faithfully (Philippians 3:12-14). The Bible speaks of no other opportunity; there is no other hope of salvation (Acts 4:12). To be prepared is to be in Christ. To be saved is hearing and doing His teaching. Conclusion: This may well be our last Lord's Day service. Simply, because we do not know when the Lord will return. We know He promised to return. We are told that when He returns.He will do so without warning (2 Peter 3:10). All the elements will be dissolved (2 Peter 3:10). Only those who are prepared will find eternal life in Heaven. (1 Thessalonians 5:1-6). Look at your own life. Are you prepared? Now is the time! ~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/20090905/444fd722/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/20090905/444fd722/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/20090905/444fd722/attachment-0003.gif From crxtra at gmail.com Sat Sep 5 22:55:13 2009 From: crxtra at gmail.com (Steven C. Harper) Date: Sat, 5 Sep 2009 20:55:13 -0700 Subject: [Biblemat] A> Some Serious Considerations Message-ID: <000001ca2ea5$d7ce6630$876b3290$@com> From: TRUTH & REASON, a bulletin of the Glendale church of Christ, Glendale, AZ. Editor: Steven Harper September 6, 2009 Some Serious Considerations The inspired apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthian brethren, ?Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil. Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. But what we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience? (2nd Cor. 5:8-11). In these few words are some serious things for all of us to consider ? believer or unbeliever, new convert or mature disciple, young or old, male or female. We Should Live to Please God. (v. 9) This should be a given to most disciples, but it should be stated, nonetheless, because we tend to forget sometimes and live to either please ourselves or other men. Since God demands we love Him ?with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind? (Matt. 22:37), we must surely know that our faithfulness to Him means that we must devote ourselves entirely to Him, with no room for the affection of others. The God we serve is ?a jealous God? (Exod. 34:14) and will not tolerate us serving someone else. Jesus said, ?No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money? (Matt. 6:24), and this principle applies when we speak of men or our own will; we cannot serve God and me and we cannot serve God and self. Paul exhorted the Ephesian brethren to ?walk as children of light and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord? (Eph. 5:8, 10). When we seek to please men, Paul said, we cannot be disciples of Jesus Christ (Gal. 1:10) because when we are friends with the world, we are God's enemies (Jas. 4:4). But how do we know what is pleasing to God? Look into His word! If we truly seek to know what pleases Him, we must be willing to search His revealed word, properly interpret it, and then apply it as He desired. We cannot guess and we cannot presume to know what He has not revealed. Anything beyond and anything short of what He desires will not be pleasing, for it is called sin. We Will Be Judged For What We Have Done Here on Earth. (v. 10) As much as some want to deny the existence of God and, consequently, any judgment He might make against them, the fact is, we will all one day stand at the judgment seat of Christ and give an account for what we have said and done here on earth. The standard by which we will be judged is not our own opinion or what the great majority of people believe, but the words of Jesus Christ (John 12:47, 48). Have we taken time to learn what those words teach us and demand of us? Again, many may deny God exists and deny there will be such thing as a judgment, but the writer to the Jewish Christians of the first century reminded them, ?it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment? (Heb. 9:27). Knowing this, how should we be living now, and for whom? Paul pointed to this as the reason he lived to please God, and he was a wise man for doing so. We should see the wisdom in this and live every day, speak every word, and do every deed with the judgment in mind, too. We Should Fear & Respect the Lord. (v. 11) The word translated here as ?fear? [?terror?, NKJV] is the Greek word phobos [fob?-os], from which we get the suffix -phobia. In the New Testament it is translated as both ?fear? and ?terror? and, in some cases, it can mean both "fear" as in respect, and "fear" as in terrified. This is such a passage! The Lord is to be respected because, well, because He is the Lord. Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and has been exalted to the position of Lord over all (Acts 2:36; Eph. 1:20-23) and given the place of Judge of all men (Acts 17:31). In our earthly courts, all are commanded to rise when a human judge enters the courtroom; how much more respect does the Lord over all demand? Ironically, when we are in the presence of Jesus, the Judge, we will all bow before Him and acknowledge ?that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father? (Phlp. 2:11). But for some, this fear is a matter of terror, and often because they have given Him no respect. When referring to the certain vengeance of God upon those who do not give His Son the proper respect He deserves, the writer of Hebrews declared, ?It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God? (Heb. 10:29-31). It will, indeed, be a terrifying sight to have to see the Lord you either denied existed or denied had any rule over you as the one who now decides your eternal destiny! As someone has said, "Bow now or bow later, but all will bow before Jesus Christ and recognize Him as Lord." Better to do it now, so that when you bow the second time, it will be as your Lord and Savior for eternity, rather than as the one who says to you, ?I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness? (Matt. 7:23). We Should Persuade Men. (v. 11) When we realize there is a God, that Jesus Christ is His Son, and that He will judge us all one day, there is one more thing we should be doing: trying to persuade men of what we now believe so that they, too, may receive eternal life and escape the wrath of God. Especially when we realize the state of those who ?do not know God and who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus? (2nd Thess. 1:8) and of those who turn back to the world after having believed (2nd Pet. 2:20-22), we should be highly motivated to persuade them that they do not want to continue on that path to certain destruction. There are two important points we should make from Paul's divinely-inspired usage of the word persuade. First, we should note that our efforts to save souls should be a persuasion and not a coercion. To coerce someone is "to compel by force, intimidation, or authority, esp. without regard for individual desire" and does not result in true obedience. We must persuade ? that is, "to induce to believe by appealing to reason or understanding; convince." And this brings us to the second point: We must lead others to obedience by using the truth of God's word and reason, rather than feelings or our opinions. Many in the world define faith as "belief without facts," yet God's word tell us, ?Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen? (Heb. 11:1). We must, therefore, use the evidence found in the word of God to give them ample assurance it is true, and use sound reasoning to convict them they must act in obedience to it. We must also give them evidence in our lives that we believe it is true. If we point them to the convincing evidence within God's word, but cannot point to any convincing evidence in our lives, we will likely lose our only opportunity to persuade them to follow Christ. The apostle Paul sought to persuade men by word that they must follow Christ, but he could also point them to his life and say, ?Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ? (1st Cor. 11:1), or, ?What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me?practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you? (Phlp. 4:9). God Knows. (v. 11) Finally, we should consider that God knows who we are and whom we serve. While we may fool others and even fool ourselves into thinking we are serving God when we are not, God is not mocked. In the end, every hidden thing will be revealed, including our thoughts and motives. Will those thoughts show we truly believed? Consider these things. ?? Steven Harper -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20090905/1fa7c14a/attachment.html From richard at thetford.dot5hosting.com Sun Sep 6 21:14:57 2009 From: richard at thetford.dot5hosting.com (Richard Thetford) Date: Sun, 6 Sep 2009 20:14:57 -0600 Subject: [Biblemat] Walking in the Light (9/6/09) Message-ID: <000c01ca2f61$5fb26360$1f172a20$@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) September 6, 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: "What Manner of Persons Should We Be?" (Richard Thetford) "Why Haven't you Obeyed the Truth?" (Carrol R. Sutton) "SENTENCE SERMONS --- WHAT MANNER OF PERSONS SHOULD WE BE? Richard Thetford In 1 Peter 3:14 it says: "But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you are blessed. "And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled." We need to be the child of God that is ready and willing to suffer any kind of persecution for the sake of Jesus. He gave His all for us - we should be willing to give ALL for Him! We Ought To Be.... Here are several scriptures that you can look up in your spare time that will show you what manner of person you ought to be. From God's word we can see that we ought to be Attentive (Hebrews 2:1), Obedient (Matthew 23:23), One who imitates Christ (2 Thessalonians 3:7), Holy (2 Peter 3:11), Pleasing to God (1 Thessalonians 4:1), Helpful (Acts 20:35), Godly (2 Peter 3:11), Prayerful (Luke 18:1), Peaceable (2 Peter 3:14), Humble (John 13:14), Blameless (2 Peter 3:14), Loving (1 John 3:16), and Faithful (Matthew 25:14-27) to name just a few. Why Should We Be This Way? We should strive to be this manner of person because we know that "all things will be dissolved" someday (2 Peter 3:11). Christ is going to come again (2 Peter 3:12), and we want to gain a home in heaven with Him (2 Peter 3:13). Let us strive to live a godly Christian life here on earth so we can live with our Father forever (Revelation 2:10; 2 Peter 3:8-9)! --- WHY HAVEN'T YOU OBEYED THE TRUTH? Carrol R. Sutton If you are one of the thousands of people in this country who have not obeyed the truth of God, please examine your heart and search your soul to see if you can determine why you haven't. Is it because: You Don't Know The Truth? If this is the reason you haven't obeyed the truth, let me assure you that you can know the truth if you are willing to give diligence (study). The truth will make you free (John 8:32). Timothy was encouraged to study so he could rightly divide God's truth (2 Timothy 2:15). (See also Ephesians 5:17; John 5:39; 17:17; Acts 17:11-12). Christians would be willing to come into your home and study God's Word with you. May they? You Don't Believe The Truth? If you know the truth and don't believe it, you have a serious problem. The only way you can receive faith is by hearing the Word of God. (See Romans 10:17). Only you can believe for you. You will make up your mind to believe or not to believe. It is a matter of choice. But in order for you to have eternal life, you must believe! You Don't Love The Truth? If this is your problem, you have a very serious one. You had better change your heart (mind) or you will be lost forever! Many will perish (2 Thessalonians 2:10-12). You may be among those described in this passage! Are you? You Don't Want To Be Happy Here? Surely, you desire a life of happiness here on earth. The only way you can have genuine happiness is by obeying the truth. Please read and study 1 Peter 3:-10-11; Luke 11:28; John 13:17; Psalms 1:1-6; Psalms 23; and Ecclesiastes 12:13-14). You Don't Want To Go To Heaven? Surely you desire to go to Heaven, don't you? But your going to heaven is conditioned upon your obedience to the truth. (Revelation 22:14). If you haven't obeyed the truth, WHY HAVEN'T YOU? --- SENTENCE SERMONS Honest mistakes need correction just as others do. It is much easier to give advice than to lend a helping hand. To err is human, but when the eraser wears out before the pencil, you're over-doing it. Faith must have adequate evidence or else it is mere superstition. Compromise is always wrong when it means to sacrifice a principle of truth. The Christian must have "won't" power as well as "will" power. How young folks turn out depends to a great extent on what time they turn in. When a person doesn't thirst for righteousness, the sermons seem dry. The early church was no more Roman Catholic than the apostles were Americans. --- SERMON What Will Others Say About Us Over Our Grave? (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. Worship.........11:00 A.M. Wednesday Bible Study........6:30 P.M. 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/20090906/ad7e03b1/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/20090906/ad7e03b1/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/20090906/ad7e03b1/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/20090906/ad7e03b1/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/20090906/ad7e03b1/attachment-0003.gif From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Mon Sep 7 02:38:02 2009 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Mon, 7 Sep 2009 03:38:02 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] A) THE OTHER SHEEP OF JOHN 10:16 Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. A very good Monday morning to each and everyone. May God bless you and yours. Here is an article from my files: THE OTHER SHEEP OF JOHN 10:16 Jno. 10:16 has served as a major claim for the legitimacy of Mormon teaching for many years. Upon reading the passage of Scripture -- by itself -- it first appears that they (Mormons) could have a point. "And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd." Does Jno. 10:16 point toward people living in the Americas some 1500 to 1800 years after Christ? A look at the context of Jno. 10:16 is essent- ial in answering the above question. Beginning in Jno. 9:3, Jesus healed a blind man. Jesus made clay, placed the clay on the eyes of the blind man, and commanded him to wash in the poot of Siloam (Jno. 9:6,7). As one continues through Jno. 9, he will find that the Pharisees cast the man healed by Christ out of the synagogue when he announced his belief in Christ. Jesus got word of the excommu- nication in Jno. 9:35-41. Beginning in Jno. 10:3, Jesus recites a parable showing that He was about to form His church compri- sed of Jews and Gentiles. Shepherding was a common occupation in the days of Christ. God's appointed one, the Messiah was pictured in proph- ecy as the Shepherd of His flock (Isa. 40:31). Jesus mentioned shepherds and their sheep in much of His teaching (Matt. 18:12- 14; Lk. 15:3-7; 12:32; Jno. 21:15-17). The Good Shepherd, Jesus, found the blind man in Jno. 9:35 and introduced him to the true fold. In Jno. 10:6, John tells us that those who heard him speak the parable in 10:3-5 did not understand. Beginning in vs. 7 and continuing through vs. 8 Jesus explained the parab- le to them. Sheepfolds were mostly walled, unroofed enclosures. Each morning, a shepherd would take his sheep out the the sheep- fold to lead them out to pasture. The only entrance to the sheep- fold was through a heavily fortified door, which keep wolves and other predators out of the structure. In Jno. 10:7, Christ said He was the door of the sheep. Both sheep and shepherds must come into the flock through Christ (Jno. 14:6). As one continues through Christ's explanation he will see that Christ cares for those who are His own. He would be willing to lay down His life for His sheep (10:10,11). In Jno. 10:12,13, Christ indicated the Jewish leaders at that time as being merely "hireling shepherds." They were only inter- ested in protecting their social/financial status. There was absol- utely no desire on their part to act in the best interests of the peo- ple. They were in danger of being cursed by God (Zech. 11:37). In Jno. 10:14,15, Christ refers to Himself as the good Shepherd. The sheep in His flock have confidence/trust in Him. They know that all He does is for their good. He knows them intimately that He sees they require the sacrifice of His life to be delivered from sin. The result of His laying down His life for the sheep is that the flock might increase in size (10:16). The sacrifice of His life was not just for the Jews (who were already in the fold), but for all who will be drawan to Christ and desire to become part of His flock. The Gentiles would be introduced into His fold. Daniel King has said, "Israel's place -- in the scheme of things was ultimately to be a "light to the nations" (Isa. 42:6; 49:6; 56:8). Christ intended that men of all races and peoples should come into the one fold and follow Him as the one Shepherd. This would be a fact that would not be fully understood by the apostles and Jews until after His death. One might remember how Peter had to be convinced of God's acceptance of the Gen- tiles by a series of dreams in Acts 10. Paul said that the gospel was for the Jew first and also the Greek (Rom. 1:16). Christ said "I say to you that many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 8:11). Just before His ascension Chirst commanded the apostles to preach the gospel to every person -- not just the Jews (Matt. 28:18-20; Mk. 16:15,16). No where does the context point to the American Indans -- much less the Mormons who would live some 1500 - 1800 years after Christ. One would have to have a total disregard for the context by insisting that this could refer to anyone other than the Gentiles. Let us thank God that salva- tion has come to ALL men -- through Christ. Indeed the gospel is for all 00 the Jew first and the Greek! Paul wrote, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to sal- vation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it (the gospel) the righteousness of God is revealed from faith, unto faith, as it si written, 'The just shall live by faith'" (Rom. 1:16,17). ----- Matt Allen via The Jackson Drive Reporter, Sept. 6, 2009. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20090907/c073dc89/attachment-0001.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Mon Sep 7 02:38:12 2009 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Mon, 7 Sep 2009 03:38:12 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] S) THE SCHEME OF REDEMPTION IN PERFECTION AND PRESENTATION (1) Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. His is the first installment of a study from my ancient files. Use to the glory of God. Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. Here is the first installment of a study from my ancient files. Use to the glory of God. THE SCHEME OF REDEMPTION IN PERFECTION AND PRESEN- TATION (1) In the survey thus far of the development of God's purposed and planned redemption of man from sin, we have reached the point wherein the promised Messiah has come in fulfillment of Divine prophecy. While here on earth, prior to His death, He very busily engaged in going about doing goood, relieving the suffering, curing the afflicted and preaching the gospel to the poor. His was a proclamation of the truth, anticipatory to its con- firmation and establishment by means of the cross and the tomb. The former was designed to validate and the latter to empower; the first effected by the ratifying merits of the blood thereon shed, and the second wrought by the emergence of the Christ from the embrace of death. On the death and resurrect- ion of Christ were suspended all the designs of God as they were related to man; a failure at these points in the divine purpo- se would render void every promise of salvation tendered to man through the centuries by God. The events identified with the cross and the tomb constitute the source from which is derived the holiest aspirations for deliv- erance by those of the past, and the imperishable assurances enjoyed by those of the present. Perfected By Obedience: -- To those who are disposed to mini- mize the necessity of obedience there is to be learned a most valuable lesson from the emphasis that was given to it by Jesus. If the intention and purpose is to be reckoned for righteousness apart and without obedience, and as a substitution therefor, then the death of Jesus was unnecessary. When people, there- fore, reason wishfully that God is looking at the motive disregar- ds the motion (or lack of it), in their anxiety to believe the disobedient are saved, they reflect discreditably on the Son of God. No one ever was possessed of motives so high, holy and nobly altruistic as the Savior. He came to save His people from their sins; to this end His every deed and lesson was directed. No hypocrisy, no pretension can be assigned to Him -- He was the Personification of truth and His every act and utterance was characterized by the purest sincerity. Too, He had the power to evade and withstand the violence of the mob by calling for angel- ic protection, and thus escape the "obedience unto death." However, by thus doing the Scriptures would not have been ful- filled, and they "must need be fulfilled" He said. Such is express- ive of absolute necessity, and without it the purpose of God resp- ecting salvation could not be realized. If, then, obedience was absolutely necessry on His part, how can we reason that it is less on our part? The writer of the Hebrew letter in 2:10 and 5:8,9 tells us that Christ was made perfect or perfected by obedience entailing the suffering of death -- the death of the cross. These statements do not suggest a deficiency or imperfection in the moral and per- sonal character of the Savior; this could not be true in view of the fact "He did not sin, neither was guile found in His mouth." It can only mean that there was before Him the necessity of learn- ing obedience by the things He suffered so that He thereby might be made perfect or complete as respected His mission as the Savior. To have stopped in the execution of this mission short of the suffering here mentioned would have rendered inad- equate, and, therefore incomplete, His character as a Savior. Let us consider some of the aspects of the question here posed. By His life of sinlessness He demonstrated His powers of resistan- ce to sin, and His consequent freedom from, and superiority over, it. But in this there is not afforded an escape from sin, for those who are in bondage thereto. To have delivered us from sin's bondage with no guidance to protect us from a recurring enthrallment would have been unsatisfactory; and to have taught us by His life the way to resist and withstand sin, yet leaving us within its power and under its condemnation would have been equally unavailing in meeting the needs of salvation. Hence, from this viewpoint may be seen the incompleteness or imperfection of Jesus as the Savior short of His obedience unto death. (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/20090907/b2af8a0d/attachment-0001.html From thornhill1 at frontiernet.net Mon Sep 7 09:12:49 2009 From: thornhill1 at frontiernet.net (thomas thornhill) Date: Mon, 7 Sep 2009 09:12:49 -0500 Subject: [Biblemat] The Buckhorn Teacher 9-06-09 Message-ID: <07A5E0A17E0347D0A7661E59C98BA34A@your4dacd0ea75> THE BUCKHORN TEACHER "Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching." 2.Tim.4:2 Buckhorn church of Christ - Thomas Thornhill - editor. 13675 Hwy 341, Randolph MS 38864-9117. Tel. 662-568-2960. Cell 662-419-5378. E-mail thornhill1 at frontiernet.net Vol.8 September 6, 2009 No.8 This issue is being devoted to short articles that I have collected over the years. Each of them has good points for us to consider. Read them and profit from the lessons. - t.t. -- I ONCE SHOT A WOODPECKER I was looking through the hometown newspaper the other day and I came across this: A speaker was lecturing on Forest Reserve. Speaker: I don't suppose that there is a person in the house who has done a single thing to conserve our timber resources. Silence ruler for several seconds, and then a meek voice from the rear of the hall timidly retorted; 'I once shot a woodpecker.' "Conserving timber resources was the thing of most importance to the speaker in this story, and it seems that he was trying to impress upon everyone else this important fact. The man who had "once shot a woodpecker" had done very little toward accomplishing the end the speaker had mentioned. That put me to thinking about something a little different, but extremely more important. What have we ( I ) done toward making the church of which I am a member the most effective in reaching others with the gospel. The answer comes back, "I once shot a woodpecker." W. Carl Vernon ---------------------------------------------- 'Tis said that a flea rode across a bridge one day in ear of an elephant. After they were on the other side, the flea said to the elephant, "Boy, we sure shook that bridge." Too many church members ride on the efforts of others but are ready to grab credit for the glory of a job well done. The church faces many responsibilities in this day and it needs all the members doing they can. Not for the glory and the credit but for the work's SAKE. Paul said, "For every man shall bear his own burden." There are some things that the other fellow can't do. You are the only one that can do them. No one can attend for you; no one can give for you; no one can commune for you; no one can sing for you. These and others are matters for you to consider. DON'T BE LIKE THE FLEA. - anon - -------------------------------------------- LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE I read the following story a few years ago and copied it. I hope you will give it some very thoughtful consideration A traveler came to a small village. Night was coming and people were hurrying through the streets carrying bronze lamps. When he asked about this, the reply was that the people were all going to the village church building. When the building was built it was decided that each member would bring his own light and there would be no other way to light up the building, so each person realized that if he were not there, the building would be darker. As more and more members came the building became brighter. Do you realize that the church needs the light of each member, not just on Sunday morning but for all of the other services? "Do all things without murmuring and questioning; that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God with 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." Phil.2:14-16a. - anon - ------------------------------------------- SPIRITUALLY BLIND Many years ago a preacher who faithfully proclaimed the gospel was challenged by an unbeliever who stepped from the crowd and said "I don't believe in heaven or hell. I don't believe in God or Christ. I haven't seen them." Then a man wearing dark glasses came forward and said, "You say there is a river near this place. There is no such thing. You say there are people standing here, but it cannot be true, I haven't seen them. I was born blind. Only a blind man could say what I have said, and only a spiritually blind man could say what you have said. "But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them because they are spiritually discerned" 1.Cor.2:14. Truly "The fool has said in heart, there is no God." Ps.14:1. - anon - ------------------------------------------ The less religion a person has the more entertainment it takes to get people to attend regularly. Some people are so busy earning bread for their children they forget that a child does not live by bread alone. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20090907/367a1e50/attachment-0001.html From disciple_of_iesus at hotmail.com Mon Sep 7 20:21:28 2009 From: disciple_of_iesus at hotmail.com (Ethan R. Longhenry) Date: Mon, 7 Sep 2009 21:21:28 -0400 Subject: [Biblemat] S:> Nahum Message-ID: Nahum I. Introduction A. Nahum B. Condemnation of Nineveh 1. Nahum as "comfort" 2. Comfort to Judah regarding fate of Nineveh C. Let us consider the book II. Nahum: The Details A. Authorship 1. Final compiler unknown (cf. Nahum 1:1) 2. Material comes from Nahum himself B. Dating 1. Thebes of Egypt destroyed ca. 664 BCE (cf. Nahum 3:8-10) 2. Nineveh itself destroyed ca. 612 BCE 3. Nahum prophesies, therefore, between 664 and 612 BCE 4. Likely written soon afterward C. Audience 1. Judah and Assyria 2. Much we can gain from it D. Purpose 1. To reveal the word of God that came to Nahum 2. To pronounce judgment, destruction on Nineveh III. Nahum: The Story A. The Power of the LORD (Nahum 1) 1. LORD as jealous, avenging God; wrath against adversaries; great in power, just; works in whirlwinds, dries up rivers; mountains, trees wither; mountains and hills melt, earth heaves before Him (Nahum 1:1-6) 2. None can stand before Him in His anger; wrath poured out like fire; LORD as good, stronghold in difficult days, knows those who take refuge in Him; adversaries destroyed, enemies pursued; to plot against the LORD futile, for He makes a complete end (Nahum 1:7-11) 3. Even if enemies are in full strength, they will be cut down; God has afflicted Judah, will do so no longer; yokes and bonds to be broken; command given that gods and idols to be cut off, grave made for enemies; on mountains, feet of him who brings good news: feasts to be kept in Judah, enemy cut off (Nahum 1:12-15) B. Destruction of Nineveh (Nahum 2) 1. Scatterer against them; people to be prepared for war; LORD restoring majesty of Israel after being plundered; soldiers, shields of red, chariots prepared; siege towers set up; river gates opened, palace disturbed; stripped, plundered, wealth removed (Nahum 2:1-9) 2. Desolation; people tremble, are anguished; Nineveh seen as lion who provided in past for cubs; LORD against them, will destroy them, devour young lions, prey cut off, voice no longer heard (Nahum 2:10-13) C. Woe to Assyria (Nahum 3) 1. Woe to city full of lies, no end to prey; horsemen, chariots within city; dead in heaps; all of this because of their prostitution (Nahum 3:1-4) 2. LORD against them, will expose their nakedness, shame to kingdoms; God will treat them with contempt, make them a spectacle; all who see will shrink, seek comforters for Nineveh (Nahum 3:5-7) 3. Comparison to Thebes of Egypt; they had assistance from Cush, Put, Libya; yet she was destroyed, made captive, exiled; thus also to Nineveh-- will go into hiding, seek refuge; fortresses will be shaken and will fall, soldiers as women, gates as wide open to enemies (Nahum 3:8-13) 4. Prepare for siege: water, strengthen forts; fire will destroy them; sword will cut off; they are to multiply, become as locusts and grasshoppers; they will flee, not be found; shepherds of Assyria asleep; no easing of pain; wound grievous; all who hear will rejoice, for evil of Assyria on everyone (Nahum 3:14-19) IV. Nahum: Important Passages A. Nahum 1:15 / Romans 10:15 V. Conclusion A. Thus we have the prophecies of Nahum against Assyria 1. Memory of Assyrian action against Israel, Judah maintained 2. Nineveh, Assyria getting what is due for their iniquity B. A message of condemnation and yet comfort 1. Nineveh, Assyria to fall 2. Yet Judah can feel vindicated-- their enemy no longer will exist! C. Let us learn from the example of Assyria what God does to those who stand against Him! D. Invitation/songbook Ethan R. Longhenry / disciple_of_iesus at hotmail.com Evangelist, church of Christ in Norwalk, Ohio [norwalkchurch.org] Homepage: deusvitae.com AIM: Deus Vitae / ICQ: 28317056 Y! IM: discipuliiesus Spiritual Manna A biweekly devotional for your life. http://www.deusvitae.com/faith/manna From disciple_of_iesus at hotmail.com Mon Sep 7 20:22:29 2009 From: disciple_of_iesus at hotmail.com (Ethan R. Longhenry) Date: Mon, 7 Sep 2009 21:22:29 -0400 Subject: [Biblemat] S:> Habakkuk Message-ID: Habakkuk I. Introduction A. Habakkuk B. The prophet with perhaps the coolest name 1. Discussion with God about events to take place 2. Looking toward the end of Judah C. Let us consider the book II. Habakkuk: The Details A. Authorship 1. Nothing known about final compiler (cf. Habakkuk 1:1) 2. Material from Habakkuk himself 3. In apocryphal Bel and the Dragon, Habakkuk sent on errand for Daniel, but it is historically inconsistent, unreliable B. Dating 1. Invasion of Judah by Babylon a future event, but how far in the future is not known (cf. Habakkuk 1:6) 2. Thus, book written before 605 BCE, likely not more than a century before C. Audience 1. Judah 2. Much we can gain from it D. Purpose 1. To reveal the word of God that came to Habakkuk 2. To set forth the condemnation of Judah through the hand of Babylon 3. To demonstrate the need to wait for and trust in God III. Habakkuk: The Story A. Habakkuk's Complaints, the LORD's Answers (Habakkuk 1-2) 1. Habakkuk wants to know how long he must cry for help; sees great sin among the people, law as paralyzed, wicked surround righteous, justice perverted (Habakkuk 1:1-4) 2. LORD responds: look at nations; God doing a work that would not be believed if told; raising up Chaldeans, empire builders, fearsome; fast, fearsome horses; come for violence, look forward, deride rulers, laugh at fortresses; sweep like wind, move on, own might is their god (Habakkuk 1:5-11) 3. Habakkuk responds: God as everlasting, people as not dying; LORD ordains them as judgment, established them for reproof; God as having eyes too pure to see evil; why, then, does He remain silent while the wicked swallows up righteous?; man as fish of sea, crawling things without ruler; all brought up by hook and net, caught in dragnet; man sacrifices to dragnet, makes it his god; lives in luxury, killing nations; Habakkuk will stand and watch, see what God will say regarding his complaint (Habakkuk 1:12-17, 2:1) 4. LORD responds: Write vision, make it plain; it awaits its proper time, hastens toward its end, trustworthy; wait for it, for it will come; soul of man puffed up within him; righteous live by faith; wine as traitor, arrogant man not at rest; great greed, never has enough like death; gathers all nations (Habakkuk 2:2-5) 5. Taunt taken up: woe to indebted; debtors will rise, indebted as spoil; have plundered many nations, remnant of nations will plunder them; woe to those who obtains through evil; they have devised shame; they have thus forfeited their lives; stones cry out, wood responds; woe to those who build cities on blood and iniquity; nations weary themselves for nothing; earth to be filled with knowledge of God (Habakkuk 2:6-14) 6. Woe to the one who makes his neighbors drunk to look at their nakedness; they will be filled with shame and not glory; cup of LORD will come to them, utter shame upon them; violence to Lebanon will overwhelm them, all the blood shed on account of them; what value is there in idols?; woe to those who serve empty idols; LORD in His temple, let earth be silent before Him (Habakkuk 2:15-20) B. Habakkuk's Prayer (Habakkuk 3) 1. Habakkuk as hearing report of LORD; fears LORD's work; make it known after many years; God as coming from Teman, great splendor, brightness; before Him went pestilence, plague; measured the earth; shook the nations; scattered mountains, hills made low; His ways as everlasting ways; affliction in Midian; Habakkuk wonders if God's anger against rivers and sea when He rode on chariot of salvation (Habakkuk 3:1-8) 2. LORD takes out His bow and arrow; earth split with rivers; mountains see, writhe; waters seep on; sun and moon stand still; God as marching through earth in fury, threshes nations in anger; God goes out to save His people, His anointed; house of wicked crushed, they are exposed; oppressors pierced; sea trampled (Habakkuk 3:9-15) 3. Habakkuk hears and trembles, waits for day of trouble; even if complete desolation, Habakkuk will rejoice in God; God as his strength (Habakkuk 3:16-19) IV. Habakkuk: Important Passages A. Habakkuk 1:13 B. Habakkuk 2:4 / Romans 1:17 V. Conclusion A. The message of Habakkuk B. God's judgment to come 1. Habakkuk seeks to have immediate judgment 2. God makes known His plan C. Habakkuk learns to have patience, wait for God's judgment, deliverance D. Let us learn patience and expect the Lord as Habakkuk learned! 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 J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Tue Sep 8 04:02:13 2009 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Tue, 8 Sep 2009 05:02:13 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] A) ONE LIFE IS ENOUGH Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. A very good Tuesday morning to each and everyone. May God bless you and yours. Here is an article from my files: ONE LIFE IS ENOUGH One life is all we're given. It doesn't matter if we wish for more time, another life, or greater opportunity. Within God's sovereign purposes, one life, whether long or short, is enough. In Acts 20:22,23, Paul reveals that he didn't know what would happen to him when he came to Jerusalem but he did know that bonds & affliction awaited him. In 21:11, a prophet revealed to Paul that he would be bound and delivered into the hands of the Gentiles. However, instead of avoiding Jerusalem, Paul declared, "But I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself, in order that I may finish my course, and the mini- stry which I received from the Lord Jesus to testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God." (20:24). Paul's goal was not to extend his ministry but to complete it. Our goal, like Paul's, should be to glorify Christ in our body, "Whether by life or by death" (Phil. 1:20). Then, if necessary, we can afford to lose our freedom and even our very lives. We can be sure God will use others to carry on His work. Paul's death did not bring his influence to an end. He always instructed others to press on. He entrusted them with the need to be faithful. In Acts 20:32, He commended the Ephes- ian elders to God and His Word which is able to "build you up and give you the inheritance among all those who are sancti- fied." We still reap the benefits of his life even today. Life is brief -- "as a vapor, that appeareth for a little time and then is gone" (Jas. 4:14). With Christ's help, let's invest our lives in something that will outlast us. "Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, 'Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.' 'Yes,' says the Spirit, 'that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them.'" (Rev. 14:13). Yes, our efforts on this earth will either bode for good or evil. Let us make sure that we leave the effects of good works behind us when we leave this life and this world. JWS. ---- Shane Williams in The Lilbourn Light, Vol. 10, No. 4, August 2009. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20090908/3882cfc1/attachment.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Tue Sep 8 04:02:22 2009 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Tue, 8 Sep 2009 05:02:22 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] S) THE SCHEME OF REDEMPTION IN PERFECTION AND PRESENTATION (2) Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. Here is the second installment of this particular study. Use to the glory of God. THE SCHEME OF REDEMPTION IN PERFECTION AND PRESEN- TATION (2). Pefected By Obedience (continued): -- Too, in the divine concep- tion of justice there can be no forgiveness of sin without the shedding of blood; and as a part of this appraisal is the avowal that the blood of bulls and goats cannot take away sin. From which there follows the inevitable conclusion that blood of a higher and more worthy kind must be offered. In order that these demands be met there had ot be one who need not offer for Himself while atoning for others, as such would impair the vicarious character of the offering. Impairment would involve imperfection, and as Jesus attained perfection in dying we recognize this attainment required as conditional thereto a total substitution in the sacrifice made by Him. If He had in part made this offering for Himself, as the priests of the former dispensat- ion, then there would have beeen only a partial offerning of Him- self for others. Completeness was essential to competency in this decisive issue, and He matured the competency of His atonement in the perfecting of His obedience. Furthermore, it pleased God to prepare a body which, when offered, would satisfy Him as the aggrieved and offended party in the matter. When Jesus poured out His soul then -- and not before -- was God satisfied, and this satisfaction was experienc- ed as the result of the completed obedience wrought by Jesus. The term obedience implies the existence of will, which will is expressed in law embodying commands to be obeyed. It was, and is, the Will of God that men be saved; and that this be realiz- ed there must be subordinate and essential thereto everything divine wisdom has decreed as conditional and contributory to this consummation. In this infinitely wise plan the death of Jesus assumes a fundamental position without which the entire collapse of the plan would result. In the pleasure ascribed to God in the suffering of the cross there is no element of sadism existing. It is a pleasure arising from the contemplation that the justification of the sinner might be wrought through faith in the virtue and merit of the blood shed to effect it. As a further occas- ion for exacting this perfection through suffering is that of Jesus learning obedience by this suffering. In that He hath suffered He is able to succor those who are tempted by reason of the trials and tribulations so acutely experienced by Himself. With such manifestations of divine wisdom as is afforded us by the events of Calvary and their relation to the purpose of God regarding our redemption, the intensity of heaven's interest may be appreciatively realized. With all the nobility attaching to the motive of Jesus, the sacrifices made to and the beneficial influe- nce exercised by His life, they afford no substitute for the obed- ience to be performed by Him in dying for us. Truly to obey is better than sacrifice and to hearken than the fat of rams, but sacr- ifice reached the ultimate of significance in the supreme act of obedience inacted on the cross. Heaven's scheme for human redemption has been finisheda; it has been evolved through the centuries and attained its completion when Jesus gave up His spirit, when the earth was shaken, when the sun refused to shed its light on the scene and darkness from the sixth to the ninth hour prevailed. There remains now only the necessity of inaugurating the reign of the Christ and to this end He raised frpom the tomb, ascended to His Father's right hand where there was given Him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations and languages should serve Him. The three days and nights between the entombment and resurrection of Jesus was the most crucial period in time. The supreme sacrifice had been made in HIs death, but the offering was contingent on His triumph over the tomb the sting of death, sin, is the victor and Christ's voluntary sacrifice of Himself for our sins is in vain. The interests of humanity for time and eterni- ty are linked with the benevolent concern of heaven in the con- flict raging in Hades. Hence, the climax of apostolic preaching was the proposition, asserted and established, of the resurrect- ion of Christ. (More will be posted on this study tomorrow, the Lord willing, JWS). -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20090908/423fa90a/attachment.html From wcoc at bellsouth.net Tue Sep 8 11:27:35 2009 From: wcoc at bellsouth.net (westside) Date: Tue, 8 Sep 2009 11:27:35 -0500 Subject: [Biblemat] H: Teacher Training Message-ID: <81F4CDFF303742CC9F96887B022BF3C3@westsidecoc> Hi Folks, I am trying to put together material for a "teachers training class." I recently read a book by Charles Willis on teaching class. But I am interested in any material you folks may have on this matter. Whether it is a workbook, or simply your philosophy on teaching or how you have conducted such a class. Thanks, Dennis "If you make a mistake, learn from it. If you do something brilliant, get over it." D.T. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20090908/e73b2608/attachment.html From kerux at bellsouth.net Tue Sep 8 15:17:05 2009 From: kerux at bellsouth.net (Kent Heaton) Date: Tue, 8 Sep 2009 16:17:05 -0400 Subject: [Biblemat] A> 090909 (Kent Heaton) Message-ID: <0A4755EEE97E4446A9A1B1876EA46FDE@D2381J91> 090909 (Kent Heaton) The title should not alarm anyone to some dark numeric revelation like the 666 of Revelation 13:18. It represents the ninth year of the century 2000 and the ninth day of the ninth month. Next year the sequence will fall in October (101010) with the following year as 111111 and then finally in the year 2012 the sequence will be 121212. This numerical sequence of twelve years will not happen again for 989 years. I doubt that 090909 really means anything more than the year, month and day but I suppose some prognosticator can come up with an elaborate scheme of doom having to do with the number nine being an upside down six and that the numerical sequence is in fact the holy grail of the Biblical code for 060606. Lord willing Thursday will come and the world will continue (if not this article will not be read). I could not help but think about the unique order that our world has in simplicity and beauty. We measure days by hours and minutes; years by months and days; lifetimes by decades and sometimes a single century. Order reigns in the world as if by the hand of an infinite designer who has set the universe in an exact motion. Moses wrote in Genesis 1:14-18 the words of the Creator: "Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to divide between the day and the night. And let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days and years. And let them be for lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth. And it was so. And God made two great lights: the greater light to rule the day and the smaller light to rule the night, and the stars also. And God set them in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth, and to rule over the day and over the night; and to divide between the light and the darkness. And God saw that it was good" (Genesis 1:14-18). After the flood, God promised Noah that "while the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease" (Genesis 8:22). [This disproves the theory of "global warming" and the end of the seasons.] The planets all go about in the exact order as God placed them in creation. The moon is the exact distance from the earth to influence the oceans of our world. The distance of the sun is so precise that a fraction closer would burn the earth and a fraction farther would freeze the earth. The prophet Jeremiah wrote of the perfect order of creation and how the wonders of creation testify to the power of God. "Do you not fear Me? says Jehovah. Will you not tremble at My presence, I who have placed the sand for the boundary of the sea by a never-ending decree, so that it cannot pass it? And though they toss themselves, yet they cannot prevail; though its waves roar, yet they cannot pass over it? (Jeremiah 5:22). There is precise order in the design of the waves upon the seashore and the tides flowing in and out. The heart is a powerful testimony of God's precise design as the cardiac muscles may contract at least 2 billion times in one lifetime. The brain processes an incredible amount of information and recalls millions of tidbits of stored data years beyond the event. "I will praise You; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are marvelous and my soul knows it very well" (Psalms 139:14). Each time we write the date or take notice of the time we testify to the existence of God. His power is found in creation (Psalm 19; 33:6; Isaiah 40:22-26). The march of time also declares the end of time. "But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a rushing noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat. And the earth and the works in it will be burned up. Then, all these things being about to be dissolved, what sort ought you to be in holy behavior and godliness" (2 Peter 3:10-11). Jeremy Taylor wrote, "Life is short and yet upon this short life eternity depends." The order of things will end one day when the Lord chooses. What should 090909 cause us to do? "Seek Him who created the Pleiades and Orion, and who turned the deep darkness into the morning and He darkened the day into night. Seek Him who calls for the waters of the sea, and pours them out on the face of the earth; Jehovah is His name" (Amos 5:8). 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/20090908/966370b8/attachment-0001.html From GLClair at aol.com Tue Sep 8 16:53:22 2009 From: GLClair at aol.com (GLClair at aol.com) Date: Tue, 8 Sep 2009 17:53:22 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] SERMON OUTLINE - TRUR, DEDICATED, CHRISTIANS ARE: Message-ID: TRUE, DEDICATED, CHRISTIANS ARE: CIRCUMSPECT - Eph 5:15, "See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise," NKJV HOLY - 1 Peter 1:14-15, "but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct," NKJV REDEEMED {i.e., by Christ blood}- 1 Peter 1:18, "knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers," NKJV ACCEPT INSTRUCTION - 2 Tim 2:15, "Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." NKJV ARE LIVING STONES - 1 Peter 2:4-5, "you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." NKJV ARE TEACHERS - 2 Tim 2:2, "And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also." NKJV ABIDE {IN Christ Teaching} - 1 John 2:28, "And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming." SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES - Acts 17:11, "These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so." LOVE THE BRETHREN - 1 Thessalonians 4:9, "But concerning brotherly love you have no need that I should write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another;" NKJV LOVE THY NEIGHBOR - Rom 13:8-10, "For the commandments, "You shall not commit adultery," "You shall not murder," "You shall not steal," "You shall not bear false witness," "You shall not covet," and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." - Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law." ARE READY FOR EVERY GOOD WORK - 2 Corinthians 9:8, "And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work" NKJV IN CONCLUSION: Phil. 1:20 "According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death." 2 Tim. 1:12 "For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day." KJV 1 Peter 4:16 "Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf." ____________________________________________ NOTE: This sermon brief may be used for a Power Point presentation with very little effort. Prepared by Garreth L. Clair June 1987 Revised: Sept. 9, 2009 Mail To: _glclair at aol.com_ (mailto:glclair at aol.com) -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20090908/dfaa2aae/attachment-0001.html From brschoolau at yahoo.com.au Tue Sep 8 19:44:28 2009 From: brschoolau at yahoo.com.au (david) Date: Wed, 9 Sep 2009 10:44:28 +1000 Subject: [Biblemat] H: Tracts In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <04DC413A65CB4BC789335A9076C08911@Moses> Looking for a tract or tracts that we could print locally for our needs Psrticularly on: Why we believe the Bible or similar subjects. Would pove of have publisher files or layout without church info on it so we could add our own. We are in Australia Any recommendations would be appreciated. David -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20090909/ca477c12/attachment-0001.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Wed Sep 9 04:15:53 2009 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Wed, 9 Sep 2009 05:15:53 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] S) THE SCHEME OF REDEMPTION IN PERFECTION AND PRESENTATION (3) Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. Here is the third installment of this particular study. Use to the glory of God. THE SCHEME OF REDEMPTION IN PERFECTION AND PRESEN- TATION (3) Redemption Presented: -- Following His resurrection and subse- quent ascension forty days later, the apostles, in keeping with His instructions tarried in Jerusalem awaiting the promise of the Father. When the day of Pentecost was fully come, they, the apostles, were all in one place and with one accord. They were charged with the grave and monentous responsibility of preach- ing the gospel, that was given to them by the Holy Spirit, to every creature under heaven. The power to do such, was not of themselves, but was by power from on high, as promised to them by Jesus Himself. The work was far too important, the in- vestment of heaven far too great, for all to be hazarded by the efforts of unaided, unguided and fallible men. Notwithstanding, all that God and Christ had done, the accomplishment of their purpose, could be rendered abortive by the errors of those in whose hands it had been entrusted. Human intelligence is limited, and human memory is defective; hence they needed to be guided into all truth, and their memor- ies needed to be refreshed as to that which they had previously learned from the Savior Himself, while they accompanied with Him here. To this end the promised Spirit was to come, and for His coming they were patiently and unitedly waiting. Though few in number, eleven at this time, they were of one accord, and were being led by the Spirit of God to choose one to take the place of Judas Iscariot. In doing so, they chose Matthias. Where unity prevails, there is greater strength than in great numbers where unity is absent. The Spirit of Christ is not out of place when present with these chosen ones who are united to- gether in the great work before them and the hope which fills them. They were to advocate the claims of Him who prayed that all might be one through their words -- words the Holy Spirit would guide them in uttering at this time. Thus in such an unpretentious and simple setting as here pictured the Holy Spirit appeared and filled the apostles, the apostles only, with His Spirit. And through them He manifested Himself in an unprecedented manner by the phenomena of this notable day. After disabusing the minds of those who attributed the behavior of the influence of wine, in ascribing the influence to the Spirit as a fulfillment of the Scriptures, they preached Christ and Him crucified to the astounded audience. This sermon sounded the keynote of the kingdom of Christ in its appeal to men for all succeeding generations. From the prem-ises of this sermon we are not ever to depart, but pattern our approach and appeal to the world on the principles then enunciated. On this, and subsequent occasions, the recovery of man from the thraldom of sin is the great objective sought. Sometimes we hear tht criticism has no legitimate place in preaching; that people are driven away by such, and are only attracted by constructive, even complimentary, preaching. While true, that Christ did not come into the world to condemn it, but to save it; yet, unless, and until, there is the recognition of one's guilt and consequent condemnation there can be no effective appeal to be saved. Quite reasonably, therefore, we can see why the apostolic preaching gave great emphasis to convincing people of their guilt before God. To appeal to anyone to flee from the wrath to come without such an one recognizing he is in danger of this wrath would not be calculat-ed to move him. There is the need of a realistic approach to our conditon in order that any correction and relief might be accom- plished. Hence, the apostles set forth the true and tragic estate of their audiences with reference to their relation to sin and estra-ngement from God. Accusation, pointed and pungent, occupied a prominent plae in the discourses delivered under the inspirat- ion of the Holy Spirit. The impending judgment was presented as an incentive to repent of their sins. In the presentation of the gospel, the glad tidings of Divine Mercy to a people unable to deliver themselves was emphasized and magnified. Not by works of righteousness (our own) are we saved but according to His mercy hath He sav- ed us, by the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Spirit. The mercy of God is the exercise of His love, which attained supreme expression in the gift of His Son. In describ- ing to the Ephesians the deeply depraved and helpless condit- ion of humankind the apostle follows with the heart-thrilling assurancs afforded us in Christ -- "But God, Who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He hath loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ (by grace are ye saved), and hath raised us up together, and made us to sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus; that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus" (Eph.2:4-7). (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/20090909/c45ccefd/attachment-0001.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Wed Sep 9 04:15:43 2009 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Wed, 9 Sep 2009 05:15:43 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: -- How can I know the right or true church? ANSWER: -- This question is asked many times by sincere seek- ers for truth. They make such statements as "There are so many churches around, and all of them claim to be the true church of God. How can I know which one of them is the true church? Or are they all to be accepted as being true churches?" It is not a matter of checking each of the many churches that claim to be the right church, checking the origin, doctrines and practices of each one of them. It is like the ship's pilot that guid- ed his ship among the many rocks that were beneath the surface of the waters upon which he travelled. When he was ask- ed if he knew where every rock was located in the channel, his reply way, "No I do not know where each and every rock is that lies beneath the water, but I do know where the safe channel is." We cannot necessarily know what each and every church is teaching and practicing, but we can determine where the safe channel is, where rocks do not abound just beyond the surface of the water upon which we travel. The safe channel is charted in the Word of God, and we have no need to steer our ship on any other course. Jesus asked His disciples who did the people say that He was? They said that the people gave many answers to the question of who He really was. But he asked the disciples who do you believe that I am? And Peter spoke up and said that He was the Son of the Living God. Jesus commended him upon his answer and stated that God had given him the answer to the question. He went on to say: "Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this unto thee, but My Father Who art in heaven. And I say unto thee, that upon this rock (this confession of yours) I will build My church and the the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it." (Matt. 16:18-18). Jesus goes on to say that He would give to His disciples the information on how to enter this church or kingdom that He would build. And that the keys or authority would be settled or accepted in heaven before it would be given to the disciples. (vs. 19). Jesus, not only established His church upon the earth, He gave His life to purchase it. "Feed the church of the Lord which He purchased with His own blood." (Acts 20:28). "Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for it." (Eph. 5:25). The church is the body of Christ and He gives the term of entrance into His body. When people do His will, He adds them to His body, the church of the Lord. Acts 2:37-47). This is the one and only true church that is mentioned in the Bible, Eph. 4:4. It is true that the world is full of differing churches, denomin- ations, that have been started down through the ages of time, but Jesus has said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life, no one cometh to the Father, but by Me." Jno. 14:6. So, the answer to the question is: The Lord has only one church, one body, one kingdom, and it has only one set of entrance therein, and one doctrine to follow in its activities of worship and service. So, we have no need to wonder which is the right church, we can determine that by studying the New Testament that tells us all we need to know about such (2 Tim. 3:16,17). ---- This question and answer was highly adapted from a question and answer given in Gospel Minutes, Vol. 58, NO. 37, Sept. 11, 2009. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20090909/ef2a7e64/attachment.html From kerux at bellsouth.net Wed Sep 9 12:18:21 2009 From: kerux at bellsouth.net (Kent Heaton) Date: Wed, 9 Sep 2009 13:18:21 -0400 Subject: [Biblemat] Lipscomb on 1 Cor 15:29 Message-ID: <8532D0DB2E6D4413BB9373DF38CEA9BD@D2381J91> Else what shall they do that are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why then are they baptized for them? (1 Corinthians 15:29 ASV) "To determine the meaning of a sentence, we must look at its connection, purpose, and scope. This is one of a number of arguments to prove the resurrection from the dead. After giving other arguments, he asks: 'Else [if the dead rise not] what shall they do which are baptized for [in view of their resurrection from] the dead, if the dead rise not?' He was giving reasons why they should believe in the resurrection. We are baptized and enter into Christ because we must die, and in order that we may be fitted to be raised in him and live with him forever. Why are we baptized in order to death, if the dead rise not? If the dead rise not, what shall they do who are baptized in view of the resurrection from the dead? In view of their dying, they are baptized; so are baptized in order to their well-being after death. If they are not to be raised, why are they baptized to fit them for the resurrection? This is Paul's argument. Verse 30 is similar. Why do we stand in jeopardy of life every hour, if there be no resurrection and future judgment?" (Queries and Answers by David Lipscomb, pages 49-50) 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/20090909/682499ba/attachment.html From chris.gautney at gmail.com Wed Sep 9 11:32:44 2009 From: chris.gautney at gmail.com (Chris Gautney) Date: Wed, 9 Sep 2009 11:32:44 -0500 Subject: [Biblemat] The Army of the LORD Message-ID: <9fd765230909090932s7d9266car2ed5ac940a19f021@mail.gmail.com> The Army of the Lord The fight is on! ? It?s here! ? We are on the battlefield! I. THE FIGHT 1. It is the good fight ? 2 Tim. 4:6-8; 1 Tim. 6:11-12 2. It is to be fought only with the Lord?s weapons ? Eph. 6:10-18, 2 Cor. 10:1-5 3. Not a battle with flesh and blood ? Eph. 6:10-18; 1 Pet. 2:9-12 4. It must be fought ? Right rations necessary (1) Food ? Matt. 5:6 (2) Milk & Meat ? 1 Pet. 2:1-2; Heb. 5:12-6:1; 1 Cor. 3:1-5 (3) Drink ? Jn. 4:13-15 5. Fresh, pure air (atmosphere) necessary ? 1 Cor. 15:33; Psa. 1; 1 Thess. 5:21-23 6. Proper rest essential ? Matt. 11:28-30; Rom. 14:17; Phil. 4:4-8 7. Unlimited resources of power or spiritual strength available & necessary ? Phil. 4:13; Eph. 3:14-21; 6:10-18; Heb. 13;5-6; Rom. 8:28-29; Matt. 28:18-20 8. Proper exercise (drill) necessary to grow in strength ? Heb.5:12-6:1; 2 Pet. 1:5-11; Jas. 1:18-27 II. SCRIPTURAL STRATEGY 1. Proper & right knowledge of the foe ? 2 Cor. 2:11; 1 Pet. 5:6-8; Jas. 4:7 2. Proper knowledge of our limitations ? 1 Cor. 9:24-27; 10:12-13; Gal. 6:1-10 3. Proper care for the weak and wounded in battle ? Gal. 6:1; Jas. 5:19-20; Matt. 18:15-35 4. Proper interest in each other as soldiers of Christ ? 1 Cor. 12:12-25; Rom. 12:6-21; Heb. 10:19-31; Jn. 13:34-35; Col. 3:14 5. Proper morale for the conflict ? This is produced by: (1) Proper interest in, & awareness of, the battle, & our relationship to and in it (2) Proper understanding of the right or justice of the Lord?s cause (3) Proper sense of the power and wisdom of the cause (4) Proper knowledge of the benefits to be derived from the fight A. Growth, strength, and joy now ? Heb. 5:12-6:1; 1 Cor. 16:13-14; 2 Pet. 3:18 B. Salvation of our souls and those of others ? 1 Tim. 4:11-16 C. Benefit to the world ? it needs salt and fight ? Matt. 5:13-16 D. Eternal benefits ? 2 Tim. 4:6-8; Jas 1:12; Rev. 2;10; 14:13; 22:12,14 III. FAILURES IN THIS CONFLICT 1. Some, like Peter, follow too far off ? Matt. 26:58-75 (1) Visiting sick, widows, orphans, etc. Some ?tail? in every good work ? Jas. 1:27; Matt. 25:1-46 (2) ?Afar off? in Bible study (3) ?Afar off? in prayer in home & worship (4) ?Afar off? when it comes to attending all services ? Heb. 10:25 (5) ?Afar off? when it comes to saving souls. Hire preachers to do that. (6) ?Afar off? because of love for the world ? 2 Tim. 4:10; 1 jn. 2:15-17 2. Some, like Judas, see the Lord & his cause for money, prestige- 2 tim. 4:6-8; Rev. 2:10; 14:13; 22:14; 21:7; 3:20-22, Acts 11; Rev. 19; Rom. 8:31 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20090909/18aa14c3/attachment.html From chris.gautney at gmail.com Wed Sep 9 13:54:50 2009 From: chris.gautney at gmail.com (Chris Gautney) Date: Wed, 9 Sep 2009 13:54:50 -0500 Subject: [Biblemat] Listen to Jesus Message-ID: <9fd765230909091154w3010af78j8a737aefe1d9c8bc@mail.gmail.com> LISTEN TO JESUS ? Matt. 17:1-5 Intro. A. Peter had earlier confessed him to be the Christ, the son of god. Matt. 16:13-16 B. Later on the mount of Transfiguration, God says ?Hear Ye Him? Matt. 17:5 C. We shall deal with tings we are to listen to. Disc. I. An explanation of his mission a. To seek & save the lost ? Lk. 19:10 b. All other matters center this fact (1) Jesus? words to Nicodemus ? Jn. 3 (2) Jn. 3:14-17 & the Good Shepherd II. An extension of his invitation a. Matt. 11:28-30 b. He that cometh shall never thirst c. Spirit, Bride say come ? Rev. 22:17 III. His promise given a. Mk. 16:16 b. Apostles sent to teach this ? matt. 28:20 IV. His requests a. Remember him in the Lord?s Supper ? 1 Cor. 11:23-29; Acts 20:7 Study his words & listen in all things, always. From chris.gautney at gmail.com Wed Sep 9 13:57:14 2009 From: chris.gautney at gmail.com (Chris Gautney) Date: Wed, 9 Sep 2009 13:57:14 -0500 Subject: [Biblemat] Six Baptisms / What is Salvation Message-ID: <9fd765230909091157i396a23c0jd5a97a9af94707bd@mail.gmail.com> SIX BAPTISMS Intro. 1. Some treat subject as if Bible didn?t mention it. Some shocked to know its in the Bible yet 6 are mentioned in all 2. It must be preached because: a. So many leave it out b. Many Christians believe it assures them of eternal life; regardless of type of life lived. 3. Define baptism. Meaning can be viewed in each case. *Old Testament Israel ? 1 Cor. 10:2 John?s ? Mt. 3:5-6; Mk. 1:14 Suffering ? Mk. 10:38, Matt. 20:28 *New Testament Great Commission ? Matt. 28:20 Holy Spirit ? Matt. 3:11 Fire ? Matt. 3:11 Conclusion 1. There is on baptism ? Eph. 4:5 2. In dealing with these baptisms, answer these questions a. Who was the subject? b. What was the design? c. What was the duration? d. How & by whom administered? ++++++++++++++++++++++++++ WHAT IS SALVATION 1. Conversion (changed) Matt. 18:1-3; Acts 3:19 2. Forgiveness (canceled) 3. Cleansing (removal) 4. Regeneration (make new) 5. Sanctification ? (set apart) Jn. 17:17; 1 Cor. 1:2 6. Redemption (buy back) 7. Justification (free from guilt) From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Thu Sep 10 05:31:05 2009 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Thu, 10 Sep 2009 06:31:05 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] S) THE SCHEME OF REDEMPTION IN PERFECTION AND PRESENTATION (4) Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. Here is the fourth and final installment of this particular study. Use to the glory of God. THE SCHEME OF REDEMPTION IN PERFECTION AND PRESEN- TATION (4). Redemption Presented: Continued: -- Another prominent and distinguished feature of apostolic preaching was the gracious, though dimly perceived by them, provision that all people should be the beneficiaries of this mercy of God so richly displayed and bestowed. Even those who in time past "were not a people, but are now the people of God; which had not ob- tained mercy" (1 Pet. 2:10), were embraced therein. Peter, on Pentecost, concluded his moving exhortation with the assuran- ce the promise was to those then present, their children and to all those afar off, even as many as the Lord their God should call. Infinite love prompting its exercise, because of their limit- less character had to be tendered to all; hence, whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. Universal though the mercy and love of God are, as tendered by man, the enjoy- ment of the blessings identified therewith was subject to man's appropriation of them. Salvation is limited to those who call upon the name of Christ, which certainly involves a recognition of and submission to His authority. Not only, therefore, is His mercy to be gratefully received, but His power and authority acknowledged. That there may be a well-founded basis for this recognition the power of the Lord is demonstrably established through the emphatic and repeated avowal of the fact of His resurrection and enthronement at the right hand of God in heaven above. He was given a name above every name that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth and every tongue should confess tht Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory if the Father. In this exaltation of Christ He was raised from the dead and elevated far above all principality, power, might, and dominion to thus occupy that position entitling Him to this name superior to all others, God alone excepted. To accomplish this there was wrought by God the exceeding greatness of His power. In the presentation of the Father's invitation to "Seek the Lord while He may be found, call ye upon Him while He is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord, and He will have mercy upon him, and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon" the love, mercy, justice and power of the Almighty were eminent- ly displayed in the person of His Son. These attributes and aims of God were concretely expressed in the life, death, resurrection ascension and coronation of the Messiah -- they constitute the wisdom and knowledge of God as related to the present and future state of man. Christ was preached; His name and the things concerning His kingdom were made known to men in order that tehy might submit to the One and enter into the other. These great themes are the need of our time; they need to be presented in all the warmth and fervor with characterized their initial presentation. Sinners need to be called to repentance, those within and with- out the fold of Christ. The magnitude of sin needs to be apprais- ed along with and by means of, an appreciation of the exceeding greatness of God's grace and mercy. Entirely too fragmentary, I fear, is our conception of the gospel of God's grace, as is evid- enced by the impatience of some people to hear anything but short, spicy sermonettes interspersed with witticisms, and platit- udes pleasing to the ears of men. The results of apostolic preaching were not always charact- erized by a full response to their entreaties, but they didn't leave people unaffected by what they said very often. There were those who, while not obedient to it, were made to tremble as they listened to the apostle reasoning on righteousness, temper- ance and judgment to come. In the next article attention shall be directed to the reaction of various ones to that which was enjoin- ed upon them to do as conditional to receiving and enjoying the salvation of the Lord, the Savior of all mankind. ----Bryan Vinson in The Preceptor, Vol. 1, No. 12, October, 1952. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20090910/62b80223/attachment-0001.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Thu Sep 10 05:30:49 2009 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Thu, 10 Sep 2009 06:30:49 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] A) QUESTION AND ANSWER Message-ID: Brethren and friends, Jim Sasser here. A very good Thursday to each and everyone. May God bless you and yours. Here is another quest- ion and answer from my files: QUESTION: -- How should the church choose elders today? ANSWER: -- The only examples we have of this process taking place is when Paul and Barnabas appointed elders in every church as mentioned in Acts 14:23, when Titus was to appoint elders in every city in Crete Titus 1:5-9, and when Paul told Timothy about the qualifications of elders in 1 Tim. 3:1-7. In none of these examples does it specify how the appointing of elders is carried out. We do have an example of men being chosen to help out the needy widows in Acts 6:1-6. There are some key ingredients to this process given here. Even though these are not considered as elders, they fit the process of appointing deacons rather than the appointing of elders. First, teaching should be done from the Bible on the necess- ity of having elders in every congregation. Secondly, the qualifi- cations for such men must also be taught to the whole congre- gation. Thirdly, the work of elders should be taught. Then and only then, is the congregation in a position to choose from among itself men, a plurality must be chosen, to be appointed to the work of the eldership. The choosing and appointing of men to be elders of a congr- egation should be a transparent thing among the membership of the congregation. No secret ballots or backroom debates should be involved. Every member should know the men that are put forth for the eldership. Any orderly process can be used in putting forth and appointing qualified men to the position of the eldership. Much prayer on their behalf can and should be a part of the process as was used in appointing another apostle to take the place of Judas Iscariot. Let every action and effort be guided by the humble desire to do every thing according to the information that we find in the Word of God. If we follow the examples given, and humbly pray for God's guidance, we will have done things according to His Will. ---- Adapted from a question and answer, by David Thurman, in Gospel Minutes, Vol. 58, No. 37, Sept. 11, 2009. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20090910/129a56a2/attachment-0001.html From thornhill1 at frontiernet.net Thu Sep 10 07:46:26 2009 From: thornhill1 at frontiernet.net (thomas thornhill) Date: Thu, 10 Sep 2009 07:46:26 -0500 Subject: [Biblemat] birth control material Message-ID: <60D50E02EE514DCEAFE9136C7247E705@your4dacd0ea75> Dear all, I am putting together the material received in answer to my question about birth control and will soon send it out as an attachment to these lists. Some have asked for it so I thought I would send it to anyone who might want it. In doing some studying on this I ran across a scripture in Ps.139:15-16. I believe it might help to answer the question about when a fetus is recognized as a real baby, and thus helps to refute the argument that a child is not really a human until birth, thus can be aborted before birth. Am I wrong in this? I would like to hear what others think. brotherly, Tommy Thornhill thornhill1 at frontiernet.net 13675 Hwy 341 Randolph MS 38864 tel. 662-568-2960 - cell 662-419-5378 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20090910/a9c687f0/attachment-0001.html From wswalker310 at juno.com Thu Sep 10 10:10:07 2009 From: wswalker310 at juno.com (Wayne S Walker) Date: Thu, 10 Sep 2009 10:10:07 -0500 Subject: [Biblemat] "Anywhere Is Home" Message-ID: <20090910.164225.3224.0.wswalker310@juno.com> 9/12 Wayne Walker here with another weekly hymn study "ANYWHERE IS HOME" "For I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content" (Phil. 4:11) INTRO.: A song which encourages us to learn to be content in whatever state or condition we happen to be is "Anywhere Is Home (#680 in Hymns for Worship Revised, #202 in Sacred Selections for the Church). The text was written by James (sometimes erroneously listed as John) Melvin Henson (1887-1972). The tune was composed by Homer F. Morris (1875-1955). The song was copyrighted in 1927 by Morris and Henson. The copyright was assigned to R. E. Winsett in 1943, and from him passed to Ellis J. Crum of Kendallville, IN. Henson, a native of Gordon County, GA, who established a successful music business, also produced the well known song "Watching You." Other songs by him that have appeared in some of our books include "I'll Live in Glory" and "Happy Am I." Another famous tune by Morris was provided for James Rowe's "Won't It Be Wonderful There?" Among hymnbooks published by members of the Lord's church during the twentieth century for use in churches of Christ, "Anywhere Is Home" appeared in the 1978 Hymns of Praise edited by Reuel Lemmons. 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; the 1978/1983 Church Gospel Songs and Hymns edited by V. E. Howard; 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 reminds us that spiritually speaking "home" is not a place but a relationship with Christ. I. Stanza 1 points out that we can be at home without earthly wealth or fame "Earthly wealth and fame May never come to me, And a palace fair Here mine may never be; But let come what may, If Christ for me doth care, Anywhere is home, If He is only there." A. Some in this world have wealth while others do not: Jas. 1:9-10 B. But it makes no difference whether we live in a palace fair or not because even Jesus did not have a place to lay His head: Lk. 9:58 C. However, we can be at home anywhere if we understand that Christ cares for us: 1 Pet. 5:7 II. Stanza 2 points out that we can be at home even when tossed and driven by the foe "Oft I'm tossed about And driven by the foe, Sad within, without, Wherever I may go; But I press along, Still looking up in prayer, For it's home, sweet home, If Christ is only there."' A. Being tossed about and driven by the foe refers to the various trials that we face in life: Jas. 1:2 B. These trials make us sad or grieved for a little while: 1 Pet. 1:6 C. However, we can be at home anywhere by looking to God through Christ in prayer: Phil. 4:6-7 III. Stanza 3 points out that we can be at home while laboring on "I will labor on Till I am called away, Till the morn shall dawn Of that eternal day, Looking unto Him Who keeps me in His care; Anywhere is home, If Christ my Lord, is there." A. As long as we are alive and able, we must labor on: 1 Cor. 15:58 B. While doing this, we are waiting for the morn to dawn of that eternal day when we receive our inheritance in heaven: 1 Pet. 1:3-5 C. However, even here, we can be at home anywhere by looking unto Jesus: Heb. 12:1-2 CONCL.: The chorus emphasizes the importance of bearing our cross for Christ. "Anywhere is home, Let come and go what may; Anywhere I roam He keeps me all the way. So for His dear sake My cross I'll meekly bear; Anywhere is home, If Christ, my Lord, is there." One of the sweetest words in any language is "home." God has prepared an eternal home for His people in heaven. However, again, "home" is not primarily a place but a relationship, so that even here in this life, if we are true followers of Jesus Christ we can find that "Anywhere Is Home." 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/BLSrjpTFoYbxN8uVnt7fx6yOisDSUp0GF9wD1SrAPnXNd0hbfiOK5RssSNS/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20090910/254d6018/attachment-0001.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Fri Sep 11 03:38:04 2009 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Fri, 11 Sep 2009 04:38:04 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] A) SPIRITUALLY PRODUCTIVE 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: SPIRITUALLY PRODUCTIVE We all enjoy seeing beautiful landscapes. Whether it is vast fields ready to be harvested or a magnificent garden where flow- ers bloom and great beauty is everywhere to behold. What about a plot of land that is a memorial to neglect? Any- thing of beauty or that which could be good and useful can be choked out with that which is undesirable. The apostle Peter told us how we can avoid being "barren" (useless) and "unfruitful" (2 Pet. 1:8). He encouraged Christians to be diligent and spiritually productive, developing the charact- er qualities of faith, virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance godliness, brotherly kindness, and love (vss. 5-7). Doing this requires effort on our part. It demands that we work on our relationship with God. We need to be reading the Bible regularly, praying often, resisting temptation, focusing on obedience to Him, and reaching out to others in love. Peter mentioned the additional benefits of being fruitful; a continued assurance, spiritual stability ("you will never stumble"), and an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior (vss. 10,11). Just how productive is your life spiritually? Is your life in God's sight one of beauty or neglect? ----- Shane Williams in The Lilbourn Light, Vol. 10, No. 4, August, 2009. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20090911/f7deb8a3/attachment-0001.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Fri Sep 11 03:38:14 2009 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Fri, 11 Sep 2009 04:38:14 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] S) THE NECESSITY OF FIDELITY IN MARRIAGE (1) Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. Here is the first installment of this study taken from my files. Use to the glory of God. THE NECESSITY OF FIDELITY IN MARRIAGE (1) Behaviors reflect one's values and priorities. Our most im- portant live relationships suffer when our behaviors and words do not arise from a sense of fidelity and trustworthiness. The Psalmist cried out, "Help, Lord, for the godly are no more; the faithful have vanished from among men. Everyone lies to his neighbor, their flattering lips speak with deception" (Psa. 12:1,2 NIV). The New Testament teaches us to regulate our behaviors and words by authority of Jesus and to His ultimate glory "What- ever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus..." (Col. 3:17). "Fidelity," translating the word "pistos", means "the character of one who can be trusted, relied on." Pistis and Pistos most often express "faith," "trustworthiness," "reliable," and "faithful" in the New Testament (Thayer's Greek- English Lexicon of the New Testament). It is important for the Christian to have "fidelity" and to display that faithfulness in all of life's realms, including marriage. The Importance Of Being Faithful: -- There are several reasons why "fidelity" is emphasized in the Bible, showing it importance: 1. It is the character of God Himself: -- (1 Cor. 1:9; 10:13; 2 Cor. 1:18; 2 Tim. 2:1-3). The apostle John wrote that, if we "con- fess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 Jno. 1:9). We who seek to serve the God of Heaven must be like Him. 2. It is the character of Jesus Christ, the Son of God:-- (2 Thes. 3:3; Heb. 2:17; 3:2-6; Rev. 1:5). And who can ignore the One who is the "Faithful and True" who leads us to victory over sin and persecution (Rev. 3:14)? We need the Lamb of God to faithfully carry out His intercession on our hehalf and be true to His "exceedingly great and precious promises" (2 Pet. 1:4). 3. It is the character of the trustworthy Scriptures:-- (Acts 13: 23-24; 1 Tim. 1:15; 3:1; 4:19; 2 Tim. 2:11; Titus 1:9; 3:8; Rev. 21: 5; 22:6). Our salvation and hope for the future with God depend on the trustworthiness of the Bible as God's special revelation to man. 4. It is the character that describes God's servants as trust- worthy: -- In the Parable of the Talents taught by Jesus, it was faithfulness that separated the "good" servants from the "wisk- ed" servant (Matt. 25:21-23). Other New Testament passages echo the call to be "faithful" (1 Cor. 4:2-17; Eph. 6:21; Col. 1:7; 4:7,9; 1 Tim. 1:12; 2 Tim. 2:2; Heb. 3:5; 1 Pet. 5:12). 5. It is the quality the "believer" must have who lives a life of obedience to God in order to receive His promises: -- (Jno. 8:24; Heb. 11:1-6; Rom. 1:16,17; 10:9,10; Mk. 16:15,16; Acts 2:41). Such fidelity or faithfulness to Christ is "unto death" in order to "receive a crown of life" (Rev. 2:10). The apostle Paul served Christ consistently and faithfully in fighting the "good fight." He "finished the course" and "kept the faith." Henceforth there was "laid up for me a crown of righteousness" which he believed the faithful God would "give unto me at that day" (2 Tim. 4:7,8). Faithfulness to God produces in us faithfulness to others (Rom. 1:16,17; Matt. 22:34-40). One who is not faithful in loving God will not be faithful in loving his "neighbor as himself." Faith- fulness to God is further demonstrated in our business relations (Eph. 4:28f). Finally, faithfulness in domestic relationships is directly dependent on our faithfulness to God. Read chapters 5 and 6 of Ephesians along with chapters 3 and 4 of Colossians and be impressed with this direct connection. The Christian does not need to "swear" with an oath to make his words "faith- ful"; his word is his bond in God's world (Matt. 5:33-37). --------- (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/20090911/f1f4d2b2/attachment-0001.html From thornhill1 at frontiernet.net Fri Sep 11 12:54:13 2009 From: thornhill1 at frontiernet.net (thomas thornhill) Date: Fri, 11 Sep 2009 12:54:13 -0500 Subject: [Biblemat] material on birth control ready Message-ID: <5FC79B0FE5D64D5191C79515CF82A810@your4dacd0ea75> Dear brethren, I have now put the material received on my request for inormation on birth control together. It is 10 pages. I have tried to include each resonse received as well as the names of the senders. Since everyone may not want it I am not including it in this e-mail. For all who desire the material send me the request with name and e-mail address and I will send it out either as an attachment or by regular email. brotherly, Tommy thornhill1 at frontiernet.net -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20090911/9daf68ac/attachment-0001.html From kevinskay at mounet.com Fri Sep 11 15:41:39 2009 From: kevinskay at mounet.com (Kevin Kay) Date: Fri, 11 Sep 2009 16:41:39 -0400 Subject: [Biblemat] R: Material on Scientology Message-ID: <000001ca3320$4383c680$ca8b5380$@com> Listers, Does anyone have material on Scientology they would be willing to share with me? Thanks in advance. Kevin Kevin Kay 1816 Weaver Branch Rd. Piney Flats, TN 37686 (423) 538-7142 (home) (423) 282-6251 (office) (423) 426-1836 (cell) kevinskay at mounet.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20090911/7c751df6/attachment-0001.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Sat Sep 12 00:49:20 2009 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Sat, 12 Sep 2009 01:49:20 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] S) THE NECESSITY OF FIDELITY IN MARRIAGE (2) Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here.is the second installment on this particular study. Use to the glory of God.. THE NECESSITY OF FIDELITY IN MARRIAGE (2) CHALLENGES TO MARITAL FIDELITY: -- We have no right be- fore God to cmpartmentalize our lives, being "faithful" at the assemblies of the church while being "unfaithful" in our daily lives. And, in fact, it is futile to try. A husband will be no more faithful to his wife than he is to his Creator. A wife who loves the Lord will love her husband and be faithful to him also. Satan, al- ways the adversary of the faithful child of God, will seek to use vulnerability of marriage partners to destroy faithfulness, fidelity in marriage. In over forty years of preaching the gospel and twenty years of those years also as a professional marriage and family counselor working with couples in trouble, I have noticed at leat seven vulnerability factors which threaten marital fidelity; 1. Uncertain Fidelity To God's Will: -- It is forever that "Unless the Lord build a house we labor in vain who build it" (Psa. 127:1- 3). When marriage partners are unclear on their devotion to the Will of God as expressed in the Bible and do not base their decis- ions on its precepts, trouble ensues. 2. Binding The Marriage By Material Possessions: -- 'Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness" (Matt. 6:24-34). A marriage is often the most vulnerable after enough time has gone by to acquire possessions. Some divorce because their expectations to acquire possessions were not fulfilled. 3. Emotional Immaturity Or Unresolved Conflict: -- Self-cent- eredness, dictatorial demanding, pouting attitudes, or nagging cause a marriage to be vulnerable to unfaithfulness. 4. Withdrawing From Communication With One Another: -- When marital partners quarrel and do not resolve their differenc- es they stack up like scrap lumber. And the snakes, rats, and other creatures crawl in. It is always good to be "swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to wrath" (Jas. 1:19). 5. Lack Of Honesty: -- Honesty is speaking the truth in love, living the truth, and openess with one another. Those who are to become "one flesh" cannot harbor double lives and use dou- ble tongued speech with each other. "Speak the truth with your neighbor" also, more so, applies to one's spouse (Eph. 4:25). 6. Fantasizing About Others: Than Your Own Spouse: -- Jesus teaches us that the mind is connected to he body and pro- vides its motivation. The mind is so powerful that we can visual- ize illicit sexual relations about a co-worker or friend of the opp- osite sex (Matt. 5:27-32). Husbands and wives have an obligat- ion to each other exclusively (1 Cor. 7:1ff). "Lord, I looked but never touched" won't hold up at the judgment and it destroys faithfulness this side of eternity. Christian men must take the lead in overcoming the tendancy to make women sexual toys. 7. Inappropriate Or Questionable Behavior With Those Of The Opposite Sex: -- Husbands and wives should agree on how they each will relate to others. "Just a business lunch?" "Just an e-mail?A" "Just a coffee break conversation?" "Just a little unwinding latte after a hard day's work?" Save it all for your wife or husband and don't fall for a grand illusion that your secretary is more understanding than your wife. (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/20090912/d95cf332/attachment-0001.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Sat Sep 12 00:49:11 2009 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Sat, 12 Sep 2009 01:49:11 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 What difference does it make whether one is a Baptist, Meth- odist, Presbyterian, Catholic, or Jehovah's Witness? Much, in several ways! First, such designations indicate the wrong alleg- iance and perpetuate religious division. Was John the Baptizer crucified for andyone? Were the elders crucified for anyone? Was any Roman Pope every crucified for anyone? Are various methods of baptism taught in the New Testament? Have we seen Jehovah at any time? The Scriptures decry such allegian- ces and divisions! Note 1 Cor. 1:10-13; Jno. 17:20-23; 1:18; 1 Jno. 4:12; Matt. 28:18-20; Rom. 6:3,4. Second: -- Such religious designations indicate that one is following a doctrine that causes failure to obey the Gospel of Christ. Failure to obey God's plan of salvation means continued separation from God because of one's sins, and ultimately, eter- nal punishment for those who obey not the Gospel (2 Thes. 1:3- 10). Several false teachings are involved: the doctrine that bapt- ism is not essential to salvation (Mk. 16:16; Gal. 3:26,27); the doctrine that the voice of the Catholic hierarchy is the source of religious authority rather than one's following the Bible only (2 Tim. 3:16,17; Jude 3; 2 Pet. 1:3; Jno. 8:31,32); the doctrine of salvation by faith alone (Jas. 2:24; Matt. 7:21); the doctrine deny- ing the Deity of Jesus Christ (Jno. 1:1-4; Heb. 1:1-4,8); and sever- al other teachings contrary to the Scriptures, regarding worship, church organization, and personal responsibility to God. Are you truly a Christian? Stand with Christ upon truth and never be ashamed of it (Rom. 1:16). Never enter unequal yokes and wrong allegiances (1 Cor. 6:19,20). ----- Gilbert Alexander. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20090912/5333c01a/attachment-0001.html From tssullivan at charter.net Sat Sep 12 10:09:39 2009 From: tssullivan at charter.net (T. Sean Sullivan) Date: Sat, 12 Sep 2009 10:09:39 -0500 Subject: [Biblemat] The Messenger Vol 004 Iss 036 Message-ID: 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 036: September 13, 2009 This Week's Article: What Will Happen; What Needs to Happen Now? L.2 The World Will End; You Need to Live Holy Introduction: In 2 Peter 3 the discussion is focused on the end time. This wonderful experiment called the human experience is timing down and will come to an end. Being aware of this we could begin to argue, but both science and common sense can see that this mortal place is not designed to function forever. You have probably heard from childhood that the Sun is decreasing in size-this is simply because God has not designed this place to continue forever and ever. We cannot ignore the clear warnings. Too often, even those who would call themselves Christians, fail to take the warning of the end seriously. Peter turns the conversation back to us with this question 2 Peter 3:11, "What manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness?" Let's examine this concept asking the basic question, "What is the manner of holy conduct and godliness?" Let's start with Godliness Then we will look at the practical side of Holy conduct. Holy equals godly, which makes all the difference Desiring to please God and actually respect His advice requires determination. This determination is a change of heart. Paul, in Romans 12:1-2, calls it the "renewing of your mind". This needed change is from being self-centered to taking on self-denial (Matthew 16:24-25). From self-serving to wanting what God wants (Psalm 119:97-105). From self-guided to willingly instructed by God (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:3). Godliness requires effort: We cannot pick and choose when we will or will not listen. It is easy to respect God sometimes but diligent effort is required to ensure that every time we are respecting, listening, and obeying. The reward of God's way is far better that the immature pursuits of immodesty and immorality (1 Peter 4:1-5; 13-16) Holy Conduct includes Modesty: Modesty is all about your presentation: Modesty is an attitude that leads to proper action. We need to accept God's instructions concerning modesty. Modestly presenting your body must include appropriate clothing. Adam and Eve understood what nakedness was (Genesis 3:7). Genesis 3:21 God provided tunics that covered their nakedness. From that time we naturally are aware of our presentable parts and unpresentable parts (Genesis 3:7; 1 Corinthians 12:23-24). God instructs us through the New Testament scriptures in what to wear and how to wear it. 1 Timothy 2:9 our clothing is to be modest, appropriate, and moderate. We must also note that men are not exempt from the rules of modesty (1 Timothy 4:12). The truth is that we cannot follow every new fashion trend we need to live by a higher standard. There have been changes in the areas of modesty over the centuries but things are going too far toward exposing nakedness in our time. Remember that the popular vote doesn't set the standard. Our attitude in modesty is rooted in godliness-respect for God and for our own selves. We can listen to God and we can be modest: It is not easy to stand alone in righteousness, we must be mindful that the world is heading for destruction and you want something better for your soul (Matthew 7:13-14, 1 John 2:15-17). Listening to God about Morality: We are living at a time of moral crisis. Our young people are being caught up in fornication, then more and more today homosexuality. This is not a time for us to ignore the problem-we must hit this head-on our there will be no church here in the generations to come. We all need to make the right moral choices. We cannot function by the world's standards (Romans 12:1-2). Our standard is one of holiness and acceptability to God. We need to accept God's instructions concerning morality. It is a standard that has not changed since the beginning. God has always set a standard for what we do with our bodies. Moral use of the body includes appropriate sexual relations: Marriage is the only place for sexual desires to be exercised (Genesis 2:18, 21-24). There is still such a thing as "wrong" and regardless of what the world thinks or says there are still inappropriate sexual relations: (Galatians 5:19-21). Before marriage is fornication. In addition to marriage is adultery. With the same sex whether male or female is homosexuality. All of which will condemn a soul if not repented of. We can listen to God and be morally good: Before we are ever involved, we must decide to do what is right and stick with our choice (Like Joseph in Genesis 39:6-13 who determined to do what was right). If we are already involved in immoral activities we must realize that it is sin; repentance is what we need. Conclusion: Christians are special people-people of purpose. Because they put forward special effort in their life: to be moral and modest to be "listeners to God". Anyone can become a Christian. Those who are willing to change their life and live for God will reap the benefits of the relationship. All of us have work to do. Every day striving to do the things that are pleasing to the Lord. Life is full of choices, how will you choose? ~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/20090912/725cba6c/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/20090912/725cba6c/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/20090912/725cba6c/attachment-0003.gif From crxtra at gmail.com Sat Sep 12 10:56:54 2009 From: crxtra at gmail.com (Steven C. Harper) Date: Sat, 12 Sep 2009 08:56:54 -0700 Subject: [Biblemat] A Will We Be Attacked Again? Message-ID: <000001ca33c1$a7c4fcd0$f74ef670$@com> From: TRUTH & REASON, a bulletin of the Glendale church of Christ, Glendale, AZ. Editor: Steven Harper September 13, 2009 Will We Be Attacked Again? Last Friday marked the unpleasant anniversary of the attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City, when radical Islamists flew two commercial jetliners ? with passengers aboard ? into the north and south towers, killing about 2,600 innocent people. At the same time, but in other places, others had commandeered other commercial airliners and flew one into the Pentagon, while the other was prevented by some brave citizens from doing who-knows-what but, tragically, nosedived into a Pennsylvania field, killing all aboard Flight 93. Most people in this country would admit that we were unprepared for the attacks, mostly because no one expected them. Most of us still cannot imagine why someone would fly a plane full of innocent people into a building with the intent on killing as many innocent ones as possible, but it did happen ? and could happen again, if the wrong people found opportunity to do so. Since that infamous day, many have openly asked the question, "Could it happen again?" I admit there is a possibility I may have missed it, but I have not heard anyone say, "No. That will never happen again." Many have boldly said we should not allow it to happen again, but none are so foolish as to say it cannot happen. That same innocence [or na?vet?] was what allowed it to happen the first time, but as the old adage goes, "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me." No one is now willing to even think it could not happen, and much time, energy, and resources have been expended in an effort to ensure it does not happen again. While this real-world example of an attack by enemies we did not foresee is clearly in the minds of many people recently, let us stop to consider the reality that we, as God's people daily face the same possibility of an attack, and that we would be just as foolish [if not more so] to believe our enemy will not attack us again. We are plainly told in God's word that our spiritual enemy is planning his next attack, warning us to ?Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.? (1st Pet. 5:8). Since we have been duly warned, we have no excuse for being unprepared, do we? But though the warning has been given, it pains me to see that many brethren and many churches are not heeding the warning and stand unprepared for his next attack, or in disbelief that he would ever attack them. The individuals who were involved in the attacks on 9/11 did not all just coincidentally wake up that day and haphazardly decide to attack us; months of planning went into the attack. They plotted, observed, drew up proposals, tested airport security, and then finalized a plan by which the simultaneous attacks could be executed. Each individual had an assigned task and each one depended on the other to accomplish the overall task. While we still try to comprehend the perverted mind that would scheme to kill innocent men, women, and children, the fact is, they did it and their insidious plan worked, for the most part, as they had intended. As an individual disciple, I must take the warning about my spiritual enemy seriously because it is me that the enemy may have already targeted. Just like that lion that creeps stealthily around the edges of the herd out on the savanna, our enemy begins by standing afar off and simply observing the herd [all men]. He is looking for the weak, the small and immature, and those who may be separated from the rest of the herd and then he scans the horizon to see what factors will affect the chase. He will not make his next move until he has determined which will be the easiest prey and how he can best move to successfully bring down the target. While I stand around innocently believing no one would target me or would be involved in some devious scheme to destroy me, the enemy and his cohorts are busy planning my downfall. My spiritual enemy might even send some of his minions to befriend me and get me to believe they are my best friend and that they are just as interested in righteousness as I, but the sad reality is that they are merely disguising themselves as ?servants of righteousness? (2nd Cor. 11:15) to be able to infiltrate, undermine, and eventually destroy my spiritual condition. It will often be too late when I recognize his true intentions and my true end, so I must learn how he operates and be on guard constantly. Churches [groups of individual disciples] must also be on guard for the enemy's approach. Because God's people are often referred to as a ?flock? (cf. Acts 20:28), let's consider the church in that way for a minute, especially since Jesus warned, ?Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep?s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves? (Matt. 7:15). Throughout the New Testament, we are warned about ?false brothers secretly brought in? (Gal. 2:4), ?human cunning? and ?deceitful schemes? (Eph. 4:14), ?impostors? (2nd Tim. 3:13), ?false teachers who will secretly bring in destructive heresies? (2nd Pet. 2:1), and ?people [who] have crept in unnoticed who long ago who pervert the grace of our God? (Jude 1:4). These warn of attacks on churches, rather than individuals, and we must be willing to admit they are possible and we must prepare as a flock. With all of these warnings, can we honestly take no action to prepare for the possibility these things may come to our flock? Let us note first that the flock's protection lies primarily with the shepherds. It would be a dereliction of duty for a shepherd, after the flock has been attacked, to lay the blame on the "dumb sheep" for allowing themselves to be endangered. Yes, sheep are not the brightest animals in the world, but that is why we have shepherds. Note well that Paul warned ?the elders? (Acts 20:17) to ?Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock? because ?fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock? (vv. 28, 29). Note that Paul did not take the time to warn the individual sheep in the flocks, but the shepherds. Let us clearly understand God gave the responsibility of the flock's protection to the elders. The writer to the early Jewish Christians exhorted them, ?Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account? (Heb. 13:17). While the analogy of a flock of sheep is used to illustrate the people of God, we are talking about something much more serious than mere sheep; we are talking about souls. This responsibility can never be taken lightly and no shepherd worth his salt could escape the charge that has been given to do everything necessary to prepare the flock for the inevitable dangers that will come to them. Shepherds will have to give an account! The shepherds will have to one day give an account for whether or not they have the fulfilled their responsibility of feeding and watering the flock; were they constantly thinking ahead so none went hungry or thirsty? They must also answer for whether or not they protected the sheep from the world around them; were they constantly aware of the conditions around them so they knew when to find protection from storms and not be caught unaware? And since there are warnings of wolves, did the shepherds recognize the wolves for what they were and did they ensure every member of the flock was protected? As sheep, we must also be prepared for the inevitable attack by our enemy. Since we know he is coming, we do ourselves no good to just stand idly by and wait for him to come. Prepare for the day, prepare for the attack, and prepare to defeat the enemy. God's word tells us resistance will cause him to flee (Jas. 4:7), so it is up to us ? individually and as a flock ? to be prepared for what will inevitably come. ?? Steven Harper -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20090912/63c7ef61/attachment.html From richard at thetford.dot5hosting.com Sun Sep 13 20:02:54 2009 From: richard at thetford.dot5hosting.com (Richard Thetford) Date: Sun, 13 Sep 2009 19:02:54 -0600 Subject: [Biblemat] Walking in the Light (9/13/09) Message-ID: <000c01ca34d7$79570700$6c051500$@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) September 13, 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: "Baptism of the Holy Spirit" (Kent E. Heaton Sr.) "The Secret" (Jere E. Frost) "Spiritually Blind" (Selected) "SENTENCE SERMONS --- THE BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT Kent E. Heaton Sr. In many religious circles, the Holy Ghost (or Spirit) is enjoyed as a topic of great interest. The seemingly mysterious nature of the Spirit has always caused people to take notice and desire more knowledge of His power. When Simon the sorcerer saw that through the laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered Peter and John money to obtain this power. Peter rebuked him for it and Simon sought repentance for his outburst. The church of God in Corinth had the gifts of the Spirit but had failed to properly understand the use and purpose of the gifts. Paul spends a lengthy discussion of the gifts in 1 Corinthians 11 - 14 establishing the foundation of the spiritual gifts. He exhorted the brethren, "I wish you all spoke with tongues, but even more that you prophesied; for he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks with tongues, unless indeed he interprets, that the church may receive edification." (1 Corinthians 14:5) One of the things that Simon had seen in Acts 8 was the gifts of the Spirit were given by the laying on of the apostles hands. The apostles had the power of the Spirit as Jesus had promised would be given unto them prior to His ascension. They received the baptism of the Holy Ghost in Acts 2 and evidenced this power throughout the infancy of the early church (Acts 2-28). Are all believers entitled to the promise of the baptism in the Holy Ghost? A Statement of Fundamental Truth (1983) says, "All believers are entitled to and should ardently expect and earnestly seek the promise of the Father, the baptism in the Holy Ghost and fire, according to the command of our Lord Jesus Christ. This was the normal experience of all the early Christian Church. With it comes the enduement of power for life and service, the bestowment of the gifts and their uses in the work of the ministry." The Lord made a promise of the coming of the Spirit in Luke 24:29, Acts 1:4,5 & 8 when He said: "Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high ... And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, "which," He said, "you have heard from Me; for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now ... But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." This promise was never made to all believers but only to the disciples to whom Jesus was speaking. He had said in Luke 24:48, "And you are witnesses of these things." Their eyes would behold all those things that Jesus said would come about and they would receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit. On the day of Pentecost (Acts 1,2), the apostles were baptized with the Holy Ghost. "And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." (Acts 2:4) Paul wrote to the Christians in Ephesus and said there was only one baptism (Ephesians 4:5). He affirms the only baptism to be water baptism and denies the possibility of the baptism of the Holy Ghost by all believers. All believers are not entitled and should not ardently expect and earnestly seek the promise of the baptism of the Holy Ghost and fire as it was never promised by Jesus Christ. Beyond the first century, no Christian has ever possessed the baptism of the Holy Ghost. --- THE SECRET Jere E. Frost Why did Samuel say to Saul, "Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams?"" (1 Samuel 15:22) Because God would rather have us obey than to accomplish the most astounding feats or offer the most lavish praise. There is no substitute for obedience. God will produce the results He wants if we will but provide the obedience He requires. But when we take it in hand to get the results that we think are good and desirable by our own means instead of always being careful to obey the voice of the Lord, we have sinned. Let us obey. --- SPIRITUALLY BLIND Selected Many years ago a preacher who faithfully proclaimed the gospel was challenged by an unbeliever who stepped from the crowd and said "I don't believe in heaven or hell. I don't believe in God or Christ. I haven't seen them." Then a man wearing dark glasses came forward and said, "You say there is a river near this place. There is no such thing. You say there are people standing here, but it cannot be true, I haven't seen them. I was born blind. Only a blind man could say what I have said, and only a spiritually blind man could say what you have said. "But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them because they are spiritually discerned" 1 Corinthians 2:14. Truly "The fool has said in heart, there is no God." Psalms14:1. --- SENTENCE SERMONS No man's character is better than his word. The heart of education is the education of the heart. No smutty stories are told in heaven - or on the way to heaven. The law of love is quite harmonious with the love of law. A beautiful heart more than offsets the handicap of a homely face. The thing most needed in the American home today is the family. Popularity comes from pleasing people, but greatness comes from pleasing God. Some people read just enough to stay misinformed. The best thing parents can spend on their children is time - not money. --- SERMON The Gift of the Holy Spirit (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. Worship.........11:00 A.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/20090913/dc2c03bb/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/20090913/dc2c03bb/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/20090913/dc2c03bb/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/20090913/dc2c03bb/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/20090913/dc2c03bb/attachment-0003.gif From GLClair at aol.com Mon Sep 14 11:25:33 2009 From: GLClair at aol.com (GLClair at aol.com) Date: Mon, 14 Sep 2009 12:25:33 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] Article - God Wants Man to Succeed in life Message-ID: GOD WANTS MAN TO SUCCEED IN LIFE Man was made in the beginning to succeed in life; Genesis 1:1-31 ? Reveals to man that God created everything in six days. Genesis 2:1 Tells man that God?s that God?s creation was perfect and that ?God rested on the 7th day?. Man sinned and as a result God rearrange a his environment so that he would have to labor to live, that he would physically die, and that the woman would have pain and tribulation through birthing children. Genesis 2:16-3:24 Man was created in the beginning to successfully live life on the earth and enjoy all of God's blessings. ALL OF THE PERFECTION OF THE CREATION WAS GIVEN TO ADAM AND EVE BY GOD. Adam and Eve and their descendants could have continued to live in the ? Garden of Eden? in all its perfection if they had chosen to refrain from partaking of the forbidden fruit. They choose rather to disobey God and forfeit the paradise of God for an inferior existence. God also gave man "free moral agency" (i.e. the ability to choose between good and evil). THIS IS INFERED from the following statement in 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) Eve exercised her free will in the Garden of Eden when she chooses to follow the advice of the Devil and partake of the forbidden fruit (i.e. fruit that God said must not be taken) ? Genesis 3:1-24 God punished man and woman ? Genesis 3:16 The punishment for the sins of Adam and Eve was physical death, a change in the environment so that work and great effort would be required by man to survive and succeed in the world ? Genesis 3:17-19 The Devil was also promised retribution eventually through the seed of the woman (i.e. through Eve's lineage; the Devil is to receive a crippling blow to the head sometime in the future) ? Genesis 3:14-15 BUT: Sin was not inherited through genetics as is taught by many faith only folks. As God had warned Adam earlier his failure to refrain from partaking of the forbidden fruit constituted the first sin. This sin was punished by God and the punishment was physical death, separation from God and God?s Paradise, pain for woman in child bearing, and thorns and thistles (i.e. harshness of man?s environment). Mankind received free-moral-agency from God which enables all mankind to choose between good and obey God's instructions and live forever in paradise or disobey God and be cast into the ?lake of fire" ? This is a choice that each person will make in life. INDEED, God still wants each person to succeed in life and be happy and finally inherit eternal life after a lifetime of making the right choices. IT IS UP TO ME - IT IS UP TO YOU... Joshua is an example of the choice problem [i.e. free moral agency] for mankind; where he says; Josh 24:15 - And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. (KJV) WHAT WILL OUR CHOICE BE? James 1:13-15 13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: 14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. 15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin : and sin , when it is finished, bringeth forth death. (KJV) 1 Cor. 15:34 Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame. (KJV) SIN IS NOT INHERITED, SIN IS SOMETHING THAT MAN RESIST OR CHOOSES - EVERYONE IS PERSONALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR OWN SIN ? Ezek. 18:20 - 20 The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him. (KJV) GOD STILL WANTS MAN TO SUCCEED IN LIFE ? BUT TO SUCCEED ONE MUST FIRST MAKE THE CHOICE ? ?Choose you this day? (Josh. 24:15) Matt. 11:28-30 28 Come to me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. 30 "For My yoke is easy and my burden is light. (NASU) MAIL TO: _glclair at aol.com_ (mailto:glclair at aol.com) Tuesday, August 25, 2009 Submitted ? Sept. 14,, 2009 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20090914/8f7b3cc4/attachment-0001.html From GLClair at aol.com Mon Sep 14 11:44:50 2009 From: GLClair at aol.com (GLClair at aol.com) Date: Mon, 14 Sep 2009 12:44:50 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] Encouraging the brethren to use the fair as a source to inform others Christ Message-ID: NOTE TO READERS: This is a note to encourage each person to do whatever we can to reach the lost. This is an approach that I fear many have been neglecting; the fairs local, county, and state are good opportunities to introduce many hundreds and even thousands of people to the Christ and His Church. THE BOOTH AT THE HILLIARD STREET FAIR This past Saturday (September 12, 2009) the church that meets on Cemetery Road in Hilliard, Ohio worked the day from 7:30 AM to 6:00 PM in an attempt to interest the general public in the Lord?s church and considers God?s way of life. The crowd in Hilliard,Ohio was quite large, I did not get a count of people that attended the fair but it appeared to me from the number that came by our booth that there were several thousand. Our booth was manned by two or more members of the congregation all through the day. We had a good number of the local membership that were in the booth with us throughout the day. I spent the whole day in the booth and distributed over two hundred pieces of study and information material. We had several tracts, booklets, and DVD that we distributed free to anyone who was interested. I noticed that in spite of the sign that we had which informed the passing people that the DVD was free; no one took one of their own accords. We did distribute over 100 of the DVD but I personally handed them to individuals that I approached. It seems that many of those that I approached would have walked on by if I had not spoken to them. Several members of the congregation were involved in the one day affair and I am sure that we will be back at the next fair held here in Hilliard, Ohio. We must do whatever we can to interest the people in the area about the Lord and His church ? Matt. 22:9-10. May we continue to do whatever we can as individual Christians and as part of the congregation to further the cause of Christ in the area? Our God will be pleased if we continue to do as we have the opportunity in His service - 1 Cor. 15:58 - Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. (KJV) _glclair at aol.com_ (mailto:glclair at aol.com) September 14, 2009 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20090914/f20d5b8c/attachment-0001.html From kerux at bellsouth.net Mon Sep 14 14:26:32 2009 From: kerux at bellsouth.net (Kent Heaton) Date: Mon, 14 Sep 2009 15:26:32 -0400 Subject: [Biblemat] A>They Shall See His Face (Kent Heaton) Message-ID: <73595B6DA3D14B0B943A91FD4AAA5F86@D2381J91> They Shall See His Face (Kent Heaton) I wonder what the face of God looks like? Neither the most radiant of sunrises nor the unmatched beauty of the earth can match the warmth of God's face. Jesus declared that no man had seen God (John 1:28). Moses heard the voice of Jehovah say, "You cannot see My face; for no man shall see Me, and live" (Exodus 33:20). However, John the apostle in the Revelation tells us the saved will see the face of God and "His name shall be on their foreheads" (Revelation 22:4). What a day that will be to see the face of God! The word of God is likened to a love letter from someone we have never met. The Lord writes to us with unseen face and yet through the beauty of His letter of love revealed by the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:21) we can know what God looks like. But like all letters written with face unseen the real person looks little as we would suppose. For each individual the face of God is different. It is not because God is different but our perception of the face of God is relative to our knowledge of the Creator. What does the face of God look like? Your answer says more about your depth of knowledge of God's will than the truth of his true character. To some he is only a lonely figure sitting on a white throne with long flowing hair. To others he is a mighty champion of their faith as they have fought the good fight meting out justice, mercy and truth. Those who know Him best are those who spend time with His letter. The Lord directed Aaron and his sons to give the following blessing to the people of God: "The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace. So they shall put My name on the children of Israel, and I will bless them" (Numbers 6:24-27). The face of the Lord is like the sun shining down upon our world giving all the blessings, warmth and security of a protective Father. Often the expression imploring the face of God shining upon His people is invoked to bring blessing. "Make Your face shine upon Your servant; Save me for Your mercies' sake . God be merciful to us and bless us and cause His face to shine upon us . Restore us, O God; cause Your face to shine and we shall be saved . Make Your face shine upon Your servant, And teach me Your statutes" (Psalm 31:16; 67:1; 80:3,7,19; 119:135). When we see the Son we see the Father (John 14:9; 1:14). Those who are pure in heart will see God (Matthew 5:8). But the day will come when we remove the shackles of our mortal tent and receive the "building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens" (2 Corinthians 5:1) and then we shall see Him as He is (1 John 3:1-2). The joy of salvation is being able to see the face of God. We will stand in His presence. We will look into His eyes. We will behold His beauty. We will immerse our spirit with His spirit. We will see the King in His beauty (Isaiah 33:17). In the midst of his suffering, Job proclaimed his trust in His God. The conclusion of his speech rang with these words: "Whom I shall see for myself and my eyes shall behold, and not another. How my heart yearns within me" (Job 19:27). The power of God's word is the earnest desire we have to see the face of God. The more we spend time with God's letter the more anxious and desirous we are to see Him. Live for Him each day and look with longing heart to that moment in eternity you see God face to face. 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/20090914/410006b7/attachment.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Tue Sep 15 04:35:04 2009 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Tue, 15 Sep 2009 05:35:04 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] S) SALVATION BY GRACE (1) Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. Here is the first installment of a study taken from my ancient files. Use to the glory of God. SALVATION BY GRACE (1) In Titus 2:11-13 we read: "For thie grace of God that bringe- th salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteous- ly, and godly, in this present world; looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ;" This passage affirms that the grace of God that brings salvation TEACHES us. The salvation here mentioned is obviously salvation from sin and its power. There is a grace of God, however, that does not bring salvation from sin, and from its operation we can gain a good idea of the mean- ing of grace in its spiritual implications. The word GRACE simply means "favor." Actually we live and move and have our very being by the grace of God. By His grace we breathe the air. By His grace we eat the food to satisfy our hunger. By His grace we drink water to quench our thirst. Every physical blessing we enjoy may be properly ascribed to the grace of God. It is equally true that this grace by which we live is unmerited By this we mean that there is nothing inherent about man which obligates God to bestow His favor upon him. Man has not and cannot do anything to obligate God to him apart form God's self- chosen love and Will toward man. This is as true spiritually as physically. If man lives by God's grace he cannot be passive toward that grace. God provides food but man must eat it. God provides water, but man must drink it. God provides air but man must breathe it. God does not force His grace upon man in the physi- cal realm; neither does He force His grace upon man in spiritual matters. Grace Teaches: -- The passage under consideration (Titus 2:11) declares that God's grace teaches. This statement harmonizes with every other passage in the Bible having to do with man's salvation. It was and is through the process of TEACHING that God reveals His interest in and love for sinful man. "It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe" (1 Cor. 1:21). (The newer versions of the Bible show that the power of God is not in the preacher, nor his abilities as a preach- er, but in the message that he preaches. JWS). After man, by his own inventions, learning, wisdom and philosophy had demons- trated the utter foolishness of trying to save himself, Jehovah interposed the gospel to do for man that which he had not done and could never do for and by himself. Thus Jesus spoke: "God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (Jno. 3:16), and Paul declares: "I am not asham- ed of the gospel of Christ; for it is the power of God unto salvat- ion to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek" (Rom. 1:16). The grace of God, then, reveals itself in the gospel and the gospel can save none who refuse to believe it. This is exactly the point the Apostle makes in Eph. 2:8 when he says, "By grace are ye saved through faith." This is the same grace of Titus 2:11 -- the grace "that bringeth salvation," the grace that TEACHES. With these thoughts before us it is not difficult to understand why Jesus said, "Go ye into all the world and preach (teach) the gospel eo every creature" (Mk. 16:16), and "Go ye therefore and teach all nations" (Matt. 28:19). Teaching or preaching the gos- pel was the means by which God's grace was to be made known to the peoples of earth. For man to reject the gospel, then, is to rebel at the grace of God which brings salvation. Teaching the gospel is necessary, but teaching alone can profit none whatever. Where teaching falls on deaf ears and stubborn hearts it is as seed sown on hardened, wayside soil (Matt. 13:4). There must be a hearing of the Word, a hearing whose disposition is to heed, if the teaching is to profit; hence, Jesus not only said to His disciples, "Take heed what you hear." but also, "Take heed how you hear." A receptive heart is a nec- essity if grace's teaching is to enlighten it. (Mor 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/20090915/687758cf/attachment-0001.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Tue Sep 15 04:34:54 2009 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Tue, 15 Sep 2009 05:34:54 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] A) THE KEY TO BETTER MARRIAGES Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. A very good Tuesday morning to each and everyone. May God bless you and yours. Here is an article from my files: THE KEY TO BETTER MARRIAGES One thing I have learned about the Bible and marriage is that some of the passages that will help us the most in our marriage were not written spacifically about marriage. The passage that will help our marriages (and al other relationships) the most is Phil. 2:3,4. In fact, the happiness of our marriages is directly proportional to how well we are submitt- ing to it. If we want to have good marriages, we must not do anything out of selfish ambition or conceit. Selfish ambition is politicking to put one's self forward as important and worthy. Conceit is parading one's own greatness. Remember, love is neither putted up, nor does it parade itself (1 Cor. 13:4). Further, the text said, "In lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself." Whether husband or wife, we must view our spouse as the most important part of the marriage. In- stead of being all up in arms about whether or nto our spouse honors us, we need to honor our spouse as worth more than ourselves. We need to roll out the red carpet, placing our spouse on the pedestal. That will lead to the final exhortation Paul made, saying, "Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others." Too much of our time in marriage is spent accomplishing our own interests. If we are going to have to have good marriages, we have to put our own desires aside and view ourselves as instruments to accomplish our spouse's desires. Giving up selfishness in marriage is not easy though. Allow me to illustrate: I remember counseling a young man regarding selfishness in his marriage. I explained that one of three things would happen. Either 1) he would sin by getting divorced, 2) he would remain in the marriage and be miserable or 3) he would give up his selfishness, serve his wife and have a happy marria- ge. His response was, "Where is the possibility for a good marri- age?" I was a little flummoxed at first, but then realized the prob- lem. It is a problem we all have to some degree. This young man was so accustomed to looking out for self that he could not imagine happiness coming from letting go of serving himself. He could only fathom some kind of manipulative approach whereby he decided to play the martyr. He would simply have to grin and bear it while letting his wife walk all over him. No, that is not what this is all about. What this is about is learning that happiness does not come from serving self. Happ- iness in marriage comes when we truly want to serve our spouse. True happiness in marriage comes when we learn to be happy by making our spouse happy. Then our marriages will be better. Let's work on better marriages this week and throughout our lives. ------- Edwin L. Crozier via, Gospel Power, Vol. 16, No. 34, August 23,2009. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20090915/53b09310/attachment-0001.html From robertwater at gmail.com Tue Sep 15 07:37:44 2009 From: robertwater at gmail.com (Robert Waters) Date: Tue, 15 Sep 2009 07:37:44 -0500 Subject: [Biblemat] Baptistry Problems Message-ID: Robert Waters here, Having a baptistry indoors is good for convenience sake--most churches have one. But where does all that water go, and is it causing problems other than increasing the water bill? We keep our baptistries warm therefore evaporation is a big problem--so big a problem one might even think the tank had a leak. But the biggest problem is that all that moisture is dispersed throughout the building and it can cause MOLD, which is very unhealthy to say the least. That was the case where I worship and people were coughing a lot. Upon inspection it was observed that mold was forming on the seats. To solve the problem, we put a dehumidifier next to the baptistry--one that has a hose so the water can simply be put right back into the tank. After a few weeks the coughing stopped and strangely enough, the leak that we thought we had has stopped. For the dehumidifier to work properly the doors to the room must be kept shut as much as possible and the room should not be vented. Robert Waters Huntsville, AR www.TotalHealth.bz -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20090915/6fcf6d5f/attachment-0001.html From gregsmith104 at hotmail.com Tue Sep 15 11:10:47 2009 From: gregsmith104 at hotmail.com (GREG SMITH) Date: Tue, 15 Sep 2009 11:10:47 -0500 Subject: [Biblemat] Young mens training class Message-ID: Guys, I am working on putting together a class for the young men where my family worships. We have 7 that are around my sons age (13) that have all obeyed the gospel and I don?t want to fail them in leading them in the way they should go. I am thinking about scripture reading, waiting on the Lord?s table, prayer, short talks, leading singing, reverence in the assembly as well as before and after services, teaching others, service to others, etc. Have ya?ll done anything like that where there might already be some structure set up? Thanks, Greg Smith _________________________________________________________________ Hotmail: Free, trusted and rich email service. http://clk.atdmt.com/GBL/go/171222984/direct/01/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20090915/ef162a5e/attachment.html From rjamerson at ebsco.com Tue Sep 15 22:52:36 2009 From: rjamerson at ebsco.com (Randy Jamerson) Date: Tue, 15 Sep 2009 22:52:36 -0500 Subject: [Biblemat] Request: Material dealing with reading of Romance Novels References: <7F782F714E4D468AB21F0EBE9B1B8F9C@TerryPC> Message-ID: <3FE7861283F6D2459BBF9C9EBEB86B2D023E386A@BHMExchange11.ebsco.com> Romance novels are very popular today-- some are mild and some more explicit. Yet it seems that many Christian women read them for "an escape". If you have any articles or material addressing this issue, I would appreciate feedback. Thanks very much in advance- Randy Jamerson CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and solely for the use of the intended recipient. It may contain information which is covered by professional or other privilege. If you are neither the intended recipient of this email nor the person responsible for delivering it to the intended recipient, be advised that you have received this email in error and that any use of it is strictly prohibited. Please notify the sender immediately by reply email and then delete it from your system. EBSCO accepts no liability for any loss or damage suffered by any person arising from the use of this email. Please consider the environment before printing this email. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20090915/761cb291/attachment-0001.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Wed Sep 16 05:19:49 2009 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Wed, 16 Sep 2009 06:19:49 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] A) HER HAT ON A NAIL 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: HER HAT ON A NAIL It was a warm lazy Sunday afternoon the first time I saw her. I was sitting on a pine plank church bench waiting for the servic- es to begin when I looked out the front door and saw her walk- ing across the churchyard. She shaded her eyes with a card- board fan as she passed through sunny patches between huge oaks. Beneath her hat white hair reflected the rays of the sun. Age gave dignity to her slow walk; she bore gracefully th burden of years. She steadied her walk with a knobby cane. At the church steps she paused, looked briefly across the nearby cott- on fields, then firmly took the steps into the building. She took in the whole congregation with one look and nodd- ed to all. She put her cane and fan on a pew, removed her hat, walked to the wall and hung her hat on a nail. I went over and introduced myself. She firmly shook my hand and said, "Well, preacher, I've come a long way to hear some good preaching." I looked into a pair of yung and dancing eyes that lit up a face wise with years, molded firmly with character, and said, "Well, I've come a long ways to do some good preaching." She turned away chuckling, to fine her pew. We were friends from then on. I preached often at that place and many times I saw her hang her hat on a nail. We often repeated the saying, "She came to hear good preaching; I came to give it." Years skipped away and I went from there to other fields of labor. Sometime ago I re- turned to preach a week's meeting. The building was moderniz- ed; new faces filled the room. I sat in an unfamiliar factory made pew. I could see the churchyard only partially through a side window. The huge oaks still stood shading the men talking and waiting for the "bell song." I caught myself looking for a familiar figure. But I knew she was gone. I looked at the new sheetrock wall...and the nail was pulled. In the chambers of imagery I could picture the past and see her hang her hat on the nail. I listened to a far away voice... "I expect to hear some good preaching today", and I caught my- self mumbling, "I came to give it"... I thought of her coming to the portals of glory: "Come in," said the Lord.. Then motioning to a jasper wall he said, "Hang your hat on that golden nail". She nodded and said, "Lord I've come a long ways to find peace and rest." "I came to prepare it," He said. Years have passed but the power and charm of a simple, warm child of God lingers. And when I think of people like her I thank God He has enriched my life, filling it with such "little incid- ents, dear people, and precious memories." May we all be wise to see the riches God has for His children. --- Jack L. Holt, via. Gospel Power, Vol. 16, No. 34, August 23, 2009. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20090916/5519c14e/attachment-0001.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Wed Sep 16 05:20:02 2009 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Wed, 16 Sep 2009 06:20:02 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] S) SALVATION BY GRACE (2) Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. Here is the second installment of this particular study. Use to the glory of God. SALVATION BY GRACE (2) Grace Demands Faith: -- Just as one cannot come to God with- out believing that "God is" and that He rewards them who dilige- ntly seek HIm (Heb. 11:6), so one cannot come to Jesus Christ without believing He is the Son of God (Jno. 5:39,40; 6:28-47; 8: 21-24). The heart indisposed to hearing and learning can never be drawn to God in this condition (Jno. 6:44,45). As long as there is no will to learn the teaching there cannot possibly be any faith to save, and for the Word to profit it msut be learned (Jno. 6:45) with a view to believing and doing what it says (Jno. 7:17), because apart from faith in it, the Word cannot profit those who hear it (Heb. 4:2). The grace of God, then, provides the means for man's redem- ption from sin, but man in sin must appropriate this means (the gospel) by hearing, learning, and believing it. This means that man is not passive but active in his salvation. For him to be otherwise is to make of him a mere machine, wholly without power to discern or choose between good and evil. If he is alto- gether passive he could not save himself if he would, and he would not if he could. In such condition if man is lost he cannot help it and if he is saved he cannot prevent it. If we deny man's activity in salvation we thereby deny his free moral agency, and if man, as God made him, is nto a free moral agent with power to choose between good and evil and thereby determine his own eternal destiny, the entire Bible is useless. All its pleadings, over- tures and invitations plus all its warnings, threats and command- ments are but sounding brass and clanging cymbals -- they are empty, absurd and wasted. There is not one passage in the Bible which indicates man is not free to choose between good and evil, between God and Sat- an, between salvation and damnation. It is this one considerat- ion which gives grace its efficacy as that grace is revealed in the gospel. The gospel is powerless to save him who refuses to be- lieve it. It is God's chosen medium to save man who does believe it. Grace And Works: -- "But," asks one, "does not Paul declare in Eph. 2:8, 'By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast'?" Indeed the Apostle so states, but instead of this passage teaching that salvation is of grace without man's activity, it affirms the exact opposite. Notice the expression "through faith." Salvation is "by grace through faith," not by grace without faith. The grace is God's part, in man's salvation, the faith is man's part. Then what about the expression: "that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast?" Ob- viously, though man is active in salvation his salvation comes neither through his own wisdom (1 Cor. 1:21), his own merit (Rom. 3:9-19), nor his own works as is the clear implication of the passage before us. God does the saving, not man. Jehovah has designed the plan of salvation, has revealed it to man in the gospel, and has invited man to embrace it. When man in sin accepts the divine plan and conforms his life thereto, by virtue of this action he acknowledges his own inability to design and execute a plan for saving himself. Though he submits to the will of God, salvation is not of himself but of God; hence it is "not of works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy he saved us" (Titus 3:5). If finite man could save himself through his own wisdom or his own standard of righteousness he would have whereof to boast even before God. This is exactly what Paul declares in 1 Cor. 1 man has not done and can never do. As indicated above, God designed and perfected the plan for man's redempt- ion; hence, salvation is not and cannot be by the works of man apart form God's revelation and, therefore man cannot boast about his salvation. "It (salvation) is the gift of God" in exactly the same sense that Jesus Christ is the gift of God. "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son" (Jno. 3:16), but because God gave His Son it does not follow that all the world is saved by Him Actually, Jesus Christ is God's "offer" of salvation and cannot be a "gift" unless and until He is accepted. So it is with salvat- ion. Salvation if "offered" to sinners through the gospel but does not become and cannot properly be a gift until accepted or appropriated. Man's action or inaction with reference to God's offfer is that which determines salvation's remaining an "offer" or becoming a "gift." Here again we see salvation predic- ated on man's disposition or will toward it. (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/20090916/0979c170/attachment-0001.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Thu Sep 17 06:18:55 2009 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Thu, 17 Sep 2009 07:18:55 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] S) SALVATION BY GRACE (3) Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. Here is the third and final insta- llment of this particular study. Use to the glory of God. SALVATION BY GRACE (3) Grace And Baptism: -- Sometimes we are told tht if one must be baptized in order to be saved, salvation is made to depend upon a work of man, not on the grace of God. The fallacy in this reas- oning is easily detected when we remember that baptism is NOT a work of man. While it is true that man is active in submitt- ing to baptism, it is not true that baptism had its origin or contin- ues its purpose in the wisdom or works of men. The Lord Jesus once asked the stubborn Jews a timely question about the bapt- ism administered by John the Baptist. Said He, "The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men?" (Matt. 21:25). Obviously, John's baptism came from God (Jno. 1:33). not from men. this being true, Jews submitting to it were doing the work of God. In like manner, when sinners are baptized at the comm- and of Jesus Christ, they are doing the work of God, not the work of men for baptism exists now by order of God, not by order of men (Matt. 28:18-20; Mk. 16:15,16; Acts 2;38; 1 Pet. 3:21 On another occasion the Jews asked Jesus, "What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?" Jesus answered, "This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him Whom He hath sent" (Jno. 6:28,29). We ask: "How can this be true?" i.e. in what sense can one do the work of God when he believes on Jesus Christ? The answer is clear if we will remember ht God thus commands it. Anytime we do what God commands because He ordered it we are working the work of God. This is equally true of believing on His Son, repenting of sins, confessing faith in Christ with the mouth, being baptized, partaking of the Lord's Supper, or doing anything else of which God is the Author. Divine And Human: -- We should not lose sight of the fact that there are two sides to the scheme of redemption -- the divine and the human. God and man's. There are some things that belong exclusively to God while there are others that belong entirely to man. For example, it was God's prerogative to decide to offer man salvation; it is man's prerogative to accept or reject the offer. It was God's choice to send His Son; it is man's choice to believe on or disbelieve Him. It is God's order for men to be baptized in order to be saved; it is left up to man whether he will be baptized and be saved or reject baptism and be damned. As certain as God offers salvation to sinners by the preach- ing of the gospel it is just that certain that this is the GRACE OF GOD that brings salvation BY TEACHING. Contrariwise, to reject the gospel as it is preached, i.e., the gospel taught, is to refuse the grace of God and thereby forfeit salvation. "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?" (Matt. 16:25). "Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any one of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily, while it is called Today; lest any oe you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end; While it is said, 'Today if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation (Heb. 3:12-15)'" "Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. for if the Word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward; How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?" (Heb. 2:1-3). "And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house." (Acts 16:31). "And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now He commandeth all men every where to repent; Because He hath appointed a day, in the which He will judge the world in righteou- sness but that man whom He hath ordained; whereof He hath given assurance unto all men, in that He hath raised Him form the dead" (Acts 17:30,31). "And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord." (Acts 22: 16). "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveab- le, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord." (1 Cor. 15:58). "Blessed are they that do His commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city." (Rev. 22:14). ---- James R. Cope in The Preceptor, Vol. 1, No. 12, October, 1952. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20090917/41108ba3/attachment-0001.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Thu Sep 17 06:18:38 2009 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Thu, 17 Sep 2009 07:18:38 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] A) COMING IN THE CLOUDS 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: COMING IN THE CLOUDS "Behold, He is coming in the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. So it is to be , Amen" (Rev. 1:7). The term coming "with the clouds" or "in the clouds" is used throughout the Bible as a symbol of the judgment of God. For example: It is used in Isa. 19:1; Ezk. 30:3; 32:7 as those writers des- cribe God's judgment against Egypt. It is used in Ezk. 34:12 to describe God's judgment against Israel. It is used in Matt. 24:24-30 and Mk. 13:24-30 to describe God's judgment against Jerusalem. Jesus would ride in on a "cloud of judgment" against Jerusalem as they (the Jews) had long rejected Him. Mark Stauffer has written, "When Jerusalem fell, as prophesied by Jesus, the disciples saw in this desolation Jesus coming in the clouds, riding "upon a swift cloud" against Israel, as God had done in Egypt. The great power and glory of Jesus' heavenly rule from God's right hand with the rod of His strength and the rod of iron were seen ans understood by the disciples." (Commentary of Mark, pgs. 323,324). Here in Revelation, John is saying Jesus would come in judgment against the Romans and ultimately He will come to judge all. All judgment has been given to the Son (Jno. 5:22). In one sense, the expression in Rev. 1:7 points to Jesus' coming against the enemies of the Christians in that time. Those who were persecuting Christians; subjecting them to prison, forture, and death would receive judgment from God. The message John received was intended to give Christians of his day hope! God would not allow the evil actions of their oppressors to go unpunished. I believe thsi passage also points to His final com- ing and judgment as evidenced by the rest of the verse. Note: Every eye shall see. There is a cross reference pointing to this phrase: Zec. 12:10. John refers back to this passage here in Rev. 1 and also in Jno. 19:37. Those who pierced Him would see Him come in judgment. (Some say this was fulfilled with the destruction of Jerusalem, which may be a possibility). In the final judgment, all who have rejected Christ, persecuted His church, and turned their backs on Him will see Him. Remember, every knee will bow (Phil 2:9-11). Some will bow to Him for His glory; and the majority will bow before Him to their own damnat- tion. (Hailey, pg. 103). This passage also presents a delemma for the premillennial- ists who insist of a "secret return" of Jesus. Nothing is indicat- ed in this passage that His return will be secret! all we know... which parallels 2 Thes. 4:16,17; Acts 1:9-11. Who are the tribes? Could this be Jews, Greeks, and Rom- ans who shared in His rejection and crucifixion? Could it not encompass all who have stood in oppostion to His cause? There will be some who mourn His return! To "mourn" indi- cates the "beating of the head or breast in lamentation, suggest- ing a condition of utter hopelessness" (Hailey, pg. 103). Not everyone will be joyous when the Lord returns! John said: "Now, little children, abide in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming." (1 Jno. 2:28). Are you prepared for His return? In Rev. 2:16; 3:11; 22:7,12, 30, Jesus said I am coming quickly! At a time ripe for judgment He will come to judge the forces of evil and to defend His own people. Where will you stand on that judgment day? Obey the gospel today! --------- Matthew H. Allen via The Jackson Drive Reporter, August 2, 2009. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20090917/ebeb3d06/attachment-0001.html From GLClair at aol.com Thu Sep 17 18:06:43 2009 From: GLClair at aol.com (GLClair at aol.com) Date: Thu, 17 Sep 2009 19:06:43 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] Question and answer - WHERE DID CAIN GET HIS WIFE? Message-ID: QUESTION AND ANSWER Dear Garreth L. Clair, QUESTION: I have always wondered where did Cain get his wife. (D.A.M.) ANSWER: This is an often asked question for Bible novices who are serious about learning about God. Let me simply say that I am of the opinion that Cain married one of his sisters (i.e. they were all children of Adam and Eve). Actually everyone on earth are related to the first man Adam (i.e. including Adam's wife) she was created from Adam's rib. (Gen. 2:21-23 - 21 And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; 22 And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. 23 And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. KJV) Adam and Eve's first children were named Cain and Abel - (Gen. 4:1-2 - And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD. 2 And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. The Bible says that Eve is the mother of all living - this includes Cain and his wife. Gen. 3:20 - And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all living. (KJV) --- _glclair at aol.com_ (mailto:glclair at aol.com) --- September 17, 2009 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20090917/d5b91a21/attachment-0001.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Fri Sep 18 05:45:43 2009 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Fri, 18 Sep 2009 06:45:43 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] S) CHRIST AROSE AND HE EVER LIVES (1) Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. Here is the first installment of a study from my files. Use to the glory of God. CHRIST AROSE AND HE EVER LIVES (1) The resurrection of Jesus Christ is one of the basic, vital facts upon which the gospel of Christ is founded. The apostles of the Lord, told by HIm to go preach to all men everywhere, made the resurrection a central theme of almost every recorded sermon. The fact of His resurrection is recorded in the writings of the four gospel accounts. And the risen Lord is the subject in the opening chapter of the Book of Acts. Jesus was crucified during the Passover Fetival of the Jews. Some fifty days later, at the feast of the Pentecost, the first gospel sermon was preached by the apostle Peter in the city of Jerusalem. Jesus was a very well-known figure in Jerusalem, and just seven weeks before He had been put to death. Undoub- tedly all of the people were still talking about those events. So Peter preached to the Jews: Look at what he said in: (Acts 2:22- 24, 32, 36). This preaching was opposed by the leaders of the Jews, who had Peter and John arrested and threatened them with death. But they stated their position before men and God (Acts 4:10-12). The apostle Paul preached the resurrection of Jesus to the Greeks in the city of Athens (Acts 17:30,31). And in writing to the church in Corinth, he pointed out the three great facts of the gospel: the DEATH, the BURIAL and the RESURRECTION of Jesus Christ. Take time to read the whole 15th chapter of first Corinthians. And a great statement is also found in Heb, 7:25, "Wherefore also He is able to save to the uttermost them that draw near unto God through Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them." He ever lives! And what meaning that has for us today! Christ Every Lives -- To Save The Lost: -- Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners (1 Tim. 1:15). He stated clearly, "The Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost" (Lk. 19:10). His death on the cross was for the purpose of saving lost sinners by the cleansing power of His blood (Rom. 5:9,10; Eph. 1:7; Col. 1:13,14; Heb. 9:22). But to unbelievers, "The Word of the cross is to them that perish, foolishness" (1 Cor. 1: 18). That a "dead man" could save was ridiculous to them. It still is foolishness to the unbelievers of today. But the Lord Jesus Christ is not dead. "He ever lives!" When He sent the apostles out to all the world. He told them "Preach the gospel to every creature" (Mk. 16:15). The reason for that is the gospel of Christ is "the power of God unto salvat- ion, to everyone that believeth, the the Jew first and also to the Greek..." (Rom. 1:16). The Word of the Lord Jesus is "living and active" (Heb. 4:12). But Christ, the living Christ, makes it so: "He is able to save to the uttermost them that draw near to Him, see- ing that He ever liveth to make intercession for them" (Heb. 7:25) There is the key to it. He is able to save, for He is ALIVE. "He ever lives." (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/20090918/6da49e65/attachment-0001.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Fri Sep 18 05:45:31 2009 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Fri, 18 Sep 2009 06:45:31 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] A) AS FOR ME AND MY HOUSE 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 arti- cle from my files: AS FOR ME AND MY HOUSE Joshua had take the Israelites as far as he could go. He con- fessed that he was "old, advanced in years" (Jos. 23:2) and "going the way of all the earth" (23:14). He had served his time and purpose, leading God's people across the Jordan into the land sworn to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Joshua knew his end was near. One of his last acts of service to a people whom he had led and loved was to gather them at Shechem for a farewell address (Jos. 24:1). This was the same site where God promised Abrah- am the land of Canaan (Gen. 12:6,7), where Jacob put away the foreign gods of his family (Gen. 35:1-4), where Jacob's bones were later buried after the exodus from Egypt (Jos. 24:32). How appropriate that on this same stage, Joshua made the statement that ought to be written in every heart and home, "As for as me and my house, we will serve the Lord" (24:15). Good homes are not a matter of chance; they are a matter of choice. "Choose for yourselves" indicates that if you want a godly family, you're going to have to make some decisions along the way. A household tht takes the approach of "let's just try this out for a little while and see if it works" is building on a foundation of sand. We certainly have no trouble making decisions for the wedd- ing ceremony. We choose the right place, the right colors, the right flowers, the right music. But all too often, we do so with little or no thought as to what kind of home we will have once the honeymoon is over. If the marriage fails, what good does a beautiful wedding do? "Choose for yourselves today whom yu will serve...but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." What choices will you make concerning you and your house? Will you decide to let the Lord in? It amazes me how people try to divorce God from their home. A friend of mine was once asked by a family member who was not a Christian to perform their wedding ceremony. Their only request: "we don't want you to say anything about God during the service." For obvious reasons, he refused. God is the Creator of the home. It is not a human invention. It is not a secular creation. It is a divine relationship crafted in the mind of man's Creator (Gen. 2:18-25). It was God who saw that it was not good for man to dwell alone. It was God who fash- ioned into a woman the rib which He had taken from Adam. It was God who joined them together to become one flesh. Right- ly the Psalmist said, "Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it" (Psa. 127:1). Regardless of what culture decides, choose to invite the Lord into your home. It won't happen by chance. Will you decide to value family values? Some choices we make are on the individual level; "as for me." And some effect the whole family; "as for me and my house." Joshua, the milita- ry leader of a nation, did not neglect his primary responsibility as a husband and father. He neither sent his family on ahead without him nor left them behind, but he vowed that they would serve Jehovah God together as a family. (The other Israelites seemingly had been worshipping foreign gods, so Joshua want- ed them to choose which of these foreign gods that they desired to serve and to serve their choice, but as for as he and his household, they would be serving Jehovah God, JWS). When you don't value the owner's manual for the home, you leave behind the important and necessary roles given to the family (Eph. 5:22-6:4). Each member has their own decisions that must be made. Husbands are to see the worthiness of their wives and choo- se to love them as Christ loved His church. Wives are to recog- nize the authority of their husbands and submit to them as the spiritual head of the house. Children are to appreciate the wis- dom and experience of their parents and decide to honor and obey them. Fathers are to treasure the young souls entrusted to them and show them the way home to the Father. We serve the Lord when we serve in the place we have been assigned. When each person values their part, it makes for a happy home. You can't put a price tag on that. Will you decide to make home improvement a priority? "Choose for yourselves today." Joshua certainly knew that time was of the essence in his own situation. But that same urgency extends to every home of every generation. Making the home wahat it ought to be takes time and hard work. And it comes by first choosing to place family matters over every other house- hold chore. If the time to do that is not right now, when will the moment come? When there is no communication left in the marriage? When the kids are out of the houe and raising their own families? If you keep waiting for a good time to bring it up, you might miss the door of opportunity. Choose today. No one will do it for you. What legacy will you leave your family when you go the way of all the earth? Let it be your decision to serve Jehovah God, with hopes that they will make the same choice for themselves and for their households. ---- Bubba Garner, via. Gospel Power, Vol. 16, No. 28, July 12, 2009. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20090918/6d6846db/attachment-0001.html From GLClair at aol.com Fri Sep 18 12:29:27 2009 From: GLClair at aol.com (GLClair at aol.com) Date: Fri, 18 Sep 2009 13:29:27 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] Questions and Answers - Genesis 1:6-8 Message-ID: Questions and Answers I have other questions: 1. As I was studying Genesis I noticed it says that God parted the waters I believe it is in 1:6. Does this mean that the earth was a ball of water and then He separated it before He started forming the rest of the things that was in the earth. 2. Is there a difference between the world and the earth? "The earth is Yours, the fullness thereof, the world and all they that dwell therein" 3. I thought God didn't tempt us but used our temptations to learn and grow - "After these things, God tempted Abraham, and said to him: Abraham, Abraham. And he answered: Here I am... I thank you for taking time to answer my questions. I am taking a class and I am learning more and more and just have more questions then the average student I guess. Thanks again and be blessed in our Lord! (D.A.M.) ANSWER: One of the best explanations of the verses you are puzzled with is found in the following statements by Matthew Henry. Matthew Henry?s Commentary is a very good source of information; especially regarding the Old Testament (Genesis-Malachi). INFORMATION ABOUT MATTHEW HENRY: M. Henry was the author of a goodly number of publications, some of which had a wide circulation in the years following his death ? for example, A Communicant?s Companion (a treatise on the frame of heart in which to receive the Lord?s Supper written in 1704) and Directions for Daily Communion with God (1712). But the work for which Henry is best known is undoubtedly The Exposition of the Old and New Testaments. Henry had begun this massive work in November 1704. By the time of his death ten years later, the project had got as far as the end of the book of Acts. It would be finished by a number of ministers after his death. Matthew Henry Commentary: Genesis 1:6-8 The creation We have here an account of the second day's work, the creation of the firmament, in which observe, 1. The command of God concerning it: Let there be a firmament, an expansion, so the Hebrew word signifies, like a sheet spread, or a curtain drawn out. This includes all that is visible above the earth, between it and the third heavens: the air, its higher, middle, and lower, regions-the celestial globe, and all the spheres and orbs of light above: it reaches as high as the place where the stars are fixed, for that is called here the firmament of heaven (v. 14-15), and as low as the place where the birds fly, for that also is called the firmament of heaven, v. 20. When God had made the light, he appointed the air to be the receptacle and vehicle of its beams, and to be as a medium of communication between the invisible and the visible world; for, though between heaven and earth there is an inconceivable distance, yet there is not an impassable gulf, as there is between heaven and hell. This firmament is not a wall of partition, but a way of intercourse. See Job 26:7; 37:18; Ps 104:3; Amos 9:6. 2. The creation of it. Lest it should seem as if God had only commanded it to be done, and some one else had done it, he adds, And God made the firmament. What God requires of us he himself works in us, or it is not done. He that commands faith, holiness, and love, creates them by the power of his grace going along with his word, that he may have all the praise. Lord, give what thou commandest, and then command what thou pleasest. The firmament is said to be the work of God's fingers, Ps 8:3. Though the vastness of its extent declares it to be the work of his arm stretched out, yet the admirable fineness of its constitution shows that it is a curious piece of art, the work of his fingers. 3. The use and design of it-to divide the waters from the waters, that is, to distinguish between the waters that are wrapped up in the clouds and those that cover the sea, the waters in the air and those in the earth. See the difference between these two carefully observed, Deut 11:10-11, where Canaan is upon this account preferred to Egypt, that Egypt was moistened and made fruitful with the waters that are under the firmament, but Canaan with waters from above, out of the firmament, even the dew of heaven, which tarrieth not for the sons of men, Mic. 5:7. God has, in the firmament of his power, chambers, store-chambers, whence he watereth the earth, Ps. 14:13; 65:9-10 . He has also treasures, or magazines, of snow and hail, which he hath reserved against the day of battle and war, Job 38:22-23. O what a great God is he who has thus provided for the comfort of all that serve him and the confusion of all that hate him! It is good having him our friend, and bad having him our enemy. 4. The naming of it: He called the firmament heaven. It is the visible heaven, the pavement of the holy city; above the firmament God is said to have his throne (Ezek 1:26), for he has prepared it in the heavens; the heavens therefore are said to rule, Dan 4:26. Is not God in the height of heaven? Job 22:12. Yes, he is, and we should be led by the contemplation of the heavens that are in our eye to consider our Father who is in heaven. The height of the heavens should remind us of God's supremacy and the infinite distance there is between us and him; the brightness of the heavens and their purity should remind us of his glory, and majesty, and perfect holiness; the vastness of the heavens, their encompassing of the earth, and the influence they have upon it, should remind us of his immensity and universal providence. (from Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition, Electronic Database. Copyright ? 1991 by Hendrickson Publishers, Inc.) CONSIDER THIS: I pray that this will give you some helpful information; PERHAPS THIS INFO. WILL AID YOU IN ANSWERING THE THREE QUESTIONS YOU SUBMITTED. God bless your efforts to know God and His ways ? glclair at aol.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20090918/45b555ca/attachment-0001.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Sat Sep 19 05:16:34 2009 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Sat, 19 Sep 2009 06:16:34 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 "Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people" (Prov. 14:34). "The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God" (Psa. 9:17). The United States were bound together as a nation built upon the righteous princi- ples of self-control, respect for one's fellows, loving one's neigh- bor, honorable behavior, honesty; and all of these based in a strong faith in God's existence and overruling power. A flood of corruption began long ago and has long overflowed most dykes and levees. As corruption has increased, more and more regul- atory law has been imposed, and personal freedom is continual- ly diminishing. A free society in which people can live in peace and safety can long exist only when its people are righteous. "Love does not harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the ful- fillment of the law" (Rom. 13:10). This principle, properly obser- ved, would put lawyers and judges out of business. Correction- al officials rerely do their business with faithful Christians. Divor- ce courts do not exist for husbands and wives. Innocent, godly people do not populate the prisons in our land. As God-fearing people and faithful Christians become fewer in number, the cost of controlling and providing for the lawless and unholy ones es- calates, until a nation implodes through its own self-destruction. Through it all, God-fearing people trust in Him and provide the only real stability in their communities. Righteousness is the only remedy for this world's ills and the only path to eternal life, and it is obtained and maintained only in Jesus Christ. Oh, that all of our brethren, our neighbors, and our friends would hear and heed! (As of today, our nation is being lead by a man that said, "just notice the people I have around me as a president, and you can determine what kind of man I am and what kind of a president I will be." Well, if you will take note of his cabinet and then look at the 36 czars he has with him in the White House you will see that his and their intentions are to destroy this nation as we have known it, and to turn it into a socialistic and communistic land. A nation ruled completely by the heavy hand- ed government and the destruction of any private institutions. All facits of our lives will be determined by a domineering state, JWS). --------- Gilbert Alexander. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20090919/aadd64e7/attachment-0001.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Sat Sep 19 05:16:48 2009 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Sat, 19 Sep 2009 06:16:48 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] S) CHRIST AROSE AND HE EVER LIVES (2) Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. Here is the second and final installment of this particular study. Use to the glory of God. CHRIST AROSE AND HE EVER LIVES (2) Christ Every Lives -- To Intercede For Us: -- As Heb. 7:25 declar- es, "He ever liveth to make intercession for them." Repeatedly in the Book of Hebrews, Jesus is called our High Priest. "Where- fore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, even Jesus...For we have not a high priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but one that hath been in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin...but He, because He abideth for ever, hath His Priesthood unchangeable...and having a great priest over the house of God; let us draw near with a true heart in fulness of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from and evil con- science: and having our body washed with pure water" (Heb. 3: 1; 4:15;7:24; 10:21,22). As the nineth chapter of Hebrews shows, the principle duties of the high priest under the Old Testament were to offer sacrifices for the sins of the people and thus to intercede to God for them. But we read of Christ, "But Christ having come a High Priest of the good things to come, through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation, nor yet through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, entered in once and for all intot he holy place, having obtained eternal redemption" (Heb. 9:11,12). So, Christ is, at once, the Sacrifice which is offered and the High Priest who offers it! What better mediator could we possibly have? In spite of our best efforts, though, we still fail on occasion. John writes, "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselv- es, and the truth is not in us...My little children, these things write I unto you tht ye may not sin. And if any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous"(1 Jno. 1:8; 2:1). We have an Advocate, at the throne of God, to plead our case for us. Only a LIVING Christ could be that Advocate. As we read, "For in that He Himself hath suffered being tempted, He is able to succor them that are tempted" (Heb. 2:18). When trials come to us, He cares. When troubles beset us, He cares. When pain comes, He cares. We we are tempted, He cares. He went through what we are going through. He will not "suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able, but will, with the tempt- ation, make also the way of escape" (1 Cor. 10:13). This is our High Priest: "He ever lives" to protect us and make intercession for us. Christ Ever Lives -- To Cleanse Christians: -- As noted earlier, Christ shed His blood to cleanse us from sin. As Paul wrote, "But God commendeth His own love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by His blood, shall we be saved from the wrath of God through Him"(Rom. 5:8,9). When the inspired writer, in Heb. 9, describes the work of Jesus as our High Priest, he states, "For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the ashes of a heifer sprink- ling them that have been defiled, sanctify unto the cleanness of the flesh: how much more shall the blood of Christ, Who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish unto God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the liv- ing God?" (Heb. 9:13,14). Without the blood of Jesus, none could be made free from sin. Without His blood, none could be Christians, none could be children of God. But His blood not only cleanses people from sin in making them Christians, the blood of Christ continues to cleanse them as Christians. The apostle John wrote, "God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him and walk in the darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: but if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanseth us from all sin" (1 Jno. 1:5-7). We have been "called out of darkness, and into His marvel- ous light" (1 Pet. 2:9). But, as John wrote, while we are "walking in the light," the blood of Jesus continues to cleanse us form sin (as we confess and repent of such sins, JWS). Thus, living an acceptable life does not mean never making a mistake. It rather means that, as we walk in the light (as a child of God), the blood of Christ constantly cleanses us from sin. Note the context again: "If we walk in the light...The blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us" (1 Jno. 1:7,8). Every honest person knows that he sins. In so many ways, we fail to measure up, we "miss the mark" (which is the definit- ion of sin). How terrible to live with the guilty knowledge of our own shortcomings! But we don't have to. Jesus died and rose again, and "He ever lives" to cleanse us with His blood. This is the basis for the statement in Heb. 10:19, "Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus." No one lives a life good enough to have boldness to come before God. Our boldness comes from the blood of Jesus Christ. He continues to cleanse us from sin. Because "He ever lives." He Ever Lives -- To Help And Strengthen Us: -- After His resurrec- tion, Jesus told His apostles to preach among all the nations. Then He gives them His wonderful promise: "Lo, I am with you alwayhs, even unto the end of the world" (Matt. 28:20). Where- ever we go, He is with us. Whatever troubles come, His promise is, "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee" (Heb. 13:5). The apostle Paul wrote, "What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not also with Him freely give us all things?...Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us" (Rom. 8:31, 32,37). You see, Christ "ever lives" to look after the needs of those who serve Him. The prayer of Paul for be beloved brethren was: "That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, that ye may be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man; that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith: to the end that ye, being rooted and grounded in love" (Eph. 3:16,17). Then, three chapters later, "Be storng in the Lord, and in the power of His might" (Eph. 6:10). If I must rely only on my own strength, I will fail. But Jesus "ever lives" to strengthen me. The apostle Paul wrote of a "thorn in the flesh" which was given him by Satan: "Concerning this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And He hath said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my power is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my weak- nesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me" (2 Cor. 12:8, 9). Paul's conclusion, then, was: "I glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me...For when I am weak, then am I strong" (vs. 10). As long as Paul depended upon his own strength, he suffered and was weakened. But in his dependence on the living Christ, he found strength. So do we. Because of the presence, strength and help of Jesus Christ, Paul could say: "For to me to live is Christ...I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me" (Phil. 1:21; 4:13). This was true because Christ "ever lives." And He lives for us, also. His presence, His strength and His constant help is promised to us when we live for Him. Yes, Christ ever lives. And because He lives, we may, "Enter into the holiest...Draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith...Hold fast the profession of our faith" (Heb. 10:19-23). And because Christ ever lives, we should live for Him. -------------------- Clem Thurman in Gospel Minutes, Vol. 58, No. 38, Sept. 18,2009. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20090919/2cd7b98d/attachment.html From thornhill1 at frontiernet.net Fri Sep 18 20:39:04 2009 From: thornhill1 at frontiernet.net (thomas thornhill) Date: Fri, 18 Sep 2009 20:39:04 -0500 Subject: [Biblemat] The Buckhorn Teacher 9-20-09 Message-ID: THE BUCKHORN TEACHER "Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching." 2.Tim.4:2 Buckhorn church of Christ - Thomas Thornhill - editor. 13675 Hwy 341, Randolph MS 38864-9117. Tel. 662-568-2960. Cell 662-419-5378. E-mail thornhill1 at frontiernet.net Vol.8 September 20, 2009 No.9 CAUSING THE CHURCH TO GROW If you are interested in learning some methods that will guarantee an increase in church membership then continue to read this article, especially to the end. These methods will stir up interest and attract people of the community. I know they will work because the denominational world has been using them for years. Look at the results. These churches have seen their membership roles increase to the point that newer and larger buildings have to be built to accommodate the crowds. At the same times their leaders are also smart enough to realize that they must often change their methods in order to adapt to the changing world. Many churches of Christ, who in time past, at least claimed to follow "The Old Paths" all the way back to Jerusalem are now using these same schemes with great success. You can know they are increasing by observing their large ornate buildings and multi-purpose centers. They have learned that in order to compete with the world, they must adapt to worldly standards. Following are some of the methods being currently practiced to increase their attendance and membership. 1. LET PEOPLE REMAIN AS THEY ARE. This method tells people they do not have to change their lives very much. It would be great if they do so, but if not, accept them anyway. Ignore their sins. Let them remain in a sinful, sexually immoral relationship (either living together outside of wedlock, or an adulterous marriage). Let them continue to practice social drinking, swearing and so forth. Make sure no emphasis is placed on the demands of Jesus found in Lk.13:3, 5, "But unless you repent you will all likewise perish" or "Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent" Acts 17:30. 2. LET PEOPLE HAVE FUN. The world loves entertainment and recreation, so the church needs to get involved in activities that will promote such activities. This will satisfy the physical cravings and at same time provide some type of religious atmosphere. It must work, for many churches have already or are presently building family life centers (multi-purpose buildings) which combine social and recreational activities. They cater to the physical side of man, but also offer something to those who seem to profess an interest in saving the soul. This country club atmosphere, combined with the glitter of Hollywood techniques will bring in the crowd. Evidently Paul didn't know that this method would work when he wrote; "For the kingdom of God is not food and drink, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit" Rom.14:17, and "many walk of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ: whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is their shame - who set their mind on earthly things" Phil.3:18-19. 3. APPEAL TO GREED. Another method that can work to bring in the crowds is to tape $10, $20 bills under the seats of the church bus to be found by the one lucky enough to sit in those seats. Others offer door prizes, or have a contest to see who can bring the most new people in a set period of time, with the prize being a trip to some amusement park or ball game or some current video game, etc. Of course this method does away with the Biblical method of using the gospel of Christ as "the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes.for in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, 'the just shall live by faith'" Rom.1:16-17. 4. Believe what you want. Don't worry about having firm convictions. Don't attempt to understand the Bible. Just believe in Jesus. Besides, you and I don't have to understand the Bible alike. Everyone knows the book is too difficult to read so don't read Eph.3:3-5 which teaches otherwise. People who believe this won't have to be concerned with such scriptures as Jude 3; Eph.4:5 that teach there is only "one faith" which must be followed and defended as well as obeyed. Exhortations such as 2.Cor.13:5; 2.Tim.2:15 teaching people to search the scriptures to learn how to be approved of God are ignored. By now you may be inclined to say, "But these methods are unscriptural." You're right, they are! Yet, you will have to admit they will stir up interest and bring in the crowds. Making the church secular like the world does draw crowds and increase membership but it won't get people into heaven. One might as well join some country club or some other similar organization, for membership in them will be just as effective before God as being a member of a church that ignores God's will. The only way to build up the Lord's church in a scriptural, God-pleasing way is to follow the methods laid down in the book of Acts. Beginning with Pentecost, the early church enjoyed great growth, first 3000, then 5000, then a great multitude. This growth was no accident. Read Acts 2:41; 4:4; 5:14; 6:7; 9:31; 11:24; 16:5; 19:20. One thing is evident from these scriptures, when the preaching of the Word increased, so did the church. The early Christians utilized the true power of God, "The Gospel of Christ" Rom.1:16. The solution to church growth is not new and updated human schemes, but a concerted effort to scatter the seed (the word of God - Lk.11:8) into honest hearts. Increase the scattering of the seed and the membership will also increase. The early church was possessed of no "magic" that made people listen. But, the members were totally committed to that which they believed, Jesus Christ the only true hope for mankind. They preached Jesus as the only way to God. They were dedicated to this task. They were bold as they spoke. Yet, in the midst of all this also found time to serve God with gladness of heart. They rejoiced even while they suffered, yet, never developed the "martyr's complex." They knew they were not perfect people, but they still tried to truly "practice what they preached." The world understood then, as it does now, that people are not perfect. They despise the hypocrite, but respect those who recognize their own imperfections and are consistently trying to do better. So, Christian, be consistent in your life. Remember, following the truth will not make the church like the world, it will make it different. This is what the Lord requires. Scatter the seed. Be committed and concerned. Preach the gospel to others. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20090918/05c6db9b/attachment-0001.html From wswalker310 at juno.com Fri Sep 18 16:58:39 2009 From: wswalker310 at juno.com (Wayne S Walker) Date: Fri, 18 Sep 2009 16:58:39 -0500 Subject: [Biblemat] hymn study, "Holy, Holy, Holy Is the Lord" Message-ID: <20090919.084236.3420.0.wswalker310@juno.com> Wayne Walker here with another weekly hymn study. ?HOLY, HOLY, HOLY IS THE LORD? ?You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy? (Lev. 19:2) INTRO.: A hymn which identifies the Lord our God as being truly holy is ?Holy, Holy, Holy Is the Lord? (#669 in Hymns for Worship Revised). The text is usually identified as a traditional American Folk Hymn based on Isa. 6:3 and taken from the ancient Sanctus. The tune (Sanctus) was composed by Franz Peter Schubert, who was born on Jan. 31, 1797, at Lichtental, Austria, a small village north of Vienna, the son of the head of the local school. His father and brothers taught him to play the piano, violin, and viola, and he played viola in the family string quartet. At seven he joined the village choir. Four years later he won a place in the Vienna court choir and imperial preparatory school, where he also became first violinist in the school orchestra. When he was about thirteen, he began to compose regularly. A prolific musician who is considered to be the creator of the modern German lied, he produced art songs, operas, church music, chamber works, and symphonies, all noted for beautiful melodies set down at great speed. This music is taken from his "Songs for the Celebration of the Holy Offering of the Mass," also known as the Deutsch Messe in F Major, D, 827, published in Vienna around 1826 or 1827 (perhaps completed in 1826 and printed in 1827). This remarkably expressive and singable setting of a vernacular text was intended to be sung in four-part harmony by the congregation. Nearsighted, quite short of stature, and always poor, Schubert lived to be only 31 years old and died of typhus in Vienna, on Nov. 19, 1828. Sometimes Schubert is given credit for both lyrics and music. Schubert?s original words as translated into English go something like this: ?Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might (repeated once). Heaven and earth are full of Your glory, Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, Hosanna in the highest.? Most books today have a single stanza: ?Holy, holy, holy, Holy is the Lord. Holy, holy, holy, Holy is the Lord. Holy is the Father, Holy is the Son, Holy is the Spirit, Blessed Three in One.? Among hymnbooks published by members of the Lord?s church during the twentieth century for use in churches of Christ, this single stanza may be found in the 1992 Praise for the Lord edited by John P. Wiegand; and the 1994 Songs of Faith and Praise edited by Alton H. Howard; as well as Hymns for Worship Revised (not in original editions). A second stanza was added in the 1998 Hymn Supplement of the Columbia Hymn Association: ?Glory, glory, glory, Glory to the Lord. Glory, glory, glory, Glory to the Lord. Glory to the Father, Glory to the Son, Glory to the Spirit, Blessed Three in One.? Then a third stanza (made #2) was added in the Sing to the Lord Song Supplement 2002 published by Guardian of Truth Foundation: ?Worthy, worthy, worthy, Worthy is the Lord. Worthy, worthy, worthy, Worthy is the Lord. Worthy is the Father, Worthy is the Son, Worthy is the Spirit, Blessed Three in One.? I have taken the liberty to make a few changes to the text to eliminate what some might consider the excessive repetitiveness of the song and give it a little more substance. The song refers to the Lord as holy, worthy, and to be given glory. I. Stanza 1 calls Him holy ?Holy, holy, holy, Holy is the Lord; Holy, holy, holy, Holy is His word. Holy is the Father, Holy is the Son, Holy is the Spirit, Blessed Three in One.? A. God is holy: Isa. 6:3 B. He is holy because He is the Lord: Acts 17:24 C. Because God Himself is holy, His word, the inspired scriptures, is holy as well: 2 Tim. 3:15 II. Stanza 2 says that He is worthy ?Worthy, worthy, worthy, Worthy is the Lamb; Worthy, worthy, worthy, He?s the great I AM. Worthy is the Father, Worthy is the Son, Worthy is the Spirit, Blessed Three in One.? A. To be worthy means to have value or merit and thus deserving of praise: 2 Sam. 22:4, Rev. 4:11 B. One member of the Godhead who is worthy is the Lamb who was slain for us: Rev. 5:8-12 C. The reason that He is worthy is because by His nature He is to be identified with the great I AM: Jn. 8:58 III. Stanza 3 gives Him glory ?Glory, glory, glory, Glory to our King; Glory, glory, glory, Praises now we sing. Glory to the Father, Glory to the Son, Glory to the Spirit, Blessed Three in One.? A. To give someone glory is to express honor, worship, and adoration: Ps. 29:1-2 B. The reason that we should give glory to God is that He is King: Ps. 10:16 C. Therefore, we should sing praises to Him: Ps. 92:1 CONCL.: This is one of those songs which, even though the melody has been around for some time, seemed to pop up out of nowhere in recent years and has become extremely popular. Several arrangements of the music have been made, but it is a fairly simple tune that is easy to sing and the words, while somewhat repetitive, express honor, worship, and adoration to our God. Certainly it is important for everyone, especially those who claim to be Christians, to acknowledge openly that ?Holy, Holy, Holy Is the Lord.? 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. ____________________________________________________________ Find Local Gutter Pros Get up to 4 gutter cover bids. Free estimates & no obligation! http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL2141/c?cp=TsDsBzbV5JM5eMBznDyECAAAJ1AqWLnxUT_Og0R1xxm43-TkAAQAAAAFAAAAAHNoET0AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEhdZAAAAAA== -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20090918/2fbfbf4d/attachment-0001.html From mickc at churches-of-christ.com Mon Sep 28 08:56:11 2009 From: mickc at churches-of-christ.com (Mickey Chandler) Date: Mon, 28 Sep 2009 08:56:11 -0500 Subject: [Biblemat] Server is back Message-ID: <4AC0C07B.6060909@churches-of-christ.com> Brethren, What should have been a 5 hour ordeal turned into a five day ordeal. For a few months the server that the list is hosted upon has experienced some instability requiring periodic "hard" reboots (where you turn the power off and back on). The host of the machine was taking (in some cases) up to 36 hours to get that done, and my wife and I finally decided that our business could not sustain that level of service. We then got two DSL lines from AT&T with the idea that we would host the server here in our home. So, I got the server from the host and brought it home. It should have taken about 5 hours to get things going again. But, we soon discovered that AT&T had blocks against certain service ports on the DSL lines. We talked with some fairly sympathetic people at AT&T's second level tech support, but they were unable to help us by lifting those blocks. So, last Thursday the server went to the InfoMart in Dallas, Texas. We're hopeful that things will be more stable now, but if they aren't that response time (and therefore down time) will be greatly reduced. Thank you so much for your understanding. From disciple_of_iesus at hotmail.com Sat Sep 26 21:04:12 2009 From: disciple_of_iesus at hotmail.com (Ethan R. Longhenry) Date: Sat, 26 Sep 2009 22:04:12 -0400 Subject: [Biblemat] Good News for Norwalk: Volume IV, Number 39: September 27, 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 39: September 27, 2009 --------------------------------------------------------------------- The Cost of Eternal Life "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life" (John 3:16). John 3:16 is perhaps the best known verse in the Bible. There always seems to be at least one person holding a sign proclaiming the verse at every sporting event. The message of the verse provides comfort and encouragement for many: it speaks of God's love for mankind and the opportunity given for mankind to obtain eternal life. Many people have heard about the message in John 3:16 but have not heard much else from the Bible. People also hear from many churches that all they need to do in order to be saved is to believe that Jesus is the Christ, and that no matter what they do after that moment, they will be saved. Therefore, there are a lot of people in the world who think that as long as they recognize that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, everything is going to be great for them. The Scriptures, however, do not teach this-- in fact, they teach the opposite in James 2:24 and 2 Thessalonians 1:6-9. Eternal life is possible, but it comes at a cost. The Scriptures reveal that we humans do not deserve salvation, and no one is saved because of how great they are or because they have purchased salvation somehow (cf. Romans 3:9-21, Ephesians 2:1-10). Yet this does not automatically mean that salvation requires nothing from us. Let us consider what the Scriptures teach regarding what God seeks from those who would obtain eternal life. To obtain eternal life, we must certainly believe, but must also do the will of the Father, as it is written: "Not every one that saith unto me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father who is in heaven" (Matthew 7:21). To obtain eternal life, we must put away sin, as it is written: What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. We who died to sin, how shall we any longer live therein? (Romans 6:1-2). To obtain eternal life, we must do what is right and good, as it is written: To him therefore that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin (James 4:17). To obtain eternal life, we must make Jesus and His will the top priority in our life, and suffer loss and humiliation, as it is written: "He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And he that doth not take his cross and follow after me, is not worthy of me" (Matthew 10:37-38). Please do not take our word for this, as if our word means much of anything. Instead, please see that we have spoken from the Scriptures regarding these matters. The Lord Jesus Christ and His Apostles have declared that it is not enough just to recognize that Jesus is Lord-- we must also do the will of the Father, doing the right while avoiding sin, constantly suffering loss for Jesus. John 3:16 is a wonderful passage and we would do well to praise God every day because of His love and His offer of salvation through His Son Jesus Christ. Nevertheless, we do not want you to be deceived by a false gospel that leads to eternal condemnation (cf. Galatians 1:6-9). The view that says that all we need to do in order to be saved is believe is popular and comforting, but, as the Scriptures reveal, it is simply not true! When we believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Lord of Heaven and earth (cf. Matthew 28:18), we must then obey Him and His will, doing His commandments and walking as He walked (1 John 2:1-6). We, the members of the church of Christ in Norwalk, Ohio, are striving to obey Jesus our Lord, and we stand ready to encourage anyone else who seeks to do the same. We encourage you to consider the options of life or death, and choose to follow Jesus to obtain 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 thornhill1 at frontiernet.net Sun Sep 27 16:39:33 2009 From: thornhill1 at frontiernet.net (thomas thornhill) Date: Sun, 27 Sep 2009 16:39:33 -0500 Subject: [Biblemat] The Buckhorn Teacher 9-27-09 Message-ID: THE BUCKHORN TEACHER "Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching." 2.Tim.4:2 Buckhorn church of Christ - Thomas Thornhill - editor. 13675 Hwy 341, Randolph MS 38864-9117. Tel. 662-568-2960. Cell 662-419-5378.E-mail thornhill1 at frontiernet.netTV program - the internet - w07bn.com Vol.8 September 27, 2009 No.10 This issue is being written a week early since I will be in a gospel meeting at Winter Haven FL Oct.1-4. I am looking forward to the opportunity to preach in Polk county FL where I was born and lived until graduating from Winter Haven High School in 1952. If anyone reading this issue of "The Buckhorn Teacher" lives near Winter Haven why not come and hear me preach the gospel of Christ at the Inman St. church of Christ as I seek to exalt Christ as Lord and Savior? THE VOICE OF THE ANGEL Paul in dealing with spiritual gifts begins 1.Cor.13:1 with the words, "Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels." The beautiful song, "Whispering Hope" has the opening line, "Soft as the voice of an angel." Even though we may read or sing of an angel's voice, we really do not know how it sounds today. We can only imagine, for no one living today has ever heard one. Yet, from a study of scripture we see that on the occasions when angels spoke to men, their voices were like that of men. But in this article I am no concerned with how their voices sounded. I am concerned with the tone of their message, which was usually one of urgent persuasion saying, "Hurry up, hurry up!" For example, when the angel appeared to Peter in Acts 12:7, the message was "Arise quickly!" and then directed Peter from the prison where Herod had placed him. An angel appeared to Gideon with a job to do, and in announcing to Gideon what to do, he said ".Go in this might of yours, and you shall save Israel."Judges 6:14. The Lord was telling Gideon that the work he had been given to do was to be done quickly. The context bears this out. In 1.Kgs.19:5 we find Elijah in the midst of depression and discouragement. The Lord sends an angel to him with the message, "Arise and eat." There was a tone of urgency in the angel's voice. Elijah did as he was told. Still feeling sorry for himself he lay down again. The angel came the second time and said, "Arise and eat, because the journey is too great for you" v.7. Elijah was being told to "Hurry up, the Lord has something for you to do." When the life of Jesus was being threatened by Herod, the angel told Joseph, "Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt" Matt.2:13. One can sense the feeling of urgency in the command. On the road going down from Jerusalem to Gaza there was a man traveling in a chariot, reading from the prophet Isaiah. There was also a preacher on the road. His name was Philip. To get the two together the angel speaks to Philip saying, "Go near and overtake this chariot" Acts 8:29. There must have been a sense of urgency in the command, for v.30 says that Philip ran to the chariot to preach to the Eunuch. Suppose Philip had not felt the urgency to hasten to meet the chariot. Maybe the Eunuch would have already gone into Isa.54 and not been curious to ask Philip who the prophet was speaking of. >From these scriptures one basic thought is prominent. "Arise, and hurry to fulfill God's mission." The reason is that God's mission is most urgent, and nothing else in the universe can compare with the importance of this mission. We must delegate all other occupations to secondary ones in order to accomplish this. What is the point of this article? The voice of the world is crying, "Do this, do that." "Come here, come there." But above the cry of the world the voice of God's angel is constant, firm, demanding and urgent. "Go! Go! Go! Carry the gospel to the lost. Delay can be fatal." We often wonder why the church is not growing as it should. Why is it that more people are not reaching the lost? There may be many reasons given, but one in the forefront is a lack of urgency. People just do not feel the vital importance of the task of saving the lost. We need to develop in our hearts the feeling of urgency. We have been assigned the responsibility of going into all the world with the gospel to seek and save the lost. This is not a job that can be delayed. Delay can be fatal. Many in the world will listen if we will "Hurry up and go!" The command has been given, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature" Mk.16:15. Should we delay? We need to have the same spirit of Jesus, one of urgency. Listen to Him. "I must work the works of Him who sent me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work" Jn.9:4. The time is now. "Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation" 2.Cor.6:2. The voice of the angel is crying out over and over to us Christians, "Awake, you who sleep. Arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.redeeming the time, because the days are evil!" Eph.4:14-15. ************************* A NOTABLE QUOTE Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan "press on" has solved and always will solve the problems of the human face. - Calvin Coolidge - via The "Good News," publication of the Frostpoof church of Christ. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20090927/9998e0ba/attachment-0001.html From richard at thetford.dot5hosting.com Sun Sep 27 20:44:09 2009 From: richard at thetford.dot5hosting.com (Richard Thetford) Date: Sun, 27 Sep 2009 19:44:09 -0600 Subject: [Biblemat] Walking in the Light (9/27/09) Message-ID: <000c01ca3fdd$57733210$06599630$@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) September 27, 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: "Our Christian Walk" (Richard Thetford) "You Reap What You Sow" (Poem) (Ellen Kyle) "His Eyes" (Poem) (Ellen Kyle) "SENTENCE SERMONS --- OUR CHRISTIAN WALK Richard Thetford There's a saying that has been out for a long time that says: "Your talk talks and your walk talks, but your walk talks more than your talk talks." We can give lip service forever and it won't really amount to much until it is backed up by our actions in life. Therefore, we should learn that our Christian walk needs to be a walk of duty and devotion to our God! Knowing that this is so, then we should not ask others to carry us, but rather we should be ready to bear the burdens of one another (Galatians 6:2). Since our Christian life is a walk, we must also understand that it is an individual duty. Nobody can take our place in our walk, we must do it individually, on our own. In 2 Corinthians 5:10 it says: "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad." The object of our Christian walk is to reach a desired destination and that destination is heaven. Paul wrote: "I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you. Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing" (Philippians 3:14-16). As we press on toward heaven, that high calling, we realize that we must strive to live a life faithful to God here on earth. When others see our walk, do they see us striving for that high calling, being faithful to Jesus? Walking in Newness of Life Paul wrote again in Romans 6:4: "Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." Again in 2 Corinthians 5:17 he wrote: "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." When an individual is baptized INTO Christ he is a new creature. All those old things that were of the world are now dead. We are brand new, striving to live a life of godliness. That is why EVERY Christian should be known by their walk. A Christian is different because they are now in God's family, living and practicing only those things that are righteous! We should walk worthy of our vocation as it says in Ephesians 4:1; Colossians 1:10; and 1 Thessalonians 2:11-12. Walking in Faith, Love, and Honesty I believe that one thing that keeps some Christians from walking the Christian walk is a lack of genuine faith. We must have a sincere faith in God. "For we walk by faith, not by sight:" (2 Corinthians 5:7). Can all of us sincerely say that? When we have Bible faith, then we can get on with living our lives as God intended for us to. Before we can ever hope to "walk the walk", then we MUST have faith in God. The Hebrew writer wrote: "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him" (Hebrews 11:6). Without proper faith, we can't please Him in our life because our heart, mind, soul, and strength will not be present to serve Him. A Christian's walk is also a walk of honesty. The apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthian brethren and said: "But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God" (2 Corinthians 4:2). This verse lets us know some things that a Christian will not do. It also tells us that a Christian's conduct is upright and handled with all honesty. Do others see that kind of walk in our lives? In addition to faith, love, and honesty, a Christian's walk should be a walk that copies that of Jesus. John writes: "He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked" (1 John 2:6). Simply put, does our Christian walk mirror Jesus' walk? --- YOU REAP WHAT YOU SOW Ellen Kyle There's a very great truth in God's word you should know. You will always reap whatever you sow. The message is clear, it's so very plain, YOU choose eternal joy or YOU choose eternal pain. Don't follow the path that the world will trod. You can never reap happiness apart from God. Though Satan's temptations may hold great charm. They will ultimately bring about nothing but harm. A life of sin will hurt those you love, It will bring condemnation from God above. So always remember - where ever you go, You will always reap whatever you sow. --- HIS EYES Ellen Kyle If we could see things through His eyes, Only then would we truly realize. The love that Christ had for you and me, When He chose to suffer at Calvary. The worth of a soul would be so real, The urgency to teach we would surely feel. Compassion for the lost would be so great, We wouldn't waste a minute, we wouldn't wait. To tell of God's plan for you and me, We would strive to reach others and help them to see. Oh the love we would have, we would be so wise, --- SENTENCE SERMONS God never alters the robe of righteousness to fit the man, but the man to fit the robe. When a Christian stops doing, he starts dying. A narrow mind and a long tongue usually go together. True charity is the desire to be useful to others without the thought of recompense. Some people can make a cloak out of the smallest piece of religion. A good way to forget your troubles is to help others to forget theirs. --- SERMON Look What You Made Me Do (with PDF Charts/PPT Charts/Audio) (Guest Speaker - Kelly Spencer) 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/20090927/a98c573c/attachment-0003.gif From Jerry at eldorable.kscoxmail.com Fri Sep 25 09:40:23 2009 From: Jerry at eldorable.kscoxmail.com (Jerry ) Date: Fri, 25 Sep 2009 09:40:23 -0500 Subject: [Biblemat] So you're a Christian, What does that mean? Message-ID: Jerry Blount to the list So, you're a Christian.. What does that mean? Acts 11:26 And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch. Today we live in a world where almost anything seems to be defined as Christian or in the name of Christ. Most in our society still identify themselves as Christian. most also don't worship God with any regularity. Most politicians claim to be Christians. That being said, why are we are not the least bit surprised when one of them lies or has an extra marital fling. How can this be? The Bible uses the term in only 3 places Acts 11:26, 26:28, and I Peter 4:16. At it's simplest level it means a follower of Christ. What does it mean when you call yourself a Christian, a follower of Christ? 1. You must believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Believing, or even receiving Jesus is not the same as "being" a Christian. but it is a necessary part of the equation. In other words you can believe Jesus is the Son of God and even receive his Word as true and still not be a Christian. John 1 "10. He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. 11. He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. 12. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, {even} to those who believe in His name, 13. who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God." Look closely at verse 12... believing in and receiving Jesus gives you the right to become a child of God. Many seem to believe that believing and receiving Jesus is far as we go. Jesus has done it all and nothing more is required of you. John obviously didn't believe this. for the record neither did Jesus. Note one of the most famous mandates in the history of the world! Mark 16 15. And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. 16. "He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned. Ok. you must believe and receive Him as your savior but what more? 2. Today many wish to be "secret" Christians. They wish to be quiet about it. Jesus just won't accept that. There is militancy about true Christianity and Jesus will accept no less. Matthew 10 32. "Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven. 33. "But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven. 34. "Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. A Christian has an inner peace, but in truly taking on the name of Jesus and declaring that to the world. The Christian joins a war that has been raging with the kingdom of darkness since the dawn of the human race. The darkness does not let go gracefully! Satan will throw everything he has at you to drag you back down to his level. I John 1 4. These things we write, so that our joy may be made complete. God Is Light 5. This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. 6. If we say that we have fellowship with Him and {yet} walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; 7. but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. So, I must believe in Jesus as the Son of God. I must declare that to the world and take my place beside Him in the struggle of righteousness. What more? 3. Christianity means making a change of life. Jesus refers to this in a number of ways but one of them is described as repentance. If you are the same guy after becoming a Christian as you were before. you missed out on something! Are you living your life the same way now as you would have if you had never taken on the name of Jesus? Jesus said.. "I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish." Luke 13:3 It is important for Christians to remind themselves of where they have been, or would have been without Jesus. It helps us all appreciate what we have and what we are now striving for. Ephesians 2 11. Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called "Uncircumcision" by the so- called "Circumcision," {which is} performed in the flesh by human hands-- 12. {remember} that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. There is no hope without Jesus, and Jesus says there is no hope without repentance. This is a total change in direction. This change begins before we are saved and continues after we are saved. Like the new birth, it is a long running part of the Christian way of life. Consider I John 2 3. By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4. The one who says, "I have come to know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; 5. but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him: 6. the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked. 7. Beloved, I am not writing a new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning; the old commandment is the word which you have heard. Christianity is a way of life. The Christian labors toward righteousness. This causes us to catch a lot of flack nowadays. A homosexual recently sued a Bible publisher because the Bible caused him emotional distress! Repentance, the new birth, a newness of life (all Biblical descriptions) is an essential element of Christianity. If Jesus hasn't changed you. you haven't changed! I John 3 3. And everyone who has this hope {fixed} on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure. 4. Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness. Jesus asks what was supposed to be a rhetorical question. In our day it seems to be a debated question. Luke 6: 46. "Why do you call Me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say?" I recently had a discussion with a religious leader of our community. He made the comment, "I know the Bible teaches that, but I just don't buy it." What is really mind boggling is that an entire congregation knows what he believes and follows him anyway. It is almost as if they don't believe that this value system won't infect their children at the deepest levels. This same leader told another, "Our relationship with each other is more important than the truth." Ultimately what he was saying without meaning to was, "our relationship with each other is more important than our relationship with God!" How many people do you know that claim to be Christians that (deep down) believe this way but would never say it out loud? When people begin to pick and choose what they want from Christianity. what they have found isn't a new way of life. They have followed that old politician, we know from the garden of Eden. "you shall not die, for God knows that.." This serpent has done business with all of us. "They" replace substance with hype. "They" replace knowledge with ignorance. often a desire not to know. You "vote" by what you choose as your direction/guide in life! Jesus said. "If you continue in My word, {then} you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." John 8:31-32 Truth is not all that difficult to find. but you have to want it to keep it. Note that Jesus' focus was whether or not you would "continue." Who do we love more, God or man? That is the choice that all of us must ultimately make. Ok. so we must believe, confess and repent (meaning it and living it). Anything more? 4. You must be baptized. for the forgiveness of your sins. Romans 6 3. Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? 4. Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. 5. For if we have become united with {Him} in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be {in the likeness} of His resurrection, Compare Paul's comment above to Jesus' great commission Mark 16 15. And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. 16. "He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned. Obviously, according to the Apostle Paul, this is when and how we crossover from a state of spiritual death to having the gift of eternal life. Much of the New Testament is dealing with how to keep this gift of life. but it is here that we get it. Peter's assessment? Acts 2 37. Now when they heard {this,} they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Brethren, what shall we do?" 38. Peter {said} to them, "Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Notice that Peter doesn't mention faith here. they had faith. They needed forgiveness. To receive forgiveness they needed to take the plunge! Turn away from sin (repentance) and be buried for the forgiveness of sins. I Peter 3 21. Corresponding to that, baptism now saves you--not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience--through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22. who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him. The Bible really is consistent on all this. Man becomes inconsistent. We may fail. the Bible is the Word of God. It is trustworthy. What is a Christian? Would you rather let your local politicians define Christianity. or Jesus? The answer should be obvious. 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.JerrysChristian Jottings.info __._,_.___ Messages in this topic (1) Reply (via web post) | Start a new topic Messages | Photos | Links | Database | Polls | Members | Calendar Yahoo! Groups Change settings via the Web (Yahoo! ID required) Change settings via email: Switch delivery to Daily Digest | Switch format to Traditional Visit Your Group | Yahoo! Groups Terms of Use | Unsubscribe Recent Activity Visit Your Group Give Back Yahoo! for Good Get inspired by a good cause. Y! Toolbar Get it Free! easy 1-click access to your groups. Yahoo! Groups Start a group in 3 easy steps. Connect with others. . __,_._,___ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... 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Name: not available Type: image/jpeg Size: 9513 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20090925/709624eb/attachment-0005.jpe From tedwards at onemain.com Fri Sep 25 16:13:58 2009 From: tedwards at onemain.com (tedwards at onemain.com) Date: Fri, 25 Sep 2009 16:13:58 -0500 Subject: [Biblemat] B> Gospel Observer 9/20/09 Message-ID: <4ABCEC46.11073.1B28E08@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 20, 2009 ____________________________________________________ How Do God and Satan Influence Us? by Larry Ray Hafley According to the creeds of men, Satan does not need to influence man. Man is "wholly defiled in all the faculties and parts of soul and body . . . . (and) we are utterly indisposed, disabled and made opposite to all good, and wholly inclined to all evil." If that truly represents the condition of man (and Calvinism says it does), then the devil can sleep until the last trump sounds reveille on the morning of the resurrection. The devil may as well spend his time calling hogs to muck and mire as to seek to influence sinners to sin. The hog, according to his nature, need not be influenced or enticed to mud. He will go there because he is "wholly defiled in all faculties and parts of soul and body and is utterly indisposed, disabled and made opposite to all cleanliness and wholly inclined to all mud." Likewise, man, according to "this corruption of nature," will sin; he cannot avert or avoid it; he must sin, or so Calvinism says. He will go to sin as the hog goes to mud. So, why, according to Calvinism, should Satan seek to influence us? Keeping the creeds in mind, a Calvinist needs to answer that question. The fact remains, however, that the devil does strive to influence man. (In so doing, he denies, logically and consistently, the substance of the tenets of Calvinism.) "But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ" (2 Cor. 11:3). Note, "as . . . so." "As" the serpent "deceived" Eve (1 Tim. 2:14), "so" your minds should be corrupted. How did the devil beguile Eve? He did so by using incentive, enticement, inducement, motive (Gen. 3:1-6). (1) "Hath God said . . . ?" This method arouses doubt, suspicion, i.e., "God really has not told you not to eat, has He?" (2) He did so by lying -- "Ye shall not surely die." The penalty is non-existent; rather, there is a blessing, "God doth know . . . your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods." (3) He did so by utilizing the triplets of lust -- lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes and the pride of life (1 Jn. 2:16; Matt. 4:1-11; Gen. 3:6). "And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food (lust of the flesh), and that it was pleasant to the eyes (lust of the eyes), and a tree to be desired to make one wise" (pride of life), she ate it. In this manner does the devil operate today. Corruption "is in the world though lust" (2 Pet. 1:4). "But every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin" (Jas. 1:14,15). One's mind is corrupted, not by birth, not by Adam's sin, but by conceived lust. The devil deceives us. He causes us to doubt God's word. He shows us pleasure rather than penalty (cf. Matt. 4:1-11; Gen. 3:5, 6). He lies to us and draws us away by lust. That is how Satan influenced Eve, and that is how he would influence us. Negative Arguments The gospel "is the power of God unto salvation" (Rom. 1:16). Is God's power sufficient for the task? Is the sinner able to hear, believe and obey the gospel? If man cannot respond to the gospel and be saved by it, is it because: (1) God did not make the gospel powerful enough? If so, the fault lies with God, not with the sinner, for God could have made a stronger, more potent gospel, but He chose not to do so. That smacks against God's love, kindness and mercy. (2) God could not make the gospel powerful enough? This slams against God's power, His might. God was simply unable to produce a gospel sufficient to save man. Who can believe it? But we are told by the creeds of Calvinism that man is a spiritual corpse, unable to receive instruction, powerless to act. Until God's "enabling grace" is imparted to the heart by the immediate working (direct operation) of the Holy Spirit, man is incapable of hearing, believing and obeying the gospel. So says Calvinism. In reply, consider this parallel. Adam was as "dead to sin" as the sinner is "dead in sin" (cf. Eph. 2:1; Col. 2:13; Rom. 6:2; 1 Pet. 2:24). (See September 4, 1986 issue of Guardian of Truth for more detailed discussion of this point.) Was Adam able to respond to the word of the devil? Remember, he was as "dead" as the sinner. Yet, dead Adam could hear, believe and obey the word of God. If not, the word of Satan is more potent than the word of God. Calvinists counter by saying that trying to preach salvation "into" a dead sinner is like trying to preach life into a dead body. "First," they say, "you must give physical life to a dead body, then it can hear and obey you; therefore, the Holy Spirit must impart spiritual life to the dead sinner, then he can hear and obey the gospel." Again, note that even though Adam was dead to sin, the devil preached damnation "into" him. If the devil's word could penetrate the heart of a man dead to sin, then God's word can surely permeate the heart of a man dead in sin. Or, is the word of the devil more powerful than the word of God? Can a spiritually dead man hear? "No," says Calvinism. Jesus said, "the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live" (Jn. 5:25). Jesus said those dead in sin could hear and then (not before) live (cf. Rom. 6:16-18). Influence Of Direct Divine Contact The direct work of the Spirit has never transformed a man from sinner to saint. Baalam prophesied by the Spirit, but it did not alter his sinful ways (2 Pet. 2:15; Num. 31:16). Saul prophesied by the Spirit of God, but it did not deter his desire to kill David (1 Sam. 19). In the New Testament, we read of incidents of direct, Divine contact with men. Keep in mind that Calvinism demands that a direct, Divine work of the Spirit must be applied to the heart of the sinner before he is able to act. In our observation of occasions of Divine contact, note that not once did the Holy Spirit directly impart spiritual life to the heart of the sinner in order to enable him to obey the gospel. (1) Acts 2: The Pentecostians. The Spirit came upon the apostles, the speakers, not the audience, the sinners. This was a perfect time, if Calvinism be true, for God to demonstrate the direct, Divine enabling power of the Holy Spirit, but, alas, the Spirit came upon the disciples, not the lost. The sinners were urged to "hearken to my words" (vv. 14, 22, 29). "Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their hearts" (v. 37). The preachers did not ask God to send His Spirit to convict the sinners; they did not seek an "outpouring of the Spirit on the hearts" of sinners. Rather, the Spirit spoke through the preachers (v. 4). In this way, the Spirit convicted the audience of sin (Jn. 16:8). (2) Acts 8: The Eunuch. The angel spoke to the preacher and sent him to the sinner (v. 26). The Spirit spoke to the preacher and told him to "go near." Neither the angel nor the Spirit spoke to the sinner's heart. (3) Acts 9: Saul. When the Lord appeared to Saul of Tarsus, He commanded him to go to Damascus, "and it shall be told thee what thou must do" (v. 6). There is no record of an "enabling power" or of "conviction by the Spirit's touch." The Lord directed Saul to the preacher and the preacher to Saul (vv. 6-15). "But," it is objected, "this vision was the Lord's direct work on Saul's heart; Saul could not resist; this was `irresistible grace."' The text does not so state, but, if so, why did Paul later say, "I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision" (Acts 26:19)? This implies that he could have been disobedient. Why say, "I was not disobedient," if it could not have been otherwise? (4) Acts 10: Cornelius. "The Holy Ghost fell on them which heard the word" (v. 44), but the result was not regeneration. Cornelius was not saved by the Spirit's falling. The Spirit came in order to convince the Jews that the Gentiles were subjects of the gospel (Acts 10:47, 48; 11:15-18; 15:7-11). Cornelius was saved by the words Peter spoke, not by the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 11:14). Jesus said, "The seed is the word of God. Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved" (Lk. 8:11,12). The word of God is sown in the heart. The devil taketh away the word out of their hearts (Why?) "lest they should believe and be saved." (1) Word in sinner's heart; (2) Faith produced; (3) Salvation accomplished. Where is the Lord's reference to the direct work of the Spirit? It is not there. Divine Order Of Salvation Review Paul's chain-link argument in Romans 10:13-17. Salvation is the end of the chain. What are the links? In reverse order, from last to first, one must call on the name of the Lord, but how can one call if he has not believed? How can one believe if he has not heard? "And how shall they hear without a direct work of the Spirit on the sinner's heart?" Is that what your Bible says? No! "How shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach except they be sent?" Conclusion: "So then faith cometh by the Spirit's irresistible work on the sinner's heart and hearing by the enabling power of irresistible grace." Is that how it reads? What does the Bible say? "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." The angel that visited Cornelius did not cleanse his heart (v. 3). His heart was purified by faith (Acts 15:9). The angel said, "Send for Peter: who shall tell thee words, whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved" (Acts 11:14; 15:7). The Gospel: God's Power Unto Salvation The Holy Spirit does convict the sinner. Does He effect the conviction of sinners directly, without means or agency, or does He convict sinners through the instrumentality of the gospel? No argument ever devised can overthrow Paul's words, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth" (Rom. 1:16). "The preaching of the cross...is the power of God...." It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe" (1 Cor. 1:18-21). What pleases God (to save men by preaching the gospel) does not please men nor the arguments of Calvinists, but it is true nonetheless. The Bible order is: (1) preachers sent (v. 15); (2) preachers preach (v. 15); (3) sinner hears (v. 14); (4) sinner believes (v. 14); (5) believer calls on the name of the Lord (v. 14); (6) believer saved (v. 13). There is no reference to a separate work of the Holy Spirit on the sinner's heart in Paul's chain. It is a missing link. General Summary And Conclusion The Spirit guided the apostles into all truth (Jn. 14:26; 15:26,27; 16:13). This word given to the apostles was to be employed to make believers (Jn. 8:32; 17:17,20). That is why the Lord Jesus sent them "into all the world" to "preach the gospel to every creature" (Matt. 28:19; Mk. 16:15,16; Lk. 24:47). The things the apostles wrote are the commandments of the Lord (I Cor. 14:37). When we read what they wrote, we are reading the word of God (1 Thess. 2:13; 2 Thess. 2:15). Thus, the Spirit's word given through the apostles is the agent or instrument the Spirit uses to convict the sinner. "The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life" (Jn. 6:63) "And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are written, that ye might believe" (Jn. 20:30,31). "Many of them which heard the word believed" (Acts 4:4). "In Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel" (1 Cor. 4:15). "In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation" (Eph. 1:13). "Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth" (Jas. 1:18). "Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit.... Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God" (1 Pet. 1:22,23). -- Via Guardian of Truth XXXI: 1, pp. 8-9, January 1, 1987 ____________________________________________________ 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 wswalker310 at juno.com Fri Sep 25 16:53:24 2009 From: wswalker310 at juno.com (Wayne S Walker) Date: Fri, 25 Sep 2009 16:53:24 -0500 Subject: [Biblemat] hymn study, "I Hold His Hand" Message-ID: <20090926.093415.2744.0.wswalker310@juno.com> Wayne Walker here with another weekly hymn study. ?I HOLD HIS HAND? ?He leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul? (Ps. 23:2-3) INTRO.: A song which emphasizes how the Lord leads us besides the still waters and restores our soul while we hold to His hand is ?I Hold His Hand? (#667 in Hymns for Worship Revised, and #148 in Sacred Selections for the Church). The text was written by Jessie Randolph Baxter, Jr. (1887-1960). The tune was composed by W. Allan Sims, who was born in Navarro County, TX, on June 8, 1900. A bass singer, he sang with several professional groups as they travelled around the country, and also taught singing schools for about 25 years. It was during his teaching career that he married Lucy Phillips of Nocona, TX, also a singer and lover of music. His life's work was teaching music, leading singing in worship services and gospel meetings, and songwriting. This song was the first of hundreds of hymns that he produced, and was copyrighted in 1929 by Stamps and Simms. The copyright was renewed in 1941 by the Stamps-Baxter Music Co. (although some newer books say ?copyright 1941, renewed 1969?). After moving to Clovis, NM, he and his wife, who were members of the Church of Christ, travelled to many parts of the country to carry on his work. The last song that Sims penned was entitled ?We?ll Move Up Yonder By and By,? which he left in a manuscript when he died of a heart attack at his home in Clovis on Oct. 28, 1955. Later, his wife had it published. The title of ?I Hold His Hand? and a portion of the music are engraved on his tombstone. Among hymnbooks published by members of the Lord?s church during the twentieth century for use in churches of Christ, this song appeared in the 1938/1944 New Wonderful Songs edited by Thomas S. Cobb; and the 1959 Majestic Hymnal No. 2 and the 1978 Hymns of Praise both edited by Reuel Lemmons; and was chosen as the representative song for Sims in the 1980 Our Garden of Song by Gene C. Finley. 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 1992 Praise for the Lord edited by John P. Wiegand; and the 1999 Into Our Hands: Hymns for the Church edited by Leland R. Fleming; in addition to Hymns for Worship, Sacred Selections, and the 2007 Sacred Songs of the Church edited by William D. Jeffcoat. The song encourages us to look for the blessings that come with holding to our Savior?s hand. I. Stanza 1 says that He shields us from evil ?I hold to the hand of my Savior and Friend; He shields me from evil till dangers all end. He?ll take me to heaven where voices now blend; I hold to the hand of my Lord.? A. Jesus Christ came to be our Savior and Friend: Lk. 2:11, Jn. 15:13-15 B. He will shield us from evil by providing us a way of escape from every temptation: 1 Cor. 10:13 C. In this way, His power will keep us to the salvation ready to be revealed at the last time in heaven: 1 Pet. 1:3-5 II. Stanza 2 says that He rolls back the shadows ?I hold to His hand when the storm clouds arise; He speaks and the shadows roll back from the skies. ?Tis wonderful glory for our human eyes; I hold to the hand of my Lord.? A. The rising of storm clouds is often used to symbolize the trials and tribulations of life: Ps. 107:25-28 B. But Jesus is able to roll back the shadows from the skies just as He was able to still the tempest on Galilee: Matt. 23-27 C. As we experience His power in our lives as revealed by His life as recorded in His word, we get a glimpse of His glory: Jn. 1:14 III. Stanza 3 says that He is a secure foundation ?I hold to the hand that is steadfast and sure; No other foundation is ever secure. I look for the home that will ever endure; I hold to the hand of my Lord.? A. His hand is steadfast and sure so the hope that He gives us is like an anchor to the soul: Heb. 6:19 B. No other foundation that can be laid is ever secure: 1 Cor. 3:11 C. Based upon this foundation of assurance, we can look for the home that will ever endure: Heb. 13:14 CONCL.: The chorus says that He will lead us to heaven. ?I hold to the hand of my Savior and King, Till safe in that city where angels now sing; He leads me so gently where still waters flow, And tells me of heaven where I long to go.? Obviously, I cannot literally place my hand in the hand of Jesus, but the idea symbolizes my obedience to His will by living according to His teachings. Therefore, having a desire to please my Savior and King in this life and eventually to live with Him forever in heaven, ?I Hold His Hand.? 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. ____________________________________________________________ Criminal Lawyer Save on Criminal Lawyer Services. Click Now! http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL2141/c?cp=7R6aDddOKH4YYP161HWcTAAAJ1AqWLnxUT_Og0R1xxm43-TkAAYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD6AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAiFgAAAAA= -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20090925/4af719a0/attachment-0001.html From kerux at bellsouth.net Mon Sep 28 22:07:32 2009 From: kerux at bellsouth.net (KENT HEATON) Date: Mon, 28 Sep 2009 20:07:32 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [Biblemat] A>How To Defeat Temptation (Kent Heaton) Message-ID: <708264.35442.qm@web83912.mail.sp1.yahoo.com> How To Defeat Temptation (Kent Heaton) ? Whenever we think of something as a temptation we consider it as evil. The original Latin could suggest something good or bad but the evil sense has taken a predominate role in its definition. The idea of temptation is rooted in the challenge of character. Trials rightly faced are harmless, but wrongly met become temptations to evil. Overcoming temptations is the focus of a daily walk in a world given over to the indulgence of temptations. James exhorts us to ?count it all joy when you fall into different kinds of temptations? or ?trials? (James 1:2). Barnes said, ?Regard it as a thing to rejoice in; a matter which should afford you happiness. You are not to consider it as a punishment, a curse, or a calamity, but as a fit subject of felicitation (act of congratulating).? Paul reminds us that nothing will be put upon us that we cannot overcome with the power of the Lord. ?No temptation has taken you but what is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted above what you are able, but with the temptation also will make a way to escape, so that you may be able to bear it? (1 Corinthians 10:13). Our prayers are to be laced with exhortations of faithfulness. Jesus taught His disciples to pray, ?Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil? (Matthew 6:13). No matter our best efforts we stumble and give in to temptations. Often we succumb to temptations because we fail to know the way of defeating temptation. Jesus offers the answer to defeating temptation in the garden of Gethsemane as He exhorts the disciples. ?Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. Truly the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak? (Mark 14:38). The two part answer to temptation is to be watchful and to be praying. The only way we can stand against temptation is to stand on the pillars of watch and pray. Jesus did not say look and pray; He said watch and pray. The word ?watch? carries with it the idea of vigilance and being alert. Often we see temptation and invite it in. Being watchful is being careful of what we are allowing to happen in our lives. Many things in life we cannot control but allowing that thing to remain and become a temptation is when sin happens. In defining sin, James said that temptation comes about when ?each one is tempted by his lusts, being drawn away and seduced by them. Then when lust has conceived, it brings forth sin. And sin, when it is fully formed, brings forth death? (James 1:14-15). Being watchful about temptation is to remove those things that would bring about temptation. We are to pray for the Lord not to lead us into temptation (Matthew 6:13) but we do not need to go running into it either. To the discerning mind sin is easily defined by watching out for it and being aware of the dangers of giving in to temptation. As Barney Fife would say, ?Nip it in the bud.? Good advice. The second pillar of strength to overcome temptation is vital: prayer. Watching for temptation helps us identify sin but prayer helps us defeat sin. Prayer is powerful (James 5:13-18). Prayer made the sun stand still (Joshua 10:12-14); the dead rise (2 Kings 4:32-37); the rain stop for three years and six months (James 5:17). The knee bent in prayer will keep the feet from running to evil. A humble heart of prayer will melt the fiery desire of temptation. In our text Jesus is in the garden before His death earnestly praying to His Father for strength. The cross was the greatest temptation Jesus faced. He had the power to destroy all those who sought to kill Him but He chose to give His life a ransom. He overcame temptation through prayer. The Lord will not allow you to be tempted beyond your ability to resist; provided we are watching and praying. ?Pray without ceasing? (1 Thessalonians 5:17) is an admonition to help us overcome temptation ?without ceasing.? Constant vigilance and watchful care for those things that will tempt us with harm and the continued spirit of prayer will defeat temptation. ?Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus? (Philippians 4:6-7). -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20090928/531793e7/attachment-0001.html -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: image/gif Size: 21362 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20090928/531793e7/attachment-0001.gif From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Tue Sep 29 03:10:25 2009 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Tue, 29 Sep 2009 04:10:25 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 couple of questions and answers from my files: QUESTION: -- Who Are Faithful Men? In 2 Tim. 2:2 it speaks about committing things to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. Just who are faithful men and what will they be able to do? ANSWER: -- "You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, these entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also" (2 Tim. 2:1- 2). These particular verses are not talking about what goes on in services in a worship service. Paul is urging Timothy, his young preacher friend, to be sure that he finds men who are faithful, or reliable, or dependable (all these English words can be used to translate the Greek here) and entrust them with the message that he heard from Paul. Faithful in this instance, has to do with sound judgment, proper doctrinal understanding and the ability to teach others. As to your question just who is to be used to lead the servic- es of the church. Obviously we want men serving before others to be men with good reputations and good values. In other words, those who lead the services of the church should look and act like real Christians. But if you are looking for perfect men to lead the service, you will not be able to find them. For, none of us are perfect, all of us have some faults and short-comings in life. Each one that be- comes a member of the Lord's church, enter into the service of the Lord as "babes in Christ" and are to be lead and taught and be allowed to participate in the services of the Lord. It becomes an "on the job training process. (We will look at another question and answer tomorrow the Lord willing, JWS). -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20090929/3fbb8250/attachment.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Tue Sep 29 03:10:36 2009 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Tue, 29 Sep 2009 04:10:36 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] S) THOSE "STRANGE" MACEDONIANS (2) Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. Here is the second installment of this particular study. Use to the glory of God. THOSE "STRANGE" MACEDONIANS (2) A VICTORIOUS PEOPLE: -- 1. The Macedonian Christians were a conquering people who refused to allow pain, persecution, and poverty to rob them of the privilege of giving liberally. "How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their lib- erality." The victorious Macedonians! They refused to allow the most oppressive of circumstances to rob them of their spiritual birth- right -- the privilege of giving. And what were their circumstances at this time? The gun of adversity that had discharged its load into their hearts was doub- le barrelled: 1). The Were Greatly Afflicted:-- They suffered persecution from without and within. Their province had been over run by military forces which bequeathed to them all the ravages that afflict a war-torn country. They also suffered from religious pers- ecution. They received the Word in much affliciton (1 Thes. 1:6). There were false teachers who troubled them, some of whom tried to rob them of their faith in the second coming of the Lord (2 Thes. 1:6,7). The Jewish leaders stirred up strife and hatred against them (Acts 16:20; 17:5). These trials were tests of their faith, and although they pass- ed the tests with flying colors, they nevertheless endured much suffering along the way. Their great affliction demonstrated their faith, proved their devotion, and molded their character. They did not allow their trials to defeat them, but they used them as stepping stones to greater attainments. 2) They Were Extremely Poor: -- Paul speaks of their "deep poverty." This is an adverbial expression which indicates that "their poverty went down to the depths" (Vincent). They were at the bottom of the economic ladder. They were not simply poor. They were very, very poor. Now appraise their situation. They were not only poor, but they were also afflicted. Persecutions and afflictions are difficult enough to bear when one has ample means. But when affliction is aggravated by poverty the burden is more than doubled. Poverty plus affliction! That is a combination that will destroy those whose faith stands, not in the power of God, but in the wisdom of men. How easily these Macedonians could have excused them- selves for not giving. What a strong case they could have made for failure to participate in this work. They were suffering, too, and sometimes suffering makes people self-centered, and hard- ens them against the needs of others. If their attitude had been that of many modern church mem- bers they probably would have written a letter to those poor saints in Judea telling them: "We have heard with great distress of your dire need. And surely if there is anyone who can genuin-ely sympathize with you it is those of us here in Macedonia. We are in need, too, and our need is intensified by sore affliction. And, too, it is our duty to use wisely what little we have. We must take care of our own. it is our duty to be prudent. We must lay aside a little of our meager resources for a rainy day. So, as much as we would like to help you -- please believe that our hearts bleed for you -- we believe you will agree tht you do not hae any right to expect help from those in such straitened circumstances. We hope that richer Christains will give liberally for you aid -- and, by the way, if by chance you should receive more than you need, please remember your dear friends among the poor brethren in Macedonia! God bless you!" Of course no such letter as that was written by the victorious Macedonians. They were not worried about a rainy day in Mace- donia. They knew that it was already raining in Judea, and that umbrellas and raincoats were needed then. These open-handed open-hearted Macedonians would not allow the ordinarily fatal combination of pain and privation to defraud them of exercising the most noble of all Christian virtues -- that of giving for the wel- fare of others. (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/20090929/8eaea8d8/attachment.html From gharmon at idworld.net Tue Sep 29 07:11:13 2009 From: gharmon at idworld.net (Gary Harmon) Date: Tue, 29 Sep 2009 07:11:13 -0500 Subject: [Biblemat] Church in Ft Lewis, WA Area Message-ID: We have a young couple with 3 kiddos moving to Ft Lewis in December. Are they any sound congregations in the area??? Thanks. Gary H. Harmon, Jr. Treasurer Woodlawn Hills Church of Christ 1742 Bandera Road San Antonio, TX 78228-3805 210.657.1549h 210.884.6926c -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20090929/439553ec/attachment.html From jwquinn at sbcglobal.net Tue Sep 29 17:07:48 2009 From: jwquinn at sbcglobal.net (Jon W. Quinn) Date: Tue, 29 Sep 2009 17:07:48 -0500 Subject: [Biblemat] Expository Files 16.10 October now available Message-ID: Our 16th year of publication (1994-2009) Expository Files - October 2009 **Our 190th monthly issue** Expository Files is a monthly electronic journal dedicated to Biblical studies. It is edited by Warren E Berkley and Jon W. Quinn. This effort began with the January, 1994 issue and continues to this day. In addition to the four or so expository articles by different writers in each issue, there are special topical studies. In addition, each issue begins and ends with editorials by the editors. We have expository material from every book in the Bible, though there are still portions that are much more lightly covered than others. Thanks to our writers and our readers for making Expository Files such a success! ---------------------------------------------------------- Expository Files 16.10; October 2009 Co-edited by Warren E. Berkley and Jon W. Quinn ---------------------------------------------------------- This month's issue contains: Satan Has Desired to Have You Front Page 16.10 By Jon W. Quinn ?Listen to Him!? Matthew 17:1-8 By Jon W. Quinn (based on an outline compiled by Gary Henry) What Paul and Barnabas Did on Their Return Trip Acts 14:21-23 by Wayne S. Walker Nehemiah?s Prayer Nehemiah . 1:5-11 By Warren E. Berkley Let God Be True Romans 3:3-4 By Jacob Hudgins Is God on His Throne? Is God's control of history evident today? Topic Page By Jon W. Quinn Plan of Salvation By Jon W. Quinn Worry ? Finding That Eight Percent! Final Page 16.10 By Warren E. Berkley ---------------------------------------------------------- EF can now, or soon will, be found at the following places: http://www.bible.ca/ef/ Every issue - 1994 to present; every article; html; arranged by book; topic and/or issue; Search engine http://expositoryfiles.homestead.com/index.html 2004-2006 in html by issue; 1994-2003 in zipped self executable format for IBM http://www.geocities.com/w_berkley/ EF in PDF by issue; Sept 2003 to present Jon W. Quinn Bradley Church of Christ Bradley, Illinois http://www.bradleychurchofchrist.com From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Wed Sep 30 03:44:54 2009 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Wed, 30 Sep 2009 04:44:54 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] S) THOSE "STRANGE" MACEDONIANS (3) Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. Here the third installment of this particular study. Use to the glory of God. THOSE "STRANGE" MACEDONIANS (3) A WILLING PEOPLE: -- ii. The Macedonian Christians Were A Willing People. Who did not have to be begged to do their duty and exercise their privileges..."they were willing of themselves..." They gave, not because pressure was exerted upon them, but simply because they wanted to give. Nobody put on a cam- paign to induce them to give. The only pressure to give came from within their own hearts. The word which is translated "willing" means "self-chosen." The course they followed -- that of generous and sacrificial giv- ing -- was not one that was forced upon them, but one which they chose of their own free will. Their actions were entirely voluntary. They did not need to have someone preach a passionate sermon to stir up their emot- ions. When they learned tht their brethren were in need their hearts were stirred, and the same thing that stirred their hearts opened their pocketbooks! The fact that they did not need a sermon on giving does not mean that they would not have appreciated one. When people really believe in a doctrine they like to hear it taught and discuss- ed. People who practice Scriptural giving always welcome a Scriptural sermon on the subject. The point is that the Macedonians did nothave to be begged to do their duty. Many people seem to like to be in a position that obliges others to come to them and ask for their assistance. They make such ado about granting even the smallest favor. They seem to relish having people feel a sense of indebtedness to them. People who make a display of their gifts do not really give at all. They merely buy favor or praise that flatters their ego. A church building was being remodeled in a Southern city. The architet, suggesting that a certain rich man be asked for a contribution, advised: "He will give you a large contribution if you will have newspaper photographers present to take his pic- ture when he presents the check to the finance committee!" The rich man's contribution, needless to say, was not solicited. Gifts made under the compulsion of pressure or expediency are of no worth in the sight of God! It is said of the Macedonians: "They were willing of themsel- ves." It is the willing who really give. God does not want gifts that are not cheerfully given. For that reason He placed our giv- ing on a voluntary basis. This fact, however, does not make our giving any less an obligation. Generous, converted hearts will enable us to give, and that bountifully. (More will be posted on this particular subject, tomorrow, the Lord willing, JWS). -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20090930/73578faa/attachment-0001.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Wed Sep 30 03:44:45 2009 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Wed, 30 Sep 2009 04:44:45 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] A) QUESTION AND ANSWER Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. A very good Wednesday morning to each and every one. May God bless you and yours. Here is another question and answer from my files: QUESTION: -- Is It Wrong To Have Romantic Feelings? ANSWER: -- "And Jehovah God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make for him a help meet for him" (Gen. 2: 18). God intended that man should have a mate, a woman, and that that woman should have a man as her mate. That has been true from the beginning of man's time upon this earth. Adam and Eve were the first pair upon the earth and they were called upon by God to have children thereby populating the earth on which they lived. Paul told Titus to teach the older women to teach the younger women to love their husbands. So, women and men should love their mates and thereby fulfill the sexual needs and desires of one another. This would be a romantic way of life accepted by God. One of the beautiful stories of the Bible is that of Jacob and Rachel. Sent by his father, Isaac, to find a wife, Jacob came to Haran, and found a shepherd girl name Rachel. He petitioned her father, Laban, for Rachel to be his wife. "And Laban had two daughters. The name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. And Leah's eyes were tender. But Rachel was beautiful and well favored. And Jacob loved Rachel" (Gen. 29:16-18). This, no doubt was romantic love and nothing is said about Jacob's romantic feelings for Rachel were wrong for him to have. In fact, we are told in the Scriptures that men are to love their wives and wives are to love their husbands. There are many stories in the Bible about the love that hus- bands should have for their wives and wives are to have for their husbands. Such stories as that of Boaz and Ruth, and the Song of Solomon, etc. God has built into the human race a love for the opposite sex. This love is to be between a man and a woman, a husband and wife. The fulfillment of sexual desires is to be had between a husband and wife. It is never to be fulfilled outside the marriage arrangement. If it is such is adultery or fornication. Sin in the sight of God. (The question posted yester- day and the one today, are adapted from questions found in Gospel Minutes, Vol. 58, No. 40, Oct. 2, 2009. The first question was from David Thurman, the second from Clem Thurman, JWS) -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20090930/7eb5add8/attachment-0001.html From kerux at bellsouth.net Wed Sep 30 07:05:35 2009 From: kerux at bellsouth.net (Kent Heaton) Date: Wed, 30 Sep 2009 08:05:35 -0400 Subject: [Biblemat] A>Regrets Of A Lost Childhood (Kent Heaton) Message-ID: Regrets Of A Lost Childhood (Kent Heaton) [The following story is a fictional representation of a man who has reached a mature age in life and is reflecting upon how his parents failed to impress upon him a love for the Lord and his own efforts with his family.] Reaching the age of fifty-five has brought about reflection on life and the impact of decisions I have made in company with decisions made by my parents when I was a child. My children have grown and left home and my wife and I are enjoying a different time in life; one of pause and introspection. It has also become a time of spiritual awakening that I have looked deeper into my relationship with God and my early awareness of the church. My parents became Christians just a few years before I was born. They went to worship services most Sunday mornings and occasionally mom would take us on a Wednesday night with Bible class. While mom and dad were Christians we never made the church a large part of our life. We enjoyed the people there and liked the preacher but mom and dad never made a large part of their life the things the church was involved in. Bible class was nice but as we grew older the less time we would go to Bible class. The elders would encourage everyone to be a part of the Bible class time. Mom and dad never really found it that interesting. As I look back on my childhood I wonder what kind of person I could have been in my life if I would have had the influence of godly teachers who loved the Lord and sought to share the Bible stories with their students. I have struggled with many challenges in my life and tried to answer each one with my own wisdom. The children who went to Bible class learned about how God's people struggled and how they overcame. I regret not having that kind of background to help me. Mom and dad are passed now. I would wish to ask them why they seldom took us to Bible class. I understand that everything we need to know about the Bible cannot come from the few hours we spend together in the Bible class but I would really have enjoyed spending time as a child learning about the word of God. Seeing the beginning of all things through the eyes of Moses in the book of Genesis would have helped me know who I am, why I am here and where I am going. The struggles of the people of God in Israel would have given me courage to overcome the problems and temptations in school. I remember on a rare Sunday morning we went to Bible class and the elders had divided the classes up to teach the young men and the young women important lessons for youth. What they were studying was what I was having a hard time with in life but we did not go back to Bible class and I missed out. Maybe my sister would have had an easier life if she would have been in Bible class and learned about purity, faith and love. I know that I would have learned more about being a man and not made as many mistakes in life. As we grew older we never went to Bible class and mom and dad would begin to go less and less to worship services. We drifted away from the church services and when I graduated high school I seldom darkened the doors of the Lord's church. College came along and I enjoyed all the pleasures of the world found in college. Church was never on my agenda. Mom and dad never really had time and neither did I. I married a college sweetheart and we were blessed with three children. My wife and I gave no thought to worship and as our children grew they never knew what Bible class or worship was all about. We struggled in our lives with the problems that face all couples and tried to solve them with Dr. Phil and Oprah and this counselor and that counselor and to little avail. Our children are doing well in the world but have no interest in spiritual things. It was the heart attack last year that brought my life back to those early days. Life took on a deeper meaning and my mind turned to the sanctity of life and its meaning. Strangely those childhood memories of Bible stories and songs began to haunt my memory. I soon regretted not having the influence of those Bible memories that so many others had shared. Why had mom and dad not seen the value in spending time with people of God and to help me learn about the stories of "Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets: who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions" (Hebrews 11:32-33). We were always too busy to attend on a Wednesday night and never went to a gospel meeting. There were a lot of things the elders tried to encourage us to be a part of but it just did not interest mom and dad. Interest - that is the word that escapes me. It means "a sense of concern with and curiosity about." Truth of it is mom and dad did not have a sense of concern for the Lord and His teachings. We saw that in their lives and so we had no interest in the Lord either. How often I have looked back on life and seen where an interest in the Lord would have helped me. Is that why my children have no interest in the Bible today? Is that why I find my life empty because of the lack of knowledge about the One who made me? I cannot blame my parents for all of my decisions but I can lay at their feet the charge they failed me when I was a child. They had so many opportunities to take me to Bible class and worship and help be involved in what the church was doing but they were not interested. How different my life would be today if they had. Sadly this carried over into my marriage and my own children. How do I begin to turn the heart of my wife to a book I turned my back on? What can I say to my own children who grew up with less interest in the Bible than I was exposed too growing up? In so many ways I am the product of how my parents viewed the efforts of the church in teaching and preaching the gospel. Their lack of interest instilled in me a lack of interest. Is it possible to say that if my parents would have taken me to Bible class and worship and been involved in the work of the church my life would have turned out perfect. No, I know many who are faithful to the cause of Christ and have tried their best to work diligently in the work of the church and yet faced troubles. But they seem to have a greater understanding and greater faith about overcoming those challenges. I wish I had that. I regret not having that foundation in my childhood. It would have made a difference in my life if my parents had seen the importance of the cause of Christ. I regret my lost childhood in not knowing the Lord. My birthday is tomorrow. Another candle will be added to the already burdened cake. All of the children will be home for dads special day. We will sing happy songs, laugh and I will enjoy opening the special gifts from my children and grandchildren. The cake will be cut and the punch will flow and a good time will be enjoyed by all. In a quiet corner I will sit and look upon my family with a smile and a tear will streak across my face for the memories of a few rare times in childhood when I remember those precious times in church. I will regret the loss of those important lessons in life. I will regret the loss of those important lessons being given to my own children. Time slips quietly by in life and we think we will live forever. The tide rolls in and we awaken to the dawn of tomorrow where yesterday can never be regained. Hard lessons of life are learned in lost childhoods. Parents are busy about many things and spend the childhood days filled with today and now and the need and the present and urgent and the must have and the rapid pace of life rushes by and then we wake up - and life is gone. If I had a voice to share with you as a parent I would implore you to see the worth of your child's life and the need to spend time now with the people of God and with the study of the word of God. The wise man said to "Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth, before the difficult days come, and the years draw near when you say, 'I have no pleasure in them'" (Ecclesiastes 12:1). Your children need to know about the Creator now. There are difficult days coming and they need to be prepared. You must show them the way and if you fail to show them the way they will be lost in the entanglements of life. The interest your children have in Jesus Christ will largely be determined by YOUR interest in Jesus Christ. There is no better time than now. My childhood days are gone and the days for my own children are passed. But you still have time to share the wonderful news of the Bible with your children. Be involved with the efforts of the church and take an interest in the things the elders are trying to help you with. Bring your children to Bible class. Bring your children to every worship service. Bring your family to the Lord and you will reap wonderful blessings. "Whatever a man sows, that he will also reap . he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart" (Galatians 6:7-9). You can make a difference in the life of your child beginning today. Make a commitment to put the Lord in your life in a positive way by the example you show of fidelity to the church. This will not guarantee that challenges will not be a part of your life but you will be prepared to face those challenges and so will your children. If you love your children you will love them enough to give them the greatest gift of all - God. He loves you and desires to teach your children of His love. He proved that by his own Son. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life" (John 3:16). Do not live to regret the childhood lost in your own children. Take every opportunity to give them something that will never die. Give them the knowledge of eternal life. Let them see the beauty of God's grace and the love of His rich mercy. Begin today with a commitment that you will make every effort to let your children see God in you. Show them your love for God by involving your family in the work of the church. Will you save their childhood? 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/20090930/b3607b34/attachment-0001.html From GLClair at aol.com Wed Sep 30 16:38:46 2009 From: GLClair at aol.com (GLClair at aol.com) Date: Wed, 30 Sep 2009 17:38:46 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] HILLIARD BULLETIN for October 2009 Message-ID: Hilliard Bulletin Published by the church of Christ 4840 Cemetery Road ? P.O. Box 96 Hilliard, Ohio 43026 Phone: (614) 876-4089 Preacher & Editor: Garreth L. Clair Phone: (614) 850-7252 _glclair at aol.com_ (mailto:glclair at aol.com) ==================================+++================== Volume 11 Number 10 October 2009 ======================================================= AS TIME PASSES [I.e. THE LATTER DAYS] TEXT: _1 Timothy 4:1-2_ (http://www.crossbooks.com/verse.asp?ref=1Ti+4:1-2) (ASV) ?1 But the Spirit saith expressly, that in later times some shall fall away from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons, 2 through the hypocrisy of men that speak lies, branded in their own conscience as with a hot iron;? _1 Timothy 4:1-3_ (http://www.crossbooks.com/verse.asp?ref=1Ti+4:1-3) (ESV) 1 Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, 2 through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared, INTRODUCTION: The phrase ?In the last days? or in the latter days? and similar phrases in the New Testament may refer to several events or specific occurrences. The passage in 1 Timothy surely refers to the last dispensation and events that will occur during that period of time. These last days in the text surely mean that period of time beginning with the establishment of the church or the destruction of Jerusalem. It is my opinion that this period covers the time from Pentecost of _Acts 2_ (http://www.crossbooks.com/verse.asp?ref=Ac+2) until the resurrection and judgment at the last day. REFERENCE I. IN THE LAST DAYS FROM _Acts 2:17_ (http://www.crossbooks.com/verse.asp?ref=Ac+2:17) ?And it shall be in the last days, saith God, I will pour forth of my Spirit upon all flesh: And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:? ASV NOTE: Surely this refers to the establishment of the church on Pentecost day {Acts _2:1-47_ (http://www.crossbooks.com/verse.asp?ref=Ac+2:1-47) }. SEVERAL EVENTS ARE TO OCCUR [i.e. possibly over and over with each generation]. THESE THINGS WILL HAPPEN ?? in later times? 1. Some [people] will fall away from the truth. This does not state that they will abandon religion or that they will never go to a religious service again, the passage says they will abandon the ?TRUTH?. THE CONSEQUENCE OF LEAVING THE TRUTH IS SERIOUS: A. Without truth on cannot be free from sin ? _John 8:32_ (http://www.crossbooks.com/verse.asp?ref=Jn+8:32) , ?and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.? ASV B. Without truth we cannot Know God ? _2 Tim 3:7_ (http://www.crossbooks.com/verse.asp?ref=2Ti+3:7) , ?ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.? 2. Some [people] will ?? give heed to seducing spirits? Many will be tricked by seducing philosophies originating in the mind of fallible [i.e. mortal] men. The Roman Pope ? Calls himself ?Holy Father? --- A title reserved for God ? cf. _Matthew 23:9_ (http://www.crossbooks.com/verse.asp?ref=Mt+23:9) , ? And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.? 3. Some will follow the ?? doctrines of demons,? ***** some people will follow the devil?s advocates [i.e. Church of Satan], etc. 4. The promoters of false teaching or doctrines of demons will deceive many through the insincerity of liars, whose consciences are seared, II. IN THE LAST DAYS FROM _2 Timothy 3:1-7_ (http://www.crossbooks.com/verse.asp?ref=2Ti+3:1-7) , ?1 But know this, that in the last days grievous times shall come. 2 For men shall be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, haughty, railers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 without natural affection, implacable, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, no lovers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, puffed up, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God; 5 holding a form of godliness, but having denied the power therefore. >From these also turn away. 6 For of these are they that creep into houses, and take captive silly women laden with sins, led away by divers lusts, 7 ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.? ASV III. IN THE LAST DAYS FROM _2 Peter 3:3-4_ (http://www.crossbooks.com/verse.asp?ref=2Pe+3:3-4) , ?3 knowing this first, that in the last days mockers shall come with mockery, walking after their own lusts, 4 and saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for, from the day that the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.? ASV CONCLUSION: These passages do not tell us about the timing of the judgment for no man knows when that will be. But these passages tell us about the continuing condition of people generation after generation. For in this last dispensation of time some will come to God on His terms and many will not. So, what should we do in view of these facts about time and people?s actions? Rom. 5:1-6, {glc} WORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES SUNDAY: Morning ? 9:30 & 10:30 AM Evening ? 6:00 PM MIDWEEK Wednesday ? 7:30 PM HOME BIBLE STUDIES Anytime: Call {614} 850-7252 Email: _glclair at aol.com_ (mailto:glclair at aol.com) Contact us for scheduling a date and time. LIVING LIFE IN A PROFITABLE WAY Eccl. 3:1-11 1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: 2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; 3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; 4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; 5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; 6 A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; 7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; 8 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace. 9 What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he labors? 10 I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it. 11 He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end. CONSIDER THIS: As a person lives in the world from birth until physical death there are some facts that they must always be cognizant of; the wise man (i.e. Solomon) tells us to enjoy life and all the good things in life. Yet Solomon also warns us to constantly be aware of the fact; ?God is watching and waiting for us after this life is over?, in consequence of this fact we must make adequate preparation to die while we also enjoy living in the world. Preparation for eventual physical death requires of us that we seek God and submit to God?s instructions via the Bible that tell us what is necessary to be ready when death comes. NOTE: Eccl. 11:8-12:1 - 8 But if a man live many years, and rejoice in them all; yet let him remember the days of darkness; for they shall be many. All that cometh is vanity. 9 Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment. 10 Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh: for childhood and youth are vanity. Ecclesiastes 12 12:1 Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shall say, I have no pleasure in them; KJV A BUSY TIME The great work of teaching and seeking to change the direction of other people who know not God is a constant preoccupation of those of us that make up the congregation in this community (Matt. 28:18-20). We take seriously the teachings that are found in the New Testament that instruct us to convert the lost (2 Cor. 4:3-5). There is not a day that we ignore or fail to seek that which is right in our relationship and personal interaction with those in the community who are not serving God (Rom. 15:2-3). We have just finished a good gospel meeting with brother Billy Ford from Arkansas. Our next Gospel meeting will be in the Spring of 2010 with Arthur Adams from Plymouth and Indianapolis, IN. The dates for that meeting will be April 22-25, 2010. Brother Adams has been working with the church in Plymouth, Indiana while operating a business in Indianapolis. I am sure we can look forward to another good meeting. Glc Mark Your Calendar today See you next month Lord willing -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20090930/5d5bff30/attachment-0001.html