CHRIST AND THE ALTERNATIVES

Much uncertainty, unrest and confusion exists in the world. It is a "troubled world", a "sick society" for which many seek solutions. The priest and the politician have failed with their religious and legislative programmes. Where should we look for the answer?

1. Materialism, affluence, power? The "greater barns" approach (Luke 12:15-21). For Christ's answer see Luke 12:31.
2. Physical pleasure and satisfaction? The "bread for our bodies" approach? (John 6:26, 33-34). For Christ's answer see John 6:48.
3. Political manipulation? The "nationalist movement"? (Luke 24:19-21). For Christ's answer see Luke 24:45-47.
4. Philosophical casuistry? The "argument without action" school? (Acts 17:21). For Christ's answer see v. 30-31.
5. Metaphysics and mythology? The "human traditions" school? (Matt. 15:3-9). For Christ's answer see Matt. 15:13.

God's answer is changing individuals through Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12).

Christ never promised a world solution (Acts 10:34-35), or a national answer (John 18:36), or family salvation (Matt. 10:36).

Each individual has become alienated by personal sin from God (Isa. 59:2) and needs individual reconciliation to God (Rom. 5:10). Each person will be judged by Christ (II Cor. 5:10), and each one is invited to have sins forgiven and be saved by personally responding (through faith and obedience) to Christ's terms of salvation (John 3:16; Luke 24:47; Mark 16:16).
[from The Truth in Love, no. 22, June 7, 1992, p. 9]

IN WHOM MAY WE BE CONFIDENT?
(Prov. 25:19)
As a medical practitioner, the writer knows the chagrine of hearing a patient's misrepresentation to others of the doctor's advice and, at the same time, not being able to refute it publicly. The code of ethics for doctors requires them to keep matters about their patients in strict confidence.

Christians may experience occasions when others, even fellow-Christians, say things about them which misrepresent them. It is natural to seek to defend oneself and correct the error. But, when so doing will bring the accuser into disrepute, it is often the wiser course for the spiritual person to say nothing and bear the insults, knowing that God is aware of the truth...(I Pet. 2:20). Paradoxically, being silent when wronged may not find favour with some of your brethren!

Seeking to justify ourselves when wronged is the worldly course of action, the kind of attitude which the apostle Paul taught against in remonstrating with his brethren in the church at Corinth. Instead of being litigious and "getting one's own back" or "getting even" with those who have wronged us. (I Cor. 6:7). This is what is meant by...(Rom. 12:21). When we "turn the other cheek" (Matt. 5:24) or be silenced (I Pet. 2:15). If wrong thoughts persist about us, we should maintain the attitude of Jesus on the cross...(Luke 23:34).

Yes, "in time of trouble" we will find out who are the faithless in whom our confidence has been misplaced; but...(Prov. 14:26).
(I Pet. 5:10).
[from The Truth in Love, no. 22, June 7, 1992, p. 1]

Choice. So you're all fed up with city life. It's one aweful mess to live in. There is more trouble on the block than you can ever remember. Let's get out, you say to your wife. Sell out and find a corner in the safe suburbs. You look down your old home street. This is your community. You've known these folks for years. If we move to some new section of town, we'll be in one of those places where people move in and out like musical chairs, you say. We'll lose the sense of community. What if we stay and work at cleaning things up here? If we all got together, if we each looked out for everyone else, if we stuck together and worked at community improvement, maybe things could change. Before you pack and run, look again at the community you've come to know. If someone takes the first step, perhaps you can get it together. A strong community spirit can get lights lit on the block again, get people out of doors occupying the streets once more. You can build a caring network of people who push back fear. Don't be overpowered by evil but overwhelm evil with good. That's a word from the Bible that can be a step toward building a stronger communities. Consider it when it is your choice.
[Radio Rhema]

EVERYBODY IS DOING IT

Much publicity was made of the recent riots in Los Angeles which followed the aquittal of four policemen who had been videoed while beating a negro motorist. One of the effects of the rioting was the looting of goods from many shops. A looter carrying an armful of goods was asked why he had taken the items and he replied: "Everybody is doing it!" The commentator added that the looter was referring to more than other looters at the time; he was referring to the general attitude of so many in society - to politicians, business people, professionals and others - who thought little of stealing time from their employers, doing shady deals, manipulating markets, engaging in bribery and corruption at all levels, and doing all these things as if it were matter-of-course and taken-for-granted behaviour.

It takes a courageous person of high principles to stand aside from the mob and to refrain from copying the wrong behaviour of those around who would try to excuse their actions by saying, "Everybody is doing it!"

Christians must not do anything simply because "everybody is doing it!" Instead, Christians must heed the directions of God and live to please him, not themselves or everybody else.

On the day of Pentecost, the apostle Peter told the crowd of "devout men" (Acts 2:5) that Jesus was the one "whom you crucified" (Acts 2:36). On a later occasion, Peter told his fellow-Israelites about Jesus and then added that he was the one...(Acts 3:13-15). Now, it is likely that anyone in Peter's audiences actually laid hands on Jesus, but they were just as guilty as those who did - by association through clamouring for Jesus' execution. They did this "in ignornace" (Acts 3:17) but, if some of them felt pangs of guilt when they saw what happened to an innocent man, no doubt they appeased their consciences by assuring each other that "everybody is doing it!"

Stand out from the crowd and refrain from the wrong behaviour of those who excuse themselves by saying "everybody is doing it!" Be sure you "learn what is pleasing to the Lord" (Eph. 5:10) and behave accordingly. Don't run with the crowd.
[from The Truth in Love, no. 21, May 31, 1992, p. 1]

GIVE THANKS TO HIS NAME
(Heb. 13:15)
When we sing praises to God in the words of God we know that Jesus is in our midst joining us in this worship, for we are told that Jesus...(Heb. 2:11-12). Be mindful of his presence.
[from The Truth in Love, no. 21, May 31, 1992, p. 8]

MATERIALISM
(Mark 8:36; I Tim. 6:9-10; Isa. 55:2)
The amount of a man's wealth consists in the number of things he can do without. - Ralph Waldo Emerson

The best way to live happily ever after is not to be after too much.

Desire is like a river, as long as it flows within the banks of God's will, be the current strong or weak, all is well. But when it flows over those boundaries and seeks other channels, then disaster lurks in the rampage. - James Dobson, Sr.

The only thing you can take to heaven with you is your children and others that you have told about Christ.

The greatest secret of life is to spend it on something that will outlast it.

God is entitled to a portion of our income, not because He needs it, but because we need to give it. - James C. Dobson

Such is the human race, often it does seem a pity that Noah and his party didn't miss the boat. - Mark Twain

A person brings nothing into this world and takes nothing out of it. Considering the kind of world it is, he is lucky to break even.

I have concluded that the accumulation of wealth, even if I could achieve it, is an insufficient reason for living. When I reach the end of my days, a moment or two from now, I must look backward on something more meaningful than the pursuit of houses and land and machines and stocks and bonds. Nor is fame of any lasting benefit. I will consider my earthly existence to have been wasted unless I can recall a loving family, a consistent investment in the lives of people and an earnest attempt to serve the God who made me. Nothing else makes much sense. - James C. Dobson

BUILDING YOUR MATE'S SELF ESTEEM
Signs of low self-esteem
1. Family background
2. Fear of being vulnerable
3. A pattern of discouragement
4. Lack of confidence in decision making
5. Difficulty admitting wrong
6. Unable to forgive another person
7. Critical of others
8. Perfectionist
9. Self-depreciation
10. Escaping from the real issues of life (most often with drugs).

Some tips to build mate's self esteem
1. Accept your mate unconditionally
2. Put the past in perspective
3. Planting positive words
4. Contructing in difficult times
5. Give your mate the freedom to fail
6. Spend quality time together
7. Keep your life manageable
[by Dennis Rainey]

THINGS MONEY CAN BUY

We are all familiar with the old adage, "There are some things that money cannot buy." Love and happiness are two things that immediately come to my mind. Let us stop and ponder for a moment the things that money can buy.

The apostle Paul penned some very sobering words through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. He wrote...(I Tim. 6:10).

Money can buy you a heart of hatred (Prov. 15:17).
Money can buy you an eye of covetousness (Prov. 28:22).
Money can buy you a mind of independence from God (Prov. 30:9).
Money can buy you a tongue that tells lies (Prov. 21:6).
Money can buy you a pocketbook of insecurity (Prov. 23:5).
Money can buy you possessions that decay (Prov. 27:24).
Money can buy you a life with no purpose (Prov. 30:8).
Money can buy you years of trouble (Prov. 15:16).
Money can buy you a soul that is spiritually bankrupt (Prov. 11:4).
Money can buy you an eternal home apart from God (Prov. 28:20).
[from Sycamore Chapel bulletin, Sept 4, 1994, p. 2]

EVERY TIME THE DOORS ARE OPEN

Many times I have gone over the various reasons why Christians should attend every service of the church. We are to obey the elders (Heb. 13:7-17), to seek God's kingdom first (Matt. 6:33), to be ready unto every good work (Titus 3:1), to avoid being a stumbling block (Matt. 18:6), to be the best possible example of Christianity (Matt. 5:13-16), to edify others (I Thes. 5:11), to make our bodies a living sacrifice (Rom. 12:1), etc., etc., etc.

I have preached sermons using these main points. I hoped that they would sink in, but often they seemed to glance off people's hearts like water off a duck's back. It is like trying to convince a man that he should love his wife or trying to prove to parents that they should love their children. It is as though we are trying to convince the head when the heart isn't really in it.

I try to attend every possible service of the church. I do not have a long list of elaborate reasons for doing so. I just love the church and want to see it succeed. Therefore, every time the doors are open, there is an opportunity, a privilege, and a responsibility to be there and to help out.

I don't buy the "I'm too busy" bit. Show me a person who forsakes worship privileges because he is so busy, and I'll show you people every bit as busy but who never miss a service except for extreme illness or other similar prohibiting problems.

It's a matter of love for the Lord and the church. That, pure and simple, is all that it is. Jesus said...(John 14:15). "If you love ME..." That's the answer!

"If YOU love ME..." That's it!
"If you LOVE me..." Yes, that's what it is about.
[by Owen Cosgrove from Sycamore Chapel bulletin, Sept 4, 1994, p. 2-3]

OPEN HIS EYES

The old prophet and his servant awakened one morning to find themselves surrounded by the Syrian army. The servant panicked! He was sure that there was no hope of escape. But the prophet of God was amazingly calm, even though he faced the same peril. He prayed, "Lord, open the young man's eyes, that he may see!" The Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw the flaming chariots of God encircling Elisha.

Human conditions CAN be depressing! We may face problems that seem insurmountable. We may experience loses that are overwhelming. Those whose trust is in the Lord are not expected to deny the reality of unhappy experiences.

There are, however, OTHER realities which override every tragedy and threat. Whatever the circumstance, the Christian is encircled by the presence, love, and protection of God.

God's chariots surround us! That is a fact. We may not benefit fully from this fact, due to our inability to RECOGNIZE His presence. If we're to avoid despair, the need is not for a greater supply of protection or power, but simply for the faith to see that which is already here, waiting to comfort, reassure, and sustain those whose eyes are open!
[by Ruel D. Catlett from Sycamore Chapel bulletin, Aug. 28, 1994, p. 3]

EVERY TIME I GET CLOSE I GET KICKED

My wife is pregnant - that's no surprise to those of you who live in Corvallis. As I settled to go to sleep recently, I noticed that every time I get close, I get kicked. That's not such a bad feeling. It's a sign of a healthy baby.

For some people, relationships feel like that. "Every time I get close, I get kicked." It's a feeling of frustration.

When we consider God, we remember that He does not treat people like that. (James 4:8a). As we move towards God, He never pushes us away.

That carries important implications for the people of God. Consider these sample "cases."

A husband and wife start to share an honest feeling. Just as the words finally begin to flow, the "listener" gets distracted. No response. Let this cycle repeat itself a few times and it will be a long time before honest sharing occurs.

After months of hurting over sin, a brother confesses a sinful situation to his church family. "I spend so much time by myself it's easy for me to be tempted." After formal prayer, a couple of people shake his hand. He eats lunch alone.

The rejected person in each case could easily say, "Every time I get close, I get kicked."

When your wife wants to talk honestly, LISTEN. When your brother confesses a sin, LOVE. In so doing, we change the message received to: "Every time I get close, I get kissed." It's a much better message for God's people to send.
[by Greg Strawn from Sycamore Chapel bulletin, Aug. 21, 1994, p. 3]

For faith to be a virtue, you must believe the unbelieveable.
For love to be a virtue, you must love the unloveable.
For forgiveness to be a virtue, you must forgive the unforgiveable.
For giving to be a virtue, you must give when you have nothing to give.

RIGHT AND WRONG

Advanced mathematicians know there are many different answers to, "How much is two plus two?" For those with a particular interest in how numbers work, the alternative answers are intriguing.

However, those who expect to use numbers to make their way sensibly through life must remember that, in the ordinary course of things, two plus two equals four. To neglect that reality does not manifest mathematical enlightenment. It results in utter confusion.

Today's teachers of ethics should consider that mathematical analogy. It is popular to present carefully crafted puzzles with no "right" or "wrong" answer. For example, seven are in a life boat, each person is described, including his or her potential contributions to society, there is food and water only for five, which two must be sacrificed, and how?

For those with clearly developed value systems and a philosophical turn of the mind, perhaps some good is done. For the rest, however, the lesson is that, in the gray world of ethical value, two plus two is whatever we decide we want it to be.

What is forgotten in all this, and what some teachers seem not to know how to teach, or perhaps think they are forbidden to teach, is that some things are right and some things are wrong.

Students debate lifeboat ethical dilemmas, and the ethics of DNA research and transplant surgery, often without ever learning anything about integrity, personal decency, individual responsibility, or honor.

Some teachers are eager to maintain, "There is no absolute standard," so they can promote a non-judgmental attitude toward homosexual relationships and sexually active boys and girls. But "no absolute standard" means lying is as good as telling the truth, stealing as good as honest labor, hate as good as love, and murder as good as saving a life, anytime anyone chooses to think it is.

Some subjective judgments are necessary in teaching ethics. There are gray areas, and sometimes difficult circumstances may seem to force a choice between two evils. But, just as in the real world of work and salaries, of grocery buying and debt paying, one cannot function without realizing that two plus two equals four, similarly, students are misled if they are not taught ethical absolutes. It is right to return lost items to their owners if they can be found; it is wrong to steal. It is right to save and protect innocent life; it is wrong to murder. It is right to be sexually faithful to one spouse; it is wrong to be promiscuous. Some things may be fuzzy, but everything is not.

Love, patience, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-discipline are positive goods, absolute virtues. Without them, a person cannot function in society. If they are not found in the majority of society, society cannot function. They will not be found if they are not taught.
[by Cecil May, Jr., Magnolia Bible College from Sycamore Chapel bulletin, Dec. 4, 1994, p. 2 and Jan. 14, 1996, p. 2-3]

A man fell into a pit and couldn't get himself out. A subjective person came along and said, "I feel for you down there." An objective person came along and said, "Well, it's logical that someone would fall down there." A Christian scientist came along and said, "You only THINK that you're in that pit." A Pharisee said, "Only bad people fall into pits." A mathematician calculated how he fell into the pit. A news reporter wanted an exclusive story on his pit. A fundamentalist said, "You deserve your pit." A Calvinist said, "If you had been saved, you would have never fallen into that pit." A Wesleyan said, "You were saved and still fell into that pit." A charismatic said, "Just confess that you are not in that pit." A realist said, "Now THAT'S A PIT." A geologist told him to appreciate the rock strata in the pit. An IRS man asked if he was paying taxes on his pit. The county inspector asked if he had a permit to dig the pit. An evasive person came along and avoided the subject altogether. A self pitying person said, "You haven't seen anything until you've seen MY pit." An optimist said, "Things could be worse." A pessimist said, "Things will get worse." Jesus seeing the man reached down and took him by the hand and lifted him out of the pit.

LEARN TO SAY, NO...LEARN TO SAY, YES!

Recently, Little Jack (age one year) was about to throw metal through the TV. Granddad yelled, "No!" He turned with a pouting lip and yelled back, "No," then cried. Unfortunately his parents were there. It is not easy to have someone else discipline their child. I am learning. I better understand my mother who could not spank our children even when encouraged! It is different. This article has three points:

1) Parents are responsible for their children. What is obvious is not anymore. Our present political administration says, "...parents should not be permitted by the law to unilaterally decide how to raise their children." This is scary! "Do-gooders" in Washington know how -- you don't. Socialism that promises security (like in Old Russia) also controls your lives. I am scared down at church with the "spiritually elite" who maintain, "I am at a higher spiritual level than you." They think they can run the church better! Beware! Political correctness today nearly has parents under children. How dumb!

2) Children must be taught, "No." Just saying "No" is simple yet wise. "No!" It is one great word. Adam couldn't say it! Judas could not say it! Just what part of "No" can you not understand? Say "No" to self, sin, and society. Our lives are painful simply because we can't say "No."

3) The word "No" carries more meaning when spoken by adults who also know how to say "Yes." Tragically, discipline is totally put down today because of abuses, yet an abuse does not deny the need. Negative, narrow, rigid discipline fails. We must each say, "No." We must equally learn to say "No" to sin; then must learn to say "Yes" to God. Tragically the opposite usually happens. It is easier to say "No" to God and "Yes" to sin! Learn both!
[by Charles Hodge from Sycamore Chapel bulletin, Nov. 27, 1994, p. 2-3]

THE NEED TO FIND MORE TIME FOR GOD

I heard a man say recently that the person who invented the thirty hour day would make a fortune. Many will say "Amen" to that. However, there has always been a twenty-four hour day and there will always be a twenty-four hour day. Since this is the case, it comes down to how we use the day which the Lord has given us.

I will never forget the message given by Dr. George Benson to the students at Harding College (University now) while a student there. He could get more done in a day than any man I have ever known in my life. He was a man of great accomplishments. Yet, it seemed that he had time for what needed to be done. He shared the secret for what needed to be done. He shared the secret to his successful use of time with the students, encouraging us to use his secret so we could be more successful as students and in later life. What was his secret? It was and is so simple that it escapes most people. It all depends on how you "BUDGET" your time.

It is like money. Most people are limited to a certain amount of money each week. If one does not budget this amount of money, before long they will find themselves in a situation where the money they have will not meet all the obligations they have committed themselves to meet. Debt piles upon debt and eventually they find themselves at the end of their financial rope and either lose everything or must declare bankruptcy. Either situation is not pleasant.

The only answer to budgeting ourselves in both the matters of time and money is to take Brother Hodge's advice and learn to say "No!" (If you have not done so read the preceeding article). If we are going to have more time to spend in service to God, we are going to have to say "No" to some of the social activities which we obligate ourselves to which really do not amount to much anyway. We allow our children to get involved in more than they can handle and in so doing teach them to waste their time. We waste our time in watching TV hours each day when that time could better be used in Bible study and prayer. These hours could also be used in visiting the sick, shut-ins, discouraged, babes in Christ, people we want to see become Christians, etc. The list could go on and on. We are going to have to say "No" to ourselves in many areas. The problem is, I am the hardest person to say that to that I have to deal with. We have spoiled ourselves.

Brethren, we have all the time we need for everything we need to do if we will only take ourselves in hand and budget the time we have. In the Bible, when God needed something done he always looked for a busy person to get it done. He knew a busy person would find the time.
[from Sycamore Chapel bulletin, Nov. 27, 1994, p. 2]

AN INCREDIBLE STORY

Incredible! That was my first impression when I read a report in a Texas newsletter. Since it seemed so incredible, I made a few phone calls to check it out -- and it is true! The incredible news, is on May 10th Jeffrey Dahmer was baptized into Christ! Remember Jeffrey Dahmer? He is serving sixteen life terms in a Wisconsin prison for his confessed murder of seventeen young men, whose dismembered bodies were kept in his home.

Last Wednesday I called Brother Roy Ratcliff, who preaches in Madison, Wisconsin. He told me that after seeing a TV news report on the serial killer, sister Mary Mott, in Alexandria, VA. sent Dahmer a Bible and a World Bible School correspondence course. Upon completion of the lessons Dahmer sent word that he wanted a church of Christ preacher to come so "his sins could be washed away." Thus, Brother Ratcliff went to the prison, studied with him, and accompanied by two guards and a chaplain went to the infirmary where Dahmer was baptized in the whirlpool. Brother Ratcliff goes each Wednesday for Bible studies with Dahmer.

Incredible! Not really! Remember Peter's sermon on Pentecost? When speaking of those who crucified Christ said...(Acts 2:23). They were told to...(Acts 2:38). Thus it is not really incredible that Jeffrey Dahmer could have his sins washed away.

Dahmer's conversion does not alter the likelihood that he will live the rest of his life in prison. It does mean that, if sincere and faithful to the end, he will have Heaven as his eternal home.

Just imagine the concern and compassion of sister Mary Mott who had vision enough to send a Bible and correspondence course to Dahmer. What about our concern for others? How we need to pray that the Lord help us to "lift up our eyes" to see opportunities for spreading the gospel. And what testimony to the POWER of the gospel. Let's use that power to saving of more souls.
[by Ken Willis from Sycamore Chapel bulletin, Nov. 6, 1994, p. 2-3]

GO FER ENUF

There is a book titled If You Don't Know Where You Are Going, You Will Probably End Up Somewhere Else, and in Tim Hansel's book Eating Problems for Breakfast he tells of a conversation he had with an old wilderness scout:

Late one afternoon as the blue western sky was beginning to fade into oranges and grays, he got to talking on his trips who became lost in the wilderness. "I've had lots of people get lost up here," he said. I responded, "That's probably because they don't really understand a map and compass all that well. Right?"

"Nope," he said.
"Well, it's probably because they are new to the wilderness," I said.
Again he replied, "Nope."
"Then it's probably because they are city folk and don't know east from west," I said.
"Nope," he said.
"Then, it's because they don't understand the terrain," I said.
"Nope," he said.

I must have asked him at least a dozen more questions to which I kept getting the same simple answer, "Nope." My curiosity finally won out, and I said, "Well, then, how come they get lost all the time?"

"It's 'cause they don't go fer enuf!" he said. "I tell them to go five miles, and they go about three-fourths of a mile and start turning left and right and end up all over the place."

How many times do we start things and don't finish them? One author said, "Courage is the desire to begin something, but perseverance is the desire to continue."
(Phili. 3:14.)
And so, as you live your life for God, be sure to "Go Fer Enuf."
[by Dave Osborn from Sycamore Chapel bulletin, Nov. 6, 1994, p. 2]

MY RULES FOR LIFE

1. I try never to say anything behind a man's back that would give me the least embarrassment to say to his face.
2. I try never to speak back to personal critics - friends do not need to hear the defense and enemies would not believe it.
3. Every day I greet every person I see with a smile and make a special effort to do so it the person is poor or in unfortunate circumstances.
4. The first thing when I awake in the morning I plan what my duty for the day is and try to go beyond it.
5. Every day I read from the Bible and some other good books - feeding the mind and soul is more important than feeding the body.
6. I try to pay every debt I owe on time and always save something from every pay check, however small.
7. I like people and never harbor any malice or hatred toward any person in the world; I like places and have yet to be anywhere that I do not like - I go there with the intention of liking the place.
8. I am a confirmed optimist believing that even in this life evil men will be punished by their own unhappiness and good men will be rewarded. "It's better further on."
9. I try to close each day as if it were the last day I'd be on earth, closing the books on all regrets, worries and annoyances.
10. The last thing I do at night is to count one by one the blessings of the day. This makes me so thankful and happy that I soon drift into pleasant sleep. In this spirit I hope to close life's journey and drift into eternity.
[by George W. DeHoff from Sycamore Chapel Bulletin, Oct. 30, 1994, p. 2]

YOU'LL NEED YOUR CALCULATOR FOR THIS ONE

Begin with 66, the number of books in the Bible.
Add 13, the number of books by Paul in the New Testament.
Add 7, the number of the "churches of Asia".
Multiply by 3, the number of the Godhead.
Multiply by 12, the number of tribes in Israel.
Multiply by 12, the number of apostles.
Add 666, the number of the Beast in Revelation.

Turn the calculator around so that you can read the answer upside down. You will see the source for the solution of the world's greatest ills.

PREACHING IN AN AGE OF ENTERTAINMENT

Have you ever noticed how many television commercials say nothing about the products they advertise? The typical jeans commercial shows a painful drama about the woes of adolescence but never mentions jeans. A perfume ad is a collage of sensuous images with no reference to the product. Beer commercials contain some of the funniest material on television but say very little about beer.

Amusing Ourselves To Death is the name of a perceptive but disquieting book by Neil Postman, professor at New York University. The book argues powerfully that television has crippled our ability to think and reduced our aptitude for real communication. Postman says television has not made us the best informed and most literate generation in history. Instead, it has flooded our minds with irrelevant and meaningless information.

By far the book's most trenchant message is in a chapter on modern religion. Postman, not a Christian in the strictest sense of the word, nevertheless writes with piercing insight about the decline of preaching. He contrasts the ministries of Jonathan Edwards, George Whitefield, and Charles Finney with the preaching of today. Those men relied on depth of content, profundity, logic and knowledge of scripture. Preaching today is superficial by comparison, with the emphasis on the style and emotion. "Good" preaching by the modern definition must above all be brief and amusing. It is entertainment - not exhortation, reproof, rebuke, or instruction (cf. II Tim. 3:16; II Tim. 4:2).

Most churches typically feature a half-hour sermon with lots of amusing anecdotes, but little doctrine. In fact, many churches think of doctrine as undesirable and impractical. A major religious magazine recently published an article by a well-known preacher. He mused for a whole page about the futility of both preaching and listening to sermons that go beyond mere entertainment. His conclusion? People don't remember what you say anyway, so most preaching is a waste of time. His last statement was cutting but true: "People, I've discovered, will forgive even poor theology as long as they get out by the hour."

There is an obvious parallel between that kind of preaching and those trendy jeans-perfume-beer commercials. Like the commercials, it aims to set a mood, to evoke an emotional response - to entertain - but not necessarily to communicate anything of substance. Such preaching is sheer accommodation to a society bred by television. It is not the kind of preaching the scriptures mandate. We are to "preach the word" (II Tim. 4:2; Titus 2:1; I Tim. 6:2-3).

If the dilemma of modern preaching is to be changed, Christians must insist on biblical preaching and be supportive of men who are committed to it. How does a preacher of integrity reach people who may be unwilling or even unable to listen to carefully-reasoned expositions of God's truth? That may be the greatest challenge of today's Christian leaders. We cannot yield to the pressure to be superficial. We must find ways to make the truth of God known to a generation that not only doesn't want to hear, but may not even know how to listen.
[by Douglas Parsons from Sycamore Chapel bulletin, Oct. 16, 1994, p. 2]

JUST BETWEEN THE TWO OF YOU

In Matt. 18:15 Jesus offers some simple instruction in interpersonal relationships which, if faithfully applied, will make the experience of Christian brotherhood more pleasant and harmonious than it sometimes is.
(Matt. 18:15.)
The Lord isn't suggesting that every fault and offense, intentional or otherwise, be brought before our brother for an accounting. Christian love includes compassion and generosity in dealing with one another's frailties.

There are circumstances, however, where confrontation is the only appropriate course of action. Under some conditions, love demands it. It may be called for in the interest of a brother's spiritual warfare, when actual sin is involved and his soul is in danger, which appears to be what Jesus had in mind.

Or, it may be that we should speak to a brother about his offensive attitude or behavior because of our own immaturity; that is, because we lack sufficient love to "bear with one another." If this is the case, to speak up is certainly better than to harbor smoldering resentment in our hearts.

Obviously, such a direct approach to interpersonal relationships is not without dangers. However, our own experience tells us that it is far safer than the common alternatives. For one thing, it completely rules out gossip, grumbling, and backbiting.

If a Christian lacks the love or the courage necessary to follow this rule, let him keep his complaint between himself and God until the Spirit is able to develop those qualities within him.

In the interest of our own happiness and of the unity of the Body of Christ, may God grant us all the desire to yield to Him in this matter!
[by Ruel D. Catlett from Sycamore Chapel bulletin, Oct. 9, 1994, p. 3]

PARENTS, WAKE UP!!!

Would you send your child across a busy freeway? His chances of making it would be slim. What about a ball and chain on each leg? He would have no chance.

Some time back the Boulevard Church of Christ in Baton Rouge, Louisiana made a thorough brotherhood study on the problem of losing our young people. Their findings were sobering. Our horrendous loss rate (around 50%) of young people is found to be directly related to their parents commitment to Christ.

Here are the findings:
When both parents are faithful in attendance and are active - 7% are lost.
When only one parent is faithful in attendance and active - 26% are lost.
When the parents are fairly faithful in attendance, but inactive - 46% are lost.
When parents attend only occasionally - 94% are lost.

You can be assisting your children to heaven or dragging them to hell. To be less than fervent in service to Christ is to lessen your child's chances in the most important thing in his life. Parents, wake up!
[by Glenn Gleim from Sycamore Chapel bulletin, Oct. 2, 1994, p. 3]

AMERICA NEEDS GOD

You are no doubt all too aware of America's continuing moral decline. The evidence is both overwhelming and indesputable. You may be unaware, though, just how far and how swiftly we have slipped.

William Bennett has recently released, through the auspices of the Heritage Foundation, "The Index of Leading Cultural Indicators" - a statistical portrait of the nation's behavioral trends since 1960. His findings are alarming.

According to Bennett's study, the population has increased 41% while violent crime has jumped 560%. Divorces have quadrupled. The teenage suicide rate has risen 200%. Illegitimate births have increased 400%. Today 30% of all births and 68% of black births are illegitimate.

What has gone wrong?

Consider these questions carefully. During the past thirty-five years, have we as a nation drawn closer to God or have we slipped farther away from God? Have we placed a greater emphasis upon the Bible or have we neglected the Bible? Have religion and spiritual matters generally been advanced or have they been pushed aside in favor of secular concerns? Are our families attending worship services, praying and reading the Bible more often of less often now than families did a generation ago?

The answers are painfully obvious.

We are reaping what we have sown. The Bible has been right all along...(Prov. 14:34).

The solution to America's most pressing problems may be found within each of us, in a renewed and determined commitment to put God and His will first in our lives. As a people, we don't need more government. We surely don't need more selfish greed or self-promotional grandstanding. What we need is what we've always needed. We need God.
[by Dalton Key from Sycamore Chapel bulletin, Oct. 2, 1994, p. 2]

THE QUESTION AND ITS IMPLICATIONS

Last Sunday evening about 5:15 p.m. I was walking toward the church building, headed for a 5:30 committee meeting, followed by the 6:00 p.m. service, then a teachers' meeting after that.

A cute little guy about six years old came riding by on his bike. I didn't know him, but said hello.

"Are you going to church?" he asked. "Yes," I answered. Then as he rode farther on he looked back and asked, "Is this church day?"

What a revealing question! How had he spent his day - other than riding his bike? And what about his parents? Was Sunday merely a day to take it easy, catch up on housework, or what?

My dad used to say that on Sundays when he was a boy, he never heard his parents discuss whether or not to attend services. They just went.

The church was so much a part of their lives that it had to have a profound effect on my dad's values and life choices. In time he became a Christian, a deacon, an elder and an avid personal evangelist who won many souls.

But how would he have turned out had his parents' priorities been different?

I also wonder what will become of the little fellow who had to ask, "Is this church day?" How may more are there like him in our town?

As members of God's family, we have our work cut out for us, don't we?
[by David Gibson from Sycamore Chapel bulletin, Oct. 2, 1994, p. 2]

LIKE IT OR NOT, IT'S STILL TRUE

Bible truths can be presented in at least two ways: with an arrogant, unloving, self-righteous attitude, or with genuine concern for the eternal welfare of others. Consider these unpopular truths:

God intends for marriage to be a binding covenant; He hates divorce (Matt. 19:3-9; Mal. 2:13-16).

All sexual relationships before or outside of marriage are sinful (Heb. 13:4; I Thes. 4:2-8).

Homosexuality is contrary to the will of God (Rom. 1:24-27; I Cor. 6:9-11).

Abortion destroys human life, made in the image of God (Gen. 9:5-7; Psa. 139:13-16).

There is such a place as hell, where the lost will be punished forever (Matt. 25:41, 46; II Thes. 1:7-9; Rev. 14:9-11; Rev. 20:14-15; Rev. 21:8).

Most people will be lost (Matt. 7:13-14; Matt. 7:21-23).

Christ is the only way to God (John 14:6; Acts 4:12).

Christ established only one church, and division is sinful (Matt. 16:18; John 17:20-23; Eph. 1:22-23; Eph. 4:4; I Cor. 1:10-13).

There is such a thing as revealed truth - absolute truth - which one must believe to be saved (I Cor. 15:1-2); and there is such a thing as error which will cause one to be lost (Gal. 1:6-9; II Pet. 3:15-17).

Baptism is that moment at which God saves us (Mark 16:15-16; Acts 2:38; Acts 22:16; I Pet. 3:15-17).

Baptism is immersion, not sprinkling or pouring (Acts 8:35-39; Rom. 6:3-5).

Baptism in only for sinners (Acts 2:38) and for believers (Mark 16:15-16; Acts 18:8) - not for infants or small children.

Not all worship is acceptable to God. Worship must be according to His revealed truth in the New Testament (John 4:24; I Pet. 2:5).

It takes courage these days (it always has) to stand up for what's right. May God give us boldness to speak, love toward everyone, and tactfulness in our presentation (II Tim. 2:24-26).

So much of the Bible is not "politically correct," but it is still the word of God.
[by David Gibson from Sycamore Chapel bulletin, Sept. 11, 1994, p. 2-3]

WHAT IS BIBLE BELIEF??

I was asked the question the other day, "What is Bible belief?" The question, as I understood it, was concerned with whether or not "belief" in the Bible always presupposes "obedience". I am going to give an inequitable "Yes!" and then try to explain why I answer the question in that way.

We need to realize that "belief" and "faith" are both from the same Greek word, and whenever we find that word used - "pisteuo," or "pistis" - we are talking about a conviction to the truth of the matter under discussion. If one says that he "believes in God," or that he "has faith in God," he is saying the same thing. In Thayer's Greek Lexicon (a lexicon is simply a Greek dictionary), this definition is given relative to faith, used especially of the faith by which a man embraces Jesus: "a conviction, full of joyful trust, that Jesus is the Messiah - the divinely appointed author of eternal salvation in the kingdom of God, conjoined with obedience to Christ." Notice the last phrase, "conjoined with obedience to Christ." Faith that has no connection with obedience is foreign to the teachings of the Bible.

There was a time in the life of Moses when God told him to speak to a rock and it would give forth water for the people. Instead of speaking to the rock, Moses struck the rock and took credit to himself and Aaron for having given water to the people. The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, "Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them." Now, does anyone doubt that Moses believed in God, in the sense of having faith in His existence? Of course Moses believed in God, and yet God said, "ye believe me not to sanctify me..." In other words, "Moses, your faith was lacking in obedience, so, in actuality, you just simply did not believe in me."

When James was discussing the matter of faith he said, "Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe and tremble." What was he saying? Believing in God, without any obedience connected thereto, is of no value whatever! He says, in effect, that the devil has that kind of faith. If mere intellectual assent constitutes Bible belief, then Satan himself would be classified as a believer. James went ahead to make it clear that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only. He went so far as to say that "faith without works is dead." If we could use an illustration from everyday life, we might compare Bible belief to one's belief in his doctor. If I truly have confidence in my doctor, then I will obey his instructions, take his medications, and follow his directives. Otherwise, why express belief in him and disregard what he says?
[by Gene Carrell from Sycamore Chapel bulletin, Sept. 11, 1994, p. 2]

TAKING ANOTHER LOOK

When I feel like my burdens are too much to bear, I look at the cross. I see one who suffered greater anguish than I will ever know. Tears rolled down His face, welling up from a heart that was broken by sin. A moment or two of reflection on His suffering convinces me that I need to spend more time understanding my difficulties and less time feeling sorry for myself. During those times I need to look at the cross.

Sometimes I am tempted to forget the terrible consequences of my sin. In those times I look in the grave. I see the body of one who died in my place, who faced what I could not and who endured what He would not, except for my sin. The color drains from my own face as I look at the bloodless body, cold and stiff, wrapped in white linen that should be wrapped around me. Because of my sin I need to look in the grave.

I look at the stone, too. The vault of death is no longer sealed because it has been moved. He said He would come back, and He did. God knew, Jesus knew, the angels at the tomb knew, and now I know. It is hard to imagine, it is too good to be true, yet it is true. All of the anguish of the cross, and the defeat of the grave, are overtaken by the victory of the stone. If it is difficult to look at the cross or the tomb, it is marvelously easy to look at this stone. I need to look, I want to look at the stone over and over again.

The cross led to the tomb and the tomb required the stone. God was loving enough to allow the cross, he was patient enough to endure the grave, and he was mighty enough to roll away the stone. And he still is.
[by Mike Prather from Power for Today, Oct.-Dec., 1994]

The Christian bookshelf (book review)
Lawrence J. Crabb, Jr., Effective Biblical Counseling (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1977), pp. 20-21.

Now there is nothing wrong in wanting to be happy. An obsessive preoccupation with "my happiness," however, often obscures our understanding of the biblical route to deep, abiding joy. The Lord has told us that there are pleasures forever at his right hand. If we desire those pleasures, we must learn what it means to be at God's right hand. Paul tells us that Christ has been exalted to God's right hand (Eph. 1:20). It follows naturally that the more I abide in Christ, the more I will enjoy the pleasures available in fellowship with God. If I am to experience true happiness, I must desire above all else to become more like the Lord, to live in subjection to the Father's will as he did.

Many of us place top priority not on becoming Christlike in the middle of our problems but on finding happiness. I want to be happy but the paradoxical truth is that I will never be happy if I am concerned primarily with becoming happy. My overriding goal must be in every circumstance to respond biblically, to put the Lord first, to seek to behave as he would want me to. The wonderful truth is that as we devote all our energies to the task of becoming what Christ wants us to be, he fills us with joy unspeakable and a peace far surpassing what the world offers. I must firmly and consciously by an act of my will reject the goal of becoming happy and adopt the goal of becoming more like the Lord. The result will be happiness for me as I learn to dwell at God's right hand in fellowship with Christ. Our modern emphasis on personal wholeness, human potential, and the freedom to be ourselves has quietly shifted us away from a burning concern for becoming more like the Lord to a more primary interest in our development as persons which, we are implicitly promised, will lead to our happiness.

Look at the titles of so many Christian books today: The Christian's Secret of a Happy Life; Be all you Can Be; All We're Meant to Be; The Total Woman; The Fulfilled Woman. Many contain excellent and truly biblical concepts, but their message, whether defined or implied, sometimes directs us more toward concern with self-expression and less toward an interest in conformity to Christ's image. The Bible, however, teaches that if I will obediently abide in truth in order to become more like God and thus make him known, the by-product will be my eventual happiness. But neither the goal of the Christian life nor the goal of Christian counseling is an individual's happiness. Trying to find happiness is something like trying to fall asleep. As long as you consciously and zealously try to grasp it, it never comes.

Paul said it was his ambition (goal) not to become happy but to please God at every moment. What a transforming thought! When I drive my car to work and someone cuts me off, when my kids act up during church, when the dishwasher breaks - my primary responsibility is to please God! In Heb. 13:15-16, we are told that believer-priests (all of us are priests) have a twofold function: (1) to offer the sacrifice of worship to God and (2) to offer the sacrifice of service for others. If I want to please God at every moment, I must be centrally occupied with worship and service. It seems to me that a seriously neglected truth in most Christian counseling efforts is this: the basic biblical reason for wanting to solve your personal problem should be that you want to enter into a deeper relationship with God, to more effectively please him through worship and service.
[reviewed by Art McNeese from 20th Century Christian, vol. 46, no. 3, Dec., 1984, p. 33-35]

The Christian bookshelf (book review)
Lewis B. Smedes, Mere Morality (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1983), pp. 1-2.

He is a little man in a long green coat and a cocked hat, standing with one leg on a steep roof, playing the fiddle. He is all of us, trying to make some meaningful music out of our lives but lacking a level place to stand on. "We are all fiddlers on the roof, trying to scratch out a pleasant little tune without falling down and breaking our necks." And how do we keep our balance? "I'll tell you," sings Tevye in the opening song of the musical inspired by Chagall's painting, "in one word, I'll tell you, tradition! Because of our tradition, everybody knows who he is and what God expects him to do."

To know in advance what God expects us to do - before a new wind threatens to blow us off the roof, before a new crisis shakes our foundations - would be a great gift! Is it possible? Are there signals from God - directions, norms, rules, commandments?

To people cut off from any moral or spiritual tradition, perhaps hankering for something to help them keep their balance on the slippery shingles of freedom, any claim to represent what God expects us to do may evoke recollections of a childhood faith forever lost. Still, freedom without direction and responsibility without rules get to be burdensome after a while, and we may be more ready than we have been for a while to ask whether there is a way to know the will of God. Is there any help for us fiddlers as we try to scratch out our individual tunes without falling off the roof?

We are talking about God's will for the stubborn and haunting presence in our lives that we call moral, the sense that keeps us wondering whether we are in the right or the wrong without own conscience or with some standard that outranks even conscience. To ask what God expects us to do is to ask how we can know whether we are doing the right thing. This question flits about the edges of our minds even after we have earned a dollar or two, felt beautiful feelings, and created exciting relationships.

It is a truism today that we are in a crisis of morals. The crisis is not simply that people are doing wrong things; that has been going on since the Fall in Eden. The crisis is the loss of a shared understanding of what is right. Worse, it is a crisis of doubt as to whether there even is a moral right or wrong at all. The most obvious and sensational evidence of the crisis is in sex and marriage, but it reaches almost every other arena of life as well. Can anyone know any more "who he is and what God expects him to do?"

The Jewish people of Anatevka knew what God expected of them because they knew their traditions. Christian believers today are not as certain that their ethnic or religious traditions serve as signposts to God's will. For some, this ambivalence may come from having neglected their own tradition. But they also recall how often Jesus opposed Jewish traditions. "Why don't your disciples follow the traditional rules?" the Pharisees asked him, certain that tradition told them what God expected of them. Jesus threw the challenge back. They had lost track of God's will...(Mark 7:8). Paul, though shaped by Jewish tradition, came to hate the rules and regulations of all traditions, and he cringed when Christian believers kowtowed to them: "Why do you submit to regulations...human precepts and doctrines?" - in other words, tradition - he demanded (Col. 2:20-22).

But if the New Testament makes us wary of tradition as the way to know what God expects us to do, how do we know and where do we look for God's will? Does the answer come in the wind, which blows...(John 3:8)? Does God speak to each of us privately through the intonations of the spirit, heart to heart, mind to mind, divine Word direct to human soul? Must each of us go it alone while waiting for the voice of the Lord?

No says the sage of Ecclesiastes, it is neither tradition nor private revelation which tells you how to find out what God expects you to do. I will give you the answer in one word...(Eccl. 12:13). The direct word from the commanding Lord answers the challenge of keeping one's balance while playing the fiddle on the steep slopes of this risky life. (Psa. 119:6). If Tevye had been a biblical Hebrew instead of a modern Russian Jew, he too would have said: the commandments, the Torah, the law of God! And Jesus would agree, for when a rich young ruler asked him what he should do, Jesus did not say, "Consult your tradition," but "You know the commandments" (Mark 10:19; Luke 18:20).
[reviewed by Art McNeese from 20th Century Christian, vol. 46, no. 3, Dec., 1984, p. 35-36]

Did you know that...if you were walking from a well, carrying a bucket of water, and someone jolted you, there could be spilled from the bucket only that which it contained? As you walk along the way of life, people are constantly bumping into you. If your life is full of ill-nature, bad temper and ugly disposition, these things will be spilled from it. If it is full of Christian spirit, you will spill a smile or some pleasant remark. You can spill from your bucket only that which is contains.
[from Savannah, Ga. Church of Christ bulletin]

THEY WERE TRULY CONVERTED

The apostles and prophets of the early church are not mythical characters of long ago and far away. They were real persons whose examples and works invite imitation by us.

We have the same gospel those men received and recorded. With the same zeal and devotion they displayed, the result will be the same now as it was then. The world can be set on its ear!

Paul was once an intense opponent of Christianity but became its most ardent advocate. Many others underwent similar changes. They were converted to the Lord Jesus. In their new lives, they worked and endured for Jesus' sake - not to earn their salvation but to show gratitude for the free gift they had received. (I Cor. 15:10) Saved by grace! Serving from gratitude!

Why are we not producing more Pauls today? It appears that we cannot find, train, and equip missionaries for all nations. There seems to be hesitancy in really challenging the secular, unbelieving world with the gospel. The world's mindset and lifestyle are sometimes displayed among people who are members of Christ's church. Toil and sacrifice are words remote from many of us.

Why? Perhaps too many of us are still unconverted. Yes, it is possible for one to have been baptized, had his name entered on a church roll, and transferred from one congregation to another - without ever having been converted.

Test yourself against Paul's statement cited earlier from I Cor. 15:10. (1) Do you acknowledge the grace of God as the basis of your hope? He saw himself as a sinner without hope, but divine grace reached down and saved him. (2) Do you feel an abiding sense of gratitude for God's grace? Paul did. (3) Do you devote abundant labors to the glory of God out of your thanksgiving? Paul's record is clear.

Perhaps you have noticed that some of the most active Christians are people who came to the Lord in their mature years! The answer is not to keep people away from Christ until their lives are so mutilated by sin that their salvation is a last-ditch accomplishment which leaves an abiding gratitude for divine grace. That would be a foolish approach, for many would go so far away as to be unreachable. Yet something must be done to avoid leaving the impression that men do God a favor by becoming members of his spiritual family.
[by Rubel Shelly from Ashwood Leaves]

SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE FIXED (no. 1 of 7)

A man once told me that his philosophy of life had always been "If it ain't broke, don't fix it!" His words capture rather succinctly (if ungrammatically) a sound principle.

The ideal of restoring New Testament Christianity has been replaced among some among us with the less spiritual goal of preserving the status quo. Something is broken, and we need to be aroused to fix it.

Churches of Christ are not growing generally, our image in the parts of the United States where we are best known is quite poor (i.e., usually known for what we are against and accused of thinking everyone but us is going to hell), and we are so splintered over so many issues - from instrumental music to church cooperation to translations of scripture - that no one takes us seriously as a "unity movement". Much less do they see us as the embodiment of the church described in the New Testament.

Whatever danger may be involved in raising certain hard questions which will have to be faced in trying to fix what has gone wrong is outweighed by the peril of not developing a clearer concept of our identity, purpose, and methodology.

Young people appear to see their options relative to what I will term "the Yellow Pages Church of Christ" in a couple of ways.

First, some are trying to decide whether or not to stay within their family and personal heritage to this point. They see pettiness, majoring in minors, and church politics being played in some quarters. Many are too sensitive to be part of it and have gone looking for something better elsewhere; others have just dropped out altogether.

Second, those who decide to stay within are sometimes forced to pick between what they perceive to be dead, cold churches and new-wave evangelistic churches. The former are perceived as funeral parlors where old people sit around the corpse awaiting a burial; the latter generate excitement but tend to regiment life around one ministry, to judge one's worthiness only in terms of success in recording baptisms, and to leave as casualties a string of people who cannot measure up to group expectations.

I would like to point to the prospect of a third option. Without "bailing out" on this brotherhood of Christ-loving people or being forced to choose between deadness on the one hand and spiritual burn-out on the other, young and old alike can recapture a noble vision of returning to the faith and practice of the first-century church. We can build on our strengths, engage in honest self-examination, learn where we have been ignorant, humble ourselves before God and our neighbors, and move confidently toward the unity and harmony of faith encouraged in the New Testament.
[by Rubel Shelly from Ashwood Leaves]

WHERE GOD SPEAKS...DON'T ARGUE!

In studying God's word, put aside all human arguments for these only confuse people. Persistent appeals to human examples, experiences, hypothetical situations, and arguments from human logic, expedience or justice to uphold doctrines should be treated with suspicion. Strong reliance on human arguments suggests weak reliance on God's word. Where God speaks, don't argue!
[from The Truth in Love]

THE FAMILY OF GOD

The human family is also called "a household". For example, we read about Abraham's household (Gen. 18:19), Pharaoh's household (Deut. 6:22), Lydia's household (Acts 16:15), Stephanas' household (I Cor. 1:16).

Just as God provided for the social well-being of mankind in the creation of the human family, so God also has provided a greater household or family for our spiritual well-being. The head of each human family is the father (Gen. 3:16; Gen. 18:19; I Tim. 3:4-5). The head of the greater family is God - "...God's household, which is the church of the living God..." (I Tim. 3:15).

Ideally we are born into the need to belong to a loving human family. It is God's desire that we should seek to be born into and belong to His special family, the church. Because our need for God's family is so great, far greater than we seem to realize, it is the church which "He bought with His own blood" (Acts 20:28). Since Jesus Christ regarded this family so highly, God...(Eph. 1:22-23). (Eph. 1:22-23; (Eph. 5:23; Eph. 5:25). In this passage of the Apostle Paul's letter to the Ephesian church, a comparison is drawn between the inseparable nature of husband and wife in the human family and of Christ and the church in the family of God. Noting this, how could anyone read Christ's New Testament and fail to recognise the need to become a part of God's family?
(Heb. 3:6.)
[from The Truth in Love, p. 13]

THE YOUNG CHRISTIAN IN A PERMISSIVE SOCIETY

The young Christian is facing a grave challenge to his faith in the world today, because of the tremendous decline in social morality and personal ethics. The decline in moral conduct has led many sociologists to refer to our contemporary culture as the permissive society. Officially and unofficially restraints of all kinds have been removed. Doubtful films and pornographic literature are freely circulated. Excessive drinking is common-place. The misuse of drugs in this country is rising at an alarming rate. Sexual promiscuity is a fact of life among many young people. Adultery is rife among married couples and the rise in the divorce rate shows the very low concept many people have of "holy" matrimony. Racial antagonism is in the news every day. Parental authority is challenged, and the home is often viewed by young people as no more than a cheap "bed and breakfast". Even basic honesty is no longer a firm rule. To many, the old rules of behaviour seem hopelessly out of date.

Situation ethics

While these problems are developing, many people in the world of religion, psychology, and philosophy are advocating a school of thought called "situation ethics" or "the new morality". It is not proposed to examine in detail this often misunderstood concept, but to point out that many people are preaching a doctrine which advocates that there are no "set" standards for conduct, but a man's ethics must be determined by the given situation. When this is translated into practice it means that premarital sex, for example, is never wrong per se, but the particular situation must determine the morality.

There are many others who openly advocate the hedonistic concept which affirms that the pursuit of pleasure is the sole end in life. One is moral when one does things or refrains from certain things on the ground of what gives the most pleasure. This is popularly expressed by Hemmingway's "What is moral is what you feel good after, and what is immoral is what you feel bad after".

False freedom

The young Christian can be affected in his attitudes, if not his conduct, by the society in which he lives. How is he to make ethical and moral judgements within this permissive society? What can he offer as a responsible Christian answer to his friends who are wrestling with the problem of "What is right and wrong"?

The place to begin, is to understand the concept of freedom. Everyone wants to be free to do as he pleases, but precious few are truly free. The permissive society may seem to bring a new freedom, but if a person simply follows the crowd, or follows his lower instincts, he is not truly free. To be free is not to be without any standard of conduct, or to do exactly as one wants. J.B. Phillips uses the analogy of a motorist who disregards the Highway Code in order to be free. He does not find freedom, but a crash, or a fine, or both.

A man who wants to play chess but who will not learn the rules, will never really enjoy the game. People whose main concern is to despise all rules and do exactly what they like never succeed in being really free. Whether in matters of sex, money, honesty or anything else, they are "free", they say, but when the crash against the invisible rules of life comes, they will blame anything - luck, other people, or even God, but never themselves.

True freedom

Jesus Christ came to bring men true freedom. Only the truth about God and man's relationship to Him can ever make a man free (John 8:32). The standards that He has given and lived are still the standards of conduct for those who are His followers and for those who want to be truly free. When a man confesses that "Jesus Christ is Lord" it means that his life is committed to Christ. Therefore, his ethics are determined by that which Jesus would do in any given situation. His morality is based on the rules or laws of the Kingdom of God.

Christ indwelling

These rules for life are not just a set of "do's" and "don't's" found in the New Testament, but they are principles which are written on the heart by the Spirit of God dwelling in the Christian (II Cor. 3:3). A real person, not something remote and abtruse, comes to you day after day transforming you into a being with a character similar to God's own. The Christian is to be holy in life and conduct because God is holy (I Pet. 1:15-16). He is a person who not only has died to sin but who lives to righteousness (I Pet. 2:24).

The Real standard

The Christian, therefore, is to live in a certain ethical and moral way because of his relationship to God through the redemption of Christ and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. He is to make moral and ethical decisions with reference to God and God's will for him in the New Covenant.

The Christian religion stoutly maintains that there can be no real standards of conduct for men or nations without a real belief in God. Moreover, these standards are not mere vague ideals but actual rules for living; and God gave men these rules for happy and constructive living when he visited this planet nineteen hundred years ago. With these standards of conduct goes the promise of the Giver for personal help...(Matt. 28:20).
[by V.L. Hunter from Truth for Today]

PAY ATTENTION

Have you ever let your mind stray at a time when you should be learning something only to be told by the one giving the instruction, "pay attention!" There are so many areas in life where we need to pay attention! If we do not pay attention, we will suffer hurt in the same area.

I was reading about the homes of America recently and the facts stated in the article pointed out the fact someone was not paying attention! Notice some of the proof:

1. The divorce rate has doubled since 1965.
2. Demographers project that half of all first marriages today will end in divorce.
3. Six out of ten second marriages probably will collapse.
4. One third of all children born in the past decade probably will live in a stepfamily before they are eighteen.
5. One out of every four children today is being raised by a single parent.
6. About twenty-two percent of children today were born out of wedlock.
7. Two out of three married men reported committing adultery at some time during their lives.
8. Forty-one percent of married women surveyed reported having an affair.

Isn't that proof that people who make up the homes of our nation are not paying attention?

We must recognize the spiritual toll which materialism is taking on our families. We in the church must make up our mind which is more important -

(1) having all the material advantages this world affords;
(2) leading our families in the ways of righteousness which will help to save their souls eternally. It is almost impossible to achieve both.

Remember, Jesus said it was easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to go to heaven. We have looked for all manner of answers to what the Lord was saying, but when it is all shaken down He meant just what he said. Can a camel go through the eye of a needle? Neither can a man who has this world's goods as his main aim in life get to heaven.

Joy McMillon stated in an article in "21st Century Christian Magazine" four things which families are going to have to do to overcome this world and get to heaven.

1. We must decide that our family is going to serve the Lord.
2. We can decide to sacrifice ourselves to give our family a sense of love and security.
3. We can decide to communicate our beliefs clearly to our family.
4. We can decide to model the behavior we teach to our children.

It is good to have a magazine of this nature coming into your home regularly so your family can have some good reading material. Pay attention!!!
[by Bill Craddock, The Messenger reprinted in Sycamore Chapel newsletter, Sept. 23, 1990, p. 2-3]

BIG ENOUGH TO BE BIG?

We've all had the experience, and it's not a pleasant one.

A toy balloon filled with helium, purchased perhaps at the circus or county fair, is accidentally released, and rises, faster and faster, into the sky until it disappears from sight. Most of us have stood by a tearful child and watched helplessly as the tiny globe shoots skyward, and have regretted that a toddler has to learn his first lesson in physics the hard way.

But did you ever stop to wonder what happens to the balloon? How far, how high, will its new-found freedom take it?

Eighteen thousand feet according to the National Scientific Balloon Facility in Palestine, Texas. Robert S. Kubara, a project engineer at the Facility, says that at that lofty height, the helium in the small orb has expanded to 80% of its original volume, most likely the limit to which its latex surface can expand, and the balloon bursts. Of course, specially designed experimental balloons, with ducts to vent excess gas, can rise as high as 120,000 feet.

The moral of the story: how high you can rise depends on your ability to expand.

I think that Christians and churches work on the same principle. As we soar heavenward, we often become too rigid for the expanding Spirit within us. Some self-defeating desire to remain small causes us to contract. As a result, we stabilize at a lower altitude and never know the thrilling experience of spiritual elevation.

Christians will not continue to search and grow spiritually, preferring to remain enslaved to old traditions and binding them on others as imperatives. Churches refuse to try new methods and approaches to reach more people, preferring to stay in the shallow water of "this is the way we've always done it." We fear to stretch too far, so we tighten our boundaries, and end up shattered, spiritless shreds of a once-bright faith. God help us, instead, to head for Heaven, so that when the body finally bursts, it will be at the gates of Glory, where a new body, without limits, awaits us for eternity.
(Isa. 54:2).
[by Douglas F. Parsons from The Exhorter (Valdosta), Vol. 28, no. 24, June 24, 1990, p. 2]

SOME BIBLE IMPOSSIBILITIES
1. For God to lie. (Titus 1:2; Heb. 6:18)
2. To be saved without the blood of Christ. (Heb. 9:22)
3. To please God without faith. (Heb. 11:6)
4. To enter the kingdom without the new birth. (John 3:3-5)
5. To serve God and Satan at the same time. (Matt. 6:24)
6. To come to Christ without being drawn. (John 6:44-45)
7. To die in sin and be saved. (John 8:24)

FULLY PERSUADED THAT GOD HAD POWER TO DO WHAT HE HAD PROMISED
(Rom. 4:21)
This is the apostle Paul's description of Abraham's attitude to God's promise of an heir when all human experience was against fulfilment (Rom. 4:18-20). We are told that Abraham...(Rom. 4:22).

Although Abraham did some foolish things and made mistakes, just like everyone of us does, notice that God esteemed him as righteous because Abraham was "fully persuaded that God had power to do what He had promised". Read Heb. 11, and think of the times the people mentioned stumbled and erred in their lives. But the great common factor was that...(Heb. 11:39).

The lesson for us, the wonderful comfort, is that no matter how inadequate we may think ourselves to be as Christians, we are those...(Rom. 4:23-24), just like Abraham. We too are...(Rom. 4:24).

What a marvellous consequence to this follows in the first verses of Rom. 5. After writing about Abraham's faith, and how Christians share this, Paul continues...(Rom. 5:1-2).
[from The Truth in Love]

THE BIBLE IS
The traveller's map,
The pilgrim's staff,
The pilot's compass,
The soldier's sword,
The Christian's character,
It should fill the memory,
Rule the heart,
And guide the feet.
[from Capital Letter, vol. 19, no. 23, 10 June 1990, p. 2]

HIS CUSTOM - OUR CUSTOM
(Luke 4:16)
Worshipping God and studying his word was not something that Jesus did only occasionally. It was his regular habit. And we know that we are to follow in his footsteps (I Pet. 2:21). Hence, his attitudes toward study, worship and service should be ours; and his practices and customs should likewise be ours. Jesus would never think of missing a worship service because he had to entertain friends, or because he wanted to enjoy some leisure time activity, or even because he had a headache. Nor did Jesus arise that morning, think about all the other things he could be doing, and then decide if he should go to worship. We all must follow in the same footsteps.

Bible study and worship are not options or non-essentials, but are a very vital part of our service to God. This being true, we must be careful not to...(Heb. 10:25). Yet many continually allow even the most trivial of things to keep them from Bible study and worship. How do you think God feels when we allow an extra hour of sleep and stand between us and him?

Maybe we need to stop and just remember all that God has done and continues to do for us. God gave his only Son for us. He continues to supply our every need and give us blessings beyond our comprehension. With him doing much for us, is it too much to ask that we spend a few hours each week studying his word and worshipping him?

Maybe we need to remind ourselves that this world is not all there is, and that in order for us to spend eternity with God we must put forth some effort. Should God be the only one who has to sacrifice and pay a price for our salvation?

Isn't your salvation worth a few hours of your week? Should you not make Bible study and worship your custom?
[by Ronnie Lowe from Capital Letter, vol. 19, no. 23, 10 June 1990, p. 1]

WHEN...

...physical recreation means more to you than spiritual recreation,
...entertainment means more than evangelism,
...worldly things mean more than worshipping,
...physical food means more than spiritual food,
...praise of others means more than prayers of God's children,
...the will of a spouse means more than the will of the Saviour,
...pressures of peer groups mean more than precious Jesus,
...the pittance of Satan means more than the promises of the scriptures,
...the fellowship of belonging means more than the fellowship of believing,
...the quest for things means more than the quest for God,
...the applause of sinners means more than the approval of the saints,
Your Christian experience is suspect!
[from The Messenger (Nelson), vol. 1, no. 13, 1 Apr. 1990, p. 1]

YOU AND PREACHING!

There isn't a word that a preacher can say,
No matter how lovely or true,
Nor is there a prayer that his eager lips pray
That can preach such a sermon as you.
You vowed to serve Christ and man know that you did.
They're watching the things that you do;
There isn't one action of yours that is hid,
Men are watching and studying you.
You say you're no preacher? Yes, but you preach
A powerful sermon each day.
The acts of your life are the things that you teach
It isn't the thing that you say.
So Christians, remember you bear His name.
Your lives are for others to view.
You are living examples, men praise you, or blame,
And measure all Christians by you.
[from The Messenger (Nelson), vol. 1, no. 14, 8 Apr. 1990, p. 2]

When we see the lilies spinning in distress.
Taking thought to manufacture their own loveliness.
When we see the birds all building barns for store,
'Twill then be time to worry - not before!
[from The Messenger (Nelson), vol. 1, no. 16, 22 Apr. 1990, p. 2]

MY HEATHEN TYPEWRITER

My electronic typewriter with its 5K memory mode and its 50,000 word dictionary which signals when a word is misspelled is a valuable tool in my work. It has actually improved my spelling ability. Because I hate to hear it beep I have been careful to pay closer attention to the way a word is spelled.

But there is one word that my typewriter does not know, and whenever that word is typed, it beeps. The dictionary does not have JESUS in its file. Whenever the word JESUS is typed, there is a beep. I guess you could say that my typewriter is a heathen typewriter!

It is possible to correct the situation by adding Jesus to the dictionary. But I have chosen to leave JESUS out and, let the typewriter beep every time that I type JESUS. It serves as a reminder that Christians live in a world that by and large does not know JESUS.

A typewriter without JESUS is no big deal, but a world without JESUS is sad, meaningless and dying without hope. And the only way to solve the problem is to add JESUS to the mass of humanity by telling HIS story from one side of the world to the other.

There must come a time in which more people have heard of JESUS than of Coke, classic or otherwise. His name must go to the ends of the earth. (Acts 4:12). And that name is JESUS.

Do you know JESUS (John 17:3)?
[by Ernie Christie from The Capital Letter, vol. 19, no. 31, 5 Aug. 1990, p. 1]

LIVING CHRISTIANITY

In the home it's kindness,
In business it's honesty,
In society it's courtesy,
In work it's faithfulness,
Toward the unfortunate it's pity,
Toward the weak it's help,
Toward the wicked it's resistance,
Toward the strong it's trust,
Toward the penitent it's forgiveness,
Toward the fortunate it's congratulation,
Toward God it's obedience.
[from Tauranga (Greerton) bulletin, vol. 31, no. 9, 4 Mar. 1990, p. 2]

SELF-ESTEEM

One of the great psychological "aspirins" of our time is the idea of self-esteem. How often we hear phrases like: "Think positive," "Don't be too hard on yourself," "I'm a good person," or "I'm special." The philosophy of "I'm OK You're OK: has a great deal of appeal to us as human beings, especially as we try to justify our failures.

The state of California recently spent nearly one million dollars studying the promotion and monitoring of good feelings among its citizenry. One of the most interesting results of that research is the simple fact that their is virtually no evidence that self-esteem programs work! The report states frankly, "One of the disappointing aspects of every chapter of this volume...is how low the associations between self-esteem and its consequences are in research to date." Those correlations are as close to zero as you can get in the social sciences. In other words, behaviour is rarely changed by injections of positive thinking and psychic cheer-leading.

The self-esteem literature is full of dismissive references to achievement. We are told that such things as competition, achievement and success are "dirty words" in our modern society. Indeed, one of the great ironies of all this is the berating of those who dare to suggest that self-esteem should be based on the reality of achievement.

We are constantly bombarded with the spiritual version of this psychological "aspirin" by denominational Christianity and their theme that we are all good Christians trying to do God's will in different ways. They even go so far as to suggest that there are many doors or ways to get into heaven (and/or the church). The basic idea of this brand of Christianity is a false kind of self-esteem emphasising feeling good about our relationship to God without bothering to first check and see what God wants.

You see, God wants us to feel good about ourselves and have self-esteem but only when we base it on obedience to His Word. The person who disobeys God has no right to self-esteem and, in fact, only brings harm upon himself by the deception of feeling good while doing wrong. God told Cain...(Gen. 4:7). Clearly we are entitled to self-esteem when it is founded on obedience to God's will, but equally clear is the fact that we can have no acceptance by God for wrong doing. Sinfulness does not entitle us to self-esteem.

Satan is the author of groundless self-esteem. He was the one who challenged Eve to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Satan told Eve that, contrary to God's word...(Gen. 3:4). Rather, he suggested that she would be better for eating...(Gen. 3:5). His purpose was (and still is today when he tempts us) to make sin appear enticing, to make the sinner feel good.

Jesus himself cautioned us that even in judgement many will defend their groundless self-esteem (Matt. 7:21-23). Clearly all of so-called Christianity cannot all be good Christians all going to heaven in different ways (Matt. 7:13-14). And if we are not acceptable to God what right do we have to self-esteem?

Self-esteem, the right kind in its proper place, is not wrong. No one on earth should be more positive in their mental attitude than those who have faithfully obeyed God and entrusted their all to Him. And there is no greater self-esteem than that which belongs to Christians who have the right to say with Paul...(II Tim. 1:12).

In the final analysis the psychological "aspirin" of mindless, reasonless self-esteem makes a mockery of God's will. Worthwhile self-esteem comes when we study God's Word, learn His will and put it into practice (obedience) in our lives. Real self-esteem is a by-product of, not a substitute for, true Christianity.
[by Lester P. Bagley from Tauranga (Greerton) bulletin, vol. 31, no. 17, 29 Apr. 1990, p. 1-2]

(Eph. 3:14-15)
It is immensely comforting to know that we belong to God's family and that His fatherly love rests on us. He provides for our bodily wants. But above all, He will give us His spiritual graces and blessings. Does not Jesus say, "How much more shall your heavenly Father given the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him?" Faith, hope, love and all the spiritual blessings in Christ, the Father bestows on His children. "Like as a Father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear Him." He forgives them their daily sins and transgressions for Jesus' sake. He takes them at last into His eternal home.

Let us trust our Father and live to His glory. Let us pray to Him asking Him to strengthen us by His spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in our hearts by faith and we be rooted and grounded in love - love to Him and to our brethren, God's other children.
[from Dunedin bulletin]

The worship and service of God involves our whole being. We are to be dead to sin, alive to God (Rom. 6:10). We should take every thought captive for Christ - we do not have the right to relish angry or jealous thoughts. Our concept of spirituality should take in all facets of our living. We are called to the surrendered life - our distinction should be joy, confidence of God's word for the future, our love for one another, patient, caring, reverent. Worldliness is a weakness to the Christian life and we should be full of Godly things - our minds dwelling on these things. We should control what we allow into our minds and not be torn or half-hearted.
[from The Outreach (Dunedin), 14 May 1983, p. 1]

FROM MY HEART

My father used to say to me, "You can't be big and little at the same time." He was teaching me to be "big," "magnanimous." He wanted me to be above resentment or revenge and to be generous in forgiving. How often have his words come to me as I have said or done something "small" or selfish. The word "magnanimous" is from the Latin "great-souled." It is the opposite of being "petty," "selfish," "mean-spirited." It is the opposite of majoring in minors.

Jesus is our great example of this greatness of spirit. He was noble of mind and heart. He did not go in for narrow fault-finding. In fact his great heart of love caused him to treat with equal and generous consideration all people - the child, the intolerant disciple, the wealthy host and the outcast woman. We see Jesus kneeling to wash the feet of the impetuous Peter who would soon deny him. What a revolutionary example of bigness. It is in this vein that Jesus taught us to "go the extra mile," to "turn the other check," to leave vengeance to God.

When you are tempted to point out a flaw in your neighbor's character stop and ask whether you are doing it for his and her good or to express your own resentment and "littleness." When you are positioned to take advantage of a business associate do you jump at the chance or do you refuse to be "little"? You choose to be "magnanimous" because you follow a Lord who exemplifies gracious behavior. It is the essence of the golden rule to treat others with the bigheartedness you would appreciate from them.

I have often been "little" or "petty." But I know it is "belittling" to me. When I refuse courtesy or generosity to another I shrink spiritually myself. When I treat others, even those who may mistreat me, magnanimously I grow more like my Lord.

From my heart, I appeal to you to practice being "big" for you cannot be "big" and "little" at the same time.
[by M. Norvel Young from 20th Century Christian, vol. 46, no. 3, Dec. 1984, p. 27]

TAKE MY LIFE

We have been considering the joyful attitude that Paul maintained in the midst of trying circumstance. We attributed this primarily to his singleness of mind...(Phili. 1:21). Paul's attitude was that it really didn't matter what happened to Him as long as Christ was exhalted in his body, "whether by life or by death". This article appeared in Feb. 1993 issue of 20th Century Christian that illustrates this truth.

It was several weeks after we discovered she had cancer that she told me about her prayer...a special prayer she had been working on. Our children were such a blessing-now adults, each had married a Christian mate. Our grandchildren were being carefully trained in the same Christian principles. It was time to enjoy the "golden years." She interrupted that with her special prayer. She wanted to be sure none of us forgot God's eternal purpose - nor why we were here. She feared that the real meaning of our brief stay on earth might be hidden by subtle distractions of comfortable compromises. So she prayed.

"Father, take my life...and use it in any way that will impress on those I might influence that your eternal purpose in us is the only really important consideration of our lives. Please do this even if it means literally taking my life as an example."

We didn't know at the time that Nancy was in the early stages of multiple myeloma, a form of bone marrow cancer...one of the most painful. "This must be the answer to my prayer," she said. We had always prayed that God would take charge of our lives and use us in any way that would bring glory to him. Any successes we enjoyed we attributed to God hearing and answering our prayers. And any failures, too. As painful as it was, I had to agree with her analysis. We were overwhelmed with loving Christian friends assuring us that they were praying daily for Nancy. They were certain God would hear, and heal this wonderful Christian woman. They found it difficult to understand why we encouraged them just to pray that God's will be done. They slowly, reluctantly agreed, and even in the special prayer session called by a young Christian family she had recently led to Christ, the emphasis was, "Thy will be done." For nearly three years she demonstrated remarkable faith while suffering incredible pain. More and more people were being touched by her life. The end came mercifully, suddenly. Her lungs were filling and failing and we both knew it would only be a matter of a few days. Though difficult, those were precious moments for the two of us. We talked about the many joys we had experienced together and prayed with thanksgiving for God's goodness. When all the children were present I asked if she would like us to gather in her room for a family prayer. "Yes," she said. But first, she wanted to talk to each couple separately. I sat holding her hand as she gently spoke to her children and their marriage partners. Each sentence was exhausting, yet she spoke plainly and deliberately. I'll never forget her words and neither will her children. She spoke primarily to the son and sons-in-law (to her they were all sons). To each she said the same thing. She called each by his name and said, "I'm so very proud of you. What a fine spiritual leader you are. I know you will always be so. I do want to caution you because I know how difficult it will be for you over the next several years, as you work to lead your family to spiritual success. You are the spiritual leader, and so much depends on you. Please try to understand how seriously important your sacred charge really is. There is nothing else that really matters. Be the leader of your home always, and lead your family to this moment of victory...please don't forget this." One of the boys tearfully responded, "We won't forget, mom." She smiled and said in a knowing and loving way, "You'll forget, son...but when you do, get right back to remembering again." She then asked each son to lead a prayer in behalf of himself and his family. Then we prayed together. A few hours later she stopped breathing and went victoriously home to God through Jesus. It may be hard for some to understand why God didn't heal her. I understand. She helped me understand, and created within my heart words that I repeat again and again:

"Living is not the victory,
Death is not defeat:
Abiding in the light of God,
Makes each moment sweet."

I have always tried to be the spiritual leader of my home. Nancy loved that and encouraged it constantly. However, she set a beautiful example for me to follow, and my constant, fervent prayer to God is that he will "take my life..." and use it in any way that will touch the lives of others and bring glory to him...any way at all!
[by Jack W. Carter]

Families around us may be falling apart, and we as Christians may not be able to prevent it. But let our example of having Christ and God as the head of our families be what they need to have, to stay together, for without Him we have nothing. We should have a unity in our families which helps our young to be secure in knowing that not only mom and dad know that God is the only way, but that we do too. Deut. 6:4-7 is good advice for parents. We all need Christ for he is the cornerstone of the world.

THE WORD OF GOD

The Synoptic Gospels record the parables of the sower. The seed sown being the word of God. These parables teach the absolute necessity of the Word of God. The Word of God being the spiritual seed needed for conversion. (Luke 8:4-15; Mark 4:1-20; Matt. 13:3-23.)

The Word of God is to the Kingdom of God what a plant seed is to the natural kingdom, it contains life. If no seed is planted, there are no plants and no harvest. If no Gospel is preached, there are no Christians. The heart of man is the soil and the seed enters it when a man hears the Word.

(James 1:21; Rom. 10:17)

The Word of God is the instrument employed by the Holy Spirit in dealing with the heart of man. It is an instrument that the Holy Spirit uses in his work of conversion. We are made alive by the Holy Spirit through the word of God. (John 6:63.)

Jesus taught that it is through the truth that freedom may be obtained. (John 8:32; John 17:17.)
One gains freedom through the Word of God just as one is called. (II Thes. 2:14)

It is the very power of God to salvation. The Word of God is God's power to save all those who believe. These are times when nuclear energy is regarded as the most powerful invention man has yet devised, and yet the Word of God is greater than all this. Nuclear bombs can destroy cities, even countries, but the power of the Word of God can save the souls of men; something man will never be able to do on his own.
(Rom. 1:16.)
[by Graham G. Quate from Christchurch church bulletin, vol. 7, no. 25, June 29, 1983, p. 1]

LOVING GOD - THE GREATEST QUESTION

God is love and God made us to love Him. Man's greatest purpose in life is to love God with every fibre of his being. Jesus saw this as the greatest commandment (Matt. 22:37). What does it mean to love God, how are we supposed to express that love? Firstly, we must remember our relationship to God. He is our Creator, our superior. We will show our love for Him in a different way than we would to our marriage partner or our children. Love will recognise the role you play in a relationship and act accordingly. Because of who God is and who we are our love for God is always expressed in submission and obedience. We can't disobey God and claim to love Him. Jesus said that we show our love for God by keeping His commandments (John 14:15-21). Adam and Eve had a simply way in which to express their love for God by obeying the command not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Similarily today we show our love and reverence for God by obeying His will for us as expressed in His word, the Bible. This is not a cold formal obedience reluctantly given, but a free and willing obedience which springs from a heart that loves God. It is not an obedience which seeks to know what is the minimum that is required to be acceptable but an obedience which seeks to fulfill the spirit of the commandment as well as the letter of the commandment. If we truly love God we will not come up with a long list of "buts" and excuses as to why a command of the Lord cannot be obeyed. If our love for God is genuine nothing is too great to stand in our way of pleasing the Lord. A loving heart never finds the commands of the Lord burdensome (I John 5:3). A heart which loves the Lord has one ambition, and it is single and undivided; to be pleasing to God at all times (II Cor. 5:9).

God's one great requirement is to love Him with a genuine love. If you wish in any way to be acceptable to Him then you must love Him. Do you love God? If you love God you will renounce sin and make a determination in your heart to turn away from anything that God disapproved of. Having made this change of heart not to live for yourself but to live for God you need to seal that commitment by obeying the Lord's command to be baptized (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38). If you love God this command will not be a stumbling block but is to be willingly obeyed, out of love for God. We cannot claim to love God and not obey His commands. Then as you live the Christian life and grow in grace, God will continually call for you to show your love for Him by obediently submitting to His commands for undivided devotion, for holy living, for constant rejoicing, for genuine and sincere love for others.

Never in the Christian life are we to cease asking ourselves that question, "Do I really love God?" We are all in constant danger of growing old in our love for God, of coasting on past experiences and obediences. The call is to be constantly echoed in the heart of every Christian (John 15:15).

"Do I love God?" Only you yourself know the answer to that question. And, oh yes, of course God also knows!
[by Terry Schaeffer from Tauranga (Greerton) bulletin, April 1983, p. 1]

LEST WE FORGET

I want to share with you what we as Christians ought to "remember" throughout the Bible we have reminders of the "dos" and don'ts" for the Christian living. If we desire to grow spiritually...(Heb. 2:1). Then it is good for us to be reminded from time to time about these things.

Paul says...(Phili. 4:9). God has blessed us with many facilities; learning, seeing, feeling, etc...and more so with our memory the faculty of remembering...and yet it is so easy to forget. Today, as throughout the ages, man needs reminding...(Deut. 4). Moses reminds the children of Israel of God's covenant and in Deut. 5:15. The emphasis is "Lest thou forget".

Peter is writing to...(II Pet. 2:1) and in...(II Pet. 2:12-13) he says not be negligent to put your ways in remembrance, "even though you know them." What things? The things that pertain to live and godliness (II Pet. 1:3-10; II Pet. 3:3)

Let us consider some of those things we ought to remember:

1. the chosen of God (Eph. 1:4) Chosen to be different from other men. This difference on which Christ insists is not a difference which takes us out of the world, it makes us different within the world.

2. (Matt. 5:14)
3. (Matt. 5:13)

Even though we know these things we can still forget...

Remember your condition before Christ came. It is beneficial from time to time to be reminded of what we were apart from God's grace...in order that we may appreciate the riches of Grace, and guard against the temptation of having high thoughts of ourselves. (Rom. 12:3; Gal. 6:3.)

Remember what we ought to do. To Titus Paul writes...(Titus 3:1-3). Let us consider one another (Heb. 10:24). Let us not give up meeting together (Heb. 10:25). Confidence (Heb. 10:35). Looking unto Jesus (Heb. 12:2). Stand fast in the liberty (Gal. 5:1). Be ye steadfast (I Cor. 15:58) and there are many more reminders for the Christian as he walks life's pathway.

It is also important for us to assemble together, to have fellowship one with another (I John 1:7) having a common purpose, a common goal, and like the early Christians...(Acts 2:44). We need to remember to love, to share, to care and be concerned one for the other.

Let us consider Jesus request before His trial. The institution of the Lord's supper. The night on which he was betrayed. Jesus broke bread and gave thanks. Gave to them saying...(Luke 22:19-20). Today we shared that memory together and did we remember him as he asked us to do? I'm sure we did, unless we forget the awesomeness of the cross on which the Prince of Glory died. Lest we forget the agony, the mocking the insults hurled at Him when he was nailed to the cross, where he died for us, for our sins and not for ours only but for the sins of the whole world (I John 2:2). Paul writes to the church at Corinth, in remembering Him, we do show the Lord's death until he come. (I Cor. 11:26). Lest we forget....
[by Gauntlett Lotter from the Capital Letter, Mar., p. 1]

The grace of God, which extends to all men goodwill, loving kindness and favour - it is up to men to reach out and grasp it. He spoke of the misconception that salvation is solely of grace, solely through faith in Christ. By grace God has given us a revelation in the Bible. God is no respector of persons - why should some need additional revelation? This is another misconception of grace.

Grace is God's, faith is man's. There are commands to be fulfilled - to believe and be baptized, to repent and receive the gift of Jesus Christ, to teach and preach the grace of God.
[by Cliff Lyons from Dunedin bulletin, Mar., 1983, p. 1]

BUT THEY CONSTRAINED HIM (Luke 24:29).

It is a familiar story. Two men are going down the road as the sun is setting. They speak of their disappointed hopes. A third man joins them. He speaks of God and the eternal promises. Then He disappears but not before they speak the well-known words, "Abide with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is fare spent."

"Abide with me!" We need Him not only in the evening of life, but also in its morning and noon. There is never a time in our lives when the quiet prayer, "Abide with me" will not bring Him to our side. In the noise and daily run of work in hours of temptation - always there should be and can be a swift moment when we turn to the presence of the Saviour and feel that glow of comfort and love, and security. In His everlasting arms there is rest and comfort and strength.

"Abide with me!" There is good reason for the love we have for the lovely hymn which begins with these words. They speak of our deepest need and highest hopes. They bring us assurance that there is someone walking the road with us. Someone who know and loves us. Someone who loves us with an everlasting love. He will never leave us nor forsake us. His redeeming work has given us the power to say to Him, "Abide with us!" until the day when He will say to us, "Come home."
[from Dunedin bulletin, Mar., 1983, p. 1]

GETTING THE RIGHT EMPHASIS IN SERVICE

Scriptures: The scriptures were written by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit through the minds and hands of the early Christians. Interestingly, they are written down with remarkably little attention paid to the detail of church services.

Worship: There are only two references to worship in Acts. In Acts 2:42 we have references to breaking of bread, prayers, doctrine and fellowship. Also, in Acts 20:7 we have the scripture which gives us authority to break bread upon the first day of the week. Just two references in 28 chapters, dealing with the early church; remarkable, isn't it?

Emphasis: Now if we were writing to brethren about our congregation, what would we say? Most of us would give numbers of brethren and visitors present, the spirituality of the occasion, the activities of the women's class and the young people. The Bible, strangely, doesn't mention these matters.

The point is that we tend to concentrate our thoughts and activities around that hour on Sunday morning, whilst the Bible talks about preaching and saving souls.

Paul: When Paul went into a new town he would go into a synagogue at the first opportunity and reason with devestating power that Christ was the Messiah. He could stand on Mars Hill and speak to the intellectual and cynical Greeks and convince many of them. Paul preached with such fire and conviction that many souls were converted.

Today: When we go into a new area we spend months looking for a building, raising mortgages and worrying ourselves over financial problems. Why don't we follow the New Testament pattern and go out and preach? What would happen if the brethren in this country went into denominational meetings and asked questions and reasoned from the scriptures.

Why don't we follow this example of Paul's. Is it because we are afraid: or that we don't know our Bibles well enough: or that we like a nice quiet ordered existence? Is it possible that our exclusiveness is a means of protecting our attendance figures?

Message: The emphasis in the New Testament is on getting the message across to the people. The book of Acts is full of incidents where the Gospel was effectively preached. We must remember that the Gospel is the power of God.
[by Bob Whittaker from Newsletter (Saffron St. Christchurch), vol. 7, no. 12, Mar. 16, 1993, p. 2]

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