Christian Devotional and Educational Literature, Section 33

NEW TESTAMENT CONVERSIONS

1. (Heb. 5:9). Will those who obey be saved? Yes No

2. (II Thes. 1:7-8). Will the Lord take vengeance on them that do not obey the gospel? Yes No

3. (John 12:48). Will we be judged by the way we feel? Yes No

4. If we open a book, at just any page and begin to read, it will not make much sense. We need to know what we must do. Noah had to build an Ark. Moses had to make a serpent of brass. We do not have to do those.
We need to know how to divide the word of truth. Matthew, Mark, Luke and John wrote about Christ, so we may believe.
Acts tells about the beginning of the church and how to become a Christian.
Most of the rest of the New Testament tells us how to live the Christian life.

5. If we do the same thing to become a Christian as they did, we will be saved, too.

A. Have you made a decision for Christ? Yes No

B. Did you feel God saved you when you prayed? Yes No

C. Have you been baptized? Yes No

6. Let's read the Bible conversions. (Acts 2:36-47). Were these people told to repent and be baptized for the remission of sins? Yes No

7. (Acts 9:1-18). Did Paul pray three days? Yes No (Acts 22:1-16). Was Paul told to arise and be baptized and wash away his sins? Yes No

8. (Acts 8:35-39). Was the Eunuch baptized in water? Yes No Was he sprinkled? Yes No

9. (Acts 16:23-34). Was the jailor baptized immediately? Yes No

10. (Mark 16:16; I Pet. 3:21). Does baptism save us? Yes No

11. (Rom. 6:3-4; Gal. 3:27). Is baptism the way to get into Christ? Yes No

12. (John 3:23; John 3:5). Was there much water where John was baptizing? Yes No Did Jesus say, Except a man be born of the water the the Spirit he can not enter the Kingdom? Yes No

13. Did you say you were saved when you prayed, before you were baptized? If you did, you have not been baptized:
for remission of sins,
to get into Christ,
to wash away sins,
to be saved - have you?
Is it your desire to do that now? Yes No
Also, at baptism you: reach the blood of Christ, obey the Gospel, are born again, receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, are a new creature, are added to the church.

A. (Rom. 16:16). Would God be pleased if the church was called the church of Christ? Yes No

B. (Acts 20:7). Did the early disciples eat the Lord's Supper on the first day of the week? (Sunday) Yes No Would God be pleased if we do that today? Yes No

C. (Heb. 13:15; Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16). Should we offer praise to God, the fruit of our lips? Yes No

D. This is seen in the command to pray and sing.

[by G.S. Edwards, Searcy, Arkansas]

THE WORD OF GOD IS POWER
Memory verse: (James 1:18).
Purpose: To see how the power of God's Word is available to us today.
Readings: (Col. 1:3-8; I Pet. 1:13-25; James 1:12-18; John 16:7-11; John 17:9-17; Rom. 1:16-17; Heb. 4:12-13).
Introduction
God's power was evident in the first-century church in unusual and striking ways. He used spectacular miracles to convince the unbelievers about the apostles' authority. These men could impart special workings of the Holy Spirit to believers (Acts 8:14-18; I Cor. 12:4). These gifts were necessary to strengthen and edify an infant church.

Despite God's marvelous works, the first century was also a time of great power manifested by the spoken and written word of God. The early disciples knew and appreciated its power in a very meaningful way.

All of the first Christians were called to a completely new lifestyle brought on by their new relationship with Jesus (I Cor. 6:9-11). Some, like the former Saul of Tarsus, keenly felt the cleansing power of Jesus' blood. These people knew God used His Word to bring them a new life.

In our day, many people lack this confidence and trust in God's power. Seemingly, some think they need more than the simple Gospel to change peoples' lives. Although counseling and psychology can play a meaningful role in a Christian's life, these methods cannot replace the Gospel in convicting a person of sin.

Other people reject the Word's authority and seek additions to God's order of worship and salvation. To go beyond the Word is to leave one's relationship with the Father and the Son (II John 9).

The Word of God is our source of life (James 1:18)

Before James 1:18, James showed that God is not the source of temptation. Rather, as James demonstrates in verse 18, God is the source of life. He conceives and brings to birth all who obediently submit to Him (John 3:3, 5, 16, 36).

The source of our new life is from God's will. Of His free will, without any reason except love, He chose to provide mankind a means of salvation and sanctification (Eph. 2:4-8). Without this exercise of His will, man would enjoy neither creation nor salvation.

God's method of bringing life is the Word of Truth. This Word of Truth is contained in the Bible (Luke 8:11). The Word is the seed that lodges in a person's heart. This seed, if nurtured, will grow and produce fruit. When this seed grows and produces fruit, the result is a new creature in Christ (I Pet. 1:22-23).

The Holy Spirit uses the Word to convict sinners (John 16:7-11).

Although Jesus willingly came to Earth, He told the apostles that it was to His advantage to go back to heaven (John 14:28; John 17:4-5). However, He also told them that it was even better for them for Him to leave Earth and go back to heaven.

Without his leaving, the promised Holy Spirit could not come. Without the Holy Spirit, these men could not carry out Jesus' purposes (Acts 1:8). The Holy Spirit gave them supernatural knowledge and power (Matt. 10:19; Acts 1:8).

Jesus calls the Holy Spirit the Helper. The Greek word means "one who is called to your side to help." Jesus promised and gave the baptism of the Holy Spirit to these men (Acts 1:4, 8). This special gift allowed them to powerfully preach the Word. This exposed peoples' sins and brought many to conviction and conversion.

Jesus spoke about three actions of the Holy Spirit. It would convict the world of sin, of righteousness and of judgment. The Spirit would not work directly on peoples' hearts in doing this work. Instead, He would use His instrument, the Word of God (Heb. 4:12).
The Word of God is truth (John 17:17).
In Jesus' prayer for His apostles, He presented a paradox. He prayed for the Father to leave the disciples in the world but not let them be part of it. In the world, He desired that they and we be sanctified. Because we are called to be saints, sanctification is not only our inheritance but also our obligation.

To be sanctified from the world means we are set apart from the rest of the world by our purpose in life. Jesus put us here to be lights for all to see (Matt. 5:14). We are to be in the world but not of the world; we are to use the world without misusing it (I Cor. 7:31).

Sanctification is both a one time act and an ongoing process. It is both a work of God and a work of man. Being born again, God sets us apart as His people. As we grow spiritually, we choose to love God more and the world less. Thus, we grow in sanctification.

There can be no sanctification apart from the Bible. Only believing God's truth can make us what God wants us to be. Only through His Word can we be sure we know His truth.

So many people today deny the existence of absolute truth. Truth, we are often are told, is relative, depending on time and circumstances. People who believe in absolute truth often are held up to ridicule and scorn. God, on the other hand, hold those who reject truth in scorn, regarding them as foolish (I Cor. 3:19).

Christians desiring to be more holy can only turn to God's Word to find knowledge, help and inspiration. This truth is unchanging and will provide real freedom (Matt. 24:35; John 8:32).
God's Word, His power for mankind's salvation (Rom. 1:16-17)
The familiar words of Rom. 1:16-17 are filled with matchless truths. Perhaps some people in Rome were beginning to feel ashamed of the simple Gospel. Yet despite his much suffering and hardship, Paul never felt the least shame about proclaiming the Gospel.

The Gospel of God's Good News for mankind. He tells us that Satan's power is broken, that death no longer reigns, and that His salvation is available for all. What no one else can offer, God supplies us richly.

The Gospel is not another philosophy or just good advice. It is God's power to save all of mankind, both Jew and Greek. Even more, the Gospel gives us the power to live the Christian life, overcoming all obstacles (Phili. 4:13).

God's power to save is in His Word. The preaching of the Word saves those who believe (I Cor. 1:21). Reading God's Word and/or hearing it taught produces faith, which leads to salvation (John 20:30-32; Acts 15:7; Rom. 10:17). There can be no salvation without the preaching and hearing of the Gospel. God cannot save sinners today apart from His Word because the power that brings salvation is in His Word.

It is the scriptures alone that contain God's righteousness. The nature of the phrase "God's righteousness" allows for two possible meanings, both of which are true.

God's righteousness can refer to God's righteous nature. The Word reveals that He is just and loving. This divine nature allowed Him to demand a ransom for sin as well as to provide the ransom in the person of His Son (Rom. 3:24-26).

God's righteousness also is God's way for mankind to become righteous. His Word shows us a way to have a right standing with Him. This is found only in Christ Jesus (Rom. 3:22; I Cor. 1:30).
The living Word (Heb. 4:12)
The "word of God" mentioned in Heb. 4:12 is not the same "Word" found in John 1:1. This living, powerful word is God's Word, the Bible. Some people might question this power, but our civilization is based on the power of the written word. If there were no such power, contracts, checks, wills and other legal documents would be worthless. Books have molded thinking and have produced actions that have changed the world.

The Bible is the most powerful of all books because of its impact on human lives. It allows people to see themselves as they really are - the way God sees them (James 1:23-25). God's Word allows us to behold Jesus Christ and, thus, to be transformed into His likeness (II Cor. 3:18).
Conclusion
How much of God's power is available to us today! Copies of His Word are plentifully available. Man have provided abundant books and tools to help us better understand the Bible. However, God can have no power to transform our spiritual lives unless we are willing to study and apply His book.

Today God uses the Bible as His power to save the lost. However, this power is inept and useless unless it is taught to those who have not heard. God has provided us with power; it is up to us to rightly use it.
Practical observations
(1) In our righteous zeal to bring the lost to Christ, we must find a proper balance in God's works and man's obedience. The first part of salvation is all of God. He chose to send Jesus into the world to die for mankind. Without God's works, man's baptism is nothing more than a dunking in water. However, without man's submission and obedience, God cannot save a person.
(2) How often the disciples misunderstood Jesus each time He spoke about His death. To His disciples, His leaving them must have seemed like the worst thing that could happen. Yet His ascension to the Father was one of the best things that could happen to them.
(3) Let us never be ashamed of the Gospel. Our world's intellectual and moral climate tends to deny and reject God's Word. However, we are called to bear the offense of the cross, not to seek the world's approval.
Questions
1. What was the purpose of the gifts of the Spirit given to the early church?
2. What indicates that some people today lack confidence in the power of God's Word?
3. What contains God's words of truth today?
4. Why was it necessary for Jesus to leave Earth and return to heaven?
5. What did Jesus call the Holy Spirit?
6. What does it mean to be sanctified?
7. How does God hold those who reject His truth?
8. What is the Good News of the Gospel?
9. How is faith produced?
10. What indicates the power of the written word in our world?
11. What is one reason the Bible is the most powerful of all books?
12. How can we make the Bible powerless and inept?
More queries
1. How does the Holy Spirit work on the heart of the sinner? How does He work in the heart of the Christian?
2. What is some evidence of sanctification in our lives?
3. Discuss the two kinds of righteousness revealed in the Gospel.
[from Gospel Advocate, 1996, p. 7-12]

A CHRISTIAN LIBERAL ARTS COLLEGE
Can a liberal arts education be truly liberal and openminded? Can the liberal arts, if dominated by the Christian approach, truly "humanize" students? Many educators would answer "no" to this question. A Christian scholar would surely answer "yes", particularly if he is permitted to define "humanize". No harm is done the word scholar by the qualifying adjective Christian. The term could appropriately be reversed, for neither is harm done to the concept Christian by the qualifier scholar.

If rational inquiry and tentativeness characterize the liberal arts, faith and personal commitment as characteristics of the Christian perspective are not contradictory of rationality and tentativeness. The New Testament may seem to indicate that there is a conflict between the wisdom of God and the foolishness of men. History has fully demonstrated conflicts between theologians and philosophers - theologians and educators - theologians and scientists - theologians and literary scholars. Theologians or their opponents are not necessarily always on the side of God's wisdom or of man's foolishness. Men, whether theologians, philosophers, or scientists, tend to cross and recross the lines between truth and error. Truth does not play favorites. The blame thus for the conflicts between men and ideas could hardly be attributed to any single cause. Perhaps a major cause is in our tendency as men to make hasty conclusions and pronouncements regarding truth which are unjustified by our research or by the evidence. Pride of intellect is an occupational hazard of scholarship.

The Christian scholar must guard against pride while pursuing truth. In this pursuit several guidelines may be set up.
(1) The Christian scholar allows revelation to illuminate, interpret, and correct man's learning (see Herbert Giesbrecht, Christianity Today, Sept. 2, 1996, p. 8-10).
(2) Christianity shares with traditional western liberal education a central belief in the individual human dignity of personality.
(3) The Christian scholar is committed to all valid truth. For him no genuine learning from any source can be alien or contradictory to Christian truth. God is truth and it is impossible for Him to lie. To contrast deliberately "sacred" and "secular" is intolerable.
(4) The Christian scholar will (can't help it - it is what he believes on the evidence) approach his subject with Christian predispositions.
(5) The Christian scholar will recognize the uniqueness of the Christian mind to furnish a frame of reference that will pull together otherwise seemingly disparate fragments of knowledge, thereby serving as an integrating factor in education.
(6) The Christian scholar will recognize the integrity of the subject matter he teaches but beyond that he will try to understand and teach how his particular subject is related to the moral nature and purpose of man in the universe, as these are revealed by God in the scriptures. Integration of human and divine knowledge must be attempted and some degree of success achieved.
(7) The CHristian scholar will not be isolated from his own academic community nor will he in all (or necessarily in any) respects conform to other's academic standards or conclusions.
(8) Genuine Christian faith does not require intellectual mediocrity or dishonesty. It does require intellectual humility.

In conclusion, Carl F.H. Henry says, "No college campus that professes to be Christian can evade an academic duty to deal with the truth-claim of historical Christianity in relation to the truth of philosophy, science and history. Is the truth of the Christian religion valid? If the teacher of a Christian college cannot give a reasoned affirmative answer to that question he may be in some sense a scholar but he is not a Christian scholar and the 'Christian' in the goals of the college is a false claim to that extent." (Christianity Today, May 21, 1965, p. 19).

At no previous time in history has the world scene been more in need of a demonstration of the truth-claims of the religion of Christ. The Christian college can function in a unique fashion to accomplish this objective.
[by Evan Ulrey, from Bible Forethoughts, vol. 42, no. 14, Dec., 1966, p. 6-7]

Purity of children (Mark 10:14-15)
Obedience of children (Eph. 6:1-3)
Courage of teenagers (Eccl. 12:1)
Compassion of young married (I Pet. 3:8)
Love (I Cor. 13)
Patience of older Christians (II Pet. 1:6)

Two people could read the same passage of scripture and get different interpretations. One reason is that a passage can be taken out of its context. Another reason for different interpretations is that remote text are ignored. Still, other times the passage is not correctly interpreted because of prejudices. How can this be?

Some people think that when you study the Bible you don't have to worry about using sound reasoning because your heart will guide you. They believe that you somehow take away from the effect of the Bible if you use sound reasoning or logic. This prejudice toward logic stands in their way of gaining the truth from scripture. An example will help to illustrate the point.

Jesus said...(John 6:44). Those who denounce sound reasoning in favor of being "guided by the heart" will say that Jesus is proclaiming that through some strange, mysterious, and mystical way God draws us to Christ. Other passages, such as I Thes. 2:12 are also used. They then relate some experience which they believe to be proof that God called them in this fashion and it is proof of their salvation.

The error of this attitude is easily seen when we use sound reasoning, which God expects us to use.

As we study through the book of Acts, we see examples of conversions. In Acts 2 the gospel was preached and obeyed by about 3,000. In Acts 8 Philip preached the gospel and the people obeyed and were converted. Philip also in Acts 8 preached the gospel to the man from Ethiopia, who obeyed and was converted. Continue on with the conversion of Saul, the house of Cornelius, the multitudes in the various cities where Paul traveled and see how they were converted. It was by the hearing, believing, and obeying the gospel of Christ.

Man is drawn to Christ the same way today. Paul tells us very plainly that we are called by the gospel (II Thes. 2:14). That is why Jesus commanded that it be preached to all (Matt. 28:19).
[by Tommy Blewett from Bartow church of Christ bulletin, May 21, 1986, p. 3-4]

SEARCHING FOR CHRIST (Matt. 2)
Herod's army was gone now, leaving in their wake the results of their relentless search for Jesus. A voice of comfort could be heard, but these soft spoken words gave way to tears. From every house came the sounds of sorrow. The little town of Bethlehem was overcome with horror, disbelief, and grief. They would not be comforted because the army slaughtered all the male infants two years old and under.

Others were also searching for Jesus. Some wise men came from the East, guided by his star. They talked with Herod about the birth of the King of the Jews, and even told him the child was born in Bethlehem, according to the prophet Micah.

Some shepherds, also, came searching for Jesus. An angel told them the good tidings of great joy, the Saviour was born. He told them where to go to see Jesus and how to identify him (wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger, Luke 2:12).

The wise men and shepherds found Jesus because they followed God's directions to him. They followed God's directions because they desired to see God's salvation from heaven.

Almost 2000 years later, the search for Jesus continued. Some, like the wise men and shepherds, desire salvation and follow God's directions to find him. Briefly, men today find Jesus when they:
1. Are called by hearing the gospel (II Thes. 2:14) and not some other way.
2. Believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God (John 3:16).
3. Repent of their sins (Acts 17:30).
4. Confess their belief in Jesus (Rom. 10:9).
5. Are baptized for the remission of their past sins (Acts 2:38).

Once men find Jesus according to God's directions, they must keep walking in his light of righteousness (I John 1:6-10) in order to be cleansed from sin.

Many today say that they cannot understand God's directions and they get confused. Suppose the wise men were confused and went to Bethany, instead of Bethlehem. They would not have found Jesus. Suppose the shepherds looked in the market place because they reasoned among themselves that they must have misunderstood. Surely, the Saviour would not be in a manger. They would not have found Jesus.

As we have seen, God said we must be baptized for remission of our sins. This is because we are baptized into Christ (Gal. 3:27). If we will follow God's directions our search for Jesus is over.
[by Tommy Blewett from Bartow church of Christ bulletin, June 25, 1986, p. 2-4]

Jesus said...(Matt. 5:48). One of our brethren was told that this means we must be sinlessly perfect if we are to be true Christians. She knew this was not true and said so. The interpretation she was given reflects some of the common errors we have been studying. Let's look at the errors and then determine the lesson Jesus is teaching.

First, Matt. 5:48 does not teach that we must be sinlessly perfect. Why? Because I John 1:8 says.... Taken in its context, this verse proclaims that it is not possible to live a sinlessly perfect life. If someone claims that they can, then they have deceived themselves and do not have the truth. To make such a claim is an act of sin within itself.

John continues in I John 1:9.... In order to receive forgiveness of sins we much confess them and before we can confess them we must recognize that we have sinned. This is why I John 1:8 warns us not to be deceived into thinking that we have no sin.

Self-deception and condemnation because of unforgiven sins are not the only problems with thinking that we must be sinlessly perfect. I John 1:10 adds.... When someone says we must live sinlessly perfect lives, they make God a liar. Jesus is not teaching this error. But, what is he teaching?

In Matt. 5 Jesus is teaching new truths that will be applied in his kingdom, the church. He makes mention of several attitudes and teachings which prevailed under the Mosaic Law ("You have heard it said"), then shows that the law in his kingdom requires attitudes and teachings on a higher plane ("But I say unto you"). In Matt. 5:43-48 he teaches about a higher love than Moses' law taught. Though God hates evil, he loves even those who do evil. This love is expressed with each rising sun and falling rain. God loves men who do not love him. This is the example of love that God has given, a love that is perfect and complete in every way. This is the love that we are to have toward others. We are to love men who do not love us. Though we cannot equal God's love, we must keep trying.

The only one to live a sinlessly perfect life was Christ. This does not, however give us an excuse to sin. The Bible says...(Rom. 12:9; I Cor. 10:6; I Thes. 5:22). We must live faithful lives to God's glory.
[by Tommy Blewett from Bartow church of Christ bulletin, June 18, 1986, p. 2-4]

Do you believe that the Bible contradicts itself? Most religious people would answer "no", because they understand that when two statements contradict each other, at least one of them is wrong. For example, God told Adam and Eve not to eat fruit from a certain tree and if they did, they would die (Gen. 2:17). The serpent contradicted God by saying that they would not die. It is not possible for both, God and the serpent, to be telling the truth. Even though God very clearly told the truth to them, Adam and Eve rejected it and believed a lie. Therefore, God cast them out of the garden and death entered into the world.

Most religious people understand that:
1. God cannot lie (Titus 1:2).
2. The Bible is His inspired word (II Tim. 3:16).
3. Therefore, the Bible does not contradict itself. However, they allow themselves to contradict God's Word, just as the serpent did. For example, they tell about a dream that they have had, a vision they have seen, or a voice they have heard. Based upon one or more of these events happening to them, they believe that their soul was purified from sin and they were born again. It is common for them to express a feeling in their heart that told them that they were saved at that very moment.

God said that we purify our souls in obeying the truth (I Pet. 1:22). This means that we do what God said to do in order to be saved, not what we feel we should do. Obeying the truth should stir up our feelings, but these people allow their feelings to stir up the truth.

God said we are born again by His Word which by the gospel is preached to you (I Pet. 1:23-25). God called us by the gospel (not a dream or vision) to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ (II Thes. 2:14). We would do well to remember God's warning...(Prov. 16:25). Most religious people believe this, yet they apply it to everything but the most important revelation God has made to man, the salvation of his soul. It is clear that it is possible to feel entirely satisfied about one's salvation and yet be lost (Matt. 7:21-23).

I don't know what they may have dreamed, seen, or heard, but God has made the truth about salvation very clear. These people contradict God. It is impossible for both to be telling the truth about salvation. I know that many of them are very sincere, but I also know something else. God cannot lie.
[by Tommy Blewett from Bartow church of Christ bulletin, June 4, 1986, p. 2-3]

Why God gave His son
1. Because he loved us that much
2. He wanted us to have eternal life with Him.
How do we get this gift for ourselves?
1. We believe He did it.
2. We believe it can be done.
3. We believe He will do it.
We accept this gift. We react to it by loving Him enough that whatever He wants for me, I'll do it.

IN DADDY'S STEPS
I watched him playing around my door;
My neighbor's little boy of four.
I wondered why a child would choose
to wear his dad's old worn out shoes.
I saw him try with all his might
to make the laces snug and tight.
I smiled to see him walk and then
he's only step right out again.
I heard him say his voice so glad
"I want to be just like my dad."
I hope his dad his steps would choose
safe for his son to wear his shoes.
And then a shout and cry of joy,
a "hello dad" and a "hi-ya boy."
They walked along in measured stride,
each face aglow with love and pride.
"What have you done today, my lad?"
"I tried to wear your old shoes, dad,
They're big, but when I am a man -
I'll wear your shoes, I know I can."
They stopped and stood hand in hand,
He saw his son's tracks in the sand,
His words - a prayer - come back to me,
"Lord, let my steps lead him to Thee."
May we, as this nobleman, lead our sons and daughters to the feet of the Savior. There they will find his blessings.

FRIENDLINESS
Friendliness is an attitude most vital to our work as a congregation. This is not a mannerism or merely for show; it is an art. Genuine friendliness is learned through study and effort. Here are some tips:
* Train yourself to notice those in the assembly whom you do not recognize. You can do this without craning your neck or acting peculiar. Simply pay attention to people.
* Watch for an opportunity to smile at a visitor, then stop by briefly to introduce yourself and simply thank them for being present.
* Avoid entangling yourself in isolated discussions with those of the congregation. We don't suggest you avoid your brethren, just avoid being cut off from speaking with others. (You'll have other opportunities to enjoy the local brethren.)
* Put your whole heart into making the worship meaningful. Sing with vigor. Keep an atmosphere of reverence as much as you can during the sermon. Avoid causing distractions which might not seem harmful, but to visiting friends, might be unnecessarily rude.
* When you ask a person his name, really listen to it. Then repeat it aloud to be sure you have it correct. This is a good way to remember it later. Ask about their home, job, vacation, or anything in which they are interested. Let them talk to you. It is an established truth that this one feature permits a stranger to feel more "at home" with you.
* Finally, tell them what a joy it has been to have them visit our services and mean it! Sincerity here speaks far more eloquently than words.

SITTER - QUITTER - OR GETTER
I'm a sitter. I just want to sit and enjoy the service and do nothing.
I'm a quitter. I taught a class once, but I've served my time. I even visited for the church a time or two, but no one was home. If anything is done in this church, somebody else will have to do it.
I'm a getter. The more I think about God and His salvation, the more I want to do for Him. Even today He is preparing a place for me in eternity. He hasn't stopped working for me, so I will continue to work for him.
[from W. Carpenter Road, Flint, Mich. via Eustis church of Christ bulletin]

HOW TO SEARCH THE SCRIPTURE
S - Seriously (Acts 17:11; II Tim. 2:5)
E - Earnestly (Josh. 1:8; Psa. 119:11)
A - Anxiously (John 20:31; Psa. 119:11)
R - Regularly (Acts 17:11; Psa. 1:2)
C - Carefully (Luke 24:27; II Tim. 3:16-17)
H - Humbly (Luke 24:45; James 1:22)
[from Bulletin Digest, Murray, Ky. via Eustis church of Christ bulletin]

INTRODUCTION: THE MINOR PROPHETS
Introduction
A. Between 1050-400 B.C. God made extensive use of prophets.
B. Their word was inspired by God.
C. Their office emphasizes an active facet of God's Word, namely He wants it proclaimed vigorously.

I. The prophets could be grouped as follows:

A. Preaching but not writing: e.g. Nathan, Elijah, Elisha.

B. Preaching and writing:

1. Major (long) writers: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel.

2. Minor (short) writers: Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi.

II. The functions of the minor prophets.

A. They speak a specific message, perhaps only once. (e.g. Amos/Israel)

B. They usually spoke addressing/concerning a specific audience.

1. Ninevah: Jonah, Nahum

2. Israel, Samaria: Amos

3. Edom: Obadiah

4. Judah, Jerusalem: Malachi

C. They warn: (Obadiah/Edom; Nahum/Ninevah)

D. They correct: (Malachi/Judah)

E. They encourage: (Haggai/rebuilding the Temple)

F. They promise: (Zechariah/Lord and His work)

III. We are given few hints concerning their "training". (Amos 6:14)

IV. The few details given indicate varied lives. (Amos 6:14; Hosea 1:2)

V. Dr. Jack Lewis makes these observations regarding prophets.

A. The prophet is inspired by God (II Pet. 1:20ff).

B. The prophet cannot introduce strange religions. (Deut. 13:1ff)

C. The word of the true prophet is fulfilled (Deut. 18:20ff).

D. Prophecy is conditional (Jer. 18:5ff; I Kings 21:29).

E. The bulk of Old Testament prophetic activity was before and after the captivity.

1. Threats of destruction are fulfilled in those calamities

2. The promised return illuminates the end of those exiles.

F. The New Testament age is often a focus of Old Testament prophecy. (Mal. 3:1ff)

G. God's final revelation is through His Son. (Heb. 1:1ff; Heb. 2:1ff)

Conclusion
A. We should receive these God-preserved messages with care.
B. We should study them as urgently as other scripture (II Tim. 4:2).
[by Jim Gammon, McMinnville, Tenn. 1993]

The AAA has shared with us some safety tips written by children: "Leave early so you won't have to baffle the traffic"; "Don't drive when you are ready to drop from pure exhaustion"; "Remember not to drive too close apart" (I saw two bad wrecks Thursday caused by not heeding this advice); "Don't drive more than one car at a time"; "You help the driver by politely keeping shutup"; and one last small fry observation, "Vacations would be work if they were not so much fun."
[from Hillsboro Herald, Nashville, Tenn.]

6 WAYS TO BOOST CHURCH ATTENDANCE
On September 5th, I attended my first UT football game. Boy, it was great. Now I've been to football games before. I went to see the Detroit Lions 22 years ago before they moved into the Silverdome. Of course, I've been to high school games and enjoyed them. But going to a UT game was special. Being a student of human nature and of psychology, I learned several things at that game - basically how we can boost our church attendance. Here is what I have come up with:
1. We're going to replace our cushioned pews with steel benches and remove the backs.
2. We're going to make people sit very close to each other. Especially close to those we don't know.
3. We're going to let those that smoke sit in front of those that don't and blow smoke back in their face.
4. We're going to take the top off the building. There must be something about having a top on the building that keeps people from coming in.
5. We're going to have someone holler real loud into the loud speaker. I guess that'll be me since I'm the preacher.
6. Oh yeah, one last thing. We're going to make everyone pay $20 to get in, even before they know the outcome.

UT is second only to the University of Michigan in attendance at football games. U of M has 105,000, and UT only has 95,000; but we'll settle for 95,000 at church. Oh, one more thing. We're going to change our services to last three hours instead of one. Boy, with these changes you'd better come early next Sunday to get a good parking place.
[by Larry Acuff of Livingston, Tenn. from North Jackson Ave. church of Christ newsletter, Bartow, Fla., May 30, 1993, p. 4]

Psa. 23
"I shall not want" - 1. For nourishment, refreshment
2. For guidance, forgiveness, rest
"My shepherd" - my will, my life.
"Lie down" - They don't lie down until satisfied.
"Still waters" - no turbulence, the fountain of prayer and worship.
"Green pastures" - God's word feeds my spirit, gives strength to continue in obedient devotion in the path where He leads. Food for the soul satisfies hunger.
"Restores my soul" - As faith falters, doubts beset, discouragement takes over. Continue to meditate on His promises. He knows my weaknesses and difficulties and is ready to restore.
"Leads in paths of righteousness" - "Come follow me" never into wrong or evil.
"The valley of the shadow of death" - Only Christ can go with us there. His presence will comfort, guide, strengthen and sustain. He wants us to trust Him, to lean on Him.
"Fear no evil" - His power and protection contribute to my safety.
"Preparing a table before me" - He takes care of our enemies.
"Anointing with oil" - Cares for our bruises and wounds.
"Cut runs over" - Everything we could wish for is provided by the loving shepherd.

A PRAYER FOR GROWING OLDER
Lord thou knowest better than I know myself that I am growing older and will some day be old. Keep me from the fatal habit of thinking I must say something on every subject and on every occasion. Release me from craving to straighten out everybody's affairs. Make me thoughtful but not moody; helpful but not bossy. With my vast store of wisdom, it seems a pity not to use it all, but thou knowest Lord that I want a few friends at the end.

Keep my mind free from the recital of endless details; give me wings to get to the point. Seal my lips on my aches and pains. They are increasing, and love of rehearsing them is becoming sweeter as the years go by. I dare not ask for grace enough to enjoy the tales of other's pains, but help me to endure them with patience.

I dare not ask for improved memory, but for a growing humility and a lessening cocksureness when my memory seems to clash with the memories of others. Teach me the glorious lesson that occasionally I may be mistaken.

Keep me reasonably sweet; I do not want to be a "saint" - some of them are so hard to live with - but a sour old person is one of the crowning works of the devil. Give me the ability to see good things in unexpected places, and talents in unexpected people. And, give me, O Lord, the grace to tell them so. Amen.
[by Miss Alta Beeker]

GOD'S PRESCRIPTION FOR STRESS
Psa. 27:4; Psa. 46:10; Psa. 23:2-3; Eccl. 9:11; John 14:27; Phili. 4:7; I Pet. 5:7
[from Fairmount Drive church of Christ, Sebring, Fla.]

Take time for prayer in the morning
Take time for prayer at night
Take time for God and through the day
He'll see that things go right.
And if you should encounter
A few mishaps along your way
He'll surely give you strength and help
To get you through your day.
And when evening befalls you
And you come to the end of the day
He'll still be there to hear your prayer
And listen to all you say.
You'll feel his hand of comfort
As you talk with Him once more
And thank Him for his loving care
And blessings by the score.
So take time for God in the morning
Take time for God at night
And talk with God, and walk with God
He'll make your burden light.
[by Florence Flott from Fairmount Drive church of Christ, Sebring, Fla.]

THE HAND OF GOD
I saw a flash of lightening
Light up the summer sky.
I saw the brilliant rainbow
Slowly fade and die.
I saw the leaves turn color
Then slowly fall to earth.
I saw the land in springtime
Turn green amidst rebirth.
All this is part of nature
And God's creative hand,
That makes this world we live in
So wondrous and so grand.
[by Harold F. Mohn from Fairmount Drive church of Christ, Sebring, Fla.]

Yesterday is a canceled check. Tomorrow is a promissory note. Today is cash in hand. Spend it wisely.

IF I HAD MY LIFE TO LIVE OVER
A gentle humorist answers one of the hardest questions for us all.
Someone asked me the other day, if I had my life to live over, would I change anything?
No, I answered, but then I began to think...
If I had my life to live over I would have talked less and listened more.
I would have invited friends over to dinner even if the carpet was stained and the sofa faded.
I would have eaten popcorn in the "good" living room and worried much less about the dirt when someone wanted to light a fire in the fireplace.
I would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather ramble about his youth.
I would never have insisted the car windows be rolled up on a summer day because my hair had just been teased and sprayed.
I would have burned the pink candle sculpted like a rose before it melted in storage.
I would have sat on the lawn with my children and not worried about grass stains.
I would have cried and laughed less while watching television - and more while watching life.
I would have shared more of the responsibility carried by my husband.
I would have gone to bed when I was sick instead of pretending the earth would go into a holding pattern if I weren't there for the day.
I would never have bought anything just because it was practical, wouldn't show soil or was guaranteed to last a lifetime.
Instead of wishing away nine months of pregnancy, I'd have cherished every moment and realized that the wonderment growing inside me was my only chance in life to assist God in a miracle.
When my child kissed me impetuously, I would never have said, "Later, Now go get washed up for dinner."
There would have been more I love yous...more I'm sorrys...but mostly, given another shot at life, I would seize every minute...look at it and really see it...live it... and never give it back.
[by Erma Bombeck]

OCCUPATION HOUSEWIFE
What am I doing with my life?
Well, I am only a housewife.
I'm homeworker helper, expert on spelling,
The keeper of secrets without telling.
A Band-Aider, a hurt feelings mender,
A peanut-butter jelly vender,
I'm a bedmaker, laundry supervisor,
Child disciplinarian, a chastiser,
A baseball catcher, a Girl Scout leader,
A hamster breeder, an animal feeder,
I'm a rummage-saler, P.T.A. doer,
Children's piano-practicing pursuer,
A thermometer-reader, cookie baker,
A spring planter-weeder, a fall leaf raker.
I'm a table duster, vacuumer-mopper,
Little League rooter, argument stopper.
A gourmet chef, a hamburger fryer,
Food purchasing agent, clothing buyer.
I'm a romantic lover, chatty talker,
A mid-night-to-2 a.m. baby walker,
A business listener, a sock sewer,
A concert, big game recital-goer.
I'm a dog-minder, lost items finder,
Every one's daily agenda-reminder.
A nose-wiper, an aching-neck rubber,
Itching back scratcher, dirty-head scrubber.
That's what I'm doing with my life.
You see, I'm only a housewife.
[from the Waterford, Mich. church bulletin]

20 WAYS TO COPE WITH STRESS
Active ways:
Get up fifteen minutes earlier, prepare for the morning the night before, set appointments ahead, make duplicate keys, always make copies of important papers, repair anything that doesn't work properly, ask for help with the jobs you dislike, have goals for yourself, stop a bad habit, ask someone to be your "vent" partner, do it today, plant a tree, feed the birds, stand up and stretch, memorize a joke, exercise every day, learn the words to a new song, get to work early, clean out one closet, write a note to a faraway friend.

Relaxing ways:

Tickle a baby, pet a friendly dog or cat, don't know all the answers, look for the silver lining, say something nice to someone, teach a kid to fly a kite, walk in the rain, schedule play time into every day, take a bubble bath, read a poem, listen to a symphony, play patty cake with a toddler, take a different route to work, remember that stress is an attitude, remember you always have options, have a support network of people, places and things, quit trying to "fix" other people, get enough sleep, talk less and listen more, relax, take each day at a time, you have the rest of your life to live.

MAINTAINING A CLEAN MIND
1. The mind defines who we are and what we do. Its where our personality is. Emotions spring from our mind. Our behavior stems from the mind. Our soul probably resides there. "Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks."
2. It determines our relationship to God and our fellow man. Our conscience is there; our will power is there. Loving our Creator and fellow men is basic, fundamental.
To keep the mind clean:
1. Exercise and discipline the mind. The body will decay but the mind lives forever. Study God's word. Spend time in prayer. Select hobbies that challenge thinking.
2. Look for the positive, not negative. Think on good things.
[by Jeff Simpson]

WHOEVER YOU ARE
There is some younger person who thinks you are perfect.
There is some work that won't get done if you don't do it.
There is someone who would miss you if you were gone.
There is a reason for becoming better than you are.
There is a place to be filled that you alone can fill.

THOMAS WAS ABSENT SUNDAY NIGHT
John tells us that ten of the apostles were present when Jesus appeared to them after His resurrection. Two were absent. Judas was dead, but where was Thomas? Here are some speculations:
1. It was raining and the beaten paths were muddy.
2. Sunday was the only day of rest for Thomas.
3. He had to stay home to help Mrs. Thomas prepare a meal for company.
4. Thomas did not want to worship with hypocrites like Peter who had just denied the Lord. He felt he was as good or better than those who were assembled.
5. The Damascus Cowboys and the Samaritan Saints were playing at the Civic Center at Damascus. By the time he walked all the way to Damascus and back he would be too tired to go to any Sunday night meeting.
6. The Galilee Globe Trotters were putting on an exhibition at Nazareth and if he went, he would not be able to get back in time to go to the meeting on Sunday night.
7. A new movie called "Centurion" was playing at Bethlehem Bijou which told the real story behind the battle of David and Goliath. Of course it is rated "R" because of all the blood and head chopping.
8. The Italian Band was playing at Caesarea. They played his five favorite kinds of music and he really admired someone with the courage to bite the head off a bat. He could go to worship any time, but this was his only chance to see the number one band in Palestine.
9. Thomas did not think it would hurt to miss just one church service.
10. Besides, no one would really miss him. The other apostles did not care whether he came or not.
11. Thomas thought he would visit the First United Sadducees. They really had a meaningful and uplifting worship service and the people there were all so friendly; much more friendly than Peter and the rest of those people.
12. The five-year-old son of Thomas was in a play in his day care center and they were performing at the Pharisee Playhouse. It was such a cute play and all the grandparents were going to be there.
Thomas missed only one meeting on Sunday night and his name has gone down in infamy as "the doubting Thomas." When people think of you and your attendance, how will you be remembered?
[by Tom L. Childers via Mt. Dora bulletin]

DOES JESUS LIVE AT YOUR HOUSE?
The continued knock brought the mother to the door. A man stood there with a Bible in his hand. Without a word of introduction he asked, "Does Jesus live here?"

The woman, although she was a member of the church, was so upset by the unexpected question that she did not answer. She didn't even remember what the man said next, but she remembered that he walked slowly away. All day long the man's question kept going through her mind. That evening when her husband came home she told him about it.

He laughed and said, "Why didn't you show him the church directory with our names in it? You could have told him that we nearly always send our children to Bible study and that we sometimes attend ourselves. Why didn't you remind him that we give a little to the church and look upon ourselves as a respected Christian family?"

"Yes," she said, "All you have said is true and I could have told him all of that, but I am still troubled; he didn't ask me if our names were on the church roll; or if we sent our children to Bible study; or if we were respected Christians. That wasn't his question. He asked me, "Does Jesus live here?" and all day long I have been wondering if he does."
[from Cedar Grove Bulletin, Andalusia, Ala. via The Northern Watchman, Minneapolis, vol. 2, no. 28, July 8, 1962]

WHY POISON YOURSELF?
Temper is a diseased emotion, a poison so insidious and dangerous that its fearful progress is sometimes not realized until the damage done is beyond repair.
And again temper is a form of fear, and expression of the need of defense.
By display of temper some seek to protect themselves.
Would that they might realize that the weapon of temper, while it wounds another, is really inflicting on its user deathly blows that finally destroy.
[by Silent Partner from The Northern Watchman, Minneapolis, vol. 2, no. 28, July 8, 1962]

VITALITY GAP
Few are unaware of the statement that Pentecost was the birthday of the New Testament church. Halford Luccock once wrote in one of his famous columns that there never would have been a Pentecost with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit such as the apostles had "if the habits of the company in the upper room had been like the habits on the multitude to-day." He then suggested that the record of the New Testament might have approximated this:

"The meeting was called for the first day of the week but so many things interfered that of the company of 120, only 40 could be present. Peter and his wife had bought a cottage on Lake Galilee and were away from the hot city over the week-end. Bartholomew had guests, and of course could not come. Philip and his family had been up late the night before, and overslept. Andrew had a business conference about a new fishing boat. James had to stay home and cut grass...."

Now that raises a question doesn't it? If the church could never have been born under such circumstances, then how can it possibly grow under these circumstances? Brethren unless you and I contribute a sense of vitality, the world will continue to heckle our "faith" as a popular indoor sport.
[from North Avenue Messenger via The Christian Citadel, East Point, Ga., vol. 22, no. 21, May 21, 1967, p. 2]

WHY ME?
When we must accept a hardship
That we did not dream could be,
Our first impulse is to ask:
Why me? O, God, why me?
When a blessing comes to us,
We receive it joyously,
Then seldom do we question:
Why me? O, God, why me?
[by Nellie Knuth from North Jackson Ave. church of Christ newsletter, Bartow, Fla.]

LETTING CHRIST HELP: THE CHRISTIAN AND EMOTIONS, V
Introduction
A. As previously noted, we can and must bring our emotions under the Lord's control.
B. This lesson specifically discusses how to control anger and anxiety.

I. We can control anger.

A. Anger is a major personal problem.

1. Cain was told he must master it (Gen. 4:6-7).

2. Moses suffered because of anger (Exo. 2:11; Exo. 32:19; Num. 20:91).

B. Sometimes anger is not a sin.

1. The Lord was sometimes angry (Mark 3:5; Matt. 21:12ff).

2. We are told to limit anger (Matt. 5:22; Eph. 4:26; James 1:20).

C. Anger is sin when it adds resentment or vengence (Deut. 32:35).

D. Here are some ways to control anger.

1. Take it out on something which cannot be hurt.

2. Think about what you do and how you feel when angry.

3. Try to imagine how you must look to others.

4. Try to understand the person who makes you angry.

5. Go to the other to make peace (Matt. 5:9).

6. Forgive others generously (Matt. 18:21ff).

7. Find a reliable way to cool off.

8. Be silent when provocation comes (James 3:2ff).

9. Pray (Matt. 5:44; Luke 23:34).

II. We can control anxiety.

A. Anxiety is helpful in moderation.

1. It is like an alarm awakening us to dangers or challenges.

2. It reveals we are careful, interested, and care how life develops.

B. Anxiety is wrong when it takes over our life.

1. Saul illustrates its power.

a. Anxiety overstimulated (I Sam. 13:7-12).

b. Anxiety paralyzed (I Sam. 17:11, 31ff).

2. Do not let anxiety control your life (Matt. 6:34ff).

C. Some widely used "cures" fail.

1. Drugs.

2. Immoral indulgence.

3. Entertainment.

4. Running.

D. Some efforts which help control or even prevent anxiety are:

1. Getting adequate rest and exercise.

2. Have occasional diversions from your routine.

3. Examine the cause of the problem.

4. Discipline yourself to respond before anxiety begins (Prov. 26:15ff).

5. If guilty, seek reconciliation with God and man (James 5:16).

6. Seek to develop confidence in God (Phili. 4:13).

7. Develop spiritual fellowship so you know you have help.

a. We are here for each other (Eph. 4:11-16).

b. Our mutual support is to be reinforced at worship (Heb. 10:25).

Conclusion.
A. Christ makes it possible to control ourselves (Eph. 3:16, 20).
B. Let us seek to be equally victorious in all our needs.
[by Jim Gammon, McMinnville, Tenn., 1992]

RECIPE FOR A HAPPY NEW YEAR
Take twelve fine, full-grown months, see that these are thoroughly free from all old memories of bitterness, hate and jealousy; cleanse them completely from every clinging spite; pick off all specks of pettiness and littleness; in short, see that these months are freed from all the past - have them as fresh and clean as when they first came from the great storehouse of time.

Cut these months into 30 or 31 equal parts. This batch will keep for just one year. Do not attempt to make up the whole batch at one time (so many spoil the entire lot in this way), but prepare one day at a time as follows:

Into each day put twelve parts of faith, eleven of patience, ten of courage, nine of work (some people omit this ingredient and so spoil the flavor of the rest), eight of hope, seven of fidelity, six of liberality, five of kindness, four of rest (leaving this out is like leaving the oil out of the salad - so don't do it), three of prayer, two of meditation, and one well-selected resolution. Then put in about a teaspoonful of good attitude, a dash of fun, a pinch of folly, a sprinkling of play, and a heaping cupful of good humor.

Pour into the whole a big measure of love, and mix with a vim. Cook thoroughly in a fervent heat; garnish with a few smiles and a sprig of joy; then serve with quietness, unselfishness, and cheerfulness, and a Happy New Year is a certainty.

HOW GOD'S PLAN OF SALVATION SAVES US FROM SIN
1. Hearing the gospel destroys interest in sin.
2. Believing the gospel destroys pleasure of sin.
3. Repentance destroys the practice of sin.
4. Confession destroys the allegiance to sin.
5. Baptism destroys the guilt of sin (Col. 3:9-10).

MY DAD'S LESSON ON MASONRY
I was about 11 years old when I asked Dad about his Masonic ring, which I saw in a drawer. Dad stated that he didn't wear it because he had quit paying his dues and no longer attended any of their meetings. Since it was a pretty ring, I probed a bit deeper to seek out why dad quit paying his dues, etc. I still like Dad's answer.

He stated in substance, "Dayton, I got in the Lodge because some of my friends were in it, and the Lodge does do some good benevolent work. However, when I became a Christian, I found that any good that I could do as a Mason, I could do - and more - as a Christian. When I do good as a Christian, Christ and not the Masonic Lodge gets the glory. Besides that some almost worship the Lodge and what it stands for, letting that be more important to them than Christ or the church. The Lodge can't save anyone but Christ can save anyone (Dad didn't add Acts 4:12, but I will - dk). I just decided I didn't want any emblem or association to keep me from paying tribute to Christ or the church for which he died."

I, like those other people, have a happy memory of my father. I am so thankful that, though he didn't leave me a ring, he left me a Redeemer. He didn't point me to a symbol but to a Savior (Acts 5:31; Titus 2:11-14). Dad didn't urge me to become affiliated with a lodge but with the Lord and His blood-purchased church (Acts 20:28).

After Dad talked with me that day, we discussed on other occasions things about the Lodge. He mentioned how one is referred to as "worshipful Master" which is very interesting since Jesus said...(Matt. 23:10). Also as to one being "worshipful", Jesus said when tempted by the Devil...(Matt. 4:10).

Thank you, Dad, and thank you, Father, for letting me know where to serve!
[by Dayton Keesee]

DO WE PRACTICE WHAT WE SING?
"I Love to Tell the Story" but only in church.
"Take my Life and Let it Be", yes, let it be, Dear Lord.
"Sweet Hour of Prayer" is wonderful but I'm really too busy.
"Have Thine own Way, Lord" with someone else.
"If Jesus Goes with Me" it may be pretty embarrassing.

WHAT MAKES A ROPE STRONG?
Many tiny strands, each weak in itself, but united in a common effort become strong enough to bind a giant. What makes a rope strong? Pulling together!

The same thing makes a church strong. When you take hold of a rope, you may not think of those tiny strands that are entwined about each other so as to give the rope such strength. When we speak of a strong church, the little things that really combine to make the unity and power are often overlooked.

The strands that make a rope strong, and the strands that make the church strong, are individuals united in a common cause. This is true if the rope, or the church is strong. They cannot be strong unless the strands (individual members) are united.

Remember this: strong ropes don't just happen. Neither do churches just happen to get that way. It takes pulling together. The influence of each member, his thoughts, his time, his money, and his prayers should all be coordinated with that of every other member to give the church its greatest possible strength for its task.

Nearly every businessman complains of at least one ulcer. We could not help thinking how many ulcers the poor businessman would have if he worked under the same circumstances as the average elder.

Just suppose, Mr. Businessman, that you were overseer of 300 workers. Suppose, only 50% of these ever showed up at work at a given time, and only 25% could be really relied upon.

Suppose that every time a single flash of lightning appeared in the sky, large numbers of your workers pulled the covers over their heads and failed to appear for duty.

Suppose your workers only worked when they felt like it, and yet you must beg them, plead with them, pat them on the back, and use every means under the sun to persuade them without offending them.

And suppose you were in competition with a notorious rascal, the Devil, who has no scruples, and far more clever than you are and has such attractive things as fishing rods, soft pillows, guns, television, and a thousand other things to keep your workers "off the job."

And suppose that you had to depend upon your own work force for operating capital to carry out the biggest business in the world, and that they gave only when they "felt the urge." How many ulcers would you have?
[Westwood church bulletin, McMinnville, Tenn.]

SHALL I USE THE LORD'S DAY WHOLLY FOR THE LORD?
If I, as a Christian, would not think of using the Lord's supper or any part of it other than belonging wholly to the Lord (for example, I would not think of using the Lord's support for a private meal), I should not use the Lord's day, or any part of it other than wholly belonging to him. If the Corinthians were condemned for diverting the spiritual significance of the Lord's supper into a riotous feasting, shall not I who would divert the Lord's day into a day of riotous pleasure be guilty of a like offense? And, if the Lord's supper must be observed spiritually, then the Lord's day must be observed spiritually. All, therefore, that I do on the Lord's day should contribute to the work and glory of the Lord, whose day it is. Finally, I know that if I give the day wholly to the Lord I will be absolutely safe; and safety means everything when eternity is involved.

When I count the Lord's day as any other day, I give support to those religious sects who do secular work on and openly flaunt the first day of the week. Also, if I do the same things on the Lord's day which the world does, I am abetting and allying myself and my influence with those forces of evil which would destroy all moral integrity and religion. Those who sell themselves to sin invariably have no respect for the Lord's day. And should an utter disregard for the sanctity of the Lord's day ever come, a mighty bulwark for decency and righteousness will have fallen.
[by S.C. Boyce from Gospel Reminder, Viola Church of Christ, vol. 1, no. 33, May 29, 1966, p. 2]
[Editor's note: Every day is to be used wholly for the Lord for every day belongs to God. Even working at our vocations and taking care of our daily needs is to be done to the glory of God. If there is any part of our daily lives not devoted to God, then we have other gods.]

IS EVERYONE FAMILIAR WITH THE BIBLE?
A traveler one night found himself obliged to remain in a small town because of a railroad washout caused by a heavy rain. The traveler turned to the waitress and said, "This certainly looks like the flood." "The what?" she asked. "The flood. You've read about it and the ark landing on Mount Ararat." "Mister," she said grimly, "I haven't seen a paper in over three days."
[from Gospel Reminder, Viola Church of Christ, vol. 1, no. 33, May 29, 1966, p. 3]

A BIBLE IN EVERY HOME
The Lord's church has the job of getting the gospel to about three billion people in the world today! The task is growing daily. For instance, one million babies are born into the world each day. Too, over 70,000,000 people on earth learn to read each year.

In 1962 the American Bible Society reports that only about 32,000,000 scriptures were distributed in the world. In 1963 the figure may be 52,000,000. By 1966 they hope to make it 150,000,000. But even if they succeed, they will have covered less than half of the world's population needing the Word of God.

We can do more about this. We can send more missionaries, distribute more Bibles, New Testaments and tracts. We can help put a Bible into every home in the world!
[by Wyatt Sawyer from Gospel Reminder, Viola Church of Christ, vol. 1, no. 33, May 29, 1966, p. 3]

IT'S O.K. SON, EVERYBODY DOES IT
When Johnny was six years old, he was with his father when they were caught speeding. His father handed the officer a five-dollar bill with his driver's license. "It's O.K., Son," his father said as they drove off, "Everybody does it."

When he was eight, he was permitted at a family council, presided over by Uncle George, on the surest means to shave points off the income tax return. "It's O.K., Kid," his uncle said, "Everybody does it."

When he was nine, his mother took him to his first theater production. The box office man couldn't find any seats until his mother discovered an extra two dollars in her purse. "It's O.K., Son," she said, "Everybody does it."

When he was 12, he broke his glasses on the way to school. His Aunt Francine persuaded the insurance company that they had been stolen and they collected $27. "It's O.K., Kid," she said, "Everybody does it."

When he was 15, he made right guard on the high school football team. His coach showed him how to block and at the same time grab the opposing end by the shirt so the official couldn't see it. "It's O.K., Kid," the coach said, "Everybody does it."

When he was 16, he took his first summer job at the big market. His assignment was to put over-ripe tomatoes in the bottom of the boxes and the good ones on top where they would show. "It's O.K., Kid," the manager said, "Everybody does it."

When he was 18, Johnny and a neighbor applied for a college scholarship. Johnny was a marginal student. His neighbor was in the upper three per cent of his class, but he couldn't play right guard. Johnny got the assignment. "It's O.K., Kid," they told him, "Everybody does it."

When he was 19, he was approached by an upper classman who offered the test answers for three dollars. "It's O.K., Kid," he said, "Everybody does it."

Johnny was caught and sent home in disgrace. "How could you do this to you mother and me?" his father said. "You never learned anything like this at home." His aunt and uncle were also shocked.

If there's one thing the adult world can't stand, it's a kid who cheats!
[from The Proclaimer via Gospel Reminder, Viola Church of Christ, vol. 1, no. 32, May 22, 1966, p. 2-3]

SIX QUALITIES OF A STRONG, HAPPY FAMILY
Commitment
Appreciation
Communication
Spend Time Together
Coping Ability
Spiritual Wellness
[from God's Gracious Woman, Concord St. church of Christ, Oct. 12, 1991, p. 3]

The Crown of the home is Godliness.
The Beauty of the home is Order.
The Glory of the home is Hospitality.
The Blessing of the home is Contentment.
[from God's Gracious Woman, Concord St. church of Christ, Oct. 12, 1991, p. 3]

Homemaking is more important than housekeeping, but housekeeping affects homemaking.
[from God's Gracious Woman, Concord St. church of Christ, Oct. 12, 1991, p. 4]

RECIPE FOR A GOOD "TIME" PIE
1. Slice of time for God and our spiritual life.
2. Slice of time for husband.
3. Slice of time for parenting.
4. Slice of time for work.
5. Slice of time for rest.
6. Slice of time for nutrition.
7. Slice of time for serving others.
[from God's Gracious Woman, Concord St. church of Christ, Oct. 12, 1991, p. 4]

DO YOU WANT A HAPPY MARRIAGE?
The key ingredient to happy marriage is both parties putting out
100 percent effort
100 percent service to the mate
100 percent giving.
When and if two people in marriage accomplish that, success is ensured.
[from God's Gracious Woman, Concord St. church of Christ, Oct. 12, 1991, p. 5]

One of the most misunderstood aspects of marriage in the family structure is government - who's in charge here? To find out what God's answer to that question is, read Eph. 5:22-24. Christ, husband, wife.

This successful family structure has never changed. In spite of the pressures of the world, a successful family still must be structured as God designed at creation.
[from God's Gracious Woman, Concord St. church of Christ, Oct. 12, 1991, p. 5]

God's gracious woman will go about making her life more meaningful by making the lives of others more meaningful. This may be accomplished by supplying the following essential ingredients of life to others.
1. The need to be accepted.
2. The need to be respected.
3. The need to feel needed.
4. The need to be missed.
5. The need to be loved.
[from God's Gracious Woman, Concord St. church of Christ, Oct. 12, 1991, p. 6]

PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO SHARE THEIR LIVES WITH OTHERS
1. Reach out - become other people centered.
2. Express appreciation.
3. Compliment and commend.
4. Do not rob others of blessings.
5. Express love verbally.
6. Realize the therapeutic value of touching.
[from God's Gracious Woman, Concord St. church of Christ, Oct. 12, 1991, p. 7]

SOME CHARACTERISTICS OF A SPIRITUAL CHURCH
1. Recognizes Jesus Christ as its head and accepts his lordship over the church and individual members.
2. Accepts every member as a vital part of the body of Christ and loves each as a brother or sister in Christ.
3. Develops its members and uses them according to their gifts and talents.
4. Puts great emphasis on Bible study, prayer and outreach.
5. Ministers to the needs of its members and prospective members.
6. Sets its "affections on things above" (Col. 3:2).
[from God's Gracious Woman, Concord St. church of Christ, Oct. 12, 1991, p. 7]

I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH
"I will build my church," Jesus said,
But he spoke not of steel and stone;
Nor of a place where saints could stay
Shut off from their world, all alone.
"I will build my church," Jesus said,
"No temple with steeple and spire;
But God's elect, his very own,
His people whom I may inspire."
"I will build my church," Jesus said,
"And give it a mission divine;
To go, to reach, to share my love,
Making men of all nations mine."
"I will build my church," Jesus said,
"To continue my work on earth;
To teach and preach the wondrous news
Of new life through a second birth."
"I will build my church," Jesus said,
"And fill it with earnest desire;
To be my witness in the world,
Set aglow by a sacred fire."
[by John T. Sisemore from God's Gracious Woman, Concord St. church of Christ, Oct. 12, 1991, p. 8]

COULD YOUR FAMILY, FRIENDS AND ACQUAINTANCES SAY THIS OF YOU?
1. She is interested in others and cares deeply about them.
2. She knows how to handle problems in a positive manner.
3. She has a well-defined purpose in life and works diligently to that end.
4. She has an inner strength which demonstrates itself in her calm, serene way of day-to-day living with its stressful and depressing situation.
5. She knows her Lord and is comfortable in His presence.
6. She belongs to and draws strength from many friends - "sisters and brothers" she calls them.
7. Her husband and children love and respect her.
[from God's Gracious Woman, Concord St. church of Christ, Oct. 12, 1991, p. 9]

God's gracious woman of today are lanterns in the window, candles in the darkest room and lighthouses on the highest hill. When the world is darkest, their light is always the brightest!
[from God's Gracious Woman, Concord St. church of Christ, Oct. 12, 1991, p. 9]

God's gracious woman has varied responsibilities in today's world.
1. Godly women are born to make a difference in the world.
2. Godly women reinforce the good in our world.
3. Godly women are to be role models to those who are searching for a meaningful and purposeful life.
4. Godly women should be problem-solvers in the world.
5. Godly women must show the world there is a God who is interested in our lives and that He will make things happen, not only in eternity, but now!
6. Godly women will develop a positive attitude toward life.
7. Godly women will reflect the attributes of Christ to the world.
[from God's Gracious Woman, Concord St. church of Christ, Oct. 12, 1991, p. 10]

IF I HAD ONLY KNOWN
If I had known what troubles you were bearing;
What griefs were in the silence of your face,
I would have been more gentle, and more caring,
And tried to give you gladness for a space.
I would have brought more warmth into the place,
If I had only known.
If I had known what thoughts despairing drew you;
(Why do we never try to understand)
I would have lent a little friendship to you,
And slipped my hand within your hand,
And made your stay more pleasant in the land,
If I had only known.
[by Mary Carolyn Davies from God's Gracious Woman, Concord St. church of Christ, Oct. 12, 1991, p. 11]

God's gracious woman will leave something significant to her home, church and world because she existed!
[from God's Gracious Woman, Concord St. church of Christ, Oct. 12, 1991, p. 11]

PUT ON THE FULL ARMOR OF GOD (Eph. 6:10-18)
Heavenly Father,
I desire to be obedient by being strong in the Lord and the power of Your might. I recognize that it is essential to put on the armor that you have provided, and I do so now with gratitude, praise and by faith as effective spiritual protection against the spiritual forces of darkness.

I confidently take the belt of truth - I take Jesus who is the Truth as my strength and protection and ask wisdom and discernment to believe, live, speak and know only the truth.

Thank you for the breastplate of righteousness. By faith I appropriate the righteousness of Jesus Christ and ask you, Jesus, to walk in Your holiness in my life today.

Thank you, Lord, for the shoes of peace. I desire that my feet should stand on the solid rock of peace and that as I walk in obedience to you, the God of peace promises to walk with me.

Eagerly, Lord, I lift up the shield of faith. By faith, I trust in you to be a complete and perfect shield.

I recognize that my mind is a target of Satan's deceiving ways and I take the helmet of salvation, recognizing that the Lord Jesus Christ is my salvation. I shield my head with Him and invite His mind to be in me.

With joy I take hold of the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, affirming that it is the infallible word of God. Enable me to use Your word not only to defend me from Satan, but to claim its promises.

Thank You, Dear Lord, for prayer. Help me to keep this armor well oiled with prayer. I desire to pray at all times with depth and intensity as the Holy Spirit leads me. Grant me a burden for others in God's family and enable me to see their needs and assist them through prayer as the enemy attacks them.

All these things I ask in the mighty name of Jesus Christ, my Lord. Amen.
[by Fellowship Foundation, Inc., Jefferson, Tex.]

THOSE LITTLE BOYS OF MINE
You talk other plans, but your fortune lies
And you know it well, in your boys' bright eyes.
And there's nothing that money can buy or do
That means so much as those boys to you.
Well, which does the most of your mind employ,
Material things, or your splendid boys.
Some day, the world will be needing men
I watch o'er them from morn till night
And wonder if I am teaching them,
As best I can, to know the right.
I am the teacher of a boy
His life is mine to make or mar
And he no better can become
Than my daily teachings are.
There will be need for some one great;
I dare not falter from the line.
The man that is to serve the world
May be one of those boys of mine.
[from Monthly Service Digest, Cleveland, Ohio]

LET ME GROW LOVELY
Let me grow lovely,
Growing old -
So many fine things do:
Laces, and ivory, and gold,
And silks need not be new;
And there is healing in old trees,
Old streets a glamour hold;
Why may not I, as well as these,
Grow lovely, growing old?
[by Karle Wilson Baker, 1878-1969]

YOU TELL ME I AM GETTING OLD
You tell me I am getting old; I tell you that's not so!
The "house" I live in is worn out, and that, of course, I know.
It's been in use a long, long while; it's weathered many a gale.
I'm really not surprised you think it's getting somewhat frail.
The color's changing on the roof; the windows getting dim,
The walls a bit transparent and looking rather thin.
The foundation's not so steady as once it use to be.
My "house" is getting shaky, but my "house" isn't me.
My few short years can't make me old; I feel I'm in my youth.
Eternity lies just ahead, a life of joy and truth.
I'm going to live forever there; life will go on - it's grand!
You tell me I am getting old? You just don't understand!
The dweller in my little "house" is young and bright and gay,
Just starting on a life to last throughout eternal day.
You only see the outside, which is all that most folks see.
You tell me I am getting old? You've mixed my "house" with me!

DON'T QUIT
When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
When the road you are trudging seems all uphill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high,
And you want to smile but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest, if you must - but don't you quit!
Life is queer with it's twists and turns,
As every one of us sometimes learns,
And many a failure turns about
When we might have won had we stuck it out;
Don't give up, though the pace seems slow,
You might succeed with another blow.
Success is failure turned inside out -
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,
And you can never tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems afar;
So stick to the fight when you are hardest hit -
It's when things get worse that you mustn't quit!
[by Edgar A. Guest]

OPPORTUNITY
God gives the milk, But not the pail.
God gives the wood, But not the nail.
God gives the seek, But not the spade.
God gives the wheat, But not the blade.
God gives the fish, But not the hook.
God gives the foot, But not the cook.
God gives the horse, But not the cart.
God gives the head, And hands, and heart...
And the rest is up to you!
[from Eustis church of Christ bulletin]

TOO LITTLE TIME
I still find each day too short for all the thoughts I want to think, all the walks I want to take, all the books I want to read, and all the friends I want to see. The longer I live the more my mind dwells upon the beauty and the wonder of the world.
[by John Burroughs from Arlington church of Christ bulletin, vol. 3, no. 17, April 30, 1978]

SHARING
If I share another's burdens,
I forget about my own;
And in speaking words of comfort,
Oft I find my troubles flown.
I can double all the blessings
That God sends me every day
If I share them with the comrades
That I meet along the way.
[from Arlington church of Christ bulletin, vol. 3, no. 17, Apr. 30, 1978]

Last eve I walked a certain street,
And met such gloomy folks,
I made great haste to pass them by,
And neither smiled nor spoke.
The giant elms drooped sullenly,
The very sun was dim;
I met a friend, and said: "I hope
I've seen the last of him."
Today I walked that selfsame street
And loved the folks I met;
If business had not made me leave
I'd be there talking yet.
Of course, I've solved the mystery,
'Tis very plain to see:
The day I met the gloomy folks,
The gloom was inside me.
[by Sheila O'Neill from Arlington church of Christ bulletin, vol. 3, no. 17, Apr. 30, 1978]

WITHOUT EXCUSES
To make it possible for everyone to attend church next Sunday we are going to have a special "No Excuse Sunday" at that time.
Cots will be placed in the foyer for those who say, "Sunday is my only day to sleep in."
Murine will be available for those who watched TV too late on Saturday night.
We will provide steel helmets for those who say, "The roof would cave in if I went to church."
Blankets will be furnished for those who say, "it's too cold" and fans for those who say "it's too hot".
We will have hearing aids for those who say the preacher speaks too softly, and cotton for those who say he is too loud.
Score cards will be available for those who wish to list the number and names of the hypocrites present.
There will be TV dinners for those who say they just "can't go to church and cook also".
One section will be devoted to trees and grass for those who like to seek God in nature.
And finally, the building will be decorated with Christmas flowers such as poinsettias and the Easter lilies for those who have never seen the church building without them.
AND FINALLY, if there are any valid excuses we have missed, please "print" your excuse on a 3 x 5 card, hand it to one of the elders or the preachers and they will try to accommodate you next week.

SUNDAY MORNING RECIPE
Combine 4 small-sized children. Remove pajamas and place in warm shallow water, 2 at a time. Wash or soak as needed, allowing from 30-60 seconds per pound. Turn occasionally. Remove with force, blot dry, and sprinkle generously with powder. Roll and stuff into proper clothing.
Arrange around breakfast table, serve with orange juice, eggs, toast and milk. Prepare to sponge 2 or 3 cups of milk applied to floor either by spilling or pouring methods. Allow your temperature to cool.
Wash skins gently with damp cloth. Remove orange and egg-stained clothing and once more roll and stuff into clean ones.
Take 2 heads of straight hair and shape into lovely, soft curls. Take 2 over-grown crew cuts and sprinkle with water. Add Vaseline, control wax, and continue to brush until tender.
Rub 7 scuffed shoes with polish and scour the house for the other. Add remaining shoe after finding it in oven.
Select a few honeyed words for 1 mashed finger. Stir frequently to prevent sticking to the funny paper. Omit stiff beating, whipping lightly when necessary.
Cover according to the rise or fall of barometer. Pack into car, and serve to Bible school teacher at 9:00 sharp.
[from Eustis church of Christ bulletin]

IT REALLY HAPPENED!
The preacher had preached on the subject, "He came to his own, and his own received him not." For a closing song I selected the old Wesley hymn based on portions of Handel's "Messiah." I said to the audience this hymn was not meant to refer to the birth of Christ Jesus, but to the gladness that the bringing of Good News to the world meant. And we sang it.

Later a lady told me, "You got me a week's vacation."

"How?" I asked her. She related that the following Monday after I had sung, "Joy to the World" she was sitting at her desk humming it when her boss walked by. It was in July, and hot. He listened for a few seconds, put his hand on her shoulder, and said, "Margaret, you've been working too hard lately. Take off the rest of the week with pay." And so she did.
[by Kenneth Jowell, Vallejo, Calif.]

SERVICE IS JOY
I slept and dreamt that life was all joy.
I awoke and saw that life was but service.
I served and understood that service was joy.

Just close your eyes
and open your heart
And feel your worries
and cares depart....
Just yield yourself
to the Father above
And let Him hold you
secure in His love.
For He hears every prayer
and answers each one.
When we pray in His name,
"Thy will be done" -
The burdens that seemed
too heavy to bear
Are lifted away
on the wings of prayer.
[by Helen Steiner Rice]

He has promised to sustain us.
He's our refuge from all harms
And underneath this refuge
are the everlasting arms.
So cast your burdens on Him
Seek his counsel when distressed
And go to Him for comfort
When you're lonely and oppressed.
For God is our encouragement
In trouble and in trials,
And in suffering and in sorrow
He will turn our tears to smiles.

GOD KNOWS BEST
Our Father knows what's best for us,
So why should we complain.
We always want the sunshine
But He knows there must be rain.
We love the sound of laughter
And the merriment of cheer,
But our hearts would lose their tenderness
If we never shed a tear.
Our Father tests us often
With suffering and with sorrow
He tests us, not to punish us
But to help us meet tomorrow.
For growing trees are strengthened
When they withstand the storm.
And the sharp cut of the chisel
Gives the marble grace and form.
God never hurts us needlessly
And He never wastes our pain.
For every loss He sends to us
Is followed by rich gain.
And when we count the blessings
That God has so freely sent,
We will find no cause for murmuring
And no time to lament.
For our Father loves His children
And to him all things are plain
So He never sends us pleasure
When the Soul's deep need is pain.
So whenever we are troubled
And when everything goes wrong
It is just God working in us
To make our Spirit strong.
[by Helen Steiner Rice]

IT'S UP TO YOU
Have you made someone happy or made someone sad?
What have you done with the day that you had?
God gave it to you to do just as you would.
Did you do what was wicked or do what was good?
Did you hand out a smile or just give 'em a frown?
Did you lift someone up or push someone down?
Did you lighten some load or some progress impede?
Did you look for a rose or just gather a weed?
What did you do with your beautiful day?
God gave it to you. Did you throw it away?

SISTER LOVE
You are my sister and I love you
When your tears fall
Mine will too
When you rejoice
My heart is glad
I'll be beside you
When times are bad
I'll share your load
As we travel this road
If you have a need
Or if some thing you lack
Don't worry my sister
I've got your back
You are my sister
I love you.
[from Nineth St. Church of CHrist, Winter Garden, Fla., Oct. 8, 1994]

Intolerance can be ugly. Racial and ethnic intolerance leads to the kind of conflict we see between the Serbs and Albanians in Kosovo. It brings out the very worst in human beings. But some intolerance brings out the best in us: intolerance of greed and cruelty; intolerance of things which put others terribly down; intolerance of evil. We call this sticking to principles.

But the Serbs and Albanians might think their conflict was about principles too. There is not just a question of whether people are acting according to a principle, there is a question of whether the principle is right! The economic reforms which have taken place in NZ over the past 15 years were carried out on the basis of a principle that people should take responsibility for themselves. This principle implemented without a counterbalancing principle of caring for one's neighbour has impacted very cruelly on those on low incomes.

Jesus said that it is by their "fruit" that we should weigh up people and situations. We may not understand the technical issues about some matter but we can tell whether or not we like the taste of a situation we find ourselves in.

Jesus asks us to be resolute in injecting his "flavour" into whatever situation we may find ourselves in. He asks us always to treat people in the kindest way we are able to. He asks us always to use what socially appropriate opportunities we have to let others know God loves them. He asks us always to act against evil.

And when we do this, the taste of our lives, in the mouths of others who relate to us, will be love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. It is a good taste, the taste of Jesus.
[by John Wilson from Saint Talk, Nov., 1998, p. 1]

BETTER SYSTEMS OR BETTER PEOPLE
A speaker at Synod in the debate on the hikoi made the astute observation that, contrary to assumptions held by planners and politicians, "social prosperity should have precedence over economic prosperity". In other words, get the human recipe right and then address the economic problems. People matter more than programmes.

Were divine systems involved in the decision of Jesus to call twelve disciples? Or would the key factor be the character and commitment of those he called?

In the USA today, what in the end will matter more - the careful set of Presidential checks and balances written into the American Constitution, or the moral integrity and example of the occupants of that office?

Personal holiness and public efficiency will always have an uneasy relationship, and we really cannot dispense with either in diocesan organisation or at ministry unit level. Sadly, even in Christian circles, "personal holiness" is not flavour of the month. But I have a hunch that the crucial factor in any nation, Christian enterprise, or church, will always be the quality of the faith and vision of those individuals who carry the leadership responsibilities.
[by Brian Carrell from Saint Talk, Nov., 1998, p. 2]

THE IMAGE OF THE MINISTRY
In recent years a great deal of attention has been given in both the secular and the religious press to the problem of the decline of the number of young men entering the ministry. Two points that are especially emphasized in such discussions are: (1) the loss of prestige that the ministry, as a profession, has suffered in recent years; and (2) the decline in the quality of those who are training to become ministers. As the discussion is developed, the point is generally made that the second problem is directly related to the first. The major problem involved is the loss of prestige that the ministry has suffered.

Sometimes such discussions, especially those which appear in the popular magazines that appear on the news stands, tend to sensationalize the situation. But, that a real problem does exist cannot be denied. It would be wrong, however, to think that the problem is new, for there has always been a concern in the church for the proper qualification of those who would be ministers of Christ. It is, in fact, to this subject that a great deal of attention is given by Paul in his letters to Timothy and Titus. In these letters, Paul gives attention to the work that is to be performed and the quality of person who is to do that work.

Many reasons could be advanced for the decline in the prestige of the ministry. Among these suggestions could be an increasing secularization of modern society. The changing social and economic patterns of modern society have tended to change the outlook of many people in this country toward the ministry as a profession which, by its very nature, demands the respect of people. If this is the reason for the loss of prestige by the ministry, the remedy would appear to be obvious, upgrade the ministry in its techniques and intellectual qualities and it will become a prestigious profession again. The problem with such an approach, however, would be that by such a procedure the very nature of the ministry as ministry would be in grave danger of being impaired.

More importantly, one might wonder whether the ministry has suffered its loss of prestige because ministers themselves have not presented an image that commands respect. Ministers may be open to the charge that they have not presented the type of character that deserves to be honored. If this is the case, disillusionment of the people who formerly might have been respectful toward the ministry may be well understood.

Anyone who would be a minister of Christ should guard against development of a great disparity between the profession of religion that he makes and the quality of his life and character as one who knows through personal experience the reality of the grace of God and the regeneration of the Holy Spirit.

The equipment of a minister should proceed, first of all, toward the achievement of the standard that Paul presented to his protege Timothy...(I Tim. 4:12). In his instructions to Timothy, Paul does not neglect the matter of the personal example that Timothy should set. Paul recognizes that the development of skills and the expansion of intellect are not enough by themselves for Timothy to become a true minister of Christ.

The force of Paul's instruction is indicated in the terminology he uses. The minister of Christ is to be an example to the believers. The word that Paul uses for "example" is types which, in other contexts, indicates an impression made by a die which is stamped onto a piece of plastic material. The implication of Paul's statement is that the minister of Christ should bear in himself the impression of a stamp put upon him by Christ. Timothy, according to Paul, was instructed to show the people he encountered a form of conduct that comes through the new birth. He was to be able to show them, by his own actions, true love, faith and purity.

The key to recovery of the prestige of the Christian ministry lies in this advice that Paul gives Timothy. It is important to note the emphasis that is put on the truly spiritual qualities that Paul calls for as essentialities for a true ministry. This instruction indicates where the emphasis is a minister's relationship with other persons lies and how an effective relationship may be established and maintained. Paul would have Timothy to understand that the minister of Christ will be honored when he is honorable; he will be respected when he presents a pattern of respectability.
[by James Zink from Bible Forethoughts, vol. 42, no. 18, Feb., 1967, p. 3-4]

WHAT BASIS FOR LOYALTY
You walk up to the house and knock. A well dressed man opens the door and gives you that, "Well, what do you want" look. After introducing yourself, you tell him that your business is religion. (You've come to convert him.) This discussion may or may not continue depending on his response. All the while each one has been sizing up the other.

It is at times like this you wish for more wisdom, knowledge and strength. You want to do good; you would like to win a soul to Christ. A former professor of mine once said every religious group is united around a central idea which gives meaningfulness to its members. And if one removes this unity it disrupts the entire group. Ever since that time I have frequently pondered this thought and wondered if it might help meet that situation at the door.

What causes a Baptist to be so loyal to his denomination even though he will say he does not agree with all Baptist doctrine? Why will a Catholic obey his priest when told not to come to your service? These are crucial questions because they strike at the heart of the personal worker's problem - loyalty to one's religious group and indifference to change.

Our task is to open men's minds so the truth can be seen. But there will be no meeting of the minds unless we understand what is important to them. And each religious man sees importance in those ideas which relate to the central idea around which his group is united. Below is a discussion of various themes around which religious bodies find their loyalty and unity.

One group finds its unity around the phenomenon known as "religious experience." One is never considered as "in" until he has had such an experience. And until such experiences occur the group will consider that person as on the periphery regardless of how much Bible he knows or how much doctrine he has obeyed. Therefore doctrine is less important than religious experience for this group. You will hear representatives saying, "It doesn't matter so much what you believe about certain doctrines relating to the church. The important question is: Have you been born from above?" In this group we would place various denominations which would not consider themselves as belonging together even though a basic religious experience is important for initiation into each.

Next we come to those who place their confidence in the hierarchy. The line of authority or chain of grace is fundamental to them. It is through the office of the priest that one seeks God and through this office God seeks man. The person occupying the office is essential only as he fills the office. Therefore, the priest can be sinful and not damage the believer's salvation. Security is found in his attachment to the office the priest occupies. It is from this office that the grace of God reaches the individual believer. The hierarchy from the Pope to the priest is all important. Therefore the Catholic must become subject to the hierarchy of the church because this is his communication line to God.

The next group views the doctrine of the church as very important. The individual member thinks his beliefs are Biblically centered and is ready to discuss them. He also accepts views based upon books to which a degree of revelation is given. This group is commonly referred to as "sects" as opposed to "protestants."

A fourth group feels they have inherited a rich faith from their fathers and that it is sufficient. They would see their church as the best for the times. A sharing together of this tradition would be very important for them. In this group one would find many of the more "traditional" protestant churches.

Admittedly we cannot force every person into the molds defined in this article. But this does explain why one who centers his religious views around an emotional experience becomes emotional in discussing his faith. Doctrinal agreement may not be as essential for identity in the group as these experiences. Often you can show him a passage in the Bible which contradicts his beliefs and he will pass it off as merely your interpretation. He has eyes to see but he refuses to see because this threatens his faith, his unity, and his security in his church relationship.

How then can you approach such a person? The best way is to build his confidence in the scriptures. Then one can turn to a "thus said the Lord." As you set forth the authority of the Bible get him involved in a personal study of the Bible. This will open his mind to new thoughts and raise the possibility of his seeing how to obey our Lord. So give him material to read and study with him.

The same basic approach is good for all people whether they be Catholic, traditional protestant or from a sect. For some groups such as the Jehovah's Witnesses one needs to get them to major in the plain simple truth God has for us rather than majoring in the spectacular. By confronting all prospects with the authority of the scripture and keeping in mind the basic unifying factor of their faith and being "as wise a serpents but as harmless as doves" we should become better missionaries for the Lord.

Let us find our deepest sense of unity in the doctrine of what to do to be saved, as well as in why we need to be saved and in Who saved us. Let us, as did the early church, live and breathe Jesus the Christ the Son of the living God. Let us never forget...(II Cor. 8:9). As we attempt to change one's thinking concerning the scripture may our basic motive be because...(John 14:6).
[by Allan Isom from Bible Forethoughts, vol. 42, no. 18, Feb., 1967, p. 5-7]

ABRAHAM'S TESTS OF FAITH
Family - God called him to leave his family and friends in Ur of the Chaldees.
Famine - When he was in the land God promised would be his descendants, he didn't rely on God to provide for him when a famine came, but went to Egypt.
Fellowship - He spurned alliance with the King of Sodom and instead gave tithes to Melchizedek.
Fortune - He allowed Lot to choose the best land and him take the land less well watered.
Fatherhood - He didn't rely on God to provide a child through Sarah but did it his own way by having a child through Hagar.
Farewell - Obeyed God's command to send Hagar and Ishmael away.
[by Greg Laurie, A New Beginning, May, 1999]

WHO IS STEVE STROUD?
I don't know Steve Stroud, although I have visited several times and even spoken at the congregation where he is a member in the northern Mississippi town of New Albany.

Steve, like many other teenagers, was recently confronted with a situation which proved to be a test of his commitment to the Christian principles by which he is determined to live.

As usual, Steve attended the Wednesday evening services on that date of December 12, 1979. The unusual thing about his presence had to do with his being a member of the basketball team and the team was scheduled to play that Wednesday night. Realizing the conflict, Steve chose to put the study of God's Word and his example of total commitment to the Lord first (Matt. 6:33). He explained to the coach that he could not play basketball on Wednesday night because of the mid-week service at the church building. His coach's response was that he either dress out and play in the game or turn in his uniform.

Steve elected to attend the worship service! The next day, remembering the words of the coach, Steve took his uniform by the coach's office. He would no longer be a member of the basketball team. He had made his choice. As much as he loved to play ball, He loved his Lord more! If the coach didn't want him on this basis however, he didn't want to play.

The coach's response? He would not accept Steve's uniform but instead told him that he was still on the team. He realized the value of having a young man with such character and conviction on his team!

Who is Steve Stroud? A teenager of whom not many people over the nation have heard, I'm sure. But he preached a sermon on Wednesday, December 12, 1979, that drowned out the voices of preachers across the land! He preached a most powerful sermon by his action and his light still shines (Matt. 5:16). May God bless Steve Stroud and raise up others just like him!
[by James A. Horton from North Jackson Ave. church of Christ newsletter, Bartow, Fla., Mar. 22, 1992, p. 3]

LOSING OUR CHILDREN
I read with interest about a traveler's trip a few years ago to visit a ranch in Zimbabwe where cattle were bred and raised.

There among several hundred steers was a full grown female elephant who had been "adopted" when she was very young. She spent her days associating with cattle and trying hard to be accepted by them.

Because the elephant was smarter than the cows, she sought ways to win their respect. She would use her trunk to unlock the gate for them, even though she had no interest in escaping.

And, believe it or not, she even tried to learn how to "moo" so she could sound more like the "in-group". Isn't it fascinating what a little peer pressure will do?

A recent television documentary on elephants and their behavioral characteristics brought the above article to mind.

The program was video-taped in India, where the magnificent animals are trained to serve their masters. Of course, if elephants knew how strong they were, they would never yield to the domination of anything but they are subjected to a stressful form of brainwashing which takes the fight out of them.

The process begins with three days of total isolation from man and beast. Female elephants and their young are remarkably social animals and they react to loneliness in the same way humans do. They grieve and fret and long for their peers.

At that precise moment of vulnerability, they are brought to a ceremony of fire. Then, for hours in the flickering light, they are screamed at, intimidated, stroked and ordered back and forth.

By morning, half-crazed, the elephants have yielded. Their wills have been broken. Man is the master.

Even though I understand the economic need for working elephants in India, there is still something sad about their plight.

These wonderfully intelligent animals are transformed from freedom to slavery in a single evening. Their fragile emotions are manipulated to destroy their independence and curb their individuality. It seems so wrong.

Then, as I watched the documentary, I was struck by the parallel between these elephants and we fragile human beings. We, too, are social creatures, born with irrepressible needs to be loved and accepted by our parents and peers.

In fact, to deprive us of this emotional support during early childhood is to risk crippling us for life.

But if our needs for love are great during childhood, they can't compare with the soul hunger we feel with the arrival of adolescence.

Like the elephants staked in a distant field, teenagers are subjected by their culture to a period of intense isolation and loneliness. Even those who are moderately successful during these years often feel rejected, ridiculed and ignored.

These youngsters slink through the halls of their schools, looking at the floor and fearing the wrath of their peers. They are, at that moment, prime targets for brainwashing.

Adolescent society will do the rest. Anyone who has worked with teenagers has surely witnessed this mindbending process at work.

Television and movies hammer away at moral values and principles. Friends and acquaintances ridicule any form of self-discipline or restraint.

But the analogy to the conditioning of elephants becomes even more striking. Rock concerts subject masses of needy kids to deafening noises, strange lights, wild emotions and godless philosophies.

Like an elephant during the night of fire, an adolescent begins to lose his grip on reality. His fight to preserve individuality slowly ebbs away. A passion for conformity rises from deep within. His peer group becomes lord and master, until finally, the wonderful freedom of youth is traded for slavery and domination.

This conditioning process helps explain the irrationality of youth.

Why else would healthy teenagers inject wretched drugs into their veins, or give sexual favors to a virtual stranger, or dye their hair orange and green, or even commit suicide?

Their behavior has been warped by enormous social pressures in an environment of unmet needs. Now, obviously, teenagers possess a free will and I would not excuse those who engage in irresponsible behavior. But they are also victims - victims of a peer-dominated society that can only leave them lost and confused. And my heart goes out to them.

How passionately I feel about the plight of today's children. How sorry I am for the pressures we have allowed to engulf them. How regretful I am for the sexual enticements that reach their ears during elementary school - teaching them that virginity is a curse and sex is an adolescent toy.

How I grieve for the boys and girls who have been told, and now they believe, that they are utter fools and will fail in each of life's endeavors.

How tender I feel toward the wounded children, the blind or deaf or mentally handicapped or cerebral-palsied, who believe themselves to be cursed by God and man.

Somehow we must make a new effort to reach this generation with a message of confidence and hope and love and respect.
[by Donald G. Harris of Apopka, Fla.]

GREETING VISITORS
The Bara Research Group interviewed 900 unchurched people to see how they would like to be treated while visiting church. The responses indicated visitors like to be noticed, but not publicly singled out. One of the worst things a church can do, according to the survey, is have visitors wear name tags.
On the other hand, personal greetings by members of the congregation make a very fine impression.
[from North Jackson Ave. church of Christ newsletter, Bartow, Fla., Nov. 19, 1995, p. 3]

THE EXTRAVAGANCE OF GOD
More sky than man can see,
More seas than he can sail,
More sun than he can bear to watch,
More stars than he can scale.
More breath than he can breathe,
More yield than he can sow,
More grace than he can comprehend,
More love than he can know.
[by Ralph W. Seager from North Jackson Ave. church of Christ newsletter, Bartow, Fla., Nov. 19, 1995, p. 3]

DADDY, HOW OLD DO I HAVE TO BE BEFORE...?
As faithful Christian parents our number one goal should be to bring our children up in the Lord. The admonition of the apostle Paul is so important. (Eph. 6:4). God has given unto parents a very serious responsibility. In this permissive age it is difficult to do, but as adults we can make that job easier for them.

Daddy, how old do I have to be before I can miss Bible class on Sunday morning and Wednesday night? Why in the world would a child ask such a question? The answer is very simple! They have seen adults do this very thing. Some of those adults have children still in their home, who should be taught the importance of attending every service of the church. Yet, they live their lives in an unconcern way. Someone will pay in judgment!

Daddy, how old do I have to be before I can use curse words? Why in the world would a child ask such a question? The answer is simple! They have heard adults and older children, in and out of church, use such words. Someone will pay in judgment!

Daddy, how old do I have to be before I can smoke, chew and dip snuff? Why in the world would a child ask such a question? Again the answer is simple! They have seen adults and teenagers do these things. Some of these adults have children or grandchildren who are following in their foot steps.

Jesus said...(Matt. 5:16). As Christians, this is a command, not an option. Every Christian has a responsibility of assisting everyone else to go to heaven. Solomon said...(Prov. 22:6). As adults, we must be concerned about our examples before all people, and especially children. We do not know who may be watching and following our example.

It is so sad to, have to, try to explain to a child why someone can do something that he or she is not allowed to do, when that person is supposed to be a Christian. Paul told Timothy...(I Tim. 4:12). If every Christian across this land would heed this admonition, it would make it much easier for parents to bring their children up in the Lord. The world would also look at the church in a more favorable way, and souls could be saved.

Every Christian must live as the great apostle Paul, and develop his attitude. He said...(Gal. 2:20). All must see Christ in Christians!
[by Charles E. Burch from North Jackson Ave. church of Christ newsletter, Bartow, Fla., Mar. 17, 1996, p. 3]

DON'T BOTHER ME
In a church bulletin that crossed my desk this morning a preacher wrote: For a number of reasons, it has become necessary to establish some guidelines for a better use of my time. The need to read, study, and write demands quietness and a lack of disturbance. Consequently, should you call or come by the office to visit and the church secretary informs you that I'm taking no calls or visits before 11 a.m., don't take it personally. I do want to be available and of service. However, unless it is important or serious, I will be tied up in preparing the lessons for the week ahead until 11 a.m. each morning. After that time, if you have need to talk, you are of course welcome."

Well, that's one way of handling interruptions. But it would be interesting to see how well it works.

I couldn't help but reflect on the fact that Jesus was often interrupted as he went about his business. While teaching the disciples of John he was interrupted (Matt. 19:18). While on his way to raise the daughter of Jairus he was interrupted (Matt. 19:20ff). He was interrupted by Peter when he was at prayer (Mark 1:35-39). He was interrupted by a leper (Mark 1:40ff). He was interrupted while he was preaching in Capernaum (Mark 2:1-12). And even on an important mission to Jerusalem he was interrupted by a blind beggar (Mark 10:46-52).

Jesus seemed to take all of these interruptions in stride. He did not permit them to throw him off-balance, or cause exasperation. Patiently he met the needs of those that came to him. Never once did he hang out a sign saying, "No appointments until 11 a.m."

A teacher once remarked, "You know...my whole life I have been complaining that my work was constantly interrupted, until I discovered that my interruptions were my work."
[by John Gipson from North Jackson Ave. church of Christ newsletter, Bartow, Fla., Oct. 17, 1993, p. 3]

To select another section of literature To the instructions To Home Page

1.	(Heb. 5:9). Will those who obey be saved? Yes No
2.	(II Thes. 1:7-8). Will the Lord take vengeance on them that do not obey the gospel? Yes No
3.	(John 12:48). Will we be judged by the way we feel? Yes No
4.	If we open a book, at just any page and begin to read, it will not make much sense. We need to know what we must do. Noah had to build an Ark. Moses had to make a serpent of brass. We do not have to do those. We need to know how to divide the word of truth. Matthew, Mark, Luke and John wrote about Christ, so we may believe. Acts tells about the beginning of the church and how to become a Christian. Most of the rest of the New Testament tells us how to live the Christian life.
5.	If we do the same thing to become a Christian as they did, we will be saved, too.
	A.	Have you made a decision for Christ? Yes No
	B.	Did you feel God saved you when you prayed? Yes No
	C.	Have you been baptized? Yes No
6.	Let's read the Bible conversions. (Acts 2:36-47). Were these people told to repent and be baptized for the remission of sins? Yes No
7.	(Acts 9:1-18). Did Paul pray three days? Yes No (Acts 22:1-16). Was Paul told to arise and be baptized and wash away his sins? Yes No
8.	(Acts 8:35-39). Was the Eunuch baptized in water? Yes No Was he sprinkled? Yes No
9.	(Acts 16:23-34). Was the jailor baptized immediately? Yes No
10.	(Mark 16:16; I Pet. 3:21). Does baptism save us? Yes No
11.	(Rom. 6:3-4; Gal. 3:27). Is baptism the way to get into Christ? Yes No
12.	(John 3:23; John 3:5). Was there much water where John was baptizing? Yes No Did Jesus say, Except a man be born of the water the the Spirit he can not enter the Kingdom? Yes No
13.	Did you say you were saved when you prayed, before you were baptized? If you did, you have not been baptized: for remission of sins, to get into Christ, to wash away sins, to be saved - have you? Is it your desire to do that now? Yes No Also, at baptism you: reach the blood of Christ, obey the Gospel, are born again, receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, are a new creature, are added to the church.
	A.	(Rom. 16:16). Would God be pleased if the church was called the church of Christ? Yes No
	B.	(Acts 20:7). Did the early disciples eat the Lord's Supper on the first day of the week? (Sunday) Yes No Would God be pleased if we do that today? Yes No
	C.	(Heb. 13:15; Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16). Should we offer praise to God, the fruit of our lips? Yes No
	D.	This is seen in the command to pray and sing.

I.	The prophets could be grouped as follows:
	A.	Preaching but not writing: e.g. Nathan, Elijah, Elisha.
	B.	Preaching and writing:
		1.	Major (long) writers: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel.
		2.	Minor (short) writers: Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi.
II.	The functions of the minor prophets.
	A.	They speak a specific message, perhaps only once. (e.g. Amos/Israel)
	B.	They usually spoke addressing/concerning a specific audience.
		1.	Ninevah: Jonah, Nahum
		2.	Israel, Samaria: Amos
		3.	Edom: Obadiah
		4.	Judah, Jerusalem: Malachi
	C.	They warn: (Obadiah/Edom; Nahum/Ninevah)
	D.	They correct: (Malachi/Judah)
	E.	They encourage: (Haggai/rebuilding the Temple)
	F.	They promise: (Zechariah/Lord and His work)
III.	We are given few hints concerning their "training". (Amos 6:14)
IV.	The few details given indicate varied lives. (Amos 6:14; Hosea 1:2)
V.	Dr. Jack Lewis makes these observations regarding prophets.
	A.	The prophet is inspired by God (II Pet. 1:20ff).
	B.	The prophet cannot introduce strange religions. (Deut. 13:1ff)
	C.	The word of the true prophet is fulfilled (Deut. 18:20ff).
	D.	Prophecy is conditional (Jer. 18:5ff; I Kings 21:29).
	E.	The bulk of Old Testament prophetic activity was before and after the captivity.
		1.	Threats of destruction are fulfilled in those calamities
		2.	The promised return illuminates the end of those exiles.
	F.	The New Testament age is often a focus of Old Testament prophecy. (Mal. 3:1ff)
	G.	God's final revelation is through His Son. (Heb. 1:1ff; Heb. 2:1ff)

I.	We can control anger.
	A.	Anger is a major personal problem.
		1.	Cain was told he must master it (Gen. 4:6-7).
		2.	Moses suffered because of anger (Exo. 2:11; Exo. 32:19; Num. 20:91).
	B.	Sometimes anger is not a sin.
		1.	The Lord was sometimes angry (Mark 3:5; Matt. 21:12ff).
		2.	We are told to limit anger (Matt. 5:22; Eph. 4:26; James 1:20).
	C.	Anger is sin when it adds resentment or vengence (Deut. 32:35).
	D.	Here are some ways to control anger.
		1.	Take it out on something which cannot be hurt.
		2.	Think about what you do and how you feel when angry.
		3.	Try to imagine how you must look to others.
		4.	Try to understand the person who makes you angry.
		5.	Go to the other to make peace (Matt. 5:9).
		6.	Forgive others generously (Matt. 18:21ff).
		7.	Find a reliable way to cool off.
		8.	Be silent when provocation comes (James 3:2ff).
		9.	Pray (Matt. 5:44; Luke 23:34).
II.	We can control anxiety.
	A.	Anxiety is helpful in moderation.
		1.	It is like an alarm awakening us to dangers or challenges.
		2.	It reveals we are careful, interested, and care how life develops.
	B.	Anxiety is wrong when it takes over our life.
		1.	Saul illustrates its power.
			a.	Anxiety overstimulated (I Sam. 13:7-12).
			b.	Anxiety paralyzed (I Sam. 17:11, 31ff).
		2.	Do not let anxiety control your life (Matt. 6:34ff).
	C.	Some widely used "cures" fail.
		1.	Drugs.
		2.	Immoral indulgence.
		3.	Entertainment.
		4.	Running.
	D.	Some efforts which help control or even prevent anxiety are:
		1.	Getting adequate rest and exercise.
		2.	Have occasional diversions from your routine.
		3.	Examine the cause of the problem.
		4.	Discipline yourself to respond before anxiety begins (Prov. 26:15ff).
		5.	If guilty, seek reconciliation with God and man (James 5:16).
		6.	Seek to develop confidence in God (Phili. 4:13).
		7.	Develop spiritual fellowship so you know you have help.
			a.	We are here for each other (Eph. 4:11-16).
			b.	Our mutual support is to be reinforced at worship (Heb. 10:25).