September 2007 Archives
GOD'S RULE IS FOR MAN'S GOOD
"God seeks the present and eternal good of man's good;
Satan seeks the present corruption and eternal ruin
of man. It must be evident to every man who believes
God, that whatever God requires of man is for man's
good. His commands grow out of man's needs. " It is not in
man that walketh to direct his steps.: (Jeremiah 10:23),
hence God in His mercy and benevolence supplies man's
most urgent and fundemental needs by directing his
steps. God's rule therefore is benevolent, not tyrannical;
and His commands are manifestations of His grace,
and not antagonistic to it."
Nichol/Whiteside
The doctrine of eternal salvation by "faith only" is a cherished
and often accepted means of obtaining all the promises of God.
The doctrine of "faith only" also often, but not always, would
claim that once salvation is procured by faith that salvation
cannot be lost or forfeited by any future act or conduct of the
believer.
The doctrine of salvation by "faith only" is often stated in
various ways. A preacher, who believes the doctrine of "faith only,"
many times will tell a person desiring salvation to, "JUST
ACCEPT CHRIST AS YOUR PERSONAL SAVIOUR, AND YOU
WILL BE SAVED." (note: NO APOSTLE EVER SAID THIS TO ONE
WHO WANTED TO BE SAVED.) He then will tell that person to
pray what is called the "sinner's prayer" in which one confesses
that he is a sinner, acknowledges that Christ is the Saviour and
thanks God for his salvation.
In public debate the doctrine of "faith only" has been stated
thusly, "THE SCRIPTURES TEACH THAT FAITH IN CHRIST
PROCURES SALVATION WITHOUT FURTHER ACTS OF
OBEDIENCE." This was affirmed by L.S. Ballard in the debate
with Thomas B. Warren in Fort Worth, Texas. The intent of the
debate was primarily to deny the necessity of water baptism
as a necessary part of salvation from past sins. The
implication of this doctrine of "faith only", however reaches
much deeper into other Bibical requierments when taken at
face value.
A person must be extremely careful when quoting the Word
of God and make sure that the quote is exact. In the garden of
Eden for example, The Devil only added one word to what
God had said and brought death, heartache, and misery
upon future generations. God said that Adam and Eve were not
to eat o the fruit from the "Tree of Life" and if they did , they
would die. The Devil said, ""you shall not surely die."
The Devil only added the one word "NOT" to what God said.
God said, ""You will die" and the Devil said, "you will NOT
die." Truth was changed to a lie simply by adding one word.
As a result of man believing a lie he was put out of the Garden
of Eden and no longer had access to the "Tree of Life". Why
do babies die? Why does anyone die? The simple answer is that
eternal life and access to the "Tree of Life" was forfeited when
man believed a lie and rejected what God said. The apostle Paul
would state the consequence of Adam's sin by saying that,
"in Adam, all die."
If it is true that by "faith only" on the part of the believer he
procures or obtains salvation, then what about the Bible
statements which indicate additional requierments? Are there
acts of obedience necessary to obtain the approval of God?
This is the real question which must be answered when
discussing salvation by "faith only." The doctrine of "faith
only" is often connected with an additional doctrine. The
additional doctrine has to do with future sin and
salvation. It is maintained that once a person is saved, he
cannot so sin as to be lost. This doctrine is often described
as "the impossibility of apostasy," "Once saved always saved."
"Once in grace, always in grace", "The eternal security of the
believer", or some other such terminology.
The following three passages along with many others, that
could be quoted, prove the fallacy of "once saved always
saved." Matthew 7:21 shows the necessity of doing the will
of the Father. Revelation 2:10 says, "Be faithful even to the
point of death." Hebrews 5:9 says that Christ is "The source of
eternal salvation to all who obey Him." It is clear that acts
or deeds are essential to continue to do the will of the
Father and be faithful.
Does salvation by,"faith only" negate all the other Bibical
commandments and requirements? This is a legitimate
question arising from the concept of "faith only" and must be
answered. To answer the question, we must define the meaning
of the word, "only". While there various uses of the word "only",
in connection with people and things, it is most often in an
exclusive manner and certainly not in an inclusive manner. Thus
"only" may be defined as simply, "The single thing involved in a
situation." It signifies that which stands alone, seperate and
apart from every thing else.
The following questions must be asked:
1. I s there a passage that uses the terminology "faith alone"? The
answer is "YES"!
The passage however, does not support the doctrine of
salvation by "faith only" for the passages read, "What good is it
my brothers if a man claims to have faith, but has no deeds. Can such
faith save him?" V14... "You foolish man do you want evidence that
faith without deeds is useless ?" V 20... "you see that a person
is justified by what he does and NOT BY FAITH ALONE" V 24 ... "As
the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead."
V 26. (James 2:14-26)
These passages alone are sufficient to refute the doctrine of "faith only".
But we shall examine it further and add additional weight to the truth
stated above.
2. Does the Bible say that we are saved or justified by faith? The
answer is, "YES." This is found in several passages, one is Acts 16:31.
3. Does the Bible say that we are saved by " faith only or alone?"
"NO!"
4. Does the Bible say that we are saved or justified by something
other than Faith"? YES!
There are at least fourteen things by which
the Bible says we are saved. It should, however, be noted that
in no case is the word "only" used in connection with any of the
things mentioned.
What are the things by which the Bible says that we
are saved or justified?
God, Preaching, belief- 1 Corintians 1:21
Grace, faith- Ephesians 2:8
Jesus, 1 Timothy 1:15
Jesus' life, Jesus' death- Romans 5:10
Blood, Romans 5:9
Word, James 1:21
Love of the truth, 2 Thessalonians 2:10
Faith, Acts 16:31
Baptism, 1 Peter 3:21
Calling on the name of the Lord, Romans 10:13
Hope, Romans 8:24
Obedience, Hebrews 5:8-9
5. Would it be accurate to say that we are saved by baptism?
"YES"
Would it be accurate to say that we are saved by "baptism
only"? NO!
There are those who teach that we are saved by baptism alone. Who
does this? Everyone who teacher infant baptism. An infant is
incapable of hearing and forming a belief, he is incapable of
repenting and confessing Christ as Lord and he is taken without
his consent and has water sprinkled or poured on his head.
(Some assume that sprinkling or pouring water on the candidate
is Bible baptism. There is no Bible authority for this.) If this is not
salvation by "baptism only", one would be hard pressed to define
it otherwise.
6. Does the great commission to the Apostles suggest the idea of
"faith only" as a means of salvation? NO! Again it is not clear
that both belief and baptism are required before salvation is
obtained, Christ said, "Whoever believes and is baptised will
be saved."
It is interesting to note that the generally perceived Christian
World is divided into three groups. Each group may best be defined
by their correct or incorrect arrangement of the Great Commission
recorded in Mark 16:16.
Christ said, "Whoever BELIEVES and is BAPTIZED will be
SAVED."
"Faith only" says, "Whoever BELIEVES is SAVED and can be
BAPTIZED later."
"Baptism only" says, "Whoever is BAPTIZED is SAVED and
BELIEVES later."
CONCLUSION:
If "faith only" is all that is required to obtain eternal salvation,
which salvation then cannot in any way be lost what about other
apparent commands. What about the command to: obey, assemble
together, repent, confess, be baptized, pray, sing, give, partake of
the Lord's supper, add to our faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance,
patience and Godliness?
IT SHOULD BE EVIDENT TO EVERY PERSON THAT FAITH IS
NECESSARY TO HAVE SALVATION, BUT THE FAITH THAT SAVES
IS THE FAITH THAT OBEYS. FAITH IS THE REASON FOR OUR
OBEDIENCE. "FAITH ONLY" is NOT a BIBLE DOCTRINE.
"Faith only" cannot be proved by quoting passages that
mention faith, but have no additional commandments
included in the verse. Would such passages exclude the necessity
to love God? Some would argue that since additional
commandments were not included in the same verse they are
not necessary to obtain salvation.
"Faith only" is just as false as the doctrine of "Baptism
only." The same arguments that are used to try to prove one
can be used to try and prove the other.
DYREL W. COLLINS
"CELEBRATE A TRADITIONAL BRITISH TEA"
" In the early 1800s, people in Great Brtitain ate only two
meals a day. Breakfast was served midmorning and
usually consisted of beef, bread and ale. Dinner was an
elaborate affair served late in the evening that could
last for hours. Anna the duchess of Bedford, wanted to relieve
herself of the light-headed feeling she had as she waited
for dinner, so she had her servants prepare a light afternoon
meal of finger foods accompanied by the British
beverage of choice, a pot of hot tea.
Soon the duchess's idea caught on with the public.
Tea houses cropped up all over Great Britain. Here
women could dine with their female friends unescorted.
The menu of dainty crustless sandwiches, baked goods
accompanied by jam and clotted cream, steaming pots of
tea with milk remained the same as Anna's.
However , the purpose of "taking tea" began to change.
What began as a practical way to ward off hunger
pains turned into a time- tested British tradition where
conversation with friends became the real main
course. Purpose to experience it yourself at least once
before you go to heaven.
A crustless cucumber sandwich may never take the
place of a Reuben, but celebrating a traditional
tea with close friends is a wonderful way to spend an
afternoon. It is also a reminder that tradition can
be a positive thing. In today's society, tradition is often
looked down on as something that's practiced
mindlessly or continued solely because "it's always
been done that way." But every tradition began
with a purpose.
That holds true for tradition within the church as well.
Behind every tradition is a story..... a reason for
baptism, Communion, and treating Sunday as a "day of rest."
If you feel that you are simply going through the motions
of any tradition, discover how it came about. Do a little
research. Perhaps over a cup of tea."
Without the presence and association of friends, we are lacking one
of the most satisfying and necessary part of our lives. Are you just going
thru the motions of some traditions?
Byrl Brockman
RESISTING THE SPIRIT
"Through the Spirit strives with man, man has the power
to resist. Stephen says,"Ye do always resist the Holy
Spirit; as your fathers did, so do ye." (Acts 7:5l) How did
their fathers resist the Holy Spirit? In (Neh. 9:30) we
have the answer. "yet many years did you bear with them,
and testified against them by your Spirit through your
prophets; yet would they not give ear." It is impossible to
resist words; we may reject words, and, in so doing
resist the power or person speaking the words. The Holy
Spirit spoke through the prophets, reproving the
fathers of their sins; but they did not give ear. They
rejected the word, and for this reason, Stephen says,
they resisted the Spirit."
"Building the ark was in itself a powerful sermon to the
people. Such labors showed them that Noah believed
what he preached, and was a constant warning to them.
Human nature was the the same then as now.
Unbelief was stubbborn and resisting. It scoffed at the wiser
course of faith and humble obedience. No doubt the
people condemned Noah as a fool and pronounced
building the ark a crazy expenditure of time snd means.
To them the preaching and warnings of Noah were only the
babblings of a crazy fool. To the most conservative
among these believers Noah was not a practical man, only
only a dreamer of dreams. But all, whether conservative
or radical, resisted while Noah labored and warned. But
when the flood came, they must have realized that Noah
was wise and they were fools. They might resist God in
His entreaties, but they could not resist Him in His wrath."
Our greatest need is, that we are living before the same God that was
dealing with Noah and the world at that time.
Byrl Brockman
In this article, we are impressed with how eager these
New converts were to share the gospel where ever
they went. (Byrl Brockmnan)
"THE SCATTERED CHURCH"
"They were all scattered abroad throughout the regions
of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles." But
this seemingly calamaty did not break their spirit nor
their zeal. "They therefore that were scattered
abroad went about preaching the word". (Acts 8:4).
They went about evangelizing, for so the original
word signifies. Perhaps only a small part of them
delivered public addresses; certainly women did not;
yet they all, men annd women, went about evangelizing.
Evangelizing is preaching the gospel , whether to
multitudes asssembled or to individuals, whether at home
or abroad. They went ---that is, they evangelized as
they went. The very form of the expression shows that the
giong and the evangelizing were different acts.
Among the very active ones driven out of Jerusalem
by this persecution was Phillip, one of the seven
chosen to serve the church in Jerusalem (Acts 6:1-6).
When the church at Jerusalem was scattered
his services as deacon, of course, ceased; and, by
virture of the fact that he then gave his time to
preaching the word, he became Phillip the evangelist.
He was not "set apart" as a preacher by some
ecclesiastical body. The apostles had been filling the
church with the word, and any Christian who
became as full of the word as was Phillip would preach it.
To the extent that any one preaches the word,
to that extent he is an evangelist, for an evangelist is
one who preaches the word.
Of Phillip's early life we know nothing. He is
first mentioned in connection with the seven chosen
to serve tables (Acts 6). The eighth chapter of Acts gives
a record of some of his work as a preacher. We hear
no more of him till mention is made of him in Acts 21:8.
At that time his home was in Cesarea, and he was
called Philip the evangelist.
May we see the same zeal shown in our day by all Christians as we seek to save the lost!!!
(Byrl Brockman)
"DEGREES OF FAITH"
There is one faith. (Ephesians 4:4), but this one faith
may exist in different degrees. All have not the
same degrees of faith, as is evidenced by the Bible.
LITTLE FAITH. "O ye of little faith" (Matt. 8:26).
GREAT FAITH. "I have not founf so great,
faith, no not in Israel (Matt. 8:10).
WEAK FAITH. "Him that is weak in faith." (Rom. 14;10).
DEAD FAITH. "Faith apart from works is dead. "(James 2:26).
PERFECT FAITH. "By works was faith made perfect." (James 2:22).
Why don't you examine your Faith and see what type of Faith you have?
"READ THE BIBLE FROM COVER TO COVER"
Imagine opening your mailbox and finding a love letter from your
soul mate. You recognize the handwriting at once and anxiously
tear open the envelope. As you enter the front door, youi toss the
bills, flyers , and junk mail aside before settling down on the couch
to take in every word of what your true love has to say. But you
notice that the letter is rather long. The print is small. And some
of the verbage is-- to put it bluntly--hard to understand. You know
that every word has been choosen with care and written
especially for you, but you decide to read the opening
greeting and paragraph and call it quits. After all, you've gotten the
gist of the letter. You have more important things to do with your time.
Like check out the junk mail on the coffee table.
If you haven't read the Bible from cover to cover, that's exactly
what you've done with it. You've skimmed a love letter that has
the power to change your life and your heart. Before you go to heaven,
get to know the One who's waiting there for you. The Bible introduces
you to God's character, how He works in the world, and His plan
for your life on earth and in heaven. Every word carries His finger
print. Every verse reveals His truth.
Get aquainted with each and every chapter of the Old and the New
Testament . You don't have to read every book sequentially,
beginning with book one. Mix them up. Many study- Bibles contain
a schedule that can help you read through the Bible in a year.
A good study Bible will provide insight into why, when,by whom,
and to whom a book was written. However, the ultimate study aid is God's
very own Spirit. Ask God to help you understand and apply what you're
reading. The better picture you have of who God is, the deeper your love
for Him will grow.
David Bordon/Tom Winters
"A POWERFUL SERMON"
Building the ark was itself a powerful sermon
to the people. Such labors showed them
that Noah believed what he preached, and was
a constant warning to them. But human nature
was the same then as now. Unbelief was stubborn
and resisting. It scoffed at the wiser course of
faith and humble obedience. No doubt the people
condemned Noah as a fool and pronounced
building the ark a cracy expenditure of time and
means. To them, Noah's preaching and warnings
were only the babblings of a crazy fool. To the most
conservative amongst these unbelievers, Noah
was not a practical man, only a dreamer of dreams.
But all, whether conservative or radical, resisted
while Noah labored and warned. But when the flood
came, they must have realized that Noah was
wise and they were fools. They might resist God in
His entreaties, but they could not resist Him in
His wrath!
(Nichols and Whiteside)
We need so much to heed the warning even now, that though
God is a loving God, He, justly, is, also, a God of Wrath.
Byrl Brockman
"GIVE ME THE BIBLE"
Give me the Bible star of gladness gleaming,
To cheer the wand'rer lone and tempest tossed;
No storms can hide the radiance peaceful beaming
Since Jesus came to seek and save the lost.
Give me the Bible when my heart is broken,
When sin and grief have filled my soul with fear;
Give me the precious words by Jesus spoken,
Hold up faith's lamp to show my Saviour near.
Give me the Bible, all my steps enlighten,
Teach me the danger of these realms below;
Thatt lamp of safety o'er the gloom shall brighten,
That light alone the path of peace can show.
Give me the Bible, lamp of life immortal,
Hold up that splendor by the open grave;
Show me the light from heaven's shining portals,
Show me the glory gilding Jordan's wave.
Give me the Bible Holy message shining,
Thy light shall guide me in the narrow way;
Preceipt and promise, law and love combining,
Till night shall vanish in eternal day.
What a treasrue at our disposal! Let us us it to the fullest. Byrl Brockman
HARMONY
There is harmony in music because in music
there is no self will. Music is built on law.
Man did not make this law; he has simply
discovered it. If he breaks it the music ceases.
Each Hayden and Hadel is as much bound by it
as each amateur. The same is true of man's
relation to his every act. Find out its principles,
and all the genius of that art is yours. But
disobey its principles; try to excell in any other
way than by conformity to its nature, and all
that art contends against you, and balks you at
every step. We cannot change ocean current
or tide, but we can build our ship and stretch
out our sail, and by adapting as to wind
and wave we can gain any Liverpool or Queenstown.
We cannot conquer lightning. Obedience
pulls the sting out of lightning and makes it harmless.
Fire is a bad master, but a good servant.
So it is in the spiritual life. If we obey the law
of God, we have "rest and peace in the
beloved"
James Hastings
What a great blessing it is , to know that one can know and walk in the law of God with the same sureness that the true musician by following the law of music can play or sing a song.
Byrl Brockman
"KNOW THYSELF"
"You are here" are three of the most important words you
can find on a map of unfamiliar territory. Even if the
words themselves aren't actually printed there for you,
your location better be FIRMLY imprinted in your mind.
If you don't know where you are, how can you get where
you want to go?
On the road to heaven, knowing where you are means
more than knowing your geographical location. It
means knowing YOURSELF. Knowing where you are
physically, emotionally, mentally, relationally, and
spiritually. Having a firm grasp on your own strengths
and weaknesses. Understanding what gifts you have
to offer and what talents need a little nurturing. Without
knowing who you are right now, you cannot see how far
you have to go to become the person God created
you to mature into.
Sometimes it can be difficult to get a clear picture of
who you are on your own. Your best resource is to
go straight to God for insight. However, another valuable
outside soure is a close friend. Ask this person to tell
you - honestly - what areas of your life you've matured
in lately and what areas could still use some work.
Together, try to come up with some ideas on how you
can strengthen your weak areas, expose any blind spots,
and develop any budding talents you may have. Ask your
friend to check in on your progress every so often, which
will help keep you accountable in following through with
your plan.
Each new day is unfamiliar territory. Some of the terrain
may look the same, but the truth is, you never know
what's beyond the next rise, what new roads and borders
GOD HAS JUST AHEAD FOR YOU TO CROSS. The
better you know yourself, the better you'll be able to
discern the route you need to travel, THE ROAD BEST
suited to who you are and who you will yet become.
David Bordon/Tom Winters
"THE HOLY SPIRIT"
"The Holy Spirit organized, or adapted things to
their use. He is the finisher, the beautifier.
He brought order out of chaos. In Genesis 1:2 ,
it is declared that "the earth was waste and
void and darkness was upon the face of the
deep; and the Spirit of God moved upon
face of the waters." The marginal rendering
in the American Standard Version says,
"The Spirit of God was brooding upon the face
of the waters." This is a significant expression.
Job declared, "By His Spirit the heavens are
garnished." (Job 26:13); and David sings,
"Thou sendest forth thy Spirit, they are
created; And thou renewest the face of
the ground."
(Selected)
GIVE THEM THE FLOWERS NOW
Closed eyes can't see the white roses,
Cold hands can't hold them, you know,
Breath that is still cannot gather
The fragrance that sweet from them blows.
Death with a peace beyond dreaming,
The children of earth doth endow;
Life is the time we can help them,
So give them the flowers now.
Here are the struggles and strivings,
Here are the cares and the tears;
Now is the time to be smoothing
The frowns and the furrows and fears.
What to the closed eyes are kind sayings,
What to hushed heart is deep vow?
Naught can avail after parting,
So give them the flowers now.
Just a kind word or a greeting
Just a warm grasp or a smile---
These are the flowers that will lighten
The burdens for many a mile.
After the journey is over,
What is the use of them? How
Can they carry them who must be carried?
O give them the flowers now!
Blooms from the happy heart's garden,
Plucked in the spirit of love;
Blooms that are earthly reflections
Of flowers that blossom above.
Words cannot tell what a measure
Of blessings such gifts will allow
To dwell in the lives of many;--
So give them the flowers now.
Leigh M. Hodges
TWO MEN AND A BULL
" It is easy to say what you would do if you were in
the other fellow's place when you don't know the
place he's in, stated this prospective preacher.
To illustrate this he would tell a story of himself
and a brother in the church who went walking
in a pasture. For protection against deer hunters
they wore red jackets. In time, a bull spotted them
and gave chase. They ran until finally the brother
grabbed a limb and went up a tree, while grandpa
darted into a small cave. But no sooner had he gotten
in until he darted out. And then the bull charged
and away grandpa flew back into the cave. And it
became a bullet like performance----on and out,
in and out.
The brother in the tree exasperated, said "Why don't
you stay in there? Then the bull will get tired, go away
and we can go home."
Grandpa replied with vigor, "That's all right for
you to say, sitting up there safe on that
limb; but what you don't know is, there's
a bear in that cave,"
Leroy Brownlow
ASK FOR DIRECTIONS
Men are often given a bad rap about not asking for
directions. But women are guilty of the very same
thing. It seems that individuals of both sexes would
rather wander aimlessly down unfamiliar streets,
risk putting together something the wrong way,
or meander through life without God's guidance
rather that humble themselves enough to admit
there are things they don't know.
If you are one of these people, you;ll find the road to heaven
a lot less bumpy if you admit you need some help along
the way.
When you need help, whom or what you turn to makes a big
difference.
You wouldn't dial operator assistance if you needed to know
how to make chicken Marsala or consult a map if you wanted
to change the oil in your car.
In the same way, if you need help figuring out who you are and
what your purpose is in this life, you should turn to the ultimate
authority - the ONE who made you and therefore knows your
heart better than anyone else.
Only God is familiar with both you and every twist and turn you will
face on the road to heaven.
When life is confusing, when you're unsure of which way to go,
don't waste your precious days drifting without direction.
Call out to GOD.
Pray with an open mind and an open heart.
Next, open the Bible.
Balance any direction in which you feel led to go with
the guidelines that God has already provided.
Day by day, as you stay close to God, He'll reveal what
direction your next step should take.
As for the little things, such as programming your DVD
player or navigating your way to a new restaurant, God
has already provided you with directions.
They usually come in the form of other people who know
more than you do about a particular subject.
Humbly lean on their expertise when you need it.
God may guide you to help them someday.
David Bordon/Tom Winters
1. Fear of Jehovah (Gen. 3:10)
2. Shame
3. Moral deterioration. This is seen in Adam's case-----
BLIGHT OF SIN
Sin has been a blight in the world.
View the broken--hearted husband as he follows the
corpse of his wife to the grave, the mother as she
touches her lips to the cold brow of her babe in the
embrace of death, or hear her wail as she sees her
son marched off to prison; see the pain sickness,
heartaches, tears and sorrows of earth, and know that
they are the result of sin.
Behold the rose as she breathes her sweet
perfume; reach forth your hand to pluck the flower and
feel the prick of the thorn, and know that briars and
thorns are the result of sin.
Some men love darkness rather than light because
their deeds are evil.
Most sins are committed in the night, and in covert
and secret places.
Germs and vermin of all kinds thrive in the darkness -
they can not live in the sunlight.
Neither can sin abide in your heart if you allow GOD"S
word to illuminate it.
Why will men cleave to a life of sin when such fatal
results always follow?
(Selected)
PURPOSE AND SIGNIFICANCE OF THE LORD"S SUPPER
COMMEMORATIVE:
"This do in remembrance of me";
not in order to remember me, but you do it
because you remember me; and those who
cherish His memory in their hearts will show
it in faithfully keeping this scacred feast.
We are not to eat the supper simply in memory
of His death, as some think, but, "this do in
remembrance of me."
Do it in memory of HIM, remembering His birth, His life, teaching,
obedience, and good deeds, as well of His death.
The world builds monuments to her great men of the
most durable material, and engrave on them
records of their valorous deeds; but even when
not destroyed by man, the relentless mill of time
grinds them to powder.
But the Lord's Supper, builded of such perishable material,
has endured throuhgh the centuries and is as fresh today
as when builded.
It is the Lord's monument.
Let skeptics account for its exixtence.
It is not enough that they tell us that we keep it because
of tradition.
Let them tell us how it began,
Let them tell us why the first group ate their supper.
If it celebrates a myth, let them tell us who fooled the first group
to sitting down to the table to celebrate that which never existed.
How was such a thing possible?
Let them tell us why a new word was coined to point out the peculiar
relation of the supper to the Lord.
It is called the Kuriakos supper.
The word,, not found in Greek literature previous to this, is
defined,
"Of or belonging to the Lord; relating to the Lord." -- Thayer
"God's Rule is for Man's Good."
God seeks the present and eternal good of man;
Satan seeks the present corruption and eternal ruin of man.
It must be evident to every one who believes in God, that
whatever God requires is for man's good.
His commands grow out of man's needs.
"It is not in man that walketh to direct his steps" (Jer. 10:23),
hence God in his mercy and benevolence supplies man's
most urgent and fundamental needs by directing his steps.
God's rule therefore is benevolent, not tyrannical; and his
commands are manifestations of His grace, and not antagonistic
to it.
Commands and Grace.
It is unfortunate that some religious teachers have placed the grace
of God on the one side, and the commands of God over against it,
thus, making them antagonistic, and have taught that if man
obeys God's conditions of salvation he is not depending on the
grace of God, and that if he depends on God's grace the keeping
of God's commands is a matter of no consequence.
But the person not blinded by false theories sees in all God's
commands his grace or favor for man.
God has shown man how to live; He has taught him the true
philosophy of life.
It is easy, therefore, to see that man's highest good and happiness
lies along the pathway of obedience to God.
When you get a new pair of shoes, the only way to make them comfortable
is to break them in.
The same goes for your body.
God has given you a one-of-a-kind physical form.
He wove it together just for you and created it to reflect His glorious image.
God intertwined both beauty and wonder into it, inside and out.
But your body is not an art object to be put on a pillar and admired.
It's the tool that the real you, the eternal part of you that loves and
creates and hopes and dreams and worships, uses while you're on this
earth.
Once you get to heaven, you'll receive a new body - one that won't break
or wear out.
But you're not there yet.
So the more comfortable you are in the body you have right now, the
better you'll be able to use it and enjoy it as each day here on earth
unfolds.
You don't break in a body by mistreating it.
You need to take care of it, like any tool, so it can do its job well and
last a long time.
You break in a body by getting off the couch and becoming active
whenever you get the chance.
Get down on the floor and play with a child.
Use your muscles to help your new neighbors move into their
house.
Put on a swimsuit and get some exercise, no matter what size
that swimsuit is.
Jump and skip and lift and kneel, even if you jiggle and wiggle
and need help getting up.
The less self-conscious you are, the better job you'll do of
breaking in your body and becoming comfortable with who
you are and how you're made.
So, ask God to help you put your inhibitions aside.
Stop comparing yourself to others.
Get up and get moving.
There are places in this world where only a tool like you
can do the job.
" WHAT SHALL WE DO?"
This is the most important question ever asked by the human race. It is
still important in that it has to do with a person leaving a life of sin and
coming into a true relation with God.
Acts 2 is the setting in which this question was asked.
Peter and the other apostles preached convincing the Jews of their guilt in the
crucifixion the Son of God. Being convinced that they were sinners, they show
by this question they had surrendered to Christ. Their hands were stained
in blood. People are disposed to maintain a position once decidedly taken.
No people have ever more thoroughly commited themselves, than these Jews
for the crucifixion of Christ. They were overwhelmed by the proof of His divinity
as presented by Peter. They were left with not a vinage of ground to stand on.
If ever there was a people prepared to prove that Peter did not present the facts,
these people were those people.
They were in the very shadow of the cross, in the very city where the crucifixion
had taken place. In short, they were parties to the death of the Lord, and every
detail was fresh in their minds. Like brave men, honest men, they
acknowledged. their mistake, their wrongs, and cried out, "What shall we do?"
They surrendered, and gave up.
What do you think of people in this day, so far removed by time and distance
from the scenes of the crucifixion, who insist that these men were fools---in
allowing themselves to be so easily convinced by Peter?
My friend, read the rest of Acts, Chapter Two, to get the rest of the story,
and see how these people became a part of the Lord's Church.
If you need to surrender your life to Christ, just follow this vivid example.
He is waiting for you.
Selected and Edited by:
Byrl Brockman
THE PARSON KNEW HOW TO MAKE A COMPARISON
A politician who promised everybody everything for nothing was running
against a more conservative man.
Some sought granpa's appraisal.
He replied,"I try to stay out of politics; but when a man puts himself
up greater than Jesus Christ, I guess that I ought to say something."
Jesus said, "Follow me and ye shall not want."
But one of the candidates is saying,",'Sit down fellows and I'll hand it to
you."
POLITICS
"There is no more independence in politics than there is in jail." Will Rogers
"There is a among you the man who is not bound by party lines. You vote according to your common sense and your calm judgemtnt after hearing each party set forth its program. To you I say that the strength of this independent thought is the great contribution of the American political system." Franklin D. Roosevelt
"Politics is a profession; a serious, complicated and in its true sense, a noble -one." Dwight D. Eisenhower
"Real political issues cannot be manufactured by the leaders of the parties, and cannot be evaded by them.--They declare themselves, and come out of the depths of the deep which we call public opinion."
Garfield
"Every political question is becoming a social question, and every social question is becoming a religious question."
R. T. Ely
Food for Thought.
