Author: Jarrod

Volume 20, Issue 29

September 15, 2013

“A Big Thank You & Some Thoughts”
Jarrod Jacobs

ur gospel meeting with brother Stan Adams concluded on Friday night. As we reflect on the week, I wanted to take a moment and say “thank you” for ....
w Showing interest in the souls of friends, loved ones, and neighbors and inviting them to the gospel meeting.
w Showing interest in the gospel by coming and supporting this meeting last week with your presence and prayers to God.
w The hospitality shown to brother and sister Adams, as well as to me and my family this last week. How kind you are!
w Thank you for being zealous in getting the word out. I am keenly aware of the efforts some brethren have made to give people gospel meeting flyers, and encourage those of the community to come each evening and hear the gospel preached.
w Our gratitude is extended to brother Dye for leading our songs all week. Thank you!
Brethren, I hope this week has made it clear that a gospel meeting requires everyone’s participation if it is to be successful. This meeting was a success because YOU worked at it!
Brother Adams did his part in preaching the gospel (II Tim. 4:2). He unselfishly and unashamedly proclaimed the whole counsel of God this week (Acts 20:27). Brethren, this is the kind of preaching necessary for standing strong in the Lord and being grounded in the truth. We ought to be thankful to God for His providence in allowing brother Adams to be here. Yet, we have to live up to our responsibilities as well. Now that we know the truth, what will we do with it? Will we hoard it up for ourselves, or will we be active in spreading God’s word to others (II Tim. 2:2)? Will we apply the truth we heard to ourselves, or will we ignore it and continue to do as we please? Will we move forward, striving to live ever-closer to our Lord, and to tell others about salvation in Christ and being His child? How wonderful it is to see what can happen when we set our minds to spreading the gospel in this area.
Let’s not stop this work simply because our gospel meeting has ended. May this gospel meeting serve as, among other things, a “jump start” in our spiritual lives. We have opportunities daily to tell others the truth and lead them to Christ. Let us take the lessons we have learned from brother Adams and apply them to our daily lives! Though the meeting has ended, what is stopping us from inviting a friend or neighbor to services this week? Nothing is stopping us but our own fear and/or neglect (Rev. 21:8; Jn. 9:4). Let us get rid of this attitude and resolve today to let others know of the gospel. Let us be like Andrew and Philip, and bring people in contact with the message of Christ while there is still time and opportunity (Jn. 1:40-45).
At times, we have sung the song, “I want to be a soul-winner for Jesus every day...” did we mean it? Do we mean the words we speak when we sing, “Whate’er you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord”? If we do, then let us be busy in fulfilling what we promised the Lord that we would do! Solomon said, “Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few... When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed. Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay. Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin ...” (Ecc. 5:2, 4-6). Let us heed these wise words!
The results of this gospel meeting will be felt for some time, for God’s word will not return to Him void (Isa. 55:11). The word has been planted (Lk. 8:11; I Cor. 3:6), and if we will water it, God will give the increase (I Cor. 3:6)!
Will this meeting give us renewed strength and zeal to live by the gospel and spread it to others, or will we simply turn a deaf ear to what was said? The choice is yours. Please choose wisely according to the Bible standard!

Facts Do Not Cease To Exist Just Because They Are Ignored!
Aldous Huxley, “Proper Studies”, 1927 English critic & novelist (1894 - 1963)

Page 2 The Old Paths

Good Sails And A Strong Anchor
James Dunigan, Fayetteville, AR
ny Sailor will tell you a ship is worth her salt, only if she has good sails and a STRONG anchor. A decent mechanic will tell you the virtues of a well tuned engine but will also stress the importance of good steering and brakes. We learn as parents that our children need not only good strong roots but also stout wings so they can soar to great heights and great accomplishments. A true parent wants their children to succeed at what ever they put their hands to.
In life we need energy, imagination, enthusiasm and the courage to try new things, to grasp onto the “next rung of the ladder.” However on the other hand, we need the strength to guide and control our lives and the wisdom to set out feet on the proper paths. People, like you and me, need the spark of hope and dreams. We need to be inspired to aspire, but we also need a strong foundation. A good, solid one. We need convictions, principles and morality. We need faith.
Foundations. We often forget that Jesus had an earthly occupation. I know He was our Savior, but He was also a carpenter and as such He knew the importance of a good foundation in building anything from a chair to a house. Luke records in his gospel the words of Jesus Christ, in chapter 6 verse 48, “He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock.” Jesus knew the importance of a rock solid foundation.
The writer of Hebrews knew the IMPORTANCE of a solid anchor, the solid anchor for our souls! Hebrews 6:19 — “This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast…”
What is true for the individual is also true for the congregation! The church MUST be anchored and grounded solidly on Jesus Christ and His word! Not man’s doctrine and dogmas. Nothing but the Word of Christ. John 12:48 — “He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him—the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day.” John 14:23 — “Jesus answered and said to him, ‘If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.’”
As important as a solid foundation is for the individual and the congregation... we must also have high purposes and goals. Something to inspire us to aspire. We need to be strongly guided in our work and motivated into action! An inactive church will wither and die on the vine! If we do not have both a sail and an anchor we will lose sight of the truth, we will be blown off course and wreck upon the rocks of despair and apathy. Without faith we are no different than the fig tree in Matthew 21:18-22. We will be of no use in the Kingdom of God.
No one wants to slowly wither and die or to hurry up and die for that matter. No one wants to hear the words of Christ in Revelation 3:1 spoken to them “...I know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.” No, we do not want to die but we also don't want to crash and burn. Our aim, our aspirations, must be to accomplish great things for our Lord but to do so standing firmly on His word and His word alone. Romans 1:16 — “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.”
We like Paul must have the attitude he voiced in Romans 15:20 “And so I have made it my aim to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build on another man’s foundation.”

Point To Ponder ….
“Most people know HOW to be silent. Few know WHEN!”
(Study: Prov. 10:19, 13:3, 17:28, 21:23)

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I want the truth, give me book, chapter, and verse!
Come and meet with the church of Christ in Caneyville.
Location: 103 N. Main Street Caneyville, KY
Meeting Times:
Sunday Bible Study 10:00 a.m.
Sunday Worship 10:45 a.m.
Sunday Worship 5:00 p.m.
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“The Ancient Landmark” Radio program airs on WXMZ, 99.9 FM (10:30-11:00 am) and WLBQ 1570 AM (8:30-9:00 am) Monday-Friday. It is also broadcast online at: thez999.com and beechtreenews.com
Preacher/Editor: Jarrod Jacobs Phone: (270) 589-4167

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Guilty Of Murder?
Concerning God’s law for marriage, the Bible is very clear. God expects on man and one woman to live as husband and wife for a lifetime (Matt. 19:4-6; Rom. 7:2-3). There is only ONE exception to this rule that I know of in the Bible. It is spelled out for us by Christ. He said, “Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery” (Matt. 19:9). Therefore, the exception is that if one spouse has been guilty of fornication (sexual immorality), the other spouse may divorce that mate with God’s sanction and “marry another.”
Unfortunately, there are many people today who do not respect God’s will on this subject. They try to find “technicalities” which allow the put away fornicator to marry. I know of some who have said that if that person would be baptized, then that baptism washes away the sin of the fornication, and he/she can be forgiven and still live with that 2nd, 3rd, etc., spouse. What a mess! Such a position completely nullifies any teaching concerning repentance. Isn’t repentance necessary before one is baptized (Acts 2:38)? How can one repent of having an unlawful spouse, and repent of the ungodly marriage situation by remaining in that relationship, married to that spouse?
Another “technicality” I heard used was a man who said he did not teach Matthew 19:9 because he did not want to be guilty of murder. “How did he come to that conclusion?” you ask. He reasoned thusly: “If I just tell folks that they are to be married for life and that there is only one exception, then if one of the mates wants a divorce, but knows it is against God’s will, he might just go ahead and murder his wife, therefore being free to marry again.” What convoluted thinking! Unfortunately, this list of “technicalities” used to justify ungodly marriages is endless! How sad it is to have people all over this land using such reasoning and encouraging people to stay in their sin! Yet, this is what happens when people look for “loopholes” and “technicalities” in God’s word. Why don’t we just leave God’s word alone, accept it, and live by it?

Perpetuating Gossip And Slander
Sadly, rather than avoiding gossip and slander, we are often witnesses to folks perpetuating gossip and slander! How does this happen? This happens not only as someone speaks things he/she ought not, it also occurs when folks are listening when they ought not! In other words, when it comes to gossip and slander, not only are “loose lips” necessary for one to be guilty of sin, but a “listening ear” can also produce sin! If you do not believe this, return to Numbers 13:31-14:1 and remember that the “evil report” the spies brought back was only half of the equation! Had the nation of Israel told those spies to shut their mouths, and then listened to Caleb and Joshua, that generation of people would have enjoyed the Promised Land as God had intended! If these folks had rallied around Caleb and Joshua, rather than trying to kill them (Num. 14:10), we would have read an entirely different outcome! Sadly, since the people listened to the slander, and rebelled against God, that generation died without entering the Promised Land!
Later on in history, there were folks who spread the rumors that Christ had a devil, or that He was a sinner (Matt. 12:24; Jn. 9:16, 24, 10:20-21). Some spoke of Christ being a deceiver, etc. (Jn. 7:12). These were slanderous statements, and statements which needed a receptive hearer in order for them to spread. Unfortunately, there were those who believed the statements, and they rejected our Lord because of it!
Moving forward in history, we read of occasions when the apostles and early preachers were in a town, and the people were “stirred up” by different ones (Paul experienced this often, Acts 13:45, 17:5, 13-14, 18:6a, 19:9, 24-32). How were they “stirred up”? They were “stirred up” because they listened to the gossip and slander that were being spread by the enemies of the Lord! Some, rather than giving Paul and the others a fair hearing (as they did in Berea, Acts 17:11-12), listened to the liars and persecuted Paul and the other apostles and preachers. Sadly, the enemies came to Berea, and Paul had to escape from there as well (Acts 17:13-14).
Gossip and Slander are a two-way street! You have to have someone willing to talk, and then someone willing to listen for them to be successful. Sadly, we see all too often the “success” of gossip and slander among brethren. Gossip and slander are perpetuated daily as a result of folks giving the liars their “listening ears.”
Ways To Avoid Gossip And Slander
Having learned God’s attitude toward these sinful practices, and how such sins are perpetuated, let us learn to avoid gossip and slander. One who would please God ought to have nothing to do with such sins. Unfortunately, gossip and slander are but symptoms of bigger problems. Therefore, if we are going to avoid gossip and slander, we need to address the root problems behind these sins of the tongue. In order to avoid gossip and slander ....
1) Let us have a heart of humility. The humble of heart, the one who thinks less of himself than others (Rom. 12:3), will not make it a practice to talk about others in a slanderous way. The humble of heart who puts God first, others second, and himself last could not very well speak slanderously against God’s creation (Jas. 3:9)! The Bible records the events of many great men and women so that we can see how these heroes of the faith conducted themselves while upon this earth. Many of these people are great examples of humility. May we follow the examples of such worthies as Christ, Moses, Daniel, Timothy, and others, who humbly served God, and guarded their tongue from speaking in proud, boastful ways. When humility is absent in folks, gossip and slander are soon to follow. This is because the proud person often belittles, or “digs up dirt” on others, in order to make himself look better.
2) Let us avoid hatred of others. David said the ones gossiping about him were those who hated him (Ps. 41:7). Isn’t this still true today? Generally, we do not gossip about our friends, do we? Yet, we may try to spread some “whoppers” about those whom we do not like! Yes, hatred is a strong motivator for gossip and slander. Often, such sins of the tongue occur because a person hates the one he/she is talking about, and wishes them harm. We need to remember the words of Christ who told us to love our enemies and pray for them (Matt. 5:44). Have we been doing this? It is too easy to allow emotions and wrongs done (real or imagined) to cloud our judgment. Don’t act like that!
3) Let us keep the words we speak to a minimum! How many times have people got into trouble for “engaging their mouth before their brain was in gear”? Let us not be hasty to speak. Rather, let us heed to words of Solomon who said, “Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.... Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin...” (Ecc. 5:2, 6). Solomon taught us, “In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise” (Prov. 10:19). I know of folks who have spread gossip about fellow Christians (including preachers), whom they have never met, nor have even heard them speak (on tape, “live,” etc.). Friends, how can one in good conscience speak negatively about folks when they have never even heard them? Would such actions be following what was expressed by Solomon so long ago? Isn’t it amazing what some folks will do? How wise were the words of Solomon that remind us to keep our words to a minimum! May we echo in our lives the words of David who said, “Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips” (Ps. 141:3).
4) Let us reserve our ears for listening to the truth. As we learned earlier, gossip and slander are perpetuated by the “listening ear.” Since this statement is true, the reverse is also true! Specifically, gossip and slander are rendered impotent and useless when folks refuse to listen! Let us keep our ears open to the truth, and let us not give any ground for gossip and slander. Our minds need to be filled with that which is lovely, pure, truthful, virtuous, praise-worthy, etc. (Phil. 4:8). The sins of gossip and slander are nothing like that. Let us avoid them!
If this is not enough to convince us to avoid slander and gossip, please read Romans 1:32 again. Remember, if we providing a listening ear to those who gossip and slander, God will not find us guiltless! We should not be slanderers, nor gossips, and we ought not waste time listening to this garbage! Just imagine how gossip and slander would be severely diminished if the “listeners” just stopped listening!
Conclusion
Slander and gossip are insidious problems we face. Therefore, let us avoid these sins with all we have! As James says, “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath” (Jas. 1:19). If we are going to please God in word as well as in deed, gossip and slander must never cross our lips! Let us hear the truth from the Bible concerning these things. Let us put into practice the rules we have learned for avoiding gossip and slander so that we will be the kind of people God would have us to be – pure in thought, word, and deed! Be warned: “He that hideth hatred with lying lips, and he that uttereth a slander, is a fool” (Prov. 10:18).

Dear Jarrod,
I have a friend that is trying hard to become a Christian, but as many do, she questions parts of the bible.
I have been able to answer all but this.
Help me answer this.
Adam and Eve created; they have children Cain and Able; Cain kills Able; God sends Cain away with a mark so nobody would kill him; Cain gets married - where did other people come from? where can I find the answer in the bible to the existence and creation of other people?
Thank you in advance for your help.
Hello Lindy, Pardon my ignorance, but I am having trouble placing you. Tell me a little about yourself. Thanks. To answer your question, this is one that has bothered people for some time. Some have used the "Cain's wife" question to try to question the veracity of the Bible. The best thing I can do is to point you to such passages as: Gen. 5:3-4, 6-7, on through the rest of the chapter, as well as Gen. 10, etc., and advise you to note the fact that while one or more children may be mentioned in a generation, this is certainly not all that were born. In other words, based on Gen. 5:3-4, we know that Adam didn't just have three sons (Cain, Abel, Seth). His son Seth didn't just have an "only child," Enos. See my point? Therefore, to your question of where did the other people come from -- they were Cain's brothers and sisters, perhaps nieces and nephews as well. That says something, doesn't it? Having killed his brother Abel, he feared what his own brothers, sisters, nieces, and nephews might do in return (Gen. 4:14). Later, he would then have married either a sister or a niece to begin his family (Gen. 4:17). Thanks for the question. Hope this helps you in your study. Have a good day. Jarrod Jacobs

f you are my friend, if you are concerned about my soul, give me the truth. Do not flatter me. Do not praise my virtues while remaining silent about my vices. Do not fear the truth will offend me. Do not treasure our friendship, our friendly relations, above my salvation. Do not think that by ignoring my sins, you can help me. Do not think that being blind to my sins will prove you charitable. However I may react to it, whatever may be my attitude toward you after you have done it, GIVE ME THE TRUTH!
For the truth, and only the truth, can make me free from the shackles of sin, strengthen me in the pathway of righteousness and lead me to the joys of heaven. If I am wavering, weak, lukewarm, indifferent, neglectful; if I have been overtaken in a trespass; if I have been drawn into the pleasures of the world; if I have left my first love; if I have been led astray by error, or, if I have done none of the these things, but simply need to grow in knowledge and then be edified, GIVE ME THE TRUTH!

“Give Me The Truth”
Bill Crews

Excerpt From ...
What Doth The Lord Require?
Loren N. Raines

Which Is Worse?
A child afraid of the dark?
OR
An adult afraid of the light?
(See: Mark 10:15; John 3:20; Romans 13:12)

Excuses, Excuses

“I cannot carry a tune.”
“I cannot be an usher.”
“I cannot preach a sermon.”
“I cannot lead a prayer.”
“I cannot teach a class.”
“I cannot go to Bible classes.”
“I cannot help at the Lord’s
Table.”
“I cannot attend mid-week
services.”
“I cannot speak to visitors — I’m timid.”
“I cannot give — I haven’t any extra money.”
Question: “Just what can you do
anyway?
Answer: “I can make a big pile of
excuses!”
What excuse will you give in Judgment?

A.D. 33 OR 1906?
James P. Miller
Searching the Scriptures, April 1962
I am indebted to our beloved brother A. W. Dicus for this masterpiece of logic relative to the establishment of the church. In conversation with one of the brethren in Tampa who had revolted against the score of loyal churches in the city and divided the body to start an institutional group on the north side, brother Dicus asked this question, Can a church be a loyal congregation of the Lord's people and not contribute or believe in contributing to a human institution out of the treasury? If the brother had answered, “Yes,” he then would not have been justified in starting another congregation. However, he answered, “No,” to which brother Dicus replied, “Well, you will have to change the date for the establishment of the true church of Christ. You will have to stop preaching that it was established on Pentecost in A.D. 33, and start teaching that it began after the founding of Spring Hill Orphan Home in 1906.” Brethren, that is not about it, as one of the old greats used to say, that is exactly it. The church of the Lord as it was known in the New Testament and as we know it today, did not give a dime out of the treasury for 1800 years. Are you ready to change the date?

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The Clock Of Life
The clock of life is wound but once,
and no man has the power
To tell just when the hands will stop
at late or early hour.
To lose one’s wealth is sad indeed,
To lose one’s health is more.
To lose one’s soul is such a loss
that no one can restore.

“Not all educated people are intelligent.” - R.L. Whiteside

Thanks to all for their presence and participation during our gospel meeting last week with brother Stan Adams. Things went well, and we know God’s word will not return to Him void (Isa. 55:11). Because of the effort put forth, untold numbers of people can hear God’s word via the cd’s, the internet, and by word of mouth. Let’s get busy!!

What We Know Is Right
Benjamin Franklin (1812-1878)
We know it is right to “Let the word of Christ dwell in us richly; and with all wisdom teach and admonish each other by psalms and hymns and spiritual songs; singing with gratitude in our hearts to the Lord” — to be “filled with the Spirit; speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs; singing and making melody in our hearts to the Lord.” This can be done, and we know it is right; but that a man can make melody in his heart to the Lord “with an organ,” a fiddle, banjo, clarinet, lute, fife, or jew’s-harp, we do not know, nor do we believe it. We want to do what is written, and enjoin it on others, to do it. What is not written we do not want to do. When the Lord so minutely describes how we are to do anything, we want to do it in that way. The way he prescribes will do the thing commanded; some other way might not do what is commanded at all.
(From: Book of Gems, p. 107)

Thoughts About True Freedom
R.L. Whiteside
“Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (Jn. 8:31-32).
People who long for freedom usually know little of what it is nor do they know how to obtain it. An illustration or two may help us see what freedom is. A machine runs free when all parts move as the designer intended. A living thing is free when it moves unhampered in the element, or surroundings, in which God intended it to live. A fish in water, not in a net or otherwise confined, is free; for there is where God intended it to live. Out of its element it is not free. Contrary to speculative theology, man’s natural element is righteousness. That is the element in which the creator intended that he should live and in which he is placed. He is not free anywhere else any more than a fish is free on dry land. By sin man, each man, brings himself into bondage. Adam’s sin did not bring you into bondage to sin; you did that yourself. “Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin” (Jn. 8:34). While living in sin, men are under the most servile slavery, from which there is only one way to escape. “But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness” (Rom. 6:17-18). Obedience to the truth is the Lord’s way of making us free from the bondage of sin. “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed” (Jn. 8:36). But Jesus forces freedom on no one.

What Is Your View Of Sin?
Jarrod Jacobs
Thousands died because they considered sin as nothing! Despite the pleading of Jeremiah, the Jews refused to walk in “the old paths” (Jer. 6:16). In the face of Ezekiel, they were hard-hearted and impudent as he pled with them to return (Ezek. 3:7). Others such as Elijah and Elisha, Hosea and Micah, Samuel and Malachi, as well as scores of others, both named and unnamed, (but all known to God) continued preaching God’s word for the purpose of getting people to repent of their sins. Some saw success (Jonah, Oded, etc.); while others died for preaching God’s will, and standing opposed to what the sinful people were doing (Heb. 11:37).
We have a choice. Will we consider sin as nothing, or will we stand with the Lord? The world will hate us for being God’s friend (Jn. 15:19-20), but God will reward us. Choose wisely. Your soul depends on it!

Before your child has come to seven,
Teach him well the way to Heaven.
Better still the truth will thrive,
If he knows it when he is five.
Better yet, if at your knee,
He learn it when he is only three.
Best of all is when you have begun
To teach of Jesus before he is one!
Author Unknown
(Source: Kachelman, Jr., John, Studies In Judges, p. 100)

“Why Some Are Not Asked”
R.L. Whiteside
appy is the person whose conduct does not raise a question in the minds of others as to where he stands. Some people never have to answer the question, “Will you have a drink with me?” There is a reason. Some young people are never subjected to certain temptations to which others are frequently subjected, and there is a reason. When your conduct raises a question as to where you stand or as to what you might do, the devil will make you answer that question. Every person who raises a question mark in the mind of people has to defend himself or surrender.”

A Trip Through The Bible
“Many years ago I entered this wonderful temple called the Bible. I entered at the portico of Genesis, walked down through the Old Testament art gallery where the pictures of Noah, Abraham, Moses, Joseph, Isaac, and Daniel hung on the wall. I passed into the music room of Psalms, where the spirit swept the keyboard of nature and brought forth the dirge-like wail of the weeping prophet Jeremiah to the grand, impassioned strain of Isaiah, until it seemed that every reed and pipe in God’s great organ of nature responded to the tuneful harp of David, the sweet singer of Israel. I entered the chapel of Ecclesiastes, where the voice of the preacher was heard, and into the conservatory of Sharon, and the Lily of the Valley’s sweet-scented spices filled and perfumed my life. I entered the business office of the Proverbs, then into the observatory room of the prophets, where I saw telescopes of various sizes, some pointed to far-off events, but all concentrated on the bright and morning star which was to rise above the moon-lit hills of Judea for our salvation.
“I entered the audience room of the King of kings, and caught a vision of His glory from the standpoint of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John; passed into the acts of the Apostles, where the Holy Spirit was doing His work in the formation of the infant church. Then into the correspondence room, where sat Paul, James, John, and Jude, penning their epistles. I stepped into the throne room of Revelation, where all towered into glittering peaks, and I got a vision of the King sitting upon His throne in all His glory, and I cried:
“All hail the power of Jesus’ name,
Let angels prostrate fall,
Bring forth the royal diadem
And crown Him Lord of all.”

Reflections
R.L. Whiteside (1869-1951)
It is not well to try to move faster than God moves. Some mistakes have been made along the line by good men and women. Abraham and Sarah tried to hurry up the fulfillment of God’s promise that a son should be born to Abraham. They tried to move faster than God, and got into trouble.
(Reflections, R.L. Whiteside, p. 226)

“Why I Am A Member Of The church Of Christ”
A.C. Grider (1912-1990)
I didn’t join the church of Christ. I didn’t select the church of Christ as “my choice” from among many churches. It never occurred to me that I had a choice nor that I desired to make a choice of churches.
I started thinking about my spiritual condition down in Tennessee some years ago — several years ago and made up my mind that I should do something about it. I began to consider what the Lord wanted me to do. I started to study my Bible.
I found that I was a sinner and that Christ was THE savior. I found that if I were ever saved it would only be by Christ. I considered His word relative to what to do to be saved. He said I should repent, Luke 13:3, I did. He said I should confess Him, Matthew 10:32. I did. He said I should be baptized, Mark 16:16. I did. He said if I would do these things I would BE SAVED. I was. But the BIBLE taught that when I was saved the Lord added me to the church, Acts 2:47. He did.
Now, WHICH CHURCH did he add me to? HIS, Matthew 16:18; Acts 20:28; Romans 16:16. Thus I am a member of the church of Christ because I had NO CHOICE and wanted none. I just wanted to be saved. And I was!

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“The apostles were practical men. Some were fishermen; one a tax collector. Both callings teach a person not to believe all he hears.”
“From the things we learn from God’s dealings with nations, it can be safely said that no nation falls so long as it serves a purpose in God’s plans. That was true anciently, and it is true today.”
- R.L. Whiteside
(From: The Kingdom of Promise and Prophecy)

Parents’ Paragraphs
Jarrod Jacobs
Parents, let us learn from the example of Abraham (Gen. 18:19).
Kids’ Kolumn
Jarrod Jacobs
Remember this as you obey God and your parents this week (Eph. 6:1-3).

A.D. 33 OR 1906?
James P. Miller
Searching the Scriptures, April 1962
I am indebted to our beloved brother A. W. Dicus for this masterpiece of logic relative to the establishment of the church. In conversation with one of the brethren in Tampa who had revolted against the score of loyal churches in the city and divided the body to start an institutional group on the north side, brother Dicus asked this question, Can a church be a loyal congregation of the Lord’s people and not contribute or believe in contributing to a human institution out of the treasury? If the brother had answered, “Yes,” he then would not have been justified in starting another congregation. However, he answered, “No,” to which brother Dicus replied, “Well, you will have to change the date for the establishment of the true church of Christ. You will have to stop preaching that it was established on Pentecost in A.D. 33, and start teaching that it began after the founding of Spring Hill Orphan Home in 1906.” Brethren, that is not about it, as one of the old greats used to say, that is exactly it. The church of the Lord as it was known in the New Testament and as we know it today, did not give a dime out of the treasury for 1800 years. Are you ready to change the date?

“Sentence Sermons”
w “An amazing amount of our thinking is done backwards. We first decide what we want to believe and then find good reasons for believing it.”
w “A problem not worth praying about is not worth worrying about.”
w “The time to teach respect for authority is the play pen; not the State Pen!”
w “Where you go hereafter depends on what you go after, here.”

What We Know Is Right
Benjamin Franklin (1812-1878)
e know it is right to “Let the word of Christ dwell in us righly; and with all wisdom teach and admonish each other by psalms and hymns and spiritual songs; singing with gratitude in our hearts to the Lord” — to be “filled with the Spirit; speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs; singing and making melody in our hearts to the Lord.” This can be done, and we know it is right; but that a man can make melody in his heart to the Lord “with an organ,” a fiddle, banjo, clarinet, lute, fife, or jew’s-harp, we do not know, nor do we believe it. We want to do what is written, and enjoin it on others, to do it. What is not written we do not want to do. When the Lord so minutely describes how we are to do anything, we want to do it in that way. The way he prescribes will do the thing commanded; some other way might not do what is commanded at all.
(From: Book of Gems, p. 107)

Could It Be …
Selected
that people reject the Bible — not because it contradicts itself, but because it contradicts them?
that some brethren do not attend various worship periods and Bible study classes because Christ is not really their “first love?”
that Satan has lulled us into thinking that we are really standing, when indeed, we are ready to fall?
we utterly abhor the violence going on in the world, yet do not think twice about what our families entertain themselves with on television and at the movies?
that some brethren honestly see no connection between commitment, attendance, and involvement?

How Can I Help This Church?
Regardless of our age, people want to feel useful. This is true whether we’re talking about a 2-3 year-old who wants to “help” Daddy, or an 80 or 90 year-old who knows he or she can “do something”. While we see much apathy in the church, there are also many who would love to help in the Lord’s work, but don’t know where to start. For these people, I offer these suggestions.
1. Pray that God’s word will be preached boldly and heard by honest hearers (Jas. 5:16).
2. Invite someone who needs to hear the gospel and be saved (Jn. 1:40-42, 45-46).
3. Attend each and every service of the Lord’s people (Heb. 10:25; Matt. 6:33).
4. Encourage others by words of concern, singing, praying, and studying the Bible (I Thess. 5:11, 14-15; II Tim. 4:2).
5. Greet visitors warmly, and let them know you’re happy they are here today (Matt. 7:12; I Cor. 13:4).
6. Glorify God by obeying His will (Heb. 5:9; Jn. 14:15).
-Jarrod Jacobs

“Criticize Other Religions?”
Larry Hafley, Cookeville, TN

F You can read about it in the New Testament - Romans 16:16
F It uses no creed but the Bible and no name but that of Christ - I Peter 4:16; Acts 11:26
F It speaks where the Bible speaks and is silent where the Bible is silent - I Peter 4:11; Galatians 1:8-9
F It exalts Christ as the only head of the church - Colossians 1:18
F Its worship is patterned after New Testament example - John 4:24; Acts 2:42; 20:7; I Corinthians 16:2; Ephesians 5:19
F It teaches unity based upon the truth of Christ - John 17:21; I Corinthians 1:10; Ephesians 4:3
F It pleads for unity of all believers in Christ - I Corinthians 3:1-5; Ephesians 4:4-6
F Its founder is Christ. It is not a denomination started by men, but is the body of Christ - Matthew 16:18; Ephesians 1:22-23
F Its aim is to save souls by leading them to Christ through the gospel - I Corinthians 15:1-4
F Its future is eternal glory with Christ - I Thessalonians 4:13-18; Colossians 3:4

R For thinking before acting.
R For hearing before judging.
R For forgiving your enemies.
R For being candid and frank.
R For helping a fallen brother.
R For being honest in business.
R For thinking before speaking.
R For being loyal to the Lord’s church.
R For standing by your principles.
R For stopping your ears to gossip.
R For bridling a slanderous tongue.
R For harboring only pure thoughts.
R For sympathizing with the afflicted.
R For being kind and courteous to all.

Thoughts From The Past
“Error never dies a natural death, it has to be killed with the sword of the Spirit .... I do know this, nothing, but nothing, beats old time gospel preaching and hard-nosed Bible study. This is what it will take to keep the church on the straight and narrow path. When we depart from the fundamentals, we take our first step toward apostasy. Could it be that we are more concerned about being politically correct than with being Scripturally correct?”
(James P. Needham, Guardian of Truth, November 16, 1995, p. 11).

w The person who shows spite and hatred will reap his share of it.
w Straight living cannot come from crooked thinking.
w Much falsehood lies wrapped up in the old sayings. For instance: “Honesty is the best policy.” But honesty is not a “policy”; it is a principle. There is no such thing as honesty for policy’s sake.

Led By The Holy Spirit
Larry Ray Hafley, Cookeville, TN

“The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much” (James 5:16).
Are you praying daily for our work here at Caneyville? Are you constantly asking for God’s blessings on our elders, deacons, preachers, Bible class teachers, our elderly, the widows, the spiritually weak, and every brother and sister in Christ? We have a great and powerful tool in prayer. Use it!

You Finish The Story …
Selected
There was once a congregation in which every member was just like you. Each one cooperated and supported every phase of the work just like you. Everyone worked as hard and attended the same services and gospel meetings that you did. The elders, deacons, and preacher were all as interested in the church as you are. They put the same emphasis on recreation, business, and other material affairs that you do. Each member contributed monetarily just like you do. Within a year or so, the congregation …… _____?______
____________?_______________

Our Members Write ....
“Saved By The Blood”
Dan Clark, Owensboro, KY

Betrayed
Friend, I stand in judgment now
And feel that you’re to blame somehow.
On earth, I waited with you day by day,
And never did you point the way.
You knew the Lord in truth and glory
But never did you tell His story,
My knowledge then was very dim,
You could have led me safe to Him.
Yes, I knew He’d made the earth,
But knew not of that second birth.
And now I stand this day condemned,
Because you failed to mention Him.
You taught me many things that’s true.
I called you “friend” and trusted you.
I learn, now that it’s too late,
You could have kept me from this fate.
We walked by day and talked by night,
And yet you showed me not the Light.
You let me live, and love, and die,
And knew I’d never live on high.
Yes, I called you “friend” in life,
And trusted you in joy and strife.
And yet, on coming to this end,
I cannot, now call you “my friend.”
Brethren, are we truly being a “friend” to those who do not know the Lord?
[See: II Timothy 2:2; I Timothy 4:6;
I Peter 4:11]

Shall I Force My Children To Go To Church?
J. Edgar Hoover

The Incomparable Christ
Author Unknown

Some Places Where Lack Of Clothing Would Not Constitute Sin
Marriage Relationship
Surgery
Car Wreck/House Fire

Some Thoughts Worth Thinking:
“Speaking the truth in love” (Eph. 4:15) does not mean speaking it in such a vague way that no one will object to it. The apostles and Jesus always spoke the truth in love with all boldness. The apostles even prayed to speak with boldness.
- Matt Foster, Burkesville, KY
The pleasure of sin never exceeds the pain of its consequence.
- Gordon Skinner, Columbus, IN

“Everyone does it” does not justify your behavior. This excuse simply means you’re as wrong as everyone else!

“People don’t miss church services because they live too far from the building; it’s because they live too far from God!”
--The Shively Messenger, June 1995

How Would We Feel?
Selected
w If God gave us the same amount
of time and attention that we
devote to Him?
w If God put as many things ahead
of us as we put ahead of Him?
w If God offered as many excuses
as we do? And if the excuses
were no more justifiable than
ours?
w If God's promises were no more
certain than ours?
w If God withheld His blessings
from us as we withhold our
offerings from Him?
w If God loved Himself as much
as we love ourselves and gave as
little thought to us as we give to
Him?
Editor’s Note:
When you think about it, what a sad shape we would be in if God did no more for us than what we do for Him! How sad it is when we consider the fact that we, the creation, think less about our Creator than perhaps anything else in this life! Because God loved us He created us, and because of His love, He sent Christ to die for us (Rev. 4:11; Jn. 3:16)! Seeing all that God has done for us before we even asked, is it too much to ask that we lovingly give our lives in service to Him (Rom. 12:1-2)? - JJ

Mark Your Calendars!
Jarrod Jacobs will meet Roger Holland in a religious debate on the subject of apostasy (“once saved, always saved”).
“Can a Christian lose his reward in Heaven?”
Find out May 27-28 in Millwood, KY!!

Parable Of The Quicksand
J. David Powlas
The religious world is like four men who were slowly sinking in quicksand. Some concerned people became aware of the men’s situation and threw a rope to them so they could be pulled to safety. The first man refused to grab the rope because he did not believe he was sinking. The second man would not hold on to the rope because he enjoyed being in the quicksand and didn’t want to leave it.

Parents’ Paragraphs
Jarrod Jacobs
Parents, let us learn from the example of Abraham (Gen. 18:19).
Kids’ Kolumn
Jarrod Jacobs
Remember this as you obey God and your parents this week (Eph. 6:1-3).

A Thought Worth Thinking ….
“No man is too wicked to go to church!
No man is too righteous to stay away!”
- Claude Davis, 1965

Pointed Paragraphs
R.L. Whiteside
“Instead of recognizing that God was working out through them his plan for the redemption of the world, the Jews concluded God cared for no other people. The promise to Abraham and their own prophets should have taught them the truth, but they were too much wrapped up in themselves to see the truth.”
- Kingdom of Promise and Prophecy, p. 31

“A pessimist is someone who complains about the noise when opportunity knocks.”
- Leslie E. Sloan

“What Ruins A Good Influence?”
“Sound Doctrine”, September 26, 1999

“If there was no error in principle or practice, then controversy, which is only another name for opposition to error, real or supposed, would be unnecessary. If it were lawful, or if it were benevolent, to make a truce with error, then opposition to it would be both unjust and unkind. If error were innocent and harmless, then we might permit it to find its own quietus, or to immortalize itself. But so long as it is confessed that error is more or less injurious to the welfare of society, individually and collectively considered, then no man can be considered benevolent who does not set his face against it. In proportion as a person is intelligent and benevolent, he will be controversial, if error exists around him. Hence the Prince of Peace never sheathed the sword of the Spirit while he lived. He drew it on the banks of the Jordan and threw the scabbard away.”
Alexander Campbell — 1830

Timeless Truths

“Sentence Sermons”
w “You cannot find a scriptural way to
do an unscriptural thing.”
w “Tragedy in the Bible Class ... The
vacant chair and the unopened Bi-
ble. ARE THEY YOURS???”
w “The man who is never very strong
against anything is never very
strong for anything!”
w “A fool tells you what he will do; A
boaster, what he has done. The wise
man does it and says nothing.”

Thought: “When the watchman on the wall can no longer recognize the enemy, the city is as good as lost!”
God has always wanted His people to be watchmen (Isa. 62:6-7). Spiritually, His people today are to be watchmen in the church (Acts 20:31). The watchman is responsible for watching out for the enemy (Satan, I Pet. 5:8) and warning God’s people against his advances (Col. 1:28). Therefore, just as a city is lost when the watchmen fails in his job, so also the church is lost when the watchman is either too ignorant, or too rebellious to recognize Satan, and warn Christians of his devices (II Cor. 2:11).
- Jarrod Jacobs

“IT IS BETTER TO…”
Larry Ray Hafley, Cookeville, TN
w … hear bad news that is true than
good news that is false.
w … be a slave in the Savior than to be a
master in Satan.
w … imprisoned for truth than to be free
in error.
w … be silent and satisfied than to speak
and be sorry.

D Inconsistency (Romans 2:21)
D Appearance of evil
(I Thessalonians 5:22)
D Avoiding people
(I Corinthians 7:12, 16)
D Being unreliable (Acts 15:38)
D Having an uncontrolled tongue
(Ecclesiastes 5:3)
D Being conceited (III John 9-10)
D Always complaining (Jude 16)
D Avoiding opportunities to make
peace (Romans 14:19)
D Never admitting when wrong
(Proverbs 12:15)
Brethren, what kind of influence are WE having on the world, on our children, and those who love us?
(Matthew 5:16)

Pointed Paragraphs
R.L. Whiteside (1869-1951)
w If you become a little squeamish about denouncing false teachers, read Jeremiah. If you think people are so hardened in sin that they hate you for preaching the word, read Jeremiah. A careful study of Jeremiah is good tonic for anyone.
w To write the word of Christ upon the heart, or, what is essentially the same, to let it dwell in us richly, means more than to commit it to memory. It is to make it the dominant factor in our thinking and in our plans and purposes.
w The apostles were practical men. Some were fishermen; one, a tax collector. Both callings teach a person not to believe all he hears.
(The Kingdom of Promise and Prophecy, p. 17, 99, 45)

w “Truth is universal — that is the reason a person sometimes thinks the speaker is aiming every thing he says at him.”
w “There is a marked difference between swelling and growing ...”
w “Not all educated people are intelligent.”
- R.L. Whiteside

Prescription For Spiritual Failure
Larry Ray Hafley, Cookeville, TN
w Never assemble on Sunday evening or Wednesday.
w Never attend during a
gospel meeting, debate, or
VBS.
w Never linger after services
to greet any new visitors.
w Never participate in the
singing of praises to God.
w Never offer to teach a class
or lead a public prayer.
w Allow your life to reflect
the world in such ways as
drinking alcohol, etc.
w Encourage your children to
be like the world by allowing
them to dance and go to the
prom.
wAllow your children to stay
home from services.
wAfter you realize your
spiritual life is sick, change
congregations, thinking the
problem must be the
preacher, the elders, or the
members.
wSeek a weak congregation
where your spiritual sickness
will not be cured with the
strong medicine of truth.

A thought concerning the strength of the church ….
“Remember, the CHURCH increases its strength ONE MEMBER AT A TIME! YOU are responsible for YOUR strength in Christ Jesus. How strong are YOU?”
- Mike Davis

Why Some Are Not Asked
R.L. Whiteside
appy is the person whose conduct does not raise a question in the minds of others as to where he stands. Some people never have to answer the question, “Will you have a drink with me?” There is a reason. Some young people are never subjected to certain temptations to which others are frequently subjected, and there is a reason. When your conduct raises a question as to where you stand or as to what you might do, the devil will make you answer that question. Every person who raises a question mark in the mind of people has to defend himself or surrender.

David Said: The blessed man will not associate with evil people, “But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.” (Ps. 1:1-2)
Something to Think About… Is the Bible your delight, or something that is keeping you from doing what you like???

“A pessimist is someone who complains about the noise when opportunity knocks.”
—L.E. Sloan

Thought:
A mule can’t pull while kicking; and cannot kick while pulling! The same thing goes for people. Are you a “puller” or a “kicker”?

Thoughts From The Past
“Error never dies a natural death, it has to be killed with the sword of the Spirit .... I do know this, nothing, but nothing, beats old time gospel preaching and hard-nosed Bible study. This is what it will take to keep the church on the straight and narrow path. When we depart from the fundamentals, we take our first step toward apostasy. Could it be that we are more concerned about being politically correct than with being Scripturally correct?”
(James P. Needham, Guardian of Truth, November 16, 1995, p. 11).
Historical Note: Bro. Needham preached for the Central congregation in Owensboro in the late 1950’s.

“Pity The Poor Preacher”
Unknown
He had just completed a scorcher on the evil and sin in using foul language. He stated several times that he knew one of his hearers was guilty. The service ended and he stood at the door greeting each person as he left the building.
The first to go was a woman no one would ever suspect of using foul language. Red-faced and angry she exclaimed, “I'll never set foot in this building again!” Before the preacher could gather his wits over that one, another said, “If I had known you were that near last week I would have been more careful.” And still another said, “At least you could have told me privately.” A fourth said, “Well, I was never so embarrassed in all my life.”
Then came the guilty party. He pumped the preacher’s hand heartily and with an innocent smile said, “Now, that’s what I call preaching. You sure poured it on ‘em today!”

Your Length Of Service
Selected
M an serves only one generation, that in which he lives, and then dies. It may be that his influence continues to be felt for generations to come, and that he may leave works that either bless or curse humanity for generations, but he serves only one generation. This very principle stirs every Christian to give his best to the generation in which he lives.

“It isn’t the amount of money that determines our strength, but rather the use that we make of what we do have.”
- A Quote Found In An Old Notebook I Have

“Tell Me Why”
Selected

The most exercise some folks get is “jumping” to conclusions!
Remember: “The first one to plead his cause seems right, Until his neighbor comes and examines him.”(Prov. 18:17, NKJ)

Tribute To The Bible
“The Bible is the Grand Old Book of the World. It breathes with sympathy, it throbs with energy, it pulsates with power, it vibrates with heavenly harmony, it sparkles with beauty, it thunders with eloquence, it flashes with light divine, its veins run crimson with the warm blood of the Son of God, it breathes the fragrance of the Lily of the Valley and the Rose of Sharon.”
(From bro. Luther Martin’s book entitled: “Information Concerning The Bible”)

A young Christian packing his bag for a journey said to a friend, “I have nearly finished packing. All I have to put in are a guidebook, a lamp, a mirror, a microscope, a telescope, a volume of fine poetry, a few biographies, a package of old letters, a book of songs, a sword, a hammer, and a set of tools.”
“But you cannot put all that into your bag,” objected the friend. “Oh, yes,” said the Christian. “Here it is.” And he placed his Bible in the corner of the suitcase and closed the lid.
-Anonymous
Editor’s Note:
I don’t know who the author of that account is, but he got it right! The young Christian understood what he was packing when he packed his Bible. Do we realize what we are holding when we hold the Bible in our hands? Do we take our Bible with us when we go on vacations, or other trips? Is our Bible within our minds as we conduct our daily business? (“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly ....” “Thy word have I hid in my heart ....” — Col. 3:16; Ps. 119:11). Other descriptions of God’s word include: a sword (Eph. 6:17; Heb. 4:12), seed (Lk. 8:11), and food (Heb. 5:12-14). Let us respect the Bible, realizing that it “thoroughly (furnishes) us unto all good works” (II Tim. 3:16-17).

Anvil Sparks
R.L. Whiteside
w A hint to speakers and writers: There
are only two adjectives in the twenty-
third Psalm.
w Sometimes you can tell which way you are headed by looking at the crowd around you.
w The person who shows spite and hatred will reap his share of it.
w Any religious body in the wrong is less harmful as an enemy than as an ally.

“Too many Christians worship their work, work at their play, and play at their worship.”

“Anvil Sparks”
R.L. Whiteside

What Can I Do To Help?
Our gospel meeting with Michael McCleeary begins today and goes through Friday PM, Lord willing. Below are a few things you can do to make this gospel meeting a success this week:
P Invite Others.
P Attend This Meeting
Faithfully.
P Listen Attentively.
P Search the Scriptures To See
Whether Those Things Are So.
P Worship God In Spirit And In Truth.
P Pray For This Meeting And
The Speaker.
Will you do your part to help this week??

“Points With A Punch!”
w Never put a question mark where God has put a period.
w If you are too busy to assemble with the Lord’s people, you are overworked.
w Some say a little talk with Jesus makes it right, but Paul had a little talk and had to “arise and be baptized” (Acts 22:16).
w People who are spiritually blind rely on feeling for Heaven.
w A hundred people will search the woods for a lost boy but won’t move an inch to save a soul.
w Some folks have more of their “thinks-so’s” than the Lord’s “say-so’s” in their religion.

F If a lawyer finds a flaw in a title to property and does not warn about it, he has not done his duty.
F If a sanitary engineer discovers conditions dangerous to health and fails to report them, he may be responsible for sickness and even death.
F If a doctor learns of a dangerous condition in our bodies and does not warn us to correct such, our blood may be on his hands.
F But, if a preacher sees a flaw in our title to a home in heaven and warns about it, if he discovers conditions dangerous to our spiritual body and reports it, if he discovers a diseased condition and warns us, many think he’s meddling and finding fault. Furthermore, these spiritually ill, demand a change in the preaching or the preacher if the preaching does not change.
F Strange, isn’t it? Tell me, why the change in attitude when the preacher does his duty (II Tim. 4:2)?

“.”

Will You Help
Yourself?
omeone remarked, “I just can’t get interested in Bible study.” Another answered, “No, some can’t. It is like getting interest at the bank. You have to put money in first. Therefore, the more (time, prayer, work) you put in, the more the interest can be expected to grow.”
If your interest is down in Bible study, etc., begin now to put more into it and watch the interest grow!

“Not to know is ignorance, but to refuse to learn is pride.” -- L.E. Sloan

Some Spiritual Thoughts
w “One cannot learn error and obey truth.”
w “Nothing can be a substitute for the gospel.”
w “If the Christian’s faith does not sustain him in moments of ordinary need, of what value would it be in a moment of supreme need?”
w “Human wisdom seeks to devise plans whereby the Lord’s work is done with a minimum amount of sacrifice.”
-Selected

It is not our job to make the message acceptable, but to make it available …. not to make them like it, but to be sure that they get it.
- Anon.

C Sin paralyzes the eye that it cannot see.
“But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins” (II Pet. 1:9).
C Sin paralyzes the mouth that it cannot speak.
“He will keep the feet of his holy ones, but the wicked shall be put to silence in darkness”
(I Sam. 2:9, ASV).
C Sin paralyzes the hand that it cannot work.
“I will early destroy all the wicked of the land; that I may cut off all wicked doers from the city of the LORD” (Ps. 101:8).
C Sin paralyzes the feet that they cannot go.
“I go my way, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins: whither I go, ye cannot come” (Jn. 8:21).
C Sin paralyzes the ear that it cannot hear.
“Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word” (Jn. 8:43).
C Sin paralyzes the heart that it cannot trust.
“But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin” (Heb. 3:13).

w A preacher who cannot preach better than he can practice is not worth listening to, and a preacher who will not try to practice what he preaches is not fit to listen to.
w Some friends are like your shadow. They are always near when the sun shines upon you; but when the clouds come and darkness gathers about you, they have vanished.
w You give a child candy to get him to do your chores; you flatter grown-ups to get them to grind your ax.
w A hint to speakers and writers: There are only two adjectives in Psalm 23.
w A sermon should be well-proportioned; its length should correspond to its width and depth. Some sermons are long at fifteen minutes.
w Some preachers manipulate people; others teach them.
(From: Doctrinal Discourses, p. 154, 65)

Dedicated To Certain Church Members Everywhere:
“Now I set me down to sleep;
The sermon’s long, the subject deep.
If he should quit before I wake,
Somebody give me a little shake.”

Something To Consider ...
“ ‘Everybody does it’ does not justify your behavior. This excuse simply says you’re as wrong as everyone else!”

You Will Never Be Sorry …
Selected and Adapted

Please Investigate The church of Christ

You Will Never Be Sorry …
Selected and Adapted

Anvil Sparks
R.L. Whiteside

R For thinking before acting.
R For hearing before judging.
R For forgiving your enemies.
R For being candid and frank.
R For helping a fallen brother.
R For being honest in business.
R For thinking before speaking.
R For being loyal to the Lord’s church.
R For standing by your principles.
R For stopping your ears to gossip.
R For bridling a slanderous tongue.
R For harboring only pure thoughts.
R For sympathizing with the afflicted.
R For being kind and courteous to all.

Could It be …
Selected
that people reject the Bible — not because it contradicts itself, but because it contradicts them?
that some brethren do not attend various worship periods and Bible study classes because Christ is not really their “first love?”
that Satan has lulled us into thinking that we are really standing, when indeed, we are ready to fall?
we utterly abhor the violence going on in the world, yet do not think twice about what our families entertain themselves with on television and at the movies?
that some brethren honestly see no connection between commitment, attendance, and involvement?

A Thought Worth Thinking ….
Solomon said, “Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth.”
(Prov. 26:20)
Question: Are YOU “wood”?

Some Spiritual Thoughts...
“The Christian welcomes any challenge that sends him back to the Bible for a restudy of every practice to which he subscribes or doctrine he may teach.”
“Indifference and negligence can rob a man of power essential to victory whether secular or spiritual.”
- Selected

A Thought Worth Thinking ….
Solomon said, “Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth.”
(Prov. 26:20)
Thought: Are YOU “wood”?

“Truth is universal — that is the reason a person sometimes thinks the speaker is aiming every thing he says at him.”
- R.L. Whiteside

The Few
Author Unknown
Some assemble with the church just for the walk,
Some go to laugh and talk.
Some go the time to spend,
Some go to meet a friend.
Some go for speculation,
Some go for observation.
Some go for sins to cover,
Some go to meet a lover.
Some go to doze and nod,
A few go to worship God.
Editor’s Note:
I found this poem in a book of old lessons and writings from a dear friend of mine and thought it was worth sharing in the bulletin. Jesus said that those who worship God “must” do so “in spirit and in truth” (Jn. 4:24), for these are the kind of people God is looking for to worship Him. Let us consider our reasons for being here today. Our assembling is not for “free baby-sitting,” nor is it “social hour.” This is not an opportunity for business deals, nor is it simply a way to “kill time.” We are assembled to worship our King and Creator. Let us remember this as we worship God today!

“Some of the best sermons are not preached in the pulpit.” - J.C. Roady

The Founders And Early Leaders Of This Country Knew God ....
Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) “He who shall introduce into public affairs the principles of primitive Christianity will change the face of the world.”
“God governs in the affairs of men; and if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice, neither can a kingdom rise without his aid.” (See: Daniel 4:32, 5:21; Matt. 10:29, JJ)
“If your riches are yours, why don’t you take them with you to the other world?” (See: Matt. 6:19-21, JJ)
George Washington (1732-1799)
“Associate yourself with men of good quality if you esteem your own reputation, for it is better to be alone than in bad company.” (See: I Cor. 15:33, JJ)
“It is impossible to govern the world without God and the Bible.”
Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826)
“Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just.”
Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865)
“All things desirable to men are contained in the Bible.”
“I am not concerned whether God is on my side or not, but I am concerned whether I am on God’s side.”
.... Our Country’s Leaders Need To Know Him Today!

Can A Christian Fall From God’s Grace?
Attend the Bible debate in Millwood, KY on May 27-28 and find out.

Pointed Paragraphs
Sometime ago a Christian man asked a gospel preacher: “Why do we not have great gospel sermons like those we used to hear?” The reply was: “There is no demand for them.” Do that question and answer reveal conditions as they are? Have we reached the point where preaching is trimmed down to fit the demands of the times? Is preaching thus reduced to a matter of trade?
Some factories make only those articles that are in demand. But occasionally an article is offered for sale for which there has been no demand, but the makers of such articles proceed to create a demand. They do extensive advertising; they extol the uses and virtues of their article till people want it. And cannot we in the same way create a demand for the pure gospel in communities where there is no demand? We cannot do it by dealing in religious soup. There is a demand for the unadulterated gospel, for great gospel sermons; but the demand is not as extensive nor as intensive as it should be. Even in some churches of Christ there is not as strong demand for gospel sermons as there should be. When an elder can say, as some of them have said, “So far as I am concerned, I do not care whether our preacher can preach or not,” it is time we were waking up.
(Whiteside, R.L., The Kingdom Of Promise And Prophecy, p. 66).

“The Paralyzing Effects Of Sin”
The Gospel Guardian,
December 1, 1960, p. 7 (471)

Faith With Works Is A Force.
Faith Without Works Is A Farce.

“A mist in the pulpit is a fog in the pew”

The present only is our own,

Live - Love - Toil with a will.

And place no faith in tomorrow,

For the hands may then be still!

“Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls.” (Jer. 6:16)

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