Articles
“What They Could and Should Do for Themselves”
“What They Could and Should Do for Themselves”
“If any will not work, neither should he eat” (2Thes. 3:10). William J. H. Boetcker wrote: “You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift. You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong. You cannot help little men by tearing down big men. You cannot help the wage earner by pulling down the wage payer. You cannot further brotherhood of man by encouraging class hatred. You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich. You cannot establish sound security on borrowed money. You cannot keep out of trouble by spending more than you earn. You cannot build character and courage by taking away men's initiative and independence. You cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they could and should do for themselves.”
Boetcker also spoke of the “Seven National Crimes”: “1) I don't think. 2) I don't know. 3) I don't care. 4) I am too busy. 5) I leave well enough alone. 6) I have no time to read and find out. 7) I am not interested.” It would greatly benefit Christians and sinners to meditate on these principles.
An Interesting Conversation on a Plane
Tommy Peeler wrote: “Last week I sat by an interesting lady on a plane. She told me that she was given months to live with cancer in 1992. She went into remission but In 2009 her cancer came back and this time they had to take her right arm. She thanked the LORD for giving her strength for recovery from cancer. Also, after 35 years of marriage, her husband left her for another woman. She was extremely open with me so I felt comfortable asking her which was more painful the cancer or her husband leaving her. She answered instantly that the more painful by far was her husband leaving her.”
“People fear cancer and other sickness, but maybe the greatest pain we experience is from the hands of those we love. This is a reminder to husbands to be loyal to your wives. It is a reminder for wives to be loyal to your husbands. What God has joined together, man is not to put asunder (Matt. 19:6).”
Gratitude Inspires Contentment
By Sandy Melton
In Christ law we have been given that which is perfect, for us or anyone to seek to change that means they are not content with it the way it is. Gratitude: how it impacts our attitude in life. As I meditated on this I came to the conclusion that, gratitude inspires contentment.
We live in a world that constantly bombards us with new and intriguing things often coming right out and saying you "deserve" this new car, gadget whatever they are selling. Even the TV shows we may watch can nudge us to want something different. For example, I enjoyed watching all the makeover shows on HGTV; and, while there is nothing wrong with those type of shows, but often it would cause me to look around and see ways that my own home didn't measure up to those. In some small way or even possibly in big ways it creates a sense of discontent so I stopped watching them and started appreciating so much more exactly what I have. On the other hand, if we have grateful hearts for all we already have we will see our world with a sense of contentment being thankful for what we have instead of what we don't have.
Sadly some look at religion in much the same way; instead of being thankful for the church Christ died for including the instructions to how to worship Him acceptably, some have turned to the "religious" world and the entertainment they provide. What Paul has put forth here in Colossians is being abundantly grateful with Christ’s teaching and nothing else will have an appeal. If we truly see the treasure the Gospel really is, anything else is obviously cheap and fake. I find it so interesting that Paul encourages them to be rooted, built up, established in their faith, and then wraps it all up in overflowing gratitude. Such amazing wisdom has to be God given!
A Moments Wisdom on Humility
--True humility is not to think low of oneself, but to think rightly, truthfully of oneself.
--A Christian minister once said, “I was never of any use until I found out that God did not intend me to be a great man.”
--It is possible to be too big for God to use you but never too small for God to use you.
--God had an only Son, and He was a missionary and a physician. A poor, poor imitation of Him I am, or wish to be. (Livingstone)
--A hundred times a day I remind myself that my inner and outer life depend on the labors of other men, living and dead, and that I must exert myself in order to give in the same measure as I have received and am receiving. (Einstein)
--There is no king who has not had a slave among his ancestors, and no slave who has not had a King among his. (Helen Keller)
Test Your Bible Knowledge of Most Frequently Mentioned Men
1. What man is the most mentioned man in the Bible? Hint: He was born in Bethlehem, but grew up in northern Palestine.
2. What king, mentioned 1,118 times in the Bible, is the second most mentioned man? He was the youngest of eight brothers.
3. What leader, with 740 mentions, ranks third? Hint: He was buried by God, and no man knows to this day where that was at.
4. What priest ranks fourth with a total of 339 references? Hint: His brother is described as having been the most humble man upon the earth.
5. What king has one less reference than the answer to Question 4 and ranks fifth? Hint: There was no Jewish man who was more handsome than this one or taller.
6. What patriarch, with 306 mentions, ranks sixth? Hint: This man had prayed to the Lord on behalf of any of the righteous who dwelt in Sodom and Gomorrah.
7. What wise king ranks seventh with his 295 mentions? Hint: This man had confessed to God in prayer that he was as a little child who didn't know how to go out or come in.
8. What man would, if his famous nickname were considered a real personal name, outrank all the others in the list? (As it stands, using his usual name, he ranks ninth with 270 mentions.) Hint: He had a son by the name of Issachar.
9. What government leader in a foreign land ranks ninth with 208 references? Hint: He was his father's eleventh son.
10. What military man ranks tenth with 197 references? Hint: He was the son of Nun, and had led Israel into battle against Amalek while Aaron and Hur helped in supporting Moses's hands that the battle might prevail in their favor.
Upcoming Sermons
4/24/22 AM - We Which are Alive and Remain; PM - Don’t Assume
5/1/22 AM - A World without Jesus; PM - Singing Service: Congregational Choice of Songs
5/8/22 AM - What is a Sound Church? (Following the Bible Pattern in the Organization of the Church); PM - What is a Sound Church? (Following the Bible Pattern in the Work of the Church)
5/15/22 AM - What is a Sound Church? (Following the Bible Pattern in Worship as a Church); PM - What is a Sound Church? (The Nature of the New Testament Church)
5/22/22 AM - Guest Speaker; PM - Doug Sanders
5/29/22 AM - What is a Sound Church? (Straying from the Bible Pattern for the Church); PM - What is a Sound Church? (Scriptural Fellowship in a Local Church)
