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Birdwell Lane Church of Christ Big Spring, TX |
Weekly Thoughts - June 2006
| <---- May 2006 | -- | July 2006 ----> |
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04 - "WALLS OF SEPARATION" 11 - "WHAT CAN I EXPECT FROM VBS" 18 - "THANKS EVERYONE" 25 - "THE ESSENTIALITY OF BAPTISM" |
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"WALLS OF SEPARATION" Men have always built walls for protection. The Greeks had their walled city/states. The Chinese built their Great Wall, extending 4,163 miles across their country. Jerusalem and other Israelite cities were walled for protection. Even today, the United States is considering building a wall along our borders to keep out illegal aliens and possible terrorists. Walls are good protectors. Walls of separation are also necessary in the spiritual kingdom of God. God's people are to be holy, separate from the world. There is to be no fraternizing, compromising or intermingling. God's people are commanded, "But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: 'Be holy, because I am holy'" (1 Peter 1:15; Leviticus 11:44-45). We must have "doctrinal walls" of separation from the world. Today, there are some who want to open gaps in God's designed wall. In the name of religious unity, God's Word is being ignored as compromises are reached. The issue of instrumental music is again being used to open up the church to the world's influences. Ironically, we experienced disunity exactly 100 years ago over this same problem. We closed the gap then, but are considering opening it up again. How foolish! Around 600 B.C. God's holy people were opening themselves up to worldly influences. God said, "I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found none. So I will pour out my wrath on them and consume them with my fiery anger, bringing down on their heads all they have done, declares the Sovereign Lord" (Ezekiel 22:30-31). And God did just that, giving them over to Babylon. We need a wall of separation from the world. God's Word defines the wall. Any who breach the wall and encourage others to do so are in danger of the condemnation of God. Instead, we need people to "build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land" (Ezekiel 22:30). See ya Sunday, Ralph |
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"WHAT CAN I EXPECT FROM VBS" Vacation Bible School 2006 - "FISHERS OF MEN" - begins June 12th and continues through June 14th. Preparations are being finalized by a number of interested people and this promises to be one of the best efforts of this kind in our community. We will again be combining forces with the 14th and Main, and Highway 80 churches of Christ to present a united front to our city. The teachers are hard at work getting their classes together, rooms decorated, lessons organized and excitement generated. We will hold the VBS at 14th and Main so all of us here need to be particularly aware of our needed support. We want to show them the same great support that was shown us last year. One thing we will be doing this year is canceling classes here Wednesday evening so that we may go over and support the VBS.
See ya Sunday, Ralph |
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"THANKS EVERYONE" 1 Thessalonians 1:2-3 2 We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention (of you) in our prayers;3 remembering without ceasing your work of faith and labor of love and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, before our God and Father; Beautiful words from the pen of Paul, which express my feelings for each of you as I type out this weeks bulletin article. Words cannot express the joy I am feeling for each of you. Our 2006 VBS is now history but the results will continue for years to come. Young people were taught, fellowship enjoyed and God glorified due to all the work put forth to bring it to pass. To everyone who had a part in making it a success I can only say THANK YOU. Scott Prather who worked diligently in getting things planned, 14th and Main for the use of their building, teachers who gave untold hours and thought to developing the lessons, folks who spent not minutes but hours in getting the rooms decorated, the teens who worked with the puppets and also in traffic control, the kitchen help who planned and served us refreshments every night, the men of 14th & Main who provided a terrific meal for those who labored in making VBS what it was, and to the elders who allowed us to combine our efforts so that we could show our community the unity to be had in Christ. To all those who stood on the front line and gave of yourself and your time I honor you. The rooms were beautifully decorated, lessons well prepared and delivered. The young people were excited by each and every class. They talked about the rooms, lessons, teachers and auditorium program. Each of you served to make it a huge success. On Monday we had 73 young people who benefited from the lessons. Tuesday the number climbed to 80 and last night jumped to 93. The prophet stated not to despise the day of small things for out of them come great things. The VBS was only the starting point of a much larger picture and greater things to come. Each of you are to be commended for all that you did whether great or small. We could not have had a successful three days had not everyone worked together. THANKS FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART FOR BEING WHO AND WHAT YOU ARE. See ya Sunday, Ralph |
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"THE ESSENTIALITY OF BAPTISM" In the Galilee mountain from which he ascended into heaven, Jesus said to His apostles: "Go you, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit: teaching them to observe all things which I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the ends of the ages" (Matt. 28:18-20). In the Jewish dispensation, God made this promise to Israel: "In all places where I record my name I will come unto you, and I will bless you" (Ex. 20:24). In the gospel dispensation, "God has recorded His name in the ordinance of Christian baptism. No man can claim the approbation of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit until he is baptized." The Bible emphatically says that salvation is in the name of Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12; 1 Cor 6:11). The promise of salvation, therefore, is placed after faith, repentance and baptism. Jesus says: "He that believes and is baptized shall be saved; but he that disbelieves shall be condemned" (Mk. 16:16). Peter says: "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:38). Ananias says, "And now why do you tarry? Arise, and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on His name" (Acts 22:16) In Jesus Christ, "we have our redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our sins, according to the riches of His grace" (Eph. 1:7); and "as many of you as were baptized into Christ did put on Christ" (Gal. 3:27). According to Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (p. 832, the "washing of regeneration" referred to in the following passage is baptism: "But when the kindness of God our Savior, and His love toward man, appeared, not by works done in righteousness, which we did ourselves, but according to His mercy He saved us, through washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, which He poured out upon us richly, through Jesus Christ our Savior; that, being justified by His grace, we might be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life" (Titus 3:4-7). See ya Sunday, Ralph |
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