Birdwell Lane
Church of Christ
Big Spring, TX


Weekly Thoughts - October 2006
<----   September 2006    --    November 2006   ---->
01 - "BE A WORKER FOR GOD"
08 - "I'M GLAD I DON'T HAVE TO JUSTIFY MYSELF TO YOU"
15 - No Article
22 - "THE HOLY SPIRIT - Part 1"
29 - "THE INDWELLING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT"
 
 
October 1, 2006
"BE A WORKER FOR GOD"

      (Twenty-Nine ways whereby every Christian can help in the Lord's work. Try some of them today!!)
      "But what can I do to Help in the Lord's work? I can't preach or sing or teach!" If you have been looking for ways to serve, here are some that any Christian can do. Try them!!!!!!
  1. Read to a person who has bad eyesight or is blind.
  2. Visit a shut-in and take him a copy of a good religious paper.
  3. Take a person who needs transportation to go shopping or to the doctor.
  4. Call on someone who has been bereaved.
  5. Take church literature to a friend.
  6. Visit someone in the hospital.
  7. Mow the grass for an older person or the church.
  8. Take a dish of food to a home where there is illness.
  9. Send a birthday card to a friend.
  10. Provide transportation for someone to services.
  11. Send a sympathy card to one who has lost a loved one.
  12. Mail a gift to a serviceman.
  13. Write a college student and enclose a dollar or ten in your letter.
  14. Tell your Bible class teacher or an elder or a deacon that you are looking for a job and will be glad to help.
  15. Help clean house for someone who is not well. Or who is older.
  16. Give some used clothing to help a family that is in need.
  17. Look for a way to use your hobby or special talent in church work.
  18. Telephone an absentee and let him know he was missed at church service.
  19. Offer to take care of the children of a young mother some afternoon so that she can do some church work.
  20. Clip an interesting item from the local paper and share it with a friend.
  21. Invite a missionary to your home for a meal or to stay overnight.
  22. Find a boy who has no father and take him to a football game.
  23. Bring When you take a gift for the new baby, don't forget a small remembrance for the other young brother or sister.
  24. Invite a family over following service for an evening meal and fellowship. Someone you hardly know.
  25. Send a card to someone in a hospital or rest home.
  26. Pray for the minister and his wife and the church leaders.
  27. Clip this list and share a copy with someone else.
  28. S M I L E - someone might smile back and thus ease a heavy load.
  29. Compliment someone each day - pat someone on the back - say a kind word and turn away wrath.
      THERE IS SO MUCH BAD IN THE BEST OF US AND SO MUCH GOOD IN THE WORST OF US…THAT IT HARDLY BEHOOVES ANY OF US TO FIND FAULT WITH THE REST OF US.

See ya Sunday,
Ralph

 
 
October 8, 2006
"I'M GLAD I DON'T HAVE TO JUSTIFY MYSELF TO YOU"

   The title of this article is a statement which has been repeated countless numbers of times by those wishing to justify their sin. When error is pointed out in their lives, an error which they are set on continuing, they simply delude themselves into thinking that "God will understand." In essence what they are saying is that the scriptures teach one set of rules, but God judges by another set which He has written especially to suit the individual tastes of the one being judged. It must be understood, however, that man is not at liberty to add or subtract any truth from the given word in an effort to adapt it to his particular lifestyle (Rev. 20:18-19). We certainly realize that the Holy Spirit does not reveal additional truth to us today; though there will be those misguided individuals who argue that point. We cannot "have it our way" as if the revealed word of God were a hamburger; though there are those "Christians" who seem to have great problems distinguishing between the two.

   "I'm just glad I don't have to justify myself to you" is a statement most often used in connection with one's poor attendance at the gatherings of the saints. Let us consider some of their "justifiable reasons" which "God understands"-

  1. "I was sick." This may well be true, but most cases of sickness involve anything from a toothache to a hangnail, which naturally would render one completely helpless.
  2. "The weather was terrible." This usually means that it was either too hot, cold, humid, dry, cloudy, sunny, foggy, windy, rainy, or snowy. What they are really saying is that they cannot attend simply because there is some weather outside.
  3. "I worked all week." This again is probably true; it is with most of us. Yet how long has it been since we missed a day of work? It seems terribly easy to become too exhausted to attend the worship services which may last anywhere from one to two hours; while it is almost impossible to become to tired to do anything else that you please. It's strange how it works out that way.
  4. "My husband/wife didn't come. So I stayed home too." This is a common flaw in human reasoning - that if one sins it justifies another to commit the same act without it becoming sin. Therefore, any act that is done by more than one person is not a sin; thus sin becomes practically non-existent.
  5. "One time won't hurt." The fact is one time will hurt. It is very unlikely that "one time" will remain in its singular sense. I've known people that missed "one time" thirty-six times a year.
   In Hebrews 10:23-25 we read, 23 " Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, 25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching." NKJV

   God has given a direct command not to forsake the assembly of the saints. God is a just God who wavers not, but stands invariably on the law which He has given. He does not justify sin. You may be glad you don't have to justify your actions to another, but one day you'll stand before God. Open your eyes now before it is everlastingly too late.

See ya Sunday,
Ralph

 
 
October 22, 2006
"THE HOLY SPIRIT - Part 1"

      The Holy Spirit is one of the personalities of the Godhead. He is Deity. Much confusion and misunderstanding has occurred over the past two centuries regarding the Holy Spirit and His work. In this article we will consider the Biblical teaching about the Holy Spirit and see how He relates to the life of the Christian. God wants you to know the blessings of the Holy Spirit!
  1. THE HOLY SPIRIT IS A PERSON
    1. The Holy Spirit has emotion.
      Ephesians 4:30 - What does this teach about the Spirit?
    2. Actions of the Holy Spirit are those of a person. The Scriptures teach us He speaks (Timothy 4:1), He hears (John 16:13), He wills or determines (1 Corinthians 12:11), He teaches (John 14:26), and He guides (John 16:13).
  2. THE HOLY SPIRIT IS DIVINE (He is God!)
    1. He is everywhere (Psalm 139:7-10) and all powerful (Romans 15:19).
    2. Hebrews 9:14 - Does this passage refer to the Spirit as eternal?
    3. Genesis 1:1-2 - Was the Spirit of God active in creation?
    4. Matthew 28:19 - Who are the three personalities of the Godhead?
  3. HE LIVES IN CHRISTIANS! (INDWELLING!)
    1. Acts 2:38 - What gift do baptized believers receive?
    2. Romans 8:9-11 - What does this teach us about our relationship to the Holy Spirit?
    3. 1 Corinthians 6:19 - What does this teach about our relationship to the Holy Spirit? What does this mean? How does this impact my life?
    4. Ephesians 6:17 - How does the Holy Spirit help us with the Word?
    5. John 16:18 - Why did the Holy Spirit come according to this verse?
      1. How does He convict the World?
      2. What happens if we don't share the Word? We are robbing the Holy Spirit of the privilege of convicting the world…
    6. Ephesians 1:14-14 - What does this mean? We are owned by God (seal) and He will one day return to take us home! (deposit)
      1. Ephesians 1:16-20 - What is the goal of the Spirit? (vs. 17) How powerful is this Spirit? (vss. 19-20)
      2. Ephesians 3:14-20 - What does the Spirit do for us? (vs. 16)
  4. OUR RESPONSE TO THE HOLY SPIRIT
    1. What does this show us about God that He would give us His Holy Spirit to help us?
    2. Galatians 5:16-26 - What does it mean to be led by the Holy Spirit?
      1. What are some challenges that we have in yielding to the Holy Spirit?
      2. What is the difference between the fruits of the Spirit and acts of the flesh?
      3. How do we yield to the Spirit?
      4. Can you think of some ways that you have been yielding to Him?
      Think on these things and next week we will look at the INDWELLING OF THE HOLY SPIRT. Till then…

See ya Sunday,
Ralph

 
 
October 29, 2006
"THE INDWELLING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT"

  1. The PROMISE OF IT - Galatians 3:14; Acts 2:33.
    The Old Testament prophets promised Israel the Holy Spirit within - Ezekiel 36:27; 37:14; 39:29; Isaiah 44:3; Joel 2:28; Zachariah 12:10 (compare John 7:38-39; m14:16-17).
  2. THE PLACE OF IT.
    1. "Within you" - Ezekiel 36:27; John 14:16-17.
    2. "In the body" - I Corinthians 6:10.
    3. "In the heart" - Galatians 4:6.
    4. "In the belly" - John 7:38-39.
    5. "In the Church" - I Corinthians 3:16.
  3. THE PROVISION OF IT - 2 Timothy 1:14; Romans 5:5.
    1. It is received at baptism - Acts 2:38.
    2. It comes by the hearing of faith - Galatians 3:2.
    3. It comes at obedience - Acts 5:32.
    4. It comes because we are sons - Galatians 4:6.
    5. It comes as God's gift - 1 Thessalonians 4:8.
  4. THE PURPOSE OF IT.
    1. To represent the dwelling of deity within - 1 John 4:12-15; Ephesians 2:22. He is called "Holy Spirit" (Ephesians 4:30); "Spirit of God" (Romans 8:9); "Spirit of Christ" (Romans 8:9b).
    2. To be proof of sonship - Galatians 4:6 (compare Romans 8:9).
    3. To be a seal unto salvation - Ephesians 1:13; 2 Corinthians 1:21-22. A seal makes official, proves ownership, and provides security.
    4. To be an earnest of inheritance - Ephesians 1:14; 2 Corinthians 1:21-22. Earnest is a deposit or pledge guaranteeing later full payment (compare Romans 8:14, 23).
    5. To be a motivation to godly living - 1 Corinthians 6:19. The word translated "temple" means the "holy of holies" not the entire temple. Our body is made a "holy place" by God's Spirit.
  5. THE PROOF OF IT
    1. Obedience to the gospel - Acts 2:38; 5:32.
    2. Faith in the word of God which teaches it - Romans 10:17.
    3. The experience of steadfastness and endurance - Romans 5:3-5.
    4. The fruit of the Spirit produces life - Galatians 5:22-24.
  6. THE PATHOS OF NOT HAVING IT
    1. He has not availed himself of God's promise - Galatians 3:14.
    2. He has not God nor Christ abiding within - Ephesians 2:22.
    3. He lacks a great motivating power - 1 Corinthians 6:19.
    4. He lacks a source of spiritual strength - Ephesians 3:16.
    5. He does not belong to Christ - Romans 8:9.
    6. He does not have the earnest of eternal inheritance - Ephesians 1:13-14.
    7. He will not be raised unto eternal joy - Romans 8:10-11.
May the grace of Christ Jesus our Lord and the love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all, Amen.

See ya Sunday,
Ralph

 
 

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