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Birdwell Lane Church of Christ Big Spring, TX |
Weekly Thoughts - June 2009
| <---- May 2009 | -- | July 2009 ----> |
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07 - GOD DOESN’T PLAY GAMES 14 - KNOW YOUR ADVERSARY 21 - VBS 2009 28 - Something good to talk about |
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GOD DOESN’T PLAY GAMES Sometimes the Lord tells us in His Word to do things that may frighten us. For example, we read we should “love our neighbor (who may be hard to get along with) as ourselves” (Matt. 22:39), “love your enemies” (Matt. 5:14), “present your bodies a living sacrifice” (Rom. 12:1-2), “keep yourself unspotted from the world” (James 1:27), “be doers of the Word and not hearers only” (James 1:22), or “GO – TEACH – BAPTIZE” (Matt. 28:19). When we come face to face with such commands, we may have a tendency to want to run and hide. Jonah experienced these feelings. In the book of Jonah we read that when God told Jonah to “go” to Nineveh and warn the city that God would utterly destroy the city, he was afraid. One can almost see the dust Jonah kicked up as he ran. He went down to the sea, got into a boat, and tried to hide inside the darkness of the boat. He became so comfortable in his hidden position that he went to sleep. Jonah was trying to play games with God. But God doesn’t play games! Jonah became aware of this fact when he was cast overboard and swallowed by a great fish. In the darkness of the fish’s belly, he finally repented and decided to do the will of God. As a result, a whole city was saved. God doesn’t play games. When we try to ignore the commands of God, and hide in the darkness of our little “excuse boats,” we are deceiving ourselves. “Be not deceived, God is not mocked!” (Gal. 6:7). GOD DOESN’T PLAY GAMES with us! God will not play games with that neighbor or friend or relative who has never been baptized into Christ. If he or she dies outside of Christ, there will be no hope and that precious soul will spend eternity in hell (Rev. 20:15). If we have been running and hiding from God, we need to repent, and do His will. When we do – who knows? –Perhaps enough souls will be saved, as a result, to fill this building, no – to fill a whole city! See ya Sunday, Ralph |
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KNOW YOUR ADVERSARY Sometimes the Lord tells us in His Word to do things that may frighten us. For example, we read we should “love our neighbor (who may be hard to get along with) as ourselves” (Matt. 22:39), “love your enemies” (Matt. 5:14), “present your bodies a living sacrifice” (Rom. 12:1-2), “keep yourself unspotted from the world” (James 1:27), “be doers of the Word and not hearers only” (James 1:22), or “GO – TEACH – BAPTIZE” (Matt. 28:19). When we come face to face with such commands, we may have a tendency to want to run and hide. Jonah experienced these feelings. In the book of Jonah we read that when God told Jonah to “go” to Nineveh and warn the city that God would utterly destroy the city, he was afraid. One can almost see the dust Jonah kicked up as he ran. He went down to the sea, got into a boat, and tried to hide inside the darkness of the boat. He became so comfortable in his hidden position that he went to sleep. Jonah was trying to play games with God. But God doesn’t play games! Jonah became aware of this fact when he was cast overboard and swallowed by a great fish. In the darkness of the fish’s belly, he finally repented and decided to do the will of God. As a result, a whole city was saved. God doesn’t play games. When we try to ignore the commands of God, and hide in the darkness of our little “excuse boats,” we are deceiving ourselves. “Be not deceived, God is not mocked!” (Gal. 6:7). GOD DOESN’T PLAY GAMES with us! God will not play games with that neighbor or friend or relative who has never been baptized into Christ. If he or she dies outside of Christ, there will be no hope and that precious soul will spend eternity in hell (Rev. 20:15). If we have been running and hiding from God, we need to repent, and do His will. When we do – who knows? –Perhaps enough souls will be saved, as a result, to fill this building, no – to fill a whole city! See ya Sunday, Ralph |
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VBS 2009 There are so many brothers and sister to THANK that I do not know where to start. Over the past several months much preparation had taken place. The selection of time, materials, rooms, personnel all had to be worked out. Dannie and Scott did a great job of getting all of this lined out. Teachers were selected (volunteered), visuals gathered, rooms selected and decorated. Kitchen staff planned the snacks and how to take care of the refreshments for our kids in an orderly manner. Teacher helpers worked at decorating rooms and what they needed to do to help during class times. Teens went over the puppet skits and practiced on how to work the puppets. Others worked at getting the sheets ready so that registration could be done orderly. Others prepared cookies to be handed out during the refreshment periods. To each of you goes more THANKS than could ever be expressed. SPECIAL thanks to the six teens who met last Thursday and spent the morning handing out flyers inviting folks to our VBS. You are special. On Monday, June 15th we gathered at the building at 6:00 p.m. for the last meeting of all involved in getting things ready for the start of VBS 2009. Following a short meeting and closing with a prayer, our VBS was underway. While the kids enjoyed classes downstairs, Rick Cunningham taught an adult class in the auditorium. The culmination of all the efforts put out by so many was great. There we 85 students plus workers and an adult class for a total attendance the first night of 187. Our total for Tuesday night was 167 and the total for our last night of VBS was 193. See ya Sunday, Ralph |
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Something good to talk about (Zeke's Corner) "Sing praises to the Lord, who dwells in Zion! Declare His deeds among the people” - (Psalm 9:11) Every Christian should have something good to talk about. Are you talking about what God is doing or has already done in your life? God, who dwells within us, wants us to declare his deeds among the people. We need to tell our friends, our neighbors, our children, our grandchildren about the great things God is dong for us! Our human tendency is to talk most of the time about all the negative things that happen to us. We must understand that there is already too much discouragement, bitterness and negativism in the world. We should not add more logs to the fire. As children of God, we must declare a different attitude. We should sing praises thus revealing an attitude of joy and faith. We must reveal to the world that God is powerful, merciful and full of kindness. We must declare it with our mouths but also with our lives. Let’s declare his amazing grace! That is definitely something good to talk about. God Bless, Zeke Banda |
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