Birdwell Lane
Church of Christ
Big Spring, TX


Weekly Thoughts - January 2010
<----   December 2009    --    February 2010   ---->
03 - HAPPY NEW YEAR
10 - THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF ANGELS
17 - THE SECRET OF SUCCESS - Psalms I
24 - ANGELS – THE BIBLICAL FACTS
31 - THE “PENNY BLACK”
 
 
January 3, 2010
HAPPY NEW YEAR

      Another year has come to an end and a new year is in our midst. All the good or bad things that happen in 2009 are now in the past. We must now look forward to new and better things. I pray that God will grant us faith, wisdom, and strength to make 2010 a year of great spiritual accomplishments and blessings. May God bless us with much love, joy and peace and may he help us to take advantage of the doors of opportunities to share his love and grace to the world around us.
      From my family and me, we wish you a Happy New Year!!!!!!

God Bless,
Zeke Banda

 
 
January 10, 2010
THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF ANGELS

      From the appearances of angels and the collected references to them in the Bible, we find that the activities cover a wide field. Their varied work could only be possible as those specially created and endowed of God. With joy they do His pleasure (Psalm 103:21). Their mission and ministry are generally related to guardianship and government. Able to fight bodily, they are capable of operation in the material and earthly plane (Rev. 12:7). Amazed at the divine plan, the angels yet help to execute it (I Peter 1:12).
  1. They drive spirit horses (2 Kings 2:12; 6:13-17; Zech. 1:7-11, 6:1-6)
  2. They guard gates (Gen. 3:24; Rev. 21:12)
  3. They wage war against evil forces (Rev. 12:7; 2 Thess. 1:7-9)
  4. They execute judgments (Gen. 19:2; 2 Sam. 24; 2 Kings 19:35; Matt. 13:41; Psalm 78:49; Matt. 13:41; Acts 12:23; Rev. 8:1-9)
  5. They minister to saints (1 Kings 19:5-7; Daniel 6:22; Matt. 4:11; Acts 20; Heb. 1:14)
  6. They rule nations (Daniel 10:13-21)
  7. They help individuals (Matt. 18:10)
  8. They sing, praise God, worship God (Luke 2:13; Ps. 103:20; Ps. 148:2; Revelation 5:11)
  9. They strengthen in trial (Matt. 4:11; Luke 22:43)
  10. They lead sinners to gospel workers (Acts 10:3)
  11. They minister before God (Rev. 8:2; 14:15-19)
  12. They bind Satan and guard his abyss (Rev. 9:1; 20:1-3)
  13. They protect saints (Ps. 34:7; 91:11; Acts 12:7-10)
  14. They separate the good from the bad (Matt. 13:19-41)
  15. They will accompany Christ to earth (2 Thess. 1:7-9)
      Due to space limitations I will conclude the responsibilities of angels in our next article.

See Ya Sunday,
Ralph

 
 
January 17, 2010
THE SECRET OF SUCCESS - Psalms I

  1. THE BLESSEDNESS OF THE RIGHTEOUS; vss. 1-3.
    1. His blessedness described, Note the “blessed man” in Psalms.
      1. Forgiven; Ps. 32:1; Acts 13:38; I John 1:7; Luke 5:20
      2. Disciplined; Ps. 94:12; Heb. 12:5
      3. Obedient; Ps. 119:2; 1 Sam. 15:22; I Peter 1:14
      4. Abiding; Ps. 84:4; John 15”1-7; Luke 24:29
    2. His character unfolded; vss. 1,2.
      1. Negatively; vs. 1. He is known by what he does not do.
        1. He walks not in the counsel of the ungodly; Gal. 5:16; Gen. 5:24 Association
        2. He stands not. No identification with the world; I Jn. 2:15-16 Identification
        3. He sits not. No fellowship with the ungodly; 2 Cor. 6:14-16; Titus 2:12 Fellowship
      2. Positively; vs. 2.
        1. He delights in the Word; Ps. 119:116; 40:8.
        2. He meditates in the Word; Ps. 119:11; 39:3; Phil. 4:8.
        3. He continues in the Word; Jn. 8:31; 15:9; Acts 2:42; This is the proof of discipleship.
    3. His testimony illustrated; vs. 3. By a tree. The true Christian is a tree.
      1. Planted; Isa. 61:3; Ps. 92:13; Matt. 15:13.
      2. Watered; Jer. 17:8; Jn. 7:37-39; 4:14.
      3. Fruitful; Jn. 15:4-5; Gal. 5:22; Phil. 1:11, 13.
      4. Evergreen; Ps. 92:12. Refreshing to the weary pilgrim. Isa. 50:4.
      5. Prosperous; Josh. 1:8; 2 jn. 2. What a beautiful picture of the Lord Jesus!
  2. THE CONDEMNATION OF THE UNGODLY; vss. 4-6.
    1. Their description; vs. 4. “Ungodly,” the true state of every unregenerate person; Eph. 2:11-12.
    2. Their illustration; “Chaff” driven by wind, having no form or use; Rom. 8:8; Eph. 2:1-2.
    3. Their condemnation; vs. 5. No standing before God; I Sam. 6:20; Job 41:10; Nah. 1:6; (cf. Rom 8:1; 14:4; Gal.5:1’Lk. 21:36; Acts 4:10; Col. 4:12).
    4. Their end; “shall perish.” The two ways and the two ends; Matt. 7:13-14; Deut. 30:15-20.


See Ya Sunday,
Ralph

 
 
January 24, 2010
ANGELS – THE BIBLICAL FACTS

      The word, Angel,” in Hebrew is “Malakh.” This also is the last book in the Old Testament. Its elementary meaning is “messenger,” “one who is sent.” Angels, simply, are “Heaven’s Personal Delivery Service.” The Bible, without equivocation, teaches angels from Genesis to Revelation.
  1. They are created by God. Read Psalms 148:2-5; Neh. 9:6; Col. 1:16f. Seemingly, from Job 38:7, they were created before the creation of the world. Angels were created good; it is inconsistent with the character of God to create anything evil.
  2. Angels are innumerable. Read Matt. 26:53; Heb. 12:22; Rev. 5:11.These Scriptures name legions, multiply 10,000 times 10,000. The Bible says they are innumerable.
  3. Angels are a distinct creation being neither God, human, nor animal. Read Psalms 8:4-5; Heb. 1:3f; 2:9-10, 16-18. Angels are created not reproduced. They are immortal.
  4. Satan has angels, also. Hell is prepared for Satan and his angels (Mt. 25:41; Rev. 12:7). God’s angels do not fall only to become Satan’s anymore than Satan’s can repent and become God’s. Fallen angels are “chained awaiting judgment” (2 Pt. 2; Jude).
  5. Angels must not be worshipped. The worship of anyone outside the Holy Trinity is directly condemned in the 10 Commandments (Ex. 20:1-6). Rome sinned by worshipping the created rather than the creator (Rom. 1:25). Read Colossians 2:18.
      ANGELS! An over-powering thought! The more one learns of the universe the more aware he is of the mysteries for which he has no explanation. The more one learns scripture the more humbling it is---angels minister to the heirs of salvation (Heb. 1:14).

See Ya Sunday,
Ralph

 
 
January 31, 2010
THE "PENNY BLACK"

      One of the first postage stamps was the Penny Black.” It was used only one year. Engraving of the stamp was perfect. The image was exact. So excellent was the ink and the paper the stamp was made of, people discovered they could wash the stamp and even boil it to remove the cancellation mark. It could then be reused many, many times. As a result, the British government had to replace it with a less durable stamp.
      Jesus expects His disciples to be durable, too. Strangely, a lack of durability has been justified on the basis of Christ’s call for repentance. On the surface, the Christian’s call to be temperate in all things seems to imply “not going to extremes – either for bad or for good. When it comes to God’s way, however, there can be no compromise! Enduring the temptations of the world demands that we always stand unwavering in the face of sin… never wavering even for the sake of being “temperate.” Not breaking down to compromise is genuine self control! This is the kind of durability that can be used again and again for Jesus.
      “Temperance” implies not going to extremes with only one exception…we are to do our best to live as much like Jesus lived as is humanly possible.

See Ya Sunday,
Ralph

 
 

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