[Biblemat] HILLIARD BULLETIN for April 2007
GLClair at aol.com
GLClair at aol.com
Mon Apr 2 06:30:19 CDT 2007
HILLIARD BULLETIN
Published by the church of Christ
4840 Cemetery Road – P.O. Box 96
Hillard, Ohio 43026
Phone: (614) 876-4089
Editor: Garreth L. Clair
Phone: (614) 850-7252
Email: _glclair at aol.co_ (mailto:glclair at aol.co)
============================================================================
Volume 9 Number 4
April 2007
============================================================================
… DECISIONS …
[Editorial]
The problem often faced by worldly people is “what do I do next?” Indeed,
this is last resort for people who have followed the Devil all their life and
suddenly find themselves in a predicament where they do not know where to go or
what to say. The person who follows the worldly crowd will probably find
themselves involved in, unlawful activities [i.e. drug use or selling of illegal
drugs, prostitution, lying, cheating, gambling, adultery, thefts, robbery, and
etc.]. Many people at this point in life have been apprehended by the local,
county, state, or federal authorities and will soon face a jury on criminal
charges. This is for many worldly people the first time they have given any
serious thought to the decisions that brought them to this juncture in life. Yet,
may such people realize at this bad time in their life that everything has
gotten as bad as it can get, “What can I do now? Where can I go? How did I get here?
” The truth of their situation is simple, they made bad decisions and choose
to follow through on those decisions. This is their root problem; they chose
to do those things over a period of time that led them into deeper and deeper
trouble with the lawful authorities due to their choice to break established
laws.
Whenever people make decisions based upon their free will to do so, they must
ultimately face the consequence for their decisions. When a person has
violated the laws of man and God they are surely headed toward a day of accounting
for their decisions. It is true, that every decision that one makes, either
good or bad carries with it the ultimate day of retribution [i.e. facing the
music or being accountable]. There has never been a time in man’s existence when
he was at liberty to escape retribution for his deeds. The first man and woman
[i.e. Adam and Eve – Genesis 3:1-24] were not immune from accountability to God
’s law and subsequent humankind has had the same problem. Apparently mankind
has an inclination to make wrong decisions based upon their innate ability to
choose, this does not mean that mankind is somehow born evil or totally
corrupt at birth as our Calvinist friends suggest.
Since mankind does have this free will facility to choose either good or bad
with everything in life, why does mankind so often choose to turn away from
compliance to established law? We are at a loss generally to answer the why of
man’s ability to choose to violate man and God’s laws more often than to
accept them and abide therein. One of the problems that face everyone is the
frailty of the human condition; man is possessed of a body and mind that requires
constant care in both physical and mental preservation. If we fail to care for
our body it will not serve us well very long and if we fail to be conscious of
our mental choices we will descend into shame and degradation.
There is simply only one realistic decision that man must make in life, that
decision ought to be made early in life yet some do not make the decision
until they have created a wreck of their life. That decision is to pursue the
truths revealed in God’s Book [i.e. the Bible]. God has informed mankind via
Jeremiah 10:23, “O Jehovah, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not
in man that walketh to direct his steps.” ASV – From this passage of Holy
Scripture we recognize that man’s condition may be unfathomable to him yet if he
will pursue the wisdom from God via the Bible, God’s plan for his life can be
understood and followed.
God’s plan for man is summed up in the New Testament, in several references:
Acts 2:37-40, “37 Now when they heard (this,) they were pricked in their
heart, and said unto Peter and the rest of the apostles, Brethren, what shall we
do?
38 And Peter (said) unto them, Repent ye, and be baptized every one of you in
the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of your sins; and ye shall
receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
39 For to you is the promise, and to your children, and to all that are afar
off, (even) as many as the Lord our God shall call unto him.
40 And with many other words he testified, and exhorted them, saying, save
yourselves from this crooked generation.” ASV
Hebrews 5:8-9, “8 though he was a Son, yet learned obedience by the things
which he suffered;
9 and having been made perfect, he became unto all them that obey him the
author of eternal salvation;” A
Eph 3:17-21, 17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; to the
end that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be strong to apprehend
with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and
to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge, that ye may be filled unto
all the fullness of God. 20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding
abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,
21 unto him (be) the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus unto all
generations for ever and ever. Amen.” ASV
Acts 2:47, “47 praising God, and having favor with all the people. And the
Lord added to them day by day those that were
saved.” ASV
CONCLUSION:
Remember this; whenever man makes the decision to proceed in life without God’
s direction he will surely live a life of unlawful and unscriptural
activities. Often those that live a worldly life are self destructive, bringing upon
themselves many sorrows. But the person who turns to God for instruction and
chooses to follow God’s instruction will surely be a credit to mankind and to God
through righteous action and manner of life. The true Christian may live a
life that encourages other people to live righteous lives as well. The Bible
teaches us that true Christians are “the light of the world” and “the salt of
the earth.” [Matthew 5:13-16]Consequently one is wise who makes a decision to
faithfully serve God throughout their whole life, cf. Romans 12:1-2. February 7,
2007 --- _glclair at aol.com_ (mailto:glclair at aol.com) or
_glclair at sbcglobal.net_ (mailto:glclair at sbcglobal.net)
PROBLEMS OF YOUTH
[Editor]
There is no time like the time of youth in the lifetime of the Christian;
each Christian ought to extend themselves in an effort to grow in knowledge and
wisdom in God's service. Some of the wise thoughts revealed via the Written
Word encourage young people to get started in service to God early and grow with
deliberation and patience, submitting to the wise instruction of the hoary
headed ones, according to God's instructions.
Please note the following:
I. SEEK GOD EARLY IN LIFE - Ecclesiastes 12:1:
"Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth, Before the difficult
days come, And the years draw near when you say, "I have no pleasure in them"
NKJV.
Proverbs 20:29, "The glory of young men is their strength, And the splendor
of old men is their gray head" NKJV.
COMMENTS:
The wise man, Solomon, surely knew of the benefits of early commitment to
God. God can use the strength and enthusiasm of the young, youth is the most
expedient time in life for the individual to commit to God's service. Dedication
to the principles of righteousness early in ones life does not guarantee
accuracy in thought or action, but the young are adaptable, they are susceptible to
change, they are willing to learn. The willingness of the young to learn will
surely enable many of them to mature in soundness and fidelity to the faith.
II. THE APOSTLE PAUL'S INSTRUCTION TO YOUNG TIMOTHY - 2 Timothy
2:14-26:
14 Remind them of these things, charging them before the Lord not to strive
about words to no profit, to the ruin of the hearers.
15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not
need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
16 But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more
ungodliness.
17 And their message will spread like cancer.
Hymenaeus and Philetus are of this sort,
18 who have strayed concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection is
already past;
and they overthrow the faith of some.
19 Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: "The
Lord knows those who are His," and, "Let everyone who names the name of Christ
depart from iniquity."
20 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but
also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor.
21 Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel
for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work.
22 Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace
with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
23 But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate
strife.
24 And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to
teach, patient,
25 in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will
grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth,
26 and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil,
having been taken captive by him to do his will" NKJV.
COMMENTS:
Several items of instruction are directed to the young, also to others:
Ø Not to strive about words to no profit - verse 14
Ø Seek God's approval in thought and action - verse 15.
Ø Correctly, apply the teaching from God - verse 15
Ø Shun profane and idle babblings - verse 16.
Ø Be confident, the Lord knows you are faithful - Verse 19.
Ø Know this, everyone who claims to be worthy are not necessarily so,
some are of clay value not of gold or silver value - verse 20.
Ø Some are valuable to God in His
Ø service - verse 21.
Ø Do not allow your youthful passions to lead you astray, maintain
faithfulness - verse 22.
Ø Avoid foolish and ignorant disputes - verse 23.
Ø Do not become involved in quarrels with others - verse 24.
Ø Confront those that are in opposition to God's teaching in a kind way,
seeking their restoration - verse 25.
CONSIDER THIS:
These instructions are worthy admonitions to all Christians, yet in this
context Paul is dealing with Timothy and his work as a teacher and faithful young
Christian. Young people (both male and female) consider the instruction and
gauge your lives according to sound instruction, instruction like these revealed
to us in 2 Timothy.
III. HEED THE WISE INSTRUCTION FROM RELIABLE AND FAITHFUL MEN:
1. AGE AND EXPERIENCE ARE A VALUABLE SOURCE OF INFORMATION FOR THE
YOUNG CHRISTIAN:
Ø Leviticus 19:32,
32 'You shall rise before the gray headed and honor the presence of an old
man, and fear your God: I am the LORD" NKJV.
Ø Proverbs 16:31,
31 The silver-haired head is a crown of glory, If it is found in the way of
righteousness"
Ø 2 Timothy 2:2,
2 And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit
these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. NKJV
FOLLOW WISE COUNCIL
2. INSTRUCTION FOR GROWTH FROM THE APOSTLE PAUL TO THE GROWING
CHRISTIAN:
Ø Romans 16:17-19,
Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses,
contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them.
18 For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own
belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the
simple.
19 For your obedience has become known to all. Therefore I am glad on your
behalf; but I want you to be wise in what is good, and simple concerning evil"
NKJV.
Ø 1 Corinthians 3:10-11,
10 According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master
builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one
take heed how he builds on it.
11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is
Jesus Christ"
Ø 2 Corinthians 10:12,
12 For we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who
commend themselves. But they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing
themselves among themselves, are not wise" NKJV.
IV. THE WHOLE OF MAN (Including the young) - Ecclesiastes 12:9-14:
9 And moreover, because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people
knowledge; yes, he pondered and sought out and set in order many proverbs.
10 The Preacher sought to find acceptable words; and what was written was
upright -- words of truth.
11 The words of the wise are like goads, and the words of scholars are like
well-driven nails, given by one Shepherd.
12 And further, my son, be admonished by these. Of making many books, there
is no end, and much study is wearisome to the flesh. 13 Let us hear the
conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His
commandments, For this is, man's all.
14 For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing,
Whether good or evil"
CONSIDER THIS:
The instructions given by God that we have discussed, have been presented to
encourage the young (both young men and young women), to consider well God's
instructions. The editor, while writing this article has considered himself
while young, middle aged, and growing older. The thoughts are best digested by
the individual while they are young for a number of reasons, as we have noted:
1. Young people have sharp minds and are able to adjust their
affections and commitments as they are shown the reasonableness of God's
requirements on their lives.
2. The physical stamina contributes to the endurance of our young
people (i.e., teachers, preachers, and young Christian ladies), as the young
Christian exhibits their dedication and resolve to continue in the "narrow way" -
cf., Matthew 7:13-14, "The Narrow Way" (Also - Luke 13:24): "> Enter by the
narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to
destruction, and there are many who go in by it. > Because narrow is the gate and
difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it" NKJV.
CONSIDER THIS:
It is difficult to understand the
different level of participation,
continuation in difficult tasks, interaction with other faithful ones outside
the assemblies, and generally laboring in the work of the Lord for the young
preacher verses the older preacher. It may be difficult for the young person
to visualize this matter but age makes a difference in strength and stamina for
service in God's vineyard. We understand that this is so after we have
attained to an advanced age but while we are still young we do not dwell very much
on the realities of this subject, "age" verses the "strength of youth."
For the young Christians, we encourage continued faithfulness and
untiring dedication and untiring service in the Lord's work. Always be
steadfast in faithful service standing always for the 'TRUTH." There will come a
time in your future, when "… the difficult days come, and the years draw near
when you say, "I have no pleasure in them" NKJV - (Ecclesiastes 12:1b).
February 13, 2007
_glclair at aol.com_ (mailto:glclair at aol.com)
-------------------------------------------
The Great Misunderstanding
[Editor]
Introduction:
Many people today do not think that it makes any difference to God whether
one is a Protestant, Catholic, Buddhist, Moslem, Mormon, Hindu, Jehovah’s
Witness, Witch, Voodoo believer, or any other kind of religious person, so long as
you are honest and sincere. Such an open-minded approach to religion would be
ok if there were no standard by which all religions were graded. You see, there
is a standard by which all existing religions are graded, that standard is God
’s Standard [i.e. the Bible – the 66 Books – Genesis –Revelation].
I would be the first to agree that many religious people are members of their
particular religion because of honest convictions and sincere allegiance.
Even though this is true of most religious people, honesty and sincerity does not
exempt them from compliance to the existing standard, the Bible. The Bible is
a Book that has been inspired {i.e. “God breathed” information} so that
mankind might have a book of true standards that will always be the same for
everyone, forever. Consequently, every person in all ages from the recorded
beginning of the New Covenant [cf. Acts 2:1-47], have been amenable to this document
and its contents.
Who then, can be saved and go to heaven?
Salvation from sin is one of the great accomplishments of God’s Son, Jesus
Christ. We can see from [John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave
his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but
have eternal life.” and Hebrews 5:8-9, “8 though he was a Son, yet learned
obedience by the things which he suffered; 9 and having been made perfect, he
became unto all them that obey him the author of eternal salvation;” ASV] that
this is a correct commentary on God’s plan for mankind. This plan of God was not
designed for only a few people, it was designed for everyone ho has lived on
the earth since it became effective [i.e. Acts 2].
For this cause, mankind today ought to submit to the plan that God has so
graciously made available to all of us regardless of race or national origin. We
can see from appealing to the Bible that God’s plan for man’s salvation is
offered to the whole of mankind, cf.
Matthew 28:18-20, “18 And Jesus came to them and spoke unto them, saying, All
authority hath been given unto me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go ye therefore,
and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the
Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit: 20 teaching them to observe all
things whatsoever I commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the
end of the world.” ASV
Acts 2:38-40,
“38 And Peter (said) unto them, Repent ye, and be baptized every one of you
in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of your sins; and ye shall
receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.39 For to you is the promise, and to your
children, and to all that are afar off, (even) as many as the Lord our God shall
call unto him.40 And with many other words he testified, and exhorted them,
saying, Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” ASV
FAITHFUL means many things to many people, yet one facet to faithfulness to
God is being in worship regularly> Are you a faithful member of the church
OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDY - 2007
104 opportunities to study God’s Word during preaching each Sunday
52 opportunities to participate in Bible study on Sunday at 6:00 PM
52 opportunities to participate in Bible study on Wednesday night at 7:30 PM
16 times each year to hear the gospel proclaimed during 2 gospel meetings ---
NOTE, our gospel meeting dates elsewhere in this issue.
12 opportunities to read and study the monthly bulletin articles
Tracts to read, study, and give to prospects
2 Free Bible correspondence courses by mail for you or to enroll your friends
and interested contacts
Free Bible video checkout or view here at the meeting-house
Free audio-cassette tapes on a variety of subjects to take home or hear and
study with your Bible here at the building
In home Bible studies for anyone who wants to study the Bible in a private
setting at home or here at the meeting-house at your request.
These [i.e. above] are available to you
Week after week, month after month,
Year after year, --- Indeed, 24 – 7.
If you do not have a Bible and cannot get one let us know, we will provide
you with a Bible “FREE”.
FOR BIBLE STUDYS
Contact: Editor
(614) 850-7252
-----------------------------------
Working Continually
The work here never ends, those of us that MAKE UP THE CHURCH HERE ARE ALWAYS
BUSY DOING God’s work. There is always something that I [we] can do to
promote and encourage other people to seek, live, and pursue righteousness
continually, 24/7.
************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com.
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