[Biblemat] Walking in the Light (8/5/07)

Sun Aug 5 16:42:57 CDT 2007

Walking in the Light

"For with You is the fountain of life; In Your light we see light."
"The entrance of Your words gives light; It gives understanding to the
simple." 

"But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with
one another...."
(Psalm 36:9; 119:130; 1 John 1:7a)

August 5, 2007

www.thetfordcountry.com <http://www.thetfordcountry.com/> 

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INFORMATION: My WEB Site  <http://www.thetfordcountry.com/>
www.thetfordcountry.com has just been updated to include the articles and
sermons listed below. All the sermons posted each week to my web site are in
.pdf format.  The PowerPoint charts are also included with ALL the sermons
that are posted to the web site. To access the sermons page, visit the site
and click on "Richard's Page" and then click on "sermons." Please visit the
"Reference Works" links page for updated links to various Bible study
resources. If you are a newcomer to the area or wanting information
concerning the San Juan church of Christ here in Montrose, Colorado, then
click on the San Juan church of Christ Web Site at
<http://www.sanjuanchurchofchrist.org/> www.sanjuanchurchofchrist.org. Thank
you for visiting my web site and as always, your comments are welcome. 

If you know of someone that would like to receive the "Walking in the Light"
electronic bulletin each week, please send an e-mail message to
<mailto:Richard at Thetfordcountry.com> Richard at Thetfordcountry.com  with their
name and e-mail address and I will add them to the list.

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CONTENTS:

"Miracles and Their Purposes" (Richard Thetford)

"Are You Prepared" (Richard Thetford)

"Stand, See, Ask" (W. C. Hinton)

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MIRACLES AND THEIR PURPOSES

Richard Thetford

There are some today who claim that miracles are still accomplished. But one
who studies and understands the scriptures knows that the miracles that
existed during the early days of Christianity would not always exist and
they would be done away with. Paul says "Love never fails; but if there are
gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will
cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away" (1 Cor 13:8). He further
states that when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away" (1 Cor
13:9). Miracles do not exist today. We can see from the scriptures that
miracles were worked at one time by Jesus (John 2:11; 6:14), the apostles
(Acts 4:13,16; 5:12, and the early Christians (Acts 7:8; 8:6). We can read
that John the Baptist did not perform miracles because his mission was
simply to prepare the way for Jesus Christ. "...While John performed no
sign, yet everything John said about this man was true" (John 10:41).

So what was the purpose of the miracles performed by Jesus? First of all He
performed signs to prove that he was approved of God "this man came to Him
by night, and said to Him, Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a
teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him"
(John 3:2). Also see Acts 2:22; 9:33. He also performed these miracles to
prove that He was the Son of God. "Many other signs therefore Jesus also
performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this
book; but these have been written that you may believe that Jesus is the
Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name"
(John 20:30-31).

The Gospel of John was written by John so that "all might believe in Jesus".
Jesus performed miracles and wondrous signs so that others would believe
that He truly was the Son of God. He also performed these miracles to
produce faith (John 2:23; 11:47-48). We can see why Jesus worked the
miracles that He did, but why did the apostles work miracles?

The apostles performed miracles only to confirm the gospel of our Lord Jesus
Christ. "And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked
with them, and confirmed the word by the signs that followed" (Luke 16:20).
We see in Acts 14:3 where the apostles were speaking boldly with reliance
upon the Lord "who was bearing witness to the word of His grace, granting
that signs and wonders be done by their hands". Again, the apostles were
using the signs as a means of teaching others about Jesus, to help show
others the wonderfulness of the gospel. They did not work miracles to
benefit themselves in any way. Paul said "So then tongues are for a sign,
not to those who believe, but to unbelievers; but prophecy is for a sign,
not to unbelievers, but to those who believe". (1 Cor 14:22). Peter also
confirms this when he says "for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human
will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God." (2 Pet 1:21). If the
apostles could use miracles to benefit themselves, surely the apostle Paul
would have used one to remove the thorn that was in his flesh as we read
about in 2 Cor 12:7-10. He did not because he realized that the power he
possessed was only meant to confirm the gospel of Jesus. How did they and
the early Christians receive the power to work miracles? Christ had it from
the beginning, the apostles received it in accordance with Acts 2:1-4, and
the others received it only by the direct laying on of hands by the apostles
themselves. "Then they began laying their hands on them, and they were
receiving the Holy Spirit. Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was bestowed
through the laying on of the apostles' hands, ..." (Acts 8:17-18). 

We can see that the miracles were given to the apostles directly by the Holy
Spirit (Acts 2) and they and they alone could pass this gift on to others by
laying their hands on someone. Others that received this gift could not pass
it on because they were not empowered to do so. Once the apostles and the
ones whom they passed on their gift to passed away, miracles ceased. They
were used only to confirm the gospel in early New Testament times.

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ARE YOU PREPARED?

Richard Thetford

Salvation has been prepared for us by God Himself. Zacharias prophesied long
ago that Christ would come to prepare a way so that we may have eternal
salvation (Luke 1:76). Jesus prepared His kingdom for us (Matt 25:34)
because it is God's desire that all of us will live our lives here on earth
in such a way that when we die we will be with Him eternally. But are we
prepared RIGHT NOW to be with Christ eternally when our day of death comes?
One may say "just give me time". Well, God is giving us time and we don't
know when that time will stop for us, therefore we MUST be prepared now (2
Cor 6:2). We prepare for heaven by reading the gospel and obeying the truths
contained therein. "If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be
a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and
prepared unto every good work" (2 Tim 2:21). One must purge himself of
worldliness and obey God's Word or there will be no hope of eternal life
with Jesus! We must be watching (Matt 25:1-11) because we do not know when
he will return (Matt 24:44). Are you prepared to meet God? Prepare now
before it is everlastingly too late.

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STAND, SEE, ASK

W. C. Hinton

"Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good
way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls." (Jer 6:16)
What is the cause of division in the religious world? Is it God's Word? The
statement is made by many, "We can't all see the Bible alike." James says
the law is perfect. Paul tells us that the Word is sufficient for all that
man does in religion (2 Tim 3:16-17). The reason for religious division is
man who is willing to accept about anything in religion except Bible
teaching. As a result, he has written a creed stating his belief and
practice. The creeds of man need to be discarded and all return to the Word
of God, where there is safety. Consider Jeremiah's much needed plea today,
We need to stop, face the facts, investigate, consider our actions. Too many
times one is guilty of assuming that what he does in religion is pleasing to
God. This is the mistake made by Nadab, Abihu, Saul, Uzzah - they were all
punished. We need to seek the ancient order of things; God's truths are
timeless. We should not allow modernism to persuade us that modern man needs
a modern religion. Sin is still the spiritual disease; the Gospel still the
means of forgiveness. The "old path" is the "good way" that leads to eternal
life (John 14:6). Will you not consider God's message as found in the New
Testament, and obey it? The destiny of your soul is at stake.

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SERMON

The Conversion of the Ethiopian (with PowerPoint Charts)

Sermons can viewed at my web site:  <http://www.thetfordcountry.com/>
www.thetfordcountry.com

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Meets at:

2740 Commercial Way, Suite B
Montrose, CO   81401
(970) 249-8116

 <http://www.sanjuanchurchofchrist.org/> www.sanjuanchurchofchrist.org

ASSEMBLY SCHEDULE

SUNDAY
Bible Study....................10:00 A.M.
Worship.........................11:00 A.M.
WEDNESDAY
Bible Study......................6:30 P.M.

Evangelist
Richard Thetford

(970) 626-5558

E-Mail:  <mailto:Richard at Thetfordcountry.com> Richard at Thetfordcountry.com

Web Site:  <http://www.thetfordcountry.com/> www.thetfordcountry.com

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Richard Thetford

E-Mail:  <mailto:Richard at Thetfordcountry.com> Richard at Thetfordcountry.com

1491 Canyon Drive, Ridgway, CO  81432

Home: (970) 626-5558

Please visit my web site:  <http://www.thetfordcountry.com>
www.thetfordcountry.com

Evangelist, San Juan church of Christ

 <http://www.sanjuanchurchofchrist.org> www.sanjuanchurchofchrist.org

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