[Biblemat] Walking in the Light (2/4/07)

Sun Feb 4 15:44:28 CST 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)

February 4, 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 Valley church of Christ here in Grand Junction, Colorado,
then click on the Valley church of Christ Web Site,
<http://www.valleychurchofchrist.net/> www.valleychurchofchrist.net. 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:

"One Sinner Destroys Much Good" (Ron Daly)

"The Stranger" (Keith Currie)

"What Must I Do To Be Saved?" (Richard Thetford)

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ONE SINNER DESTROYS MUCH GOOD

Ron Daly

The title of this article comes from a statement of the writer of the book
of Ecclesiastes in chapter 9, verse 18. It conveys a thought that each of us
must consider. It tells us that a sinner wields a lot of influence, but it
is the wrong kind and it is destructive! Notice that the text doesn't say
that "many sinners destroy much good," but "one sinner destroys much good."
Many times one sinner does more harm to the cause of good, than one
righteous person does to a stampeding herd of ungodliness.

A preacher may be a very effective pulpiteer and he may have a firm grasp on
the truth of scripture, but if he doesn't believe what he preaches enough to
live it, he is himself a sinner who destroys any good that he achieves (1
Timothy 4:11-12).

An elder may have tremendous leadership skills coupled with a broad
knowledge of God's word, but if he doesn't practice what he requires about
honesty, controlling the tongue, moral purity, and all else, he isn't fit
for the position of overseer. He will destroy any good that he accomplishes
(1 Timothy 5:20; Titus 1 :7).

A bible class teacher may be kind, knowledgeable, and very practical in his
application of scripture, but if he is a gossiper, quick tempered, listens
to slander, and never asks forgiveness from those against whom he has
sinned, any good that he accomplishes will be destroyed by his sins (Romans
2:19-24).

If one hundred people obey the gospel every week and gather for worship and
if they see people in the assembly who also claim to be Christians, but
frequent drug houses, strip clubs, bars, prostitution and gambling houses,
receive and conceal stolen property, and swindle others out of their
belongings, any good that is accomplished by the congregation will be
destroyed (Hebrews 10:26-29).

We should promote good instead of destroying it. If our lives are not what
God says they should be we are destroying the good that we or other saints
seem to be achieving. We must repent of our sins and start anew. Grieving in
sin isn't the answer. We've got to get over the "self-pity complex." If
there is sin in your life, stop it and turn to God. Then and only then will
the good that we and others are trying to do will not be destroyed.

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THE STRANGER

Keith Currie

A few months before I was born, my Dad met a stranger who was new to our
small Tennessee town. From the beginning, Dad was fascinated with this
enchanting newcomer, and soon invited him to live with our family. The
stranger was quickly accepted and was around to welcome me into the world a
few months later.

As I grew up I never questioned his place in our family. In my young mind
each member had a special niche. My brother, Bill, five years my senior, was
my example. Fran, my younger sister, gave me an opportunity to play "big
brother" and to develop the art of teasing. My parents were complementary
instructors - Mom taught me to love the word of God and Dad taught me to
obey it.

But the stranger was our storyteller. He could weave the most fascinating
tales. Adventures, mysteries, and comedies were daily conversations. He
would hold our whole family spell-bound for hours each evening.

If I wanted to know about politics, history, or science, he knew it all. He
knew about the past, understood the present, and seemingly could predict the
future. The pictures he could draw were so life like that I would often
laugh or cry as I watched. 

He was like a friend to the whole family. He took Dad, Bill and me to our
first major league baseball game. He was always encouraging us to see the
movies and he even made arrangements to introduce us to several movie stars.
My brother and I were deeply impressed by John Wayne in particular.

The stranger was an incessant talker. Dad didn't seem to mind but sometimes
Mom would quietly get up -while the rest of us were enthralled with one of
his stories of faraway places - go to her room, read her Bible, and pray. I
wonder now if she ever prayed that the stranger would leave.

You see, my Dad ruled our household with certain moral convictions. But this
stranger never felt obligation to honor them. Profanity, for example, was
not allowed in our house - not from us, from our friends or from adults. Our
longtime visitor, however, used occasional four letter words that burned my
ears and made Dad squirm. To my knowledge the stranger was never confronted.
My dad was a teetotaler who didn't permit alcohol in his home - not even for
cooking. But the stranger felt like we needed exposure and enlightened us to
other ways of life. He offered us beer and other alcoholic beverages often.

He made cigarettes look tasty, cigars manly, and pipes distinguished. He
talked freely (probably much too freely, about sex). His comments were
sometimes blatant, sometimes suggestive, and generally embarrassing. I know
now that my early concepts of the man-woman relationships were influenced by
the stranger.

As I look back, I believe it was the grace of God that the stranger did not
influence us more. Time after time he opposed the values of my parents. Yet
he was seldom rebuked and never asked to leave.

More than thirty years have passed since the stranger moved in with the
young family on Morningside Drive. He is not nearly so intriguing to my Dad
as he was in those early years. But if I were to walk into my parents den
today, you would still see him sitting over in a corner, waiting for someone
to listen to him talk and watch him draw his pictures.

His name? We always just called him TV.

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WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED?

Richard Thetford

Consider the question above closely. This is not a matter of what God or
Christ must do, nor what others have done, feel, think, or experience. It is
a question of what you and I MUST do to be saved. Only those that do the
will of God will be saved (Matt 7:21; Jam 1:21-25). To be saved one MUST
believe the gospel, and Jesus (John 8:24). After believing, one MUST repent
of all sins - which is a turning from sinful things one has done in their
past and be COMMITTED to live a life of godliness from now on (Acts 17:30;
2:38). One MUST then confess that Jesus Christ is the Son of God as stated
in Romans 10:9-10. After these steps have been taken then one MUST be buried
in baptism (immersed) to be inducted into Christ to receive all the
spiritual blessings (Eph 1:3). "For as many of you as have been baptized
into Christ have put on Christ" (Gal 3:27). Also see Rom 6:1-5). One cannot
be saved unless one is baptized into Christ. Baptism saves us (1 Pet 3:21).
Afterward, one must live a devoted Christian life to the end (Rev 2:10).
Knowledge is of NO AVAIL unless acted upon.

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SERMONS

What If? (with PowerPoint Charts)

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

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Valley

CHURCH OF CHRIST

Meets at:
491 Sparn Street
Grand Junction, CO   81504
(970) 245-5112

 <http://www.valleychurchofchrist.net/> www.valleychurchofchrist.net

ASSEMBLY SCHEDULE

SUNDAY
Bible Study..................9:45 A.M.
Morning Worship.......10:45 A.M.
Evening Worship.........5:00 P.M.

WEDNESDAY
Bible Study..................7:00 P.M.

Evangelist
Richard Thetford

Building: (970) 245-5112
Home:     (970) 314-7261

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

1918 Barberry Court, Grand Junction, CO  81506

Home: (970) 314-7261

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

Evangelist, Valley church of Christ

 <http://www.valleychurchofchrist.net> www.valleychurchofchrist.net

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