[Biblemat] Walking in the Light (10/28/07)

Sun Oct 28 17:18:18 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)

October 28, 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:

"Why Do You Wait?" (Richard Thetford)

"The Wages of Sin" (Richard Thetford)

"Selected Thoughts"

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WHY DO YOU WAIT?

Richard Thetford

There is a well known song that we sing entitled "Why Do You Wait?" The
first line of that song says: "Why do you wait, dear sinner, O why do you
tarry so long? Your Savior is waiting to give you a place in His sanctified
throng." I have often wondered why it is that one will continue to wait to
obey the will of Jesus. Every time that song is sung I know that there are
those in attendance that need to obey the gospel call - yet continue to
wait! 

What Is It That Keeps One Waiting?

We should all have a heart like David that stated to the Lord: "And now,
Lord, what wait I for? my hope is in thee" (Psalms 39:7). It would be so
good if we would put our hope and trust in the Lord wouldn't it? But many
have not put their hope in the Lord and continue to wait - but why? Is it
that one is waiting for the saving power? We need to realize and understand
that the saving power of Jesus comes through the blessed gospel. The gospel
is the power of God unto salvation (Rom 1:16). Is it because one is waiting
for the converting power to come upon them suddenly? This will not happen
because we can learn that the law of the Lord is perfect - it's this law
that converts the soul (Psa 19:7). Therefore, we must learn about His
converting power through the word itself.

People may be waiting to respond to the invitation of our Lord Jesus for
many reasons. Some other reasons may be that they're waiting for some
sanctifying power - but that is only found through the word also (John
17:17). We can also learn that the perfecting power of God comes to us only
through study (2 Tim 2:15; 3:16-17). Could it be that one is waiting for God
to give them faith? One may say "As soon as I can gain faith within then
I'll start serving Christ". Yet one can in no way gain Bible faith except
through the Bible. In Romans 10:17 it says "So then faith cometh by hearing,
and hearing by the word of God."

It is also deceptive for one to wait for a certain kind of feeling to
suddenly come over them. Many have been led away into denominationalism
because of "suggested feelings". One can only know the right thing to do by
learning what God says is the right thing. Once one knows this then their
heart will cause them to be "doers" of the word and not merely "hearers"
(Jam 1:22).

Some may be waiting for the church to get better. If this is the case then
one will never come to Jesus. Men will always make mistakes. The difference
is that the children of God learn from their mistakes, get up and try again.
The alien sinner has never even tried! And besides, I would hate to be left
out of heaven because I was too concerned about what others were or weren't
doing and not doing anything myself. Read Romans 14:10 where it says: "for
we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ."

Let's Be Determined To Follow Christ Now!

It is dangerous, even suicidal to wait to follow Christ. We have just
finished another year and now we have another year to look forward to. But
what is it this time that will keep one from doing what is right? Many will
wait for that "convenient season" to follow Christ. If you think about it,
we are very fortunate to be able to get another chance at salvation. In
James 4:14 we can learn how precious life really is. James says: "Whereas ye
know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a
vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away." Life is
too short to WAIT! As the pages of 1999 are opened, the question is still
before us; "Why Do You Wait Dear Sinner, O Why Do You Tarry So Long?"

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THE WAGES OF SIN

Richard Thetford

In Romans 6:23 Paul writes: "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of
God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Knowing that the end
result is death (the eternal separation from God), for all those that are in
sin, then it would seem very important that we understand what sin is. Every
one of us have sinned (Rom 3:23). Sin is a transgression of the Law of God.
In other words, it is breaking the law that God has established for man to
live by (the Bible). In 1 John 3:4 it says that "...sin is the transgression
of the law". Sin is also a neglect of duty (Jam 4:17), and a presumption
(Psa 19:13). We have an individual responsibility to keep the law of God.
Only those of us that obey Him (Heb 5:9) and DO His will, not man's, will
receive the gift of eternal life that God has promised us (Matt 7:21-23).
Jesus came to this earth to seek and save the lost. In so doing He
instructed man to keep His commandments, and we will do so if we truly love
Christ (John 14:15). The wages of sin is eternal death, reserved for the
disobedient (Rev 20:14). Through obedience to Him, we'll receive eternal
LIFE!

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SELECTED THOUGHTS

When the preacher came over to visit unexpectedly, the lady of the house,
wanting to make a good impression, told her little daughter, "Please run and
get that good book we all love so much and bring it here." The daughter
tottered off and returned in a minute with triumph on her face and the Sears
catalogue in her hands!

After delivering a very short sermon, the preacher apologized by explaining
that his dog got into his office and chewed up some of his notes. At the
close of services a visitor asked, "If your dog ever has pups, would you
please let our preacher have one of them?"

It seldom occurs to teenagers that someday they will know as little as their
parents.

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SERMON

Marriage, Divorce, Remarriage (with PowerPoint Charts)

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

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Meets at:

1414 Hawk Parkway, Unit C
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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