[Biblemat] Walking in the Light (4/13/08)

Sun Apr 13 17:30:47 CDT 2008

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)

April 13, 2008

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:

"Putting the Gospel Meeting to Use" (Richard Thetford)

"Living in Godliness" (Richard Thetford)

"Unconditional Salvation?" (Richard Thetford)

SENTENCE SERMONS

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PUTTING THE GOSPEL MEETING TO USE

Richard Thetford

The gospel meeting this past week with brother Norman Sewell was certainly
beneficial to everyone that came and listened to the message of God
proclaimed. I'm sure everyone who took the time to attend the meeting was
edified by the preaching of brother Sewell. We can see in brother Sewell a
true soldier of Christ, trying desperately to get others to understand the
urgency of obeying the gospel invitation of our Lord. But now I ask: "What
can we do to put this gospel meeting to use?" Those of us that attended the
meeting certainly understand the power of the gospel and the need for
everyone to hear it. Each of us need to develop a renewed zeal for the Lord,
wanting to please Him in all that we say or do. One way that we can please
Him is to tell others about Him. Think about your own conversion to Christ -
aren't you glad that someone had the nerve to share with you the good news
of salvation in Christ? What if that person passed you by without bothering
to mention Jesus? Where would you be today - and where would you be spending
eternity?

What Can We Do Now?

The gospel meeting is over but our love for the Lord should not be. As
Christians we should be filled with a greater enthusiasm to serve our Lord.
As a result of this meeting, I believe there are a few things that we all
can do to show our love for Jesus, the alien sinner, and for our own number.
1) We can take every opportunity to share the gospel to those we come in
contact with, inviting them to come to church services. 2) We can call and
visit those that visit the congregation here for the first time, possibly
looking for the right church to attend. 3) We can call and visit those of
our number that become physically sick. Certainly this meeting should have
taught us not to forsake Christ (Luke 6:46; Gal 6:10; Matt 28:18-20; Heb
10:25-26). May the preaching of Norman Sewell create a renewed enthusiasm
within us to be better servants of God!

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LIVING IN GODLINESS

Richard Thetford

In 1 Timothy 4:8, Paul writes: "For bodily exercise profiteth little: but
godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now
is, and of that which is to come." From this verse we can learn that it is
godliness that is the most profitable for us because it is through godliness
that we have the promise of eternal life. Therefore knowing this, we should
strive diligently to ensure that we are doing everything we can to live our
lives in a godly manner which is formal (2 Timothy 3:5) and true (1 Timothy
6:3,11). 

Finding True Godliness

We can find true godliness only in the gospel. In 2 Peter 1:4, Peter writes:
"Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by
these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the
corruption that is in the world through lust." When we open the pages of the
New Testament we find what God expects of each of us as we journey through
this life. He fully expects that we live our life in accordance with His
will (Matthew 7:21). When we are determined to live godly then it will show
in our daily walk, which everyone in the world will be able to see (Titus
2:12). 

Why Live Godly?

There are several reasons why we must strive to live a godly life. The Bible
teaches that ungodliness is condemned (Jude 4:15). When we live an ungodly
life, we will NOT get the opportunity to live forever with God. We need to
live a righteous life because it is profitable (1 Timothy 4:8), and
commanded (2 Peter 1:6). We can live godly by denying sin (Titus 2:12),
professing our faith before others (1 Timothy 2:10), and by practicing
living a Christian life daily (1 Timothy 4:7)

The Results of Living Godly

First of all, when we live a godly life, doing all of God's will, be ready
to suffer some persecution. Paul told Timothy: "Yea, and all that will live
godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution" (2 Timothy 3:12).
Understanding that this will happen, we should gain strength through His
Word because godliness will result in great gain (1 Timothy 6:6), and the
promise of eternal life (1 Timothy 4:8). Are you living your life in such a
way that it "professes godliness?"

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UNCONDITIONAL SALVATION?

Richard Thetford

Has God promised to save man unconditionally? To answer this question open
your Bible to Matthew 7:21. There we can read: "Not every one that saith
unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that
doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven." In this verse we can learn
that the only ones that are going to be able to enter into heaven are those
that DO the will of God. Again in 1 John 2:17 we read: "And the world
passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God
abideth for ever." Obviously God has placed a condition on us that before we
can be saved, we must keep God's commandments. The commandments that we must
keep to be able to enter into heaven is to believe in Him (Hebrews 11:6;
John 8:24), repent of past sins (Acts 2:38; 17:30-31; Luke 13:3), confess
Christ (Romans 10:9-10; Acts 8:37; Matthew 10:32), be baptized INTO Christ
(Acts 2:38; Mark 16:16; Romans 6:3-5; Galatians 3:27; 1 peter 3:21), and be
faithful unto death (Revelation 2:10). God's salvation is conditional, which
means that we MUST DO His will in order to be saved!

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SENTENCE SERMONS

"Men do not reject the Bible because it contradicts itself, but because it
contradicts them."

"The Bible is for our information and our transformation."

"If you would have God hear you when you pray, you must hear Him when He
speaks."

"Many people enjoy the shade but only a few people are willing to rake the
leaves."

"Money may talk but it does not give itself away."

"If you are too busy for God, you are busier than God wants you to be."

"We overcome our deficiencies by taking unto ourselves the excellencies of
Christ."

"Some men prefer to grind their ax than to bury the hatchet."

"Be what you want other people to be - but beat them to it."

"If a sermon pricks your conscience, it has some good points."

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SERMON

Forgiveness (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

1491 Canyon Drive

Ridgway, CO  81432

(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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