Men's Business Meeting following evening services, this evening. All men are encouraged to attend.
Widowers, widows and single ladies don't forget about the banquet in the Multi-Purpose Room following the morning service today.
Many thanks to all the youth and parents and others who helped to get things ready for this great day.
Note: If you have a need to be in the foyer during worship services please remember that sound carries, so won't you try to speak in soft tones so as to not disturb those in the auditorium who are trying to listen to the Word being preached.
VBS meeting before services (at 5:00 PM) Sunday afternoon, February 19 to discuss VBS. All teachers and helpers are encouraged to attend.
All Ladies: Please sign the list in the foyer and indicate what type of salad you would be willing to bring to the Ladies Day on April 01. Please give your recipe to Joan Cook by Wednesday nite, March 1st do she can have time to prepare our recipe books. Janice
Saturday, April 8, 2006 . Annual Ladies Day at Pittsburg Church of Christ from 9:00 AM to 12:30 PM. Topic: "Sing and Make Melody in your Heart" Colossians 3:16 Presented by: Cindy Miller Armstrong. Salad luncheon will be provided.
Louis and Nona Bell have moved to Tyler to be near their daughter. Louis went Thursday and Nona was checked out of the local hospital Friday afternoon and went. She is walking much better but uses a walker. Her spirits were good when she was dismissed. They have moved into a Assisted Living efficiency apartment setting. Their new address is:
Louis & Nona Bell
c/o Altura Sterling House
3505 University Blvd., Apt. 11
Tyler, Texas 75701
Phone: 903-566-4004
Letha Fomby is back in the local hospital undergoing tests. She is in Room 433.
Patsy Duncan had pins placed in her big toes last Wednesday morning to straighten them. She has experienced some pain, but is doing better. She will not be getting out much for several days.
Hollis Lee saw his doctor Friday regarding a tumor on his kidney.
Feeling better and out and about: Ben McCain, Djuana Thomas,
Graveside service was conducted at 10:00 AM on Monday for Arlene Charlton (Wayne's mother) at Omaha Cemetery.
James Hugh Harkrider (age 71), 1st Cousin of Fred Harkrider, passed away on January 26, 2006 in Midland, Texas.
THANK YOU "Your kindness is greatly appreciated. Thank you all for your prayers, food, flowers, calls, and all the other nice things you did. I am improving slowly. Will be back soon. Julia Terrell"
THANK YOU "It seems your generosity knows no borders neither does the gratitude in the hearts you've touched. We would like to thank all of you for the phone calls, food, cards, and especially the prayers and words of encouragement. You're always there for us. In Christian love, Wayne & Suzanne"
**********************************
PRAYER LIST
Justin Barker, Rachel Barker, Louis Bell, Winell Blackard, Annah Brown,
Billye Campbell, Perry Cooper, Irene Duncan, Patsy Duncan, Betty Ferrell, Hollis Lee, Joyce Lee, Georgia Lide, Courtney Marshall, Elna O'Neal, Wayne Pickrel,
Marie Plemmons, Thelma Reed, Helen Roper, Dorothy Sargent, Alva Mae Sheets, Edith Shiflet, Ola Mae Simpson, Julia Terrell, Rebecca Tippitt, LaShedra Traylor
Letha Fomby, Ruby Jeffery, Chuck Kyle, Savannah Linson, Wayne Lineberger, Lee Moses, Lonita Thompson
**********************************
Unless You Repent, Lukewarm Is Lost
"I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth." Revelation 3:15-16 (NKJV)
Hot coffee is great, iced tea is wonderful, but a lukewarm drink can make you gag. Jesus said the lukewarm work of the Laodicean church made Him nauseous to the point of vomiting (Rev. 3:15-16). The passage clearly teaches that Jesus desires us to be "on fire" (fervent or zealous) in our work for Him. But, have you ever noticed He also implied He would rather have us be "cold" toward Him, and His work, than for us to be just "lukewarm" in our commitment to Christianity?
If "hot" means we are zealously working for Him, then "cold" must mean just the opposite, that we are zealously working against Him. Therefore for us to be "lukewarm" must mean we are only half-heartedly serving Him. That being true, dare we conclude that He would rather have us stand in outright opposition to His cause, than to half-heartedly embrace Him? I believe that is exactly what He meant in Revelation chapter three.
You see, the Lord's church need not fear the enemy without, nearly so much as the enemy within. A traitor to any cause, including the Lord's church, is a hundred times more dangerous than a declared enemy. The simple truth is, an enemy of Christ cannot accomplish nearly so much damage and destruction slinging darts at Christ's followers from outside the "walls of the church," as the damage and destruction one apathetic "Christian" inside those "walls" can wreak, when he foments discouragement, discontentment, and discord from within.
Remember, Jesus warned us to beware of "wolves in sheep's clothing" (Mt. 7:15), and Paul said those grievous wolves would often come from within the flock (Acts 20:28-29). That explains why God repeatedly warns us to practice strict church discipline, lest the leavening influence of lukewarmness spread, ultimately corrupting or destroying the church (I Cor. 5:1-13, Rms. 16:17-18, II Thess. 3:6-15, I Tim. 6:3-5).
Since apathetic "Christians" are not busy zealously working for Christ, they end up with too much time on their hands. With time to waste, these apathetic members become gossips, busybodies, complainers, and troublemakers. They pour cold water on the zeal of the faithful. They stir up dissension and strife with their constant faultfinding and gossip. This often results in the discouragement of the faithful, or even worse, in the division of the body of Christ. To take the spotlight off their lazy lack of commitment to Christ, these shirkers often complain about petty issues of no merit. Also, they continually threaten to withdraw their "support" from the work (which more times than not is little or nothing in both money and effort), if their demands are not met, and their egos are not stroked at every turn. Sadly, much time, energy, and effort must be expended putting out the "brushfires" of discord they set in the local church, and time is often wasted trying to salve their "hurt feelings" and heal their bruised egos. That is why lukewarmness is so dangerous to the church, and that is why Jesus said He would rather you be against Him, than to be only halfheartedly for Him
Brethren, we must shake ourselves out of our spiritual lethargy before it's everlastingly too late. We desperately need to wake up and see ourselves as God sees us (Rev. 3:17). Honest self-evaluation will hopefully help us to avoid the repulsive taste of lukewarm living, so that zeal for Christ can once again fill our lives. We must rededicate ourselves to Christ, our first love (Rev. 2:4-5). We must recommit ourselves wholly to the spiritual task of taking the whole Gospel to the whole world in our generation (Mark 16:15). We must once again hunger and thirst for righteousness, where we can find true spiritual satisfaction (Mat. 5:6). Don't let lukewarmness destroy you. "It is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed" (Rms. 13:11). "...Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light" [Eph. 5:14).
David McCain
**********************************
How To Become A Christian
Johnny Ramsey
The fifty books of the New Testament is a wonderful collection of the conversations in the first century. From Pentecost in Acts 2 through Paul's own account of his conversion in Acts 22:16 we can read the clear terms of pardon God has set forth for the gospel era. Acts 18:8 sums up the situation powerfully:
"Many of the Corinthians hearing, believed and were baptized."
Smaller words are etched into the sacred page in Acts 2:38; 8:12; 8:35-38 and 16:31-34.
In John 15:4 we learn that we cannot bear spiritual fruit unto God until we are first in Christ. In Galatians 3:27 and I Peter 3:21 we learn that this process is culminated when we are baptized into Christ. If you have not yet attended to this essential matter we beg you to delay no longer. Arise and be baptized and wash away your sins (Acts 22:16).
The most wonderful reason for you or for me to be a Christian is so that Jesus can save us from the heavy load of sin. The most precious part of us is our eternal spirit. May we allow nothing to jeopardize our salvation. Christ is "the Savior of the whole world" (I John 4:14). He tasted of death for every man (Hebrews 2:9). Yes, "One died for all" (II Corinthians 5:14). Let us gladly "do whatever he tells us to do" (John 2:5) lest, for us, HE died in vain!
Don't you want to become a Christian today and then always live for the One who died for you?
**********************************
GRANDPARENTS: The people who think your children are wonderful even though they're sure you're not raising them right.
ONOSECOND: That minuscule fraction of time in which you realize that you've just made a BIG mistake.
PHONESIA: (fo nee' zhuh) n. The affliction of dialing a phone number and forgetting whom you were calling just as they answer.
An elderly Texan called 911 on her cell phone to report that her car has been broken into. She is hysterical as she explains her situation to the dispatcher: "They've stolen the stereo, the steering wheel, the brake pedal and even the accelerator!" she cried. The dispatcher said, "Stay calm. An officer is on the way." A few minutes later, the officer radios in. "Disregard." he says, "She got in the back seat by mistake."
