Family News & Notes
Johnny Ramsey will be preaching both the AM and PM service today.
David & Janice McCain and several youth departed for Camp Cisco this morning, stopping off at Handley for Bible classes and morning worship before going on to start camp. Keep these campers in your prayers.
SYBSNET (Summer Youth Series) will meet Monday evening (July 24) at Oak Grove Church of Christ in Mount Pleasant. Jerry Dickison will be the speaker and his topic is: "Be Calm In Thy Soul."
Deborah Biesemeyer passed away early Monday morning, July 17, 2006. Her funeral was conducted at the Mabank Church of Christ at 11:00 AM Thursday. Please remember Meghan and the rest of the family members in your prayers.
Linda Jones was admitted to Titus Regional Medical Center on Tuesday and to undergo a CAT SCAN, and other tests afterward, to try to determine the cause of the pain she has been experiencing in her chest and back. Friday morning she had Day Surgery for biopsies so that her doctor can determine the proper treatment.
Edith Shiflet is still in TRMC, Room 424. She says she is feeling much better.
Patsy Embree has surgery last Wednesday.
Bonnie Horton had a CAT SCAN last week and an MRI Friday afternoon in an effort to determine the cause of swelling in her leg and shortness of breath. She is at home.
Nancy Chastain says she is feeling pretty good these days. Things are looking good.
THANK YOU "Dear Brethren: Words cannot express my thankfulness for your prayers, cards, and calls that I received while in the hospital, and at home recovering from surgery. Please continue to pray for me for strength spiritually and physically through this recovery.
In Christian Love,
Jody Sparks"
Zoë Lynn Newman entered our world at 1:50 AM on Monday morning,
July 17, 2006, weighing in at 7 pounds and 12 ounces. She was 19 inches long.
Her parents are doing great! The grandparents, (Rhodney & Judy Freeman
and Betty Newman) however, are a different story. There is no guarantee,
of course, that they will ever return to normal.
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PRAYER LIST
Justin Barker, Rachel Barker, Jean Bell, Winell Blackard, Annah Brown,
Nancy Chastain, Perry Cooper, Linda Jones, Hollis Lee, Joyce Lee, Georgia Lide, Wayne Pickrel, Marie Plemmons, Bud Roach, Helen Roper, Alva Mae Sheets,
Edith Shiflet, Ola Mae Simpson, Julia Terrell, Rebecca Tippitt
ALSO: Melba Boyd, Cristell Cato, Austin Cody, Juanita DuBose, Wesley DuBose, Edna Graves, Ruby Jeffery, Wayne Lineberger, Wanda Abbey Rivera
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WHY GOD?
Michael Light
Why do you need God?
1. Because there is nowhere else to go.
Man's only hope for salvation is God Almighty. From Genesis 1 through Revelation 22 the Bible affirms hundreds of times that there is only one God.
2.Because our sins place us in a predicament from which we cannot escape.
We have all sinned (Romans 3:23), we all deserve death (Romans 6:23). These sins removed God's favor from us. The great prophet Isaiah states, "Behold, the LORD'S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that cannot hear: But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear." (Isaiah 59:1-2).
3. This One and only god loves us very much.
God's love is clearly seen as we view the cross. Notice John 3:16, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
4. This God has extended grace to us all through His Son Jesus Christ.
Jesus died to give us a hope of heaven. Acts 20:28, "Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with is own blood." Read also Matthew 26:28, "For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins." There are a few things we must do to access this grace. Hear (Romans 10:17) Believe (Hebrews 11:6) Repent (Acts 17:30) Confess (Romans 10:10) and be Baptized (Acts 2;38).
5. If we reject this one God we will lose our soul.
John 12:48, "He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day." Why God? Because He is the only hope we have (Hebrews 5:8-9).
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DOING WHAT IS RIGHT
David Harris
Because of the sins of Solomon, the great promised land of Israel was divided. The northern kingdom was known as Israel, and the southern kingdom was known as Judah. These kingdoms were ruled by kings who either chose to rule according to the word of God, or according to their own sinful, worldly ways. The "good" kings were few and far between, and among them we read of Asa, king of Judah (1 Kings 15:9-24). "And Asa did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord " (vs 11).
There are many things that are right with man that are not right with the Lord. Among these things are unauthorized worship practices, that might be right according to traditions and teachings of men, but not with God (Matthew 15:8-9). The manner in which we live, may be totally acceptable with society, and yet repulsive to the Lord. There are even instances of things being legal according to our civil courts that are against the laws of Christ' such as divorce for any reason (over 200 reasons in state of Texas for which one may divorce), while the word of God only authorized one scriptural reason fornication (Matthew 19:9). In our American society there are thousands of abortions every day the killing of innocent babies which is as legal as driving the speed limit, and yet not right in the eyes of the Lord.
Jesus warned the religious people of His day; "you are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knows your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of Go" (Luke 16:15).
The Holy Spirit through Paul warned the Christians at Corinth; "For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise" (2 Corinthians 10:12).
We must all come to the realization that we cannot be justified before men, and until we do we will never have peace with God. We can only be justified by the word of God. "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into his grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God." (Romans 5:1-2).
We, like Asa, must always do that which is right in the eyes of the Lord and we can only do that if we seek the authority of Christ. "And whatsoever you do in word or deed do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and Father by him" (Colossians 3:17).
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