JOHNNY RAMSEY passed away about 9:00 PM Thursday evening as a result of the many health problems he has had to endure over the years. his funeral is pending with Williams Funeral Home, 1600 South Garland Avenue, Garland, Texas. Tentative Visitation will be from 2 to 4 PM on Sunday afternoon at the funeral home and tentatively the funeral will be at 2:00 PM Monday at the Centerville Church of Christ in Garland, Texas. The phone number at the funeral home is: 972-276-5000.
MEN'S BUSINESS MEETING following services tonight. All men of the congregation are encouraged to attend.
Youth Devotional following evening services on Sunday, October 15. We will meet in the Multi-Purpose Room. Refreshments will be furnished.
Wade Miller received a good report from his doctors last week. He is taking additional medications to help with some of his problems and still has a small blood clot in his heart. This is also being treated with medication at this time. Wade says he appreciates your expressions of concern and asked that you keep him in your prayers.
Hollis Lee was able to be at services last week. But Joyce was not feeling well and not able to be out. Keep both of them in your prayers.
Winell Blackard fell and broke her leg last week. She was released and is now at Mount Pleasant Healthcare Center, 1606 Memorial Drive, Room No. 41.
Florence Giddens (mother of Sam Giddens), passed away last Monday following an accident. She fell the previous Thursday and broke her neck. Services were held in Graham, Texas, on Thursday morning.
Lucy Anguiano (of Haskell, Texas), who visits with us several times a year is now back at home following a lengthy hospital stay. She states she is feeling better and appreciates all the cards, and especially your prayers.
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PRAYER LIST:
Justin Barker, Rachel Barker, Jean Bell, Winell Blackard, Annah Brown,
Nancy Chastain, Josephine Cooper, Perry Cooper, Jan Hargrove, Hollis Lee,
Joyce Lee, Georgia Lide, Wade Miller, Wayne Pickrel, Marie Plemmons, Helen Roper, Alva Mae Sheets, Edith Shiflet, Ola Mae Simpson, Julia Terrell, Rebecca Tippitt
ALSO: Bobby Brewster, Cristell Cato, Austin Cody, Lana Downs,
Juanita DuBose, Wesley DuBose, Edna Graves, Ruby Jeffery, Wayne Lineberger, Nola Vandusen
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THE CHOICE IS YOURS
Steven D. Minor
(Guest article from The SouthwesternerSouthwest church of Christ; Ada, OK)
There was an incredibly large group of people assembled. On one side of the group stood a man, Jesus. On the other side of the group stood another man, Satan. Separating them, running through the group was a fence. The scene is set, both Jesus and Satan began calling to the people in the group and, one by one, each having made up his or her mind, went to either Jesus or Satan. This kept going, and eventually Jesus had gathered around Him a group of people from the larger crowds, as did Satan. But one man joined neither group. He climbed the fence that was there and just sat down on it. Then Jesus and His people left and disappeared. So too did Satan and his people. And the man on the fence sat alone. As this man sat there, Satan came back and appeared to be looking for something that he'd lost. The man said, "Have you lost something?" Satan looked straight at him and replied, "No, there you are. Come with me." "But," said the man, "I sat on the fence. I chose neither you nor Him." " That's okay," said Satan, "I own the fence!"
The Bible speaks of only two choices. Either the wide gate with the broad road, or the small gate with the narrow road. Matthew 7:13-14 says, "Enter the narrow gate, because the gate is wide and the road is spacious that leads to death, and many go that way. But the gate is narrow and the road is restricted that leads into life, and few find it." When a person chooses the "fence" in the middle of these two roads, he has chosen Satan's propertythat is, he is owned by Satan.
That is not the only time Jesus talks on this subject. He makes the same distinction with God and wealth. Matthew 6:24 says, "No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate one and love the other, or he will hold to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money." We can all relate to this. Say you are working full-time for a certain company while trying to work full-time for a different company. It would not take long for the boss of each company to realize something here has to give. The bosses would demand that you choose one or the other or be fired.
Jesus also speaks of this "fence riding" in the Revelation of John when referring to the church at Laodicea. Chapter 3 verse 16 God says "so, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out of my mouth." According to the Bible, then, man must willfully choose to be on God's side, because if not, man has automatically chosen to be on Satan's side.
Here are a few warnings when it comes to "fence riding."
First, beware, fence riding is inviting. It is inviting because many of your peers are trying to ride the fence because it looks like neutral ground.
Second, fence riding becomes very uncomfortable. It may seem nice at first because you can do what you want and still be semi "close to God." However, after time, it starts wearing on you and you start falling off onto Satan's ground.
Third, it is very insecure. you seem to fall quite often and again, it's always onto Satan's ground. It then just becomes easier to stay on the ground even though Satan owns it.
Lastly, you don't go anywhere when you ride the fence and that is just what Satan wants!
Every person in this world must choose a side and there are only two to choose from. The choice is yours!!
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What are your talents?
Johnie D. Fredman
(Guest article from The SouthwesternerSouthwest church of Christ; Ada, OK)
Isn't it amazing how in God's Word, even the old and familiar can become new. Stories we have heard and read dozens of times will sometimes take on a whole new meaning. Verses we can quote from memory sometimes jump off the age as if we were reading them for the first time. Please consider with me a parable of Jesus that most of us are very familiar with. We have heard many sermons on it, and maybe these thoughts won't be new to you. However, maybe this will encourage you to take a fresh look at one of the powerful messages embedded in this short story.
In Matthew 25:14-30, Jesus tells the parable of the talents. A man goes on a journey and gives talents, or money, to three of his servants to keep for him while he is gone. He gives five talents to the first servant, two talents to the second, and one talent to the third. Upon returning home, he found that the first servant had traded with them and earned five more talents. The second likewise had earned two more talents. However, the third servant was afraid of losing his master's money so he went and hid it. The master was angry and threw out the servant for not using what was given to him.
I find it interesting every time I read this parable how words have changed meanings. I find it difficult to believe that it is just 'luck' or 'chance' that the monetary unit Jesus chose for this parable is talents, considering the definition of the word today. Clearly the message of Jesus' teaching is not just a monetary message. The message is that we are to use whatever God has blessed us with to the best of our ability to serve Him.
What are your talents? This parable is often used to encourage young people to develop their talents for serving in the church. We will occasionally refer to this lesson when trying to get young men to preach or lead singing, and this is not inconsistent with the message of the parable. Many of our young people have tremendous talents in these areas if they will but practice and develop them, and they should be encouraged to do so. However, I want to speak to our older, more mature saints for a moment. What are your talents?
Humans are creatures of habit. We easily fall into a pattern of doing the same things over and over. We have so many Golden Doers who are indeed out doing great things to benefit the kingdom. But, how long has it been since you have evaluated yourself to see what talents you may have left untapped? As we grow and mature, and as time passes our opportunities to develop new and unused talents can all change.
How have you passed on your talents? The scriptures are clear that the younger Christians are to learn from the older. Have you begun to mentor and train the younger generation? I'm afraid we have too many preachers and teachers who focus on their talent for preaching and teaching and fail to use the talents they have for mentoring and training. For the older men who have taught for years, have you taken a younger man under your wing and guided him in learning how to study and prepare a Bible lesson? For our older ladies it may be teaching younger women how to teach ladies' class or a children's Bible class, or it may be something as simple as helping our younger women learn how to cook and prepare food for congregational fellowships or funerals.
Let me encourage you to revisit this tremendous lesson this week. Listen to the words of Jesus, and then let us see in what areas we can continue to grow and develop our talents.
