Our_Bulletin_12_26

Family News and Notes

UPCOMING EVENTS: On Wednesday December 29, we will have singing in the auditorium. Also, all classes will meet in the auditorium on that nite.

On Friday Nite, December 31st there will be a New Year's Eve Get-together in the Multi-purpose Room for everyone beginning at 7:00 PM. Bring fingerfoods and soft drinks of your choice.

In case I'm not present then I wish each one of you a very happy New Year! Your Editor

Thank you .. Jody and Stephanie Sparks for hosting the Young People in your home last Saturday evening for a great holiday party.

Placing membership with our congregation last Sunday:

Brandon & Courtney Marshall (Children) Kristian & Cullen

906 Holly Hill Lane

Mt. Pleasant, TX 75455

903-577-3311 (Please enter them into your copy of our church directory)

Charlie Bass (Courtney's uncle) has cancer and is in East Texas Medical Center.

Meagan Rios has been sick at home this past week with a stomach virus. Remember her in your prayers.

Howard Horton is now out of isolation and is able to have visitors. If you recall he is in the nursing home at Mt. Vernon.

Hazel Phillips was first admitted to Titus Regional Medical Center last week and then went to East Texas Medical Center in Tyler for tests. Her doctor feels she has neuropathy in her feet.

Bennie Lee Jones (mother of Tim Jones) passed away late Tuesday evening. Her funeral was conducted by Bates-Cooper Funeral Home at St. Andrew Methodist Church (across from the High School) at 2:00 PM Friday with burial at Bridges Chapel Cemetery. Please remember this family in your prayers.

John Dimmitt, Minister at Bethel Church of Christ, passed away Thursday, December 23rd, as a result of heart attack. Funeral arrangements are pending with Bates-Cooper Funeral Home.

***************************************

THANK YOU "We want to thank everyone who donated money and items for our Cheer Baskets that we delivered to the shut-ins, elderly and others. We also delivered three large boxes of goodies to the Safe-T-Shelter for Women.

Ladies Bible Class"

THANK YOU "Dear Ones: I want to thank you for all your prayers and concern, your cards and visits, during my illness. It's been a trying time but with all of you it has meant so much.

In Christian Love,

Annah Brown"

THANK YOU "Thank each one of you for your constant love and concern, for the beautiful Poinsettia, the pumpkin bread and trash but most of all for your prayers. I love all of you.

Ola Mae Simpson"

**************************************

PRAYER LIST:

Justin Barker, Rachel Barker, Louis Bell, Annah Brown, Sue Browning, Billy Carter,

Josephine Cooper, Perry Cooper, Patsy Duncan, Zenith Hargrove, Howard Horton, Ruby Lawhon, Carl Lee, Hollis Lee, Winnie Patton, Hal Roper, Dorothy Sargent, Alva Mae Sheets

ALSO: James & Marie Butler, Denise Dering, Ercell Fetters, Marie Holloway,

Patricia McCracken, Kelsey Meyers

**************************************

God Helps Those Who Help Themselves

Although I cannot give an exact book, chapter, and verse quotation from the Bible for the title of this article, the principle of this "chimney corner scripture" is certainly found in God's Holy Word. From cover to cover, the Bible is filled with references which plainly teach that many of God's blessings are conditionally given only to those who have responded in obedient faith to God's instructions.

For example, Romans 8:28 says, "...all things work together for good," notice, "to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose." Likewise, the promise of salvation to the alien sinner is conditionally based on faith in Christ, and obedience to His plan of salvation, for Jesus said, "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved" (Mark 16:16). Even the promise to Christians, of the ongoing cleansing from sin by the blood of Jesus (I John 1:7), is predicated on the condition that, "if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (I John l:9). In other words, we should not expect Jesus, as our "Savior," to rescue us from our sins, unless we are willing to comply with His will for our lives as "Lord" and "Master" (Matthew 7:21).

The point I want to make is this; it does us absolutely no good to expect God's blessings in our lives, unless we are willing to accept His will for our lives and do our part. For instance, it is foolish for us to pray for the wisdom and understanding of God's will, if we are unwilling to make a diligent study of God's Holy Word. Likewise, we deceive ourselves when we pray for God's assistance, whether it be in controlling our temper, or curbing our passions, or being a better parent, or doing more to reach out to others with the love of Christ, if we are not willing to make a concerted effort to accomplish these goals in our lives.

The writer, James, devotes half of chapter two of His epistle, admonishing us to understand that talk is cheap. He asks the rhetorical question, "What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?" (James 2:14). The haunting answer hammers home the point of this article, when James thrice says, "faith without works is dead" (James 2:17, 20, & 26). In other words we can pray all day long for God to give us our daily bread, but if we don't do our part by working for it with the talents and abilities God has given us, then neither shall we eat.

If we want God's assistance, then we must do our part. In order to receive forgiveness of our sins as Christians, we must repent and do our best to put those sins behind us. Like the Prodigal, of Luke 15, we must make the first move. We must realize the hopelessness of our "pigpen" existence and start towards home. But, that's when we'll look up to find the Father in heaven running toward us to welcome us home, and to shower us with His forgiveness and love. Yes, God helps those who help themselves! David McCain

***************************************

How to Convince the World

That We Are The People of God

Guest article from The Southwesterner

(from Southwest Church of Christ)

by Franklin Camp

Since the dawn of the Restoration, we have been trying to get the world to recognize us as the people of God. We have reminded them that "We speak where the Bible speaks and are silent where the Bible is silent." This is a good slogan and is true to the scriptures.

But what does the Bible say about convincing people that we are the disciples of Christ? Let Christ answer: "A new commandment give I unto you, that you love one another as I have loved you. By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if you have love one for another" (John 13:34-35). Could this not be the main reason that we have been not able to convince the world that we are the people of God?

Look at the situation in John 13. Christ is standing in the shadow of the cross. The disciples are angry and full of resentment toward one another. They are fighting and quarreling about which one will wash feet. Such action might be expected from people of the world but surely not from the Lord's disciples. Christ knew that the difference in temperament and jealousies which he had witnessed would alienate them from one another unless some powerful cohesive force was found to hold these in check. This mutual love would be a badge of discipleship and a foundation for unity. The disciples were ready to fight for a throne but not for a towel. A lack of love for one another has caused too many of us to fight for places rather than a towel.

John 13 shows that purity of faith by itself will not bring unity. The men to whom Christ gave this example and command would be infallible in their teaching. They would be guided by the Holy Spirit and would not be subject to error in teaching. Christ realized that infallible men in teaching, while lacking in love, would not be able to save or to convince the world that they were his disciples. If infallible men needed love for one another to insure unity, how much more do we, that are fallible, need it? Furthermore, infallibility did not do away with all matter of judgment. There were some things that were left up to the judgment even of the Apostles, not in their teaching, but in other matters. Example: The question that arose between Barnabas and Paul as to whether to take Mark was a matter of judgment. Thus, even the Apostles needed love to hold them together in matters of judgment.

**************************************