Our_Bulletin_12_29

Starting Again

by Tom Wacaster

A number of years ago Albert Finney starred in a musical, simply entitled "Scrooge." This particular rendition of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carroll" is one of my favorite. After the visits of the ghost of Christmas Past, Christmas Future, and Christmas Present, Scrooge awakes to the dawn of Christmas morning with the determination that he will "start over." Having been given a look into his past mistakes, and motivated by a glimpse of the future, he decides he will change the present. He was, no doubt, grateful that he was given the opportunity to start over. Measuring from the date on this week's bulletin, there are but three days left in this year. In less than 72 hours, 2002 will be history, and 2003 will begin its journey toward that inevitable moment when it, too, will be placed on the shelf of years-gone-by. Perhaps this year will be a little more profitable, with more time spent in prayer, along with a predetermination on the part of each one of us that we will put forth a little more effort to serve God more effectively this year than last. Let our prayer be that of the Psalmist: "The days of our years are threescore years and ten...So teach us to number our days, that we may get us a heart of wisdom" (Psa. 90:10, 12). The following poem was written by a dear friend of mine and fellow preacher of the gospel. The message is worthy of sober and serious reflection.

"I'll Start Again"

by Clyde H. Slimp

We start again, a brand new year

Unspoiled and fresh and full of cheer

So full of promise, hope and zeal

Untouched by failure, and we feel

On fire to go where we've not been!

We make our goals, and start again.

Amazing how a simple change

Of date stirs us to rearrange

Our habits, hobbies, schedules too!

Out with the old, in with the new.

Determined this time we will win

We feed our faith, and start again.

God knew we'd need some markers here

And so He made them very clear:

The heat of summer, falling leaves,

Winter, then the cool spring breeze

Dawn keeps coming, night will end,

And in the light we'll start again.

And so to God we ought to raise

A prayer to help us through the days

Of this new year He's let us see.

Oh may this be our greatest plea:

"Dear Lord I see the shape I'm in

But by your grace, I'll start again."

I'll close this week's column, and join with others in extending to you the best for the New Year. Have a good week.

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Keeping the Law

by Lee Moses

Through every day of life, there are certain laws we must observe. We are not to litter, exceed the posted speed limits on the roads, or take that which does not belong to us. Most people have no problem seeing that when such laws are disobeyed, those who transgress are deserving of the punishment they receive. One can obey these laws if he chooses to, and for his disobedience he has himself to blame. People have a harder time understanding that people who transgress the law of God are deserving of the punishment they will receive if the aid of Christ is not enlisted. Even more than this, people do not understand that the law of God can be kept. On the contrary, they believe that man cannot keep God's law.

Is this true? God has always insisted that man keep His law (Genesis 2:17; Deuteronomy 11:1; John 14:15). Has a loving God told us to keep a law which we cannot possibly keep? Such an accusation would be an affront not only to God's love, but also to His goodness, wisdom, and justice. Some have taken things so far as to say that a human being can do nothing God says without His direct operation upon that human being's mind. When Jesus said, "Come unto me" (Matthew 11:28), was He directing people to do something they could not do? John wrote, "For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous" (I John 5:3). However, If God's commandments are unattainable by man, they are most certainly grievous.

Man has always had the capacity to keep God's law. When God instructed man not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, he could have obeyed but chose not to do so. Even the law of the Old Testament, which Paul "found to be unto death" because it simply pointed out sin (Romans 7:10), could be obeyed. Although the Old Testament law was very rigorous and demanding, since God is not unreasonable one can know that the rigors and demands were attainable. It was said of Zacharias and Elisabeth, the parents of John the baptist, "they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless" (Luke 1:6). Concerning when Paul the apostle had been known as Saul of Tarsus, "an Hebrew of the Hebrews," the inspiration of the Holy Spirit describes him, "touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless" (Philippians 3:6). All three of these were able to stand without fault or blemish when it came to keeping the Old Testament law.

How much more today can we keep God's law? The law we have today is the "perfect law of liberty," truly able to set mankind free from sin (James 1:25; cf. 2:12; Galatians 5:1,13). To keep God's law does not require sinless perfection-"For all have sinned" (Romans 3:23), and "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us" (I John 1:8). Part of keeping God's law includes doing what He has set forth as man's necessary response to sin. This includes initial obedience to the Gospel (Romans 6:17-18), and subsequent continuous adherence to the requirement to repent, pray to God, and confess to Him whatever sins are committed (Acts 8:22; I John 1:9).

God is a fair, loving, just, and wise God. He knows that of which man is capable, and would not command man to do that which is impossible. God earnestly desires the salvation of every soul, and this is the purpose of the Gospel, His law for mankind today. Some may incorrectly hurl such epithets as "legalist" at those who believe in doing God's law, but God says, "But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed" (James 1:25). Let us each look into God's law and continue in it-and keep it.

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Family News and Notes

An Evening of Fellowship will be held on Tuesday nite, December 31st here at the building in the Multi-purpose Room. Bring finger foods and plan to have a good time.

Reminder that next Sunday will be the 1st Sunday of a new month. If you wish to contribute to the Building Fund on that date you may do so.

If you are willing to help clean the building please sign the list on the table in the foyer.

We would like to have a list of all the e-mail addresses for those in our congregation who have a computer and are on-line with an e-mail address. If you will, please write YOUR e-mail address on the back side of your attendance card. Thanks.

The Ladies Bible Class delivered Christmas gifts last Tuesday. Eleven participated.

Otis Duncan will be preaching to us this morning.

Today, being the 5th Sunday in the month, is a Question and Answer day. Tom will be answering some questions tonite.

Susan Charlton went to Tyler last Monday for tests & examination of her leg to see what needs to be done. She may require surgery.

Tillman Ethridge (Alice Freeman's dad and Julia Ethridge's husband) had surgery again last Friday on his arm due to improper healing. He is at Titus Regional Medical Center.

Billy Carter was admitted to the local hospital last Monday night. On Tuesday, about midnight, he had tracheotomy and was placed in ICU. Thursday he was transferred to UT Medical Center in Tyler, remaining in ICU. He is not doing well at all and we need to remember him in our prayers.

Others who have been sick at home and need our prayers:

Ercell Duncan Grady Duncan

Vernon Garrett Ruth Garrett

THANK YOU.. "Dear brothers & sisters of North Jefferson: Thank you so much for all the prayers, the calls, and the visits during these past weeks. The cards, the food, and all your expressions of love and concern have meant so much to us. Words cannot express how special you are to us. Thanks for always being there when we need you.

- In Christian love, The Hortons"