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Family News and Notes

Men, don't forget the Men's Business Meeting following the evening services today. Please make plans to attend as your presence is important.

All you ladies of the congregation.We feel the need to keep reminding you of the LADIES DAY on Saturday, April 3 at 10:00 AM. We encourage you to attend and hope to see you there. The speaker will be Cindy Miller Armstrong (daughter of Weldon and JoAnn Miller). The topic will be "Inspirational Beauty Tips."

Visitation Team No. 3 meets today. All on that team are reminded to attend. Please refer to the letter you received from Bob for the time.

A Gospel Meeting begins today at the Talco church of Christ with Bro. Larry Black as guest speaker. Sunday evening services are at 6:00 PM and then 7:00 PM Monday thru Wednesday.

All the Junior High and High School boys and girls are invited to the McCain home following this morning's services for a Mexican Food Feast and an afternoon of fun and games.

Also, all the Junior High and High School GIRLS will be having a get-together and devotional at Kelley Moses' house on Friday, March 26 from 6:30 PM10:30 PM. . Bring your Bibles and $3.00 for pizza.

The 6th Annual Youth Forum (which is a part of Mabank's 18th Annual Bible Lectureship) will be Friday evening, March 19. The theme will be "Building A Stronger Home." Anyone wishing to go to the Friday evening event please sign the SIGN-UP SHEET on the table in the foyer. This is for the Junior High, High School, and College age teens and young people. Any adults who wish to attend are certainly invited to go.

There will be a short meeting following this morning's service with the parents and kids to discuss what to bring and answer questions.

Everyone will be leaving from the building parking lot at 5:00 PM sharp on Friday March 19 for the trip to Mabank. All who can, are invited to plan to stay the night in homes of the members of Mabank church of Christ (free lodging and grub).

Friday nite we will have registration and visiting beginning at 6:30 PM followed by singing and several speakers with topics such as "Building Up Your Present Home", "Friendships That May Harm Your Home", "What Do you See In your Future Home?",

followed by pizza and fellowship.

Saturday we will be attending the afternoon lectures.

Lee and Kelley will be coming back Friday night after the conclusion of the Youth Forum and are willing to bring back anyone who cannot spend the night. David and Janice will be staying the night and chaperoning the group that stays for Saturday.

Billy Carter's brother (James carter) passed away last week. His funeral was at 2:00 PM Friday in Kingsville, Texas.

Josephine Cooper is having to take a series of shots for her back pain.

Glenn Parham is also having to take a series of treatments for his condition.

Bill Jones is back at home and after undergoing further tests in Dallas. He is waiting for his doctor to evaluate the tests to determine what further treatment he will be needing.

Alva Mae Sheets is in Titus Regional Hospital and she is not doing very well at last report.

Johnnie and Lynn Barrett have been ill at home. Lynn had another black-out spell. Johnnie's brother is in Medical Center in Tyler with heart problems.

At the printing of this bulletin Weldon Miller was scheduled to be released and come home following his successful surgery this past week.

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Truth or Consequences

By David McCain

The emotional feelings of human beings are often as fragile as glass. Truth be told, none of us enjoy having our feelings hurt. Even constructive criticism offered in love is often a bitter pill to swallow, though it may legitimately point out valid faults or weaknesses. Still worse, though, is an unjust criticism, an untrue accusation, or unfair treatment that comes our way by friend or foe alike.

Certainly, it is clear from the Bible's plain teaching that Christians are to guard our speech and actions, lest we unkindly and unnecessarily hurt the feelings of others. The spirit of Christ is to "do unto others as you would have them do unto you" (Mt. 7:12). We are to deal gently and meekly with the feelings of others (Gal. 6:1), as we treat everyone with the consideration and respect that is due someone who is "made in the image" of God (Gen. 1:27, 9:6).

Of course, no matter how careful you are in striving to be kind or to be thoughtful of the feelings of others, when you stand up for the Truth, sometimes some folks may get their feelings hurt. Although Jesus was the only perfect man to ever live, He still offended many people. You can be assured Jesus never dealt unkindly with a single individual. Not once did He ride roughshod over an individual's feelings. Never did He exhibit a mean spirit, or a hateful attitude. And yet, because Jesus taught and lived the truth of God's Word, He hurt the feelings of lots of people (Mt. 13:67, 15:I2, 26:31, etc).

One of the inherent characteristics of Truth is that it offends evil. Truth and falsehood, good and evil, righteousness and unrighteousness are mutually exclusive. So much so, that when Truth is taught or practiced it has one of two effects. It either draws the truth-seeker closer to God and righteousness, or it drives the rebellious hater-of-truth farther away from God and what is right. Truth then becomes either a magnet or a wedge, depending on the condition of the heart of the person who hears it.

Knowing this, what should the Christian's response be when confronted with the Truth? If our feelings are hurt by the Truth, that ought to warn us a change of heart and life is needed. That's what guilt is for brethren. Just like physical pain, spiritual guilt hurts and warns us that something is wrong somewhere, and that immediate attention is needed to correct the problem. Truth only hurts when it convicts us of sin, but that hurt can be relieved initially through obedience to the Gospel, and continually through repentance, prayer, and renewed faithfulness to the Lord.

In regard to preaching and practicing the Truth, we must strive for balance. We should never charge through life like a bull in a china shop, using Truth like a club to beat people about the face and neck. Few people will be won to Christ with such tactics. However, we must guard against the other extreme as well. Some brethren, in their well-meaning attempt to win the masses, and/or their misguided and prideful lust for numbers, have become so afraid of offending others that they soft-pedal the Truth. To be sure, their watered-down version of the Truth is inoffensive, but it's also powerless to save one from sin. Balance, brethren, balance! We must strive to present the Truth with all boldness and yet with kindness, consideration, and love.

Jesus said, "Ye shall know the Truth and the Truth shall make you free" (Jn. 8:32). Let's practice the Truth to find spiritual freedom. Let's preach the Truth to help the world find freedom from sin and Satan. Let's ever be considerate of the feelings of others, but let's always proclaim the Truth, no matter what the consequences.

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Keep Holy Things Holy

By Lee Moses

When contemplating the wondrous and immeasurable attributes of God, one cannot help but think of His perfect holiness. Those who love the Lord appreciate this tremendous attribute; as Moses and the children of Israel sang, "Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?" (Exodus 15:11). Hannah prayed, "There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God" (I Samuel 2:2). The word "holy" denotes being set apart from all things profane, or common. Not only is God holy, but all things pertaining to Him are holy. Under the Old Testament, the Israelites were commanded to make a special anointing oil to pour upon the Tabernacle and each apparatus of worship, as well as upon the priests (Exodus 30:25-30). Regarding this oil, God said,

This shall be an holy anointing oil unto me throughout your generations. Upon man's flesh shall it not be poured, neither shall ye make any other like it, after the composition of it: it is holy, and it shall be holy unto you. Whosoever compoundeth any like it, or whosoever putteth any of it upon a stranger, shall even be cut off from his people. . . . And as for the perfume which thou shalt make, ye shall not make to yourselves according to the composition thereof: it shall be unto thee holy for the LORD (30:31-33, 37).

Because this anointing oil pertained specifically to God, it was not to be used in any way that would make it common. Now more than ever, things pertaining specifically to God must be kept holy.

The worship of God has always been and must remain holy. When the Corinthians were guilty of turning the Lord's Supper into a common meal, they were warned, "And if any man hunger, let him eat at home; that ye come not together unto condemnation" (I Cor. 11:34). The worship of the Lord must not be turned into a time to balance checkbooks, to make "to-do" lists for the week, or to think about things unrelated to the worship of God. It must be a time entirely devoted to Him.

God's very name is holy: "Holy and reverend is his name" (Psalm 111:9). In His model prayer, Jesus said, "Hallowed ("render or declare sacred or holy" - Thayer's Greek Lexicon) be thy name" (Matthew 6:9). Yet some will use God's name in a most common mannersuch as to express surprise, disappointment, or anger; certainly a disrespectful use of that which is holy. Some will even take His holy name and twist it into silly words, such as "gosh" or "golly." Such is not keeping holy things holy.

The church of Christ is holy. Christ "loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify (or "make holy," LM) and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish" (Ephesians 5:25-27, emph. LM). Yet some will speak of the church for which Christ died as though it were on the same level as a man-made denomination. Some members of the church for which Christ died make no effort to conduct themselves in a holy manner, even though they are the very stones of which His church is built (Eph. 2:19-22; I Peter 2:5).

But like as he who called you is holy, be ye yourselves also holy in all manner of living; because it is written, Ye shall be holy; for I am holy (I Peter 1:15-16, ASV).

Holy things must be kept holy, whether it be the worship, name, or church of the Lord; or whatever it is that He deems holy. Let it not be said of us, "They have made no distinction between the holy and the common . . . and I am profaned among them" (Ezekiel 22:26, ASV). Let it be said that we keep holy things holy.

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