Every day I beat my own previous record for number of
consecutive days I've stayed alive.
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Family News and Notes
Our Gospel Meeting begins next Sunday! Will you be attending?
Fellowship Luncheon scheduled for next Sunday, April 25. That is the day our Gospel Meeting begins, with Bro. Michael Light preaching. Brochures are available on the round table in the foyer. Please feel free to take some and we can print more.
On Tuesday, April 27th, Michael Light will speak to the Ladies Bible Class. The topic will be on the book of Esther. Class begins at 10:00 AM.
We will need to furnish meals for Michael while he is here. There is a Sign Up Sheet on the ROUND table in the foyer. We need this completed by tonite if at all possible. So, won't you please sign up and help?
Visitation Team No. 2 will meeting following morning services today. We will have a luncheon, Please try to attend.
A Gospel Meeting begins today at Mount Vernon and continues thru April 21 with Bro. Bill Burke. Also they will be having a Ladies Day on Saturday, April 24 beginning at 10:00 AM.
Next Sunday (April 25, 2004) there will be an unveiling of a 35 X 13 foot Mural by artist David Freeman (the son of Rhodney and Judy Freeman for those of you who do not know him). The mural depicts nine scenes from the life of Christ and is a 200 hour work of art by David. This unveiling will take place from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM at a historical country church in the West New Hope community located at the intersection of County Road 1166 and 1220 in the western section of Titus County. (North of Winfield take FM 1734 to 1166 and drive approximately 2 miles to the church building). All who are interested are invited to attend this event. See Rhodney or Judy for further details.
Copies of the Minutes from the Men's Business Meeting of April 11 and Financial Report for the month ending March 31 are available on the table in the foyer if you would like to have a copy.
Aresser Thursby (mother of Mary Glover) is in Titus Regional Medical Center. She has been suffering from seizures.
Dorothy Kyle was admitted to Titus Regional Medical Center last week with heart problems. She is in Room 331.
Also, Charles Kyle is limping around on crutches and has a soft cast on his leg due to a cracked bone he received from falling off a ladder about a week ago.
Judy Betts (sister of Wayne Charlton) has been dismissed from the hospital and is now at home. She is talking but is still critical.
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PRAYER LIST
Justin Barker, Louis Bell, Winell Blackard, Sue Browning,
Josephine Cooper, Perry Cooper, Barbara Duncan, Mary Hall,
Howard Horton, Bill Jones, & Amy, Weldon Miller, Winnie Patton,
Alva Mae Sheets, Ola Mae Simpson
ALSO: Judy Betts, Clovis Davis, Diane Johnson, Dorothy Kyle, Charles Kyle, Velma Lucky, Larry McCain, Kelsey Meyers,
Helen Roper, Delaney Upchurch, Linda Walker
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Do You Really Love The Truth?
By David McCain
In II Thessalonians 2:10-12 (ASV), there is a passage of Scripture that ought to scare the socks off every lukewarm Christian, who is lackadaisical about studying, learning, and obeying the truth, and then striving to live faithfully as a child of God. It says, "...and with all deceit of unrighteousness for them that perish, because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God sendeth them a working of error ("strong delusion" - KJV), that they should believe a lie: that they all might be judged ("damned" - KJV) who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness."
Through the years, I've heard many different ideas about the meaning of this phrase "a working of error," or "strong delusion," that God sends to those who fail to love His Word. Despite various ideas about the interpretation of this phrase, the implication is undeniably frightening. Those who fail to love the truth will ultimately be overcome by evil. If you don't "hunger and thirst after righteousness" (Mt. 5:6), you will end up partaking of and enjoying unrighteousness. If you don't take a stand for the Truth, then you will eventually fall for error.
It all comes back to the foundational principles of the Gospel, concerning the attitudes, desires, and motivations of the heart. In the Sermon on the Mount (Mt. 5-7), Jesus taught that a yearning for God and righteousness, and a love for the truth, will ultimately lead men away from evil and error, in order that they might find the Truth and God. If the "Beatitudes" teach us anything, they teach us to work on our heart. Clean up the inside and the outside will naturally follow. Change your heart, and your dress, speech, and actions won't be far behind.
We readily observe the secular world does not love the truth, but rather takes pleasure in unrighteousness. From the commanding view of our ivory towers, we even find it easy to spot the wholesale acceptance of error in the doctrine and practice of our denominational friends. But are we as willing to scrutinize our own lives for inconsistencies between affirmation and action? Do we really love the truth ourselves, like God desires, or only that part of the Truth that fits our agenda for life?
For instance, do we show our love for the truth, or lack thereof, when we fail to assemble with our brethren on Sunday and Wednesday evenings? Are we honest when we claim to love the truth, but our Bibles gather dust from lack of use? Do we really love the truth when we dress, talk, or act in ways unbecoming of a Christian? Do we think God believes we love the truth, when we'll spend an hour reading the newspaper, but won't give five minutes to read a bulletin article written for our edification? What does it say about our love for the truth when we'll gladly waste hours in front of the "idiot box," but won't give an hour to visit the sick, the unfaithful, or the bereaved? Are we not the worst kind of liars when we say we love the truth, but never share the truth with anyone?
For those who fail to love the truth, a "strong delusion" is on the way. Maybe it's already here! Do you really love the truth? Does your life of soberness, service, and sacrifice show it? Does your giving show it? Does your attendance at church services show it? Does your cooperation and participation with the work of the church show it? Please think seriously about it and then make whatever changes are necessary to prove your love of the truth!
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Appreciation from the Elders:
A special thanks to all of you for your generosity and your love for the Church. You have graciously and generously given of your means. Our budget is being met. You are a wonderful congregation! We are extremely proud of your willingness to be involved in the "grace of giving". May we always remember that "God loveth a cheerful giver" (2 Cor. 9:7). Our Lord points out the greatness of the gain that comes into our lives by giving. Read Luke 6:38. Bro. Mac Layton has written, "Giving is not man's plan for raising money, but God's plan for raising men!" We pray that we all will continue to grow in the image of God's Son.
The Elders
EVERYONE: Please remember our
GOSPEL MEETING
April 25 thru April 28, 2004
You are invited to come and hear
Michael Light, Minister
INVITE YOUR FRIENDS AND RELATIVES
How to Stay Safe!
A Must Read for All!
1.Avoid riding in automobiles because they are responsible for 20% of all fatal accidents.
2.Do not stay home because 71% of all accidents occur in the home.
3.Avoid walking on the streets or sidewalks because 14% of all accidents occur to pedestrians.
4.Avoid traveling by air, rail, or water because 16% of all accidents involve these forms of transportation.
5.Of the remaining 33%, 32% of all deaths occur in Hospitals. Above all else, avoid hospitals.
You will be pleased to learn that only .001% of all deaths occur in worship services in church, and these are usually related to previous physical disorders. Therefore, logic tells us that the safest place for you to be at any given point in time is at church!
Bible study is safe too. The percentage of deaths during Bible study is even less.
