Our_Bulletin_8_15

Family News and Notes

Teenagers are reminded that the Bible Quiz is coming up on August 24th at Clarksville church of Christ. The topic will cover Zechariah 1-3. Review sheets are available on the round table in the foyer. All teenagers are encouraged to participate. Adults are invited as well.

Everyone needs to begin making plans for our Gospel meeting October 10 thru 13th. Brother Jack Orbison (Janice's dad) will be preaching.

Ladies Bible Class will resume on September 14th. Janice McCain will be teaching from a book entitled "Would You See Good Days" by Lottie Beth Hobbs

Barbara Duncan had her tests on Wednesday. She was diagnosed with an ulcer and she also had a polyp removed.

Elna O'Neal says she is continuing to improve daily.

Howard Horton is in Room 324 at Titus Regional Medical Center.

Pat Dillard (who is at home suffering from Shingles) says she is feeling better.

Darrell Cooper is at East Texas Medical Center in Tyler. He is having more tests done and may have to have heart catherization. At last report Kent will be with him this weekend and Monday.

Annah Ruth Brown was to move to Mount Pleasant Assisted Living Complex on North Edwards this past week. This is located just north of I-30 next to the old I.H.S. Nursing Center.

"Dear Brethren: Thanks for letting us be away in the Gospel Meeting with the brethren at New Summerfield last week. We had a good meeting with good attendance, but it's great to be back home at Mount Pleasant.

We love you all,

The McCains"

THANK YOU" I appreciate more than any words can say for all you, my precious family, have done for me. The visits, calls, flowers, and all the other things especially your prayers. May God bless each one of you. I love you very much.

Thanks again,

Ola Mae Simpson"

THANK YOU "North Jefferson Church of Christ, thanks for the plant, prayers, phone calls, and the cards. Of all the special ways that gratitude can be expressed, the simple phrase "God bless you" somehow seems to be the best.

In Christian love,

Mary Jane and Bud (Bobby) Joyner"

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PRAYER LIST:

Justin Barker, Louis Bell, Annah Brown, Sue Browning, Darrell Cooper, Josephine Cooper, Perry Cooper, Pat Dillard, Barbara Duncan,

Zenith Hargrove, Howard Horton, Elna O'Neal, Winnie Patton,

Dorothy Sargent, Ola Mae Simpson

ALSO: Tom Dooley, Robin Embree, Lavonne McClish, Kelsey Meyers,

Marty Newman, Lynn Parker & his family, Lois DeWahl

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Rhodney's "Funny Bone"

You need only two tools. WD-40 and duct tape. If it doesn't move and it should, use WD-40. If it moves and shouldn't, use the tape .

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Guard Duty

Men who have served our country in one of the branches of the military likely spent at least a little time pulling "guard duty." Posted at a checkpoint, gate, perimeter, or watch station, their charge was to stay alert, to watch for the enemy, and to guard and defend their post. Similarly Christians are always posted for spiritual guard duty. We have an adversary, a spiritual enemy who never sleeps. He is always searching for a weakness in our defenses, a "hole in the spiritual fence," so to speak, where he can slip through and do his dastardly and destructive work.

According to God's Word, "Satan," the "serpent," the "prince of darkness," our "adversary," is no joke. Just like terrorists seek to destroy our way of life by discovering our security weaknesses and exploiting them, Satan seeks to find our spiritual weaknesses, so he can overrun the spiritual perimeter of our lives. His power is real and his ability to tempt and enslave us with sin should not be discounted.

However, as soldiers of Christ, we can overcome Satan by staying alert at our posts, by watching for the enemy, and by using the effective defensive measures, with which God has armed His troops. James said, "resist the devil, and he will flee from you" (James 4:7). Sometimes, though, it is hard to resist the enemy if we don't know what he looks like and what disguises he is likely to use. Satan is cunning! Just like a terrorist, he may try to disguise himself so he can sneak into our lives and destroy us before we know what hit us. If we are to be successful in defeating our mortal spiritual enemy, we must learn to see through his disguises.

Thankfully, God has not left us in the dark concerning the disguises Satan might use. Rather God has given us a "profile" on Satan, listing all of the possible disguises he might wear as he tries to sneak through our spiritual perimeter. Just like a guard at the airport gate has been trained to watch for someone who fits the terrorist's profile, so we must watch for the following disguises Satan uses.

First, Satan comes calling as the subtle serpent by simply trying to talk us into sinning. This is the way he approached Eve (Gen. 3:1-13). With his lies about sin's consequences, and his appeal to the sensual pleasures of sin, Satan is often able to beguile our minds and pervert our judgment. Beware! Just like cheese in the mousetrap looks appealing to the unsuspecting mouse, so sin looks appealing until you're caught in its trap, only to realize too late it was the bait of death. This is the way Satan approached Jesus in the wilderness, but Jesus used God's Word to defeat him (Mt. 4:1-11).

Secondly, if Satan is unsuccessful in talking us into sinning, he will disguise himself as an angel of light and try to trick us into sinning (II Cor. 11:13-15). Beware! Satan's deceptive presentations may make sin appear exciting and profitable, but remember, Satan is the father of lies (Jn. 8:44). The way to overcome this disguise is to mature in Christ, by studying God's Word so you'll not be deceived by false doctrine when it comes. (Eph. 4:14-15, II Tim. 2:15).

Finally, Satan disguises himself as a roaring lion (I Pet. 5:8-9). If Satan can't talk, or trick us into sinning, then he will seek to overcome us with persecution. Again, beware! The victory is almost won. Don't quit the battle now! Stand your ground! Peter encourages us to triumph over Satan's final disguise by standing firm in the faith, realizing our suffering is not unique, but rather that which every faithful Christian must endure. Paul says persecution is bound to come (II Tim. 3:12), but we must not give up nor give in, for the victory belongs only to the faithful, who hold the line in the face of adversity (II Tim. 4:7-8, Rev. 2:10).

Don't be fooled by Satan's disguises. "Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness. But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (II Pet. 3:17-18). David McCain

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"I Need More!"

As pointed out in brother McCain's article two weeks ago, self-complacency is a very dangerous condition in a Christian. An opposite, yet similarly dangerous, condition is dissatisfaction with everyone and everything else besides one's own self.

"I need more out of my church!" There are those who see the church's five acts of worship (prayer, singing, giving, Scripture study, and the Lord's Supper) and three areas of work (evangelism, edification, and benevolence) as irrelevant to them. In the entertainment-minded focus of today, they want worship that will "wow" them. In the recreation-minded focus of today, they consider primary works of the church to be basketball courts and softball leagues. In the status-minded focus of today, they want to be members of a church that will bring them prestige in the community. Although Christ gave Himself for the church (Ephesians 5:25), they believe the church should continually give itself for them.

"I need more out of my spouse!" Many a person falls into the danger of thinking that someone else can fulfill his needs better than his own spouse. When someone else begins to give that person attention that he or she may not be receiving at home, he may try to use that person to "fill in the holes." Solomon warned, "Drink waters out of thine own cistern . . . rejoice with the wife of thy youth" (Proverbs 5:15,18). God knows what each of us needs, and He deemed one spouse sufficient for a lifetime (Genesis 2:18; Matthew 19:3-9). Therefore, "Let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth" (Malachi 2:15).

"I need more out of my life!" Jesus spoke of the Christian life as the "abundant life." As brother Guy N. Woods pointed out, this refers to "bountiful blessings overflowing in extent the rich supply only deity can give (Psalm 33:1ff). . . . A continuous overflowing a never-ceasing supply of life for every faithful soul" (Commentary on John (Nashville: Gospel Advocate, 1989), p. 108). While blessed with the best life on earth, with the only hope for life yet to come, many Christians have decided that they "need more" than the Christian life. As did Solomon in an uncharacteristic fit of foolishness, such people leave the faith of God to "get more out of life" through emphasis on material gain and self-gratificationall the while forgetting what gives them the very most possible from life (cf. Ecclesiastes 12:13).

We each need to ask ourselves, "Are such childish and selfish whims truly my needs?" Do we need more out of church, out of a spouse, or out of life? If we feel that the answer is yes, the exact opposite is probably trueall these need more out of us. When we give our best effort to the work of the church, we will find great rewards for ourselves as well. When we give more to our spouses, we will find them more responsive to us. When we give more to life, according to God's roadmap for life, we will have "bountiful blessings overflowing in extent." Do we "need more" for ourselves? Let us begin by giving more of ourselves!

Lee Moses

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