Our_Bulletin_July_31

Service Arrangements

ANNOUNCEMENTS.......Rhodney Freeman

SONG LEADER (AM)................Hal Roper

(PM)................Hal Roper

Wednesday Nite......Weldon Miller

PRAYERS Sunday.

AM First Prayer.....................Gene Campbell

AM Closing...........................Wayne Charlton

PM First Prayer.......................Weldon Miller

PM Closing...............................Grady Duncan

PRAYERS Wednesday Nite

First Prayer...................................Jody Sparks

Closing..............................................Tim Jones

COMMUNION FOR JULY

SOUTH SIDE NORTH SIDE

AM Jim Duncan Weldon Miller

Wade Miller George O'Neal

Tim DavisJacques Glover

PM Rhodney Freeman Tim Jones

ATTENDANCE COUNTER......Grady Duncan

NEED TRANSPORTATION? Call............Frankie Sargent

903-572-2647

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IN CHARGE OF SELECTING MEN TO MAKE ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR AUGUST

Van Lee

IN CHARGE OF SELECTING MEN TO LEAD PRAYERS

FOR AUGUST

George O'Neal

IN CHARGE OF SELECTING MEN FOR COMMUNION TABLE

IN AUGUST

Jerry Freeman

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Family News and Notes

Remember next week is the first week in a new month. If you are able and wish to contribute to the Building Fund, you may do so then. Thanks.

ONE LAST PLEA . Ladies, please pick up your dishes from the kitchen from the Johnny Rex Phillips funeral. Otherwise they will be given away. Thanks for your cooperation.

Mt. Vernon Church of Christ will have Vacation Bible School on August 1, 2 & 3rd from 6:308:30 PM nightly. Topic is "Anchors Away!" Classes for 4 years old to adult.

A bunch of teens and David & Janice McCain attended Camp Cisco this past week. Janice stumped her toe and fell, bruising and scratching her right cheek, broke her right little finger and possible hairline fracture of her right arm. I think we need to all pray for David and the boys for the next several weeks while she regains the use of her right arm and hand.

Narci Cooper responded to the Invitation last Sunday morning. After much thought and study she had concluded that she may not have fully understood what she was doing when she was baptized several years ago. Wanting to be sure she was in the right relationship with the Lord she requested that she be baptized for remission of her sins based upon her confession that Jesus is the Son of God. We appreciate Narci for her sincerity and dedication to be a New Testament Christian.

Ashley Thomas responded to the Invitation at the Summer Youth Series at Blodgett last Tuesday night. Please offer your encouragement to her.

Edith Shiflet has been experiencing more pain in her neck and shoulder and has had to revisit her doctor for further treatment(s). She hopes this will give her some more relief.

David Neal had neck surgery last week and is now back at home. He hopes the fusion of a bone particle into his neck vertebrae will help his problem.

Hollis and Joyce Lee both continue to really struggle with multiple health problems and have not been able to get out and about lately.

Ruby Pipkin states: "I want to thank everyone who sent cards regarding the passing of my sister."

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The Old Fiddle

© By Grady L. Duncan

5/22/03

In the loft of an old barn,

as I was browsing around one day,

I happened upon an old fiddle,

that someone had stored away.

It was all covered with dust,

from years of total neglect.

Its owner no longer cared,

so it was forgotten, I would suspect.

Nearby I found an old bow.

It was hung upon a rusty nail.

From the looks of them both,

they weren't used in quite a spell.

I tucked it beneath my chin,

but I found out very soon,

there was no music within,

it was so badly out of tune.

Idleness and gross neglect,

had stolen away their beauty,

like the children of our Lord,

who have fallen out of duty.

They could be the same again,

just like the soul of Man.

All it takes is time,

and the care of a Master's Hand.

No matter what the age,

nor where it may be found.

If only He's given a chance,

it will make its beautiful sound.

If only someone might care,

and sees what they must do,

life's symphony can resume,

when the Master's work is through.

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PRAYER LIST:

Justin Barker, Rachel Barker, Louis Bell, Annah Brown, Billye Campbell,

Perry Cooper, Zenith Hargrove, Hollis Lee, Joyce Lee, Winnie Patton,

Dorothy Sargent, Alva Mae Sheets,

ALSO: Melba Boyd, Denise Dering, Wesley & Juanita DuBose, Ruby Jeffery,

Lonita Thompson

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THE GENTILES' RAGE

Floyd Kaiser

(Guest Article from The Southwesterner, Southwest Church of Christ, Ada, OK)

The recent ruling of the Supreme Court to strike down the Ten Commandments displayed in two Kentucky courthouses has stirred considerable controversy among us. Is this simply another small step in a gradual detachment of America from God? What are we going to see next? A banning of religious broadcasting? A mandating of what can and cannot be preached from the pulpit? A rejection of the tax exemption for churches?

Who knows? I'm sure there are some Americans who would be pleased for Christianity to be outlawed. They are the ones who conduct tirades against nativity scenes and crosses being erected in public areas. They want no prayers at football games and in schools.

Even though it is appropriate to be concerned about the "de-Goding" of America, such a trend should not come as any surprise to those who know the Bible.

At the close of Acts 2 when the church was newly established, Christians were likely looking for the gospel to spread throughout the world unchecked. After all, how could such good news possibly be opposed? How could any rational man or government resist it?

This might have been the thinking of Peter and John when in Acts 3 they went to the temple to pray and while there healed a lame man who had never walked. Using this occasion to preach the gospel to those who witnessed the miracle, when Peter proclaimed the resurrection of Jesus, they were arrested and put in jail (see Acts 4:1f). The next day they were brought before the Jewish leaders and after being questioned were warned to speak no longer in the name of Jesus. Afterward they were released.

When Peter and John came back to their brethren and reported all that happened, it appears that they suddenly recognized the fulfillment of Old Testament prophesy from Psalm 2. "WHY DID THE GENTILES RAGE, AND THE PEOPLES DEVISE FUTILE THINGS? THE KINGS OF THE EARTH TOOK THEIR STAND AND THE RULERS WERE GATHERED TOGETHER AGAINST THE LORD AND AGAINST THIS CHRIST." (Acts 4:25-26).

The church realized the hard way by the arrest of two of its apostles that they were not going to be able to depend upon government to make their job of evangelism an easy one. Therefore they prayed, "And now, Lord, take note of their threats, and grant that Your bond-servant may speak Your word with all confidence" (Acts 4:29).

After this prayer, God miraculously showed His approval by shaking the place where they were assembled and filling them all with the Holy Spirit. The result was that they "began to speak the word of God with boldness" (Acts 4:31).

Little did these first brethren know that the government's persecution of the church in the first and second century would intensify until thousands would be martyred. But, their prayer would not go unanswered. In spite of the threatening sword of government, the gospel was still preached.

My brethren, the disappointment I feel over the Supreme Court decision and other efforts to remove God from our lives is more for America than for the church.

Government was neither commissioned nor empowered to persuade men to walk by the will of God. This is the purpose of the church (see March 16:15). The best the church can hope for and should pray for is a government where Christians can "lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity" (1 Timothy 2:2).

My disappointment and fear are for America. When a country is not friendly toward the ways of God, it suffers. Crime, addiction, violence and affliction are inevitable for any society that flagrantly rejects God from its laws and judgments (see Jeremiah 18:6-10).

Our prayers should be as they were in Acts 4, that WE will speak with boldness the gospel and that our blessed country will change its direction before it is too late.

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MORAL PURITY!

Johnny Ramsey

It is evident to any honest observer that the moral fiber of today's world is at a very low ebb. Just as the mighty Roman Empire crumbled from within due to the decay of morality, so is our society on the brink of disaster. Solomon said that "Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people." Jesus called the "pure in heart" blessed! A casual glance at our newspapers will tell a sordid story of chaos and shame. For weeks the major item on the front pages dealt with a group of women in England who sold their bodies and sanctity for the materialistic "pleasures" of life. In Hebrews 11:25 we learn that the pleasures of sin are only momentary.

In Galatians 6 we read that those who live in sensuality will reap condemnation. Such people also miss the true joy and purpose of this life. The number one motion picture star is a woman who won an Academy Award years ago for her portrayal of a prostitute. Her own life closely parallels the parts she usually plays on the screen! To break up a home means nothing to people like that. But Jesus said: "What therefore God has joined together, let not man put asunder" (Matthew 19:6). The tragedy of it all, however, is the flippant attitude of such ungodly people. The words of Proverbs 30:20 are quite appropriate. In fact, they describe almost exactly a statement made by the woman in London in 1996: "Such is the way of an adulterous woman; she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no wickedness." Truly, the devil is victorious in the lives of thousands!

Do we, who profess to follow Christ, contribute to such debauchery? Yes, by almost deifying Hollywood, and allowing pornographic literature on the market, in the stores, and even in our homes! God has not promised to bless a nation that tolerates such impurity! It is not enough to preach the Truth we must practice it (1 Timothy 4:16; Philippians 2:15).

This is another appeal for New Testament Christianity. We must go back to the perfect standard of the first century church in doctrine, worship and life!

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