The Bulletin
of the
Church of Christ at
New Georgia
Tim Johnson, editor
January 19, 2003
In
This Issue:
Worthy
Conduct: United We Stand
By
Steve Klein
Do
You Appreciate God's Grace?
I
Believe God
By
Larry Hafley
Worthy Conduct: United We Stand
Satan is too strong to be defeated by an army that is divided. One of his most successful strategies is "divide and conquer". Ever has our Adversary the Devil sought to defeat the Lord's army by turning soldiers against one another. When things like selfishness, bitterness, pride, and grudge holding take hold among us, we are falling into Satan's trap. Strife, bickering, and infighting will not be far behind. The damage that's done extends far beyond the soul that is selfish, bitter or prideful. In military terms, the entire platoon becomes demoralized and the success of our mission is compromised. Listen to the warnings of Scripture:
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In Galatians 5:15 we're told that "if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!"
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In Hebrews 12:15 we are warned to watch out "&ldots;lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled."
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James 3:16 states that "where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there."
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In 2 Corinthians 2:11 we are instructed to forgive (let go of grudges) "lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices."
In two grand passages of Scripture, the apostle Paul challenges us to "walk worthy" of our calling as soldiers of Christ by standing united in our struggle against the Devil. In Philippians 1:27 he says, "Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel."
In Ephesians 4:1-3 he writes, "I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace."
No army is great that is not united. No worthy cause should be championed by an unworthy fighting force. Let us be worthy of our cause. United we stand.
--Steve Klein
One of the most beautiful, yet the most misunderstood, subjects in the Bible is the grace of God. From Genesis to Revelation, we see God lavishing His grace upon mankind. The ultimate showing of His grace is seen in the saving power of the blood of Jesus Christ. It is in this sacrifice that we see the marvelous grace of God and therefore are to appreciate this grace we benefit from. As marvelous as it is, many people misunderstand its meaning. The religious world has perverted the idea of grace and as a result it is a subject that becomes avoided in our minds. God wants us to look to His grace as something that encourages and strengthens us on a daily basis. It is important that we not only understand grace, but also realize how much we can and should appreciate its marvelous nature.
Many people think that the subject of grace is wholly a New Testament subject. However, it is in the Old Testament that God begins His teaching of grace and therefore we can begin to understand it. Throughout God's relationship with the Israelites, His chosen people, God made it clear that it was by grace that they were chosen. In Deut. 7:7-9, God teaches the Israelites, "The Lord did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples, but because the Lord loved you and kept the oath which He swore to your forefathers, the Lord brought you out by a mighty hand redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt." God wanted the Israelites to know from the beginning that they were to look to Him and to trust Him because of the love He showed to them by bringing them out of bondage. As time went on God continued to show His love towards the Israelites even though they did not appreciate it. Throughout the prophets, God tried to appeal to His people with His marvelous grace, but unfortunately they never learned to be thankful for it.
As we move into the New Testament, God shows His marvelous grace in the sacrifice of His Son. When it comes to appreciating grace, not only is God offering the greatest of all sacrifices in His son, but it is being done in light of many years of rejection of grace and love He has already shown. This is part of the reason why His grace is so marvelous. "God manifested His love towards us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.", Rom. 5:8. The key word in this text is "while". While we were turning our backs on God, He sent His son to die for us. We didn't deserve anything from God. We were the ones who were dead in our trespasses and sins. We were the ones who were without hope and God in this world. We were the ones who were lost for eternity, but the marvelous grace shines forth for you and me in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
The question is, do we appreciate this marvelous grace? Are we thankful that we serve a God who is so gracious and loving? Do we appreciate the fact that everyday of our lives we can enjoy the hope of eternal life because of God's grace? Let us remember this awesome grace of God and appreciate it everyday of our lives!
Via "Heaven Bound,"
In Acts 27:25, during a tremendous storm at sea, when "all hope" was lost that they should be saved, an angel of the Lord appeared to Paul and assured him that not one would perish, but that all would be rescued. Paul said of this heaven sent message, "I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me." When Abraham was told that he and Sarah would have a child, "against hope (he) believed that he might become the father of many nations" (Rom. 4:18). When Mary heard that she would give birth to the Savior, despite the fact that she had not been intimate with any man, she acknowledged the reality of it (Lk. 1:38). When Peter was told to go at the wrong time and to the wrong place in the sea of Galilee and catch fish, he, too, believed (Lk. 5:4, 5).
Often, it is hard to believe the promises of God, especially when, from our perspective, we see no way they can be fulfilled. Perhaps the devil's greatest weapon against the child of God is gnawing doubt, a secret skepticism, that is brought on by defeat, disappointment, and discouragement. Elijah fought it (1 Kgs. 19). Paul faced it (2 Cor. 1:8-11). There is indication that Timothy may have felt it, too (2 Tim. 1:7, 8).
Hebrews, with its warnings and exhortations, graphically reveals how the early saints were tempted to give up and to "draw back unto perdition" (Heb. 10:32-40). Peter and James refer to this insidious inner turmoil, this temptress of stress and unbelief (Jas. 1:2, 3; 5:10, 11; 1 Pet. 2:12; 3:13, 16; 4:12-19).
Some succumbed to it. The bleached bones of wilderness wanderers testifies to the fact that not everyone looked up and said, "I believe God." They fell, not to the burning sands of the desert 'neath the searing sun, but to the dried spirit of unbelief which scorched their hearts and seared their national conscience.
What tempest threatens your soul today? What fearful doubt has you quivering under the shade and shadow of self-pity and insecurity? Away with it! Arouse yourself with the triumphant trump of the trumpet of God which may be heard by the ear of faith (1 Thess. 4:16). One day its blast shall soothe all our fears, stop all our tears, and summon us to eternal glory and endless gladness.
-- Larry Ray Hafley