The Bulletin
of the
Church of Christ at
New Georgia
Tim Johnson, editor
May 2, 2004
In
This Issue:
Praying
for the Sick
by
Steve Klein
When
the Fire Flickers
(author
unknown)
Do
You Love God?
by
Carrol Sutton
Praying for the Sick
Those who understand the Bible understand that the age of miracles has passed (1 Corinthians 13:8-10), but the age of answered prayers has not. While God has not promised to heal His children every time they ask for it, He has promised to give us the things we ask for if they are in accord with His will. In 1 John 5:14-15 we are assured that "if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him."
With this in mind, and with so many sick now needing prayers, it might be helpful for us to remember the following:
1) God cares about us. The Bible tells that we should cast all our care upon Him, "for He cares for you" (1 Peter 5:7).
2) God may allow us to experience sickness and pain in order to teach us valuable lessons, like humility and trust. The apostle Paul realized that the Lord did not remove his "thorn in the flesh" in order that Paul might not be "exalted above measure" (2 Corinthians 12:7-10).
3) Healing is a blessing from God. We need to remember that healing, like forgiveness, is a benefit that only God can fully grant. "Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases (Psalm 103:2-3).
4) God can do more than we can imagine. He "is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us"(Ephesians 3:20). There is nothing too hard for the Creator of the universe. As Jeremiah said, "Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for You" (Jeremiah 32:17).
5) Praise and thanksgiving are due the Lord for the healing that He has already provided for so many of us in this life. "O LORD my God, I cried out to You, and You healed me. O LORD, You brought my soul up from the grave; You have kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit. Sing praise to the LORD, you saints of His, and give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name. (Psalm 30:2-4).
Let us "pray without ceasing." (1 Thessalonians 5:17).
by Steve Klein
Conversations with students and young preachers frequently reveal discouragement with what they find in many churches. "These people couldn't care less - they are not on fire for the Lord's work."
My first thought is "How long have you cared -- when did you catch fire?" The newly enthused likely fall into three groups: (1) new converts (perhaps starry-eyed, but we need their freshness as much as they need our experience); (2) new preachers, elders, deacons, teachers, etc., where new responsibility has awakened eyes to see brethren in a different light; and, (3) brethren shaken out of complacency by the influence of those "faithful few" who plug on regardless of what others do.
The new converts may "burn out" or line up with the majority, as many of them do; the new teacher may quit in frustration, and the young preacher "moves on" looking for Utopia. But none will have served their Lord with honor. The cause of Christ depends on those who stay on fire, lighting others; whose flame is not the flaring rocket of a celebration, but the glow and warmth of the home hearth--feeding the family, welcoming strangers. These make the converts, shake the complacent, and with their help continue the work others quit in disgust.
One can be realistic without being a pessimist; can work with the status quo without accepting it as final. We must recognize our problems in order to work on them. Saying the church consists of imperfect people is another way of saying we have a job to do - on ourselves, and others.
The teacher must not quit because the pupils lack interest. It is his job to create interest in the subject matter. The zealous young preacher, with maturity enough to control himself and put his talents to work, is just what that dead church needs. By example, we can teach those new converts that all of us are but striving for perfection. There are yet "seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal" (Rom. 11:4), and join hands with them to salt and light the world in which we live.
From The Admonisher, Jackson Drive church of Christ
Many blessings are promised to the people who love God. In Romans 8:28, the apostle Paul said: "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God,&ldots;" James said: "Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him." In John 14:23-24, Jesus said: "If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me."
To sum up what we have read in the preceding passages: a "crown of life" is promised to them that "love him;" the Father and the Son will come and make their abode with the person that loves the Lord, and all things work together for good to them that love God.
Do you love God? Do you love Jesus Christ? Really? You probably think you do, but do you, really? Unless you keep God's commandments, your claim to love the Lord is false! John says: "For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments: and His commandments are not grievous" (I John 5:3). He also said: "And this is love, that we walk after His commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it" (II John 6). Jesus Christ said: "If ye love me, keep my commandments," and, "He that hat my commandments and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him" (John 14:15,21).
If you do not keep the sayings of the Lord, you do not really love Him! IF YOU LOVE HIM, YOU WILL KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS! You won't try to find a way to get around what the Lord says, if you love Him. But you will hunger and thirst after His righteousness.
To be saved from past sins and thus become a child of God, one must believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. (See Acts 16:31 & John 20:30-31.) One must repent of his sins. (See Acts 17:30-31 & Acts 2:38.) One must confess Jesus as Lord. (See Rom. 10:9-10). One must be baptized for the remission of sins. (See Acts 2:38 & Mark 16:16).
Have you obeyed these commands? How much do you love God?
By C.R. Sutton
via The Instructor, June 1984