The Bulletin
of the
Church of Christ at
New Georgia
Tim Johnson, editor
August 6, 2006
In
This Issue:
Ridding
Regrets
by
Steve Klein
It
is Time
by Johnny
Ramsey
Ridding Regrets
Have you ever said or done something that you later regretted? Have you found it hard to accept the fact that that you cannot change the past? Have you let yourself stew about it? Wallowing in regret is emotionally and spiritually unprofitable, but a lot of folks spend a good bit of time doing it nonetheless. To paraphrase Josh Billings, "It is much easier to regret the sins that we have committed than to repent of those we still commit." Regret wishes it could change the past, but repentance clears the past and changes the future.
What I mean by the phrase wallowing in regret is what the apostle Paul describes as "the sorrow of the world" in 2 Corinthians 7:10. There he says that, "godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death." Godly sorrow "produces repentance." This is the sorrow or regret that we need. "But the sorrow of the world produces death." This is the regret that focuses only on the past. It cannot produce change because the past cannot be changed. It is only productive of feelings of inadequacy and helplessness.
I recently ran across this interesting little story which illustrates the point:
Two construction workers had taken a lunch break and opened up their lunch boxes. One of them looked inside his box and said, "Not baloney again! I can't believe it. I hate baloney. This is the third time this week I've had baloney. I can't stand baloney!"
The other one said, "Why don't you just ask your wife to make you something different?"
He replied, "I don't have a wife. I made these myself."
The fact is that most of the baloney in our lives we put there ourselves. If we ever want anything different in our lives, then we must go beyond regretting the way things are to correcting them and making them the way they should be. This is what godly sorrow that leads to repentance does. Notice what Paul says happened in the lives of the Corinthians when godly sorrow produced repentance. "For observe this very thing, that you sorrowed in a godly manner: What diligence it produced in you, what clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, what zeal, what vindication! In all things you proved yourselves to be clear in this matter" (2 Corinthians 7:11). The same thing will happen in our lives when we allow godly sorrow to produce repentance.
--Steve Klein
Many passages of Scripture emphasize the urgency of using what time and opportunity we have to the glory of God. We dare not waste a moment of golden and precious time. To delay, postpone, and procrastinate is a serious crime against heaven and the salvation of souls.
Satan has always wanted us to wait "until tomorrow," while the Bible fervently reminds us that "today is the day of salvation" (II Cor. 6:2). As we read, "While it is said, Today if ye shall hear his voice, Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation" (Heb. 3:15). Whatever we engage in must be for God's glory! "That, according as it is written, he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord" (I Cor. 1:31).
Using our time wisely as we make proper choices reminds us of a famous verse from Jesus in Matthew 6:21: "For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." In the last paragraph of Romans 13, the inspired Paul challenges us to be fully aware of our response to the brevity of life and our loyalty to God by utilizing our energies in those matters that truly count. Spiritual stupor must be overwhelmed by zealously engaging in activity that demonstrates our allegiance to heaven.
It is absolutely time to awaken to the challenge of the following matters:
The challenge of Christian living
World evangelism
Full use of our talents
The power of Bible preaching
The influence of godly homes
Congregations that are pure and holy
Church discipline
The reality of heaven and hell
Recognizing God's power
When we stand side by side in the cause of Christ, the precious promise of the Savior permeates our earthly sojourn: "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give unto you; not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be fearful" (John 14:27). The last four verses of this demanding chapter inform us that we must eagerly use each moment of each day in worthwhile activity as we remember how short our time on earth really is (Psalm 89:47).
Since our lives are like a passing shadow (Psalm 144:4), we dare not allow the darkness of sin to pervade our thinking. Always recall what Jesus said: "I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me may not abide in the darkness" (John 12:46).
Casting off the "unfruitful works of darkness" (Eph. 5:11), and putting on the "whole armor of God" (Eph. 6:10-17), to fight "the good fight of faith" (I Tim. 6:12), we will make the most of every moment that yet remains to us. A passage that comforts and challenges us says, "In God have I put my trust, I will not be afraid; what can man do unto me?" (Psalm 56:11).
Johnny Ramsey
Via Gospel Minutes, Vol. 55, No. 30, July 28, 2006