____________________________________________________ THE GOSPEL OBSERVER "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations...teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:19,20). ____________________________________________________ September 30, 2001 ____________________________________________________ Going to Paradise -- in Just a Few Short Hours! by Tom Edwards The day was September 11. From my office window, I could see it was a beautiful, sunny morning. About 10:45 AM, my neighbor had knocked on my door to drop off a video tape and to briefly tell me something about America being under attack. After turning on the news, it seemed -- for a couple seconds -- like a fictitious drama, as I watched the billows of smoke from the Twin Towers and the Pentagon, simultaneously. I immediately thought of the 1938 radio broadcast of H. G. Wells' Science Fiction classic, "The War of the Worlds" -- in which many people who had missed the opening remark that what was being aired was merely a fictional drama, took it as fact, were terrified, and some even foolishly took their own lives. "Could this be a similar broadcast?," I briefly considered. But in a few seconds, the reality set in. For many years I have been preaching about Jesus, eternal life, and the need to be prepared for that wonderful place where He dwells. And though I often try to realize that the Lord's coming could be any day -- or maybe even sooner, the end of our own existence on earth -- September 11 increased our awareness of the brevity of life and how abruptly it can cease. Now, instead of thinking of Paradise as being some indefinite time in the future, I was made to realize to a much greater degree, on that morning of the 11th, that it might actually be just a few short hours away! The thought of soon entering Paradise was exciting, as well as joyful; and I truly looked forward to it with eager expectation and a good mental disposition. This is because of what faith in God can do. For though I truly enjoy my life on earth, and hope to live for a long, long time, I know that death (if I remain faithful unto God) will lead to something even greater still -- to a place called Paradise, and then to Heaven itself! So I have no fear of death, nor am I troubled over the thought of dying -- no more than I would be troubled over the thought of falling to sleep after a long, tiring day. Dying is actually the easy part; living is the challenge -- especially when physical or emotional pain is involved. In talking with a friend, we both agreed -- as, I'm sure many others do, too -- that the recent tragedies in New York, Washington, and Pennsylvania have caused many of us to truly appreciate life more, and to not take it for granted. Life has become so much more precious; and the beauties of creation, so much more wondrous. You probably find yourself focused more on each day as something to truly be grateful for. And we should take the time to enjoy and give thanks for these blessings, since they truly are a gift from our Father in heaven. And though some of these blessings can be stolen or ruined, we know that our spiritual blessings in Christ -- and heaven itself -- are things that others cannot tamper with. For heaven is a place "...where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal" (Matt. 6:20). God's word can give us so great a comfort. Surely, nothing could be more disturbing than the thought of having your life taken from you, as so many innocent victims recently did by terrorists; but, still, the New Testament consolingly tells us that not even death "...shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Rom. 8:38,39). Therefore, as Jesus instructs, "...do not fear those who kill the body, but are unable to kill the soul, but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell" (Matt. 10:28). May it be the desire of each of us to live long for the Lord, but to also have that joyful desire and expectation toward eternal life -- knowing that no matter how great a blessing our earth-life is, eternal life will far surpass it, and do so endlessly! Therefore, the best is yet to come for the faithful child of God -- and that which no terrorist (nor anyone else) can ever take away from you! Will you be ready, too, when that day comes? We pray so; and if we can assist you in any way to make your soul right with God, please contact us -- for now is the time to wisely prepare! ___________________________________________ My Advantage by Kent Heaton A story is told of a little girl named Sarah, who was born with a muscle missing in her foot and she had to wear a brace all the time. She came home one beautiful spring day to tell her daddy she had competed in "field day" -- that's where they have lots of races and other competitive events. Because of her leg support, her daddy thought of a number of ways to encourage Sarah to keep from this getting little Sarah down. Before he could get a word out, she said, "Daddy, I won two of the races!" He couldn't believe it! He thought she must have been given a head start or some kind of physical advantage. But again, before he could say anything, she declared, "Daddy, I didn't get a head start ... My advantage was I had to try harder!" For many of us, it is easy to let difficulties in our lives keep us from striving very hard for our goals. Our world is molded upon the premise that everything must be gained with ease and comfort. If things do not go according to our plans and the way we thought things should be, we give up and complain. The pursuit of happiness is to be gained with little cost and much less effort. Many fail to achieve anything in life because with each challenge presented before them, they try to find another way to go. Many times people give up on life because of difficulties that come upon them and they are consumed by their grief. The attitude of Sarah is the kind of attitude expressed by God's people in overcoming whatever comes upon them. She recognized her inabilities and knew in order to compete for the prize, she would have to try harder than the others. They could offer her an easy way to win by putting her ahead of the race and giving her a greater advantage than the others. She believed that even in her condition she would try harder than ever before. It was not that she was guaranteed to win but her heart told her to try hard. The life of Joseph in the book Genesis is a story of a young man who had everything to live for in life until one day his life became a brutal existence of slavery. From that terrible beginning, Joseph never bemoaned his station but he tried even harder to serve God. For his diligence and faith in God, he was rewarded with God's protection and blessings. Job did not understand what happened to him in the calamity of his life. Through it all he rang forth the message of victory in believing that God had not deserted him. The book of Job is not about suffering but about faith and victory in the face of terrible odds. Job had to try harder than ever before -- and he was rewarded. Paul shares from his own life the plea he made with God to deliver him from a thorn as a messenger of Satan to buffet him. He pleads with the Lord three times to have it taken away and the Lord said, "My grace is sufficient for thee; for my strength is made perfect in weakness" (2 Corinthians 12:9). Paul expressed his faith in the Lord when he said, "Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." Paul was running the race with an affliction and while he pleads with the Lord to have it removed, he accepted the knowledge that it would not be taken away and he just tried harder. This helps us understand even more what Paul felt when he wrote, "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith" (2 Timothy 4:7). He ran with an affliction of flesh and spirit and he just ran harder -- that was his advantage. "Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope" (Romans 5:1-4). -- Via The Exhorter, July 11, 1999 ___________________________________________ The Devil's Deal by Dan S. Shipley Satan desires to have all men the way he desired to have Peter (Lk. 22:31). Relentlessly, he seeks to gain advantage over men through the employment of devious and persuasive devices (2 Cor. 2:11). That some don't care and that others don't take him seriously only makes his work of destroying souls easier. Peter calls him our adversary, who, "as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour" (1 Pet. 5:8). Not that he looks or sounds like the lion (better that he did!), but that he seeks his prey as the hungry lion, even when appearing as an "angel of light" (1 Cor. 11:14). It matters little to Satan that most of his followers deny (even resent) being identified with his kingdom. Why should he care about those who deny voting for him so long as he carries the election? Men serve Satan as they serve sin, claims to the contrary (even by some "religious" folk) not withstanding! As John puts it, "he that doeth sin is of the devil" (1 John 3:8). But even worse than Satan's seeking a place in man is that man will give it! When Paul says "neither give place to the devil" (Eph. 4:27), he implies man's ability to resist. James says plainly, "resist the devil and he will flee from you" (Jas. 4:7). This means that no man has to serve Satan; that every man as a free moral agent can choose his master. It means that the only place Satan can have in man is that which man gives him! Such bespeaks of a potential and power for which every man should be thankful. Satan's power is limited. With God's help we can resist; we can endure (1 Cor. 10:l3), therefore we must. The devil ever seeks a place in man, but thanks be to God, he cannot take it! Not only can the devil be given a place in man, his given place becomes a growing place. Sin begets sin. The attitude that permits one will permit yet others, and with increasing ease. Recall David's lustful looking upon Bathsheba and how it led to adultery, lying and finally murder. In every sin lies the germ of a hundred more. And with each successive sin comes a degree of hardening (Heb. 3:13); a gradual dulling of the spiritual senses that soon numbs the violated conscience. Once given a place, the devil is hard to displace and soon expands his base of operations. That's why he needs resisting -- and early! In addition to being a given and growing place, the devil's place is also a distracting place. In his second letter to the Corinthians, Paul writes, "But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve in his craftiness, your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity and the purity that is toward Christ" (11:3). "Simplicity" here is singleness and sincerity as opposed to double or divided. Satan would divide and distract our minds from Christ -- perhaps with cares; perhaps with riches and pleasures, or in other ways, just so long as it is occupied with earthly things and not spiritual (Col. 3:2). Mark it well: whatever distracts us from Christ; whatever hinders our doing His will or encourages not doing it is of the devil! His deal is simple: give him a place in you now and he'll give you a place with him in eternity (Matt. 25:41). -- Plain Talk, October 1975 ___________________________________________ News & Notes Being the last Sunday of the month, Randy Frame will be our special speaker during the morning worship hour. The Gospel Meeting in Marietta (PA) at the Susquehanna church of Christ begins tomorrow with Scott Smelser. It will continue on the 2nd, 4th, and 5th. It is good to see the Frames and Thompsons back with us from their recent trips. There is now a new website for The Gospel Observer, as well as for the congregation: http://home.onemain.com/~tedwards/go http://home.onemain.com/~tedwards/avondale Please report to me any links you find not working correctly. Thank you. We warmly welcome all of you who are visiting with us this day, and hope that you will be back again soon! ________________________________________ Avondale CHURCH OF CHRIST 1606 Glen Willow Rd., Avondale, PA 19311 (For postal service: P.O. Box 421) (610) 268-2088 Sunday: 10:00 A.M. Bible class 11:00 A.M. Worship 6:00 P.M. Worship Wednesday: 7:00 P.M. Bible study evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards (610) 925-3567 e-mail: tedwards@onemain.com web site: http://home.onemain.com/~tedwards/avondale ________________________________________