____________________________________________________ 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). ____________________________________________________ July 26, 1992 ____________________________________________________ An Undying Influence by Tom Edwards ``By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained the testimony that he was righteous, God testifying about his gifts, and through faith, though he is dead, he still speaks'' (Heb. 11:4). Abel, the second person born into this world, is still remembered today--by multitudes--as having been one who lived by faith in the Almighty God and, as a result, gained favor with the Lord. Today we cite the example of this man to illustrate how we can be pleasing to God by doing things His way--and not merely our own. For to do anything by faith (in the Bible sense of the term) is to do it according to God's word, which is the faith that has once and for all been delivered (Jude 3; Acts 6:7). The undying influence of Abel's life--though he left the land of the living about six thousand years ago--continues to tell us and encourage us into living the righteous life by listening to God and worshiping Him in accordance to His directives. For to do so in any other way will only become vain and not pleasing to the Lord (cf. Matt. 15:1-6) and we must, therefore, all learn from the example of Abel. Meeting good people who are members of the Lord's church often make indelible impressions that become forever lodged in the soberness of our minds. Perhaps it wasn't what they said, but what they did that comes back to greet us on numerous occasions and lingers for a while there in our meditations. Having met them and gotten to know them becomes like another treasure for the coffer of our heart. Jesus said that the kindness that was shown to Him by the woman in Bethany who poured a very costly perfume upon Him would be told in memory of her wherever the gospel would be preached (Matt. 26:13). It is now almost two thousand years later, and we are still being reminded of her love for the Lord. So many Bible characters--though we only know most of them by their first names--have given to the believers a spiritual boost for their own relationship with God, for these have also served as that ``great...cloud of witnesses surrounding us....'' (Heb. 12:1) who have testified by their lives what an obedient faith in God can do for one. Yes, their influence lives on in our hearts and motivates us toward being a faithful servant of righteousness. Good memories can lead to positive feelings. Why not give yourself fully over to the service of God, get to know the Lord's people, and begin developing some memories worth the keeping--both for you and others around you. May our influence for the cause of Christ live on in the hearts of many. ___________________________________________ Bear That Cross by J. R. Snell ``If any man would come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me'' (Luke 9:23). Here Jesus emphasizes to his disciples something of the cost of following him. As his was a course up Golgotha to a cross of suffering and death, so the true follower must bear his cross daily. To each his own. Christ bore his to the atonement for sin. Every sincere follower must willingly and gladly bear his. ``Cross'' symbolizes adversity and whatever difficulty and trial following the Savior may bring. It is not the cross of Christ that is our burden, he bore that, but our own which we must bear ``daily.'' For each it may be different, but regardless of its form, bear it the sincere follower must. Jesus did indeed bear the cross of suffering and death for every man that the curse of sin might be lifted. All who would obtain the benefits of his sacrifice must follow Him. The example of obedience so clearly seen in his life we must emulate. As it was His to do the will of the Father, so it is ours to do His will for us ``nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done'' (Luke 22:42). By comparison, how light the cross of human adversity, trial and pleasure. Truly, any who would allow these things, comparatively trivial in nature, to deter him from obtaining the rewards in Christ is not worthy of them. ``For I reckon the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed to us-ward''(Rom. 8:18). Look up, take heart, draw upon the eternal fount of strength to our faith through Christ our Lord. ___________________________________________ Smoking by Johnie Edwards Often those who smoke think it is nobody's business but theirs! A new study shows that 53,000 die from second hand smoke, with lung cancer, every year in this country. If passive smoking causes me to die with lung cancer, it is some of my business. Don't you think it is? 1) Smoking Harms The Smoker: Smoking is a killer by causing heart problems and lung cancer plus who knows what else? A good Scripture to read at this point is: ``What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's'' (1 Cor. 6:19-20). I must do nothing that harms my own body. 2) Smoking Harms The Smoker's Family: I conducted a funeral for a lady a few years ago who did not smoke, but died of lung cancer. Her husband was a ``chain-smoker.'' Her doctor said that her lungs looked as if she had been the chain-smoker! I would not want to contribute to my wife's death by blowing smoke in her face till she died. Would you? Your own children are harmed when you smoke and they have to inhale it second hand. The toxins in cigarettes is a ``witch's brew'' that causes killing diseases. Could it be guilt of ``sinning against our own children'' when we smoke? (Gen. 42:22). 3) A Smoker's Influence is Hurt: Since smoking has been proven to contribute to diseases that kill, is not the smoker hurting his influence when he continues to smoke? We must be as a ``light set on a hill'' as we have influence on others (Matt. 5:14-16). Really the cigarette does the smoking, the smoker is just the sucker! "And I heard a voice from heaven, saying, 'Write, "Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on!"''Yes,' says the Spirit, 'that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow with them'" (Revelation 14:13). ________________________________________ Tri-State CHURCH OF CHRIST 1314 Montgomery Avenue, Ashland, Kentucky 41101 Sunday: 10:00 A.M. Bible class 10:50 A.M. Worship 6:30 P.M. Worship Wednesday: 7:30 P.M. Bible study evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards (606) 325-9742 e-mail: tedwards@zoomnet.net Gospel Observer web site: http://www.zoomnet.net/~tedwards/go ________________________________________