____________________________________________________ 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). ____________________________________________________ May 1, 1994 ____________________________________________________ A Private Matter by Robert F. Turner Recently while looking for some comments by David Lipscomb on another subject, I read what he had to say about women preachers. (Queries and Answers, edited by J. W. Shepherd). He cited the usual passages on the subject, then said: ``There is not the least difficulty in explaining all the passages in harmony with these, if we will recognize what is true--that God intended the great burden of prayer, teaching, exhorting, and admonition to be done in private, not in public (Emph. mine, rt). Woman has free access to this great field. We have perverted this order; we do all our preaching, teaching, exhortation, and I fear, praying often in public; so interpret the Scriptures by our practices, and not by the will of God'' (4th Edition, publ. 1918). I will excuse my dearth of private teaching on the obvious basis--I am a preacher. And how will you excuse your failure? Let me guess. You are NOT a preacher, so you don't know how to do it. We agree it needs to be done--we will talk about it a while--and then go on in our old ways. But bro. Lipscomb hit very close to the vitals of many problems. The work of the Lord has somehow become one and the same with some sort of public function--a ``service'' of some sort--and the seven-days-per-week concern for our souls (ours and others) is missing. Even ``Personal Work Programs'' are often so organized, so wedded to ``the establishment'' that the PERSONAL touch is smothered. Telling another what YOU know, what YOU did in coming to Christ--even if it is a stumbling account--is far more likely to generate fire than some calculated, methodical ``plan'' that lacks ``people'' affinity and feeling. I believe there is a valid and useful place for public preaching (I preached 314 sermons in 1971--averaging more than one a day, six days a week, straight through). There is evidence of much good done. 74 articles were written during that time, and given to the public. These too, have produced fruit, as indicated in your letters. Church doors should remain open, and saints must continue to assemble to worship God, study and pray. But that which is missing is the GOING FORTH--LEAVING the meetingplace with a renewed determination to carry the gospel to our contacts. And without this sort of GOING OUT, I am afraid that the COMING IN soon becomes meaningless. If the ``great burden'' of God's work must be done in private, we had better ``get with it.'' -- via Plain Talk ___________________________________________ HIM THAT THINKETH HE STANDETH By Rick Harlow Have you ever met anyone who was just so smug and self-confident that it almost made you sick?? I'm sure that we all have met such individuals during the course of our lifetime. I guess that it's okay to be confident in one's abilities. However, the Bible teaches us that when we become too comfortable and smug in spiritual matters that we need to take heed and examine ourselves. When we become too smug and self-confident something always seems to happen to cause us to fall. I would like to suggest to you that when we become overly confident in ourselves spiritually that we need to take heed. We need to take heed: (1) LEST WE FALL: We always seem to fall when we least expect it. Those individuals who have become overly confident in themselves always seem to fall sooner or later. The Bible teaches us a lesson or two when it comes to this subject. ``Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall'' (1 Corinthians 10:12). Peter paints a not so pretty picture of individuals who have fallen away from the Lord for whatever reason. ``For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again: and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire'' (2 Peter 2:20-22). (2) TO REMAIN HUMBLE: Individuals who have the attitude that we have thus far discussed tend to forget that they too can make blunders and mistakes which could lead to their downfall. The Scriptures teach us that we are to remain humble and not become too ``cocky'' in our attitude. Those who are self-righteous need to remember the parable of the Pharisee and the publican in Luke 18:9-14. This scripture teaches us that individuals who exalt themselves will soon be ``cut down to size.'' James had something to say on the subject also. ``Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up'' (James 4:10). (3) TO COUNT OUR BLESSINGS: There is a song that we sometimes sing entitled, ``Count Your Many Blessings'' which shows what the Christian's attitude ought to be. However, many individuals are so busy complaining and seeking after more and more that they rarely take the time to consider how blessed they really are. The problem with individuals who are overly confident is that they are so impressed with themselves that they rarely praise and thank God for His kindness toward them. Paul writes, ``Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ'' (Ephesians 1:3). I especially like the attitude of the Psalmist as he penned the 103rd Psalm. ``Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits'' (Psalms 103:1-2). Do you occasionally take the time just to sit down and count your many blessings? (4) TO DO MORE FOR THE LORD: One of the problems with becoming overly confident and self-righteous is that we many times become content and happy with the amount of Kingdom work that we are engaged in. Maybe I'm wrong, but I do not see how a Christian could ever justify becoming comfortable with the level of service which he or she is rendering unto the Lord! 1st century Christians were not content in spreading the gospel just to their own hometown. They aspired to proclaim the gospel unto the uttermost parts of the earth. These heroes of the faith were always pressing forward. ``Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before. I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus'' (Philippians 3:13-14). Are you pressing forward or have you become ``at ease in Zion?'' (5) TO HELP OTHERS STAND: Many individuals who have become self-righteous tend to enjoy playing ``king of the hill.'' They sort of enjoy looking down upon the rest of humanity. Christians ought to make an attempt to help others to stand along with themselves. Instead of striking out to tear down others we should reach out to lift others up. ``Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another's burden, and so fulfill the law of Christ'' (Galatians 6:1-2). We all need to take heed not to fall victim to the ploys of the devil. An attitude of smugness and overconfidence is one of the devil's weapons of choice. THINK ABOUT IT!! ________________________________________ 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 ________________________________________