____________________________________________________ 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). ____________________________________________________ November 8, 1998 ____________________________________________________ It is Hard to Start Back by Dennis Tucker For three years I was a member of the Kiwanis Club. It is a good organization devoted to community projects. Once a week, we would meet and have lunch. At this time, a guest would speak to us on a particular topic. We had policemen come and speak about law enforcement. Oil drillers would explain to us the art of drilling for oil. It was usually interesting. Fellow club members were nice, and I generally enjoyed their company. In fact, I did more than just attend. I was an active member--elected to club secretary. Last year I was chairman of the fireworks committee and head of the art contest for the chili supper. You get the idea. Then something happened. I had to travel and miss some meetings. At first, I missed the company of fellow members and the speakers. After six months of missing, I decided to try to attend the next meeting. The only problem was that something seemed to keep coming up. I must admit not all of the problems have been major--just big enough to keep me from going. For years I have seen faithful Christians drift away from God. Most of the time it starts with occasionally missing worship services. Then they miss more and more assemblies and just quit. Often they do not know what happened and intend on starting back. Let me relate my experience with the Kiwanis Club to this problem. First, to those who faithfully attend services, I urge you to remain that way. Do not give in to the temptation to go to a ball game or just stay at home and rest. Once that pattern starts, it is hard to stop. Do not risk your soul by intentionally missing a service. ``Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the day approaching'' (Hebrews 10:25). Second, it is hard to start back once you have quit. I did not say impossible, but hard. People get used to sleeping late Sunday morning or doing some extra work on Sunday or Wednesday night. You will have to make the effort to change your pattern. Returning back to services will not just happen. Repentance is one word that comes to mind. Not just sorry for missing services and not being as faithful as you should be, but a change in action is necessary. Make a point of setting that alarm clock for Sunday morning. Look at your watch Sunday evening and quit your yard work in time to get ready for services. Leave those dirty clothes alone Wednesday evening and study that Bible lesson. Be dedicated to God. Finally, the longer a person stays away, the less they will miss the services. They will get used to not singing songs of praise to God, observing the Lord's Supper, listening to the gospel being preached, praying to God and just being in fellowship with their brothers and sisters in Christ. This lesson should not be lost on the faithful. If a brother or sister is absent, we should make sure everything is all right. If they are having trouble, help them. Encourage, and if need be, rebuke them. Do not delay. IT IS HARD TO START ONCE YOU HAVE STOPPED! -- Via The Old Path II, October 4, 1998 ___________________________________________ SENTENCE SERMONS * In giving others a piece of your mind, you may rob yourself of your peace of mind. * Evil men try to justify their sins, but good men repent and turn from their sins. * There is no right way to do a wrong thing. -- Selected ___________________________________________ Wages of Sin by Tracy Schell For all those people who think that sexual immorality and other sins do not matter, you are sadly mistaken. All sin has consequences, if not in this world, then surely in the next! People who think adultery is a ``victimless crime'' live in a self-deluded fantasyland. Adultery rips families apart, leaving children without a full time mother or father. It is the ultimate act of betrayal. If a man can betray and hurt those he claims to love, what guarantee do others have that he will not betray them? This is especially applicable to those who exhibit a pattern of adulterous behavior. Would you want to hire a man with a history of stealing to guard your money? Would you hire a pedophile to baby-sit your children? Most people would not, and do you know why? Because if the pattern of behavior continued, the very real consequences of that behavior would fall on them! Perhaps the reason so many say they don't care if President Clinton is guilty as charged is because they will not directly bear the consequences of his actions. Would they be so quick to overlook things if it were their father, or husband, who was being charged with, or was actually guilty of, such lewd behavior? I think not! I once knew a woman who discovered that her husband of many years was having an affair. She suffered a nervous breakdown and spent time in the hospital. She felt the very real consequences of his adultery! How many times have you heard on the news where someone was dumped by their spouse; and something snapped in them, and they go and kill the guilty party and then themselves? So much for it being a ``victimless'' crime! This kind of thing is happening more and more and it's a direct result of sexual immorality. The Bible is clear that there is a penalty to pay for one's sins: ``For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord'' (Romans 6:23). Your reward or punishment will be determined by how you live in this life: ``Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not'' (Galatians 6:7-9). A man who sows a life of sexual promiscuity runs the risk of contracting a wide variety of sexually transmitted diseases. Some of these, like AIDS, are fatal. The more you play, the more risk you run that you will have to pay! Man may delude himself into accepting error but, as the scripture plainly says, God is not mocked! This is why man is better off listening to what God says: ``There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death'' (Proverbs 14:12). If we follow God's laws we can avoid all the pitfalls of sin. God's laws are designed for the betterment of man. We must put our faith in him, and not in the carnal pleasures of this world which are temporary and transitory at best. ``Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also'' (Matthew 6:19-21). ___________________________________________ The Difficult Part by Bill Hall Many, before entering the Lord's service, no doubt feel that once they have been baptized, become accustomed to attending worship periods regularly, and overcome some of their old habits, they will pretty well ``have it made'' in serving the Lord. Doing these outward services, however, is the easy side of obeying Christ. The difficult side involves that which is within; it involves keeping the heart right. It is easy to attend the worship periods, but it is difficult to worship, to rid the mind completely of worldly things, and to concentrate fully on the Lord. It is easy to sing, but it is difficult to meditate on the words, making the sentiment of the song one's own sentiment. It is easy to bow the head, but it is difficult to pray. It is easy to eat bread and drink fruit of the vine, but it is difficult to concentrate fully as one should on the suffering of Christ. Sitting through a worship period is not in itself worship, for true worship must proceed from the heart (Ephesians 5:19; John 4:24). In moral realms, the difficult thing to do is to keep the heart pure. It is relatively easy to refrain from killing, stealing, or committing adultery. After all, one is hindered in such matters by the laws of the land, social pressures, forbidding circumstances, fear of being caught, etc. It is difficult, however, to completely rid the mind of jealousy, selfishness, discontent, lust, hatred, bitterness, a spirit of revenge, etc. Anyone who has ever been jealous of another knows the difficulty involved in cleansing the heart of this terrible sin. So it is with all the sins of the heart. It is easy to develop a friendly way and gracious manner with others, but it is difficult to develop genuine love and concern for others within the heart. It is easy to give something to some charity drive, but it is difficult to develop real compassion for the poor. It is easy to say, ``Forgive me, Lord,'' but it is difficult to repent. The wise man said, ``Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life'' (Proverbs 4:23). This is an essential part of serving the Lord...and the difficult part! -- Via Search For Truth ___________________________________________ NEWS & NOTES The Meeting in Alabama The Gospel Meeting in Athens, Alabama, went well. It was a good week. I was able to preach eight sermons while there, with an attendance of about 150 to 200 people per service; plus, taught a short lesson to about 150 7th through 12th graders at the Athens Bible School, thanks to Steve Klein who has been doing volunteer teaching there for some time. Oakland had a well-attended song-service on Sunday afternoon with about 30 different song leaders who each led one song. There are many talented singers there. On the first Thursday of the month, Steve and I enjoyed the preachers' class in Huntsville, which is a regular event. There were about 15 of us there, and Bill Hall did an excellent job in presenting a lesson on the special role of the apostles--and one which I have already preached here at Tri-state from the notes I made from his informative and edifying class. I also appreciate all the religious books that Eugene Persell gave me--and even some extra copies that I can give to others. He and his wife Janice were very hospitable in letting me stay again in their home while there. (He is one of the elders for the group.) The brethren there were very encouraging toward me and showed much hospitality in having me in their homes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It was a real treat! Other News In my absence at Tri-state, Rick Fleeman preached four lessons for the brethren (Sunday and Wednesday); and they truly appreciated his doing so. For a free Bible correspondence course, write or call. Bible film slides, personal home-studies with a couple of us at church, and transportation to our services (provided by one of the members) are available for those who live in our area. If you are visiting with us today, we are glad for your presence. Please come again. It's good to be back! ___________________________________________ "I was glad when they said to me, 'Let us go to the house of the Lord'" (Psa. 122:1). ________________________________________ 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 ________________________________________