 A NEWSLETTER FOR THE MEMBERS OF THE GREENWOOD CHURCH OF CHRIST
“TRUE GRATITUDE”FROM MINUTE MESSAGES VOLUME 1Suppose you were walking across the street, and were about to be hit by an oncoming car, and someone heroically pushed you to safety, but they were killed as a result, how would you feel toward that individual? Gratitude, deep appreciation, sincere thanks -- these words even seem inadequate, don't they? Friend, Jesus Christ, the Son of God died in your place. He was without sin, but He died for the sins of the whole world. He left the glory of heaven, to walk among men for a time, that one day the saved can be in heaven -- forever. Do you love Him for that? Jesus said in John 14:15, “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” Show your love for Him! Obey Him and one day enjoy the glory of heaven! “IGNORANCE OF THE LAW”FROM MINUTE MESSAGES VOLUME 1Last July 4th, as my wife and I headed form Chattanooga, we passed throught Monteagle, TN. I had been driving the speed limit all day. A police offocer pulled me over, and quickly informed me I was “SPEEDING!” I knew I was driving 45-46. Something was wrong, there must be a mistake! The officer said, “But this is a 35 mile zone!” What “I thouht” did not matter. I was speeding. I was guilty, even if I thought I was obeying the laws of the land. I received a ticket, and paid the fine. What we “think” in religion does not make it right. It is possible to “think” we are doing God's will, and be wrong. Let us “prove all things” (I Thess. 5:21) and “do the will of the Father” (Matt. 7:21). “WHO AM I?”A SUBMITTED ARTICLEI have no respect for justice.I maim without killing. I break hearts and ruin lives. I am cunning and malicious and grather strength with age. The more I am quoted, the more I am believed. I flourish at every level of society. My victims are helpless; they cannot protect themselves against me because I have no name and no face. To track me down is impossible. The harder you try, the more elusive I become. I am nobody's friend. Once I tarnish a reputation, it is never the same. I topple governments and ruin marriages. I end ministries set up by God. I ruin careers and cause sleepless nights, heartache and indigestion. I spawn suspicion and generate grief. I make headlines, headaches and heartaches. I make innocent people cry in their pillows. Even my name hisses. Many tasks seem simple enough to one who has not tried to perform them. “I STUDY MY BIBLE - LIKE I PLOW MY FIELD”A SELECTED ARTICLEThis principle is illustrated quite vividly by a farmer who told a friend of mine, "I study my Bible, like I plow my field. Oftentimes when I am plowing or breaking new ground, my plow will get hung under a root, and if I'm going at a pretty good clip it will really jar me. But I don't get mad and beat my mule and burn my plow. No, I just backup a little, ease over the root and get on with my plowing. Next time around I'll probably hit that root again and it still shakes me up, but I don't quit farming, I just back up, ease over the root and keep on working. Pretty soon I have hit that root so many times that it's loose and the first thing you know I plow right through it atn don't even notice it. I've got it shook loose. That's the way I study the Bible. When I come upon a hard passage, it mihgt shake me up a little bit, but I don't throw away my Bible and quit the Lord on that account. I just ease over it and keep on studying. The next time I read that passage I jar it a little bit more. I keep on doing this until finally, because of information that I have gathered from other parts of the Bible I am able to jar the passage loose. Then I understand it!" REMEMBER GARNDMA?BY PAUL SAINDo you remember Grandma? She used to get up on Sunday morning, cook a big breakfast for her large family, milk the cows, churn, clean house, kill and dress the chikcens for dinner, dress the children, then drive with the family in buggy (or wagon) five miles to worship services and likely get there early. Today - when breakfast comes in a cereal box, the milk, butter, chickens, etc. come from the grocery store and the distance to the meeting place is covered in minutes in an automobile, it is almost impossible for some folks to "make it" in time for Bible Study.
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