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Faithfully Assembling With The Saints
Every Christian must
come to understand the responsibility of faithfully assembling with the saints.
Attending all the services of the church is of grave importance to the
Christian. This responsibility cannot be taken lightly.
Indifference keeps many from
faithfully assembling with the saints. Some want to give as little service to
God as they can get by with. This
divided allegiance has caused them to feel that attending worship service is
optional instead of mandatory. Our prayer is that all will become conscious of
their obligations in serving Christ. Many need to repent, pray to God for
forgiveness and also dedicate themselves to faithfulness in attending the
worship service and in all other service to God.
Nothing can exceed the joy and
happiness to be shared in fellowship with the saints in the service of the
church. Let us not forsake the assembling of ourselves with our brethren whenever
they meet.
Those who truly desire heaven
as an eternal home share a great concern relative to regular attendance at all
services of the church. It would be difficult to imagine Christians having any
other attitude than that expressed by David the long ago
concerning his worship.
"I was glad
when they said to me,
'Let us go into the house of the Lord.'" (Psalms 122:1.)
Jesus is our example (I Peter
Assemble with the saints
because of your love for God. Does one prove love for God by sleeping
through Bible study time on Sunday? Or
visiting on Sunday and not being in Bible study or worship? Or when on
vacation forsaking Bible study or worship time? Those who willfully forsake
the assembly are saying to God, "God I really do not love you."
"I do not care about you." "You are not first in my life."
Assemble with the saints
because God desires and commands your attendance. God, Christ and the
Holy Spirit desire and command our faithful attendance at the assembly of the
saints. "Let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good
works, 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.
For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth,
there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation
of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. Anyone
who has rejected Moses' law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three
witnesses. Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought
worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the
covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of
grace? For we know Him who said, 'Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says
the Lord. And again, "The Lord will judge His people.' It is a fearful
thing to fall into the hands of the living God." (Hebrews 10:24-31) Those
who willfully and deliberately forsake the assembling are insulting God!
Assemble with the saints
because of your desire to put the kingdom first. "But seek first
the
Assemble with the saints
because all faithful brethren desire your presence. Willfully failing
to assemble with the saints is a discouragement to elders, preachers, teachers
and all faithful brethren. "And let us consider one another in order to
stir up love and good works." (Hebrews 10:24) Elders must watch for our
souls and give account to God. (Hebrews 13:17) Their work is made more
difficult by those who sin willfully by forsaking the assembly.
Assemble with the saints
because of your desire to have a good influence on others. "You
are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be
seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot
by men." (Matthew 5:13) Parents speak volumes to their children when they
deliberately forsake the assembly. Husbands
or wives speak volumes to their mates when they deliberately forsake the
assembly. Those who faithfully attend
all the assemblies of the saints are using their influence for God. Those who deliberately forsake the assemblies
are an influence for Satan.
Assemble with the saints
because of your desire to build up the church instead of weaken it. The
faithful love what Christ loves’. He
loves the church and wants it to be strong. "Therefore, just as the church
is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything.
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave
Himself for her." (Ephesians 5:24-25) Many members do not love the church
enough to be faithful. They will not even faithfully attend the services of
the church. Their indifference and neglect of the services of the church
weaken the church. Think how this must
disappoint Jesus.
Assemble with the saints
because of your desire to become a stronger Christian. "But grow
in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen." (II Peter
3:18) Can you imagine a person who truly
wants to grow spiritually not attending all the services of the church? Those
who willfully forsake the assembly are without hope in eternity. (Hebrews
10:24-31)
Assemble with the saints
because of your desire to go to heaven. Those who don't pray, don't
work and don't attend are committing spiritual suicide. The crown of life
awaits those who surrender their all to the Master. "...Be faithful until
death, and I will give you the crown of life." (Revelation 2:10) A
dedication that will not get you to all the services of the church is certainly
not a dedication that will get you to heaven.
Nothing less than a living
sacrifice will do. "I beseech you
therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living
sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do
not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your
mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of
God." (Romans 12:1-2) Strive to develop a faithfulness that will get you
to all the services of the church. Those who do this will be taking one major
step toward Heaven!
- - - - Charles Box
“Don’t you want to go to that land?”
News
& Notes
1. Prayer List: Stabler Hospital: Pat Newton. In
Need Of Prayers:
Jimmy Allen, Max Patrick Autrey (son of Pat & Allison Autrey),
Louise Brown, Emily Cain, Neomia Collins (eye
surgery), Billy Wayne Conway, Tom Conway, Bobby Fullington,
Roy Goodwin, Judy Green, Evan Hartsell, Christopher
Hart, Dianne Hoffman, Linda Holley, Mary Lawrence, Abby Lee, Jo Ann Moorer, Curtis Newton, Mary Powell, Linda Sexton, Don Shirley, Austin
Shows, Gene Skipper, Louise Walters, Gladys Warren, Richard Watts, Madison
Grace Whetstone (granddaughter Linda Adams), Donald Williams, and Mary Williams. Crowne Health Care: Mary
Alexander, James Alford, Gladys Childs, Kathy Johnson, Wallace Murry, and Myrtle Perdue. Pine Needle: Mary
Lou Phelps. Georgiana Nursing Facility: Helen Autrey,
Mae Beverly, and Doris Pierce. Shut-Ins: Emma Lee Gafford, Jean Hayes, and Doris Taylor.
2.
Requesting Our Prayers: Ann Jackson responded to
our Lord’s invitation. Please remember her in your personal, private prayers.
3.
Sympathy Expressed: Our love and sympathy is expressed to: (a)
Eleanor Stabler and her family in the death of
her brother, Raymond Davis, and (b) Cheryl Pierce and her family in the
death of her aunt, Ann Dean.
4.
A Great Job: You did a great job in providing items for
the Crowne Health Care Yard and Bake Sale. Thank you!
A big thank you to Eleanor Stabler for coordinating
this and for all the contacts she made!
5.
Please Pray For: The following
people are serving in
6 Birthdays: Celebrating birthdays this week are: May 18th Robert McCann, and May 21st Nell Daughtry, Kindal Harrell, Becky McCreary and Jeff Thomas.
7.
Thank You: I would just like to take the time to let all of you
know how much your prayers and support have meant to me in the last couple of
months. I could not have gotten through everything without my family here at Walnut
Street Church of Christ. I would also like to thank you for all the prayers for
my daughter-in-law, Shaunha McGough.
Thanks to all the prayers and God’s loving hands everything went fine. God
bless every one of you. Love, Felice
Kendrick **Her grandson, Landon Avery McGough is the son of John and Shaunha
McGough. He was born May 5th. He weighed 5
pounds 13 ounces and was 19 ½ inches long.
8. Graduation
Invitation: (a) The Senior Class
of Greenville High School (Kayla Lynn and Kristi Marie Garlock
and Rebekah Ann Stallings) announces its Commencement
Exercises Friday, May 23, 2008 at seven
o’clock in the evening Greenville High School Tiger Stadium. (b) The Senior Class of McKenzie High
School (Mitch Bozeman) announces its commencement Exercises Friday,
9. Book Donated: Elders of Walnut Street Church of Christ, A book has
been donated to the Overton Memorial Library, in your honor by Bill and Laura Bagents. The book will be specially recognized at Honor
Evening
10.
Update On Montine Hardin: I thought I would let you know that
Tommy’s sister, Montine Hardin, is doing well and is
cancer free. She has had several more tests done and there are still no signs
of cancer. She has asked us to let everyone down this way know how much she
appreciates the prayers and concern and that she gives God all the glory for
bring her through to this point. Thank you so much on behalf of Tommy and all
his family! Patricia Gafford
11. Thursday
Class Changed At Crowne: Our class that was scheduled for May 15th
at Crowne Health Care has been changed to May 29th
at
Self Control
In Second
Peter chapter one, Peter gives some great encouragement as well as some great
challenges. He writes in verse 3 that God has given us “all things that pertain
to life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us…” It is
wonderful to know that through the knowledge that God has revealed to us
through His word, we have access to the knowledge of “all things” of
importance. But with this knowledge comes responsibility. He goes on to write:
“For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue,
and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control
with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness…”
(2 Peter 1:5-6). We must be making every effort to add to our faith those things
that God desires, “for if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they
keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus
Christ” (v. 8). I would like to concentrate on
one of these traits.
Self control
is the third quality that Peter encourages Christians to add to their faith. He
expressed a profound, bold thought when he wrote that “if you practice these
qualities, you will never fail” (v. 10). He didn’t say that we would fail or
stumble sometimes…or every once in a while. He said these are the qualities
that will keep you from failing…it’s up to you! Are you adding self control to
your faith? Do you have self control over the places that you go, the things
that you say, and the things that you look at. Do you
have self control when you are with your friends, with strangers, and when you
are all alone? When you add self control to you faith, you will never fail!
Paul explained
that athletes who run races exercise self control in all things in order to
receive a perishable crown. A good athlete will practice self control in what
he eats and drinks and how he works out his body. He will be careful to get
enough sleep, and won’t engage in activities that will hinder his performance
when he’s preparing for an event. How much more should we, who are competing
for an eternal prize, practice self control to keep ourselves in shape for the
spiritual race?
- - - - Darrell Powell
“Drunkenness”
does not “drown sorrow” as some claim; it only “irrigates it.”
Don’t just own a Bible; read it!
(334-382-3001)