Volume 48 # 22, -- May 30, 2008
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Before You Go, Remember…
Commencement is the ending of one thing and the beginning of
something new. As the graduating class of 2008 closes the “school days” phase
of their young lives, they almost immediately crack open the pages of a new
chapter. As you move in that direction, I challenge you to remember…
“Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth, Before the difficult days come, And the years draw near you
say, I have no pleasure in them (Ecclesiastes 12:1). Though you’re growing up,
there is still time for you to be great servants in God’s kingdom while you’re
young. Truly nothing does more to insure success in life than to “seek first
the kingdom of God and His Righteousness” (Matthew
Remember to forget. Paul so rightly noted the importance of
“forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things
which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of
God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:13-14). Chances are,
each of you has made a choice or two that you regret. But do not allow the
devil to convince you that your mistakes render you incapable of serving God
faithfully in the future. Instead, press on toward the most important goal of
heaven.
Remember your family and friends who have had a part in giving you
the opportunities you now have to excel to even greater height. The wise person
does not claim full credit for his/her accomplishments, but recognizes the
support that enabled their success. Paul reminded young Timothy that his great
faith dwelt first in his mother and grandmother…possibly to remind him that
he’d had help to become the man of God that he was.
Remember,
“whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving
thanks to God the Father through Him” (Colossians 3:17). There may be many
purposes for which you intend to accomplish things in your lives. But remember Paul’s words here, and know that
the Lord expects everything you do to be done in His name and for His
glory. The world will overwhelmingly try
to convince you that you should live so as to please yourself and others who
will give you something in return. But when you work as if you are working for
the Lord, you can be sure that your reward will be greater than all that men
could give you.
“The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face shine
upon you, And be gracious to you; The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace” (Numbers 6:24-26).
- - - - Darrell Powell
News & Notes
1. Prayer
List: Stabler Hospital:
2. Please Pray For: Pray for Paul Findley and Ben
Newton as they serve in
3. Pray For Jason Hilburn & Family:
Jason Hilburn is a sound gospel preacher. Pray for
this young man and his family that they will not become discouraged. If a good
church, with good Elder is looking for a sound preacher, Jason might be your man.
(cell # 334-429-8415)
4. Prayer Requested: Please continue to pray for the four churches that
Walnut Street Church of Christ has helped to establish in Guyana; Plaisance Church of Christ, Industry Church of Christ, Wowetta Church of Christ, and Bina
Hill Church of Christ.
5.
6. Graduation Party: Our graduates, Kayla & Kristi Garlock,
Rebekah Stallings, and Mitch Bozeman will be honored
after services on Sunday night, June 1st in the multipurpose room.
Please bring FINGER FOODS.
7. Birthday: Celebrating birthdays this week are: June
2nd Jean Harrell, June 4th Jordyn Bagents and Linda Bender, June
5th Ryan Bagents and Todd Newton,
and June
6th Billy Heartsill.
8. Visit James Alford: James is in Crowne Health Care
and he asks any brethren that will to stop by and visit him.
9.
Bridal Shower: There will be a bridal shower for
William Phillips and Shana Burnside on June 29th after
the evening service in the multipurpose room.
10. Web-Site:
Check out our website: http:\\ww
w.walnutstreetchurchofchrist.org. New material is added each week
and you can also access many teaching articles and past issues of The Reporter.
11. Put These Dates On Your Calendar: (a) June 1st–4th – Gospel Meeting – Sasser Church of Christ – Speaker Garland Elkins – Time
Bible Study 10 a.m., Worship 11 a.m., Singing 1:30 p.m. and Worship 2 p.m. and
weeknights 7:30, (b) June 8th–11th
– Gospel Meeting – Ramer Church of Christ – Time Bible Study 10 a.m., Worship
11 a.m., Singing 2:30 p.m. and Worship 4 p.m. and weeknights 7:30 – see
bulletin board for speakers, (c)
June 8th–12th – Gospel Meeting – Rock Hill Church of
Christ – Speaker Jimmy Mathews – Time Bible Study 9:45 a.m., Worship 11 a.m.,
Singing 2:30 p.m., Worship 4 p.m., and weeknights 7:30 p.m., (d) June 8th–12th
– Gospel Meeting – Wald Church of Christ – Billy
Lambert – Bible Class 10 a.m., Worship 11 a.m. and each evening 7:30 (e) June 15th–18th
– Gospel Meeting – Gateway Church of Christ – Byron Benson – Time Bible Study
9:30 a.m., Worship 10:30 a.m. and each evening 7:30 p.m., (f) June 22nd–26th
– Vacation Bible School – Walnut Street Church of Christ – Time 6:30-8:30 p.m.,
(g) July 6th-11th – Backwoods Christian Camp –
Please participate! (h)
September 14th – Ladies Day –
12.
You Can Be Happy If...
Congratulations
to our 2008 graduates. They are Mitch Bozeman, Kayla Garlock,
Kristi Garlock, and Rebekah
Stallings. God wants you to be happy and you will be happy if you trust and
obey His will. The Bible is God's instruction book
on how to be happy.
You
can be happy if you will allow God to correct and mold your life. As
you allow God to mold your life you will be quick to recognize the harm done by
alcohol, other drugs, fornication, gambling and all dishonesty. Keep yourself
pure and allow God to correct your life. "Behold, happy is the man whom
God corrects..." (Job
You
can be happy if you build a strong Christian family. Your family view
should be to marry a Christian and raise faithful, godly children. Children are
like arrows in the hand of a mighty man. If we train our children in the
nurture and admonition of the Lord we will be truly happy as we see them going
to heaven and changing their world as they go. "Happy is the man who has
his quiver full of them..." (Psalm 127:5)
You
can be happy if you will work and not be lazy and sorry. We will not be
truly happy until we are productive in life. God said that if a person would
not work, neither should he eat! The lazy and indifferent will never be happy.
"Blessed is every one who fears the Lord, Who walks in His ways. When you
eat the labor of your hands, You shall be happy, and
it shall be well with you." (Psalm 128:1-2)
You
can be happy if you depend upon God for strength. Life is not always
easy. At times it will seem that life has tumbled in on you. We need God as our
help and strength. "Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help, Whose hope is in the Lord his God." (Psalm 146:5)
True
happiness depends on our relationship with God. "Whoever trusts in the
Lord, happy is he." (Proverbs 16:20) As we walk with God, trusting Him
completely, showing mercy to our fellowman and extending love to others we
obtain true happiness! (Mark
- - - - Charles Box
Wherever you go, go with God and go with all
your heart.
Don’t just own a Bible; read it!
(334-382-3001)