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Christianity
And Trials
James 1:2-8 looks at the
Christian's attitude toward trials. "My brethren, count it all joy when
you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces
patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and
complete, lacking nothing. If any of you
lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without
reproach, and it will be given to him.
But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a
wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.
For let not that man suppose that he will
receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his
ways."
Observe:
"Count it all joy."
The joy of trials comes when one stays faithful through trials. It brings joy
when one comes through a trial with His eyes still focused on Jesus. "But
we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of
death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste
death for everyone." (Hebrews. 2:9)
"Let patience have its
perfect work." Patience is the quality of perseverance
or steadfastness. (Romans 5:3-5)
Patience has to do with our loyalty or commitment to God. Patience leads to Christian maturity.
"Let him ask of God –
Wisdom.” Christians go to God to gain the wisdom necessary to deal
with trials. "No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to
man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you
are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you
may be able to bear it. (1 Corinthians 10:13)
"Let him ask in faith."
Without faith Christians cannot please God. (Hebrews 11:6) Do not allow trials
to cause you to doubt God or His care and love for you. Always believe that God
knows what is best for you, wants what is best for you and is active to bring
about what is best.
The person who doesn't have
faith in God through trials is "unstable" and vacillating because of
being "double-minded". With a strong faith, always anchored in God,
Christians can say with Paul, "My God shall supply all your need according
to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:19) Trials will
come but God is there caring, loving, helping and blessing through good times
and bad.
-
- - - Charles
Box
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“Be Ye Doers Of The Word”
The gospel is "the power
of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for
the Greek." (Romans 1:16) Salvation is available to all who learn, believe
and obey God's will. Before salvation
can ever become a reality one must be willing to learn what God says and to do
it. "If anyone wills to do His
will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether
I speak on My own authority." (John 7:17) Only
those who want to know what God says and are willing to do His will can please
Him.
Purpose of God's Word:
"Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might
be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures." (James 1:18) The purpose of
God's word is to bring about the salvation of our souls. It was by "God's will" that
salvation was made possible. "Having been born again,
not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives
and abides forever." (1 Peter 1:23) By following God's will
Christians are "a kind of firstfruits of His creatures."
Power of God's Word:
"So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to
speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness
of God. Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and
receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your
souls." (James 1:19-21) Let all know that conversion is brought about by
the power of God's word. In dealing with God's word let us be "swift to
hear" because it is God's word. Until God's word is properly understood be
"slow to speak" concerning it and always be "slow to
wrath" in religious matters. Any sinful thing must be removed from human
hearts so there can be a reception of the word of God "which is able to
save your souls.
Practice of God's Word:
"But be doers of the word, and not hearers only,
deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is
a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural
face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets
what kind of man he was. But he who
looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a
forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he
does. If anyone among you thinks he is
religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this
one's religion is useless. Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father
is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself
unspotted from the world." (James 1:22-27)
The key expression is,
"But be doers of the word, and not hears only". One is a
"foolish man" who hears God's word and fails to practice it. (Matthew
7:24-27) Nothing is accomplished if one only reads the word but does nothing
about what is read. One must "continue" to hear and do the
"perfect law of
It is not enough just to hear
the truth. One must also practice what he has learned. "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but who
does the will of My Father in heaven." (Matthew 7:21) Are you a doer or a
hearer only? Have you heard the gospel
(Romans
-
- - - Charles Box
News & Notes
1. Prayer List: In
Need Of Prayers: Becky Bell,
Emily Cain, Wayne & Viola Corley, Bobby Fullington, Danny Gandy,
Roy Goodwin, Mary Goodwin (sister of Charles Box) Christopher Hart, Richard Hodgkinson,
Dianne Hoffman, Donna Hoffman, Linda Johnson, Mary Lawrence, Abigail Matthews, Robert McCann,
Jo Ann Moorer, Margaret Munro (fell and had some stiches on elbow), James Nelson, Curtis Newton, Pat Newton, Candy Parker, Mary
Powell, Austin Shows, Sarah Stidham, Mary Ann Thompson, Leroy Waller
(after some surgery), Richard Watts, 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, and Doris
Pierce. Shut-Ins: Emma Lee Gafford, Jean Hayes, and Doris Taylor.
2.
Please Pray For: Pray for Paul
Findley, Ben Newton and Jason Godwin as they serve in
3.
Pray For Permission To Build: Pray that we can obtain permission to build a
building in Annai,
4.
Birthday:
Celebrating
birthdays this week are: July 13th Mack Thomas
Acree and Gwen Henderson, July 14th Willie Herring,
July
16th Charles Box, July 17th Mary Riley, and
July
18th Baker Bozeman.
5.
Youth Minister: An offer was given to Steven Crigler for the
preposition as Youth Minister. Steven refused the preposition for personal
reasons. Our search for a new youth minister will continue. Pray seriously as
the search continues.
6. Backwoods Christian Camp: The group that attended camp this week returned
Friday evening after an enjoyable week at Backwoods Christian Camp.
7.
Wiregrass Christian Camp: In recent weeks Lacey
Barr and Jamey Thomas received the highest achievement, the Bible Award, at
Wiregrass Christian Camp. We are proud of our young people, not only when they
go to camp, but when they accomplish such an honor as this.
8. Diaper
and Wipe Shower For Missy Alford: There is a box in the foyer to put diapers and wipes
in for her baby, Branson Ford.
9. Address
Updates: (a) Leroy Waller phone
number is 301-3128. (b) Steve and
Donna Hoffman’s new address is
9.
Web-Site: Check out our
website: http:\\www.walnutstreetchurchofchrist.org.
New material is added
each week and you can also access many teaching articles and past issues of The
Reporter.
10.
Put These Dates On Your Calendar:
(a) July 13th –
Homecoming – North Lowndes Church of Christ – Speaker John Dickinson – Time
Bible Study 9 a.m., Worship 10 a.m., and Worship 6 p.m. (b) July 20th – 24th – Gospel Meeting – Cedar
Grove Church of Christ – Speaker Ken Tyler – Time: Sunday – Bible Class 9:30
a.m., Worship 10:30 a.m., Singing 1:00 p.m. and Worship 1:30 p.m. and Weekdays
Devotions 7 a.m. and Worship 7 p.m. (c) July
27th – August 1st – Gospel Meeting – Grady Church of
Christ – Speaker Dr. G. Scott Gleaves – Time Bible Class 9 a.m., Worship 10
a.m., Singing 2:30 p.m. and Worship each night 7:30 p.m. (d) September 13th – Ladies Day – Walnut Street Church
of Christ – Speaker Sheila Butt – Theme Seeking Spiritual Beauty. (e) October 6th-9th
– Gospel Meeting – Walnut Street Church of Christ – Speaker Ron Bryant – Sunday
Don’t Overlook God’s Severity
There is no question whether God loves mankind. “God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom 5:8). What greater proof could there be than this gift that He gave for us all? However, there is another side of God: “But the Lord is the true God; He is the living God, and an everlasting King. At His wrath the earth will tremble and the nations will not be able to endure His indignation.” (Jer 10:10) It is truly a foolish thing to ignore God’s terrible wrath. Let’s look at some things that God has told us makes Him angry.
It makes God angry when we do things He has told us not to do. God had said that the ark of the covenant was a holy thing, and if anyone touched it they would die. But, on one occasion, when the ark was being transported, the oxen pulling the cart stumbled, and Uzzah reached down and laid his hands upon it to steady it. He seemed to have had good intentions…not wanting the holy ark to fall to the ground. But look at how God responded to his action. “Then the anger of the LORD was aroused against Uzzah, and God struck him there for his error; and he died there by the ark of God” (II Sam 6:7). God demands obedience to His will under all circumstances.
God’s anger is also stirred when we allow
other “masters” to rule over us. He said, “For the Lord your God is a consuming
fire, a jealous God” (Deut
Lastly, God is angry when his children will
not stop sinning. As Christians we are to set our minds on things above (
- - - - Darrell Powell
It is always
good to be good, and it is always wrong to be wrong.
Don’t just own a Bible; read it!
(334-382-3001)