Know Your
Bible
VOL. 10 April
10,
2011
NO. 14
Watch Out For That
Hook
The winter has been long and cold, the
most snow we have had in years. Many people become so tired of sitting in the
house and staring at the four walls that they welcome the mention of Spring. Now
we can get out and work in flowers, cut the grass, plant a garden, and maybe go
fishing. When we go fishing, we hope to make the bait look so good to the fish
that he will not notice the line with the hook on it.
This same kind of deceit is practiced
by Satan on people just like you and me. He tempts both young and old to take
the bait. You may have heard the statement, “Boy, he fell for that hook, line,
and sinker.” Or “Man, he really took that bait”. Sometimes the younger may be
more likely not to notice the hook than someone who is older and more
experienced. Yet Satan tempts us all to sin.
Let me tell you this story. I don’t
know the author or where I got it, but it illustrates what I am trying to say.
The story goes like this. A young girl was trudging along a mountain path trying
to reach her grandmother’s house. It was bitter cold and the wind cut like a
knife. When she was within sight of her destination, she heard a rustle at her
feet. Looking down, she saw a snake. Before she could move, the snake spoke to
her. He said, “I am about to die. It is too cold for me up here and I am
freezing. There is no food in these mountains and I am starving. Please put me
under your coat and take me with you.”
“NO”, replied the girl, “I know your
kind. You are a rattlesnake. If I pick you up, you will bite me and your bite is
poisonous.”
“No, no”, said the snake, “If you help
me you will be my best friend. I will treat you differently.”
The little girl sad down on a rock for
a moment to rest and think things over. She looked at the beautiful markings on
the snake and had to admit that it was the most beautiful sake she had ever
seen.
Suddenly, she said, “I believe you. I
will save you. All living things deserve to be treated with kindness." The
little girl reached over, put the snake under her coat, and proceeded toward her
grandmother’s house.
Within a moment she felt a sharp pain
in her side. The snake had bitten her.
“How could you do this to me?”, she
said. “You promised that you would not bite me and I trusted you.”
“You knew what I was when you picked me
up”, hissed the snake as he slithered away.
We must not listen to empty promises
and childish pleading or we may wind up like the little girl who trust the
rattlesnake. Notice with me a few of these.
1. “EVERYBODY ELSE IS
DOING IT” This is take a few cases and making it seem like you’re the
only one out of step. If there is a tussle between going along with the crowd
and your conscience, you had better listen to your conscience. No one ever
becomes really valuable or and extraordinary person without being willing to
take a few steps above the crowd. (Matthew 7:13,14)
2. “YOU’RE
CHICKEN” We must remember that for someone to call us something doesn’t
make it so. You show more strength by standing up for your convictions than by
giving in to practices that could harm your health or reputation. Joseph might
have been called “CHICKEN” by Potipher’s wife when he refused to lay with her as
she tried to get him to, but we know that he showed much strength by refusing.
(Genesis 39:10-12)
3. “YOU WILL IF YOU
LOVE ME” This is one of the oldest baits in the book! Smoking,
drinking, drugs, petting, fornication, and etc. are not signs of love or
friendship. All you are doing is satisfying the passions of an uncontrolled
person or given in to the childish thrills of the gang. If they really
love “YOU” or want to be a true friend, they would not ask you to do
anything that would harm your health or lower your moral principles. (Sampson -
Judges 16:15)
4. “IT’S ONLY
HARMLESS FUN” This line is to lure you into a sense of innocence and
false security. You may start out to a “little party” at a friend’s house and
wind up at something entire unexpected. Many a traffic fatality started out as
“ONE LITTLE DRINK”. Many a ruined life started out with a little petting or an
innocent kiss. Abstain from all appearance of evil. (1 Thessalonians 5:22)
5. “I CAN’T SAY
NO!” This perhaps was make popular in the musical “OKLAHOMA”. But I
suggest that any girl or boy, for that matter, who doesn’t have a sturdy “NO” in
their vocabulary today will be headed for trouble. Under the influence of a well
baited line they may find themselves treading in dangerous waters before they
know it. It is a smart fish who knows there’s a hook under the bait and doesn’t
bite. Eve was one who took the bait that the serpent offered her and look at the
result. (Genesis 3:1-6)
6. “YOU WON’T GET
HURT!” Oh, no? Just look at a few statistics. The correlation between
smoking and caner is not even debatable anymore and yet people say it won’t hurt
you. The suffering and grief caused by even SOCIAL DRINKING is measured in terms
of highway deaths, unwed mothers, unstable homes, and sudden acts of violence.
People who practice such things not only hurt themselves but their loved ones
and even the community where they live. (Eli was rejected because of his sons -
1 Samuel 3:11-13)
7. “WE’LL SHOW
THEM!” Wait! When you behave rebelliously merely to get back at your
parents or a boyfriend or girlfriend, you really end up hurting yourself far
more than you hurt them. Revenge is not a good motive for doing anything. The
consequences will still fall on your head. (Romans 12:19)
8. “YOU THINK YOU ARE
TOO GOOD FOR ME (US)?” Other ways of saying this would be: “Who do you
think you are?” or “I’m not good enough for you, huh?” or “Come off your high
horse.” When you refuse to lower your standard of conduct, you place the other
person in a position of feeling guilty and jealous of your high ideals. He may
feel frustrated at not getting his way. So, he will try to strike back. Be
mature enough to withstand a little name calling. (Remember Samson and Delilah
and Joseph and Potipher’s wife.)
I hope that none of these shopworn
baits ever hook you. Don’t be a victim of false thinking and wrong logic. Be on
guard when anyone, young or old, tries these baited lines to hook you into doing
what he wants you to do. It’s a smart girl or boy who knows there is a hook
under the bait. Remember the girl and the rattlesnake!
---Bobby
Robinson
Page 1
Is God Using Miracles Today?
Recently we’ve heard some brethren
suggesting that God may, in fact, still be using miracles to accomplish His
will. “At least,” they say, “it can’t be ruled out.” We
disagree.
In any discussion of miracles it is
important that a true definition be in place. W. E. Vine says miracles are
“works of a supernatural origin and character, such as could not be produced by
natural agents and means.” In other words, a miracle occurred in Bible times
when the laws of nature were suspended and something beyond the scope of the
natural realm took place. Biblical examples of miracles would include the
virgin birth of Jesus, Jesus walking on the water, the dead (even those dead for
several days) being raised, etc. These things simply could not happen in the
natural course of things - they constitute true miracles.
Be careful not to apply the term ‘miracle’
to things that are wonderful and amazing – but still within the realm of nature.
The birth of a baby, for example, is an amazing thing but it is not a miracle.
Science fully understands, and complete explanations can be offered, for how a
baby is conceived and born. It is all in accordance with the laws of nature, and
no miracle is involved. The virgin birth of Jesus, on the other hand, was a
miracle. See the difference?
Also, remember that miracles were intended
as a "sign" (a term used synonymously with the word "miracle"). These "signs"
served to reveal and confirm God's truth. For example, Jesus' miracles proved
that He was the divine Son of God, and when other inspired men spoke and wrote,
the miracles their miracles confirmed that the message they proclaimed was truly
from God. If, as some folks are suggesting, God may still be working miracles,
but 'we can't know for sure,' our question to them would be 'why?' What
purpose would be served if the miracles provide no verifiable sign?
Now, the question remains: Does God use
miracles today? The answer is NO! We know this because:
1) Miracles
served the specific purpose of revealing and confirming God’s Word (Mark
16:17,20). That work is now completed, and miracles are no longer needed.
2)
The means by which miracles were passed on (baptism of the Holy Ghost, or the
laying on of the apostles’ hands) are no longer available.
3) The scripture
specifically says miracles would end when God’s complete revelation was made
known to man (1 Cor. 13:8-13)
Miracles served an important role in God’s
eternal plan, but that role is now finished. There are no miracles
today.
---Greg
Gwin
Page 2
Know Your
Bible" is e-mailed weekly by the church of Christ which
meets at 112 Roberts Avenue in Wise, Virginia. If you know of others who might
benefit from the articles contained in this bulletin, we would be glad to have
you submit their e-mail addresses and we will include them in next week's
mailing. If you are receiving this bulletin and do not wish to continue to do
so, please e-mail us with your desire to be removed from the mailing list and we
will remove your address promptly. Continue to the bottom of this page and
further instructions will be given as to how you may contact us.
SCHEDULE OF
SERVICES
Sunday
Bible Classes ……….....….…............ 10:00
AM
Morning Worship ……..…….….…...... 11:00
AM
Evening Worship …………...……........ 6:00
PM
Wednesday
Bible Classes …………..………........... 7:30
PM
"THOUGHT FOR THE
DAY"
Radio
Program
Monday -
Friday
WDXC 102.3 FM .....................…........ 10:20
AM
"WHAT THE BIBLE
SAYS..."
Television Program
Sunday
Comcast Cable - Heritage TV -
Digital Channel 266 ............ 6:00 AM & 2:00
PM
Wednesday
Comcast Cable - Heritage TV -
Digital Channel 266 ............ 2:00
PM
INSTRUCTIONS REGARDING THIS E-MAIL
BULLETIN:
UNSUBSCRIBE: Reply
to wisechurch@comcast.net
and put UNSUBSCRIBE in the subject line.
SUBSCRIBE FRIENDS:
Reply to wisechurch@comcast.net
and put SUBSCRIBE in the subject line. Place the list of names and e-mail
addresses to be subscribed in the body of the
e-mail.