Know Your Bible

VOL. 12 September 29, 2013 NO. 31

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GOSPEL MEETING ONE WEEK AWAY!

We have ten gospel preachers who are preparing themselves to come and be with us during the dates of October 6th through the 13th. Yes, that is Sunday through Sunday. How many of us remember the 10 day or two week gospel meetings that use to be the “norm” many years ago?

Here are the speakers in the order they will be speaking, the church they are from, and the subjects they will be speaking on:

W. Whitehorn Pound, VA THE REALITY OF GOD

David Thacker Road Creek, KY FUNDAMENTALS OF THE CHRISTIAN RACE

Tom Kinzel Kingsport, TN THE STRUGGLE OF FAITH

Johnny Johnson McRoberts, KY “A CITY SET ON A HILL”

Shirley Mullins Clintwood, VA WHAT BEING A CHRISTIAN IS REALLY LIKE

David Wheeler Jonesborough, TN THE PARABLE OF THE WICKED VINEDRESSERS

Andy Mitchell Spruce Pine, NC “GIVE US A KING!”

Allen Shepherd Ashcamp, KY THE BIBLE STORY (WHY IT’S IMPORTANT TO YOU)

Gary Mullins Clintwood, VA “JESUS, MY LORD”

Glen Young Pound, VA GIVE YOURSELF TO THE LORD

Upon examination of the subjects, it should become obvious that a spiritual feast for our souls will take place during these 8 days. The big question is: How much do we hunger and thirst after righteousness? (Matt. 5:6) We will answer that question for ourselves and for others to see depending on our presence or absence from these lessons. Although I wish I would be wrong, I’m sure I won’t be when I say there will be many that will only be present at 2 of these 10 lessons. That’s not much spiritual nourishment if we’ll only stop and think about it. Something is obviously wrong with our spiritual appetite. We nourish our physical bodies more frequently and with greater determination than we sometimes do our souls. Yet, we know our physical bodies are still going to grow old and die one of these days. The only thing we have that will live eternally is the very thing that we neglect, mistreat, and malnourish. We’d never think of doing that to our physical bodies. Be honest, would we? Even the Scriptures show us that we don’t do these kind of things to our physical bodies: “For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it,...” (Eph. 5:29).

The same darkness of night that prevents us from attending church services would never stop us if we had a family member that needed our help or if we needed to go to the emergency room. If we couldn’t drive ourselves there for fear of the dark, we’d get someone else to take us. Why can’t we do the same for the Lord when there is an opportunity to hear His Word proclaimed and to be with fellow Christians. What would be wrong in making arrangements ahead of time to have someone pick us up for services if we don’t drive after dark?

What about that headache, sick feeling, or tiredness that we are experiencing and use as a “reason” for not going to church services? Will that same headache, sick feeling, or tiredness that we still have come morning, stop us from going to work? Why do we have no difficulty excusing ourselves from spiritual matters but would never dream of calling up our employer to inform him we are not coming in to work because we’ve got a headache or we don’t feel quite right or that we are tired? Could it be that he might inform you that he is on the job feeling the same way and therefore put us to shame for such flimsy excuses? Or could it be that we are afraid we might hear our boss say, “Well, if your job means so little to you, just don’t bother coming in at all from now on!” If a boss would be justified in feeling and responding in that manner, how do we think God is going to respond to us when we stand before Him in the Judgement Day? If we lose our jobs there are others to be had. What’s left if we miss Heaven? It’s a whole lot more serious, isn’t it!

A spiritual feasts can be had during the time period of October 6th through the 13th. On one occasion, Jesus said, “Blessed is he who shall eat bread in the kingdom of God!” (Lk. 14:15). If we understand the "kingdom" and the "church" are one and the same (Mt. 16:18,19), then we must also understand the “bread” of which Jesus spoke was in reference to His being the “bread of life” (Jn. 6:48) that came down from Heaven. He is not physical bread for He said, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” (Mt. 4:4). Jesus’ bread is the Word of God. If what will be preached in this series of lessons is not God’s Word, then this meeting is a waste of time from a spiritual standpoint. Granted, we could get more people to attend if we had physical bread with all the other things that could be put with with. But we do that every day in our personal lives. God’s Word is what sustains our souls just as food sustains our bodies.

By the time October 13th is history, our physical bodies will still be well nourished and we probably won’t have lost a pound if we were to step on the scales but what about our souls. Will our “inward man” have been “renewed day by day”? (2 Cor. 4:16)

---E.R. Hall, Jr.

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MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH

We've all heard the statement, "It's a matter of life and death.” It expresses a sense of urgency, and it's designed to get attention and solicit immediate response. It may be used in a phone call to the police, the paramedics, or the firemen, or in hospital situations. It's physical life and physical death we're talking about, and when it's a life or death situation involving us or our loved ones, we think anyone would agree that it is an urgent matter indeed.

But for some strange reason, when it becomes a matter of spiritual life or spiritual death, when it involves the salvation of a soul or the eternal destiny of a soul, our own, that of a loved one, that of a friend or neighbor or fellow worker, the urgency is gone, and the matter can wait. With all too many this is not a priority that should receive immediate attention, and it is put off until it is too late - forever! How do we really feel about the life or death, about the eternal destiny of a soul - yours or someone else's? I really believe that if I were lost and knew it, I could not rest, could not sleep, could not have any peace, until I took care of that matter once and for all. What about you?

---Bill Crews

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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.

--- E.R. Hall, Jr.

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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

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