The Visitor » 2004 » May

Ramsey Wright’s class got off to a good start on Sunday morning. We appreciate his wanting to take on this new responsibility. He placed an ad in the Oak Cliff Tribune this past week and plans on doing it for several weeks to invite men from the community to join them for this study. If you have friends who would be interested, please give them an invitation to attend.

We had a number of visitors with us for Sunday morning worship. One lady has been with us several times and she has commented about your warm and friendly acceptance of her being with us. Keep up the good work. We need to fill up the pews.

The elders want to express their thanks to Alma Fay Price for teaching the Ladies Class for this year. They concluded their class this past Tuesday and will resume studies this fall.

Alma Faye has also been substituting for Maurine Fleming while she recuperates from her broken arm. We thank her for keeping us up to date on the absentees and relaying messages
to our telephone committee.

My wife and I will be away most of the week attending a preaching seminar in Austin. Please keep us in your prayers for a safe and successful trip.

We look forward to seeing you on Sunday morning. I hope you will join us as we continue to look at the Sermon on the Mount. Sunday morning we will be discussing the very challenging verse 20 of Matthew 5: “For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of Heaven.” I’m sure you would join me in saying that this is a most difficult verse to understand. I hope you will be with us to learn how we might indeed exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees. A hint: It does not include a self-made, self-righteous scheme. In fact, the impossible part is done for us. It does leave us, however, with great responsibility as we learn how to respond to salvation by grace through faith. Join us for this study.

Wes Price

Tick-Tock… Tick-Tock… Tick-rock
No matter the sound of your clock
Jesus Christ is, was and always will be
“The Gospel.” God’s plan for you and me.

Jesus became man in the flesh …Emmanuel
God on earth … to live with us for a spell
Jesus lived, walked, mingled and taught
No price can I pay … He cannot be bought.
So with Jesus being flesh and blood
Just like you and me … Yet he would.

In tears, sweat and blood. Offer Himself
Death on a cruel cross… He took my place.
Would I consider such a price at any level
God did … Jesus won over death and devil
One would think death to be the ultimate
But that was only a latch opening the gate.

God raised up Jesus … from the dead
Atoning blood … for the price on my head
The Gospel … Jesus is really good news
Penalty… Sacrifice … Expiration… Life Anew.
It seems only right to have faith

In the ONE who perfected the Way.
Believing in Jesus, our Savior and Christ
Not ashamed to share him; at any price.
Time was created for earth and man
Just another part of God’s great plan
Life is … one tick at a time on a clock
Tick-Tock… Tick-Tock… Tick-Took

Dave Preston
Church of Christ
Edgerton, KS

“And these are the names of the mighty men who David had” (2 Samuel 23:8).

Certainly there is a time for the remembering and recognition of those who serve their country faithfully. David had a valiant army of men who were led by devoted captains.

But as a great military leader, he knew the value of recognizing his men. Within the context of mentioning of these men, there is an indication of the kind of loyalty and devotion his men had for David. David remembers how the water from a well in Bethlehem tasted and longed for it. Three mighty men of David broke through the lines of the Philistines and brought David some water from that well.

David realized the serious nature of what had taken place and he could not drink the water. Instead, he poured the water out in worship to God.

Such devotion and bravery brings one to give himself up for the one he loves.

What could we do in the service of the Lord if we had such devotion and bravery? Do you love the Lord?

Each month of May, the U.S. pauses to remember the gallant and brave men and women who have given their lives for this great country. Americans enjoy the blessings of living in a free democracy. Let us be thankful to those who have given their lives and those who help preserve our freedoms.

Yet, at the same time, may we rekindle our allegiance to the One who died to set us free from sin?

Barry Elliott
The Friendly Visitor

Stephen Covey said it in First Things First. ” Our struggle to put first things first can be characterized by the contrast of two powerful tools that direct us: the clock and the compass.

The clock represents our commitments, appointments, schedules, goals, activities …. how we manage our time. The compass represents our vision, values, principles, mission, conscience, direction-what we feel is important and how we lead our lives. The struggle comes when we sense a gap between the clock and the compass-when what we do doesn’t contribute to what is
important in our lives.”

I think I can sense the time element in the life of Jesus. He saw the need of working while it was day (and even made the most of their interruptions which came his way), but there was always the compass, which governed the clock.

If we misplace the compass we’re going to find our voyage messed up, for the clock doesn’t really matter if we are headed in the wrong direction.

But once we learn to manage our time, headed in the right direction, everything is working as it should. We must redeem the time as we keep looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith.

It’s not a matter of either/or. We need both clock and compass.

John Gipson

“Where your treasure is there will your heart be also”

I recently read a story and heard on TV about an outstanding young man who put love for his country, and his fellow man far above money and fame! He turned down millions of dollars to play in the National Football League, and left his bride after their honeymoon to go with his brother to Afghanistan and fight with the Army Rangers! Last week he was killed in a fire fight! Lincoln
said it best “He gave the last full measure of … devotion!” Do you suppose he might have been thinking “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.” I think so! His name is Pat Tillman and his brother is Kevin. Thank you Pat & Kevin from the bottom of our hearts!! Once again this is a pure & simple case of “When Duty Becomes Desire”!

We had another fine day of worship on 4/25/04. Our series on the Beatitudes continues to be a source of learning for us, yesterday we studied about the Peacemakers.

Oleta and I want to thank all of you for your prayers and interest in our daughter, Gloria who spent time in the hospital. She is home now and doing much better. Thank you all so much!

I have relinquished some of my duties in preparing for our worship service and asking our men to lead prayers. I want to thank all of you who have helped me in this job, and made it a lot easier. I just felt it was time to bring some others in, and maybe come up with some new ideas.

The brothers who will be handling our worship from now on are: Vernon Percival, Tommy Duvall, David Calvert, and Tom Dipprey. Please
give them the same wonderful help you gave me!! While we are thanking folks, lets all give Bro. Jacob Locke a big pat on the back for the wonderful job he does on our announcements, he makes our visitors feel so welcome!

Hi to all of you who can’t be with us for all the services, we love you and miss you! Hope to see the rest of you in service this week!

REMEMBER

It’s better to be right, than left!

Jack Armstrong

In a recent bulletin that comes regularly to my desk came one with the above title. We are well aware as Bible students that the Lord’s Supper was created out of the Passover feast where Jesus met with His disciples to keep that most sacred annual event for Jews. It is significant that Jesus made a distinct separation between what he did with the disciples as the Passover Feast and what He passed on to us in our most sacred act of worship, the Lord’s Supper. None of the gospel writers, nor the apostle Paul who wrote the Corinthian church about how to conduct the Lord’s Supper, give us any encouragement to participate in the traditional Passover feast as part of our observance of the Lord’s Supper. The Passover Feast was the shadow of which the Lord’s Supper is the substance. And it seems to me that any effort, for whatever reason, to include any part of the celebration of the Passover in our worship assemblies goes beyond what the Scriptures instruct us to do. The only Passover Christians are to celebrate and the only sacrifice which avails anything is that of our Lord Jesus Christ. “For Christ our Passover also has been sacrificed.” (1 Cor. 5:7)

For years, I conducted annual Vacation Bible School programs at various churches in Texas and Oklahoma. And in many of those week long programs, we used the Old Testament to instruct children in the events of the history of God’s people, the Jews. Some of the most successful efforts to instruct children included such events as the Passover Feast, doing as best we could determine what the Jews did on that day. Never in my wildest imagination did I ever expect that some of those children, now mature adults, would be wanting to bring those events into the worship of the saints. I believe the Scriptures are still very clear about what is to be included in the first day of the week observance: Singing, praying, preaching and teaching the Word, the weekly giving and most impotant, the Lord’s Supper.

I am at a loss to see how we can improve on God’s simple plan for that first day of the week observance and worship. Do those who want to bring back the Passover Feast (including what is referred to as a “Sedar meal”) expect to gain any special spiritual benefit from doing so? Do they think it shows some special respect for present day Jews who continue to insist on keeping the Law of Moses-and no matter how hard they try, they cannot do it in full compliance with Moses” instructions – or do they think it replaces our walking by faith by a walking by sight? Whatever their reasons, and I do not condemn their honesty and sincerity, they are mistaken to believe it ought to be done. And isn’t it interesting that some of these same brethren also now make a much larger issue of Easter Sunday than we have ever done in the Lord’s church. What Jesus gave us to remember Him until He comes again was a simple supper of fruit of the vine and unleavened bread. Let’s continue to show Him our love and respect for His sacrifice which made it all possible. Would that we could convince other Christians that what Jesus instructed us to do deals more with what is in our hearts, not external pomp and ceremony. It shall always remain true that we are commended and commanded to do the right thing for the right
reason.

Wes Price