8/3/2007
Here and There
Here and There by Wes Price
It’s always a pleasure to hae the Iversons visit with us from Estherville, Iowa and learn of the work they are doing there. Usually the Petersens join them in their annual visit, but business would not permit. I did however, speak with Gene on Wednesday afternoon and he expressed his regrets that they couldn’t be with us at this time. He assured me that they will make it down our way sometime later this summer. He and his son Benj are working on a new home in Buena Vista, Colorado.
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We received a lovely thank you card from Jean LaPine thanking us for our cards and prayes during her illness. Her new address is Imogene LaPine, 235 W. Pleasant Run, Room 231 in Cedar Hill, TX 75104. I know she would appreciate hearing from you so drop her a line or go by and pay a friendly visit.
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We have not received an update this week on Joe and Ruth Benedick, but we have deep concern about their physical welfare. Bill Tyson assured methat he would keep us posted on their current status. In the meantime, you might find it useful to have the telephone numbers for Bill and Shelly. They no longer have a land line phone and Bill’s Cell Phone number is 580-504-8998 and Shelly’s is 580-504-8845. I know they would love to hear from some of you just to be encouraged by your concern.
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We congratulate Lillian and John Rowland on the occasion of their 71st wedding anniversary. We are always happy to see Lillian present for worship with her sister, Oleta Landin. Lillian’s health at the present time is very fragile, so let’s keep her in our prayers.
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In Search of the Lord’s Way will have Fred Dominque as guest speaker on Sunday morning, August 12. He is the preacher for the church in Pecos where my sister and her husband attend.
In his message, as you will see he lovingly and effectively explains that “almost” is not save – almost is still lost.
Join him for his message on Channel 27, KDFI-TV at 7:00 a.m.
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We have not been successful in having any of our possible students show up for the Friendspeak program on Sunday evenings, but with four reservations scheduled for this afternoon, hopefilly we will at long last get under way. Thank you for keeping this effort in your prayers.
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Along with all our other members who need our prayers, please add Alma Faye’s name to your prayer list. She is scheduled to have cataract surgery on Tuesday morning of this week.
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Elders, please remember our meeting on Monday afternoon, August 6 at 3:00 p.m.
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“IT’S GOD’S CHURCH”
I was recently reminded by a preacher, “It’s not our church. It’s God’s church!” How right he was.
What are the implications of that truth? There are many. I would like to notice just a few with you.
Since it is God’s church, don’t you think it is proper for God to be in charge?
Who is to say what persons will be admitted into God’s church and what persons will be denied membership in God’s church? The obvious answer is: God has the say! We have no right to fellowship those whom God does not fellowship. Neither do we have the right to deny fellowship to those whom God accepts. Is there any way to know? Only if the Bible tells us; otherwise we have no guidelines to direct us.
How will people worship in God’s church? Shall we poll the people and see what they want? If that is the means by which we decide what will and will not be done in our worship, then the people, rather than God, will be in charge. Again, how can we know what God wants as worship in his church? Only if the Bible tells us what God wants. If the Bible does not tell us, we are left without direction.
Suppose that God has revealed in the Bible what pleases him in the way of worship but some of us decide that what pleases us will be done. Go a step further. Suppose that the worship the pleases the crowd is accepted and it creates disunity, who is responsible? Is it those who insist on doing it in the way the Bible says, or is it the people who do it their own way? When you answer, don’t forget, “It is God’s church!”
Lewis G. Hale
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