The Visitor » The Visitor – January 18, 2009

Here and There by Wes Price will resume when Wes returns from back surgery. Let us all pray that he has a speedy recuperation period.

THE DAY OF SMALL THINGS
by Robert Johnson
In 536 B.C. Cyrus, king of Persia, issued a proclamation that profoundly affected the Jewish people. This proclamation allowed the Jews, who had been taken captive to Babylon earlier by Nebuchadnezzar, to return to Jerusalem. Over 40,000 people responded. When they reach their destination, one of the first things they determined to do was rebuild the temple.
When the foundation for the temple was laid, many wept with a loud voice. They perceived this temple to be insignificant, compared to the one Solomon built earlier (Ezra 3:12). All the things they would do in the coming years would be viewed as small and unimportant. To this attitude God responded, “For who has despised the day of small things?”
(Zech. 4:10). When the work is for God, nothing is inconsequential; every- thing has a place in His plan.
Our lives are spent mainly in tending to small duties. We have a normal routine we follow most days. Few of us will be called by the governor or president, or do that which society would consider great. Even so, such a life is nothing to despise! A great life consists in doing small things well every day. The importance of prayer, phone calls, cards, visits, meals, etc., is significant when we do them for the Lord. How many lives have you touched, sick strengthened, and weak cheered, through prayer? How many people have you encouraged through a visit, card, or call? How many have been blessed by a meal you offered? How many have the hope of salvation because of your influence, persistence, and love, in reaching out to them with the gospel?
Jesus, said, “And whoever gives to one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward” (Matt. 10:42). A body of the Lord’s people, doing what they can in service to Him, will find together they can be of great value to the Master. It is through Him that “..all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase which is from God” (Col. 2:19).
Don’t underestimate the importance of what you do for the Lord, great or small! Nothing is insignificant when done for the glory of God. With the New Year we can all resolve to put God first in all we do, to make sure what we do is done with excellence, to please God. “Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for God’s glory”
(1 Cor. 10:31). Despise not the day of small things.

“I JUST WANT TO BE WITH YOU”
The preacher was in his study, deeply engrossed in his work. There wa a knock on the door and, not wishing to be disturbed he called out, “Who is this and what do you want?” The door opened slightly and the voice of his little son called back, “Father, I don’t want anything; I just want to be with you.”
Most of us need to examine anew what we are really seeking in our religious faith and service. Perhaps it will help us to think upon that which God seeks in us.
Jesus commented upon this matter in his conversation with a Samaritan woman. He said to her;
“But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true
worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth,
for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. “(John 4:23)
These words tell us that God desires to commune – His spirit with our spirit. He wants to have an intimate association with our spirit, just as friends draw close to each other in the pleasures of company and conversation. He wants to speak with us through His word and He wants to hear our songs and prayers as they flow from our hearts. Simply stated, He wants to be with us!
Is our desire to be with Him the driving force behind all of our religious devotions? He has promised to meet with us when we gather in His name and He has promised to be our companion when we labor in His cause. (Matt. 18::20; 28:19, 20) Like the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, do our hearts “burn within us” when we think of being with Him? (Luke 24:32)
The next time you prepare to meet with others in worship, say to yourself, “I don’t want anything, I just want to be with Him!” This unselfish, loving spirit will make any soul yearn for those blessed occasions when we can “be with Him” on earth. How this readies that same soul to be united with Christ in the Father’s house forevermore! (John 17:24)
Hershel Dyer (1997)

Prayer List
Wes Price – Baylor Hospital – Room 611 – 6th floor Truett Bldg. He is doing well after back surgery.
David Calvert – Methodist Central – CCU – Blood clot in his left lung.
Tom Dipprey’s brother-in-law has inoperable lung cancer.
Grady Theobalt’s daughter-in-law is in critical condition.
Mary Dunn went home with her daughter to recuperate.
Mary Ruth Percival did well after her eye surgery.
Carmen McMillion – Methodist Central – Room 7020 – She has pneumonia.
Urbanelle Cox – She has been moved to a Rehab facility near Charlton Methodist.
Catherine Coronado – New Room # 1722 – U.T. S. Western Medical Ctr.
Bill Hinton – DeSoto Nursing & Rehab
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Marie Works, Ed Horn, Estell Lee, Vernon Swanson, Henrietta Pummill, Edna Faye Johnston, Mary Taylor, Larry Reynolds, Jimmy Mooney, Dorothy Mooney,Ada Couch, Eula Matthews, Dorothy Jackson, Tommy & Treva Traylor, Jack & Oleta Armstrong, Grady Theobalt, Doris Henry, Roger Schrum, Mary Catherine Jayroe, Angie Sabedra, Nancy Spurgeon, Vertie Lee Stanley, Billie Morgan, Bea Dipprey, Ruby Faas, Lois Rodriquez, Weldon Siler, Holly Lee, Ida Smith, Joe Benedick, Marjorie Moore, Geraldine Hurley, Dr.J & Dorothy Coats.
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Schedule for Sunday, January 25, 2009:
Cy Stafford will conduct Bible Class in the auditorium and preach at the
Morning Worship service.
Spencer Ross will preach at the Afternoon Worship service.
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The Tuesday Morning Bible Classes will meet Tues., 01/20/09 @ 10:30 a.m.
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Mary Taylor has been moved to Victoria Gardens in Allen, TX – the correct phone number is 972-727-5850.
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You are invited to see our weekly bulletin on the church’s web site at
jeffersonblvd.org
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VITAL SIGNS: Jan 11
Bible Study 61 Offering $ 3,587.39
Morning Worship 90 Budget $ 3,410.46
Afternoon Worship 50 Wed. Jan. 7 38
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CHURCH OF CHRIST AREA-WIDE PROGRAMS
“Let’s Do It Christ’s Way” Sundays 6:30 a.m. KFWD (TV)
“The Truth In Love” Sundays 7:30 a.m. KFWD (TV)
”In Search of the Lord’s Way” Sundays 7:00 a.m. KDFI (TV)
“Church of Christ Hour-Heaven 97” Sundays 7:30 a.m. 970 AM (Radio)

Reflections
by Jack Armstrong

Oleta and I want to wish one and all a very happy and healthy new year, and it’s our fervent prayer that our beloved Preacher will have a successful surgery on his back and a speedy, pain free recovery following the surgery and that Alma Faye will get some rest and relief after it’s all over, and that she will please call on us for help when she needs it!
These two are the links that hold this bunch together and when they are not at the helm things are just not the same. We just don’t realize what all they do until they are not there to do it!
It’s also our prayer for this new year that our sick and shut-ins will get much better, and we will all get more chances to get out and visit them more often, as Charlie and Nadine, and Vernon and Mary Ruth, and many more of you do!
While we are praying let’s also include all those who have lost their jobs and that they will all find work soon. I can just imagine what a helpless feeling it must be to have your income cut off all of a sudden. We should also pray that our new leaders will take the Lord into their conferences and rule us according to His will, and that prayers will remain in our schools and the Lord will always remain in our Pledge of Allegiance! That the Ten Commandments may be displayed wherever it’s deemed necessary at our Court Hourses or wherever and that “In God We Trust” will always be on our walls and displayed on our money!
Please continue to keep our grandson, Josh in your prayers that he will have a speedy recovery. Thanks to all of you that have already done so and we feel that without a doubt he has done as good as he has because of the prayers. We love you all dearly and are so fortunate to have you as our dear friends and brothers and sisters in Christ!
We enjoyed David Nelson’s lesson on January 4 and appreciate all of our missionaries so much. Just think what a sacrifice they all make to stay away so long in foreign environments and away from their families to preach God’s Word. When I think of Cy & Stephanie, Brian and Jacqueline Bost and lots of others who have been gone so many years. What true love for the Lord and much dedication they have. Makes me ashamed to ever complain about anything because we all have it so good over here in the ‘ol U.S.A.
Well folks, guess I’d better sign off. See ya next time the Good Lord willing, and may he keep you all in his loving arms.

REMEMBER….
Our Goal… “When Duty Becomes Desire”