GOD KNOWS OUR WEAKNESS

“As a father pities his children, So the Lord pities those who fear Him. For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust” (Psalm 103:13-14).

In the verses just before this, the psalmist mentions God’s great mercy toward us and that He has removed our sins far from us. In these two verses he explains God’s feelings toward us. He pities us as a father pities his children. Why? God knows how we are made. He fashioned us of dust. He understands our feebleness and is sympa­thetic toward our weakness. He knows that we are frail and may break under pressure; that we are weak and may yield to temptation.

Another reason for His pity toward us is given by the Hebrew writer. “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15). God has mercy on us because He knows us, He made us. However, He also pities us because He was one of us. God the Son left the beauty and glory of heaven to come to this earth. He lived as a man of little means and suffered one of the cruelest deaths ever known to man. He was then raised from the dead and ascended back into heaven where He reigns over His kingdom, the church. Do you ever think, “No one knows how I feel?” You are wrong. Jesus knows, and because He knows He understands. Wouldn’t it be wonderful is we were as considerate of one another’s frailty?

When our work is imperfect and our life is stained with sin, though our intentions are pure and our ef­forts stir from faith and spring from love, it is then that we are in dire need of the pity that comes from Him who knows our frame. It is a boon to drooping spirits to remember that all men are made of the same dust, and that to the apostles who evidently had some superior traits, Jesus said, “Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation

the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matthew 26:41).

This is by no means an excuse for sinful living. “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?” (Romans 6:1-2). God calls upon His children to be pure and holy. His desire for us is that we no longer live in servitude to sin. Once we become His children by faith and obedience, He expects us to live lives of service to Him. However, because He knows us so well, His mercy is great that we may receive continual forgiveness through the blood of His Son (1 John 1:7).

He who knows the weakness of His children has in every age owned them, directed them, blessed them and forgiven them as they believed and obeyed. Hence imperfect people are able to maintain a blessed relationship with Him, provided they try.

--Lamar

GIVING

Those who attended the meeting with the elders last Sunday evening are aware of our financial situation. We are several thousand dollars below budget for 2007. I am not suggesting we can make up the entire deficit in a few months, but I do believe we can put a dent in it, or at least prevent it from getting any worse. Giving can be a difficult subject with which to deal, but it is a biblical subject.

There are basically two attitudes in giving: one of joy in giving and the other of “Do I really have to?” I read about a little girl that became restless, as the preacher's sermon seemed (to her young mind) to drag on and on. She finally leaned over to her mother and whispered, “"Mommy, if we give him the money now, will he let us go?” Unfortunately, this does reflect the attitude of some.

Some display a great joy in giving sacrificially. One man was making a short talk before taking the contribution. He said, “Too often we try to concentrate at least once a week on Christ and His life.” His point was that we should move out of the “Once A Week” mode and be thinking about Christ daily. When we begin to do that, we will begin to move into the “giving joyfully” mode.

In every age, man has been instructed to give or sacrifice to God.

Genesis 4:3-5 - “And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the Lord. Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the Lord respected Abel and his offering, but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell”

Deuteronomy 16:17 - “Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord your God which He has given you.”

1 Corinthians 16:1-2 – “Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given orders to the churches of Galatia, so you must do also:2 On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come.”

2 Corinthians 9:6-7 – “But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.7 So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.”

With these verses in mind I would like to make a few suggestions:

1. Together with your spouse (if you have one) determine the amount that you purpose to give to the Lord’s work on a weekly basis, after determining that amount stick to it and write that check first before giving any attention to other bills. That amount is what you have purposed and should only be given to the Lord.

2. Since the Bible tells us we are to give on the first of every week, our giving should be done on a regular basis. Since some people are only paid on a bi-weekly basis you may wish to give on a bi-weekly basis. After all if you were not paid in a given week you did not prosper any that week. Others may wish to divide that amount and give a part of it every week.

3. A very important part of your giving is to be consistent. The elders have set forth a budget and are depending upon that money being there when it is needed. If you are out of town or on vacation, consider leaving your contribution with someone to put it in for you. If you are uncomfortable with that, either give it the week before you are going away or the week you come back.

I would like to encourage each family and/or individual to honestly examine yourselves in the area of giving. Are you giving as you should be? If not, why not make the commitment to begin. If you are, take a look to see if you may be able to do more so that the good works of this congregation will not be hindered.

--Lamar

A CLOSE EXAMINATION

Several years ago, the government began minting new quarters. Each state has its own quarter with its own design, and they are minted in order of statehood. Each quarter is minted in the Denver and Philadelphia mints. The quarters are marked according to where they are minted with a “D” or “P” on the front side of the coin. I have been collecting these quarters, one from each mint for each state, since production began. The letters designating the mint are not very large and sometimes it is difficult to discern between the “D” and the “P”. It takes a close examination to be sure, and sometimes I look several times before I am sure.

We are admonished by John to be sure that the prophets (teachers) we listen to are teaching the truth. “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1). Unfortunately, not everyone who claims to be speaking for God is true to God’s word. John says many false prophets have gone out into the world, and today there are still many false prophets.

One church is as good as another. There is the prevailing idea that all denominations are part of the one universal church and that all are following their own pathway to heaven. There are even some among our brotherhood who are teaching that the Lord’s church is just a denomination among denominations. Jesus promised to build one church (Matthew 16:18). We read of one body (Ephesians 4:4), which is the church (Ephesians 1:22-23). There is just no way all the different denominations with all their different teachings are following God’s way and are a part of the church for which Jesus shed His blood.

When or how you worship is not important, as long as you are sincere. When we lived in Kentucky, there was a local denomination who aired an ad on the radio. The basic idea was that if it’s inconvenient to get up on Sunday morning to attend, that’s okay. You can attend our Saturday evening worship. One congregation of the Lord’s church has started having services on Saturday with communion and instrumental music. One reason given is that is will possibly draw a larger crowd. The only example we have of communion in the New Testament was on the first day of the week, and the command we have concerning music is to sing and make melody in our hearts. Paul was sincere Acts 23:1) before his conversion, but he was sincerely wrong.

Baptism is important, but not essential for forgiveness. For years, denominational preachers have been teaching this false doctrine. I even heard one say that you cannot obey God without being baptized, but you can go to heaven. Now, there are some in our brotherhood teaching much the same thing. They teach that it’s important to be baptized, but you can be forgiven without it. “Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:37-38). How much plainer could it be?

Be careful of false teachers. Examine closely what they say. If the apostle Paul needed to be checked out according to the Scriptures (Acts 17:11), then teachers today deserve no less.

--Lamar

READ THE BIBLE

READ THE BIBLE

We were privileged to have brother Philemon Rajah with us from India last weekend. We have been supporting his work in the city of Madurai for several years. It was good to meet him face to face and hear firsthand of the work that is being done there. The city’s population is about 2.5 million, about 90% Hindu. He and the other Christians face great challenges in spreading the gospel. However, they continue the work and are successful in reaching lost souls. They are also doing a great work among the blind population, about 25,000, in the city. We appreciate the work he is doing there and pray for his continued safety and success.

Philemon presented the lesson for our Sunday evening service. If you were not here, you missed an excellent sermon. He stressed to us the importance that we “read the Bible, read the Bible, read the Bible! He pointed out that the Bible is sweeter than honey, a treasure greater than gold, and the source of blessings. He issued a challenge that we rededicate ourselves to reading the Bible, and especially the New Testament. As he stated, by reading 9 chapters a day we can read the entire New Testament in one month.

I join with Philemon in challenging all of us to become daily Bible readers. This is not just so we can say we have done so, but because of the tremendous blessings we will receive by doing so. “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success” (Joshua 1:8). “Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night” (Psalm 1:1-2). In addition to the blessings received from studying God’s word, there is the fact that we will be judged by it. “He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him—the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day” (John 12:48).

Let us be thankful for the work being done by Philemon and others in India. Let us pray for their continued safety and success. Let us heed the words of Philemon’s challenge to us, “Read the Bible, read the Bible, read the Bible.”

--Lamar