THE TRUTH WILL COME OUT

Many of you have probably heard the name Marion Jones in the news recently. She was a world-class athlete who won five medals, three gold and two bronze, in the 2000 Olympics. She is an intelligent and talented young woman and the world was her stage.

Her name surfaced in 2003 when she was linked to the company accused of supplying performance-enhancing drugs to athletes. In 2006, she tested positive for steroids. The entire time Jones denied that she has used steroids. As it turns out she lied. Facing federal charges for lying to investigators, Jones pleaded guilty, admitting to using steroids both before and after the 2000 Olympics. Standing on the courthouse steps Jones said, “It's with a great amount of shame that I stand before you and tell you that I have betrayed your trust.” In an instant, Marion Jones went from champion to cheater.

Marion Jones ran head on into the truth. “But if you do not do so, then take note, you have sinned against the Lord; and BE SURE YOUR SIN WILL FIND YOU OUT” (Numbers 32:23). It may happen swiftly or it may be revealed in time, but one day, ALL sin will be exposed (2 Corinthians 5:10). We read in Hebrews 4:13, “And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.”

Marion Jones is not the only person that has made wrong choices, nor is she the only one who has tried to cover them up. “(F)or all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Each and every one of us, sooner or later, has to face the fact if our sinfulness. We may be able to hide it from some people for some time, but not from everyone for all time.

However, there is good news. Paul tells the Romans that the wages of sin is death in Romans 6:23. If he stopped there, we would all be miserable and hopeless. But he didn’t stop there. He went on to say that “the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” There is hope for Marion Jones, for Lamar Russell, for you, and for everyone else. Jesus Christ came to earth and lived as a man. He died on Calvary to make the sacrifice for our sins. Through His death, we can have life. We can have our sins forgiven and our names written in the Lamb’s Book of Life (Revelation 21:27).

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven” (Matthew 7:21). The “secret” to entering the kingdom of heaven and to receiving eternal life is obedience to the Father’s will as revealed in the New Testament. Upon hearing and studying God’s word (Romans 10:17), you believe in Jesus Christ (John 8:24), repent of your sins (Acts 17:30), confess Christ (Romans 10:9-10), and you are baptized for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38), you are a forgiven child of God. Then you must live faithfully (Revelation 2:10), when you do slip up confess your sins (1 John 1:9), repent and pray for God’s forgiveness (Acts 8:22).

Yes, it is true your sin will find you out, but it is also true that if we will trust God and obey Him His grace will find us as well.
--Lamar

A DAY OF PLANNING

One of my college professors said, “If you fail to plan, plan to fail.” Our elders have set aside October 27 as a day for the congregation to meet together and discuss the future of the church here. They have put some thought and prayer into planning this day and are asking for our support and participation. What can we do?

PRAY. The Psalmist writes, “Unless the Lord builds the house, They labor in vain who build it; Unless the Lord guards the city, The watchman stays awake in vain” (Psalm 127:1). We need to ask for the Lord’s help and blessing as we make plans for the future. In James 4, James does not condemn making plans, he condemns making plans without the Lord. “Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that” (James 4:15). As we make plans, let’s be sure to ask for the guidance and help of our Father. Also remember, “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” (James 5:16).

PREPARE. The elders are seeking input from everyone in the congregation. You can begin now to think about your ideas and goals for the congregation. Put some time and effort into it. Don’t wait until you get here to start thinking and planning. Do some preparation in advance.

PRESENCE. It would be great to have 100% attendance, but that depends on you. If you are not here, 100% is impossible. If you have plans for that day, reschedule them if possible. I believe next Saturday can be the start of a great future for the congregation, but we need you. Your goals, your ideas, your dreams are needed, and the best way to share them is to be here with everyone else.

PARTICIPATE. Yes, your presence is needed and wanted, but if all you do is show up then you have not done all you can. Your input is requested. Your ideas are wanted. Not only would it be great to have 100% attendance, it would be even better to have 100% participation. Once again, that is impossible without you.

I am excited about the future for this congregation. I believe God can accomplish great things through us. I believe those things will be better accomplished if we are proactive rather than reactive. This Saturday is an opportunity for us to do just that. Make your plans to be here.
--Lamar

THE FIXED HEART

There is a story involving Yogi Berra, the well-known catcher for the New York Yankees, and Hank Aaron, who at that time was the chief power hitter for the Milwaukee Braves. The teams were playing in the World Series, and as usual Yogi was keeping up his ceaseless chatter, intended to pep up his teammates on the one hand, and distract the Milwaukee batters on the other. As Aaron came to the plate, Yogi tried to distract him by saying, "Henry, you're holding the bat wrong. You're supposed to hold it so you can read the trademark." Aaron didn't say anything, but when the next pitch came he hit it into the left-field bleachers. After rounding the bases and tagging up at home plate, Aaron looked at Yogi Berra and said, "I didn't come up here to read."

“O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and give praise, even with my glory” (Psalm 108:1). The KJV reads “my heart is fixed.” Among the definitions given for fixed by Webster is “definite; not fluctuating or varying: a fixed purpose.” The psalmist’s mind is made up; moving forward, no turning back. When success smiles and when failure frowns; when friends stand by and when they betray; when you are praised and when you are condemned, remain steadfast and fixed. The fixed heart does not depend on outward circumstances but on an inward state.

Without a fixed heart, a set purpose, we are simply drifting through life. One store had a sign on the door, "Gone out of business. Didn't know what our business was." A sad statement for a business, but sadder still for a Christian or a church. There is a Latin proverb which states, “When a man does not know what harbor he is making far, no wind is right.” We need to know what our business is, where we are headed.

Solomon writes, “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man’s all” (Ecclesiastes 12:13). That gives us a purpose. Paul had this to say in Philippians 3:12-14: “Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” We need to be, as Jesus said to his parents in Jerusalem at the age of 12, “about my (our) Father’s business.”

The fixed heart requires commitment. There's a difference between interest and commitment. When you are interested in doing something, you do it only when circumstances permit. When you're committed to something, you accept no excuses, only results. Caidyn has picked up a new phrase. When told to do something she likes to say “I can’t,” which really means I won’t. How often are you asked to do something in the church and respond with “I can’t?” Is it really that you are unable to do it, or that you choose not to do it. Also, you must realize you are not saying “I can’t (or won’t)” to the elder, deacon, preacher, or whoever is asking you, you are saying it to Christ.

Is your heart fixed?
--Lamar