What The Bible Says
“What The Bible Says - Vol. 7 / No. 2”
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What The Bible Says
Vol. VII - No. 2 / June 2, 2024
CEASE AND DESIST
Cease and desist is a term that most of us are familiar with. When I read about this term, or hear it spoken of, it is always in some form of legal language. In its two forms, letter and order, it is employed to notify the recipient of the legal rights of the sender. Cease and desist are also Bible terms. To better understand them let us first look at some definitions.
Cease means, bring to an end, discontinue an activity or action. Some synonyms for cease would include quit, terminate or finish. Desist means to suspend or cause to suspend activity, stop action or progress. Some synonyms for desist would include quit, halt or knock off.
In Strongs Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible H7673 is a word used often with the meaning relating to cease, desist or rest. The meaning would be to repose, desist from exertion. The pose part of repose comes from a Latin origin meaning to pause. Not long-ago Antonin Scalia and Ruth Bader Ginsburg, both former Supreme Court associate justices, were lying in repose at the US Supreme Court after their deaths.
I think from an understanding of these definitions we can see that cease and desist are very similar in meaning and in many instances could be used interchangeably. Hence the legal language cease and desist leaves no doubt what the sender is communicating to the recipient.
Consider Proverbs 23:4-5 as the KJV renders it, “Labor not to be rich; cease from thine own wisdom. Wilt thou set thine eyes on that which is not? For riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.” The same passage reads this way in the ESV, “Do not toil to acquire wealth; be discerning enough to desist. When your eyes light on it, it is gone, for suddenly it sprouts wings, flying like an eagle toward heaven.” Psalms 127:2 declares, “It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows; for so he gives his beloved sleep.” If you back up one verse, you will see that, “Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it.” Work is required of the Christian. 2 Thessalonians 3:10, it is satisfying, it is necessary, it is the right thing to do. But anxious toil, as some render Psalms 127:2, is denounced every time. Luke penned Jesus words on this matter in chapter 12:15, “Take heed and be aware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.”
My affection for Job’s attitude and his grounded nature increases every time I read his story in Job 1:21. After losing everything except for his wife in one day, he responded, “Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord.” You know Job is really right. The NAS records Job 6:29 as, “Desist now, let there be no injustice; even desist, my righteousness is yet in it.” Other versions say, “my righteousness still stands.”
—Blind Bartimaeus 23
"DO YOU LOVE THE TRUTH?"
To ask this question is to insult some folks because to them this is a question they should never be asked to have to give an answer to. Whether you are one of the insulted persons or not, let us all realize that to love the truth involves more than just professing to do so. To know if we love the truth, let us put ourselves to some simple tests.
In 2 Thessalonians 2:10 we read: ''And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved." We see from this verse the reason for people "perishing" was because they did not love the truth. What are we meaning by the word "truth"? In Jesus' prayer to the Father in John 17:17, he asked the Father in behalf of His disciples to "Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth." There is not a more dreadful thought presented in the Scriptures than to know we will "perish" if we do not love the "truth". We, therefore, see the eternal significance of this subject.
Why is truth so important? It is because error cannot save! The only thing that sanctifies is truth as we have seen from John 17:17. Peter also said in 1 Peter 1:22, "Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth ...". Truth makes all the difference in the world! However some will exchange the truth for a lie as those in Romans 1:24-25 who changed from worshipping God to idols. The result of their actions was that God “gave them up” / abandoned them. Today, some people are convinced of what the truth is but refuse to accept it because they are unwilling to leave the religion of their parents or they fear to go against the majority of their family or friends.
How can we know if we love the truth? We will search for the truth! If the truth is valuable to us and we appreciate its value, we will search for it like the woman who searched for the lost coin in Matthew 13:44-46. When we find the truth, we will receive it even though it means that we may have to make some difficult changes in our lives. Our lives will be an example of truth. Truth and error are in constant conflict but without truth we are lost and if truth is not displayed in our lives, other people will be lost along with us. We must not be ashamed of truth (Romans l:16) for this is proof that we do not love the truth.
There will be more people who do not love the truth than there will be those who do love the truth. Jesus stated in Matthew 7:13-14, "Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." More folks will be lead to destruction by error than there will be those who are lead unto life by the truth.
Do you love the truth?
—E.R. Hall, Jr.
SENTENCE SERMONS
Fire is the test of gold; adversity, of strong men.
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Adversity causes some men to break, others to break records.
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We deem those happy who from the experience of life have learned to bear its ills without being overcome by them.
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All things need watching, working at, caring for . . . and marriage is no exception.
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Remember well the advice of him who loves you, though you like it not at present.
"What The Bible Says” is e-mailed twice a month. If you know of others who might benefit from the articles contained in this bulletin, we would be glad to have you submit their e-mail addresses and we will include them in the next mailing. If you are receiving this bulletin and do not wish to continue to do so, please e-mail us with your desire to be removed from the mailing list and you will be removed promptly. Continue to the bottom of this page for further instructions as to how you may contact us.
--- E.R. Hall, Jr.
SCHEDULE OF SERVICES
For The East Albertville Church Of Christ
meeting at
4777 U.S. Highway 431
Albertville, AL 35950
Sunday
Bible Classes …………..….…………… 9:30 AM
Morning Worship ……..…….….……… 10:30 AM
Evening Worship …………………........ 5:00 PM
Wednesday
Bible Classes …………..………........... 7:00 PM
Radio Program
Sunday
WBSA 93.5 FM/1300 AM ………………………….. 8:30 AM
Monday - Saturday
WBSA 93.5 FM/1300 AM ………………………….. 11:15 AM
Website: www. EastAlbertville.org
