What The Bible Says
What The Bible Says - Vol. 6 / No. 7
Sunday, August 13, 2023What The Bible Says
Vol. VI - No. 7 / August 13, 2023
ARE YOU LIBERAL IN YOUR LOVE FOR OTHERS?
We are to be liberal in our love towards all men, which includes those of the world and our brothers and sisters in Christ. 1 Thessalonians 3:11-13 “Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you, and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you, so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.”
Our love is to be an abounding love for one another. To abound in love means that we are overloaded with love. Hebrews 13:1-3 “Let brotherly love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body.” James 2:8 “If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, You shall love your neighbor as yourself, you are doing well. But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it.”
Matthew 22:34-40 “But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law? And he said to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”
Our love towards others is a love that is unselfish. If we love only ourselves, then we are selfish with our love. We are to share that love both physically and spiritually. John 15:12-14 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you.” John 13:34-35 “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” Romans 12:9-10 “Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.”
In the KJV, the word used is dissimulation instead of genuine. The idea is that our love should be without hypocrisy, it is an unfeigned love, love that is sincere. 1 Peter 1:22 “Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart”. Fervently is used as an adverb here and means very enthusiastically or passionately. So we are to fervently love one another enthusiastically and passionately and let that love be genuine.
1 John 4:7-21 “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us. By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him. Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. We love Him because He first loved us. If someone says, I love God, and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also.” —Stephen Holsonback
DON'T BE A MEMBER OF A DENOMINATION!
If you are not a member of a denominational church, don't become one. If you are a member, there is no need to continue in a religious institution made by man. Despite popular thinking, it is possible to be a member of a church and it not be a denomination. Yet, this is possible only if it's the Lord's church. The church established by Christ is not a denomination and possesses no denominational characteristics. The difference between the Lord's church and denominationalism is:
IT WAS BUILT BY CHRIST. All denominations can trace their origin to man because they're all built by man. Not so with the Lord's church. It is the result of God's wisdom and fulfills His "eternal purpose" (Ephesians 3:10,11). It was built by the Lord himself (Matthew 16:18) and man cannot lay claim to building the Lord's church.
JESUS IS IT'S ONLY HEAD. Denominations have a man or a group of men as their head. These conferences or conventions make the laws by which denominations are governed. By popular vote these laws can be changed or annulled. Christ is the ONLY head of His church (Ephesians 1:22-23; Colossians 1:18). His word will judge us (John 12:48) and it cannot be changed or be annulled (Revelation 22:18-19).
IT HAS NO MAN-MADE CREED. Every denomination has theirs either written or unwritten. These creeds set forth that denomination's articles of faith and rules of practice. The creed of one denomination is rejected by other denominations. These creeds are subject to the governing bodies and memberships of the denominations. Thus they can and are revised and amended to suit the commonly accepted beliefs and practices of the membership. The church of Christ has no creed but Christ and no rule of faith and practice but the Scriptures. God's word completely and thoroughly furnishes us to every good work (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Nothing more nor less than the Scriptures are to be used as the basis for faith and practice.
Why not be just a member of the Lord’s church? —E.R. Hall, Jr.
"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
What The Bible Says - Vol. 6 / No. 6
Sunday, July 30, 2023What The Bible Says
Vol. VI - No. 6 / July 30, 2023
CAMDEN'S RIDER
William Camden was an English man who lived during 1551-1623. He was an antiquarian and historian among other things and accomplished much during his life. He is well remembered for his work. One of his often-misquoted works:
“My friend, Judge not me,
Thou seest, I judge not thee.
Betwixt the stirrup and the ground
Mercy, I asked and mercy I found.”
It is a very comforting thought. Here the horseman for an unknown reason is being cast toward the ground, expecting to meet possible serious injury, prolonged complications, and maybe even death, and yet has what seems to be unlimited access to God and His mercy.
I think Camden, if he were here today, would say that all the relevant variables still apply. The rider could be anyone today, the stirrup would be their support system, the ground would be the consequences of decisions or events and mercy would still be that which is sought. Camden’s view would be no different than that of the plethora of bible teachers that ascribe mercy as ours, we must just ask, and it will be given. What a wonderful concept if it were only true.
I completely agree with Camden in that God’s mercy toward man is much needed, often in large portions. Isa. 30:18 “Therefore the Lord waits to be gracious to you, and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you. For the Lord is a God of Justice; blessed are all those who wait for him.
Indeed, blessed is mankind because of God’s mercy and the great love that God has for man. Rom. 5:8 declares God’s love for man this way: “But God demonstrates his own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Lam 3:22-23 depicts God’s love as never ceasing, and his mercy never ending – “they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Truly blessed are we to serve such a great and loving God. An unending, unceasing mercy is where God extends to us the good, He wants us to have, and remembers our sin and lawless deeds no more. This mercy that God affords and is ready to extend, is not unconditional. Camden lived in a time when faith alone and predestination were becoming dominate thoughts in English Religion. Calvinism was taking root. These teachings are far from truth.
Mercy as wonderful as it is, is not unconditional. Consider Prov. 28:13 “No one who conceals transgression will prosper, but one who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.” Confesses and forsakes sounds like something we must do, conditions we must meet to obtain this great mercy. Deut. 7:9 “Know then that the Lord your God is God; the faithful God who keeps covenant mercy to the thousandth generation toward those who love him and keep his commandments.”
Yes, God’s love and mercy, and all the various ways it can benefit man is wonderous, but it is conditional. Obey God while you have opportunity. Stop resisting… —Blind Bartimaeus 23
FALSE RELIGIONS
In view of the fact that our society has grown accustomed to feel good preaching, most of what comes from pulpits and religious radio and television programs does not insist upon much of anything. What is said comes with an attitude of "you are entitled to believe whatever you wish". No one wants to insist upon a "thus saith the Lord" in religious matters. "We practice what we do because we've always done it that way." "I'm what I am religiously because that was what my parents were." No one is willing to investigate by opening the Bible and their minds to really see what the Bible does say! People get disturbed about a lot of things but, to them, religion isn't worth getting disturbed about.
Therefore to suggest the possibility that there are false religions doesn't get under the skin of many people. To some you are either a quack for being religious to start with or, with others, it doesn't matter what you are religiously because, they believe, all religions lead to Heaven. If that be the case, where are all the false teachers the Bible speaks about? Jesus warned, "Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves." (Matthew 7:15). If all religions lead to Heaven, why must we "...believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world." (1 John 4:1). I'm afraid most folks today are willing to believe anybody and anything when it comes to religion and feel that it is sacrilegious to question anything religious.
Many religious organizations are teaching for their doctrines the commandments of men. When this is the case, that religion is "vain" (Matthew 15:8-9). Doctrines like: wearing human names in religion, huge complicated man-made church organizations, mechanical instruments of music in worship, infant baptism, and salvation by faith only, are just to name a few. Thus for churches to engage in any one of these things is to render vain worship. It's not just important that I worship but my worship must be "in spirit and in truth" (John 4:23,24). To be affiliated with a religion that does not go according to "truth", is to be involved in a "false religion" that the Lord will "root up" (Matthew 15:13-14 ). —E.R. Hall, Jr.
SENTENCE SERMONS
To have God in our life, doesn't mean sailing on a boat with no storms;
it means having a boat that no storms can sink!
***
Better to love God and die unknown than to love the world and be famous;
better to be content with poverty than to die a slave to wealth
"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
What The Bible Says - Vol. 6 / No. 5
Sunday, July 16, 2023What The Bible Says
Vol. VI - No. 5 / July 16, 2023
ARE WE ONCE SAVED ALWAYS SAVED?
Many are "teaching for doctrines the commandments of men" (Matthew 15:9). The doctrine of "once saved always saved" originated over 500 years ago by a man named John Calvin. For what is meant by this abbreviated statement, I wish to quote a more detailed explanation: "We take the position that a Christian's sins do not damn his soul. The way a Christian lives, what he says, his character, his conduct, or his attitude toward other people have nothing whatever to do with the salvation of his soul...All the prayers a man may pray, all the Bibles he may read, all the churches he may belong to, all the services he may attend, all the sermons he may practice, all the debts he may pay, all the ordinances he may observe, all the laws he may keep, all the benevolent acts he may perform will not make his soul one whit safer; AND ALL THE SINS HE MAY COMMIT FROM IDOLATRY TO MURDER WILL NOT MAKE HIS SOUL IN ANY MORE DANGER...THE WAY A MAN LIVES HAS NOTHING WHATEVER TO DO WITH THE SALVATION OF HIS SOUL.” (Emphasis mine, ERH) (Do A Christian's Sins Damn His Soul?, by Sam Morris, First Baptist Church pastor.)
Is this what the Bible teaches? Jesus stated in John 15:5-6: "I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned." Does it not take being "in Him", that is ‘in Christ', to be a Christian? Most certainly it does. What happens as Christians if we "abide not in" Christ? Do we lose our salvation? Are we in danger of being lost in Hell? Jesus says we are! Now, who are we going to believe: the doctrine of Christ or the doctrine of men?
Romans 11:22 states: "Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shall be cut off." Doesn't this verse sound exactly the opposite of the statements ‘We take the position that a Christian's sins do not damn his soul' and ‘all the sins he may commit from idolatry to murder will not make his soul in any more danger'? If it sounds the exact opposite that's because they are opposite of what the Scriptures teach!
In Galatians 5:2-4 the Scriptures teach: "Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace." This was written to Christians, obviously, because in verse one it says, "Stand fast therefore, in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage." Only Christians are at liberty in Christ and neither can we "fall" out of what we were never in. Christians can and do "fall from grace”!
Hebrews 6:4-6 states, "For It is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame." Who are these verses in reference to: a person who thinks he is a Christian or to a person who has truly been redeemed by the blood of Christ? When we read such statements as "once enlightened", "tasted of the heavenly gift", "partakers of the Holy Ghost", "tasted the good word of God", and tasted the "powers of the world to come" there can be no mistake that this is a person who is a Christian. Referring to one who is truly a Christian, the writer says, that such a person can "FALL AWAY”.
In Hebrews 10:26-29 we read, "For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and firey indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was santified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?" This passage is speaking of a person who is truly a Christian because it specifically states he was "santified" by the blood of Christ. To this person who is unwilling to repent, he awaits a "sorer punishment" worse than death.
When you have people today who are willing and ready to give you a 100% certainty of going to heaven, they are handing you a bill of sale with a man's signature on it. They are handing you a doctrine of man that if you will only become a Christian then all your worries are over and ‘you don't have to concern yourself with doing the things God commands you because that is a "work of righteousness" and has nothing to do with going to heaven’. ‘Once you're saved you can never lose your salvation!’ What a popular doctrine! What a comforting doctrine! How easy it is for people to be lulled into the acceptance of such a teaching! We can be sure of salvation but not the way this doctrine teaches but rather as taught in 2 Peter 1: 4-11. After commanding to add to our faith virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, and charity Peter said, "Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make you calling and election sure: for IF ye do these things, ye shall never fall:” --E.R. Hall, Jr.
SENTENCE SERMONS
The best inheritance a father can leave his children is a good example.
***
Choice, not chance, determines human destiny.
***
To be upset over what you don't have is to waste what you do have.
"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
What The Bible Says - Vol. 6 / No. 4
Sunday, July 02, 2023What The Bible Says
Vol. VI - No. 4 / July 2, 2023
PLANT AND WATER
In 1 Corinthians 3:6-10 we learn that God's word, “the seed” (Luke 8:11), is to be planted and watered so that God may give the "increase”.
Many times a series of gospel meetings are judged to be "good" or "bad" with respect to the number baptized. This ought not to be. It's true that we all love to see souls saved but our work is to sow the seed and let God give the increase. We can water the seed by further teaching and encouragement as well as by our example of living.
Oft times the growth of the church is determined by the number baptized and not as to whether they are "sowing" or "planting" and "watering" the seed. Now again, it is a wonderful thing for a church to grow numerically, but the true growth of the church is in the work it does in planting and watering the word and in the members daily applying their lives to the word.
Now that the meeting we had with brother Bill Hall is ended and there were no baptisms or restorations, brother Hall preached the word for that was the job we asked of him to do. Now, let the rest take care of itself. Let us become "the light of the world" (Matthew 5:14) as we "preach the word" (2 Timothy 4:2) but leave the increase to God. —E.R. Hall, Jr.
BECOMING WHAT GOD MADE US
• When Paul discussed the incredible things God did through Jesus Christ, Paul made this statement in Ephesians 2:10: “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”
• If you are a Christian, God did not forgive your sins just for your pleasure of being forgiven.
• God re-created you in Jesus Christ--He made something out of you that never existed before.
• As a Christian, you are God’s workmanship--in the same sense that a craftsman makes an object.
• God designed each of us as Christians to be people who do good works.
•That is what God intended.
• Before you were ever born, this was God’s intention: “Any person who accepts what I did in Jesus Christ will be committed to living a life that does My good works.”
• God forgave you and me so that each of us could do God’s good works.
• God did not save you or me to live any way we pleased.
• God did not save you or me for us to be a selfish, self-centered people.
• God did not save you or me so we could justify any lifestyle we wanted to live.
• God saved you and me for each of us to become more and more like Him.
• God saved you and me for each of us to devote our existence to doing the things God wants.
• Being a Christian involves the desire to become what I was born in Jesus Christ to be--the Christian wants to grow and to mature in God’s own nature. The Christian wants to live the life God wants and to do the things God wants done. The Christian does not want to act or live in ways that oppose God.
• Christianity is for people who want to grow closer to God. Christianity is not for people who have no intention of living and acting like people who belong to God.
In the first three chapters of Paul’s letter to Ephesus, Paul wrote about what God accomplished in Jesus Christ.
• In fact, what God accomplished in Jesus Christ is the source of every spiritual blessing available to us (1:3).
• Through Jesus Christ, God made it possible for us to be adopted into God’s family (1:5).
• Through Jesus Christ, God made our redemption possible (1:7).
• Through Jesus Christ, God extended grace upon Christians (1:8)
• Through Jesus Christ, God made it possible for Christians to understand His objectives (1:8-10).
• Through Jesus Christ, God gave us an inheritance (1:13-14).
• If we are to see what God is doing, we must realize what God did in Jesus Christ (1:15-23).(Paul: my prayer is that you will see what God is doing, what is happening.)
—David Maddox
WOULD I BE CALLED A CHRISTIAN?
Would I be called a Christian,
if everybody knew
my secret thoughts and feelings,
and everything I do?
Oh, could they see the likeness
of Christ in me each day?
Oh, could they hear Him speaking,
in every word I say?
Would I be called a Christian,
if anyone could know
that I am found in places
where Jesus would not go?
Oh, could they hear His echo
in every song I sing?
In eating, drinking, dressing,
could they see Christ, my King?
Would I be called a Christian,
if judged by what I read?
By all my recreations,
and every thought and deed?
Could I be counted Christ-like,
as I now work and pray?
Unselfish, kind, forgiving
to others every day?
—Via, Beacon
"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
What The Bible Says - Vol. 6 / No. 3
Sunday, June 18, 2023What The Bible Says
Vol. VI - No. 3 / June 18, 2023
OUR GOSPEL MEETING
Have you spent any time thinking about the benefits to be derived from our gospel meeting? Here are some things that we believe can result:
§ You can worship and glorify God.
§ You can help to support the teaching of truth.
§ You can deepen your understanding of the Scriptures.
§ You can strengthen your faith.
§ You can be encouraged by your association with fellow Christians and you can accomplish your duty to edify your brethren.
§ You can help to teach a lost person by inviting them to attend with you.
Of course, there are some other things that you could do that week instead of attending each service of the gospel meeting:
§ You could stay home and watch TV.
§ You could neglect you duty to God and show a greater love for the things of this world (1 John 2:15-17).
§ You could forget about learning more of God’s truth.
§ You could turn your back on your brethren and choose instead to associate with worldly friends.
§ You could simply forsake your spiritual obligations and serve your carnal desires.
Now, look at those two lists. At the end of the gospel meeting, which course will you have followed? Think! —Greg Gwin
"...IN THE MIDST OF A CROOKED AND PERVERSE GENERATION"
"Do all things without murmurings and questions; that ye may become blameless and harmless, children of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom ye are seen as lights in the world" (Phil. 2:14, 15).
The Philippian Christians had to serve God in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation. They were neither the first nor the last to find themselves under such circumstances. In fact, every person who ever served God did so "in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation," and so must we.
Surely no-one would question the perverseness of the generation in which we live. We are surrounded by indecency. Moral filth lines the shelves of the neighborhood store and video shop. Drug scandals rock the sports and entertainment worlds. Christians working in factories are exposed to bad language, filthy stories, and rumors of immorality among their fellow employees. Our children attend schools that are filled with wickedness. We are not overstating the case - this is the world as it really is, a crooked and perverse generation indeed.
We face two possible choices as Christians: (1) try to clean up the society in which we live, so that we and our children can serve God without the pressures and evil influences that presently exist. We would not discourage reasonable effort on the part of individual Christians along these lines, but success in any such efforts will be on a small scale. It matters not how hard we work at it, by and large, the world will still be a corrupt world when we die: evil will still exist on TV and in the movies; pornography will still be a problem; corruption will still exist in government; and schools will still have their ungodly influences. Our purpose as Christians is to call people out of darkness through the gospel and into light. We can do that, but efforts to eradicate darkness will for the most part be futile. Fortunately, we have another choice: (2) make up our minds to serve God faithfully in whatever environment we find ourselves. ThIs is the only viable choice for the Christian.
It can be done. Consider Noah's generation when "every imagination of the thoughts of (man's) heart was only evil continually" (Gen. 6:5); or Lot's generation when ten righteous souls could not be found in all of Sodom; or Elijah's generation when wicked Ahab served as king in the wicked nation of Israel; or Daniel's generation when as a young man he found himself in a foreign land facing pressures to eat the king's meats and drink his wines (Dan. 1:8); or the apostles' generation when Rome ruled the world and the hypocritical scribes and Pharisees dominated the religious scene. What were these men doing in such crooked and perverse circumstances? They were serving God! That's what they were doing! The point is this: if these could serve God in the midst of the crooked and perverse circumstances in which they found themselves, and if the Philippians could shine "as lights in the world" in the midst of their crooked and perverse generation, so can we. Our eternal destiny is not determined by the environment in which we live, but by our own determination to be what we ought to be in whatever environment we find ourselves. We must lay aside our excuses, both for ourselves and our children, and make up our minds to say with Joshua, "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord" (Josh. 24:15). This we shall do, and with God's help we shall overcome. —Bill Hall
SENTENCE SERMONS
If you will get on the right road and go straight, you will not get lost.
***
Common sense is one of the most uncommon things around.
***
You may need false teeth but be sure that your tongue is always true.
***
It takes far more effort to make a good life than a good living.
***
Often the chains of bad habits are two small to be felt until they are too strong to be broken.
***
To be sound, an argument must be true.
"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