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Nile
Street Notes
Anna Church of
Christ 104 Nile Street,
Anna, Illinois 62906 833-5815 |
Website: www.annachurchofchrist.com
Vol 23. Issue
48 Nov.
29, 2009
Paul told the young preacher Timothy
concerning the eating of food, “for every creature of
God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving” (1
Tim. 4:4).
But, it seems that, in this day and
age, there is something fundamentally wrong with the contemporary American
approach to Thanksgiving. We use the occasion of Thanksgiving to inventory our
blessings and then carve the traditional turkey. When you get right down to it,
there is something pretty empty and shallow with the attitude of “I appreciate
what God has done for me; therefore I will indulge myself with a big meal!”
Now, don’t get me wrong--I probably overate on Thanksgiving Day--but I can’t
help but wonder if we are, in reality, participating in Thanksfeeling
instead of genuine Thanksgiving.
Real gratitude should give! What should thanksgiving really mean?
Thanksgiving means GIVING TO GOD. Paul
stated to the Corinthians that remembering what Jesus gave for our sakes should
make us want to give generously and cheerfully to God in return. (2 Cor.
9:6-9). The point is that thanksgiving to God should be rendered with our
hearts, with our talents, with our time, and yes, even with our pocketbooks.
Thanksgiving
means GIVING TO THOSE WHO HAVE GIVEN TO US. We all owe
a debt of gratitude to those who raised us. Certainly we should honor them
(Eph. 6:2). Unfortunately, in our fast-paced society, many children seem unable
(or unwilling) to give their parents the time they should (this is true no
matter how old you or your parents are).
Are we
truly thankful for our parents? Then let’s demonstrate our gratitude by giving
them the most valuable gift of all--ourselves. And not only our parents, but
truly give back to any and all who have selflessly touched our lives (i.e.
fellow
Christians, teachers, friends, etc.).
Thanksgiving means GIVING TO THOSE
WHO ARE IN NEED. Real gratitude shares. Those who
have been richly blessed by God must, in turn, be a blessing to others. It’s
too easy for us to look at world hunger, hardship, and the needs of so many
others and excuse ourselves by saying, “Well, I can’t help everyone.” True, you
can’t help everyone, but you can help someone (Gal. 6:10)! It is not enough to
count our
blessings,
we must also share them with others. We have so much for which to be grateful.
But genuine thankfulness, genuine thanksgiving not only feels, it acts! Does
your thanksgiving really give?
-
Edd
Sterchi via Family Matters (adapted & edited for
Nile St. Notes)
SERMON TOPICS
A.M. – “Some Important Questions About
Satan” (Luke 22:1-4)
P.M. – “Symptoms of
Gratitude”
(Phil. 4:4-7)
Those For
Whom We Are Praying:
Kathleen Ritchey
Rodney & Nikki Lingle
Bill Whitnel
Mitchell Shock – Grandson of
Rosemary’s cousin.
Paul Etherton - Sara Wilkins’ father. Cancer in lymph nodes.
Bonnie Mangum
Jeannie Britt
- diagnosed with kidney cancer. Her address is:
212 West Ash Street, Cobden, IL 62920 if you’d like to send
a card or letter.
Ivis
Wright
Larry Barnhart – Recovering
from back surgery.
Donna Bell - Recovering well
from knee surgery.
Quotable Quote: “Optimism is essential to achievement and it
is also the foundation of courage and true progress.” - Nicholas Murray Butler
Wisdom From Proverbs: “He that troubleth his own house shall
inherit the wind: and the fool shall be servant to the wise of heart” (Prov. 11:29).
Welcome! If you're visiting with us, we extend you a
special welcome and invite you to come back at every opportunity. If our
worship seems unusual to you, please let us know what you find different. We
endeavor to worship "in Spirit and in truth" (Jn. 4:24) and do only
what scripture authorizes (Col. 3:17, Deut. 4:2; Rev. 22:18-19).
UPCOMING
ACTIVITIES/MEETINGS
* Ladies' Appreciation Breakfast Dec. 12 at 9 a.m. for women 45 and
older.
* Men - It's time to schedule a Prayer Breakfast. Let R.W. know which
date/dates work for you. Dec. 19th?
* Please clip
"Box Tops For Education" & put them in the box in the Preacher's
office.
* Please
continue to drop any Bible questions in the Question & Answer box in the
foyer.
* Please
continue boycotting Pepsi & Frito-Lay products as they support the
homosexual agenda..
BIBLE QUESTION/ANSWER:
Last week’s
answer: King Saul (I Sam.
15:20-22).
New question: What
did a magician or sorcerer want to buy from the apostles? Who was it?
Sentence Sermon: “Patience is trusting in God’s timing.”
Birthdays &Anniversaries
Sheri McCann – 12/3
Sarah Wilkins – 12/4
Ron Schultz – 12/5
3 Ways to Benefit
from "Boring" Passages
If you've ever tried reading through the Old
Testament, chances are at some point you've found yourself bored, stuck in the
middle of a genealogy or list of laws and wishing you were back in Mark. And if
you didn't fall asleep, skip the chapter, or quit entirely, you at least came
away wondering why these sections are in Scripture and what they mean for us
today.
The New Testament affirms that every word of the
Old Testament is God-breathed and for our good (Matthew 5:17-18;
Romans 15:4;
2 Timothy 3:16;
etc.). But how do we experience this, especially when some passages seem to be
nothing more than antiquated lists of numbers, names, or laws? How do we
benefit from the parts of the Bible that seem so boring?
Here are three possibilities:
1) "Boring" passages are the evidence
of God's faithfulness. Taken individually, many details in Scripture can seem useless,
like scattered stones at the bottom of the Jordan. But when we read them in
context and observe how they have been drawn out and arranged on the other side
of the river, we start to see them as concrete reminders of how God has been
faithful to his people and promises.
What significance is it, for instance, that in
the census at Sinai the tribe of Judah had a noticeably larger number of men
than the other tribes (Numbers 1:26-27)?
For one, it shows us that God was making good on his promise to exalt Judah
above his brothers (Genesis 49:8).
2) "Boring" passages equip us to
understand greater spiritual realities. By enumerating details from the past,
"boring" passages introduce us to concepts by which we can understand
later revelation.
Consider this: Why does the Pentateuch contain
so much material that describes the old covenant and its laws? One reason is
that Moses wanted to increase our anticipation and appreciation of a new
covenant.
By chronicling the old covenant—one in which
God's law is external to his people, written on stone and unattainable in all
its requirements—Moses sets up a contrast by which his readers can better
apprehend the nature and glory of the coming covenant. In the new covenant
there is still law and obedience, but the law is written on our hearts and
obedience comes from within as "faith working through love" (Deuteronomy 30:6;
Galatians 5:6).
3) "Boring" passages help us
experience what they talk about. At times the biblical authors illustrate or
elaborate on certain details in the past in order to give their readers a felt
sense of what they are describing.
For example, when listing out the instructions
for how to build the tabernacle, Moses goes into great detail about all the
materials and measurements. Did he intend for the reader of Exodus to actually
build a tabernacle? No! That was Bezalel and Oholiab's job (Exodus 31:1-11).
Rather, it appears that Moses included the full
set of blueprints in order to convey to us, as we literally labor to read them,
a greater sense of the weight and worth of God. The effect is that we feel more
hopeless about attaining our own righteousness, and we marvel more at God's
mercy in still coming to dwell among feeble and failing people.
Every passage of Scripture plays its part
perfectly. Sure, not all are dramatic or suspenseful or flowering with sweet
promises. But God has his wise—and needed—purposes for every inspired line.
Tyler
Kenney