Nile Street Notes

Anna Church of Christ

104 Nile Street, Anna, Illinois 62906

833-5815

Vol 23. Issue 9 March 1, 2009

Hear My Prayer, Lord

The 102^nd psalm is representative of the Psalmist's feelings and often ours: “Hear my prayer, O LORD, and let my cry come unto thee. ²Hide not thy face from me in the day when I am in trouble; incline thine ear unto me: in the day when I call answer me speedily. ³For my days are consumed like smoke, and my bones are burned as an hearth. ⁴My heart is smitten, and withered like grass; so that I forget to eat my bread. ⁵By reason of the voice of my groaning my bones cleave to my skin. ⁶I am like a pelican of the wilderness: I am like an owl of the desert. ⁷I watch, and am as a sparrow alone upon the house top.” Very vivid imagery. The Psalmist feels so deserted, so alone, and so despairing of life, but that’s the world we all live in at times. You know, female Pelican’s have a large pouch under their bill to store food. Hence they can remain alone in the wilderness for quite a long time. I don’t ever recall feeling like a lonely pelican but maybe I have. I know I’ve felt like a sparrow alone on the rooftop and I’ll bet most of us have felt the same way at one time or another. It seems like all of us have problems to deal with and they take their toll on us. We often feel that no one else can understand our troubles, but we're wrong - God does.

What can we do? We must do what the Psalmist did – talk to God. He boldly approached His Lord (Heb. 4:16) and laid his problems at His feet (I Peter 5:8). He poured out his heart to God, as did Hannah (I Sam. 1:10&15).

He knew the Lord had the answer. Doubtless, he didn’t know exactly what that answer would be, but he knew where to find it. People often turn to the bottle, illegal drugs, or manmade answers to spiritual problems when they ought to apply the Bible’s solutions.

When problems plague you, cry out to God: “Hear my prayer, O Lord” and “cast your care upon him, for he cares for you.” You’ll feel better for having done so.

- R.W.

SERMON TOPICS

A.M. – “Managing Our Worries”

(Psalm 13)

P.M. – “Living By Faith”

(Rom. 1:16-17)

Those For Whom We Are Praying:

Kathleen Ritchey

Loren Eddleman

Rosemary Dillow’s mother & Son–in-law

Jerry & Betty Ward

Rodney & Nikki Lingle

Bill Whitnel

Ken and Gilda Snell

Lowell Karraker

Mitchell Shock – Grandson of Rosemary’s cousin.

Austin Detering – Baby battling a number of birth defects.

Carlos Wright

Veda Pryor – In a nursing home in Dexter, MO. Her address and phone number are on the bulletin board.

Virginia McIntyre

Wardell Barnhart's sister

Wayne Schultz - Had angiogram Tuesday. Doing better.

Family of Duane Morgan - died Thursday as a result of injuries received in a wreck.

Wisdom From Proverbs: “It is as sport to a fool to do mischief: but a man of understanding hath wisdom” (Prov. 10:23).

Quotable Quote: “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.” - John Quincy Adams

Sentence Sermon: “Trouble is usually produced by those who do not produce anything else.”

UPCOMING ACTIVITIES/ANNOUNCEMENTS

* Our Spring Gospel Meeting will be March 20-22 with Garland Elkins.

* Today is potluck Sunday.

* Men’s Bible study tomorrow night at 7.

* Gospel Meeting in Jackson Apr. 3-5 with Phil Sanders.

* Gospel meeting in Salem Mar. 29-Apr. 1 w/David Lipe.

* Mar. 6&7 – “Inspiration 2009” youth rally at Dexter congregation. Kyle Butt speaking. Group studies for 5^th -12^th

grades. All ages invited to attend Kyle Butt's lessons in the auditorium. Adult class will also be available at the group

study times. More info on the bulletin board.

* Phone Calls and Letters are needed for those in hospitals and who are shut-in.

* Also, let’s remember to contact those that we haven’t see in a few weeks.

* We have invitation letters to our services to mail out. If you’d like to be a part of this, see R.W.

* Feel free to drop any Bible questions in the Question & Answer box in the foyer.

* Food Pantry needs canned fruit.

* 4^th Sunday singing will be here in March, coinciding with our meeting.

Hearing assistance for any service is available upon request.

BIBLE QUESTION/ANSWER:

Last week’s answer: Herod (Mt. 2:16)

New question: Which king fell through his upper chamber?

Birthdays & Anniversaries

None this week.

ABUSING THE LORD’S SUPPER
Bill Jackson (Deceased)

In looking into I Corinthians 11, we have these words from the apostle to help us to see Corinth’s condition as regards to worship:

1)	Coming together for the worse (v.17),
2)	Coming together in a divided state (v.18),
3)	Coming together with an allegiance to men (v.19),
4)	Coming together with no thought as to the significance of the supper (v.20),
5)	Coming together in mixing their common-meal items in with worship (vs.21,22),
6)	Coming together with no discernment of the body of the Lord, and thus their participation was in an unworthy manner (vs.27-29).

The apostle indicates a great spiritual sickness in their midst, with some of them actually “in death” (v.30). The wonderful privilege of worship was being abused, perverted and mishandled. We must continually examine ourselves (II Cor. 13:5), in this and in every way, that we insure that our worship will be in spirit and in truth (John 4:24).
But we want to speak of the abuse of the Lord’s Supper in our own time, and in some particular ways wherein we should now stop and examine ourselves with a determination to improve. We make mention of these points regarding the abuse just noted:
1) We abuse the Lord’s Supper when there is no anticipation of worship. The Christian is a worshipper, and worship is to be a great and continual part of his life. Yes, “exhort one another” (Heb. 10:25). The Supper is mentioned as a rallying cause of the saints on the first day of the week (Acts 20:7). If the Supper is meaningless to us as we think of it, and as we approach the observance of it, it will be meaningless as we partake as well.
2) We abuse the Supper if we have the view that “this is all that matters.” There are five avenues of worship, and if five are necessary, then all five are important. There has been too much of an attitude that says, “Just so I get the Lord’s Supper!” For all its importance, it is not ALL IMPORTANT! It is fruitless to be half-hearted in all other worship, and then to try to be of a spiritual mind when it is time to observe the Supper.

3) We abuse the Supper if we think that observance somehow makes up for the time misspent in sin, indifference and carelessness. Not one word is said in the New Testament about the Lord’s Supper affecting “cleansing” for the disobedient child of God! If he is unfaithful to God, he is in no better position to partake of the Lord’s Supper than he is to sing or pray. Without making proper correction in life, he only adds sin to sin in going through the motions of Lord’s Supper observance.

4) We abuse the Supper if we so spend the week or weekend in fun and games, perhaps on vacation, and just barely squeeze in time to make a service, arriving late and nearly to the point of exhaustion, and we do manage to “get the Supper.” Body and mind in such shape for worship is needed to worship “in spirit” — with spirit and understanding (I Cor. 14:15). It is an abuse of all worship, and not just the Supper, when I can BARELY find an hour to give to God!

5) Finally, one of the most flagrant abuses is on the part of those who wilfully absent themselves on Sunday mornings, and then will rise to partake on Sunday evenings as if some matter beyond their control blocked them that morning. We know that sicknesses and emergencies arise, but we are thinking of the willful absence, and then the Sunday evening partaking, as if God would subsidize the negligence. This is an abuse of the purpose and intent of the Lord’s Supper — a memorial with significance for Spiritual people!
May we examine ourselves in this avenue of worship, and in all others, that we will truly worship God in spirit and in truth (John 4:24), and that our coming together be for The Better! (I Cor. 11:17)