Anna Church of Christ
833-5815
Website: www.annachurchofchrist.com
Vol
22. Issue
23 June
8, 2008
Chaste or Chased?
Warmer months are quickly approaching. In
fact, warm, sunny, days have already arrived, and with the
warm weather comes the challenge of modesty. I'm not going to
lecture or give you my "opinion." I don't want to set your
standards for you, and tell you what you can and cannot wear. All I want
to do is ask you to read God's word and then answer a question.
First,
God's word...
Thou shalt not commit adultery (Exodus
Thou shalt not covet your neighbor's wife (Exodus
Whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has committed adultery
in his heart (Matthew 5:28).
Abstain from fleshly lusts that war against the soul (1 Peter
2:11).
Flee youthful lusts (2 Timothy 2:22).
Possess your vessel in sanctification and honor, not in
passionate lusts (1 Thessalonians 4:4-5).
Dress in modest apparel; dress that professes one's godliness (1
Timothy 2:9-10).
Let us resolve not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall
in our brother's way (Romans 14:13).
Now then, the question...
Does the way you dress
cause the opposite sex to think you are "chaste," or does it cause
them to think you want to be "chased?"
Honest
self-evaluation, virtue, and an unrelenting desire to be pleasing to God is all
that is needed, and modesty will take care of itself.
Give
it some thought.
- Steve Higginbotham via MercEmail
Bittersweet Separations
Last Tuesday
morning, after a brief 2-day visit, we said “goodbye” to my Grandmother, Great
Aunt Louise, my Aunt Brenda, and her friend, all of whom stopped to visit while
on their way to Detroit, MI. from Texas. My Aunt Brenda had a bowling
tournament there and they left early enough so they could stop to visit with
us. We were happy to see them, but as is often the case with family that lives
so far away, the visit wasn’t long enough. “Goodbyes” were said Tuesday morning
after breakfast, a few tears shed, and they were on their way.
This same thing
happened last year as they stopped to see us on their way to Aunt Brenda’s
tournament (last year in North Carolina) and we parted company in much the same
manner after another brief visit. Saying “Goodbye” is never a pleasant thing.
Every fall,
thousands of college freshmen move out of their homes for the very first time
to stay in dormitories or apartments and the home they leave behind feels so
empty. Young men and women join the military and are away from home for months
at a time.
How do we comfort ourselves in times like these? How
do parents console themselves when the nest first becomes empty while the child
is away at college? They count the weeks until fall break or Thanksgiving, when
their child can come home. The prospect of a reunion is what makes the
separation bearable. How do military families get by without their loved ones?
They look forward to the next leave or the time military service is finally
over when there can be a reunion. Families who are separated by miles look
forward to the next visit.
What about a memorial
service? How many times have we all had to stand by at the funeral home while
someone said “goodbye” to the dearest on earth to them? How do so many get
through that? When faithful members of the Lord’s body pass on, the faithful
remnant can look into that cold casket and say, “I’ll see you on the morning of
the resurrection” – the prospect of a reunion. Even though the heartbreak is
overwhelming in a situation like that, how comforting it is to contemplate that
glad reunion!
In addition to this type of separation which can end
in a happy reunion, there’s also a dreadful separation to which there can be
no end and no reunion – that’s when God separates the sheep from the goats.
That simply means that if you’re saved according to the Gospel and your family
is not, you will have seen them for the last time, and that’s one of the
hardest things about coming to Christ for so many of us – coming to that
realization. You’ll never see or hear from them again, because there’s a great
gulf fixed between both halves of eternity (Luke 16:26).
A father was dying, and he
had two sons. One was a faithful Christian, the other one was not. To his
Christian son, he said, “Goodnight, son” and to the other one he said, “Goodbye,
son.” The unfaithful son picked up on that and asked his father, “Why did you
tell my brother ‘goodnight,’ and me, ‘goodbye’?” The father answered, “Your
brother is prepared to meet God, and one day, I’ll see him again, but you’re
not a Christian and you’re not living right, so unless you repent and make your
life right, I have to tell you ‘goodbye,’ because I’ll never see you again.” On
that Sad and Final Day, we will say goodbye to our friends and family who are
not part of God’s family.
Friends, I hope I can see my
grandmother again and both of my aunts who came to visit last week – I hope
they can come back next Summer, or that my family can possibly make the trip to
Texas again, but if I never see them again in this life, I can rejoice in the
fact that they’re Christians in the way the Bible defines Christianity, and as
long as they remain faithful (Rev. 2:10), I will see them again – even if it
isn’t in this life.
A bitter separation – when
the Lord separates the sheep from the goats (Matt. 25:32). A sweeter separation
– when loved ones die in the Lord (Rev. 14:13) and a Christian can see them
again (II Tim. 4:8). May we all live our lives according to the Bible so that
our final separation can end in joy.
- R.W.
SERMON TOPICS
A.M. – “Three ‘Nots” We Need To Tie”
(Phil 1:27-28)
P.M. – “Simon, Simon”
(Luke 22:31-34)
Those For Whom We Are
Praying:
Kathleen Ritchey
Loren Eddleman
Josh Furlow (Friend of Rosemary)
Rosemary Dillow’s mother & Son
–in-law
Jerry & Betty Ward
Rodney & Nikki Lingle
Bill Whitnel
Sheilah Whittington
Gene Ballance (Kittie’s brother) – Battling pneumonia.
Rachel Thornsberry – Her broken left arm is healing nicely.
Breanna Dillow – Also broke her arm recently.
Don Conant – Friend of Bob & Kris. Has cancer and is not doing well.
Wisdom
From Proverbs: “My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.” (When sinners tempt you, my son, don’t give
in. – Today’s English Version) – Proverbs 1:10
Quotable Quote: “To get the full value of
joy, you must have people to divide it with.” – Mark Twain
UPCOMING
ACTIVITIES/MEETINGS
* Rejoice! Wes and Shelley
Hazel are working with a congregation in Tompkinsville, KY. The Hazels labored
here with us for nearly 5 years from 2000 –2004. Their current address is:
307 Woodhaven Drive, Tompkinsville, KY 42167.
*Today is Flower Fund Sunday. To contribute, see Kristie.
*We now have invitation letters to our services to mail out. The
plan is to select 5 names (in order) from the phone book every week and mail
those individuals an invitation. If you’d like to be a part of this, see R.W.
*Our food pantry needs canned
meat and beans.
*Feel free to drop any Bible
questions in the Question & Answer box in the foyer.
*Men – Be sure to sign up for
one Wednesday service this month if you’d like to offer the invitation.
BIBLE QUESTION/ANSWER:
Last week’s answer: Potiphar’s
wife (Gen. 39:7).
New question: With the blood
from what animal did Joseph’s brothers stain his coat of many colors?
Sentence Sermon: A pure heart is a spring from which good flows.
Birthdays
& Anniversaries
Ryan and Rebekah Thornsberry – 6/11Grant and Kathy Capel - 6/14
A Few Rules To Live By
- Return everything you borrow.
- Stop blaming other people.
- Live within your means and within your seams.
- Be humble.
- Listen more; talk less.
- Every day, do something nice and try not to get caught.
- Strive for excellence, not perfection.
- Be on time.
- Don’t criticize anyone.
- Be kind to other people.
- Be even kinder to unkind people.
- Take time to study God’s Word and pray every day.
- Admit it when you make a mistake.
- Understand and accept that life isn’t always fair.
- Let someone cut ahead of you in line.
- Don’t argue.
- Know when to say something.
- Know when to keep your mouth shut.
- Don’t make excuses.
- Don’t sweat the small stuff.
via Harrisburg, IL
Church of Christ bulletin