Nile Street Notes

Anna Church of Christ

104 Nile Street, Anna, Illinois 62906

833-5815

 

 

Website: www.annachurchofchrist.com

 

Vol 22.                                                    Issue 33                                       Aug. 24, 2008

 

Prepare to Meet Thy God

            In the Book of Amos, this warning can be found.  “Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel, and because I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel.” (Amos 4:12). Why was the warning given?  Remember, Israel had once again forgotten God and turned their devotion to idolatry. 

            In the passage, Amos warns the children of Israel that God is not going to visit them with salvation but with inevitable and complete judgment.  So, it is also the case with us.  It seems from time to time that we overlook this truth.  Man is a being of curiosity, and as such, he must prepare in every phase of life for the future.  Nations make preparations for peace, trade, and war.  Communities prepare for social events and physical developments.  In nature, God gives animals their instincts, so they can prepare for their own safety and survival.  Individually, we prepare for our vocations through education and experience.  Preparedness is essential and without it we would fail in many of life’s endeavors.  But how often do we examine our spiritual preparedness?

            Isaiah 59:1-2 highlights the ideas that man without spiritual preparation is doomed because of his sin.  In Matthew 22:44, Christ says, “Therefore be ye also ready for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.”  Similar warnings are echoed in 1 Thessalonians 5:6 and Luke 12:35-40.  To meet Jesus and to be found in Him should be our greatest desire; for it is through Him that we can escape sin and death (Romans 6:23).

There is no tomorrow on the calendar for those that love and serve the Lord.  The time to start making sure that we are properly prepared is now.  The most important aspect of our preparation it to make sure that we are living each day as the Lord would will it.  John 14: 1-3 Christ reminds us, “Let not your heart be troubled, ye believe in God, believe also in me.  In my father’s house are many mansions if it were not so I would have told you.  I go to prepare a place for you.  And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself that where I am there ye may be also.”

            If Christ is willing to make preparations for us in Heaven, who can be blamed if we fall short?  We must be ready and not like the foolish virgins found in Matthew 25.  Let us be vigil and make sure that we are striving to be ready for Christ each day.  We understand that preparation means to completely make ready.  This morning, I would like to ask you to think upon the many events and activities that you had to prepare for last week.  Was coming to church one of them?  Did you make preparation to get to church?  And once here, were you fully prepared?  I pray so.

 

- Ryan Thornsberry

 

 

SERMON TOPICS

A.M. – “Pride Goeth Before Destruction”

            (Prov. 16:18-19)

P.M. – “Eight Characteristics of Effective

            Preaching”   (I Thess. 2:2-4)

 

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

Sheilah Whittington 

Paul Frailey – Carolyn’s father. 
Veda Pryor
Virginia McIntyre 
Carlos Wright – Severe back pain. 
Dustin Dillow – Recovering from knee surgery.
Sara Wilkins’ father – Receiving follow-up treatment after cancer surgery.

Lowell Karraker

Fred Hillman – (Margaret’s brother)

Kayla Dillow – Recovering from kidney stones.

 

 

Wisdom From Proverbs: “Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: 7Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, 8Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest” (Prov. 6:6-8).

 
Quotable Quote: “ Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.” – M.K Ghandi
 
 

UPCOMING ACTIVITIES/ANNOUNCEMENTS

*POTLUCK WILL BE HELD NEXT SUNDAY (5th SUNDAY IN AUGUST) INSTEAD OF THE 1ST SUNDAY IN

  SEPTEMBER.

*Brother Aaron Thornsberry will be speaking next Sunday.

*Everyone is invited to the Wards for a fellowship potluck on Sat., Sept. 20 at 5 p.m.

*Our Ladies Day will be Sept. 13th with Cindy Colley. – Ladies, please sign up to bring food. List is on bulletin board. Ladies,

  please attend!

*Ladies’ Bible class will not meet in September. You will meet again in Oct. for chapter 9.

*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.

*Men – Be sure to sign up for a Wednesday night in August or September to offer the invitation.

*Food Pantry needs canned fruit.

*Homecoming at Little Egypt Christian Youth Camp next weekend. Details on bulletin board.

*Disturbing News: More news concerning McDonalds’ activities w/the homosexual agenda are on the bulletin board. Do we want to give our financial support to a company engaged in such? Please sign the boycott.

Hearing assistance for any service is available upon request.

 

BIBLE QUESTION/ANSWER:

Last week’s answer: To the sea (Mark 4:39).

 

New question: What goes before a fall?

 

Sentence Sermon: “Seek ye first the kingdom of God...” (Matt. 6:33).

 

Birthdays & Anniversaries

Rebekah Thornsberry (8/25)

Benjamin Yates (8/26)

Virginia McIntyre (8/28)

Holly McAlister (8/30)

Larry & Rosemary Dillow (8/30)

Larry & Kittie Yates (8/30)

 

 

 

Remember Thy Creator…

 

“Remember now thy creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them”  (Ecclesiastes 12:1).

 

Older people have a love for those who are younger. If you have any doubts about that, just observe grandparents while they’re around their grandchildren – that should remove all doubt! God loves the young, too. This passage in Ecclesiastes is primarily directed toward those who are young and is a challenge to every youth. It’s a plea for all young people to turn to the Lord early in life. Let’s try to understand the main point of this Bible passage.

It’s possible that the young never grow older. The young die, too, and opportunity may be taken from them quickly. Death is no stranger to the beautiful innocence of youth. I’ve seen the funeral of one young girl and it impressed me so deeply how death comes to youth.

Disease, accidents: many things terminate life and opportunity is gone forever. One of the devil’s most subtle and vicious lies is, “You have plenty of time yet to obey the gospel!” and this lie is told to the young and the old alike.

Delay makes obedience harder. Our text tells of evil days that follow the days of youth. Evil has the power to harden the heart. Those that were once tender and malleable become set and resistant even to the gospel. Waiting can cause indifference and many things can occur in the course of a person’s life that can turn attention away from the soul. I Peter 5:8 tells us, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:” Satan is constantly begging the youth to postpone obedience for he knows that delay gives him additional opportunities to deceive and mislead.

We must ever keep before us the reality of the promise of the Lord’s return. We don’t know when that’ll be. First Thessalonians 5:2 tells us that the “…day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.” He may come before a young person grows to maturity. Even the young ought to want to meet Him prepared, but no matter what your age – young, or just young at heart – you need to be ready to meet your Lord.

                       

- R.W.