Time Change This Weekend!

     Wow!  Can you believe the devastation the storm “Sandy” has left in its path in the northeastern part of the country?  We have our own problems with weather here in central Arkansas, but I’m so very happy that we are far, far away from such storms.  I am prayerful and sad for those who lost so much in this natural disaster.  My sister-in-law has family and friends in New Jersey.  She has spoken with them and we are very thankful that though they lost property and possessions, they are alive and hopeful to begin rebuilding as soon as they can.

     We are enjoying beautiful weather here in the country.  Cool nights and mornings, and warm days and evenings.  The leaves are really falling now.  Before long the trees will be resting for the winter.  As you probably know, this weekend marks the autumn time-change.  Before you retire on Saturday night, set your clock back one hour – “fall backward.” 

     Thanksgiving and Christmas are on the horizon, only a few days away.  These are truly special holidays for family and friends to be together to remember the “old” times and at the same time look ahead to the coming days.  Let us be thankful for the rich blessings we enjoy every day: our family and friends, our faith in God, the church of Christ, our spiritual family, our jobs that provide a living for us, and the Christian life that leads us all the way to heaven.  It could be that you will be traveling this holiday season.  If so, be careful on your journeys.  Remember that the holiday season is not about how much money you have or how little.  It’s not about how expensive the gift might be that you give or receive or how inexpensive.  It’s not about how much food you have on the table or how little.  The holiday season is about spending time with those you love. It’s about showing and sharing that love in simple and thoughtful ways.  May God bless us all with a happy holiday season this year!  Happiness is a decision. If you know me, I made the decision to be happy a long time ago.

     Cindi and I will be out of town this Sunday morning visiting with our Christian brethren over the valley in Greenbrier.  The church there invited me to preach this Sunday morning and afternoon in their lecture series. I am honored to stand before the church there to preach God’s word.  I will be speaking from Paul first epistle to Timothy in chapter six, verse eleven:  “But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness.”  Remember me in prayer as I share this lesson with our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ at Greenbrier.  I will be back for our evening service at 5:00 p.m.

     Our Sunday evening series “Foundation Principles” will continue this Sunday evening with a lesson on “God’s Plan of Salvation – Baptism.”  We have considered faith, repentance, and confession.  Baptism is the next step to salvation by grace through faith in Christ Jesus.  Jesus was baptized to fulfill all righteousness (Matthew 3:15).  So must we!  Jesus commanded the disciples in Mark 16:15-16; “And He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.  He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.”  Do we want to be saved?  Then we must believe and be baptized.  Those in Acts 2 asked Peter and rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?”  Peter answered their question.  “They Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and let every one of your be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”  I really don’t understand why so many people resist such a simple and clear command from our Lord and Savior.  I didn’t resist.  Are you resisting?

Great Happenings in Enola

    We are having a great week up in the country.  Our crowd was down a little bit this past Sunday morning (115).  Some of our members were traveling (Sonny, Ann, Troy, Barbara, and others) and others were working.  If you were absent, we missed you.  We had a few guests with us.  We certainly enjoy having family and friends to come and worship with us.  Can you believe that November is only a week away?  Thanksgiving is just around the corner. Christmas is next. Then we’ll be saying “Happy New Year!”  Life is indeed like a vapor.

     The church will be happy to know that our front window has now been tinted.  We’ve been having some difficulty on Sunday evening with the sun shining so brightly through the glass.  Sunglasses not needed for worship now.  Thank you to our elders for seeing our need and providing the solution.

     We’re planning a work day soon to landscape the front of the building.  The pavement has been removed.  I have heard that fall is a good time to plant bushes, shrubs, and flower beds in preparation for the spring.  Landscaping the front of our building will make our facilities even more beautiful and inviting.

     Men:  We will be having a Men’s Breakfast on Saturday, November 3^rd at 7:00 a.m.  All men and boys are invited to come out and enjoy a good breakfast, wonderful fellowship, and as always some living conversation.  If you would like to help, come at 6:00.

     Our Sunday morning series “The Parables of Jesus” continues this coming Sunday with a lesson on the “Parable of the Persistent Neighbor” or the “Parable of the Selfish Neighbor.”  Jesus teaches us about prayer.  We will look at the “How,” “What,” and “When” of prayer.  Prayer should include respect for God, supplication for ourselves, intercession for others, and gratitude for the rich blessings we enjoy.  When we pray do we understand that God’s timing may be different from ours?  Also, the way God chooses to answer our prayer may be different from the way we thought He would answer.  Are we okay with that?  May we ever desire for God’s will to be done over our will.

     On Sunday evening at Enola we are remembering the Foundation Principles of the Christian life.  This Sunday we will look at “Confession.”  Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.  Our salvation by grace through faith depends on our confession that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.  Some have not yet confessed Jesus.  Others have.  Our salvation depends upon our confession that Jesus Christ is indeed the Son of God.  We’ll look at what the Bible says about confession.  Confession is deciding on our responsibility.

     Cindi and I are so very happy to be a part of the Enola community.  We are especially thankful to God to be members of the church of Christ at Enola.  Thank you for your love for us and your continued prayers and support for us.  May God give us many happy years of service together is our prayer.

Enjoy Your Fall Weather

     Hello again from up in the country, Enola, Arkansas.  We enjoyed another great Sunday this week at the church of Christ at Enola.  Our crowd was down a bit (122).  These are indeed busy times for every Christian.  A few of our Christian brothers and sisters were at the Arkansas State Fair.  Some were at work.  Some were visiting out of town.  A few were sick with various illnesses that come with the change in the weather.  A small number just chose not to attend.  We are now looking forward to next Lord’s Day when we can meet again to worship God in spirit and in truth.  It is such a blessing to meet with the church.

     Our sermon series “Jesus’ Parables” is going well on Sunday mornings.  Last Sunday we looked at the Parable of the Two Debtors from Luke 7.  Jesus had been invited to the home of Simon the Pharisee.  Simon failed to show Jesus the honor that was due to the invited guest.  A sinful woman came in from the neighborhood to give Jesus the honor that Simon failed to give.  Jesus taught a lesson about the difference between haughtiness and humility, between ignorance and understanding, between judgment and forgiveness, between hatred and love.  I asked the question to every Christian and guest at Enola, “Do I love much or do I love little?”  That is a question for all of us.  What about you?  Do you love much or do you love little?  Think about how you love your wife, your husband, your children, your parents, your family, friend, and neighbors.  What about your enemies?  Do you love much or do you love little?

     This coming Sunday (21^st) we will take a look at Jesus’ Parable of the Good Samaritan.  Jesus told the one who asked Him about eternal life to love God supremely and his neighbor as himself.  If this man loved God and his neighbor, he would have what he requested.  This man wished to justify himself and asked Jesus “Who is my neighbor?”  Jesus showed this man, a lawyer who real love is.  How do we show God that we love Him?  How do we show others that we love them?  We will answer these questions.  I hope you will come and be with us to learn and grow in the grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

     On Sunday evenings at 5:00 at Enola we are reconsidering the foundation principles on which we have built our lives.  God’s plan of salvation includes faith, repentance, confession of Jesus as the Son of God, baptism in water by the authority of Jesus Christ, and then living our lives according to the teachings and example of Christ.  Faith is comprehending our responsibility.  Repentance is taking responsibility.  Confession is deciding on our responsibility.  Baptism is fulfilling our responsibility.  Living the Christian life is being responsible.  We looked at faith last Sunday.  This Sunday evening (21^st) we will study about repentance.

     We have a long list of family members and friends who are in need of our prayers and God’s provision and healing.  Remember to pick up a bulletin every Sunday and pray for those in need.  Marilyn Ruple does an outstanding job with our bulletin every week.  Also, if you can, come a little bit early or pay special attention between Bible class and the worship hour to our projection system announcements.

     Get outside and enjoy our beautiful fall weather.  Go for a walk.  Sit out on the porch to watch the sunrise or sunset.  I noticed that many of our pecan trees are barren this season.  I was out in the woods last week with Brother John Curtis cutting firewood and noticed that many of the oak trees are also barren of acorns.  Our yard birds and squirrels will need our help this winter.

Don't you just love the fall?

     We are enjoying a great week in the country, Enola, Arkansas.  The weather has been much cooler lately.  After all, it is October.  Can you believe that Thanksgiving is just around the corner?  I do enjoy the fall season.  Football, the leaves turning, chili,  beef stew, chain saws running in the woods, the morning dew, the smell of firewood burning in the fireplace, another blanket on the bed… are just a few wonderful things I love about this time of the year.  May God help us to appreciate His rich blessings every day.

     The Area wide Men’s and Preachers’ Meeting was held on Monday of this week.  The focus of this month’s meeting was on our youth.  Young men from various congregations in the area directed the meeting with singing, prayer, and lessons from God’s word that were aimed at encouraging every adult Christian man to build for future generations.  There were 21 present at the meeting.  The meeting was held at the home of Brother Alex Laferty (Mar’s Hill).  David Riley (Mar’s Hill) organized the meeting.  Rod Leslie, youth minister at Downtown/Morrilton provided lunch, a grilled pork loin…Mmmm!  The Men’s and Preachers’ Meeting will be hosted by Brother Shock and the Magnolia congregation in November.

     Our Sunday morning sermon series “The Parables of Jesus” began last Sunday with a look at the Parable of the Sower, the Seed, and the Soil.  Jesus could have been talking to any one of us at any time; mechanics, fishermen, teachers, lawyers, doctors, salespeople, anyone.  A farmer went out to sow seed.  A mechanic went out to repair a pickup.  A fisherman went out to fish.  A teacher went out to teach.  A lawyer went to court.  A doctor went out to help the sick.  A salesman went out to make a sale.  We all have enemies, obstacles, and distractions that often hinder us from working and reaping a great harvest.  In the Parable of the Sower, Seed, and Soil the devil, temptations, the cares of life, the deceitfulness of riches, and pleasures often hinder our work.  If we resist the devil, if we resolve not to yield to temptation, if we remember the promises of God concerning cares, riches, and pleasure, we will reap a great harvest in our lives.

     This Sunday morning we will consider another one of Jesus’ parables, the Parable of the Two Debtors.  This lesson will be somewhat different in its approach.  We will look at this parable through a series of questions that will need to be answered by each of us individually, personally, and privately.  How much do I love Jesus?  Do I love Him like the woman with the alabaster container of perfume loved Him?  You can find this parable in Luke chapter 7.

     On Sunday evenings we are fortifying the foundation of our Christian lives.  God has a plan of salvation for every person.  Faith is me comprehending my responsibility.  Repentance is me accepting my responsibility.  Confession is me deciding on my responsibility.  Baptism is me fulfilling my responsibility.  Living the Christian life is me being responsible.   This Sunday we will focus our attention specifically on the foundation principle of faith.  Faith is the substance of our hope.  Faith is the evidence of what we cannot yet see.  Faith is believing is God.  Faith is believing that God rewards those who diligently seek Him.

     The church of Christ at Enola is doing well.  If you are in the area, please come and join us for worship on Sunday morning at 10:00, on Sunday evening at 5:00 and on Wednesday evening at 7:00.  We would love to see you. 

From San Antonio, Texas and the Alamo

It is a blessing to be a Christian. Yesterday, Sunday, September 30th Cindi and I had the privilege of worshipping with the church of Christ at Laurel Street in San Antonio, Texas. Bible study began at 9:15 a.m. with Brother Keith Murphy teaching on the book of Acts. Brother Murphy is the Associate Minister at Laurel Street. The class was inspiring, informative, and true to the word of God. I found that Brother Murphy was a lot like me in his presentation. We only covered a few verses in Acts 17. The word of God is deep and requires time (a life-time) and depth of thinking to understand its meaning. We followed the pattern of the New Testament as the church gathered at 10:15 to sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, pray without ceasing, remember the Lord Jesus Christ in the Lord’s Supper, give of our means to the work of Christ, and hear a message from God’s word preached powerfully and Scripturally by Brother Murphy. There were several requests for prayer and two public responses to the message. There were smiles all around us, Christian brothers and sisters happy to be together for worship and so very happy that we were there with them. There was much joy. No one was in a hurry. I don’t remember how many songs we sang or how many prayers we prayed or how many times the Bible was read or how long the preacher preached. Time didn’t matter. We were assembled before the presence of Almighty God to worship Him, to honor His Son, and to receive a renewed strength from the study of His Word. I do know this. I looked at cell phone to check the time when the service was over and we were back in the car. Bible study began at 9:15 a.m. and lasted until 10:00. Worship began at 10:15 a.m. We were dismissed at 12:10 p.m. And not a single person was in a hurry to depart, including me and Cindi. What a pleasure it was to worship God with Christian brothers and sisters so far from Enola, Arkansas and yet so close to us in spirit and in truth.

This coming Sunday, October 7th we will begin a new series of sermons on the Parables of Jesus. Jesus is the greatest preacher who ever preached. He is the Example for every preacher to follow. He is my Teacher, Mentor, Standard, Savior, Brother, and Friend. He is the Son of God and yet my closest Friend and constant Companion. He speaks to me every day through His word. I speak to Him in constant prayer. In times of happiness, He shares in every joy. In times of sorrow and pain, He shares in our grief and sorrow. According to the Bible, when Jesus spoke, people marveled because He spoke as One who had authority. He knew what He was talking about.

On Sunday evenings at Enola I would like to remind us of the Foundation Principles that we live by: God’s plan of salvation, His order of worship, His pattern for how the church is to be organized, and God’s plan for living for every Christian. We are citizens of a different kingdom. Whatever God does, He does on purpose, with purpose, and for a purpose. Romans 8:28 tells us that we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.