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.