Teaching, Loving and Caring in the Country

     It’s been a very busy week!  Monday was a day that I will not soon forget.  The Lasley family was completely devastated at the passing of their beloved Tammy.  We all were filled with sorrow for the family, for our community, and for ourselves at the passing of such a fine young woman.  She was only 49 years old.  Such an experience serves as a reminder of the brevity and the volatility of life.  Death is only a heartbeat away.  We often pray with our children and grandchildren at bedtime.  Our prayer goes something like this, “As I lay me down to sleep.  I pray the Lord my soul to keep.  If I should die before I wake.  I pray the Lord my soul to take.  In Jesus name.  Amen.”  This prayer now has a renewed significance to me.  On Thursday evening, Tammy went to sleep.  She died during the night.  The Lord took her soul to Paradise.  Blessed by  the name of the Lord.  We do not know when our own appointment with death will be, only that we have an appointment that we will keep.  Our task is to be in Christ, walking in the light as He is in the light, striving to live our lives before God and others with kindness, gentleness, and humility and with courage, integrity, and honor.  We are not perfect in ourselves.  We are made perfect in Christ Jesus.  I am so very thankful.

    God always requires those who are following Him to heaven to make adjustments to His will and purposes.  This Sunday morning at Enola we will take a look at some examples from the Old Testament that prove this point.  What adjustments did Noah have to make in order to follow God’s purpose?  What about Abraham?  And Moses?  What about David?  The Book of Ruth shows the beautiful consequences of one who adjusts their life to God’s purposes.  I look forward to sharing this lesson with the church and our guests.

     On Sunday evening we will continue in our series; “Jesus is King of Kings – Jesus is the King of Action.”  We will be looking at specific examples from Jesus life to show that we can depend on Jesus to take action when action is required.  Jesus is indeed the King of Kings.

     Can you believe that January is gone and that February is now upon us.  The church of Christ at Enola is growing and changing every week, maturing in the ways of God and His Son reading, praying, working, serving, and sharing the gospel.  Already this year we have experienced the spiritual birth of three new Christians.  We are overjoyed!  Of course, we have also experienced one of our faithful families moving their membership elsewhere.  We are saddened, but we try to understand.  Maybe you are thinking about making a change in this new year.  Make the drive out to the country to Enola and experience the honesty, simplicity, and joy of Christians worshipping and working together in unity, harmony, and happiness.

A Banner Day...A Banner Week...Up in the Country

     We enjoyed another banner day yesterday (Sunday, January 20^th) in Enola, Arkansas.  We had a good crowd gathered together for worship (133).  Some of our family and friends were sick.  We’re praying that they will soon be well again.  Some were out of town.  We hope that their visits with family and friends went well.  Some were at work.  Sorry about having to work on the Lord’s Day, but we are glad that those who had to work made the sacrifice.  What would happen if our farmers, doctors, nurses, police officers, EMT’s, business owners, and preachers decided to take off on Sunday?  Unfortunately, a few of our Christian brothers and sisters who were “out of pocket,” yielded to temptation and chose the darkness over the light.  We will pray for them that God will grant them wisdom, strength, and a greater desire to put first things first.

     Recently God has blessed our labors in Enola with three new additions to the church of Christ.  Richard Brown, Whitney Mullins, and Sam Camer all accepted the invitation of Christ (Matthew 11:28-30) and put Him on in baptism (Galatians 3:27).  We are so very thankful for our new Christian brother and these two Christian sisters.  God is always right.  His ways are so much better than our ways.  His word will accomplish what He wills.  Paul wrote to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 3:5-7) “Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one?  I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase.  Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.”  As Christians at Enola and everywhere in the world, we must keep on planting and watering.  God always gives the increase in His time.

     On Sunday morning we are asking ourselves two questions, “What is God asking me to do or not do in my life?” and “Will I make the proper adjustments in my life to fulfill His purpose for me?”  The Rich Young Ruler asked Jesus about eternal life in Mark 10.  Jesus answered his question.  The man refused Jesus’ instructions.  God requires every one of us to adjust our lives to His plans and purposes for us.  Look at Adam and Eve.  God asked them to do something; Tend and keep the Garden of Eden.  He also asked them to not do something; Do not eat of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.  We have a responsibility to God, our families, our fellow human beings, our world, and ourselves.  Are we being responsible?  In addition to what we must do, there are things we simply must not do.  We must be careful in life.  Some things will kill us.  We can drink water, but drinking gasoline will kill us.  The internet is a wonderful blessing, however the internet can kill us if we are not very careful about where we surf.  As a husband, there are some things that I must do to maintain my marriage.  There are also some things that must never do.  Think about your life.  What is God asking you to do that you are not doing?  What is God asking you to stop doing that you are doing?

     Our Sunday evening lesson series in entitled “Jesus:  The King of Kings.”  We have studied about Jesus being the King of love and the King of power.  Jesus is also the King of Action. 

     Come up in the country and see what real living is about.  We would love to see you.  We meet for Bible study and for worship at 10:00 and 11:00 every Sunday.  We return for another time of study at 5:00 p.m. on Sunday and on Wednesday evening we meet at 7:00.

Happy New Year 2013

     Happy New Year 2013 from up in the country, Enola, Arkansas.  I hope you are having a great 2013 so far.  I am.  God is blessing us with a great beginning to this new year.  This past Sunday we enjoyed a great Lord’s Day with a pretty good crowd (123).  Several of our Christian brothers and sisters are sick at home battling colds and various illnesses that come with the winter weather.  If you are sick, stay home and get some rest.  As soon as you are well again, come back for fellowship, Bible study, and worship.  Let us know if you are sick.  We want to pray for you.

     Congratulations to Richard Brown!  Richard Brown is the fiancé of Pam McEntire.  Richard came before God and the church on Sunday morning to confess Jesus Christ as the Son of God and be baptized into our Lord.  Upon his baptism, Richard received forgiveness of every sin and was added to the church by Christ Himself (Acts 2:47).  We welcome our new Christian brother into our family at Enola.

     It could be that you have been thinking seriously about your life and your relationship with God.  Are you a Christian?  Sin separates us from God and causes so much pain and suffering in our lives and in the world.  Jesus Christ came into the world to save every sinner from sin.  Believe in Him (Hebrews 11:6).  Repent of your sin (Luke 13:3).  Confess Jesus Christ (Acts 8:31).  Be baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:18-20).  I can certainly help you and answer any question you might have about Christ and His church.  All answers will come from only one source, the Bible.

     This past Sunday we asked ourselves a question; “What Shall We Do?”  Shall we walk in the light or in the darkness?  Shall we be in Christ or of the world?  Shall we be a sheep or a goat, wheat or chaff?  Shall we live our lives on the path that leads to life or on the path that leads to death?  This Sunday (13^th) we will continue in this line of thought with a lesson that asks: We know what we should do, shall we do it?  The Rich Young Ruler who came to Jesus asking about eternal life said to our Lord, “Jesus, tell me what I need to do.  Tell me the right way to go.  Show me the way…But, don’t ask me to change.  Don’t ask me to stop doing the things that I shouldn’t do.  Don’t ask me to start doing the things I should do.  Don’t ask me to adjust my life and my schedule to Yours.  Don’t ask me to make adjustments that are different from the way I’ve always lived.”  Well, my friends; God always requires us to adjust ourselves to His plans and purposes.  And whatever adjustments we are asked to make for God are well worth the making.

     On Sunday evening at Enola we will begin a new series entitled “Jesus:  The King of Kings.”  This Sunday we will see that Jesus is the King of Love.

     The church of Christ at Enola meets for worship, fellowship, and Bible study every Sunday morning at 10 and 11 and on Sunday evening at 5.  We also meet every Wednesday evening at 7.  Members:  Are you where you need to be on Sunday and Wednesday?  Make the decision once for all to be where you need to be every week.  We love you and need you.

Twelve Inches of Snow in the Country!

     Country living in Enola, Arkansas!  What a beautiful experience!  We had a rare occurrence this week with more than 12 inches of snow falling on Christmas day in the country.  I couldn’t get out of my driveway until one of our neighbors came with his tractor and blade.  Neighbors in the country are certainly different from neighbors in the city.  I know and so do you, if you have ever lived in the city.  Utility trucks have been working tirelessly trying to get our roads cleared and our utilities back up and running.  We still don’t have any electricity at the main building and education building at Enola.  Hope everything will be back up and running before Sunday.  We can determine and manage many things in life.  Weather is not one of them.  All we can do is prepare and pray, then adjust.  No use complaining and worrying.   God is still in control.  I’m glad.

     A brand new year – 2013 is only a few days away!  What chances, challenges, and changes will come our way?  God knows.  We do not.  Of course, our own thoughts, dreams, words, actions, and decisions go a long way in determining the chances, challenges, and changes that we will face.  Maybe we will have to face a job change.  Maybe we will face sickness, or maybe we might have to face a financial crisis.  Maybe we will experience grief or sadness.  It could be that we will experience times of great success or pleasure in this new year.  That is my prayer for you and for me.  It is true that we may not be able to determine these things but we can certainly determine the attitude we have in facing these things.  Will we face these chances, challenges, and changes in faith or in fear?  We can decide.  Our happiness and our success are often determined by our decision.

     My last blog was posted just before I heard about my grandmother’s death.  My grandmother (Granny) was born in May of 1917. She was 95.  I tried to explain to my grandchildren that she was born in a very different time and lived very differently from the way they live.  They could not hardly believe that their great great grandmother only received an apple and an orange for Christmas when she was their age.  No videogames.  No Barbies.  No Legos.  No American Dolls.  No Wranglers.  No Remington hunting rifles.  No Four-wheelers.  Just an apple and an orange.  She often talked about the orange she found in her stocking hung on the fireplace, how it fragrant it smelled, how delicious it tasted, how very happy she was to receive such an expensive and rare gift.  My, my hasn’t times changed.  Let’s make sure our children understand, truly understand the importance of the things that really matter.  I need help remembering and understanding myself.   Maybe next year we can be different, better, deeper, more like God.  I miss my Granny very much and look forward to a grand reunion one day when we will all be together again in our heavenly home.

     This Sunday morning during the sermon time we will consider the Parable of the Unjust Steward.  Jesus teaches us responsibility, accountability, and the vitality of service in our everyday lives.  On Sunday evening we will consider the final lesson in the series Foundation Principles – Gentleness.  Jesus was gentle.  His invitation in Matthew 11:28-30 teaches us of His gentleness.  I hope you can be here with your fellow Christians at Enola to worship and learn the lessons of life.

Good News from the Country

     Hello again from up in the country, Enola, Arkansas and the Enola church of Christ.  I hope your week has been a good one.  Christmas is only a few days away.  I’m happy that for at least a few days every year, so many think about giving, family, and hopefully Jesus Christ.  Regrettably some Christians go to extremes one way or the other during the holiday season.  Some Christian fuss and fight about December 25^th not being the exact day of Jesus’ birth or maybe about whether or not we should even consider celebrating Jesus’ birth on a certain day.  Other Christians go to the other extreme and go bonkers over Christmas with decorations, candle-lighting ceremonies, plays, live nativity scenes, and such things.  It is true that we do not know the exact day of Jesus’ birth.  We can’t find the day of Jesus’ birth in the Bible and history does not record the day of His birth.  The Bible does not command us to celebrate His birth.  The Bible does direct every Christian to remember His death, burial, and resurrection.  Of course, how can you remember someone’s life and not remember their birth?  Additionally, the Bible does include the details of His birth in the gospels.  The birth of Jesus should be studied, taught, preached, and remembered at Christmas time and at any other time.  I love Christmas.  The holiday season seems to bring out the best in people.  That is good.  I love to show my love for my wife, children, grand children, and my friends during the holiday season.  I love to see them show their love for me and for others as well.

     If you decide to visit with us at the Enola church of Christ this time of the year you will find that our services do not change very much from one season to the next.  Every Sunday we sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs making melody in our hearts to the Lord.  Every Sunday we do a lot of praying to the Father in the name of the Son.  Every Sunday we remember the life, the death, the resurrection, and the promises of Jesus Christ by eating unleavened bread and drinking the fruit of the vine in the Lord’s Supper.  Every Sunday we pass the offering plate and present our financial gifts to God as He has directed us.  Every Sunday we study God’s word to strengthen our faith in God.  Sometimes I might preach a lesson specific to a certain occasion simply because people are thinking about it.  Then again, I may not even mention what might or might not be happening when it comes to a certain holiday or special occasion.  You can rest assured that our mission to show and share the gospel of Christ continues steadfastly from Sunday to Sunday and every day in between.

     This Sunday we will continue to study Jesus’ parables and the Parable of the Lost and Found.  We have considered the lost sheep.  Jesus fulfilled His mission.  Are we fulfilling ours?  We have looked at the lost coin.  Every “one” is important.  We must always be on the lookout for any “one” who is lost.  When we find one who is lost, our mission is to introduce them to Jesus.  He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.  This Sunday we will look at the lost son.  Actually, our lesson will focus on the love of the Father.  He loved the son when the son was at home.  He loved the son when the son left home and went into the foreign country in sin.  He loved the son when the son came home.  Oh, how wonderful it is to have such a Father as is our God!