http://www.springdalechurchofchrist.com/ WestSide Church of Christ,SpringDale en-us Mon, 21 Jul 2008 07:41:00 http://www.springdalechurchofchrist.com/article-example.php?aid=6 David Deuster Most of us are familiar with the events surrounding the arrest of Christ in the garden. One of those events was an encounter between Simon Peter and the high priest’s servant Malchus. In an event to prevent his Master’s arrest, Peter drew his sword and struck the servant cutting off his right ear. Jesus replied by saying to Peter “Put your sword back into its place.” Jesus then touched the ear of Malchus and healed him. We are told in scripture that the word of God is sharper than any two edged sword, discerning the hearts and thoughts of men (Heb 4:12-13). Also we find that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God (Rom 10:17). We read that all of us have a responsibility to preach the Gospel to the lost (Mt 28:18-20). When Peter saw that Malchus was opposed to the Lord, he immediately went for his sword and cut off the servant’s ear. How many opportunities have we missed in teaching the Gospel to someone whose religion is opposed to God because we “went for the kill”, lacking the patience and compassion needed to guide that person into all truth. In healing Malchus, Christ displayed the same characteristics of compassion and mercy shown throughout His ministry. He saw the need for compassion in the lives of people. The people he went to were those who were sick, blind, lame, and especially to the lost. We need to develop those same characteristics if we are going to make a serious effort to teach the lost. Paul instructed the Galatians to restore one caught in a transgression with a spirit of gentleness (Gal 6:1). Likewise Paul gave Timothy the same instruction in teaching and evangelizing those who were opposed to the truth (2 Tim 2:24-26). Think of how Paul would have been received at Athens had he completely rejected the spirituality of the people there. Instead, he acknowledged their devotion, and though they were misdirected, Paul took the time to explain the way of God more accurately to them. He taught with tact, and his delivery provoked a response. Some mocked, some said they would hear him again, others believed the words that he had spoken. I am not advocating that we put up our “swords” and only teach the goodness and love of God. While it is true that He has shown us an abundance of mercy and compassion, it is also true that He is a jealous God and will not tolerate lawlessness (Rom 11:22). We need to show the same compassion and understanding that has been shown to us when we engage in any spiritual discussion. Let us not be swift cut off the ear of anyone who may be lost, they may never have the opportunity to hear the truth again. Sun, 20 July 2008 00:00:00 http://www.springdalechurchofchrist.com/article-example.php?aid=5 Mike Pittman We hear all the time how the younger generation is "going to the dogs." There is, indeed, a general disrespect for authority among young people today. This is true even of some of our youth in the Lord's church. Here at Westside, however, we speak of our young people with a sense of pride. I have decided that it would be fitting to use some bulletin space to brag on them a bit. Let's start with the first thru third grade class. At the beginning of this quarter their teacher challenged them with some rather long memory work. Bethany Shadowens, Cymber Henderson, and Carley Goggans nailed it! It was obvious that they had spent a lot of time with the verses. We commend them along with their parents. I am greatly encouraged by what I see, not just in the above mentioned young people, but in our youth generally. It's not just their participation in the Bible classes I like. I like to see their interaction with the elderly. We can see it before and after services, but it is evident in other situations. Some of them have gone to the hospital lately to visit with sister Faddis, some have expressed their concerns and affections for her in other ways. When they are called upo to lead us in public worship, not only do they accept the call, they try to excel. When they are challenged to be more faithful in living for God, they rise to the occasion. "Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth..."(Eccl. 12:1). Yes. We are proud of our young people. Sun, 13 January 2008 00:00:00 http://www.springdalechurchofchrist.com/article-example.php?aid=3 David Deuster Lather, rinse, repeat is a common phrase that you find on the instructions of shampoo bottles. It is sometimes used as a humorous way of saying that a certain set of instructions should be repeated until a goal is reached. If taken literally, the instructions tell the user to lather their hair, rinse the shampoo off, then repeat the process-but they do not say when to stop this cycle. In theory, a person could conceivably keep washing and rinsing his hair forever (or until he ran out of shampoo) as he repeated the instructions over and over. Common sense tells him that he is only to repeat the first two steps once, for a total of two washings. Not only that but common sense also tells him that when his hair becomes dirty again, he must repeat the process again in order to return his hair to its former state of cleanliness. In the same way, obedience to the gospel does not stop with baptism. This is where the "repeat" step comes in. We must continue to develop and increase our faith. Adding to it the characteristics and qualities of a Christian will keep us from becoming unfruitful and ineffective in our faith (2 Peter 1:5-9). We must also hold fast to the confession of our hope who is Jesus Christ (Heb 10:23). If we fail to remember and make that confession we are in danger of drifting away from the only hope that we have. None of us live perfect lives after baptism. Therefore we must continue to repent when our lives become "dirty" with sin. If we continue to walk in the light, the blood of Christ will continue to wash us and cleanse us just as it did when we were baptized (1 John 1:7) Your hair will not stay clean forever after just one shower. You must continue to wash it when it becomes dirty. Likewise, your soul will not remain clean after baptism, unless you continue to wash it when it becomes dirty. Once showered, you are not always showered. Sun, 10 February 2008 00:00:00 http://www.springdalechurchofchrist.com/article-example.php?aid=2 David Deuster Solomon was one of the wisest men ever to live. As he reflected on his life lived on earth, he discovered there was a purpose and a time for everything. In Ecclesiastics 3:7, the preacher writes that there is "a time to keep silence and a time to speak". We would do good to consider his words ourselves. There are good reasons for us to remain silent at times. Proverbs 17:28 says, "Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise; when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent." There is no need for us to be hasty in our speech if we are uninformed ourselves. It is better to be swift to hear, and slow to speak (Js. 1:19). Where God has not spoken, we should remain silent. It is neither our responsibility nor our position to make assumptions as to what the mind of God would have us to do. God's ways are higher than our ways, and his thoughts are not our thoughts (Isa. 55:8-9). Silence is an indication of our humility, and our submission to the authority that God has over us. Job's friends remained silent for a long time when they first came to visit. When they finally did speak, they had nothing good or encouraging to say to him. They would have done more good for Job had they just remained silent. However, there are also times that we need to speak boldly. We should not remain silent when there is sin in our lives that needs confession. We should be willing to pray to God and ask his forgiveness, and confess our faults one to another. We should always be ready to "give a reason for the hope that is in us". We should be ready to share that hope with others we meet. We may be the only Bible they will ever hear. We should always be ready to speak boldly before men the words of truth that God has revealed. The prophet Jeremiah could not remain silent in his prophecy even though he tried (Jer. 20:9). Amos was eager to proclaim the words of the Lord (Amos 3:9) despite the message being rejected by the people (Amos 7:10-17). "A word in due season, how good it is" - Prov 15:23 Sun, 27 January 2008 00:00:00 http://www.springdalechurchofchrist.com/article-example.php?aid=1 David Deuster Is there a difference in character and reputation? Character looks inwardly to the heart, and is that by which God knows us. Reputation is outward and is that which men and women know us. Sometimes we may tend think that because someone has a good reputation he must have a good character. We may know someone because of his reputation, yet we may be deceived because the character of that person is just the opposite of what we have perceived him to be. Consider the church at Sardis in Revelation 3. In this passage we find a church with a reputation of being alive. However, the Lord was not concerned with the reputation of the church. He looked to the character and found it to be dead. Paul dealt with just the opposite problem. He had his former reputation as Saul to overcome as he went out and began to preach the gospel. His true character was overshadowed at times because of a tarnished reputation. God wants us to have a good reputation that has been honestly earned. Proverbs 22:1 says, "A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold." Is our reputation an accurate reflection of our true character? A good reputation is desirable, but true character is more important because character is who we really are. In the end it is our character that will be judged. We may fool others and find false security in a "good reputation", but we can be sure that we will not fool God on the Day of Judgment. Reputations based on lies will be found out, but godly character regardless of reputation will be rewarded. "For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart." 1 Sam 16:7 Sun, 13 January 2008 00:00:00