|
|
|
 CONSIDER MAGAZINE Volume 3 - January 2007 Beginning our 3rd year
January 1, 2007 - Today we begin a New Year of hope for the future. I am including a copy of the letter that I have sent to all of the members of the church here on Cemetery Road in Hilliard and to a few good friends in other places. The letter to our brethren and friends:
HAPPY NEW YEAR [2007] FROM GARRETH AND BARBARA Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, We are thankful this year for each of you and for the collective good that we have accomplished together in God’s service. The work of the church here has experienced continued peace, growth, and sincerity as each one of you together with us have contributed to the success of the work as a whole. Surely the Godhead is pleased with the work that this good congregation continues to do. Please know that we are thankful for your kindness and support while I have experienced serious health problems during this year of 2006. I do not believe that I could have survived this year without your prayers, constant care, and gifts that you have so abundantly bestowed on Barbara and me. There is no way that we will ever be able to repay you for the kindness, mercy, love, and consideration you have shown us. We will, by God’s great grace continue to work continually together with you to make our calling together and election sure. We will extend ourselves beyond our ability if that were possible to assist in our collective preparation to someday meet our Savior and hear that welcome home my faithful ones. Let us therefore with renewed appreciation for our relationship together with the Godhead do whatever we can do to promote growth, both in knowledge and numbers. We will not become tired or overburdened with the needs of others but will become renewed each time a crisis arrives that effects one of the faithful ones here. We will rush to the side of the faithful who suffer infirmity or tribulation of whatever kind and aid in whatever way we can. We love you all; Garreth and Barbara Finally, Galatians 6:9-10, ”9 And let us not be weary in well-doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. 10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us work that which is good toward all men, and especially toward them that are of the household of the faith.“ ASV 2 Thessalonians 3:13-16, ”13 But ye, brethren, be not weary in well-doing. 14 And if any man obeyeth not our word by this epistle, note that man, that ye have no company with him, to the end that he may be ashamed. 15 And (yet) count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother. 16 Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in all ways. The Lord be with you all.
THOUGHTS FOR 2007 From The Church Webpage
THOUGHT FOR JANUARY 2007: God is always good to those that serve Him faithfully. History records the benevolence of God on behalf of the faithful, therefore; the faithful today might have great faith in the final outcome.
THOUGHT FOR FEBRUARY, 2007: The work here at 4840 Cemetery Road continues to prosper. The spirit of good will, cooperation, and faithfulness to the BOOK continues.
THOUGHT FOR MARCH, 2007: Selfishness and personal ambition often destroys more people and their usefulness in society, their home, the workplace, and yes! The church May we each take inventory of our actions and motives often so that we will never fall into a state of selfishness.
THOUGHT FOR APRIL, 2007: Let us do well unto all men, especially unto those who are of household of faith - James 1:27; Galatians 6:10; John 13:35
THOUGHT FOR MAY, 2007: Seek the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace." Never compromise the "TRUTH" for any reason.
THOUGHT FOR JUNE 2007: Life is good when you are a Christian; you possess hope that the non-Christian does not. Indeed, heaven is your future home - the non-Christian has no good, happy home but can only look forward to eternal torment.
THOUGHT FOR JULY 2007: All good things come from God - James 1:17, "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." KJV
THOUGHT FOR AUGUST, 2007: The value of a person may not always be appreciated at first meeting. Yet, as one continues to associate with a true Christian they soon find that this person is a pleasure to know.
THOUGHT FOR SEPTEMBER, 2007 Gospel Meeting in Norwalk, OHIO Garreth Clair local preacher here preaching each service - September 7-12
THOUGHT FOR OCTOBER, 2007: Phil 2:4, "not looking each of you to his own things, but each of you also to the things of others." Proverbs 16:31, "The hoary head is a crown of glory; it shall be found in the way of righteousness." Proverbs 20:29, "The glory of young men is their strength; and the beauty of old men is the hoary head." ASV
THOUGHT FOR NOVEMBER 2007: There is no time like the present to get your life right with God. This is true because we do not know whether we will be here for another week.
THOUGHT FOR DECEMBER: Last month in the year, if there are things that you need to get done this year now is the time to do them. James 4:13-15, 13 Do Not Boast About Tomorrow Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit"; 14 whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. 15 Instead you ought to say,“ If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that." NKJV glclair@sbcglobal.net
THOUGHTS OF ASSURANCE "COUNTING OUR BLESSINGS"
INTRODUCTION: Possibly one of the most neglected facets of true disciples is their lack of appreciation for all the blessings that are theirs to enjoy. In many instances those of us who live here in America do not often count our blessings; we have taken them for granted. Indeed, there are material and spiritual blessings for God’s People if they simply understand the relationship they sustain with God and other people. In our study today let us look at some of the spiritual and some of the material blessings available in the church of Christ [i.e. in our relationship to God]. MATERIAL BLESSINGS WE ENJOY:
SPIRTTUAL BLESSINGS WE MAY ENJOY: WE ARE BLESSED TO BE PARTAKLERS OF ALL SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS: Ephesians 1:3, ”Blessed (be) the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly (places) in Christ:“ ASV WE ARE BLESSED BECAUSE WE GIVE WORSHIP TO GOD AND AID OUR BRETHREN AND OUR NEIGHBORS: Acts 20:35, ”In all things I gave you an example, that so laboring ye ought to help the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that he himself said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.“ ASV
WE ARE BLESSED TO HAVE OUR SINS REMITTED: Romans 4:7, ”7(saying) Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.“ ASV
WE ARE BLESSED BECAUSE OUR SINS HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN: Romans 4:8, ”…Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not reckon sin.“ ASV WE ARE BLESSED TO LOOK FORWARD TO OUR SAVIOR’S COMING: Titus 2:11-13, ”11 For the grace of God hath appeared, bringing salvation to all men, 12 instructing us, to the intent that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly and righteously and godly in this present world; 13 looking for the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;“ ASV WE ARE BLESSED WHEN WE ARE TEMPTED: WE ARE BLESSED WHEN WE OVERCOME TEMPTATIONS: WE ARE MADE STRONGER AS WE OVERCOME EACH TEMPTATION: James 1:12-15, ”12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation; for when he hath been approved, he shall receive the crown of life, which (the Lord) promised to them that love him.13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God; for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempteth no man: 14 but each man is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed. 15 Then the lust, when it hath conceived, beareth sin: and the sin, when it is full-grown, bringeth forth death.“ ASV WE ARE BLESSED WHENEVER WE DO GOD’S WILL: James 1:25, ”But he that looketh into the perfect law, the (law) of liberty, and (so) continueth, being not a hearer that forgetteth but a doer that worketh, this man shall be blessed in his doing.“ WE ARE BLESSED IF WE DIE A FAITHFUL CHRISTIAN [i.e. Faithful in Christ]: Revelation 14:13. ”And I heard the voice from heaven saying, Write, Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from henceforth: yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; for their works follow with them.“ ASV CONCLUSION: We are blessed through so many avenues because we faithfully serve God. We ought to be appreciative of these things and others that we did not list here. To be a faithful Christian is truly a blessing. Will you become a Christian today or will you be restored to faithfulness today? ”What a great series of blessings you are missing!“ Garreth L. Clair
Consider Magazine is an independent work by Garreth L. Clair Garreth has over 50 years experience as a preacher, and is currently the preacher for the church that meets at 4840 Cemetery Road, in Hilliard OH. http://www.cemeteryroadchurchofchrist.org/ Copyright 2005, All Rights Reserved. (Please contact us for permission to reprint.) Please help us show up on search engines, by putting a link to http://www.considermagazine.com on your website!
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
