BULLETIN, APRIL 12, 2020 WESTFIELD CHURCH OF CHRIST 1610 WESTFIELD LOOP, HOUSTON, TX 77073 ELDERS: James Fillyaw: 713-560-5104; Hubert Crowson: 281-732-9606; Jerry Loyd: 713-775-5377; Church Office: 281-821-8531 CHURCH SERVICES NOTICE: Church services have been put on hold for a period of time. We will still put out a bulletin and plan to send it to all members that have access to e-mail or other means. Stay in touch with the elders and other members as we struggle with you. May God bless this effort. "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is, but exhorting one another, and so much the more, as you see the day approaching" (Hebrews 10:25).
READING THE NEW TESTAMENT: COLOSSIANS: Chapter 2:8-23: You Are Built up in Christ: See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority; and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him. Therefore no one is to act as your judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day,things which are a mere shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ. Let no one keep defrauding you of your prize by delighting in self- abasement and the worship of the angels (taking his stand on visions he has seen, inflated without cause by his fleshly mind and not holding fast to the head, from whom the entire body, being supplied and held together by the joints and ligaments, grows with a growth which is from God. If you have died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world, why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to decrees, such as, "Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!" (which all refer to things destined to perish with use)--in accordance with the commandments and teachings of men? These are matters which have, to be sure, the appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and self-abasement and severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against fleshly indulgence. (More Next Week! Stay giver. "Tuned!)
“The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much" (James 5:16b). A CHUCKLE..... SICK CALL: John, 12, and Katherine, 10, were cleaning up the family room. Christy, 5, who had a stomachache, was resting in a chair. I told her brother and sister that she could help clean later, to which she responded, "Nope. I can't help. I'm going to have a stomachache all day." DOES YOUR CHURCH TITHE? By Jason Trick, Herty Church of Christ, Lufkin, Texas
The Bible is not one book, but many. The many books of the Bible are grouped under two general headings: The Old Testament, and the New Testament. The word, testament, refers to a special kind of agreement, so we could say the Old Agreement, and the New Agreement. The agreements referred to are God's agreement with the Israelites given thru Moses on Mt. Sinai many years after God created the world, and before Christ's agreement with man today. Hebrews 9:17 says, "For a testament is in forced after men are dead, since it has no power at all while the testator lives." Also, Hebrews 7:12, says, "For the priesthood being changed, of necessity there is also a change of the law." From these passages we know that Jesus' testament did not go into force until after He was crucified, and that it resulted in a change in the Law. Abraham lived in the time before God made His testament with the Israelites, through Moses, on Mt. Sinai (The Old Testament). We first learn about Abraham in the book of Genesis. God required Abraham to be circumcised (Genesis 17:10), and to offer animal sacrifices (Genesis 15: 9). On one occasion Abraham tithed, or gave 10% back to God (Hebrews 7:4). The Jews who lived under the Old Testament were required to be circumcised (Lev. 1:5), and tithe or give 10% (Lev. 27:30). Christians, who live under the Law of Christ (New Testament), are forbidden to circumcise and to offer animal sacrifices, for religious reasons. Paul says, "If you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing ." (Gal. 5:4). Much of the religious world today makes demands that tithing is still binding today. They have a misunderstanding of the Old and New Testament. Jesus Christ, through the shedding of His blood, nailed the Old Law to the cross (Col. 2:14; Eph. 2:16). Hebrews 10:4, says, "For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins." Under the Old Law, animal sacrifices were offered as atonement for the sins of the people. Jesus Christ, under the New Testament, died once and for all, for our sins. He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him (Heb. 5;9; 7:27). Christians can learn a great deal about how and what our attitude needs to be in giving back to the Lord. In 1' Cor. 1:2, we learn that Paul is writing to a local church, "the church of God which is at Corinth." In 1' Cor. 16:1, Paul introduces the subject of "the collection" by telling them they "must do" the same as other "churches." In verse 2, Paul goes on to answer several questions about giving: When: "On the first day of the week." Who: "each one" What: "lay something aside;" How much: "as he may prosper". Also in 2"" Cor. 9:7: "So let" Who: "each one" What: "give"; How much: "as he purposes in his heart"; How: "not grudgingly or of necessity;" Why: "for God loves a cheerful giver."
FROM THE ELDERS TO THE MEMBERS AT WESTFIELD May God bless you for your faithfulness. Thank God for the Churches that have placed their services on the internet (Face Book and other places.) Thank God for the Westfield members that are having services in their home; in their garage; on their front yard; We are praying that this will soon be under control and with God's overseeing of us, it will be. A question did come up about our contribution. If you desire to give, please use a check; place it in an envelope; drive by the church building and place it inside the building through the front door; it will be found and deposited. DO NOT PLACE IN MAIL BOX! ANNOUNCEMENTS: ATTENTION: Our next open-pantry day has been put on hold for a few months. Many thanks to the many volunteers that help make this program a success. God bless you and your work. Don't forget the pantry. ------>>>> Go to YouTube with the link below NOTICE: The program, 'In Search of the Lord's Way', sponsored by several Churches of Christ in our area, airs on Sunday mornings: On DISH Network, 7 to 7:30 a.m., local TV channel 57. On U-verse, 6:00 a.m., Sunday, ch. 1180. Check your provider if different. ATTENTION: Bro. James Fillyaw hosts a worship service from 1:30 to 2:00 p.m., Sundays, at the Village on the Park Senior Living Facility, 12102 Steepleway Blvd., Hou., TX 77065. Anyone who would like to visit would be very welcome. May God bless this work. This work has also been put on hold for an unspecified time. Amen! ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ TEST YOUR BIBLE KNOWLEDGE! 'Bible Riddles' You Should Know (Easy From the 0.T.): 1.My wife was my (half) sister, a devout woman was she; I was (am) the father of the faithful; do you know who we be? Then tell the names we bore, when in the Bible we appear; God gave us new names, for a reason He made clear. 2.The poor widow of Sidon cried: I have only enough for my child now. The Prophet replied, make bread for me and your food will flow. Answers to Last Week's 'Bible Riddles': 1. Queen of Sheba (2 Chon. 9:1-6); 2.Seventeen years (2 Chron. 12:13); 3.Esther (Esther 4:13-14). <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> Our new memory verse for April held over from March comes from The New Testament: Matthew. Only one verse. Easy and familiar. Repeat it over and over, ten times ten. Do it. "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; Knock, and it will be opened to you" (Matthew 7:7) REPEAT IT AGAIN AND AGAIN; THEN AGAIN; TEN TIMES.
IF YOU NEED SPECIAL PRAYERS, PLEASE CALL ONE OF THE ELDERS NOTE: PRAYER LIST LEFT OFF FOR CONFIDENTIAL PURPOSES