| AUGUST 9, 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, once again, been curtailed for a period of time. We will not meet on Sunday for worship. We do have available prefilled communion cups, masks and gloves on the table in the foyer, if you desire to worship with your family. If you need any of these items, call one of the elders for entry to the building. May God bless the Westfield Church and its efforts. Amen. “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). If there is anyone left off the Birthday or Anniversary lists, or dates that need changing, please let me know! HAPPY BIRTHDAY FOR AUGUST 2nd Jerry Loyd; 6th Hannah Drake; 15th Suzie Higgins; 19th Kaymi Clayton; 23rd Gwen Huffman; 29th Leilani Baker; 31st Angie Lee; HAPPY ANNIVERSARY FOR AUGUST 24th (’56) Hubert & Ethel Crowson; READING THE NEW TESTAMENT: FIRST TIMOTHY: Chapter 6:9-21: Instructions to Those Who Minister: But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. But flee from these things, you man of God, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who testified the good confession before Pontius Pilate, that you keep the commandment without stain or reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which He will bring about at the proper time---He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see. To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen. Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy. Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed. Oh Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you, avoiding worldly and empty chatter and the opposing arguments of what is falsely called “knowledge”---which some have professed and thus gone astray from the faith. Grace be with you. (More Next Week!) DEEP OR MUDDY? By James Hahn, Herty Church of Christ Bulletin, Lufkin, Texas Through the years there have been individuals, usually preachers, who feature themselves as being “free thinkers” who present “thought provoking” lessons that are usually attacks upon what they call the “traditionally held” views. The “in depth” lessons presented by these individuals usually leave many in the audience wondering just what they have said and thinking that the preacher is so “deep” in his thinking and presentation that they do not understand simply because they do not have the knowledge or ability the preacher has. These men have at times caused confusion and strife by their preaching and when questioned about their teaching they usually reply, “You just don’t understand what I am saying!” Again, the implication is that any problem that may exist is due to the lack of knowledge or ability on the part of the hearer to comprehend the “deep” things taught by the preacher. I think it is time to start putting the blame where it belongs. Are these men the “deep” thinkers they want us to believe they are? I often think of a statement I once heard made by an old country fellow. He said, “Just because you can’t see the bottom of the river doesn’t necessarily mean the water is deep, it may just be muddy.” I am convinced that this is the case with some of these “deep” thinkers. They have the ability to present their thoughts in such a confusing manner that they just “muddy the water.” The apostle Paul said that he wrote the things revealed to him by the Holy Spirit so that “when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ” (Eph. 3:4). One of the characteristics of faithful gospel preachers through the years has been their ability to present the truth of the gospel in a way that made it easily understood by those who heard. If these men who fancy themselves as being such “in depth” students of the word really have the knowledge and ability they want us to believe they have then why don’t they just teach what they believe to be the truth in a simple understandable manner. If we are misunderstanding what they are teaching then we plead with them to use their abilities to present their teaching so that others less learned can understand. The gospel of Christ remains the same today as when first preached on the day of Pentecost. When someone preaches the simple gospel in a way that can not be understood by all, then we should be aware of the problem. I certainly would not want to discourage any study of God’s word, nor would I condone those who may be satisfied with “the way we have always done things,” and will not consider change when it became necessary to conform to God’s word. I do not approve of those who seem more concerned with impressing others with their ability to be “deep thinkers” rather then helping them understand the plain and simple teachings of God’s word. Those who desire to preach the gospel, should, from time to time, ask themselves the same question Paul asked in his epistle to the Galatians: “For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men?” (1:10). Paul also said, “if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.” I have heard and believe that the two greatest compliments that could be paid to the one preaching are: (1) “He preaches the truth” and (2) “He presents it in such a way that all can understand.” When we become more concerned with “making an impression” than we are with “preaching the word” we are making a grave mistake. Our concern must always be the salvation of souls and not self-glorification. If the gospel is preached souls will be saved and God will be glorified. In closing, do not be intimidated by those who may make you feel inferior in your ability to understand the truth. If you don’t understand something in what the preacher said, ask him a direct question about it. His teaching may not be “deep,” it may just be “muddy.” ATTENTION: We will NOT have worship services Sunday. ATTENTION: Our next open-pantry day has been put on hold for a few months. Let’s not forget to restock the pantry. NOTICE: The program, ‘In Search of the Lord’s Way’, airs on Sunday mornings: On DISH Network, 7 to 7:30 a.m., local TV channel 57. On Uverse, 6:00 a.m., Sunday, ch. 1180. Check your provider if different. ATTENTION: The worship service at Village on the Park, on Sundays, has been put on hold for an unspecified time. It shall return soon. TEST YOUR BIBLE KNOWLEDGE! ‘Bible Riddles’ You Should Know (Easy From the O.T.): 1.We foolishly challenged our brother, God speaks thru us as well as you! God punished one of us with a terrible disease that men still rue. 2.The first plague on Egypt, which their magicians could not match; Was one so intolerable, it made man and beast scratch! 3.I was the priest and scribe, the Persian king did send; To teach the laws of God, to all who returned to Jerusalem. Answers to Last Week’s ‘Bible Riddles’: 1. Thirty-years-old (Gen. 41-46); 2. Nehemiah (Neh. 2:1- 6); 3. Death by stoning (Deut. 21:18-21). <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> Our memory verse for AUGUST comes from the New Testament book of Matthew. Only one verse. Easy and familiar. Repeat it over and over. You can do it. “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter” (Matt. 7:21). REPEAT IT AGAIN; THEN AGAIN; TEN TIMES TEN IN MEMORIAM: The past two weeks we have lost some of our loved ones. Bro. Charles Melvin, of Mississippi, passed from this life to be with the Lord. We have no details other than this. Remember his family in your prayers. We are also grieved in the passing of Sis. Eugenia Thomas. Her funeral and burial was held at Brookside Wednesday at 9:00 a.m. Both Bro. Melvin and Sis. Thomas were faithful Christians and members of Westfield at one time. Remember the family in your prayers as they adjust to this loss. Amen. REMEMBER IN PRAYERS…. Norma Hicks; Sharon (Norma’s dtg.in-law); Violet Kendrick & family; Jean Williams; Kenneth Bone; ‘Ro’ Higgins (Roy Higgins son); Selena Baker; Louise Drake; Ramona Jackson; Ed Walker; Ken, Beverly, Kamryn Fillyaw; Ronnie Weaver; Suzie Stephens; ‘Cotton’ Weaver; Evalette Dunbar; Jim Endy; Amelia Williamson; Rebecca Stone; Faye Stephens; Billie Nelson; Henderson family; Ethel & Hubert Crowson; Charles Melvin; Don Blackwell; Mildred Edmonds; Maya Briggs; Jonathan O’Brien; Ina Henry & Family; SPECIAL PRAYERS TODAY FOR…. Sis. Ethel Crowson has been moved to a home nursing care facility. The address is 830 Hodgkins, Hou., TX, 77032. She is still weak and in need of our prayers. Remember her, Hubert and family in your prayers. Sis. Ina Henry doing well. Remember her and family your prayers. Bro. Jim Endy doing better at home. Remember the family in prayers. Sis. Evalette Dunbar having some tests. Remember her in your prayers. Baby Maya Briggs doing better. Remember her and family in your prayers. Sis. Mildred Edmonds is fighting cancer. Remember her in your prayers. Sis. Rebecca (Becky) Stone needs our prayers. Remember Ken, Beverly, and Kamryn Fillyaw in your prayers. Remember Bro. Cotton Weaver in your prayers. Bro. Kenneth Bone doing well and still needs our prayers. Ronnie Weaver still needs our prayers. Ed Walker still needs our prayers. Bro. Shawn Henderson & family needs our prayers as they deal with illnesses. “. . . The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much” (James 5:16b). |
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