| JULY 19, 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). HAPPY BIRTHDAY FOR JULY 7th LeFaye Fillyaw; 8th Amanda Stone; 9th Weadie Burns; 15th Karter Fillyaw; 18th Alanna Briggs; 19th Karen Fillyaw; 20th Scothelia Martin; HAPPY ANNIVERSARY FOR JULY 20th Jerry & Sheryl Loyd; READING THE NEW TESTAMENT: FIRST TIMOTHY: Chapter 4:1-16: Apostasy (Leaving One’s Faith): But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron, men who forbid marriage and advocate abstaining from foods which God has created to be gratefully shared in by those who believe and know the truth. For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with gratitude; for it is sanctified by means of the word of God and prayer. A Good Minister’s Discipline: In pointing out these things to the brethren, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, constantly nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound doctrine which you have been following. But have nothing to do with worldly fables fit only for old women. On the other hand, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness; for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. It is a trustworthy statement deserving full acceptance. For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers. Prescribe and teach these things. Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe. Until I come, give attention to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation and teaching. Do not neglect the spiritual gift within you, which was bestowed on you through prophetic utterance with the laying on of hands by the presbytery. Take pains with these things, be absorbed in them, so that your progress will be evident to all. Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching ; persevere in these things, for as you do this you will ensure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you. (More Next Week! Stay Tuned!) I Have Heard That The Bible Has Mistakes In It Is That True? Part One of Three By Allen Webster, House to House/Heart to Heart Bulletin, Vol. 25, Num. 5 One said, “If I were Satan, I would put as many barriers around the Bible as I could. I would plant thorns and hedges to frighten people off.” The devil has been busy planting thorns (cf. Matthew 13:18-22). A Gallup poll showed that only twenty-four percent of Americans believe the Bible is the literal word of God, the lowest in Gallup’s forty-year tracking. The number who view the Bible as secular stories and history has risen to twenty-six percent. Whole books—even libraries—are dedicated to answering critics verse by verse. This article can give only a sampling. Critics allege over one hundred errors in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. All their accusations are answerable. These examples show how to deal with such alleged discrepancies: ARE JESUS’ LINEAGE ACCOUNTS IRRECONCILABLE? A comparison of Jesus’ genealogies (Matt. 1:1-17; Luke 3:23-38) shows more dissimilarity than duplication. Matthew’s list descends from Abraham to Joseph (Matt. 1:2, 16) because he wrote to Jews, and Abraham was the father of the Jews. Luke’s ascends back to Adam (Luke 3:38), focusing on humanity, because he wrote to the Greeks. There is no difficulty reconciling the first two parts: Adam to Abraham: Luke matches Genesis. Abraham to David: Tables are alike. From David to Christ, though, the lists are different, and Luke has more names. Matthew divides forty-two names into three sets of fourteen (each ending in a national event). Luke’s list has sixty ancestors. Answers: 1.Matthew omitted lesser-known ancestors because Jews commonly abbreviated long lists. If giving directions when someone generally knows the way, one only has to give high points. If one does not know the way, then directions must be detailed. Jews knew their ancestry, so Matthew listed only the high points. 2.The lists differ because Matthew traces Joseph’s lineage and showed that Jesus had legal right to King David’s throne (2nd Sam. 7:12-16). Luke traced Mary’s line to show Jesus was Abraham’s biological descendant (Gen. 12:1-3). Joseph and Mary both descended from David but through different wives. (David had at least seven wives.) 3.Jews used “son” in four ways---immediate male offspring, son-in-law, descendant up to several generations removed, and Levirate son (see Deut 25:5-10). Joseph’s father is listed as Jacob (Matt. 1:16) and Heli (Luke 3:23) showing a Levirate marriage. (Under Moses’ law, if a man died childless, his brother married his widow and fathered a son as his heir.) Jacob was his bio- logical father; Heli, who died before his conception, was his legal father. WHAT ABOUT THOSE EYES AND NEEDLES? Writers used different words for “eye of the needle.” Matthew (19:24) and Mark (10:25) used the same word for needle; Luke used a surgeon’s needle (18:25). Critics say, “Someone is wrong. Jesus used one word for each.” Possibilities: (1) The quotes might be from different sermons. Jesus preached the same ideas many times in different villages (Matt. 4:17). Politicians make the same stump speech every night for months. Preachers preach lessons in different churches and repeat phrases in the same sermon. The disciples likely heard Jesus use different words on different days. (2) Jesus spoke Aramaic and His Spirit-guided biographers simply chose different words to translate into Greek. (Part Two Next Week! Stay Tuned!) ATTENTION: We will NOT have worship services Sunday. May God Bless the Westfield Church members in their efforts. Amen. 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.He pushed hard against the pillars, the temple of the idol Dagon fell; He killed more in death than in life, this blind, but mighty judge of Israel. 2.The 450 prophets of Baal I challenged, “See if your god can bring fire.” Their cries to him went unanswered, but God heard my prayer. 3.Seventy of his sons were killed, beheaded all at one time; Wiping out the descendants of this evil king’s line. Answers to Last Week’s ‘Bible Riddles’: 1. Jacob (Gen. 28:10-15; 2. Malachi (Mal. 3:8-9); 3. Must be split (cloven) (Lev. 11:1-3). <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> Our memory verse for JULY comes from the New Testament book of 1st Peter. Only one verse. Easy and familiar. Repeat it over and over. You can do it. “Who is there to harm you if you prove zealous for what is good?” (1st Peter 3:13). REPEAT IT AGAIN; THEN AGAIN; TEN TIMES TEN ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 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 the Nexus Acute Care Hosp., 9182 Six Pines, Rm. 314, Woodlands, TX 77380. No visitors or phone calls. She can receive cards. Remember her in your prayers. Bro. Hubert Crowson doing better. Remember him in your prayers. Sis. Ina Henry doing well. Remember her and family your prayers. Bro. Jonathan O’Brien doing well. Remember him and family in 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. Sis. Billie Nelson needs our prayers. Remember Ken, Beverly, and Kamryn Fillyaw in your prayers. Remember Bro. Cotton Weaver in your prayers. Sis Amelia Williamson doing better. Remember her in 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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