| JUNE 7, 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 send it to all members. “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 JUNE 1st John Higgins; 5th Jai Walker; 18th Thomas Lee; 24th Ethan Higgins; 30th Willia Osby; HAPPY ANNIVERSARY FOR JUNE 2nd Jim & Sande Endy; 24th Steven & Cyndi Middleton; READING THE NEW TESTAMENT: SECOND THESSALONIANS: Chapter 1:1-12: Thanksgiving for Faith and Perseverance: Paul and Silvanus and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ; Grace to you and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brethren, as is only fitting, because your faith is greatly enlarged, and the love of each one of you toward one another grows even greater; therefore, we ourselves speak proudly of you among the churches of God for your perseverance and faith in the midst of all your persecutions and afflictions which you endure. This is a plain indication of God’s righteous judgment so that you will be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which indeed you are suffering. For after all it is only just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you, and to give relief to you who are afflicted and to us as well when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, when He comes to be glorified in His saints on that day, and to be marveled at among all who have believed---for our testimony to you was believed. To this end also we pray for you always, that our God will count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. (More Next Week! Stay Tuned!) Love, Obedience, & Blessings By Jason Trick, Herty Church of Christ, Lufkin, Texas In the religious world in general, there is a disconnect between love, obedience, and blessings. The usual view of love is merely an emotion; something warm and comforting, but little else. Obedience is limited to one thing: You must have faith. Blessings come with few if any conditions. However, the religious world of man is not what we find in the word of God. The Bible teaches there is a connection between love, obedience, and blessings. Love will compel us to obey the Lord, who will then bestow spiritual blessings on us. Love without obedience is a fleeting feeling. Blessings experienced in such a condition, are only those common to mankind (Acts 14:15-18). Moses admonished the children of Israel to love and obey the Lord, and promised that if they did this, God would bless them greatly. He said, “Therefore you shall love the Lord your God, and keep His charge, His statutes, His judgments, and His commandments always” (Deut. 11:1). They were to do this so they could be strong, and go in and possess the land, and prolong their days in the land (Deut. 11:8-9) They were warned not to be deceived, and “turn aside and serve other gods and worship them” (Deut. 11:16). Moses summed it up with these words: “Behold I set before you today a blessing and a curse: the blessing, if you obey the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you today; and the curse, if you do not obey the command-ments of the Lord your God, but turn aside from the way which I command you today, to go after other gods which you have known” (Deut. 11:26-28). God does not lead His children to conquer lands and nations today. However, He will fight for us. He will give us strength in our time of need (Hebrews 4:16). He will arm us for the battle (Eph. 6:10-18). He will provide the way of escape from temptations (1st Cor. 10:13). He will not forsake us (Heb. 13:5-6). And no one will be able to snatch us out of His hand---not even the devil himself (John 10:27-30). “If God is for us, who can be against us” (Romans 8:31)? If we love God, we will keep His commandments (John 14:15; 1st John 5:1-3). If we keep His commandments, He will bless us with all spiritual blessings (Eph. 1:3). What commandments are we to keep? “All of them” (Matt. 28:19-20). We are to flee sexual immorality (1st Cor. 6:18). We are to abstain from alcohol (1st Peter 4:3-4). We are to assemble with the saints (Heb. 10:25). We are to pray without ceasing (1st Thess. 5: 17). The Bible gives “us all things that pertain to life and godliness” 2nd Peter 1:3). In looking, there is a complete list of all things required of the one who loves God. ARE YOU KEEPING THEM? Love, obedience, and blessings are connected to God. Men who try to detach them from one another do a disservice to their fellow man and dishonor Almighty God. Take heed to the word, not the world. “O the pure delight of a single hour that before Thy throne I spend; When I kneel in prayer, and with Thee, my God, I commune as friend with friend! Draw me near – er, nearer, blessed Lord, to the cross where Thou hast died; Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer, blessed Lord, to Thy precious, bleeding side. 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.By night I led my servants, we destroyed the altar of Baal; When the people became angry, my father renamed me Jerubbaal. 2.I had neither much hair, nor fancy colored coat; But God gave me power to make an axe head float. 3.In a night of restless sleep, the place was called Peniel; After wrestling with God ‘til dawn, He changed my name to ______. Answers to Last Week’s ‘Bible Riddles’: 1. Orpah went back; Ruth remained (Ruth 1:1- 22); 2. Gideon (Jud. 7:1-7); 3. Moses (Exo. Ch. 3-5). <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> Our memory verse for MAY comes from the New Testament book of Romans. Only one verse. Easy and familiar. Repeat it over and over, ten times ten. You can do it. “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21). REPEAT IT AGAIN; THEN AGAIN; TEN TIMES TEN WHAT A SOBERING SCRIPTURE!!! “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” What a sobering and humbling thought expressed at the end of Romans 6 (v.23). The apostle Paul states something here that we often forget. Death is the “wages” of sin. The word “wages” in this verse means what we think it does. It means a “stipend or pay” (Strong’s). It has been referred to as a “soldier’s pay.” The point is that wages are what is due a man as a result of his labor. In other words, he gets what he deserves. Thus, “the wages of sin is death” – this is what we deserve for our sin! This has been true since Genesis 2:15-17. In contrast with the wages of sin, God’s “gift” to us is eternal life “through Jesus Christ”! When we humble ourselves in faith and love, and obey His plan of salvation (Heb. 11:6; John 14:6, 15; Mark 16:16; Acts 2: 38). 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; Era Smith; SPECIAL PRAYERS TODAY FOR…. Bro. Jerry Loyd’s sister, Era Smith, has been struggling with medical issues. Remember her and her family in 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. The Crowson’s are doing well at home. Remember them in your 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). THE CYCLE OF SPIRITUAL FREEDOM! Since we are not saved by faith only (James 2:24), and the Bible teaches the possibility of falling away from grace by returning to the old life of sin (Galatians 5:4; Hebrews 6:4-6), we need to know how sin tries to re-enter by deceiving us (Hebrews 3: 12-13): 1. From bondage of sin to spiritual faith; 2. From spiritual faith to great courage for Jesus; 3. From courage to liberty (abundance) in Christ; 4. From abundance to complacency of service; 5. From complacency to apathy of spiritual duties; 6. From apathy to negligence of dedication; 7. From negligence into bondage of sin again. Remember this cycle; our destiny depends on it. Serve the Lord with a sincere heart! |
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