MAY 3, 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).
HAPPY BIRTHDAY FOR MAY
2nd Steven Middleton; 3rd Marshall Briggs; 8th Charles Melvin;
24th Cotton Weaver; 27th Blake Henderson;
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY FOR MAY
19th Thomas & Angie Lee;
READING THE NEW TESTAMENT: COLOSSIANS:
Chapter 4:14-18: Fellow Workers: Luke, the beloved physician, sends you his greetings, and also
Demas. Greet the brethren who are in Laodicea and also Nympha and the church that is in her house.
When this letter is read among you, have it also read in the church of the Laodiceans; and you, for your
part read my letter that is coming from Laodicea. Say to Archippus, “Take heed to the ministry which you
have received in the Lord, that you may fulfill it.” I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. Remember
my imprisonment. Grace be with you.
READING THE NEW TESTAMENT: FIRST THESSALONIANS:
Chapter 1:1-10: Thanksgiving for These Believers: Paul and Silvanus and Timothy, To the church of the
Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace. We give thanks to
God always for all of you, making mention of you in our prayers; constantly bearing in mind your work of
faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of our God and
Father, knowing, brethren beloved by God, His choice of you; for our gospel did not come to you in word
only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction; just as you know what kind of men we
proved to be among you for your sake. You also became imitators of us and of the Lord, having received
the word in much tribulation with the joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became an example to all the
believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. For the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you, not only in
Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith toward God has gone forth so that we have no
need to say anything. For they themselves report about us what kind of a reception we had with you, and
how you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom
He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come. (More Next Week! Stay
Tuned!)
Some Things God Is Not!
By Heath Rogers, Herty Church of Christ Bulletin, Lufkin, Texas
The apostle Paul taught that no man can know the things of God unless
God reveals them to him (1st Cor. 2:11-12). God has revealed Himself to us through His Word. Some
people hold beliefs about God that simply are not true, as these beliefs are contrary to what has been
revealed in the Bible. Let us consider some things that God is not.
God Is Not A Man. “God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has
He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken , and will He not make it good?” (Numbers 23:19). God is
not like us because He keeps His word. However, this contrast between God and man goes much further.
God does not act or think like we do. He does not share our weaknesses and limitations. It is foolish for us
to try to bring God down to our level. “ ‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My
ways,’ says the LORD. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your
ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts’ ” (Isaiah 55:8-9). We would do well to remember that God is
not a man like us.
God Is Not A Respecter Of Persons. “Then Peter opened his mouth and said: ‘In truth I perceive that
God shows no partiality. But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by
Him’” (Acts 10:34-35). Calvinism’s doctrine of unconditional election falsely states that God has already
chosen the individuals who will be saved and lost, regardless of what they do or believe. According to the
apostle Peter, this simply cannot be true. Our acceptability before God is conditional. We must fear Him
and work righteousness. God has not singled you our for salvation or damnation. Such is a choice that
you must exercise yourself.
God Is Not Unaware Of Our Lives. Or stated in the positive, God is intimately aware of every person.
“The LORD looks from heaven; He sees all the sons of men” (Psalm 33:13). Being omniscient and
omnipresent, God knows both who we are and what we do. “The eyes of the LORD are in every place,
keeping watch on the evil and the good” (Prov. 15:3). This is a comforting thought if we are doing good,
but a horrifying realization if we are doing evil, for it just so happens that this God, who knows everything
that we do, will judge us on the Last Day. “And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are
naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account” (Hebrews 4:13).
God Is Not Out To Get Me. Some have the idea that God is just waiting to catch them doing something
wrong so He can punish them. Nothing could be further from the truth. While God’s righteousness
requires Him to punish sin, the Bible tells us that God is merciful and forgiving. “Who is a God like You,
pardoning iniquity and passing over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He does not retain
His anger forever, because He delights in mercy” (Micah 7:18).
God Is Not Mocked. While God is patient and merciful, we must understand that our sins will not be
ignored. “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For
he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap
everlasting life” (Gal. 6:7-8). The idea behind “mocking God” is that God can be outwitted by man. God
cannot be fooled. We are not going to sneak anything past Him. If we ignore the warnings of Scripture,
and live a life of disobedience and rebellion, we will reap what we sow.
He takes no joy in seeing evil people punished. “Say to them: ‘As I live,’ says the Lord GOD, ‘I have no
pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live …’” Ezek. 33:11). God
wants you to be saved, not destroyed. “For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who
desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1st Tim. 2:3-4).
“I am resolved to go to the Savior, leaving my sin and strife; He is the true One, He is the just One, He hath
the words of life. I will hasten to Him, Hasten so glad and free, (Hasten glad and free,) Jesus, greatest,
highest, I will come to Thee.”
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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.
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TEST YOUR BIBLE KNOWLEDGE!
‘Bible Riddles’ You Should Know (Easy From the O.T.):
1.I only as a prophet was left, I thought, striving the Lord’s people to save;
Not realizing Obadiah was hiding, 100 prophets, 50 to a cave.
2.I bragged of my great kingdom, and the power I had amassed;
For seven years I was humbled, as a beast of the field I ate grass.
3.A murderous plot I overheard, that saved the Persian King;
When he remembered the deed, much honor he did me bring.
Answers to Last Week’s ‘Bible Riddles’: 1. Joel (Joel 2:28-32); 2. Ezekiel (Ez. 37:1-14); 3. King Ahab (1st
Kings 21:1-16).
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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
WELL! THAT’S SOMETHING: My Mom does everything at our house. She gives the dog a bath---us
too. She drives me to the dentist; she cooks dinner in the microwave; she makes us kids be good. And
Dad? Well, he carries in the groceries. Peggy, age 4.
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;
SPECIAL PRAYERS TODAY FOR….
Bro. Jonathan O’Brien had some heart tests this past week and is waiting for answers at home. Remember
him, Stephanie and family in prayers.
Bro. Jim Endy was admitted to the Houston N/W Hospital for observation. Remember him and Sande and
Holly in your prayers as they face this.
Sis. Evalette Dunbar having some tests. Remember her in your prayers.
Bro. Hubert & Sis. Ethel doing better. Remember them 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.
Sis. Jean Williams 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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