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| SEPTEMBER 6, 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 resumed today, at 10:00 a.m. 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 SEPTEMBER 2nd Hubert Crowson; 6th Sylvia Vera; 6th Don Henderson; 14th Ramona Walker; 16th Brittany Clayton; 19th Reagan Begnaud; 22nd Margo Dearing; 27th Sheryl Loyd; 30th Elliha Baker; HAPPY ANNIVERSARY FOR SEPTEMBER 24th Jeff & Ramona Walker; READING THE NEW TESTAMENT: SECOND TIMOTHY: Chapter 3:10-17: Difficult Times Will Come: Now you followed my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, perseverance, persecutions, and sufferings, such as happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium and at Lystra; what persecutions I endured, and out of them all the Lord rescued me! Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. But evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. Chapter 4:1-5: Preach the Word: I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom; preach the word, be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths. But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. (More Next Week! Stay Tuned!) A MAN FROM MARS By Larry Hafley, Herty Church of Christ, Lufkin, TX Bulletin Suppose we were to give a Bible to a man from Mars and tell him to follow the New Testament explicitly. If he did, having never heard of religion, what would be the results? He would learn that the Bible is all-sufficient. Our visitor would learn that he needs no other book, for God’s Word is complete (2nd Tim. 3:16-17; 2nd Peter 1:3). He would learn that Christ promised that the Holy Spirit would guide the apostles into “all truth” (John 16:13), and that “whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God” (2nd John 9). He would reason, then, that any other book that claims divine origin is fraudulent, and that he cannot accept any other book, even though its author may claim to be God’s prophet (Gal. 1:8-9). He would learn that Christ is an all-sufficient Savior. Our interplanetary traveler would soon understand that the Lord Jesus Christ is the sum, substance, and summary of salvation from statements like, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29), and , “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14: 6). The man from Mars could readily see the doctrine that “all good religious people will be saved” is not so. Those who reject Christ may be good, moral people, but they cannot be saved, for there is no hope if one refuses Christ as God’s Son, the Savior of the world (Luke 10:16). He would learn that all followers of Christ are called Christians. Luke records, “the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch” (Acts 11:26). Our imaginary friend, by reading the Bible, would decide to not wear the denominational names that are so common today. He would reference Peter’s statement, “Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let hm not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this Matter” (1st Peter 4:16). He would learn what he must do in order to be saved. The man from Mars would see from such passages as Ephesians 2:8-9 and Romans 6:23 that he could not save himself. However, he would discover that there are some definite acts of obedience with which he must comply (Hebrews 5:8-9). After believing that Christ is God’s Son (John 3:16), repenting of his sins (Acts 2:38; 22:16). He would never believe that all he had to do was bow his head and say, “Jesus, I receive you as my personal Savior,” because that statement is not found in the Bible What would be the result if all who claim to follow Christ were to agree to go totally---and only---by the Bible? Could we not all agree on the things that the man from Mars would believe if he took God’s Word alone? Let’s try it! 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 N.T.): 1.The wise men searched for baby Jesus from afar; Few know it was to here they were led by the star. 2.Christians ae this in the world, helping others, darkness to flee; It was given by Jesus our King, and cannot be hidden, you see. 3.At Joppa, I was praised, for good deeds I had done; I was known by two names; Can you give either one? Answers to Last Week’s ‘Bible Riddles’: 1. Dinah (Gen. 30:20-21; 34:1-2); 2. Ninety-nine (Gen. 17:1-5). <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> Our memory verse for September comes from the New Testament book of 1st John. Only one verse. Easy and familiar. Repeat it over and over. You can do it. “Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue But in deed and truth” (1st John 3:18). REPEAT IT AGAIN; THEN AGAIN; TEN TIMES TEN +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ FIVE Suggestions For a Better Life! ONE: When you hear a kind word spoken about a friend, pass it along (Prov. 3:27; Gal. 6:10). If it’s a negative word, keep it to yourself. TWO: As a man, spoil your spouse not your children (2nd Sam. 12:3, 8; Prov. 5:18- 19; Eph. 5:25; 1st Pet. 3:7). THREE: It is not our job to get people to like us. It is our job to like people (John 13: 35; Heb. 13:1; 1st Pet. 1:22; 2:17). FOUR: To help your children turn out well, spend twice as much time with them and half as much money on them (Gen. 44:30; Prov. 22:6; Eph. 5:16; 6:4; Col. 4:5; FIVE: Focus on others, not on self (Gal. 2:20; Phil. 2:3-5). Someone wrote, “How to be miserable.” It reads (in part), “Think about yourself; Talk about yourself; Use ‘I’ as often as possible. Mirror yourself continually in the opinion of others. Expect to be appreciated. Be jealous and envious. Insist on consideration and respect; etc.” 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 & Sande Endy; Amelia Williamson; Rebecca Stone; Faye Stephens; Billie Nelson; Henderson family; Ethel & Hubert Crowson; Don Blackwell; Mildred Edmonds; Maya Briggs; J. O’Brien; Ina Henry & Family; SPECIAL PRAYERS TODAY FOR…. Sis. Ethel Crowson is now back at the home nursing facility, 830 Hodgkins, Hou., TX, 77032. She is doing better but she is still having extensive medical problems. Remember her, Hubert and family in your prayers. Sis. Ina Henry doing well. Remember her and family in 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). GODSPEED! (By Dennis Fisher) “Godspeed” comes from the expression, “May God prosper you.” Though we don’t often hear this word today, the apostle John used it in his second epistle: “If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him Godspeed” (2nd John 1:10 KJV). John has been referred to as “the apostle of love,” so why would he warn believers against pronouncing a blessing on others? Traveling evangelists were dependent on the hospitality of Christians to provide them with room and board. John was telling the Christians that biblical truth is important. If itinerant missionaries were not preaching doctrine consistent with apostolic teaching, believers were not to bless their work by providing lodging or financial assistance. This is also true for believers today. We are to treat everyone with kindness because God is kind to us. But when asked to financially support an endeavor, it’s important to always ask Him for wisdom. The Spirit who guides us into truth (John 16:13) will show us when it is appropriate to bid Godspeed to those we encounter. |