Beacon, Vol. XXVIII, 1999
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BEACON A PUBLICATION OF BELLVIEW CHURCH OF CHRIST 4850 Saufley Field Road; Pensacola, FL 32526 (850) 455-7595 Internet Web Page: http://www.bellviewcoc.com E-mail: [email protected] January April July October February May August November March June September December VOL. XXVIII JANUARY 4, 1999 NO. 1 A PUBLICATION OF BELLVIEW CHURCH OF CHRIST 4850 Saufley Road; Pensacola, FL 32526 (850) 455-7595; Fax (850) 455-9940 Internet Web Page: http://home.sprynet.com/sprynet/dmowery MEETING TIMES BISHOPS: Paul Brantley, Bill Gallaher, Fred Stancliff MINISTER: Michael Hatcher SUNDAY: DEACONS: Henry Born, Elward Brantley, Jerry Caine, 9:00 A.M. BIBLE CLASSES Bill Crowe, Louis Herrington, James Loy, 10:00 A.M., 6:00 P.M. WORSHIP Harold Maxey, Richard Parker MISSIONARY: Ira Y. Rice, Jr. WEDNESDAY: 7:00 P.M. 18:19-20). One of the earliest descriptions of the PRACTICAL POINTS church has them “continued stedfastly...in prayers” (Acts 2:42). ON PRAYER Believing Prayer (“prayer of faith,” v. 15). Dub McClish Faithless prayer is wasted words, but believing The Lord wants us to be a people of prayer prayer God hears and answers, according to His (Luke 19:46), but too often we are like the apos- will (Mark 11:24; Jam. 1:6ff). tles in Gethsemane, sleeping when we should be Intercessory Prayer (“pray one for another,” v. 16). Jesus prayed for His apostles and for us praying (Mark 14:37-38). That the Lord intended (John 17:9-23). We need to pray for one another for His followers to use prayer as an essential strand in the fabric of life, rather than merely as and for all men (1 Tim. 2:1-2). Fervent Prayer “prayed fervently,” v. 17). a storm shelter, is unarguable. One of the most practical passages on prayer is in James 5:13-18, There ought to be a fire in our hearts as we pray. James urges: Lack of fervency would seem to indicate lack of Personal Prayer (“let him pray,” v. 13). We faith. need to spend time with the Father “in secret” Specific Prayer (“that it...not rain,” v. 17). To (Mat. 6:6). Perhaps no other daily habit will do the general request of James and John, Jesus said so much to make God a real, constant companion to them to be more specific (Mark 10:36). Much of the material in the prayers of the Bible in- to us. United Prayer (“let them pray,” v. 14). One volves specific requests. is mistaken if he thinks Jesus emphasized only Continued Prayer (“and he prayed again,” v. personal prayer (Mat. 6:9, “Our Father”; Mat. 18). Christ urged men “always to pray, and not to faint” (Luke 18:1). Constant prayer is a theme in Paul’s letters summed up simply: “Pray without are some considerations of obedience worthy of ceasing” (1 The. 5:17). our time and application if we seek to make The great key to a faithful Christian life is to heaven our eternal home. pray the way we ought and live the way we pray. The Obedient Will Not Make Any Idols 908 Imperial Drive; Denton, TX 76201 The word “idol” is an interesting term in the Hebrew language. Literally, it is used to define “a thing of nothing.” So when men would make PSALM 127:1 an idol they would be actually making a thing of “Except the LORD build the house, they nothing to which they would bow down. labour in vain that build it: except the LORD The very first thing that God commanded His keep the city, the watchman waketh but in people was: “Thou shalt have no other gods vain.” before me” (Exo. 20:3). Regardless if it were carved, graven, imagined, or real—God demands that we place no thing of “nothingness” before Him. IDOLATRY IN 1998 The Old Testament prophet identifies the Lennie Reagan folly of idol makers in the forty-fourth chapter of The theme of the book of Leviticus answers Isaiah. The preaching prophet describes the idol the question of how sinful man approaches a holy maker as a man who goes into the woods and God. Hence, we read of holiness throughout this cuts down a tree. With part of that tree he will cut grand Mosaic book. But, how does this Old up into fire wood and use it to warm himself. Testament book apply to New Testament Chris- With another part of that cut up tree he will burn tians and all men who are amenable to the law of in his stove to bake bread and roast meat. With Christ? the residue of the same tree this man will make a “For whatsoever things were written afore- god, fall down and worship that tree saying: time were written for our learning, that we “Deliver me; for thou art my god” (Isa. 44:14- through patience and comfort of the scriptures 17). might have hope” (Rom. 15:4). This verse imme- Shall we take that which Jehovah has given us diately brings this ancient text into a modern and worship the creation instead of the Creator setting. What Moses wrote to the Levites and to (Rom. 1:18-25)? Yet, that is exactly what idola- all of Israel has significant impact on our lives try is. Of course, we are not involved in idolatry today. You see, if God is like this in the Old today, are we? Surely, when we consider our Testament times, God is going to be like that in biblical roots and Christian background we will New Testament times; for, God does not change. realize that we are too enlightened to be bothered We understand that the law has changed from the with idolatry (written with great sarcasm). Re- law of Moses to the law of Christ; but, God has gardless of our understanding or intellectual not changed. God’s attitude toward His law in possession—America is one of the most idola- the Old Testament is the same attitude God pos- trous nations on earth. Hear the words of the sesses toward His law in the New Testament. apostle Paul: “Mortify therefore your members God’s attitude toward sin in the Old Testament is which are upon the earth; fornication, unclean- the same attitude God possesses toward sin to- ness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, day. and covetousness, which is idolatry” (Col. 3:5). Take just a few minutes to read the inspired Paul commands that we should put to death instructions revealed in Leviticus 26:1-46. There whatever belongs to our earthly nature; whether it is sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires character. Was a person honest, courageous, just, or greed which is identified as idolatry. and upright? A person was successful based on As a nation we have fallen right in line with the quality of his character, even if that meant he covetousness. We continue to feed the greed with had to stand alone for that which was right. How- lies like: “What I really need is a bigger house!” ever, after World War II, a change took place as “What I really need is a better car!” “What I to how we judged success. No longer was charac- really need is more money to pay for what I ter the key element, but personality and outward really need!” We have swallowed the devilish appearance. As a result our main concern was bait, hook, line, and sinker, that we really need and, unfortunately still is, how people see us. No all of those things to make us happy and we want longer does society view success based on good to be “happy” right now! Our society maintains traits; but, now society determines success on the attitude that financial gain is the very thing how people perceive us. for which every true American should strive. The We have taught several generations how to real American dream is to have more and more look good, sound good, and to build their entire and more and more.... lives upon temporal matters that will not provide Please understand the possession of material one iota to things eternal. Our children know things is not sinful of itself. We have the obliga- how to dress for success; but, do they know how tion and the privilege to care for our families, pay to pray through the trials and temptations of life our bills, and to provide for the golden years of as they trust God? The image that society has life. However, when we allow the very essence taught our children to worship is nothing: it is a of our being to be dominated by the accumula- thing of nothingness. tion of material things—we have made an idol. God declared first of all, if we are going to be When we fail to fulfill and faithfully follow the His people, we must give up our idols. As par- will of God because of our financial pursuits, we ents we need to quit serving the idols of nothing- have fallen down and worshiped a thing of noth- ness. Our children need to see and hear us trust in ingness. God and they must be taught that they can trust We not only idolize material possessions; but in God to perform that which He has promised. we worship youth and looking younger. There “Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and seems to be some kind of shame in America whose hope the LORD is” (Jer. 17:7). when your chin starts to sag and other body parts The wise man Solomon teaches an eternally begin to give way to gravity.