By Brian Overstreet & David A. Sargent
On April 6, 2008, pet owner Doug Dashiell was driving through Nevada with his three dogs on a weekend trip. He let his Siberian husky, Moon, out of his truck for a moment near Railroad Valley. Moon broke free from her chain and was last seen running in a northwesterly direction. After searching for Moon and contacting the local authorities, Dashiell returned home to Ely, Nevada, a distance of 77 miles.
After seven days, a resident of Ely found Moon searching the streets for her master. With the help of the veterinarian's tags on her collar, the Samaritan was able to reunite her with Dashiell. During her week astray, Moon had negotiated miles of desert, crossed the White River, and traversed the Ward Mountain range.
Moon returned entirely unscathed, except for a strong odor of skunk. Dashiell reported that he had all but given up hope for her safe return.*
Observe some lessons we can learn from Moon’s experiences…
There is within each of us a longing for home. We are never “at home” until we are united with our Creator, the Heavenly Father. Augustine once said, “God, you have made us for yourself, and our hearts are restless till they find their rest in you."
In the course of our journeys, each of us will “break off his or her chain” and become lost in the wilderness. "All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way" (Isaiah 53:6). This is what the Bible calls SIN, and every one of us is guilty (Romans 3:23).
Our journeys cause us to "stink" of sin. But, we can wash away the stench in the baptismal pool. Ananias instructed Saul to "Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord" (Acts 22:16).
We are all wandering across treacherous terrains (cf. John 16:33), but Jesus has shown us the way to a Heavenly home. He said, "I AM the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me" (John 14: 6). In order to provide the way home, Jesus had to die on the cross for our sins (Ephesians 1:7).
We all belong to the same Master. "The earth is the Lord's, and all its fullness, The world and those who dwell therein" (Psalm 24:1). The Master wants us to come home. "[God our Savior] desires ALL men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth" (1 Timothy 2:4).
We can all get home to the Master, free of sin, by: putting our faith and trust in Him (Acts 16:30-31), turning from sin in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confessing Him before men (Romans 10:9-10), and being baptized (immersed) in His name for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38).
Are you lost in the wilderness and searching for home? Have you encountered "skunks" and smell of sin?
Jesus is The Way home! Won’t YOU follow Him today?
- Brian Overstreet & David A. Sargent; David serves as minister for the church of Christ at Creekwood in Mobile, Alabama, is also the editor of an electronic devotional entitled Living Water." To learn more about this excellent resource contact David via their website: http://www.creekwoodcc.org
[* Information gleaned from http://www.elynews.com/articles/2008/04/17/lifestyle/life01.txt]
By Kevin Rutherford
The Roman Catholic Church arrogantly states that it gave the Bible to the world. In reality, the Catholic Church has done all that it can in the past to inhibit the availability of the Scriptures. Roman Catholicism also believes that the church has the right to authorize religious practice, and that the religious practices authorized by the church take precedence over any practices authorized by the New Testament, or, if the New Testament does not authorize the practice, it doesn’t matter in the eyes of Catholic leaders. The church can authorize whatever it wants to, even if what it authorizes directly contradicts the Bible.
I have noticed within the past fifteen years a dangerous trend within the church of Christ. That trend is for people to ask questions such as, “What is church of Christ doctrine on this matter?” Our standard of authority is not the Roman Catholic Church; and, it is not the church of Christ. The church of Christ is the one body established by Jesus (Eph. 4:4; 1:22-23), but, while it is the Lord’s true church, it does not have the power to authorize religious practices. Jesus Christ, who is the Head of the church, is the only One with the authority to authorize religious practice for His church (Matt. 28:18; Eph. 1:22-23; Col. 1:18). How does Jesus lead, govern, and reign over His church? We might ask, “How does the church determine what Christ has authorized?” The answer is that Jesus rules through the New Covenant that became rule and law at His death (Heb. 9:15-17; Col. 2:14-17).
Through the Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ revealed His law for the church (John 14:26; 16:13). Inspired men wrote down the very words that Christ supplied through the Holy Spirit (I Cor. 2:13). Those words, which have been recorded and preserved for us, make up the New Testament. The New Testament of Jesus Christ is the law and authority for the church of Jesus Christ.
The Gospel of Christ is the authority and standard for man’s religious practice and devotion to God. It is the standard that gives us all we need to make us spiritually complete (II Tim. 3:15-17). We need no other standard. Accepting another standard, including Roman Church tradition, will cause us to be lost (Gal. 1:6-9). The New Testament is our final guide and religious authority.
Because the New Testament is our final guide and religious authority, we ought not accept the doctrines of the pope, priests, or preachers over the doctrine of Christ. If we do so, we shall be lost (II John 9-11). Jesus Christ has already given us all the authority and instruction necessary for faithful service and worship. He did so through His New Testament. To accept any other standard is to be lost. Therefore, we need not be concerned about what the church authorizes, because it has no power to authorize religious practice. We simply ought to make sure the church is following the standard of authority that the Lord set out for us.
Don’t ask, “What is church of Christ doctrine on this matter?” Ask, “What does the New Testament say concerning this matter?”
- Kevin Rutherford; via the Nile Street Notes, the weekly bulletin of the Anna church of Christ in Anna, IL; R. W. McAlister preaches for the congregation and may be contacted through the congregation's website: http://www.annachurchofchrist.com/
If the same excuses that people use for not going to church are applied to other important areas of life, it’s easy to see how inconsistent our logic can be.
For example:
1. I was forced to bathe as a child.
2. People who make soap are only after your money.
3. I bathe on special occasions like Christmas and Easter.
4. People who take baths are hypocrites–they think they are cleaner than everybody else.
5. I would bathe but there are so many different kinds of soap, can’t decide which one is best.
6. I used to bathe, but it got boring so I stopped.
7. The bathroom is never warm enough in the winter or cool enough in the summer.
8. I’ll start bathing when I get older and dirtier.
9. I just don’t have the time to bathe.
10. None of my friends take baths.
- BULLETIN DIGEST; via The Central Message, the weekly bulletin of the Central church of Christ in Paducah KY. Jim Faughn serves as an elder and preacher for the congregation. He may be contacted through the congregation's website at: http://www.centralchurchofchrist.org
By W.A. Martin
A dying man said, “If the goals you have won’t get you past death then they aren’t worth having.” God sent His Son to throw out the lifeline to a lost and struggling people (Luke 19:10). When sin had done its worst in the world, God sent His best (John 3:16). The jailor’s fear turned to humility, then he could be helped (Acts 16:25-33). The important thing about the jailor he did not put it off. On the verge of committing suicide he found help (2 Cor.6:2). The important thing to really consider is what have you accomplished in the time allotted you?(Eph.5:16). Putting God first is not always easy, but it is always possible, and it always pays. People cheat themselves by choosing the easy road. Prayer is not a substitute for Christian living and service, but the reinforcement of it. Pray to God, but keep the hammer going (Luke 18:1). Before it’s too late we need to be educated how to live as well as how to make a living (Mat.4:4). How to improve our standard of life as well as living standard. One of the main themes through the Bible is God wants man to come home before it’s too late. He wants him to want to come home (Rev.22:17). The important thing is to believe in heaven and make plans to go there (Amos 4:12). Salvation should challenge our minds, fill our heart, and demand our obedience. Jesus took people as they were, where they were and taught them right, and expected them to do right. When you get your heart under control, mind, body, time and emotions take care of themselves. I’d rather change my mind and succeed; than have my own way and fail in the end. It’s not what I would like to believe, but what the Lord has commanded me to believe (John 8:24). The Bible is designed to tell us what to believe, not to prove what we believe. Let us never forget that what we are is more important than what we own. The Lord called a man a fool because of lack of concern for his soul (Luke12:20). If you want something bad enough you won’t find it hard to obey the right instructions (Mat.5:6). The world has forgotten, it is preoccupation with the left and right, that there is an above and a below. Yet, we have our own key to tomorrow’s world. We have the key that can unlock the door of opportunity for God. God expects us to know enough to care, care enough to know! We are a victim of our own desires. - W.A. Martin is a part time preacher for the Scurry church of Christ, Scurry, Texas, and edits a bulletin that is sent to 14 churches in the area. He may be contacted at WAGMartin@sbcglobal.net.
By Patrick Hogan Living for Jesus in our present world can become discouraging at times. Opposition, adversity, and suffering of different types cam discourage us and present the temptation to give up. Even the prevalence of evil in the world is enough to get us down. Several passages in the New Testament encourage Christians to persevere even when things do not seem to be going in the right direction. Two such passages are found in the book of Hebrews. In both passages the writer is encouraging Christians to persevere and not give up because of discouraging circumstances, lest they miss the blessings Christ has promised. "For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise." (10:36) "Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us" (12:1). Galatians 6:9 encourages perseverance in these words: "And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart." Sometimes valuable life lessons can be learned from strange events. The concept of perseverance being rewarded was illustrated this past weekend in something as mundane and non-spiritual as automobile racing. (I suppose a spiritual connection can be made by noting that the writer of Hebrews encouraged running with "endurance the race that is set before us.") This past Sunday, in two different automobile races, in two different racing series, held in two different states, the final result was basically the same. In both events the outcome was decided in the last several hundred yards of racing. The drivers who looked as though they would finish a distant second actually won the races because of what happened to the leaders. In Indianapolis the leader crashed into the wall exiting the final turn, and slid across the finish line in second place in a badly damaged car. In Charlotte, the leader ran out of gas exiting the final turn and coasted to a seventh place finish. In both instances the eventual winner had not really been a factor in the race all day - that is, until the final moments. Each had driven steadily, conserving their vehicles and their fuel, persevering through adversity until the end. Their persistence paid off. The prize for which we strive is more valuable than the monetary reward and the fame the two drivers above and the fame the two drivers above received for their perseverance. We are promised life in heaven forever with Jesus! When discouragement comes let us remember to focus on the prize and the One who wants us to be with Him forever. It can help us to persevere even in the face of tremendous adversity. - Patrick Hogan serves as a minister and elder of the Shady Acres church of Christ, in Sikeston, MO. He may be contacted through the church's website at http://www.shadyacreschurch.com 
By John Telgren It seems kind of strange to say, "Twinkie bread." Isn't this an oxymoron? Yet at the story, the Twinkies are often either on the bread aisle or at the end-cap of the bread aisle. I remember being at my grandmother's house growing up and receiving my daily Twinkie from her. It was considered a snack. Those were different times. Snacks now usually consist of a piece of fruit, juice, a small sandwich with "real" bread, or something a bit more nutritional. Have you ever done an experiment and compared a Twinkie with a slice of bread on the countertop for a few days? Which will win? The Twinkie will still be a Twinkie in a few days because it will not grow mold. And the winner IS ... THE TWINKIE! Tadaaaaaa! So, since the Twinkie is more robust, since it does not grow mold, since it seems to have more staying power, and since it is sweet to the taste, then it MUST mean it is superior to the slice of bread right? The reason Twinkie will not grow mold and can survive a nuclear holocaust is because it has no real nutritional value. It is most definitely NOT true bread. If you live off of Twinkies, your health will quickly show it. The world offers us a Twinkie. It is sweet, it looks appealing, and it even comes in a nice, neat, individual wrapper. Most people recognize the Twinkie of certain immoral pleasures for what they are, whether it involves drugs, casual sexual activity, dishonesty to get what doesn't belong to you, etc. It is clear to see how this is a dead end and may only be sweet for a moment. However, there is also the Twinkie of worldly success, accumulation, popularity, personal significance, etc., that can taste really sweet for a very long time. It can make you feel significant and important. It can make you feel like you have truly climbed the ladder and accomplished something. However, even for all of its sweetness it still has no real lasting value. It might seem to give some immediate gratification, but does not truly satisfy in the long run. There is only one true bread of life that will satisfy, and that is Jesus Christ (Jn 6:32ff). Everything else leads to death. Jesus said, "I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst" (Jn 6:35). We must come to Jesus, and we must believe in him. This means following him, doing as he instructs, becoming like him, valuing what he values. This means becoming the least, which in his kingdom is the greatest. This means being downwardly mobile rather than upward. This means eating with and being with tax collectors and sinners. This means placing your personal ambitions on the altar as a living sacrifice and making your ambition to be pleasing to him (2 Cor 5:9). As we eat this true bread, we will find true life, peace, and satisfaction in the only place we can, which is in the hands of our Lord. - John Telgren preachers for the Leavenworth church of Christ in Leavenworth, KS. He may be contacted through the congregation's website at http://www.lcofc.org
By Edward K. Powell
Elizabeth I of England once declared, “I wish I could be alive when Christ returns because I would like to be the first earthly monarch to take my crown and lay it at his feet.” While it is nice to see an earthly monarch publicly acknowledge the authority of Christ, the fact of the matter is that all monarchs, whether or not they share Queen Elizabeth’s sentiment, will bow before Him. Concerning Jesus, Paul wrote, “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things on earth, and things under the earth: and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:9-11). - Edward K. Powell, Quotes & Idea Starters For Preaching and Teaching, p. 151; via THE SOWER, a weekly publication of the Arthur church of Christ, Arthur, IL. Ron Bartanen, who serves as minister and editor, may be contacted through the congregation's website: http://www.arthurchurchofchrist.com
