Why Christians are One in Christ

* We have the same Lord (Rom. 10:12; Eph. 4:5).
* We are redeemed by the same blood (Eph. 1:7).
* We obeyed the same gospel (Rom. 1:16; Gal. 1:6-9).
* We were added to the same church (Acts 2:41, 47).
* We are heirs of the same promises (Acts 2:39).
* We are united in the same head (Col. 1:18; Eph. 1:22).
* We worship the same God (John 4:24).
* We all have the same Father (Eph. 1:22).
* We hope for the same heavenly home (John 14:1-6).
“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Gal. 3:28)

- Selected; via the weekly bulletin of the Harrisburg church of Christ in Harrisburg, IL. You may visit their website at http://www.harrisburgchurchofchrist.org

Perfectly Confused

By Ron Thomas

On the lips of him who has understanding, wisdom is found, but a rod is for the back of him who lacks sense. The wise lay up knowledge, but the mouth of a fool brings ruin near (Proverbs 10:13-14)

A man of understanding is not a man who seeks to be wise in the ways of the world. That is not the man in view here. A man of understanding is one who seeks to be wise in the ways of God. This man, consequently, will be very wise to the ways of the world and its utter foolishness. This kind of man will try to instill in others what he has. He is loyal to God, obeys His holy will, and has become wise to the ways of righteousness. The fool, on the other hand, has no wisdom in the ways of righteousness and with his morass of darkness he walks in this life “perfectly” confused.

- Ron Thomas serves as preacher and an elder for the Highway church of Christ, Sullivan, IL He may be contacted through the congregation's website: http://www.highwaycofc.com

Modesty: New Wave For an Old Virtue

By Linda J. White

Editor’s note: Our society has become very lax in attitudes towards dress, and in far too many cases, Christians have followed the world. This is an editorial taken from a daily newspaper back in May of this year. Please prayerfully consider its message.

MAY, prom season, will be followed quickly by wedding season, beach week, and summer--when battles over teen clothing choices get really hot. From decorated bra straps designed to be seen to plunging necklines, belly rings, and tiny little bikinis, what's a mother to do? What's fair? What's not? And why even enter this land-mined terrain?

For many teens today, "sexy" is the goal--make that obsession--when picking out clothes. Attracting attention, Britney-style, is the adolescent brass ring. "Clothing like this makes me feel confident," one D.C.-area teen told her local newspaper. "People are looking at me, not another girl." Not since the Indians sold Manhattan for beads has something so precious been traded so cheaply.

Whatever happened to modesty? Some people are beginning to take a new look at that ancient virtue, not out of prudery, but because they've discovered a secret.

Wendy Shalit, author of a book called "A Return to Modesty," looks at our sex-saturated culture and says the decline in modesty has diminished respect for women. "It's no accident that harassment, stalking, and rape all increased when we decided to let everything hang out," says Shalit.

At the same time, a false view of sexuality has made "no" seem abnormal. Restraint has been rendered quaint.

The result? An epidemic of disrespect for females--and an increase in bleak behaviors among young women, including eating disorders, self-mutilation, and depression. Free love, it seems, isn't quite so free after all.

The secret that Shalit and others describe is this: Modesty declares that a woman's body is precious, for when something is precious it is protected. Modesty, therefore, enhances self-respect--and actually increases legitimate sensual pleasure when the time is appropriate.

"You may think you see me, the modestly dressed woman announces," writes Shalit, "but you do not see the real me. The real me is only for my beloved to see."

"Modesty in dress," she says, "which today is considered evidence of being 'hung up' about sex, actually permits women precisely not to be hung up about sex. It allows me to be taken seriously as a woman, without having to be desperate about it or, on the other hand, having to pretend to be a man. It gives me the freedom to think about things other than 'Do I look OK?'"

Shalit, who is Jewish, describes the Jewish principle of tznuit, which promotes modesty. Orthodox believers, for example, don't even touch before marriage; but the forced separation actually enhances attraction and leads to mutual respect and honor.

Truthfully, isn't that exactly what we want for our daughters? To be more than sexual objects? To be respected?

Dannah Gresh, author of "And the Bride Wore White," is the founder, along with her husband, of purefreedom.org, which presents retreats on modesty and purity. She says that "fashion today is all about sex and [girls] being told their bodies are for show." While admitting that it can feel good to grab a boy's attention, girls need to know it's attention for all the wrong reasons.

Teaching modesty isn't about invoking shame or promoting ignorance about one's body. Gresh, a Christian, agrees with Shalit when she says modesty should be presented as a positive force. She says the Bible is clear that feminine allure is very powerful: The writer of Proverbs 5:19's wish for a husband is "may you ever be captivated by her love."

Affirming your daughter's allure while teaching her to save it for her "beloved" will go a long way toward protecting her from the physical and emotional fallout of random sexual involvement.

Gresh believes mothers should start teaching their girls about "the delicate power of modesty" at about age 8 or 10, before they begin to develop curves--and before adolescent angst kicks in. But what if your kids are older, and fully engaged in the halter top, low-rider jeans lifestyle? One of the wisest things anyone ever said to me was, "It's never too late to do the right thing."

We may not be able to change the sleaze factor in our culture, but teaching modesty is a choice each one of us can make. After all, our daughters are worth it.

- Linda J. White is an editorial writer and columnist for The Free Lance-Star; via The Encourager, the weekly bulletin for the Calvert City church of Christ, Calvert City, KY. Lance Cordle preaches for the congregation. He may be contacted through the congregation's website: http://www.calvertchurchofchrist.com

“Proper Perspectives”

By Kyle Moses

One day, a wealthy father took his son from the city out to the country to see how the poor people live. The father and the son spent several days and nights spending the night with what the father would have considered to be a very poor farming family.

After returning home, the father and the son gathered around one of the fireplaces in the multi-million dollar mansion. The father asked his son, “ What did you learn from our experience with this poor, unfortunate family?”

The son, looking around the room filled with thousands of dollars worth of art, furniture, and other fine things, said, “It was great, Dad.”

The father asked his son, “What did you learn about how the poor people around us live?”

“Well,” the son replied, “I saw that we have only one dog and they have four dogs, cows, cats, and horses. We have a pool that reaches out into the middle of our garden while they have a creek that stretches out into eternity. We have expensive imported lanterns in our garden while they have the bright moon and millions of stars to light the night. We have a small patio that reaches out into the front yard while they have the whole horizon. We have a small piece of land to call ours while they have fields that go on beyond the eye’s reach. We have servants that serve us, but they serve others. We spend a lot of money on food that is full of extra stuff while they eat natural food grown in their own fields and picked with love. We have a tall privacy fence around our property to protect us from the world while they have a tall fence of friends to protect them.”

After the boy finished answering his father’s inquiry, the father was speechless. He had failed to show his son how blessed they actually are and that their life is better. To beat it all, the son added, “Thanks, Dad, for showing me just how poor we really are.”

Isn’t perspective great?! As Christians, we must be sure that our perspective is in the right focus. Examining the sermon that Jesus taught while on top of the mountain, we see that Jesus said several things about our perspective: “Blesses are the poor in spirit: for their’s is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for their’s is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you” (Matthew 5:3-12).

The things that Jesus said here are very astounding to the rich of our world. Those who consider their material possessions before they consider the Creator of their material possessions read this and think that Jesus was a nut and a man in need of mental help. It seems to them that, as the father of the son thought, that to be rich, you must have material things. However, as the son of the father showed by humbling his father, material things get in the way of seeing the real things that matter.

I truly hope that we can set aside our bills that mount up, the repairs on our cars, and the sales in the store and look clearly at the things that really matter. I suggest that sometime, you leave the cordless phone in the house, take a chair into your backyard, and sit there looking up into the sky. Spend time in nature praying and thinking about the things that truly matter.

One day, after we have lived the life according to the Bible and followed all of its commands, we will be able to truly see what it means to have the riches found only in Heaven.

Are you living as a poor person, or are you blinded by your riches? Please, dear reader, understand the truth behind this story and strive to be more perfect according to the Scriptures.

- Kyle Moses; via The Mathis Messenger, the weekly bulletin of the Mathis church of Christ, Mathis, Texas. www.mathiscofc.org

Senior Personal Ads

Foxy Lady:
Intriguing, fashion-conscious blue-haired beauty, 80's, slim, 5'4" (used to be 5-6), searching for sharp-looking, sharp-dressing companion. Matching white shoes and belt a plus.

Long-Term Commitment:
Recent widow who has just buried fourth husband, and am looking for someone to round out a six-unit plot. Dizziness, fainting, shortness of breath not a problem.

Serenity Now:
I am into solitude, long walks, sunrises, the ocean, yoga and meditation. If you are the silent type, let's get together, take our hearing aids out and enjoy quiet times.

Winning Smile:
Active grandmother with original teeth seeking a dedicated flosser to share rare steaks, corn on the cob and caramel candy.

Beatles or Stones?
I still like to rock, still like to cruise in my Camaro on Saturday nights and still like to play the guitar. If you were a groovy chick, or are now a groovy hen, let's get together and listen to my eight-track tapes.

Memories:
I can usually remember Monday through Thursday. If you can remember Friday, Saturday and Sunday, let's put our two heads together.

Mint Condition:
Male, 1932, high mileage, good condition, some hair, many new parts including hip, knee, cornea, valves. Isn't in running condition, but walks well.

- Kevin Rayner preaches for the Highland church of Christ, Tecumseh, OK. He may be contacted through the congregation’s website: http://hcoct.org/

Experience

By James C. Guy

A man, after 25 years with one company, was still doing the same old job and drawing the same salary. Finally he went to his boss and told him he felt he had been neglected. "After all," he said, "I've had a quarter of a century of experience."

"My dear fellow," sighed the boss, "you haven't had a quarter of a century of experience, you've had one experience for a quarter of a century."

Oh, how common it is for Christians to be content to do the same old things in the same old ways and expect growth and progress. Certainly there is a place for specialization and for using specific God given talents in a specific way. But when our work for the Lord is nothing more than rote, ritualistic activity we cannot experience the growth we need to experience, nor can we be productive in serving Him and leading others to Him. Paul had many years of preaching and mission work. But, he was not satisfied with the activity of the work he did, but with the progress that was made. Though he certainly did not want to do things contrary to what God allowed, he was also not content to simply do things a certain way because that was the way he had always done them. Rather, his focus was on leading others to Christ with whatever method was necessary to accomplish the goal. "...I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some Now this I do for the gospel's sake... (1 Corinthians 9:22 23)

As Christians, are we able to separate our methods from God's message? Can we distinguish between what works and what is just work? Are gaining experience to allow us to serve God better and broader, or are we content with where we are and the experience we have had? God does not simply want us to experience becoming a Christian, but requires us to experience living it for Him. Are you?

- James C. Guy (Author of illustration unknown), Canal Heights church of Christ, in Demopolis, Alabama. He may be contacted at THE BIBLE SAYS website at: http://biblesays.faithsite.com

Quotes

Karl Marx reportedly said,"Give me 26 lead soldiers and I will conquer the world" (i.e. the twenty six letters of the alphabet on a printing press).

"Men who never get carried away should be." (Malcolm Forbes)

"Money frees you from doing things you dislike. Since I dislike doing nearly everything, money is handy." (Groucho Marx)

Ronald Reagan said, "You can accomplish much if you don't care who gets the credit."

"What a waste it is to lose one's mind. Or not to have a mind is being very wasteful. How true that is." (Dan Quayle)

Thomas Jefferson said, "Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom."

"The advertisement is the most truthful part of a newspaper." (Thomas Jefferson)

"Life is a zoo in a jungle." (Peter De Vries)

Franklin D. Roosevelt advised, "When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on."

"Women remember the first kiss, men remember the last." (Unknown)

"When I was young, I used to think that wealth and power would bring me happiness... I was right. " (Gahan Wilson)

"Three o'clock is always too late or too early for anything you want to do." (Jean-Paul Sartre)