The Reporter – Walnut Street Church of Christ, Greenville, Alabama -- 7202014. BECAUSE I WANT TO GO TO HEAVEN Heaven is our goal and our reward. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven. (Matthew 5:12) Heaven is mans greatest gain. Heaven is a place of love, joy, rest and everlasting peace. There the wicked cease from troubling, and there the weary are at rest. (Job 3:17) God is in heaven. (Matthew 5:16) He provides heaven as a place of rest for His people. (Hebrews 4:9-11) Heaven is the eternal home for our soul. In My Fathers house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. (John 14:1-3) Our physical body will die. But, there is an eternal house, not made with hands, waiting in heaven. (2 Corinthians 4:16-5:8) In heaven we will have both a glorious body and a mansion. I want to go to heaven and through Gods infinite love, grace, and mercy it is possible for me to go there. I can go to heaven because God has made me acceptable in His beloved. Paul wrote, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. (Ephesians 1:6) As feeble and poor as I am, God still cares and allows me the opportunity to be with Him for eternity. Let us be Christians and let us go to heaven together. As a Christian we must work to bring every thought into subjection or captivity to Christ. “Casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.” (2 Corinthians 10:5) Because I want to go to heaven I have become a Christian. A Christian is a person who has become a child of God by gospel obedience. When a person dies to sin, and is buried with Christ in baptism, they are to arise to walk in newness of life. (Romans 6:1-4) A true Christian will be steady and unshakable in the faith. In Jesus Christ, I am Gods child for I am born again of the incorruptible seed which is the Word of God that liveth and abideth forever. (1 Peter 1:23) In Jesus Christ, I am forgiven of all my sins and washed in the blood of Jesus. (Acts 22:16, Ephesians 1:7) Through Jesus Christ, I no longer need to be a slave to sin, because God has given me His power in Christ to become a vessel to holiness and obedience. Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. (Romans 6:6) I must live like and live for Jesus because I truly want to go to heaven. Because I want to go to heaven I must live the Christian life daily. The Bible teaches personal accountability to God. We are accountable to God for the life we live. God’s judgment is coming. At the judgment we will give account for our deeds, words and actions. “It is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.” (Hebrews 9:27) If death should come now, would it find you living the Christian life? If you truly want to go to heaven then live the Christian life daily. “But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written: ‘As I live, says the Lord, Every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall confess to God.’ So then each of us shall give account of himself to God.” (Romans 14:10-12) Because I want to go to heaven I will do my best to be a godly example before others. We will not go to heaven alone. Christian growth should bring us to the point of a life of love, peace, joy and meekness. Paul wrote, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christs have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.” (Galatians 5:22-26) Those who develop the fruit of the Spirit in their life become powerful examples for God. Because I want to go to heaven I will have the right attitude toward things, toward people and especially toward God. Our attitude toward our spouse, children, parents, siblings, neighbors, co-workers and fellow Christians will be one factor which will determine our eternal destiny. Is my attitude toward others what a Christian’s attitude should be? A true Christian can always have the right attitude about things. He can, “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4) Why would I not keep my attitude right if I believe that “all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28) Because I want to go to heaven I will develop a strong, daily pray life. Prayer is both a responsibility and a privilege for a Christian. Jesus said, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” (Matthew 7:7) Many of the great promises of Jesus relate to prayer. For example, Jesus said, “And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.” (Matthew 21:22) God does answer the prayer of a faithful Christian. The Christian life must be a life of daily prayer. Because I want to go to heaven I will learn to give generously. Our giving must include the giving of our time, talent and treasures. But, if we do not give our money it is difficult to give anything else. Jesus said, “Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.” (Luke 6:38) Our giving or lack thereof, can either cause God to withhold blessings from us or to give so much we cannot even receive all that He has given. (Malachi 3:8-11) Because I want to go to heaven I will put forth a serious effort to help others get there too. It is the responsibility of one Christian to teach another about Christ. “And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” (2 Timothy 2:2) It is also our responsibility to encourage others who are serving God. Evangelism is a command of the Lord Jesus. “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” (Mark 16:15) One of the great joys of Christianity is in bringing others to Christ. Before you can fulfill your Christian responsibility and go to heaven you must become a Christian. When God’s word is planted in our hearts we are begotten of the Spirit. (1 Peter 1:22-23) Our faith and trust in Jesus as Lord and Christ leads to true repentance. (Acts 17:30-31) We then obey the truth by being baptized to be born into Christ. (Romans 6:3-4) Are you a Christian? Are you serious about going to heaven when you die? ---- Charles Box News & Notes 1. Prayer List: Stabler Hospital: Elizabeth Perdue, In Need of Prayer: Shirley Autrey, Laura Bagents, Roy Bender, Bryson Box, Hilda Cauthen, Bonnie Croley, John Curry, Nell Daughtry, Nell Davis, Evelyn Duke, Mary Goodwin, Richard Harrell, Sue Hunt, Elizabeth Johnson, Charlie Jones, Patricia Kennemore, Dot Killingsworth, Claudia Labriola, Peggy Lassiter, Evelyn Lewis (Surgery), Robert McCann, Carson O’Connor, Alice Padgett, Bill Perry, Billy Powell, Bob & Ann Rainey, Terry Reaves, Linda Reynolds, Brenda Richburg, Ernest Sellers, David Sessions, Deborah Stallings, Ruby Stallings, Patrica Taylor, Mary Lou Terrell, Leroy Waller, Barbara Woods, and Betty & Wayne Young. Crowne Health Care: Dorothy Buck, Jewel Cauthen, Gladys Childs, Arlene Coletrane, Ruth Davis, Betty Findley, Davis & Ruth Hester, Kathy Johnson, Sarah Knight, and Annie Ruth Tetter. Pine Needle: Lydia Ann Raybon. 2. Sharron Shappley Moved: Sharon and her family have moved back to Tennessee. Please remember them in your prayers that things can be well with them. 3. Thank you: I would like to thank all of my church family for their prayers, thoughts, get well cards and phone calls while I was feeling low. I also want to say thank you to everyone for the Birthday cards. I love you and thank you. Juanita Baugh. 4. Anniversary: Celebrating an anniversary this week: July 20th Darrell and Jamie Powell. 5. Birthdays: Celebrating a birthday this week: July 21st Kathy Johnson, July 22nd Ashley Holladay, and July 25th Tricia Lett. 6. Challenge # 1: Each member of the Walnut Street Church of Christ is challenged to get involved in evangelism. Challenge # 1 is for each Walnut Street family to purchase a copy of “Muscle and a Shovel” each month and share it with someone. The copies we have in the office at present cost $12.86. This one act of evangelism alone could result in many conversions. 7. Challenge # 2: Each member of the Walnut Street Church of Christ is challenged to extend two serious invitations each week for people to attend our services. To help you accomplish this, there are sheets on the table in the foyer with service times and other information. 8. Challenge # 3: Each member of the Walnut Street Church of Christ is challenged to call two other Walnut Street families each week in order to spread love and encouragement. Rotate the people you call from week to week until over a period of time you have called every member of the Walnut Street Church of Christ. 9. Challenge # 4: Each member of the Walnut Street Church of Christ is challenged to attend Bible class on Sunday morning and also on Wednesday night. “Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.” (James 4:17) 10. Biscuits Baseball Game: Darrell Powell will be taking a group from Walnut Street to a Biscuits baseball game on August 29th. Tickets must be purchased by August 3rd. each person will pay for their own tickets. The cost is $10 per ticket. Please give your money to Darrell. 11. Budget For 2014: Our budget for 2014 is $367,690.96 with a weekly budget of $7,070.98. Please give generously. “Honor the LORD with your possessions, And with the firstfruits of all your increase; So your barns will be filled with plenty, And your vats will overflow with new wine.” (Proverbs 3:9-10) 12. Area Events: (a) July 27th -- July 30th -- Gospel Meeting -- Salem Church of Christ – Speakers: John Dickinson, Jackie Bozeman, Ricky Bagents (Tuesday) and Jimmy Matthews -- Time: nightly at 7:30. (b) July 27th – August 1st -- Gospel Meeting – Grady Church of Christ – Speaker Alan Watkins – Time 7:30 P.M. The Older Son When one who has been lost is found, there is always rejoicing...right? If we could all love as purely and forgive as completely as our heavenly father this would be the case. But we cant, so sometimes other feelings rob us of rejoicing over a brothers return from the far country. Jesus third parable in Luke 15 is often referred to as the Prodigal Son, but its also about the older son who was just as confused as his brother about what living in the Fathers house really meant. When the younger son left, demanding the share of property that is coming to me, were not told about the initial reaction his older brother had. But if his later attitude is any indication, it may have been that he looked on judgingly and thought Just what I thought hed do. He may have even been envious, thinking Here I am slaving away, and he gets out of serving Father AND gets his inheritance early! To be sure, the younger brother was choosing death, as far as his relationship to the Father was concerned (v. 32), and his forgiveness would require that he leave his sinful life and come home. This falls right in line with Pauls inspired words, ...how can we who have died to sin still LIVE in it? (Romans 6:2 emp. added). But lets not pretend it is always easy to rejoice with others. The older brother was angry that his little brother had wasted his inheritance, come to his senses, and returned home to live again. His anger stemmed from jealousy. (v. 29) But heres the problem with jealousy and selfishness: For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. (James 3:16) Our heavenly father is ALWAYS happy when His children come back to Him, and He wants us to feel that same joy. Are you the prodigal who is estranged from the Father and need to come home? Or are you the elder brother who needs to realize that your faithfulness hasnt earned you an extra ounce of Gods love. His love for the faithful and the lost is so great that He gave Jesus to die for us. ---- Darrell Powell The Person whose Heart is in heaven need not fear to put his feet into the grave
Posted on: Sat, 19 Jul 2014 14:14:26 +0000
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