Noteworthy News

(

C

urrent events in the light of Scripture)

POWERBALL WINNERS & LOSERS

• Powerball fever grips 20 states - July 25, 1998
• Despite huge jackpot, Powerball lottery isn’t so frenzied - July 25, 1998
• No winner in Powerball lottery; jackpot jumps to $250 million - July 26, 1998
• Stores brace for frenzy as Powerball hits $250 million - July 28, 1998
• Powerball proceeds despite glitch - July 29, 1998
• Powerball: Someone could be $292 million richer - July 29, 1998
• Single ticket in Indiana wins $295.7M Powerball jackpot - July 30, 1998

-(Taken from www.cnn.com, 7/30/98)

Commentary

Thirteen folks in Ohio won the Powerball jackpot on Wednesday. Reports are they “won” over $161M ($12.43M per person).

What they didn’t tell you was how many people - literally hundreds of thousands (if not millions) lost all the money they spent on lottery tickets.

Gambling (whether it be the state lottery, Powerball, the craps table at Reno, or Blackjack at the Nooksack Casino, is against the will of God (and the good sense of man). God commands us to work for our sustenance, not thrive off the misfortune of others (Eph. 4:28; 1 Thess. 4:11-12; 2 Thess. 3:10). Gambling amounts to organized thievery. Whose money do you think is being won on gambling? The money of those folks who didn’t win the jackpot! The gambler has made a tacit decision to try to get rich by making somebody else poor (winning their money). Such is not honorable (1 Pet. 2:10-11).

Gambling also defies common sense. The odds of winning the Powerball lottery are 80.1 million to 1. Here are some other odds:

-3 million to 1 of freezing to death -80,000 to 1 of dying from complications from surgery

-2 million to 1 of being killed falling out of bed -20,000 to 1 of receiving a new identity under the U. S.

-2 million to 1 of being eaten by an animal witness protection program

-600,000 to 1 of being hit by lightning -5,000 to 1 of dying in a car crash

-350,000 to 1 of being electrocuted -4,000 to 1 that you will be bumped from an airline flight

-250,000 to 1 dying in a plane crash -1,500 to 1 of a random dream being a nightmare

-86,000 to 1 of dying from poisoning -(From the Jackson, TN newspaper as cited by Gary Kerr)

If you’ve never been struck by lightning, chances are you won’t win the lottery, either! -Joe Price

 Welcome Visitors! 

Young men’s training class will be at 5:00PM today.

It is not too early to start preparing for our gospel

meeting later this month. Flyers are available to invite

folks to come join us. Tom Roberts will be our guest

speaker and his wife Pauline will be with him.

The sick: Beulah Walker, Rick Haith. Remember

Mavis Fair as she undergoes chemotherapy.

Please volunteer your time to work at the

construction site (see Morris Bass for scheduling).

We are incomplete when you are not in your seat!!

Assignments: August 2, 1998

Announcements: Rick Holt

Opening Prayer: Rick Holt / Keith Alsobrook

Closing Prayer: Sam Holden / Jess Bass

Song Leader: Rusty McGrew / Gary Bass

Scripture Reading: Wesley Holt / Ray Hollister

Lord’s Supper: Morris Bass / Aaron Bass / Philip Price

Building Cleanup: DeWispelaere & Parker

T HE SPIRIT’S SWORD

“And take...the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Eph. 6:17)

The Northside church of Christ

Meeting at the North Bellingham Grange Hall  5201 Northwest Road  Bellingham, WA

Visit our Web Site on the Internet: http:// www.davisinet.com/northsidecofc

Volume II, No. 24 August 2, 1998

The Northside church of Christ

invites you to a

G O S P E L M E E T I N G

August 23-28, 1998

Guest Speaker: Tom Roberts

Meeting at the North Bellingham Grange Hall

5201 Northwest DR  Bellingham, WA 98227

Sunday: 9:30 & 10:30AM; 6:00PM Monday - Friday: 7:00PM

Bring your Bible and learn of Christ with us!

Linda Tripp, Audio Tapes, & Telling The Truth

Joe R. Price

Linda Tripp has been vilified for taping conversations with her “friend” Monica Lewinsky without her knowledge, then taking those tapes to the grand jury investigating the President. After her grand jury testimony, she noted that her effort to tell the truth had been distorted and maligned from Hollywood to Washington. Even her appearance has been shamefully ridiculed by comedians and pundits.

I don’t know what’s on those tapes, but one thing does seem to be more and more common these days, and that is to vilify the bearer of truth while coddling and cajoling the evildoer. Our society has nothing on Israel and Judah, and will surely share in their condemnation unless we repent, “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness of light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” (Isa. 5:20)

The Lord’s people are not immune from this worldly tendency, either. For the sake of personal relationships (family, friends, etc.) we can be tempted to “overlook” sin for the sake of getting along. Things which would never be regarded as acceptable a generation or two ago are now approved (or at least no longer forcefully challenged as wrong). One Christian recently told me there might not be anything wrong with polygamy today! He is not alone. More and more brethren are offering up the same kind of nonsense in the name of harmony, unity and understanding!

Another notion gaining ground with some Christians today is that we must not name names when exposing sin and error. Names are tools of identification. And, we are commanded to identify and avoid those who cause error by their false teachings (Rom. 16:17; Titus 3:10). Hence, names must be used at times to adequately accomplish this responsibility (1 Tim. 1:18-20; 2 Tim. 2:16-18; 3 Jno. 9-10). But in our politically correct society, we are told that the person who does this is divisive and the cause of many problems in Israel. Today, we are advised to speak softly and carry a small stick!

And while we are on the subject of taping convervations, could there ever be a good reason to tape record a Bible discussion between brethren with opposing views? Certainly. A taped record allows for verification, clarity and continued opportunities for study. A taped record is not designed to entrap but to verify, clarify and continue opportunities for study. Someone says he does not want to be taped “because my words will be misused, taken out of context, etc.” What better way to avoid and/or prove such misuse than with a record of the words themselves? (Remember, whether taped or not, evil hearts will misuse the words of the righteous, Matt. 5:10-12). Truth has nothing to fear from honest investigation, but error and sin always will (Jno. 3:19-21).

THE POWER THAT WORKS IN US Notes

(Scripture Reading: Eph. 1:15-23)

Phil. 2:13 - God works in the Christian to accomplish His desires - Eph. 3:20-21.

I. THE POWER OF FAITH - Eph. 1:19.

A. Faith Overcomes The World - 1 Jno. 5:3-4 (4:4).

-There is power in faith: “Lord, increase our faith” - Lk. 17:5 (Rom. 10:17).

II. THE POWER OF TRUTH - Heb. 4:12.

A. It Accomplishes Its Purposes - Isa. 55:11.

-There is power in truth: Truth lives and abides forever! - 1 Pet. 1:23 (25).

III. THE POWER OF LOVE - 1 Cor. 13:13.

A. We Love Because He First Loved Us - 1 Jno. 4:19.

-There is great power in love: Rom. 5:6-8.

IV. THE POWER OF PURITY - Jas. 4:7-8.

A. The Power Of An Example - 1 Tim. 4:12; Titus 2:6-8; Matt. 5:16; 1 Pet. 3:1-2.

-There is power in purity: Let God work within you through it!

V. THE POWER OF PRAYER: It Persuades God To Act! - Jas. 5:16-18.

-There is power in prayer: Let God work within you through it!

WHY SHOULD YOU PUT ON CHRIST? (Galatians 3)

(Scripture Reading: Gal. 3:19-29)

Galatians 3 - The basis for the Christian's life in Christ gives compelling answers to the question:

"Why should I put on Christ?" (3:27)

I. BECAUSE CHRIST WAS CRUCIFIED FOR YOU - 3:1-14.

A. Christ & His Gospel Is The Means Of Every Spiritual Blessing - v. 1-5; Eph. 1:3; Acts 4:12.

B. Sons Of Abraham Are Blessed - v. 6-14.

-Reason to PUT ON CHRIST: Only if you are Christ's are you Abraham's seed (heir)! - 3:27-29

II. BECAUSE CHRIST IS THE SEED THROUGH WHOM GOD WILL BLESS YOU - 3:15-22 (Gen. 22:18).

A. God's Promise Is Secure - v. 15-17.

B. LOM Was Never Intended To Be Man's Means Of Righteousness - v. 17-22.

- Reason to PUT ON CHRIST: He is God's promised "seed" whereby we obtain release from sin! - 3:16,

21-22

III. BECAUSE CHRIST ENABLES YOU TO BE A CHILD OF GOD - 3:23-29.

A. We Are Justified By Faith - v. 24, 3:11; 2:16.

B. Become Children Of God "By Faith" - v. 26-27; cf. Jno. 1:12; Rom. 8:14.

C. As Children Of God Belonging To Christ, We Are Heirs Of The Promise - v. 28-29; Rom. 8:16-17.

-Reason to PUT ON CHRIST: Must have faith which obeys Jesus to be an heir of God! - 3:7, 9, 14, 26