And take…the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Ephesians 6:17

THE
SPIRIT’S
SWORD

Volume 15, Number 25
08/12/2012

Published by
Mt. Baker
church of Christ

Location:
1860 Mt. Baker HWY
Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 30821
Bellingham, WA 98228
(360) 752-2692

Sunday:
Bible Classes..........9:30 AM
Worship..10:30AM; 6:00PM

Wednesday:
Bible Classes.........7:00 PM
All sing last Wednesday

Web sites:
Mt. Baker church
Bible Answers

Editor......Joe R. Price

Elders
Morris Bass
Rick Holt

Deacons
Aaron Bass
Rich Brooks
Mike Finn
Dan Head

In this issue:

• Rules for a Happy Marriage

  Welcome, Visitor

  Sermon Outlines:

  • Are You Listening?
  • The Silence of the Scriptures: Permissive or Restrictive? Bible Authority (11)

  Noteworthy News: Drought Deepens

Rules for a Happy Marriage
Author Unknown

LOVE is of God. Keep God in your life and in your home and the coals of love will ever glow on the altars of your hearth.

An old and wise philosopher has given us these practical rules for a happy married life:

1. Never part for a day without loving words.

2. Never meet without a loving welcome.

3. Neglect the whole world besides rather than each other.

4. Never both be angry at once.

5. Never talk AT one another, either alone or in company.

6. Never make a remark at the expense of the others. It is meanness, not love.

7. Never speak loud to each other unless the house is on fire.

8. Never taunt with a past mistake.

9. Never sigh over what might have been, but make the best of what is.

10. Never find fault, unless it is perfectly certain that a fault has been committed; and always speak lovingly.

11. Never let any fault or grievance go by until you have frankly confessed it, and in sincere repentance asked for forgiveness.

12. Let each one strive to yield the oftenest to the wishes of the other.

13. Let self-denial be the daily aim and practice of each one.

14. Never forget the happy hours of early love.

15. Never forget that marriage is of God, and that His blessing alone can make it what it should be.

16. Never be contented until you know you are both walking in the way of God.

17. Never let your hopes stop short of the Eternal Home.

Assuring you that if you make these rules of your marriage, peace and happiness shall follow you all the days of your life.

-Author Unknown

[Editor’s note: God’s word explains marriage and gives us the divine formula for success: “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh” (Gen. 2:23-24). The formula for success: Permanency (“leave”), commitment (cleave or “be joined to”) and unity (“one flesh”).]

Welcome, Visitor
Joe R. Price

What to expect during your visit with us:

1) A warm welcome. We consider you as our honored guest and we shall treat you as such. You are welcome here and we want to encourage you as you consider the will of God for your life. We hope you will come back.

2) Plain Bible preaching. We believe it would be a waste of time for you to go away wondering what the preacher meant. Paul said he used, “great plainness of speech” when he taught the gospel (2 Cor. 3:12, KJV). Please notice you will hear Bible preaching during our services. Our sermons are taken directly from the Bible. Each point is supported with Biblical citations and quotations. We ask you to listen carefully to the message that is preached because it is “the word of God” and not “the word of men” (1 Ths. 2:13).

3) A willingness to be questioned. Many are offended if anyone questions their religious beliefs and practices. We will not react negatively if you have a question; we welcome it. You will find us anxious to answer any question you have about anything we teach, believe or practice. We believe the cause of Christ and His gospel is wonderfully served by investigation (Acts 17:11-12).

4) Congregational singing. Our song service is congregational; everyone is urged to participate who can sing the sentiments of the songs with the spirit and the understanding of their messages (1 Cor. 14:15). We do not have choirs and choruses that worship on behalf of the congregants or entertain those who are gathered. Our singing is part of our worship to God in which each Christian participates (Eph. 5:19).

What not to expect during your visit:

1) Embarrassing appeals. We do not make direct, personal propositions or emotion-charged pleas to the audience. We do extend a gospel invitation to everyone near the end of the worship period (Matt. 11:28-30; Acts 2:40-41). We believe you are capable of understanding and considering what God’s word says to you about your life. When you are convicted by its truth we urge you to obey the gospel of Christ without delay (Acts 16:33; 22:16). We do not wish to embarrass you or pressure you into a response. Instead, we wish to persuade you to have faith that freely obeys the Lord (Matt. 7:24-27).

2) Solicitation for money. It seems that some religious meetings are merely money raising schemes disguised as worship. Our assemblies are not community fund raising events. The work of this local church is supported financially by the free will offerings of its members on the first day of the week (1 Cor. 16:1-2). Our visitors are never solicited for financial contributions.

3) Entertainment. We make no effort to entertain; that is not the purpose of our gathering to worship God (Acts 2:42; 1 Cor. 14:26; Heb. 10:24-25). Our goal is to offer God true worship (“in spirit and truth”, Jno. 4:24), not vain worship that grows out of human design (Matt. 15:7-9).

We are thankful you have chosen to visit us as we engage in reverent worship of God and serious study of His word, the Bible. We are glad you are here. We hope you will come back. Above all, we hope you will believe and obey Jesus (Matt. 7:21; Acts 2:37-41).

You can find the complete outline of this sermon plus PowerPoint and MP3 Audio files at BIBLE ANSWERS

Are You Listening?

Scripture Reading: Proverbs 22:17-21

1. Heb. 1:1-2: Listening (to God) requires our attention, effort, respect and a desire to understand God’s word, Eccl. 5:1; Prov. 20:12; Matt. 13:9, 13-18 (Samuel, 1 Sam. 3:10).
2. Hear and do: Exo. 15:26; Deut. 4:1; Matt. 7:24-25.
3. One reason for disobedience and a failure to grow to spiritual maturity is because we are not really listening to God.

I. WE MUST LISTEN TO:

A. God by Listening to the Word of God, Heb. 1:1-2; Isa. 51:1, 4, 7; Lk. 19:47-78.
B. The Reproof of our Sin, Prov. 15:31; 25:12 (2 Tim. 3:16-17; Lk. 17:3), Prov. 10:17; 12:1; 17:10; 15:10.
C. Wise Counsel, Prov. 8:34-36 (2:1-2; 5:1). Prov. 18:15; 29:1

II. THINGS THAT PREVENT LISTENING (with understanding), Jno. 8:43.

A. Sin and Disobedience, Jno. 8:44-47; Acts 7:54-58; Rom. 8:7; Ezek. 33:30-33.
B. Pride Refuses to Listen and Learn, Prov. 4:5-8; 11:2; 18:12-13; 15:31-33.
C. A Hard, Unrepentant Heart will not Listen, Matt. 13:14-16; Acts 22:21-23.
D. Spiritual Shallowness and Self-Interest (no spiritual interest), Matt. 13:19-22.
E. Anger Prevents Effective Listening, Jas. 1:19-20; Prov. 12:15-16.

Conclusion

1. We have to be more than hearers – we have to be doers of the word of God, Jas. 1:21-25.
2. Be wise; Listen to the word of Christ and obey Him, Matt. 7:24-25.

You can find the complete outline of this sermon plus PowerPoint and MP3 Audio files at BIBLE ANSWERS

The Silence of the Scriptures: Permissive or Restrictive? Bible Authority (11)

Scripture Reading: Numbers 14:39-45

1. The failure to follow divinely revealed pattern is sin, Heb. 8:5.
2. Failure to have Bible authority for all things causes division among God’s people.
3. False to reason: “It doesn’t say ‘not to’, therefore we are at liberty to do it”.

I. OT SHOWS THAT GOD’S SILENCE SETS LIMITS (Rom. 15:4).

A. Moving the Ark of the Covenant: God’s Law Revealed, Num. 4:1-6, 15; 7:9.
B. Moving the Ark to Jerusalem, 1 Chrn. 13:1-10 (1 Sam. 6:3; 7:1).
C. God’s Displeasure, 1 Chrn. 13:9-14.
D. Adding to God’s Word Violates the Silence of the Scriptures (Deut. 4:2; Prov. 30:6; Rev. 22:18), Num. 14:25, 40-45.

II. GOD’S JUDGMENTS AGAINST THOSE WHO ACTED WHEN HE DID NOT SPEAK (did not tell them to act).

A. Nadab and Abihu, Lev. 8:36; 9:2-24; 10:1-2 (Lev. 6:12-13; 16:12).
B. Priestly Tribe of the Law of Moses, Heb. 7:11-14.
C. Judaizers, Acts 15:1, 24; Gal. 2:5.

III. ADDING TO GOD’S SILENCE IS GOING BEYOND HIS DOCTRINE & AUTHORITY, 2 Tim. 1:13 (Col. 3:17; 2 Jno. 9).

A. Music in Worship (Eph. 5:19).
B. Water Baptism, Rom. 6:4; Mk. 16:16.
C. Organization of Local Church, Acts 14:23; 1 Pet. 5:2.
D. Work of Local Church (1 Cor. 14:26).

Conclusion: Respect for silence of the Scriptures.

NOTEWORTHY NEWS
(Current events in the light of Scripture)

Drought Deepens
Joe R. Price

God’s prophet Moses made a clear cause and effect association between ancient Israel’s disobedience to God and their droughts and crop failures, “But it shall come to pass, if you do not obey the voice of the LORD your God, to observe carefully all His commandments and His statutes which I command you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you: Cursed shall you be in the city, and cursed shall you be in the country. Cursed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl. Cursed shall be the fruit of your body and the produce of your land…” (Deut. 28:15-18). About 600 years later God sternly rebuked Israel by His prophet Amos, “I also withheld rain from you, when there were still three months to the harvest. I made it rain on one city, I withheld rain from another city. One part was rained upon, and where it did not rain the part withered. So two or three cities wandered to another city to drink water, but they were not satisfied; yet you have not returned to Me, says the Lord” (Amos 4:7-8). Israel’s disobedience brought the pain and suffering of drought. As it warned them of God’s judgment it should have prompted them to repent. But Israel did not learn the lesson and God’s judgment was applied (Amos 4:12).

America is facing its worst drought in 50 years. We cannot make a direct linkage between drought and disobedience today (like Moses and Amos did) since God has not revealed Himself on the matter. However, we can and must learn the principle lessons God taught Israel, for they are still compelling today:

1) Sin brings pain, punishment and death (Rom. 6:23).

2) God must be respected and worshiped as our Creator and the Giver of all blessings (Acts 14:14-18).

3) Now is the time to repent (Lk. 13:3, 5; Acts 17:30-31).

4) God is not mocked; we reap what we sow (Gal. 6:7-8).

5) We will stand before God in judgment ( 2 Cor. 5:10).

Life’s trials help train us to obey God. We learn to trust Him to supply our physical and our spiritual needs (Matt. 6:31-34). Will we learn to trust and obey God?

The Spirit's Sword is a free, weekly publication of the Mt. Baker church of Christ, Bellingham, WA
Send all questions, comments and subscriptions to the editor at: ssword@bibleanswer.com