Woodland
Hills Church of Christ
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Sunday, July 2, 2006 Volume 50, Issue 25 DOES GOD HAVE CONFIDENCE IN ME AS A PARENT? One of the most serious, sobering and satisfying duties this life has to offer must be bringing children "up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord" (Eph. 6:4). Since this matter is so important those with children need to ask, "Does God have confidence in me as a parent?" May God say of us, as He did Abraham, "I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord" (Gen. 18:19). Consider now some specific areas where God MUST have confidence in you as a parent. Does God have confidence that you will teach your children the church is essential? Only those in the church have been redeemed by Christ’s blood (Acts 20:28). Only those in the church enjoy remission of sins (Acts 2:38, 47). Only those in the church have been sanctified (I Cor. 1:2). Are you teaching your children now, both in word and example, to "hate the evil, and love the good" (Amos 5:15). Does God have confidence that you will teach your children not to condone false teaching? Let us not be skeptical about this important matter; truth is ABSOLUTE and ATTAINABLE (Jn. 7:17; 8:32)! It is vital that we teach our young people to defend the truth with both boldness and humility. The time will soon come when our Christian youth will not be able to look to parents for the answers. Teach your children now, both in word and example, to "hate the evil, and love the good" (Amos 5:15). Does God have confidence that you will teach your children to teach the truth to others? There are many principles given within the Bible that show parents how to teach their children to be evangelistic. (1) Teach your children to pray for lost souls (I Tim. 2:1-4). (2) Teach your children that evangelism is to be done in word and deed (Acts 1:1). (3) Teach your children that evangelism is their personal duty (Mt. 28:19). Parenting properly is both a tremendous task and a rewarding responsibility. Does God have confidence in your as a parent? Bobby O’Dell
JOIN US FOR A THE PARABLES OF JESUS Week #4 - July 7th "The Tares" (See The Bulletin Board For More Details)
ROSS RHAPSODY This summer we have been discussing the 5 steps of salvation in the teen class and I wanted to assign memory verses. In my head, this seemed a little far fetched. I have memory verses in college and they aren’t exactly my favorite thing to do. When I asked for someone to recite Hebrews 11:6 the next Sunday in class Megan was quick to volunteer and recited the whole passage. I think many of us can profit from Megan’s example and be the first to step up and volunteer even when it might not be our favorite thing to do. Vego’s Verse: Hebrews 11:6
FAMILY NEWS OUR SICK/HOMEBOUND WEEKLY ASSIGNMENTS THANK YOU SYMPATHY OUR RECORD BABY BOY CRIB SHOWER PLACED MEMBERSHIP PLACED MEMBERSHIP RESPONSE SERVICE GROUP RETURNS We want to encourage these groups to keep up the good work and finish this quarter strong! SERVICE GROUP ASSIGNMENTS SUMMER SERIES
"BE YE DOERS OF THE WORD" The gospel is "the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek." (Romans 1:16.) Salvation is available to all that learn, believe and obey God's will. Before salvation can ever become a reality one must be willing to learn what God says and to do it. "If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority." (John 7:17) Only those that want to know what God says and are willing to do His will can please Him. Purpose of God’s word: "Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures." (James 1:18) The purpose of God's word is to bring about the salvation of our souls. It was by "God's will" that salvation was made possible. "Having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever." (1 Peter 1:23) By following God's will Christians are "a kind of firstfruits of His creatures." Power of God’s word: "So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God. Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls." (James 1:19-21) Let all know that conversion is brought about by the power of God's word. In dealing with God's word let us be "swift to hear" because it is God's word. Until God's word is properly understood be "slow to speak" concerning it and always be "slow to wrath" in religious matters. Christians must always be "slow to wrath" when admonitions and reproofs are given concerning evil, or when sin is exposed. Any sinful thing must be removed from human hearts so there can be a reception of the word of God "which is able to save your souls." Practice of God’s word: "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does. If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one's religion is useless. Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world." (James 1:22-27) It is not enough just to hear the truth. One must also practice what he has learned. "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but who does the will of My Father in heaven." (Matthew 7:21.) Are you a doer or a hearer only?
EDIFICATION I guess that Taft has a way of sometimes choosing a topic that holds certain interest for me. Such is the case with his lesson last Sunday evening: "Enoch and Walking with God." Certainly, I cannot match his eloquence, but I would like to try to add a humble thought. During his lesson, the point was made that many do not seem to know it, or maybe they think they do not feel it, when they are "walking with God." Perhaps they do not feel anything special or unusual, or perhaps somehow an outward sign is not revealed to them confirming the fact that they are indeed "walking" with Him right now. As we reflect upon this point, I would like to mention something that time working in prisons seemed to reveal. I learned that inmates in prison might not know when they were walking with God either, but they certainly knew it when they were not walking with Him! In fact, they seemed to have some sort of a sixth sense about it. They knew for a fact that as long as they walked in crime, crack, or immorality, God was not there. Their conduct would convict them, and their consciences would remind them of a better place to walk. Perhaps there is an application here for us too. Please consider the following verses from the Apostle John: "And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him. For if our heart condemns, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. Beloved, if our heart condemns not, then have we confidence toward God. And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight." (1 John 3:19-22) We would do well to read these verses over more than once. Guess what? Just like these inmates, I know it too when I am NOT walking with God. My prayer life is gone, I am filled with guilt, and my confidence is weak. Now, if we can feel so sure when we are not walking with God, perhaps these verses by John hold the key to knowing when we are walking with Him. In fact, do not these verses tell us plainly that we are walking with him? For the Elders, Dick Holt
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