Behold, how good and pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! (Psalms 133:1)

We are God's family and should not allow anything or anyone to disturb, disrupt or wound this family on our journey home. We  have a common love for each, a common bond that holds us together with a common hope that will one day bring us the greatest victory imaginable. We should be, yea must be, knit together in peace and oneness of mind. Let me very briefly introduce you to a family that must never be allowed to become a part of our family because if allowed to do so, they will destroy our love for each other and sever that common bond that holds us together. That family is the Tator family.

 

First I would have you meet Agi--Tator. Agi thrives on contention and strife. He is not satisfied with peace so he likes to gossip, repeat rumors and stir up trouble. Agi can break up the family and shatter all hopes and dreams for growth. Paul has some good instructions for Agi in Ephesians 4:1-3; 25-32.

 

Next meet his twin Devas--Tator.  Devas is alway busy tearing down, never trying to build up and will attempt to lead people away with high sounding words. Reminds me of Korah whom we read about in Numbers 16 as well as Jude 11. Be wary of Devas because he can tear down in a short time what has taken years to build.

 

Then there is old Lamen--Tator. Lamen is always depressed and mourning. He suffers more that anybody else and his lot in life is just absolutely terrible. Lamen is a pitiful man because he sees no one else but himself. Reminds me of that elder brother in the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15) as well as the Israelites (1 Cor. 10:6-10).

 

And then we come face to face with Dic--Tator. Old Dic wants to rule the roast or else. He doesn't care what God says or anyone else because he is the leader, the most important so you do it his way or leave. Reminds me of Diathropes in 3 John 9.

                                                                                                                              

Lastly we meet Commen--Tator. Commen is full of advice and comments. Just ask him about anything because he knows the answer. But he is long on talk and short on doing. He can find a thousand things for others to do but can't seem to find anything he can do. It is always "they" or "them", never "I" or "we". He is always criticizing long and loud because he is a "mote hunter" (Matt.7:3-5). Commen reminds me a lot of the Pharisees who would "say and do not" (Matt.23:3).

 

I pray that we will always do as Paul instructs in Eph. 4:2: "Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace".

 

Charles Hicks

What’s valuable to a Christian

Sometimes I sits and thinks and sometimes I just sits.  Usually it's during one of my "sitting and thinking" periods that ideas for my editorials arise.  It was during one of those recent times that today's effort came into my mind.  Of course, some things that I happened to have read assisted me in my thinking.  Here's a couple of my thoughts.

 

I was watching the news depictions of one of our recent fires and all of the homes destroyed by it.  I thought about what all the home owners must have lost when their home burned.  Got me to thinking about what people would try to save in those situations.  What's valuable to them.  This led me to a thought about what's valuable to a Christian and why it's valuable.

 

You've no doubt heard the old phrase "you can't work your way to heaven."  Well, that's true in the sense that we can't "do" enough to "merit" salvation.  We're saved by the "grace of God."  But, in another sense, our "works" are of great value to us.  Think of it this way: "works" are what validates our "faith."

 

I guess that what I'm saying is, that "faith" is the driving force of Christianity.  But, God's word says that there has to be more than just an acknowledgment of "belief."  There has to be evidence of it that can be seen.  Probably the best scriptural reference we can look at is the one found in James 2, verses 13-17.  Let me just cite it to you here.

 

"What good is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works?  Can that faith save him?  If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, 'Go in peace, be warmed and filled,' without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?  So also faith by itself, if it does not have works is dead."  (ESV)

 

So then, when we go back to considering what's valuable to a Christian, I think you'd have to say that "works" are of great value.  It's sort of comparative to money.  Money really has no value unless it's used.  "Faith" has no value if we don't use it.  It's our "works" that are the using of our "faith." 

 

And why I say that "faith" without "works" is valueless is because of what else James says right after the verses cited above.  In describing someone having only "faith" or "belief" he says, in the terminology of today, "big deal, even the devils believe and tremble." (Vs 19)   Therefore, if we don't exercise our "faith" by doing "works" that show it, we're no different than the demons.

 

Well, let me shift my thinking-gears here and move onto another thought of mine.  Any of you that have read my editorials in the past know that I have a great love for our old hymns.  I suppose that "The Old Rugged Cross" is just about as well-known as any of them.  If you look in your songbook at this hymn you'll see that it was written by George Bennard, and I'll add that he wrote it in 1913.

 

Let me tell you a little about the man who wrote this hymn.  And, of course, keep in mind that like most hymns, it started out as a poem with the music added later.  George was the son of a coal miner and when he was 16 years old his father died.  He had to go to work to support his mother and 4 sisters so he never really had any formal education.  Basically, he was self-taught.

 

He went to work for the Salvation Army and eventually he became a minister.  It was after he had preached a series of lessons about the cross of Jesus that he wrote The Old Rugged Cross.  It's reported that he authored more than 300 Gospel songs during his life.  I'm going to close by leaving you with one of his poems.

 

    God laid upon my back a grievous load, 

        A heavy cross to bear along the road.

    I staggered on, and lo! one weary day,

        An angry lion sprang across my way.

    I prayed to God and swift at His command,

        The cross became a weapon in my hand.

    It slew my raging enemy, and then

        Became a cross upon my back again.

 

    I reached a desert.  O'er the burning track

        I persevered, the cross upon my back.

    No shade was there and in the cruel sun,

        I sank at last, and thought my days were done.

    But lo!  the Lord works many a blest surprise,

        The cross became a tree before my eyes.

    I slept; I woke, to feel the strength of ten,

        I found the cross upon my back again.

 

    And thus through all my days from then to this,

        The cross, my burden, has become my bliss.

    Nor ever shall I lay the burden down,

        For God some day will make the cross a crown.

 

Respectfully submitted,

Ron Covey

Our Pillar of Strength

The Windsor Guildhall is the town hall of the town of Windsor, in the English county of Berkshire.
It is located on the High Street, about 100 meters from Castle Hill, which leads to the main public
entrance to Windsor Castle.

The erection of the present guildhall was begun in 1687, under the direction of Sir Thomas Fitz, but
on his death in 1689, the task was taken over by Sir Christopher Wren. The new building was
designed by Wren to be supported around its perimeter by eighteen stone columns, so that, like its
predecessor, it would provide a covered area beneath it for the holding of corn markets.

The town councilors protested to the great architect that his design would never work. Eighteen
pillars would not be enough to support the weight of the building, and the whole thing would
collapse.

Christopher Wren insisted that his design was solid and safe, and an argument ensued. The end
result was that Christopher Wren agreed to add four more columns into his design. They were to be
placed in the interior of the building.

But Christopher Wren had the last laugh! When he designed the four inner pillars, he deliberately
designed them to be two inches too short; the tops of the columns did not even touch the beams of
the ceiling. They bore no weight at all!

Apparently, at some point through the years, wooden shims or tiles have been placed above the
pillars to fill the space that Wren had left. But Christopher Wren knew what he was doing; for
centuries this building stood strong and tall without those center columns supporting any weight.

In Acts 4, we read how the religious leaders of the Jews - the rulers, elders and teachers of the
law - brought Peter and John, apostles of Jesus Christ, to meet with them concerning the healing of
a lame man (see Acts 3). They asked, "By what power or by what name have you done this?"

Peter responded: "Let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of
Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands
here before you whole. This is the 'stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the
chief cornerstone' [a quotation from Psalm 118:22]. Nor is there salvation in any other, for there
is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:10-12).

Some reject Him, but Jesus is the Rock of our salvation from sin; He is our Pillar of strength. He
died on the cross for our sins and rose again by the power of God. There is no other foundation
upon which we can stand and be saved (1 Corinthians 3:11).

God will save from sin and give eternal life to those who place their faith and trust in Jesus (Acts
16:30-31), turn from their sin in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confess Jesus before men (Romans
10:9-10), and are baptized (immersed) into Christ for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38). He will
continue to cleanse from sin those who continue to walk in the light of His Word (1 John 1:7).

Won't YOU take your stand upon the solid foundation of Jesus Christ, the Pillar of strength, through
your trusting obedience? "All other ground is sinking sand." All other pillars will crumble.

-- David A. Sargent

* Information gleaned from "The Windsor Guildhall - A Story with a Spiritual Lesson", posted by
Douglas Twitchell, in http://www.biblical-illuminations.com and "Windsor Guildhall" in
www.Wikipedia.org

David A. Sargent, Minister

Proverbs 28:20

 

Thought for the Week

 

Proverbs 28:20 "A faithful man shall abound with blessings......"

 

Sometimes it seems as if the storms of this life are so overwhelming. Sometimes it seems as if we try and try to say and do that which is right only to be disappointed in the effort. There are those times when burdens and cares of this life cause our hearts to be heavy making the path we walk a difficult one indeed. Then there are the times when our lives become a trail of tears. As I think about these times of life, I fear that lest we are most diligent, they have the power to cause us to take for granted the great blessings of God (2 Peter 1:3-4). I think about the song, "When Upon Life's Billows". Study each verse of that song, then take a long, hard look at the chorus: "Count Your Many Blessings, See What God Hath Done". I have never had great earthly riches yet God has always blessed me with whatever I needed to be comfortable. For almost 48 years I was blessed with a beautiful wife who stood by me in good times and times not so good. God blessed me with four wonderful children, seven grandchildren and three great grandchildren. I have had the opportunity to proclaim the gospel message for over fifty years and have had the privilege of serving as an elder in the Lord's church. God has been good to me and as the song says, "blessed me with wealth untold". As you count your blessings, I am sure that you will come to the same conclusion concerning your life. But the greatest blessing of all for us is the privilege of being a part of the Lord's church (1 John 3:1) and thus knowing that if we remain faithful to him then one day we will gain the greatest victory imaginable (1 Corinthians 15:55-57).

 

There is a beautiful home that tugs at my heartstrings today (John 14:1-3; Rev. 21:2-7). If our sins have been washed away (Acts 22:16; Acts 2:38); if we are sowing to the Spirit (Galatians 6:7-8, 5:22-25; if we are walking in the light (1 John 1:7; if each day we strive to do as Peter instructs in 2 Peter 1:5-11, then we can, as John says, know eternal life is ours (1 John 5:13). What more is there to say? "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth  him should not perish, but have everlasting life" John 3:16). Eternal life with the redeemed of all ages, what a joy that will be. As a faithful child of God, we are truly a blessed people.

 

Charles Hicks

My parents do not want me to be baptized

What About Your Parents or Other Loved Ones?

Do you hesitate to be baptized for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38) or even to admit that the scriptures teach that you should be baptized to be saved (Mark 16:16) because your parents or some other loved ones have failed to do so and because you are concerned about their spiritual welfare? If so, you may be risking your eternal salvation while doing nothing to enhance their eternal destiny.

It is natural for you to be concerned about the spiritual welfare of your parents or other loved ones. You must realize, however, that your obedience can neither save your loved ones nor condemn them to hell. God will fairly judge each person according to their own works and according to His word (2Corinthians 5:10; John 12:48). Hence, Paul said, "For every man shall bear his own burden" (Galatians 6:5).

What does love, honesty, and true devotion to God demand when you learn truths that are different from what you once believed and from what your family and close friends believe and practice? If you learn "the way of God more perfectly," that is, learn more about God's will than you knew before, does not honesty and true devotion demand that you change and obey the Word of the Lord just as Apollos did when he was taught "the way of God more perfectly" (Acts 18:26)? And would not parents or loved ones who are honest and truly devoted to God expect a loved one who has learned "the way of God more perfectly" to obey the commands of God - even the command of baptism? To suggest otherwise would cast reflection upon and question the honesty and devotion of your loved ones.

You have no opportunity to teach "the way of God more perfectly" to loved ones who are dead. They will meet the Lord as they were when they died, however honest and just they were, and with the choices they made while on earth. Your obedience or disobedience will not change their eternal destiny, only yours. Do not be so concerned with judging the dead that you fail to walk wherein you have attained (Philippians 3:16) or fail to preach the gospel to the living.

If your parents or loved ones are still alive, you may still have opportunity to teach them "the way of God more perfectly." If they are truly devoted to the Lord, they want all of the truth (Matthew 4:4). It is very unlikely you will ever teach them "the way of God more perfectly" if you do not admit truth and obey it yourself.

You must remember, also, that while you love your parents and/or others here on earth, you must love Christ more and put Him first, or you cannot be His disciple (Luke 14:26; Matthew 6:33). You will be judging yourself "unworthy of everlasting life" (Acts 13:46) if you allow your love for others to keep you from obeying God.

Love God with all of your heart, soul, and mind (Matthew 22:37) and obey Him at all costs; do not be ashamed of His gospel, but share it with those whom you love. By doing so, you will save yourself, cause no loved one to be lost, and save those loved ones who will "hear" you (1Timothy 4:16). Do not wait; be baptized for the remission of sins to be saved!

- by Harold Hancock

 

Are You a Gaius or a Diotrophes: a Supporter of the Truth of God and the True People of God, or an Opponent of the Truth?

 

The elder to the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth. 2 Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul. 3 For I rejoiced greatly when the brothers came and testified to your truth, as indeed you are walking in the truth. 4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.

5 Beloved, it is a faithful thing you do in all your efforts for these brothers, strangers as they are, 6 who testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their journey in a manner worthy of God. 7 For they have gone out for the sake of the name, accepting nothing from the Gentiles. 8 Therefore we ought to support people like these, that we may be fellow workers for the truth. 9 I have written something to the church, but Diotrephes, who likes to put himself first, does not acknowledge our authority. 10 So if I come, I will bring up what he is doing, talking wicked nonsense against us. And not content with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers, and also stops those who want to and puts them out of the church. 11 Beloved, do not imitate evil but imitate good. Whoever does good is from God; whoever does evil has not seen God. 12 Demetrius has received a good testimony from everyone, and from the truth itself. We also add our testimony, and you know that our testimony is true. 3 John 1-12

 

The letters of 2 and 3 John emphasise “the truth,” walking in the truth, and supporting those who represent and proclaim the truth.

 

The elder writing these letters is most likely the elderly apostle John, and Gaius is a leader in another church to whom John is writing (certainly not the same Gaius mentioned in Acts 19:29, Romans 16:23, and 1 Corinthians 1:14. Gaius was a very common Roman name).

 

Gaius is being commended because his church is not only standing in the truth, but also supporting fellow evangelists, even though they are strangers, i.e. unknown to them.

 

On the other hand, Diotrophes does not possess these qualities. In fact, he is the exact opposite of Gaius. “We can assume that Diotrephes was a leader, or at least an influential member, in the local church where Gaius was a member.” (GotQuestions.org)

 

There are huge lessens for leadership in this letter. As one brother wrote:

 

Unlike Diotrophes, church leaders are required to display humility, and other attitudes that reflect a meek and gentle spirit. Consider the requirements of an elder in 1 Peter 5:2-3. Also see Titus 1:7-8, especially in the words “not self-willed” (as Diotrophes was) and “not fond of sordid gain.” And finally think about 1 Timothy 3:2-3. Diotrophes seems to be anything but “temperate, prudent, hospitable. . . gentle, uncontentious, and free from the love of money.” – Mark Dunagan, Gaius and Diotrophes

 

John Stott wrote this comparison between Gaius and Diotrophes:

 

“In character and behavior he is entirely different from Gaius. Gaius is portrayed as walking in truth, loving the brothers, entertaining strangers. Diotrophes, on the other hand, is seen as loving himself more than others and refusing to welcome the traveling evangelists, or to let others do so” (The Letters of John, John R.W. Stott, p228).

 

Proverbs tells us, It is not good to eat much honey; so to seek one’s own glory is not glory. Proverbs 25:27

 

Jesus said, “Many who are first will be last; and the last, first.” Matthew 19:30

 

It is not so among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave.”  Matthew 20:26-27

 

Diotrophes had:

 

1.    Unjustly accused with wicked words.

2.    Not welcomed faithful brethren.

3.    Forbade those who desired to welcome faithful brethren, and even put them out of the church.

 

And why? Because he loved to be first! He wanted all the attention!

 

 

Jesus had taught, “I was a stranger and you welcomed me.” Jesus went on to essentially say,” To the extent that you did not welcome a stranger, you did not welcome me.” Matthew 25:35,45

 

 

Some lessons we can learn from this little letter:

 

1.    Positive encouragement and affirmation of good work is important. We should do it often with one another.

2.    Helping Christians we may not know very well, but whom we know are faithful in the truth. This is what we are trying to do with our Kenyan fellow-workers in the truth.

We have also welcomed some Christian visitors in recent weeks – faithful brethren who are strangers to some in our congregation. Enough of us do know these faithful Christians in the truth, and they are worthy of our support and love.

 

 

I have known brethren who do not understand the difference between false brethren who have gone beyond the teachings of Christ, and faithful brethren, and who have therefore rejected both false brethren who have gone beyond Christ’s teachings, and faithful brethren doing their best to follow Christ! Part of this rejection of faithful brethren has been because of a misunderstanding of the application of 2 John 10-11,

 

If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works.

 

Do we reject those who have gone beyond the teaching of Christ, or do we reject those who do not reject those who have gone beyond the teaching of Christ, or do we reject both categories? This has confused some brethren.

 

 

Let us remember the final exhortation of the letter:

 

“Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. The one who does good is of God; the one who does evil has not seen God.” 3 John 11. Compare 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22.

 

Finally, we note the contrast of this letter with John’s second letter:

 

·         3 John emphasises the importance of supporting those who hold to the truth, even if they are strangers.

·         2 John exhorts us not to support those who go beyond the teachings of Christ – not even to welcome them into our homes or extend them a greeting. Those who welcome such brethren participate in their evil.

·         Both letters are talking about imitating what is good and not imitating what is evil. Go ahead - read both letters for yourself, and while you’re at it, read 1 John as well to get John’s understanding of the true God, love, truth and righteousness. Let us not be idolaters who create a God in our own image instead of the one God Himself has revealed in Scripture.

 

 

David Carr

Psalms 4:8

Thought for the Week

 

"I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, Lord only makest me dwell in safety" (Psalms 4:8)

 

Each morning we awake to begin a new day not knowing what the day will be like. It may be one in which all is well and we experience only good things. On other hand we may have a very difficult day in which it seems as if everything that can go wrong does go wrong. It is so comforting to know that so long as our trust and confidence is in God, we will be able to pillow our heads in peaceful sleep each night. Just knowing that his all seeing eye watches over us each hour of the day and that he will provide to us the help we need to sustain us whatever besets us on this journey (Psalms 3:5; Hebrews 4:13-16; Psalms 33:18).

 

With our trust firmly in God we will be secure and safe because he will be our shield and defender (Psalms 18:1-3). His presence is ours, therefore. even though the way may be rough an difficult, and even though dangers may threaten, nothing will ever be able to separate us from the love of God (Hebrews 13:5; Romans 8:31. 35-39). We must never forget that when the storm clouds gather, the wind begins to blow, the lightening flashes and the thunder roars, we are safe in the arms of Jesus (Isaiah 12:2; Psalms 23; Proverbs 29:25). Psalms 62:8 is a passage worthy of our consideration: In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God. Trust him at all times: ye people pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah".

 

"Now I lay me down to sleep. If I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take". A child's prayer but if we have placed our lives in God's hand by believing, repenting, confessing, being baptized  and living lives of faithfulness to him, then we can

lie down to sleep at the close of the day to a peaceful sleep knowing that should we not see the morning sun, all will be well.

 

Charles Hicks

 

Do good people need salvation?

Good People Need To Be Saved, Too

What will be the eternal destiny of good people? By "good" I mean kind, decent, caring, morally upright folks. They may or may not be religious. Nevertheless, you won't find finer folks: your helpful neighbor, your kind friend, your sweet grandmother. It is easy to assume they will be in heaven; indeed, is hard to think anything else. But will that be the case? All we know about anyone's eternal destiny is what God says in Scripture. A case recorded in Acts 10 sheds considerable light on the question.
 
Good People Need to Be Saved

The focus of this text is a man named Cornelius. He is pictured in the finest way (vv. 1, 2, 22). He was a devout man, one who feared God. (Fearing God was a technical expression used to denote Gentiles who accepted the Jewish religion in part.) He feared God with all his household, including one of his soldiers (v. 7), indicating that he was spiritually-minded enough to influence others to follow his example. He gave many alms to the Jewish people, not just the token gestures that are the common marks of "generosity." He prayed to God continually. In the story, we find him praying at 3:00 in the afternoon. He was a righteous or just man, dealing fairly with his fellow-man. He was well spoken of by the entire Jewish nation. That would be a remarkable reputation for any man, but is especially so in this case because Cornelius was a Roman centurion!

Could there be a finer man? How many of us measure up to this description? How many would view Cornelius as lost in sin and headed for hell? That is precisely what he was. As he was praying, an angel appeared to him and gave him a single instruction: "Send to Joppa, and have Simon, who is also called Peter, brought here; and he shall speak words to you by which you will be saved, you and all your household" (11:14-15).
 
Why Good People Need to Be Saved

It is almost startling for the Bible to present this man as one in need of salvation. Yet he was. The problem was not his goodness; it was his sin. What sins had he committed? We do not know. But he was guilty of some. All are. "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). And the consequence of sin for Cornelius was death. "For the wages of sin is death..." (Romans 6:23). So it is for all. People's "goodness" has nothing to do with their being lost. Sin is the problem.

What is the solution to sin? Too many think good works will somehow make up for their wrongs. That was not the message Peter brought to Cornelius. Oh, he mentioned the essentiality of doing what is right (v. 35), but that is not enough. Peter preached that peace with God is through Jesus Christ (v. 36), that forgiveness of sins is in His name (v. 43). His sermon spoke of the proofs that Jesus offered to sustain the claim that He alone is the way to God: His miracles (v. 38), especially His resurrection from the dead (vv. 40-42), and countless Old Testament prophecies that He fulfilled (v. 43).

All have sinned, sin separates us from God, and salvation is only in Christ. These are the facts, no matter what we might like to believe. We must come to grips with them. Our failure to do so explains why we struggle so with the concept of good people being lost.
 
How Good People Are Saved

The text identifies four components of Cornelius salvation (and ours):

One, he had to hear the gospel. The words by which he and his household would be saved were Peter's message that Jesus died for our sins.

Two, he had to believe that message, put his trust in Jesus as the means of being right with God. "Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes receives forgiveness of sins" (v. 43). This is so foundational that it is often stated as the summary of man's response, just as "grace" is for God's provisions (Ephesians 2:8).

Three, he had to repent (11:18). Repentance leads to life. It is a change of heart that says I will live as God directs from now on. Of course, to be genuine it must be demonstrated in a change of life. One has not repented who persists in the same sinful way of living.

Four, he had to be baptized in water. "...Then Peter answered, 'Surely no one can refuse the water for these to be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did, can he? And he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ" (vv. 46-48). In his first sermon, Peter explained that baptism is for forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38).
 
Knowing what you now know, do you want to stand before the Lord in judgment based solely on your own "goodness," or would you rather be there having accepted His offer of salvation in Christ?

- by Frank Himmel

Hawaii news station KHON-TV

Best Friends and More

Alan Robinson and Walter Macfarlane first met in the sixth grade. They have remained best friends
for 60 years. Recently, they found out that there was even more that connected them.

Macfarlane, who is fifteen months older than Robinson, never knew his father. Robinson was adopted.
Both were interested in their family of origin.

According to HonoluluChorus
Because He lives, I can face tomorrow,
Because He lives, all fear is gone;
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living,
Just because He lives!, Hawaii news station KHON-TV, Macfarlane turned to family history and
DNA-matching websites to try to learn more about his ancestry after unsuccessful searches on the
internet and social media. He and his daughter, Cindy Macfarlane-Flores, started investigating the
matches that he received.

CBS News reports that a top match - someone with identical X chromosomes - had the username Robi737.
Macfarlane instantly realized that the person with that user name was his best friend because
Robinson's nickname was Robi and he flew 737s for Aloha Airlines. He discovered that Robinson has
used the same website to find out about his own family.

What these best friends found out was that they had the same birth mother. They discovered that
they were not only best friends; they were brothers!

"This guy was., he was like an older brother all along," Robinson told KITV in Honolulu.

"As it should be," Macfarlane said to Robinson, "you're my younger brother." *

"A man who has friends must himself be friendly, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a
brother" (Proverbs 18:24).

There is Another who desires to be a Friend and a Brother to YOU. That Person is Jesus Christ.

Jesus said, "Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends" (John
15:13). That is exactly what He did for you and me. When we were separated from our heavenly
Father due to our sins and on the path to destruction, Jesus died on the cross for our sins (1
Corinthians 15:3-4). Through Him we can be reconciled to the Father (2 Corinthians 5:18-21) and be
a brother to Jesus.

God will save from sin, give eternal life, and add to His Family those who place their faith and
trust in Jesus (Acts 16:30-31), turn from their sins in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confess Jesus
before men (Romans 10:9-10), and are baptized (immersed, born again) into Christ for the forgiveness
of sins (Acts 2:38). By the redeeming blood that Jesus shed in His death, God will continue to
cleanse from sin and remain united with those who continue to walk in the light of His Word (1 John
1:7).

As a friend, Jesus gave His life for you so that you may live. He died for you so that you can be
His brother in His forever family.

Won't YOU accept His offer of salvation, eternal life, and brotherhood through your trusting
obedience?

-- David A. Sargent

* from "Best Friends for 60 Years Discover They Are Brothers" from www.cbsnews.com

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My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle

Thought for the Week

 

Job 7:6 "My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle......"

 

 Psalms 90:9,  "....we bring our years to an end with a sigh". James 4:16, James tells us that our life is like a vapor that appears for a short time and then vanishes. Truly as the song we often sing says, "Swiftly we're turning life's daily pages, Swiftly the hours are turning to years". O, how swiftly it seems that the days turn into weeks, weeks into months and months into years. We have just turned the page on a new chapter in our lives and are eagerly anticipating the days that lie ahead in 2018. I venture to say that many are thinking and planning for those days but let is remember as we do so that there are no guarantees as to what the days of 2018 will bring into our lives (James 4:13-15). Just make certain that wherever you go, whatever you do always include God in your plans. Never forget for a moment that only one step, one heart beat, one breath separates us from that moment when we will cross that line that separates the living from the dead (physically).

 

With the close of the year 2017 we have reached another milestone on our journey through this life. None of us knows what the year 2018 will bring into our lives. Even though the future is uncertain for us, we know that our God holds the future in his hands and so long as we walk with him, confidently trusting him, he will take care of us (Proverbs 30:5; Isaiah 12:2-3; Heb. 2:13; Romans 8:35:39; Hebrews 13:5).

 

I can think of no better words to end this Thought with than those of Third John, verse 2: "Beloved I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth". It is my prayer that all who now read these words will be blessed abundantly with needed material things and with a measure of good health that will enable each to enjoy this life. But above all I pray your soul will prosper because, you see, if the soul is not in good health, then all the prosperity of your life and whatever measure of physical health you enjoy will be nothing more than vanity (Ecclesiastes 12:3, 13-14; Luke 12:19-21).

 

Charles Hicks