Thursday

“Not all people who sound religious are really godly.

They may refer to me as ‘Lord,’

but they still won’t enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

The decisive issue is whether they obey my Father in heaven.”

~Matthew 7:21 (NLT)~

You are invited to a share group at the Alford cabin tonight at 6:30.

Pray for all those who will travel in the next 7-10 days.

Jesse Dean received two more units of blood. He’s having some problems, but they should not keep him in rehabilitation any extra days.

Larry Bankston of Arcola had three stents put in his heart this week. Pray for him as he needs to make some lifestyle changes.

Ralph E. Owens, Jr.

March 16, 1958 – March 18, 2008

Died at 6:05 PM on Tuesday March 18, 2008 at his residence. He was 50, a native of Baton Rouge and a resident of Mt. Nebo. Visitation at the McKneely & Vaughn Funeral Home, Amite on Thursday, March 20, 2008 from 6:00PM until 9:00PM and 10:00AM until Religious Services at 1:00PM Friday, March 21, 2008 in the Funeral Home Chapel, Conducted by Rev. Gary Weiborg. Interment at the Dees Cemetery. Survived by his Children-John Lewis, Clifford, & Robin Brooke-Amite, Mother-Gayle D. Owens-Mt. Nebo, Sister-Donna Owens, Mt. Nebo, Brother-John Owens-Petal, MS. Preceded in death by: Father-Ralph E. Owens, Sr., Grandparents-Theopolis & Rosaline Owens and Perry & Lena Mae Dees. Ralph, Jr. enjoyed spending time with his friends & family, cooking, telling stories, but really enjoyed cooking for others (mystery meat was his specialty). He will be sadly missed by many. In lieu of flowers the family request donations to the American Cancer Society or a Charity of your choice. McKneely & Vaughn Funeral Home is located on I-55 & Hwy 16W next to Coggins-Gentry Ford. An on-line Guestbook is available at http://www.mckneelyvaughnfh.com

 

 

COMPLAIN OR FISH?

A game warden noticed how a particular fellow named Sam consistently caught more fish than anyone else, whereas the other guys would only catch three or four a day. Sam would come in off the lake with a boat full.

Stringer after stringer was always packed with freshly caught trout. The warden, curious, asked Sam his secret. The successful fisherman invited the game warden to accompany him and observe. So the next morning the two met at the dock and took off in Sam’s boat. When they got to the middle of the lake, Sam stopped the boat, and the warden sat back to see how it was done.

Sam’s approach was simple. He took out a stick of dynamite, lit it, and threw it in the air. The explosion rocked the lake with such a force that dead fish immediately began to surface. Sam took out a net and started scooping them up.

Well, you can imagine the reaction of the game warden. When he recovered from the shock of it all, he began yelling at Sam. “You can’t do this! I’ll put you in jail, buddy! You will be paying every fine there is in the book!”

Sam, meanwhile, set his net down and took out another stick of dynamite. He lit it and tossed it in the lap of the game warden with these words, “Are you going to sit there all day complaining, or are you going to fish?”

Seems to me we have two similar options as Christians — we can spend our time complaining or we can “fish.” Jesus, of course, used the concept of fishing to describe the work of evangelism (“Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” — Matthew 4:19). The method we use does not involve dynamite, but it does involve the word from which dynamite comes to us — “dunamis,” the Greek word for “power.”

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ,

for it is the power of God to salvation

for everyone who believes,

for the Jew first and also for the Greek.”

~Romans 1:16~

I’ve known some folks in the church who use the “dunamis” of the gospel to fish for souls, and I’ve known other folks content to do nothing but sit back and complain about what everybody else is or isn’t doing. It’s your choice — Are you going to complain or are you going to fish?

Have a great day!

Alan Smith
Helen Street Church of Christ
Fayetteville, North Carolina

“Just as Christ was raised from the dead

by the glory of the Father,

so we too may walk in a new way of life.”

~Romans 6:4b, HCSB~