Thursday

“I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere,

lifting up holy hands,

without wrath and doubting.”

~1Timothy 2:8~

Our grandson, Braden, now has a cast on his broken arm.  The surgery seems to have the bone set straight.  So far, so good now.

Pray for my daddy, Grant Smith, as he sees a specialist again about a reoccurring esophagus problem.  Daddy may require another procedure in order to eat without issues.

Continue to pray for those who have the flu and the viruses that are going around.

Thank God for a new job for Landon Estay after a two month “vacation” in Houston.  Pray for others who are searching for a job.

Continue to pray for the Allen family as David improves.  Pray for doctors to make wise decision in his case.  Thank God for all those who have prayed for David and continue to pray for David and his family.

For those of you from the Roseland area and those who can remember back more than thirty years, there is a new “little” girl in the Sloan family.  Markie is the granddaughter for Dr. John “Bro. Chip” and Martha Slaon.  Jennifer, who was born shortly after her parents moved to Roseland, is the very proud mother.  Bro. Chip was the pastor at Roseland Baptist Church for five years.  What memories we have!  Enjoy this gift from God.

Baby Markie is doing great!!! She is a chunk but beautiful. 9lbs 4 ounces, 21 inches long. Mom and Dad are doing great and very happy!! 🙂

Caring Bridge Sites:

Baptist Press
October 21, 2009

PHILIPPINES–Filipino pastors look past their own needs to neighbors. http://bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=31502

PHILIPPINES–Volunteers ‘mud out’ metro Manila, share God’s love. http://bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=31503

AMERICAN SAMOA–Team surveys tsunami damage on Amn. Samoa. http://bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=31504

OKLAHOMA–CP EMPHASIS: Church views CP as love offering. http://bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=31505

TENNESSEE–Land clarifies remarks, apologies to Anti-Defamation League. http://bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=31506

MAINE–Poll: Maine ‘gay marriage’ initiative tied. http://bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=31507

WASHINGTON–Feds relax medical marijuana policy. http://bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=31508

MISSOURI–TRUSTEES: MBTS to build new chapel complex. http://bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=31509

NORTH CAROLINA–TRUSTEES: SEBTS reports enrollment gains. http://bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=31510

TEXAS–CP EMPHASIS (FIRST-PERSON — David O. Dykes): Enlarging the channel for a Great Commission Resurgence. http://bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=31511

GEORGIA–FIRST-PERSON (Chuck Bentley): Living by God’s economy. http://bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=31512

John Naul Felps
(March 10, 1930 – October 21, 2009)

Died on Wednesday, October 21, 2009 at River Parishes Hospital in LaPlace, LA. He was a native of Baywood, LA, a resident of Reserve, LA, and a former resident of Kentwood, LA for 16 years. Age 79 years. Visitation at McKneely Funeral Home, Kentwood, from 12 Noon on Saturday until religious services at 2 p.m. Saturday. Interment Woodland Cemetery, Kentwood, LA. Survived by 3 sons, Gary Felps, Rodney Felps, and Michael Felps, 4 sisters, Lilian Peevy, Alma Stearns, Louise Croft, and Pauline Vick, 2 brothers, Verlyn Felps and Donald Felps, 7 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren. Preceded in death by wife, Delores G. Felps, 2 sons, Steven Felps and Ricky Felps, father, Luther Felps, mother, Ida Pennington Felps, sister, Betty Rodriguez, 3 brothers, Sonny Felps, Dale Felps, and Sam Felps.

THE PURSUIT OF WISDOM

There was once a small boy who banged a drum all day and loved every moment of it.  He would not be quiet, no matter what anyone else said or did.  Various attempts were made to do something about the child.

One person told the boy that he would, if he continued to make so much noise, perforate his eardrums.  This reasoning was too advanced for the child, who was neither a scientist nor a scholar.

A second person told him that drum beating was a sacred activity and should be carried out only on special occasions.  The third person offered the neighbors plugs for their ears; a fourth gave the boy a book; a fifth gave the neighbors books that described a method of controlling anger through biofeedback; a sixth person gave the boy meditation exercises to make him placid and docile. None of these attempts worked.

Eventually, a wise person came along with an effective motivation. He looked at the situation, handed the child a hammer and chisel, and asked, “I wonder what’s inside the drum?”

Ah, the wisdom of that man!  It reminds me of the wisdom demonstrated by King Solomon when two women came to him fighting over which of them was the true mother of a baby (I Kings 3:16-28).  Solomon was, of course, known for his great wisdom.

Solomon wrote, “Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding, for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold.  She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her.” (Prov. 3:13-15)

We need to understand, though, that knowledge and wisdom aren’t the same thing.  If you want to measure a person’s knowledge, you give them a test.  If they score 90 or above, they have a lot of knowledge.  If they score below 50, there’s not much knowledge there.  But determining the measure of a person’s wisdom is much more difficult.  You have to look at how he lives and the decisions he makes.

James Draper has said, “Wisdom is the skill to live in a way that is pleasing to God.  It is not simply information in our heads.  It is information that we put to use — where we live, where we work, and where we play.”

We live in a world where everyone seeks knowledge.  We value educaton.  We read books.  We watch news channels.  But how many of us pursue wisdom to the same extent?

Be assured that wisdom is not something that you will stumble into by accident.  It’s a pursuit.  It’s a search. It requires an attitude that says, “I want to learn from God how to live, and I want to apply those principles to my life.”

“Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom.  And in all your getting, get understanding.” (Proverbs 4:7)

Have a great day!

Alan Smith
Helen Street Church of Christ
Fayetteville, North Carolina

Thanks for praying.  Your prayers mean so much to so many.  Ask someone like David Allen!

Anna Lee

Leave a comment