Every word is a world. Words mean things. Of all God’s creatures, only
human beings understand words as symbols of ideas. How important are the words
we speak? By our words we will be justified, and by our words we will be condemned
(Mt. 12:37).
Words are vehicles of thought. As word users we have to exercise care and consideration
in our selection of words to communicate our thoughts (Eph. 4:29; Col. 4:6;
1 Pet. 4:11). As word hearers we must heed the Lord’s command, “Take
heed therefore how ye hear” (Lk. 8:18). The fact that God has spoken through
prophets, and now his Son means words were used (Jn. 1:1; Heb. 1:1).
The Scriptures are verbally inspired. That is, the inspired writers were divinely
guided in the very words they selected to convey divine thoughts (1 Cor. 2:11-12).
The words used by the inspired writers were not English, but if a Hebrew or
Greek word is accurately translated, then we have inspiration reflected in the
word. That is why word studies are so important.
For the summer months of June through August I plan to preach a series of sermons
on Sunday evenings consisting of word studies. Each lesson will focus on a single
word in Scripture. We will trace each word in the full range of its contextual
meaning and application. Such a study will help us understand the wonderful
depth of the words in which the Scriptures were written.
WHY TORNADOES?
Dennis Gulledge
After picking up my daughter from Freed-Hardeman University recently, I wanted
to return home by way of Jackson, Tennessee. As you know, Jackson was hit hard
by the recent tornadoes. It was my wish to see firsthand what I had already
seen on the evening news. The destruction was breathtaking. My wife and I used
to live in Jackson, so the effect was a little more personal for me.
This tragedy has no doubt caused some soul-searching and some spiritual accusations
to come forth. I would not doubt that some people have come out of this experience
with a stronger faith in God. On the other hand, I feel sure that others have
emerged from it with their faith shaken, if not destroyed.
The kind of spiritual finger-pointing that usually follows such an event often
takes the form of saying, “A loving God could not exist and permit such
devastation!” Then, in true Epicurean fashion, the questions begin to
fall into place: Was God able to stop the tornado? If not, then, He is not omnipotent
[all powerful]. Was God unconcerned that the storm would cause such death and
destruction? If so, then He is not omnibenevolent [all good]. The conclusion
is: if evil exists, then God cannot be both omnipotent and omnibenevolent.
The Bible teaches that God is all-powerful: “Ah Lord God! Behold, thou
hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm,
and there is nothing too hard for thee” (Jere. 32:17), and that “God
is love” (1 Jn. 4:8). But, the question remains that, “If God could
have stopped the tornado, and he cares for those who were harmed by it, why
did it happen?”
The answer to this problem boils down to one word: sin. This is not to say that
a tornado is the intentional act of God upon sinful people. It is to say that
if sin had not entered the world we would still be enjoying Edenic paradise.
We may not know all the conditions that existed in that Edenic period, but it
does appear that the weather conditions with which we are familiar were unknown
at that time. The fossil records indicate a temperate climate on the earth that
pre-dated the flood. Since the flood, the world has known natural calamities
such as hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, earthquakes, droughts, heat waves, blizzards,
etc.
God created the world free of such things (Gen. 1:31). Sin robbed man of his
original Edenic paradise, and sin was responsible for the world-wide flood (Gen.
6:1-7). Who introduced sin, with its resultant geological catastrophes, which
we see in the world today? God created man with the capacity to choose, Satan
presented the temptation, but man made the choice to sin (Rom. 5:12). Rather
than blaming God in the face of natural calamities, let us learn to lean upon
Him and our brethren in Christ for strength. Let us also remember that this
world is not our home.
VOLUME 40 NUMBER 19 MAY 12, 2003
OUR SICK
Larry May, father of Kellie Golden, will begin radiation therapy on Wednesday.
Brenda Spencer, sister of Michele Smith, will undergo radioactive iodine treatment
today (Monday) at UAMS.
Frances Crow, mother of Betty Tollett, is seriously ill with liver cancer. She
is in Saline Memorial Hospital.
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SYMPATHY
We extend our sympathy to Michele Smith on the loss of her mother, Mildred
Eakin, on Wednesday. A memorial service will be on Saturday, May 17th at Young’s
Funeral Home in El Dorado.
We also extend our sympathy to Sue Horton on the loss of her sister-in-law,
Linda Lou Henderson, on Friday. The funeral is today (Monday) at Delight Church
of Christ.
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THANK YOU
Thanks for being so kind to remember me after hurting my foot and for my birthday.
All of your cards and prayers have meant so much to me. Don’t know what
I would do without Christian Brothers and Sisters. Olive Dove.
Pearlie Baldwin wants to thank everyone for all they have done for her.
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LADIES CLASS
The Tuesday evening Ladies Class will meet on Tuesday, May 20th at 6:30 PM.
The meal will be provided.
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SERMONS FOR MAY 18
Morning
Earth’s Final Farewell (Hebrews 9:27-28)
Evening
Pitching Tents Toward Sodom (Genesis 13:12-13)
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ICE CREAM SUPPER
There will be an Ice Cream Supper for our graduating seniors after the evening
service on Sunday, May 25th. Please bring a freezer of homemade ice cream or
cookies and soft drinks.
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SEARCH
Week of May 18
CAN THE CHURCH ADJUST TO MODERN CHANGES?
Ours is an age of “change.” The “new and improved” is
desired in everything from laundry soap to automobiles. What about Christianity?
How much change can modern man make in Christianity and improve on what we read
about in our New Testaments.
EVENTS OF INTEREST
May 16………………Youth Lock In
May 20……….Evening Ladies Class
May 25…………..Ice Cream Supper
May 25-28..Gospel Meeting at North
Main Church in Malvern
May 31…...Walsh/Wallace Wedding
OUR RECORD MAY 11, 2003
A.M. WORSHIP 254
SUNDAY BIBLE STUDY 180
P.M. WORSHIP 135
WEDNESDAY BIBLE STUDY 147
CONTRIBUTION 6125
BUDGET 6351
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MEN TO SERVE
May 18, 2003
Scott Perry Shawn Wallace
Jim Wallace Dave Tollett
Gary Poole Blake Poole
Stan Smith Harold Pigue
Evening Gene Sullivan
Doyce Tarkington
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WEDNESDAY SONG DIRECTOR
May 21 Cliff Boyd
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USHERS FOR MAY
Morning Roger Horton & Phil DePriest
Evening Ken Bittle & Jim Henson
Wednesday Jim Mauldin & Waymon Minor
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GREETERS FOR MAY
Mike & Joanna Moore
Nathan Moore
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ELDER CHAIRMAN
May Dale Morris
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