November 2009 Issue                                     Pause-Ponder- Profit

     It is with great joy that I continue the bulletin, Pause-Ponder-Profit.  Many men have written articles in this paper in times past and I rejoice in the opportunity to make whatever contribution I can.  This will be a monthly paper consisting of articles that I will write myself and articles I read from time to time  by others.  My prayer is that the material will be useful and helpful as we live daily for the Lord who is coming back.  As Christians we rejoice at the prospect of living in eternity with the Father and His Son and our Savior Jesus Christ. May the Lord bless our efforts in teaching His Holy and Divine Word.  And may many souls be saved in eternity at the results of our efforts.  May the brethren in the house of the Lord be edified and strengthened through the teaching of His word.  John Shadowens

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KEYS TO SPIRITUAL SUCCESS

     Truly, there are many books on the market that bears the title of "How to succeed." The best one that I know of is the Bible.  Paul said that, "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16-17). (NKJV) In Joshua 1:5-8, "No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you. "Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. "Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go." This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success." NKJV. God told Joshua he would have good success if he did not depart from the Law of the Lord, meditate upon the word day and night and observe to do according to all that is written. We will be prosperous if we do these same things. We too must be strong and of good courage.  God told Joshua that He would be with him where ever he went. That is exciting! To have God's watch care upon us and just to be confident that He is with us.

     There are some additional keys that I want to mention.  The first is that we have a powerful faith. We are not left without examples in the Bible. In the case of the 12 spies that Moses sent out (Numbers 13:17-33; 14), we see the powerful faith of only two, Joshua and Caleb. We see a lack of faith in the other ten spies.  As a result of the faithless spies, these and all others except Joshua and Caleb, fell in the wilderness not seeing the promised land that God had promised. In Hebrews 11, there is the powerful faith of those who accomplished much.  What better example than these?  And what of those who let down one on the bed of affliction in Mark 2, because there was such a crowd that they could not get through?  Jesus saw the faith of so many in the days of His ministry on earth.

     Secondly, another key to success is, to live energetically and optimistically, facing life with confidence. Let us arise each day with gladness. In Psalm 118:24, " This is the day the LORD has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it."  We must think and act in the present, facing life in the future courageously.  Listen to what Paul wrote in Philippians 3:13-14," Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.  All things are within our reach (Phil 4:13).  With this kind of attitude, the church can grow and so can our faith.

     Thirdly, we need a prevailing prayer life.  In 1 Thess we are told to pray without ceasing.  We must communicate with the Lord frequently.  Elijah is a great example for us to see concerning prayer. In James 5: 17-18, "Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months.  And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit."

     Fourth, we need a persistent effort.  Persistency of effort is one secret of great success.  There is a story about Robert Bruce who fought the English six times and lost.  In hiding he watched a spider try six times to swing from one rafter to another and failed.  The seventh time the spider was successful. He took courage and fought again and won.  Persistency can accomplish much.  The gospel must be preached and we must be persistent in our efforts to win souls.  To the Corinthians, Paul said, 1Corinthians 15:58, " Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord."

     Finally, we need a personal love. We receive a blessing when our motivating factor is love.  1Peter 1:22 ,"Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart,"  In Hebrews 13:1," Let brotherly love continue."  Christ performed His ministry with love.  Look at Acts 2:36, "Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ."  When we perform our duty with love, we will be exalted.  1Co 13:1-3," Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing." 

     Do we want to be successful?  Then these things will certainly help us.  Have a powerful faith.  Live energetically and optimistically, facing life and the future with confidence. Have a prayer life that prevails. Have a personal love. May God bless us and may we be motivated to do good and be more like Christ each day we live.   From parts of a sermon preached many years ago. j/s.

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Build Each Other Up

Lalo Enriquez


Paul told the Thessalonians to "edify one another" (1 Thes 5:11). The word "edify" comes from the Greek word oikodomeo which is translated more than thirty times in the New Testament as "build" or "built". It's the same word used by Jesus in Matthew 7:24 when He spoke of the wise man who "built his house on the rock." The word "edifice" (a building) is derived from this Greek word. J.H. Thayer, the Greek scholar, says this word in the Bible suggests the act of promoting one's growth in the areas of wisdom, piety, holiness and happiness. W.E. Vine says it is "promoting the spiritual growth and development of character of believers, by teaching or by example.

One of the highest duties a Christian has is to encourage and to build-up other Christians; to help them grow in faith. In a world filled with pessimism, violence and despair; and where many "Christians" tear and bite at each other (often in the self-righteous guise of "being honest" or "just defending the truth," etc.), the need for building up, GOD'S WAY, is ever more apparent. How can we help build each other up? Consider the following suggestions:

ATTITUDE CHANGES - Attitudes in many cases have to change. Rather than attitudes of selfishness or hate, we must develop those of love and selflessness. God says; "Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself". Instead of the attitude, "Someone else will do it; or, "they have more time than I do to do those things," or similar wrong thoughts, we must change our thinking to, "No, it's my duty too, as a Christian and as a friend." Instead of thinking "I don't care," we must say "I must care and be concerned."

PRAYER TO GOD - We must pray to God for strength. We need strength to put these things into action as soon as possible. Paul said that "it is Christ who enables (strengthens) us" (1 Tim 1:12). We need God's help through prayer to overcome personal fears. We need God's strength in eliminating other reasons that may be causing us to distant ourselves from needy brethren.

PERSONAL INITIATIVE - Don't wait for someone to come to you first. Go to someone who you know needs encouragement. The "I will one of these days" attitude must change to an "I'm going to do it now" attitude. God tells us: "But exhort one another daily, while it is called today, lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin." (Heb 3:13). Listen to the announcements made each week from the pulpit; call the members to find out who is sick or who has particular needs. Secure a list of the elderly, they can always use an encouraging hand; especially those that are "shut-in."

GOD'S & COMMON SENSE KNOWLEDGE - God's teaching and also down to earth common sense play extremely important parts in building someone up. We must have knowledge of what's needed, and common sense of how best to approach brethren. We certainly do not want to be intrusive, impolite or unfeeling. Even when exhorting someone who needs to be lifted from sin, one must endeavor to be gentle, patient and humble. Paul told Timothy, "and the servant of the Lord must not quarrel, but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition..." (2 Tim 2:24-25).

Let's all work at "building each other up" - GOD'S WAY. In turn, the Lord will help us to be built up.