Til Death Do Us Part

Harold and Ruth knew one another as children, but they began their courtship as pen pals while Harold served in the Army during World War II.  They married in 1947.  Ruth would later joke: "I let him chase me until I caught him!"

After their marriage, Harold became a teacher, coach and athletic director at Fort Recovery (Ohio) Schools, according to the Dayton Daily News.  "They raised six children while looking after each other with a devotion that didn't seem to diminish."

As they grew older and their health declined, they moved into nursing home and shared the same room.  A photo taken this summer shows him lying in a bed with his arm stretched through a guardrail in order to hold her hand.  She is leaning in to press the top of her head to his.

On August 11, 2013, Harold Knapke passed away.  11 hours later, Ruth followed her husband in death.  He was 91; she was 89.  They died just a few days before their 66th anniversary.  Relatives say that their love story's ending reflects their devotion over 65 years of marriage.

"It is really just a love story," said Carol Romie, one of the Knapke's daughters.

"They were so committed and loyal and dedicated, they weren't going to go anywhere without the other one." *

"'Til death do us part."  The Knapke's lived out these marriage vows to the end.

Their devotion resembles the kind of devotion that God has for YOU and for me!  Yet, we often do not manifest the same devotion to Him, for we "sin and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).  Our sin separates us from Him... but He still loves us.
God loves us so much that He sent His Son into the world to die on the cross for our sins so that we can be reconciled to Him (John 3:16; 2 Corinthians 5:17-21).  Through Christ we can have salvation and eternal life (Romans 6:23).

It's the greatest love story.  "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." -- Romans 5:8

We are reconciled to God through Christ when we place our faith and trust in Christ (Acts 16:30-31), turn from our sins in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confess Him before men (Romans 10:9-10), and are baptized (immersed) into Christ for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38; Galatians 3:26-27).  We are added to His family, the church (Acts 2:41, 47), and He continues to love us with an everlasting love (cf. Jeremiah 31:3), with a devotion that will never end.  He will even continue to cleanse from sin those who continue to walk in the light of His Word (1 John 1:7).

One day, Jesus will return to take God's children home to heaven (see 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).  Jesus loves us so much that He doesn't want to return to His eternal home without us (John 14:1-3).  If we stay devoted to Him, even DEATH cannot keep us separated from Him!

"No, in ALL these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." -- Romans 8:37-39

Won't YOU accept God's offer of salvation and life by trusting and obeying Christ, and then remain devoted to Him until He comes again?

David Sargent

How can I forgive myself?

How Can I?

Barry Newton recalls a phone conversation...

The phone rang. On the other end was a familiar voice just beyond recognition. Then as he launched into asking, "How do I forgive myself?" I suddenly recalled his name and history.

"How can I forgive myself when I have wasted so many decades?"

Before I could even gather my thoughts he blurted out his current crisis. Even though his speech was not slurred, a slight bit of probing revealed what I feared. Alcohol was involved.

I've heard the ache and seen in people's eyes the pain arising from decades of destructive decisions.

The same satanic mantras tend to dominate those struggling with forgiving themselves:

"There is no hope for me!"

"God doesn't want me, I've done too much."

"I can't be forgiven."

"I will never be able to forgive myself."

Can a new future exist devoid of dragging along self-recrimination for past failures? *

Thanks be to God, the answer to that last question is "Yes!"

The Good News (the Gospel) is that although each and every person has sinned and continues to fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23), God still loves us.  He loves us so much that He gave His Son to die on the cross for our sins (John 3:16; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4).

Newton affirms: "As horrible and destructive as sin is, HOPE exists! Forgiveness is possible because Jesus' death can overcome sin's poison."

"In Him [Christ] we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our sins" (Ephesians 1:7).  Yes, we have sinned. We all have. But the blood of Jesus is greater than our sin.

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

Newton declares: "Those who have relied upon Christ, must refuse to listen to how Satan would drag up the past to condemn what God has forgiven."

Won't YOU submit to the Savior so that you may have forgiveness and receive the gift of eternal life?

David Sargent

Types of poison

"Poison In The Air"

When I see a bottle with a skull and crossbones on the label, I know one thing
for sure: Don't drink this!  Poison, by its very definition, is harmful, and in
sufficient strength will kill.  Thankfully most manufacturers of products that
contain poisonous substances are now required by law to clearly announce that
fact.  Only those who are deeply disturbed would willfully choose to ingest
something that might lead to their death.

But imagine finding yourself in an environment where the air you breathe is
poisonous.  What then?  In cases like carbon monoxide, you might not know the
danger is present; there is no smell to alert you.  Before you realize it, your
body has received a lethal dose of poison.

Earlier this week it was reported that hundreds, perhaps thousands, found
themselves in that very nightmarish situation.  Since 2011 a civil war has been
waged in the nation of Syria.  Some sources say that 100,000 or more have died
in the fighting.  But this past week's report of the use of poisonous gas
shocked the world.

Photos have surfaced of rows of bodies - of children! - who died without any
visible wounds.  Some report 136 died from the poisonous fumes; others have
given estimates ten times that number.  The government has denied using any such
tactic.

When poison fills the air, how can one escape?  It makes no difference who it
is, old or young.  The process of death has begun.

I've heard no reports of poisonous gases being used in the United States, but
millions are being affected as they "breathe" toxic influences being pumped from
multiple sources.  For years the television and film industries have been intent
on changing our values.  And based on numerous polls, their efforts have done
serious damage.

Jesus was in a discussion on whether foods can defile a person.  Here is His
response: "What comes out of a man, that defiles a man.  For from within, out of
the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders ..."
(Mark 7:20,21).  But Jesus' statement raises a question: How did those things
get into the heart?

David knew how such things get into our minds: "I will set nothing wicked before
my eyes; I hate the work of those who fall away; it shall not cling to me.  A
perverse heart shall depart from me; I will not know wickedness" (Psalm
101:3,4).

We don't have to breathe these poisonous fumes!  As people who value God's
truths, we must be more careful about the "air" that we "breathe".

Come to the light God offers!  Study His word, the Bible.  Worship Him in spirit
and truth (John 4:24).  Get in touch with us if you'd like to discuss these
ideas further.

Timothy D. Hall

What does it mean to love Jesus?

John 19:30 “When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and gave up the ghost.”

Jesus, Son of God, Saviour of Man, now hangs lifeless on the cruel  cross of Calvary. As we survey the scene, a remarkable thing happens. Joseph of Arimethea goes to Pilate, begs for the body of Jesus, then with help from Nicodemus carefully takes the body of Jesus and places it in a new sepulcher (John 19:38-42). Why do you suppose these two men would take it upon themselves to carry out this difficult task?  I believe they did it because of a tremendous love they had for Jesus.

Today, we are not confronted with the lifeless, physical body of Jesus. Instead, we are confronted with his living spiritual body and that according to Col. 1:18 is his church. Christ love for us is evident (Rom. 5:8, Acts 20:28, Eph. 5:25-27, 1 Pet. 1:18-19). The only question is, do we truly love him? Loving Jesus entails much more than just being saying that we believe in him and as a result are baptized. It involves keeping all his commandments to the best of abilities (John 14:15, Eccl. 12:13).

Loving Jesus means more than just having our names on a church membership roll. With all my heart, I believe that loving Jesus means that we will be worth something to the church that he loved so much he gave his life for it (Eph. 5:25-27). From time to time each of us should conduct an honest examination of our love for Christ and his church (2 Cor. 13:5, 1 Cor. 11:28). By that examination determine whether we are an asset or a liability to the church (Heb. 5:12-14, Phil. 4:1). Determine whether we are a help or a hindrance to the work of the church (1 Cor. 9:12, 1 Cor. 15:58, Rev. 3:16). We need to determine if we are adding strength to the church (1 Cor. 16:13-14, Eph. 6:10-11). And what about our influence (1 Tim. 4:12-13, Matt. 5:16). Will this examination show that we are growing in the grace and knowledge of Christ (2  Pet. 3:18, 1 Pet. 2:1-5, 2 Tim. 2:15)?

No person can ever live a life pleasing to Christ unless they are showing the proper honor and respect toward the church for which he died. We can make the church more effective, more active, more loving and more spiritual by giving our best to the cause of Christ. Our Lord does not require the impossible from us. He does not expect any of us to do something that we cannot do. But I do tell you this, he requires that we give him the best we have and not the leftovers. He requires the best of our love (Mk. 12:28-31). He requires the best of our money (2 Cor. 9:6-7, 2 Cor. 8:9-12). He requires the best of our labors (Matt.10:5-10, Luke 10:7, Acts 20:35, 1 Cor. 15:58). Much more could be said in this connection but suffice it to say that giving God the best begins with giving oneself totally, completely, without reservation (2 Cor. 8:1-5, Rom. 12:1).

Loving Jesus, we will make his church, his spiritual body, the focus of our life. I wonder, how many of us can truthfully sing, “I love thy kingdom Lord the house of thine abode”?—1 Cor. 14:15

Charles Hicks

Best tips for teachers

• Take the time at the beginning of class to break the ice, exude warmth, and build rapport.
• Make sure you have done due diligence, entering the classroom with ample preparation.
• Strike the balance of being "open" and "approachable" as a teacher without putting out the vibe of vulnerability or uneasiness.
• Guide the direction of the class rather than letting the class direct you.
• Always ask questions that are meaningful and not those that are either fillers or those that insult the student's intelligence.
• Avoid embarrassing or putting the student on the spot, as you cannot know the frame of mind or circumstances that may be weighing on him or her in that moment.
• Never fail to draw conclusions and take a stand on matters of faith.
• Do not overly press personal convictions or judgment calls upon the classroom.
• Keep the specter of pride away from your heart so that you do not always feel the need to be right and for the student to be wrong.
• Do not let blatantly false statements by the student go unanswered--speak the truth in love, but remember the utmost need for truth to be upheld.
• If you make the class interesting (this is the product of study and preparation, including searching for appropriate illustrations), class feedback and discussion takes care of itself
• Budget your time, neither glossing over or bogging down in material
• While forced excitement will seem artificial, generating genuine passion and enthusiasm is infectious and aids the learning environment.
• Leverage the resources in the room, looking to mature, knowledgeable Bible students to assist you in making particularly difficult or controversial points.
• After properly interpreting and teaching the biblical text, be ever the gleaner for application--material the student can take and translate into daily living and personal use.
  
• Neal Pollard

For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind.

                                          

          "For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind...." Hos. 8:7

For several years now I have taken note of an interesting phenomenon. Perhaps we could call it a dichotomy (I threw that in so you’d know how good I am at reading a dictionary). In the cited verse above the prophet is talking about ancient Israel and their continual decline into sin. They started off faithful and obedient to God but, over the generations of time, had grown increasingly sinful. 

WHY? Their situation begs an answer to that question. What was the reason for the steady deterioration of their national righteousness? Oh, scholars and so-called Bible experts would probably debate this subject to death and come up with a myriad of answers but, since I’m neither a scholar nor do I proclaim to be an "expert" on the Bible (just a continuing student) I think the answer is pretty simple. It’s my answer that will constitute the rest of this editorial.

I think that for us to answer the question as to why Israel "sowed the wind and reaped the whirlwind" we only have to look no further than a few verses following that statement. In verse 14 of that same chapter, Hosea said that "Israel had forgotten his Master..." Then in chapter 13 verse 6 he adds a further explanation as to "why." God, through His prophet, tells us that "when they were filled, their heart was lifted up and they forgot Me."

That’s my simple answer to the question. THEY FORGOT GOD! There’s another passage that I’d like to call your attention to that also reinforces my reasoning as to this answer. If you open your Bibles to Deut. 32 and read verses 15 -18 you’ll see even more detail as to what Israel did that started them off on their national decline and apostasy from God which resulted in their national destruction.

Reading down through those verses you’ll see that they "got fat" which is just saying that they saw their successes through "proud" eyes and they "forsook God which made them." It goes on to say that they "lightly esteemed" the very One who had saved them from Egypt. In speaking about their Savior, "the Rock," it’s written that they became "unmindful" of Him and that they had "forgotten God that formed them."

In further backing up of my answer, I’ll cite a couple more passages for you to consider on this topic. The prophet Jeremiah said that Israel had "perverted their way" and that they had "forgotten the Lord their God." (Jer. 3:21) Then in 13:25 he said their "lot," (punishment) was because they had "forgotten me and trusted in falsehood (lies)."
OK, having laid a foundation of scripture, let’s return to my opening remarks about the phenomenon I’ve noted and I’m pretty sure that you have too. It seems that the leaders of our government have been systematically trying to remove God and anything pertaining to Him out of every part of our national lives. It appears that this is a concerted effort towards that end. IE: don’t mention God in any way, form or fashion.

BUT - let a tragedy occur like a school shooting, a destructive forest fire or a calamity of some sort and what’s one of the first things you hear people saying? WHERE WAS GOD? WHY DID HE ALLOW THIS TO HAPPEN? That’s the dichotomy that I see. Don’t even mention His name, especially don’t publicly pray to God, but yet He’s sure handy to blame a tragic occurrence on, isn’t He?

I believe that this assault on religion and God, in general, is part and parcel of Satan’s constant and sustained battle plan against God and His children. And, it just seems to me that Satan has recruited a lot of soldiers to represent him in his campaign against righteousness.
And, I further believe that his current efforts against us today is probably the same as the ones he used against ancient Israel that brought about their downfall. I mean, they worked back then and if we’re not more vigilant and diligent than Israel, our national security might be just as much in peril.

Allow me to pose a scenario to you. Do you think it possible that our nation has "grown fat" over the years? That, like Israel, we started off as a nation having a "firm reliance on the protection of divine providence" (Dec. of Independence) and we’ve sort of consistently declined our national selves away from God? 

And that our national slippage has reached the point where we’re not supposed to write, speak or even hint at some display of reverence towards God. Especially not in schools or anything pertaining to the government. It certainly seems to me that old Satan sure has the battle going his way at the moment and has gained quite a bit of ground in this war. 

Is it any mystery to us that one of his off-spring commits an atrocious act? I rather think that we should expect tragedies committed by his followers to occur simply because God has effectively been removed from public view. That a national absence of God can only lead to a lot of innocent lives being lost, sort of in the sense of "collateral damage," in a war in which we’ve "forgotten" our greatest weapon - the wisdom and teachings of God. 

I’d say that we’re in grave danger of following right in the footsteps of ancient Israel because we’ve "perverted our way" and we’ve "lightly esteemed" God and His wisdom. I’m just afraid that we’ll "sow the wind" to the point that we’ll "reap the whirlwind." Further, I have a fear that if we don’t use our "sword," the "Word of God" (Eph. 6:17) effectively and quickly, our nation will emulate Israel and "forget God."
Yep, Israel allowed the world to replace God in their hearts. You know, man’s heart will be filled with something. If not filled with God and His wisdom, then it will be filled with Satan’s and the worlds wisdom. Only a fool would allow this to happen. I’m not the one saying that - God says that. In 1Cor. 3:19 we read: "the wisdom of the world, which is foolishness in the eyes of God."

That’s a pretty easily seen equation, isn’t it? That if God views the "wisdom of the world" as being "foolishness," then those whose hearts are filled with it have to be counted as "fools." And, by the same token, those who don’t recognize the dangers brought on by the "forgetting of God" would have to fall under that same category - "fools."

As a final thought here, I’m afraid that if we, as a nation, "forget God" like Israel did, we’ll end up realizing what they did: "But Zion said, the Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me." (Isa. 49:14) One last scriptural warning and I’m done for today. "The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God." (Psa. 9:17)

Ron Covey
　
　

MAKING THE RIGHT KIND OF "DIFFERENCE"

The following story comes from John Shay, Sr.:

     A group of dinner guests were sitting around a table discussing life.  A CEO decided to explain the problem with education.  He argued, "What's a kid going to learn from someone who decided his best option in life was to become a teacher?"  He reminded the other dinner guests what they say about teachers: "Those who can, do. Those who can't, teach."

     To stress his point, he said to another guest, "You're a teacher, Susan.  Be honest. What do you make?"

     Susan, who had a reputation for honesty and frankness, replied, "You want to know what I make? I make kids work harder than they ever thought they could.  I make a C+ student feel like the winner of the Congressional Medal of Honor.  I make kids sit through 40 minutes of study hall in absolute silence.

     "You want to know what I make? I make kids wonder. I make them criticize.  I make them apologize and mean it. I make them write. I make them read, read, read. I make them show all their work in math and perfect their final drafts in English. I make them understand that, if you have the brains and follow your heart, and if someone ever tries to judge you by what you make, you must pay no attention because they just didn't learn."

     Susan paused and then continued. "You want to know what I make? I make a difference. What do you make?"

I guess I'm asking you to stop and think about your life. We tend to roll through life hour by hours and day by day just going through the same routine. We have our jobs and family that keep us busy of course, but is that all there is?

Some do make a difference in the daily things in life. Some have loved ones that require extended time because of their health issues. Some have children that are special needs. Some are involved in volunteer community projects. All of those things are great, all of those things are necessary, but what is the point of your life and all you do if it is not to direct others towards God.

That's the difference we need to be making. All of the things we do should have at the very center, the idea that folks will recognize our trying to live for God, and praise him for what we are doing! Yes, I realize that the things we do are not done for recognition or praise, but they should be. Not "self recognition", but "God Recognition". That's why what Jesus said in Matthew 5:14-16 is so important to giving us direction in life. There Jesus said, "You are the light of the world, like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father." (NLT)

So, how are you doing? Are you making the right kind of difference?

Russ Lawson