Belief Is What You Need

   A man was lost while driving through the country.  As he tried to read a map, he accidentally drove off the road into a ditch.  Though he wasn’t injured, his car was stuck in the mud.  So the man walked to a nearby farm to ask for help.
   “Warwick can get you out of that ditch,” said the farmer, pointing to an old mule standing in a field.  The man looked at the haggardly mule and looked at the farmer who just stood there repeating, “Yep, old Warwick can do the job.”  The man figured he had nothing to lose.  The two men and Warwick made their way back to the ditch.
   The farmer hitched the mule to the car.  With a snap of the reins he shouted, “Pull, Fred! Pull, Jack! Pull, Ted! Pull, Warwick!”  And the mule pulled the car from the ditch with very little effort.
   The man was amazed.  He thanked the farmer, patted the mule, and asked, “Why did you call out all of those other names before you called Warwick?”
   The farmer grinned and said, “Old Warwick is just about blind.  As long as he believes he’s part of a team, he doesn’t mind pulling.”

- via The Lantern, Highway Church of Christ, Sullivan, IL  Ron Thomas serves as preacher and an elder for the congregation and you may visit their website as http://www.highwaycofc.com

“Belief That” or “Belief In”?

By Lance Cordle

     In the opening pages of his book, Cold-Case Christianity, J. Warner Wallace tells a story involving a fellow police officer, Mark Walker. Officer Walker was on evening patrol when observed an automobile being driven er- ratically, weaving back and forth in the road. The obvious first guess was that the driver was under the influence of alcohol or some other drug. The officer went through the process of pulling the driver over and approached the driver. When in conversation with the driver, he smelled alcohol on the man’s breath. Walker then asked the driver to get out of the car.
     What Officer Walker did not know was that the man was a parolee who was in possession of a handgun at the time of this incident. In fact, the pistol was tucked inside the waistband of the man’s pants. The police officer asked the driver to turn around so he could do a pat-down. As the man turned, he drew the pistol and fired. Walker knew that he had been beaten to the draw and even as he drew his own weapon, that he would not fire the first shot. So, he braced himself for the impact.
     The positive about the incident that evening was that Mark Walker was wearing a bulletproof vest. In his training, he had learned to use the vest, and up until that moment, the vest had not been called upon to stop a bullet. How- ever, it did stop the bullet and the police officer lived to tell Detective Wallace and others about his experience.
     What is most interesting to me about this incident is the way Wallace sums up the experience of Officer Walker: “In that singular moment, Mark went from ‘belief that’ to ‘belief in.’ It’s one thing to believe that the vest can save a life; it’s another thing to trust it to save your own life.” (J. Warner Wallace, Cold-Case Christianity, Kindle Edition, locations 97- 111).
     Let’s briefly relate that summation by Wallace to our daily walk. We can and should believe that Jesus is the Son of God. The evidence is there (John 20:30, 31); we can agree with that statement. However, until we move from the belief that Jesus is the Son of God, to a belief in him (and obedience to him as Lord as part of that belief), we will not completely live for him, nor will we be willing to die for him. 
     Jesus put it this way: “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live” (John 11:25, ESV).

- via The Encourager, the weekly bulletin for the Calvert City Church of Christ, Calvert City, KY.  Lance Cordle preaches for the congregation.  He may be contacted through the congregation's website: http://www.calvertchurchofchrist.com

Courage or Foolishness?

It takes a lot of courage  
    To put things in God's hands,
To give ourselves completely--  
    Our lives, our hopes, our plans-- 
To follow where He leads us    
  And make His will our own-- 
But all it takes is foolishness  
    To go the way alone!      

      - Author unknown

- Edd Sterchi preaches for the Broadway Church of Christ in Campbellsville, KY. He may be contacted at eddsterchi@comcast.net

“In Him”

   Abraham Lincoln was walking into town one day when he was overtaken by a man in a wagon going in the same direction.  Lincoln hailed him and asked, “Will you have the goodness to take my overcoat to town for me?”
   “With pleasure,” responded the stranger, “but how will you get it again?”
   “Oh, very easily.  I intend to remain in it!”
   Mr. Lincoln’s humor aside, his idea for a ride roughly parallels what happens when we trust Christ as Savior.  We put on Christ and are clothed in His righteousness.  Because we are in Him, we are assured of reaching our destination: salvation and eternal life.  But apart from Christ we are left, as it were, standing by the side of the road—and no amount of good works or ritual-keeping can save us.
--Biblical Illustrator

   “At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived, and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures.  We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another.  But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal of the Holy Spirit, Whom He poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by His grace, we might become heirs, having the hope of eternal life..”  (Titus 3:3-7)

- via THE SOWER, a weekly publication of the Arthur Church of Christ, Arthur, IL. Ron Bartanen, who serves as minister and editor, may be contacted through the congregation's website: http://www.arthurchurchofchrist.com

It Does Matter What You Believe

By Steve Higginbotham

     Just yesterday, I learned of the death of Jamie Coots.  Jamie died after being bitten by a poisonous snake during a "snake handling church service."  Coots could have received medical treatment, but he refused it based on his religious convictions and died.
     Coots became a celebrity of sorts by appearing in the National Geographic television series, "Snake Salvation."  This television show documented the beliefs and practices of a Pentecostal church in southeast Kentucky that "handles poisonous snakes."
     Members of this religious sect believe that Mark 16:17-18 commands them to engage in this practice. However, a more careful study of the Bible will reveal that Jesus wasn't commanding Christians to be involved in a "side show" involving snakes.  He was stating that his followers would be given miraculous abilities that would assist them in confirming the message they preached.  An example of what Jesus was talking about is found in Acts 28:1-6 when the apostle Paul was bitten by a poisonous viper on the Island of Malta.  Instead of dying as the natives surely thought he would, Paul simply shook the snake from his hand, and he was alright.  Furthermore, these miraculous gifts were temporary (1 Corinthians 13:8-10; Ephesians 4:8-13) and were never intended to last for all time.
     Sadly, Mr. Coots' misguided faith and interpretation of the Bible cost him his life.  While, most of us reading this will not make the same mistake that Mr. Coots did, we may make other mistakes that could be just as harmful to our spiritual health?  If we don't give great care and attention to reading and studying the word of God, we too can be hurt.
     You see, in spite of what you've heard some people say, it does matter what you believe.

- Steve Higginbotham preaches for the Karns Church of Christ in Knoxville, TN. He may be contacted through the congregation's website at http://www.karnschurch.org

Use the Tide

     An old gentleman states that when he was a small boy, he lived on the coast. One morning after a great storm he saw an old ship stranded. The storm had blown her in, and she was badly damaged and deserted by her crew. He said that sometimes, when the tide would come in strongly and surround the old ship, she would almost be loosed from her moorings and go out. He stated that often he would go and stand by her and hope she would go out. He would say, “Go out, old ship; go out with the tide.” But she never did. Finally, one morning after a severe storm he went down to look at the old ship, but the storm had blown her to pieces. Only the floating pieces of the old wreck were to be seen. She had many an opportunity, but she never went out.
     How like many a backslider! The tide of opportunity to repent has risen for many and it was hoped they would go out from their sinful ways, but they settled back and never went out. If we are not living as we should, we had better take advantage of the opportunity to repent while the “tide is in.” Jesus said: “I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish” (Luke 13:3). Remember: “I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (II Corinthians 6:2). Now is the only time we are guaranteed—for the “tide may soon be out.”

- via the Belvedere Beacon, the weekly bulletin of the Belvedere Church of Christ, Belvedere, SC.  Ken Chumbley preaches for this congregation, and he may be contacted at their website: http://www.belvederechurchofchrist.org

Needed: Distance Runners

By Joe R. Barnett

    In 1951, Gil Dodds broke the record for the fastest mile ever run on an indoor track. Gil had some handicaps. For one thing, he couldn't develop that burst of sprint speed at the end of the race. He said, "In place of the sprint God gave me stamina." He had the capacity to run consistently from beginning to end.
    Run with perseverance!
    There's the need. Distance runners. Those who won't drop out. When their legs turn to jelly and they're gasping for breath they keep plugging.

Source:
The Holly Springs Herald, weekly bulletin of Fant Avenue Church of Christ in Holly Springs, MS, Jan. 28, 1987, p. 4.

Wesley's Cow Sermon

One day John Wesley was walking with a troubled man who expressed his doubt as to the goodness of God. He said, "I do not know what I shall do with all this worry and trouble." At the same moment Wesley saw a cow looking over a stone wall. "Do you know," asked Wesley, "why that cow is looking over the wall?" "No," said the man who was worried. Wesley said, "The cow is looking over the wall because she cannot see through it. That is what you must do with your wall of trouble - look over it and avoid it." Faith enables us to get above circumstances and look to Christ who is over all, blessed forever.

Source:
Pulpit Helps, date unknown.

Promises, Promises

    "What was your most difficult and perplexing case?" a psychiatrist asked his colleague at a convention.
    "I had one patient who believed he had a rich uncle in South America who was going to die and leave him a huge fortune," the other replied after pondering the question for a minute. "All day long he would wait for a letter form an estate attorney. He didn't have any social life, he never went out, he never did anything but sit and wait for this fantasy letter from a fantasy uncle."
    "How did it turn out?" asked the first psychiatrist.
    "I worked with him every single day for eight years," explained the other, "and I nearly had him cured, until that stupid letter arrived!"

Source:
Concord Coffee Break Newsletter, Concord Printing, Cape Girardeau, MO, July 1990.