THE POUND
PROCLAIMER
Volume II
March 2007
Number 5
Sing
to the Lord, bless His name; proclaim the good news of His salvation from day
to day. Psalms 96:2
WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE
Some choices or situations
in life are given us and we cannot change them. We cannot choose our parents,
siblings or extended family, but we can choose our friends. Early in life, we
sometimes develop our closest friendships. They might be someone we go to
church or school with or they might be family, such as cousins. It’s a wonderful
thing to have friends like this and no matter whether they stay our “best”
friends or not we typically have fond memories of our lives together. As
adults, we meet new people and sometimes these new faces become our close
friends and because we are wiser (hopefully), we might have a greater
appreciation for these “best” friends.
We can read about friends
in the Bible. We read in 1 Samuel
that Jonathan and David were very close. We know that Job had close friends (Job 19:14, 19) and we also know that
Jesus was very close to Mary, Martha and Lazarus.
I would like to put into my
own words some verses that deal with friendship. In Proverbs 17:17, we learn that just like a family member,
a true friend will stand by us even in times of trouble. That friend will be
very comfortable talking to us, just as God was with Moses, can be gleaned from
Exodus 33:11. This friend
may tell us things we don’t like to hear (Proverbs
27:6) but it will be from a caring and loving heart.
They will be our friend for
who we are, not for what we have or don’t have (Proverbs 14:20). This friend may teach us many things (Proverbs 27:17) and we should never
take them for granted (Proverbs 27:10).
Some of our “friends” will
not always be there for us, but we have one friend who will never leave us or
forsake us (Hebrews 13:5).
This Friend said that no greater love will be given than to die for a friend (John 15:13). This friend is Jesus.
We should be very thankful
for our friends. They can be a source of comfort, compassion and inspiration.
They can also help fill our lives with love, fun times and precious memories,
but no earthly friend can ever match what Jesus has done for us. He is truly
the Greatest Friend we will ever have.
What A Friend We Have in
Jesus!!
— mullins_rick@yahoo.com —
The Editor’s
Page
One cold night, as an Arab sat in his
tent, a camel gently thrust his nose under the flap and looked in. “Master,” he
said, “let me put my nose in your tent. It’s cold and stormy out here.” “By all
means,” said the Arab, “and welcome” as he turned over and went to sleep. A
little later the Arab awoke to find that the camel had not only put his nose in
the tent but his head and neck also. The camel, who had been turning his head
from side to side, said, “I will take but little more room if I place my
forelegs within the tent. It is difficult standing out here.” “Yes, you may put
your forelegs within, said the Arab, moving a little to make room, for the tent
was small. Finally, the camel said, “May I not stand wholly inside? I keep the
tent open by standing as I do.” “Yes, yes,” said the Arab. “Come wholly inside.
Perhaps it will be better for both of us.” So the camel crowded in. The Arab
with difficulty in the crowded quarters again went to sleep. When he woke up
the next time, he was outside in the cold and the camel had the tent to
himself.
Moral: A little leaven leavens the
whole lump. [Galatians 5:9] Sin will creep in by stages if we let
it. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee
from you. [James 4:7]
In A View from the Zoo, Gary Richmond,
a former zoo keeper, tells this story: “Raccoons go through a glandular change
at about 24 months. After that they often attack their owners. Since a 30-pound
raccoon can be equal to a 100-pound dog in a scrap, I felt compelled to mention
the change coming to a pet raccoon owned by a young friend of mine, Julie. She
listened politely as I explained the coming danger. I’ll never forget her
answer. “It will be different for me,” she smiled as she added; ‘Bandit wouldn’t
hurt me. He just wouldn’t.’ Three months later Julie underwent plastic surgery
for facial lacerations sustained when her adult raccoon attacked her for no
apparent reason. Bandit was released into the wild.”
Moral: But exhort one another every
day, as long as it is called "today," that none of you may be
hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. [Hebrews 3:13] Therefore
let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. [1
Corinthians 10:12]
We must ever be on the alert against
sin getting its nose into our tent and then thinking we can handle it.
Christians will often say to themselves, “a little won’t hurt,” or “I can do
this and not be tempted to do more.” Be careful, because sin will take over
your lives when you lest expect it.
WHO IS AMENABLE TO GOD’S LAWS?
The fact that I am a preacher of the
gospel has involved me in many discussions about various biblical issues. While
working with a particular congregation, I conducted a radio program designed to
allow callers to ask Bible questions. On one occasion, a caller questioned us
about a marriage situation involving divorce and re-marriage among
non-Christians. It seemed they were advocating that as long as the divorce and
remarriage occurred before one obeyed the gospel, they could have multiple
marriages and keep the present spouse once obeying the gospel.
This introduced the question, “Are
non-Christians amenable to God’s laws?” One should not think that such a
question would need to be asked, but when the emotions become involved in our
thinking, all logic ceases. As we did then, let us now consider this important
question, let us do so with a true desire to understand and know the Truth.
The first point to consider is whether
or not God has established laws to govern mankind in general. The answer is a
resounding, YES. In the very beginning in the Garden of Eden, God had a law for
Adam and Eve. Don’t eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil
(Genesis 3:1-2). God then gave a written law to the Israelites through
Moses (Deuteronomy 4:44). Today, men are bound to keep the law of Christ
(Galatians 6:2). The obvious point is that God has always had a law by
which He expected men to live.
Our second point is whether or not the
law of Christ applies to non-Christians. I can hear some saying, “Ah, yes, but
aren’t these laws given to those who follow God?” Surely, we all know that to
please God (and that is what righteous people want to do), one must live
according to His laws. However, to say that obedience to these laws is only
required of those who would follow God is not a true statement.
To understand this, we need only to
consider what it is that makes us sinners in the first place. A person becomes
a sinner by breaking one of God’s laws. Hear what John says, “Everyone who
makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness”
[1 John 3:4]. Men become sinners when they transgress or break one of
the laws of Christ. Men are not born guilty of sin. Mankind is born innocent
and pure in the sight of God.
Now, Paul tells us in Romans 4:15,
“For the law brings wrath, but where there is no law there is no
transgression.” If the non-Christian is not amenable to the law of Christ,
then the non-Christian cannot be guilty of transgression or lawlessness. Therefore,
being that sin is lawlessness, the non-Christian cannot commit sin. Who can
believe it, especially when Paul says, “For all have sinned and fall short
of the glory of God,” [Romans 3:23]. The non-Christian has sinned
and he sinned because he transgressed or broke the law of Christ.
What makes lying wrong? Christ’s law.
What makes stealing wrong? Christ’s law. What makes murder wrong? Christ’s law.
What makes divorce and remarriage for any cause wrong? Christ’s law. If the law
of Christ doesn’t apply to the non-Christian, then he could lie, steal, murder
or enter into a thousand marriages without committing sin.
Who believes this false doctrine? It is
those who don’t love the truth on divorce and re-marriage. It is those who are
trying to justify a bad marriage. It is those who are deceived and believe a
lie.
####################
WHAT MUST
I DO
Hear: Rom
Believe: Heb 11:6
Repent: Lk 13:5; Ac
17:30
Confess: Matt
Be Baptized: Ac
TO BE
SAVED?
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FAMILY
MATTERS
RADIO PROGRAM:
A reminder about
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The Pound Proclaimer is published monthly by the Pound
All articles by the editor unless
otherwise stated
Editor: Glen Young
Phone: 276-796-5767=Office
804-365-8694=Home
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