Just Some Spoken Words?

   "Words are a unit of language, consisting of one or more spoken sounds or their written representation that functions as a principal carrier of meaning." Women are generally assumed to be more talkative than men. In many studies the females spoke about 7,000 words on average each day. In those studies the males spoke about 2,000 words on average each day. One explanation that I have heard for this difference is that women have to repeat themselves so many times to the men. The term "Word" is found 708 times in our King James Bible. The term "Words" is found 552 times. The beautiful expression "Word of God" is found 48 times; the expression "Word of the Lord" is found 256 times. Notice, "But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you." (1 Peter 1:25) Again we read, "So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the LORD." (Deuteronomy 34:5) There are 593,493 words in the Old Testament and 181,253 words in the New Testament. The total number of words in the King James Version of the Bible is 774,746. Words can build up or tear down. "Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers." (Ephesians 4:29) Who ever said, "Sticks  and  stones  may  break   my  bones  but

words will never hurt me" lied! Words can do much good or they can do much hard. "A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger." (Proverbs 15:1) Just some spoken words? No! Words are far more than that!

   Just some spoken words? No! They were far more than that; they were words of creation. Ten times in Genesis chapter one we read the words, "And God said." God spoke and creation happened. (1) "And God said, Let there be light..." (Genesis 1:3) (2) "And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters... (Genesis 1:6) (3) "And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place..." (Genesis 1:9) (4) "And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind..."(Genesis 1:11) (5) "And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night..." (Genesis 1:14) (6) "And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven." (Genesis 1:20) (7) "And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so." (Genesis 1:24) (8) "And God said, Let us make man in our image..." (Genesis 1:26) (9) "God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it..." (Genesis 1:28) (10) "And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat." (Genesis 1:29) Creation was a series of specific and immediate acts of God, brought about solely by His Word or His will. Just some spoken words? No! They were far more than that; they were words of God that brought about the creation.

   Just some spoken words? No! They were far more than that; they were words of encouragement. Asa was the third king of the Kingdom of Judah. He was the son of Abijam, the grandson of Rehoboam, and the great-grandson of Solomon. Asa was faithful in the worship of God and did what was right in the eyes of the Lord. Sadly, when King Baasha of Israel declared war on Asa he hired King Ben-hadad of Syria to help him defeat King Baasha. That was a mistake. He should have relied on God for help. In 2 Chronicles 15 some words were spoken by Azariah and by Oded. These were not just words, they were words of encouragement. Observe (1) Asa was reminded that the Lord was with him. (2 Chronicles 15:2) When I am discouraged I need to remember that the Lord is with me. (2) Asa was encouraged to seek the Lord. (2 Chronicles 15:2) The message was "Seek him, He will be found of you." (3) Asa was reminded of God's power. God has the power to help those who turn to Him with their hearts. (2 Chronicles 15:3-6) (4) Asa was reminded to be strong. "Be ye strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak: for your work shall be rewarded."  (2 Chronicles 15:7) When Asa head these words he took courage and took action. (2 Chronicles 15:8) He "removed the idols" and he also "renewed the altar of the LORD." Sometimes all it takes to lift up another brother or sister in Christ is just some encouraging words. Just some spoken words? No! They were far more than that; they were words of encouragement.

   Just some spoken words. No! They were words that saved many in the nation of the Jews. When God called Moses upon the mountain to receive the Law he was gone from the people for forty days. (Exodus 24:18) The people became impatient and wanted a god that they could see. The people said to Aaron, "Up, make us gods, which shall go before us." (Exodus 32:1) They brought their gold and Aaron molded a calf and said, "This is your god, O Israel, that brought you out of the land of Egypt!" Worship of the golden calf was very disturbing to God. He first said to Moses, "Go, get thee down; for thy people, which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves: They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed thereunto." (Exodus 32:7-8) God was very angry with these people. He told Moses, "I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people: Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them: and I will make of thee a great nation." (Exodus 32:9-10) God did not ask for the opinion or participation of Moses in this matter. The clear implication is that if Moses did nothing, God's plan would move forward. Moses pleaded with God to remember the promises he had made to Abraham, Isaac and Israel. Moses recognized that the sin of the people was a great sin; he pleaded with God a second time for the people.  He said, "Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin--; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written." (Exodus 32:32) This is the only unfinished sentence in the Bible. God responded by telling Moses, "Now therefore, go, lead the people to the place of which I have spoken to you." Just some spoken words. No! These words of Moses make up a prayer that saved many in the nation of the Jews.

   "Apply thine heart unto instruction, and thine ears to the words of knowledge." (Proverbs 23:12) The words of Jesus teach us that to become a Christian you must hear the gospel (John 6:44-45), believe in Jesus as the Christ (John 8:24), repent of all sins (Luke 13:3), confess Christ as Lord (Matthew 10:32-33) and be baptized to be saved. (Mark 16:16) After baptism remain faithful to God. (Luke 10:22) "The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times." (Psalm 12:6)

- - - - Charles Box

News & Notes

1. Prayer List: Stabler Hospital: Mary Riley In Need Of Prayer: Joe & June Adams, Mike Bagents, Dee Barker, Jerry Barr, Ricky Blackburn, Brenda Burkett, Becky Chaney, Jessie Claunch, Bonnie Croley, Marie Curlee, Jimmy Davis, Bryan Harville, Billy Heartsill, David Jones, Larue Kelsoe, Felice Kendrick, Patrica Kennemore, Dot Killingsworth, Alice Little, Callie Lowe, Larry Lucas, Clifford McCarter, Annie McKee, Taylor Merry, Charlotte Miller, Jeff Miller, Doris Mosley, Eugene Moss, Dorman Murff, Barbara Parker, Tina Pouncey, Betty Pruitt, Joan Radcliff, John Reynolds, Olivia Reynolds, Lillie K. Rice, Jimmy Riley, Ricky Roberts, Katie Sanders, Mary Sasser, Paul & Hazel Shoemaker, Nathan Simmons, Sarah Stidham, Rick Sormude, Frank Thomas, Leisha Till, Charlotte Todd, Calvin Webb and Florida Wilson. Crowne Health Care: Helen Autrey, Dorothy Buck, Jewel Cauthen, Gladys Childs, Betty Findley, Kathy Johnson, Sarah Knight, Glenn Phillips, and Annie Ruth Tetter. 

2. Requesting Prayers: Prayer has been requested by Felice Kendrick for the family of Ellen Mosley. Ellen died recently.

3. Sympathy Expressed: Our love and sympathy is expressed to Jeff Thomas and his family in the death of his uncle, Jerry Little.

4. Bank Trust Parking Lot: Bank Trust has given us the use of their parking lot for Sunday and Wednesday night. Please do not miss use this privilege by parking in the Drive Through lane for the ATM machine.

5. Fourth - Sixth Grade Activity: All 4^th – 6^th grades are invited to go see the circus in Montgomery today. We will eat lunch in the fellowship hall right after the morning services and leave shortly after lunch.

6. Anniversaries: Celebrating an anniversary this week: November 20^th Trey and Michelle Flowers, November 22^nd Jason and Debbie Jean Owens, and November 23^rd Johnny and Janice Cole.

7. Birthdays: Celebrating a birthday this week are: November 20^th Beverly Lassiter, November 25^th Joe Arnold, Randy Fullington, and Horace Martin, and November 26^th Mary Arnold.

8. Exposure Youth Camp 2011: Exposure Youth Camp is December 27-30, 2011. It takes place in the Embassy Suites Hotel and Von Braun Center in Huntsville, Alabama. Darrell will take the youth group from Walnut Street. Camp cost will be covered. See Darrell for other details. 

9. Thank You Notes: (a) To our Church Family at Walnut Street Church of Christ, Thank you so much for the concern and prayers expressed during the recent illness and death of our brother-in-law, Bobby Joe Croley. Also, we thank you for the beautiful plant you sent. We are so blessed to have such a loving and giving church family. Love, Jeff & Cindy Thomas and Family and (b) Thanks for thinking of me! Thanks for the prayers, visits and food. I am thankful to be a part of a wonderful church. Dot Killingsworth

10. Bring a Visitor: Set your goal to make an honest effort to bring a visitor to the services of the church. There is someone that we can all influence to go to heaven. Let us all join together and win souls for Jesus. “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.” (Proverbs 11:30)

11. Radio Programs: Q94 (94.3) Sunday 8:30-9:00 am, Weekdays at 12:30 pm. WKXN (95.7) Sunday 8:00-8:15 am. Listen daily.

12. Bible Classes: Our Elders have made a special appeal for everyone to attend Bible Classes on Sunday morning and Wednesday night. Do your best to be present. You will learn more of God’s word and you will likewise encourage other by your attendance! Thanks to all of our wonderful Teachers!

13. Crowne Health Care: As is our custom there will not be a class at Crowne Health Care on the Saturday following Thanksgiving (November 26^th) and the Saturday following Christmas (December 31^st). A special “Thank You” is expressed to all who help with the work at Crowne Health each week. What you do is a blessing to the folks who live there.

Living For God Today

   A million things could have been going through Paul the apostle’s mind as he sat in his prison cell around AD 61. But as he penned a letter to some faithful brethren in Philippi, he had hardly finished his greeting when he wrote, “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” (Phil 1:21) One might ask, “How does one become as fully devoted to God as Paul was, even in the face of such adversity?” Let’s look together at some aspects of Paul’s life that might help us better understand why he clung to the cross of Christ with such zeal.

   Paul was poor in spirit, realizing how lost he had been without Christ. He said, “...Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.” (I Tim 1:15) He didn’t think more of himself than he should have, but gave the Lord all the credit for any good that was in him or was done by him.

   Though he realized where he lacked, he didn’t let his shortcomings or past mistakes hinder him from doing what he could for God. Paul endeavored to forget the past and press on towards his eternal goal of heaven. (Phil 3:13-14) 

   Paul did not place too much importance on the things on earth. Paul wrote, “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.” (Col 3:1-3) He sought heavenly things because he knew that true life is with Christ!

   Can you honestly say that it is not you, but Christ who lives in you? Can you say that if you live on in the flesh, you will be living for Christ? Are you assured that if you die, you will go to be with the Lord forever? Paul gave himself completely to God, and served Him fully because God sent His son to die for him.  Paul knew what his horrible fate would have been without Jesus…the same dismal fate that you and I would face without Jesus. There is nothing on this earth that is worth your soul.  Please turn to God and live for Him today.

- - - - Darrell Powell

Walnut Street Church of Christ

P.O. Box 551

Greenville, Alabama 36037-0551