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 The Cornerstone 

This is the Stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the Chief Conerstone." Acts 4:11

Pulbished to Support the Work of the West End Church of Christ, Richmond, Virginia

Volume 6 *   Number 27*   July 2, 2006

We Need a New Closet Door

We are truly blessed to be able to pray to our Maker. Prayer is a most powerful blessing afforded the child of God. Paul wrote concerning the armor of the Christian in Ephesians 6:11-17. Notice though his thoughts in verse eighteen. "Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;" Prayer is to be an active part of the Christian’s daily routine to assist in warring off the wiles of the devil.

A child of God can pray anytime and anywhere. Jesus prayed to His Father often, and most assuredly in difficult times. He prayed before selecting His twelve closest representatives. (Luke 6:12-13) He prayed in the Garden prior to His day of crucifixion. (Matthew 26:36-44) And, He prayed "Father forgive them; for they know not what they do," while hanging from the cross. ( Luke 23:34)

Communication with God does not come however without responsibility and instruction. Righteousness (James 5:16) Faith (James 1:6-7) Pray in Jesus name. (John 14:13-14; John 16:23) Forgiving heart (Matthew 6:14-15) Keep commandments (I John 3:22)

"But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly." (Matthew 6:6) Let us use this powerful blessing so often that we need a new closet door.

Stacy Crim

He's Hard To Like!

Greg Gwin

Selfish and self-centered that's what people say about him. I must

admit that my impressions of him are very similar. He really seems to be interested only in himself. Whenever you engage him in conversation, it always ends up being about him and his interests. I can't remember very many occasions when he ever expressed much interest in me, my family, my work, etc. To tell you the truth, he's pretty hard to like!

Do you know someone like this? Most of us do. I intended to be describing a specific individual, but I realize that the description I've given fits far too many people - and the numbers are growing. We

live in a selfish, self-centered society. This presents a real challenge for Christians.

Here's how Jesus said we should be:

-- "If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all" (Mark9:44).

-- "But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant" (Matthew 23:11).

Our goal should be to serve, not be served. We need to look for opportunities to serve one another, using our own unique abilities to help and encourage. The world tempts us to be just the opposite. Even the best "counseling" that worldly advisors can give urges us to "make ourselves happy" and "lookout for #l."

Spend some time in careful self-examination. Are you guilty of putting yourself first? Honestly evaluate your case. Are you doing all you can to help others - even when it isn't easy to do so? Do you show a genuine interest in your friends and brethren? Are you more concerned with what you can do for them -- or what they can do for you? Think!

 

Some Brethren Think Samuel Swallowed a Camel

Leslie Diestelkamp

King Saul was like a lot of my brethren today. He was very anxious to get the job done! Saul just had to make a burnt offering, even if he had to do it unlawfully. After all, wasn't a burnt offering good? Yes, indeed! Then why be so concerned about incidentals? Why wait for Samuel to come and make the offering?

Some of my brethren are unduly anxious to get the job done. They are so anxious that they think "ways and means" are unimportant. After all, shouldn't we do good? Then why be so concerned with incidentals?

Samuel said to Saul, "What hast thou done?" Saul answered that the enemy was upon him and he knew an offering must be made, so "I forced myself, therefore, and offered a burnt offering" (1 Sam. 13:11-12).

Like some of my brethren he could have argued, "Surely, Samuel, you won't strain at a gnat and swallow a camel. Can't you see that the important thing was to get the offering made? What difference who made it, or how? And anyway, Samuel, you shouldn't criticize me when you should have been here to make the offering yourself!"

Samuel said, "Thou hast done foolishly. Thou hast not kept the commandment of the Lord..." No one can question Saul's motive. His purpose was good, but in his anxiety to do right, he failed to keep God's law.

Some of my brethren today boast of being "progressive-minded"-brethren who believe that too much thought on details and methods of doing work results in little work being accomplished.

These brethren are much concerned with caring for the needy, but they care little for how God wants them cared for. They are greatly concerned with preaching, but it is not important to some of them as to how it is done. They see a great need for much money with which to do good (preach, help the needy, build church buildings, etc.), but it matters little how we get it. They are alarmed about the young people, so it matters little what is done, just as long as we keep them interested.

Those of us who insist on a scriptural way of doing things are accused of being willing to do nothing. This, of course, implies that if we don't do what they want, the way they want it, we don't believe in doing anything. Because we don't do what they want done, it is assumed that we do nothing!

Just as He did in the days of Saul and Samuel, God has directed us, today, how to do what He wants the church to do. We can be just as wrong in doing a right thing the wrong way, as in doing nothing.

We should be careful to be "doers of the word, and not hearers only" (Jas. 1:22). That includes doing things, and it also includes doing them the right way. If some brethren had been there when Samuel said, "Thou hast done foolishly," they would have patted him on the back to get him to belch up the camel they thought he swallowed! –

Think on These Things, July-August-September, 2002 (This article first appeared in the Northern Watchman February 17, 1952)

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