IS IT EVER RIGHT TO JUDGE?
Darrell Powell

“Don’t judge me!” You hear it on television, at work, at school, and just about anywhere you turn. The universal defense for any action seems to the quotation of Matthew 7:1, “Judge not that you be not judged.” This Bible statement makes it clear that some types of judging are wrong. No man is a judge in the sense that he can pass judgment, or sentence3, on someone else in the spiritual sense. But, we will all give an account, and God will judge us (1 Peter 4:5). Let us study together what the Bible says about our judging others.

Jesus did not condemn all judging. John 7:24 says “Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with a righteous judgment.” The Bible has been given to us as a standard for living, and as a tool that points out the spiritual needs of our fellow man. We are not to lie in wait for others to stumble, just we can ”judge” them. But when we see that one is struggling, it is our Christians duty to “restore him: (Gal. 6:1). And how can we do that unless we first judge whether or not that person is in need of restoration. In Matthew 7, we are told that we can “know” men by their fruits. Just as we can determine what kind of person someone is by their actions. So, the Bible teaches that in some instances, for the right reasons, Christians are to participate in a form of judging.

Many times in the Bible, Jesus’ disciples judged others, John judged Diotrephes, saying he would bring to Diotrephes’ mind the deeds he had don (III John 9:10). Paul said to judge a heretic, or a divisive person, ”Knowing that such a person is warped and sinning, being self-condemned” (Titus 3;10). As we see here, this person’s own character condemns him, and it is evident what kind of person he is. So, there is obviousneed for Christians to judge righteous judgment (John 7:24). All those who would “judge” must always remember the reasons for doing so. One must never to it for any kind of pleasure, but always in love, for the hope that it would bring about repentance.

WORSHIP
Ronnie Young

We should never underestimate the importance God places upon worship. Let us make a careful observation in the very beginning of this discussion; God does not need to worship man, man needs to worship God. It is therefore essential that man understands clearly what God requires and expects in worship to Him.

It is Jesus who made this statement to the Samaritan woman, “True worshipers MUST worship in spirit and in truth,” John 4:23-24. This statement makes it very clear there is a way God expects us to worship Him.

The way is God’s way based upon the truth revealed to us in His word. This apparently is a difficult concept for any to comprehend and certainly willing to implement. Man has pursued ways to worship God based upon what pleases man without any consideration to what pleases God . The actions send a clear message regarding the importance and respect man has for God’s word.

Some of the programs man has adopted in the guise of religious worship lends one to believe religion is attempting to compete with Hollywood for the best entertainment of the year award. It is not uncommon to see plays orchestrated in the worship services, and recognition and honoring individuals or groups of people during worship services. Add to this the music ensemble, oftentimes appearing almost as a full orchestra, with specialized singing groups, and you have a full course of entertainment complete with applause and standing ovations.

Church entertainment is certainly on the increase. The apparent marketing philosophy to attract more church goers, and be more competitive with other groups is to place or emphasis on entertainment. The news media is now giving their accolades and awards to the best T. V. Evangelist programs.

It is interesting to observe, in the midst of all this, the Bible gives no authority for any of the entertainment items to be used in the worship service. “Singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord” is the biblical instructions. Ephesians 5:19. The heart is our instrument and with OUR voices we teach and admonish one another, singing our praises to the Lord. Col. 3:16. Through the principle of exclusion, the commandment to sing eliminates playing instruments or other forms of entertainment.

Jesus made this observation of the Pharisees in his day: “These people draw near to me with their mouth; and honor me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. In vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.” Mat. 15:8-9

This is certainly applicable to us today. It is our commitment, at the Elba Church of Christ, to worship God His way, in spirit and in truth. Man’s way is seriously unimportant, and with all sincerity lead those who follow completely away from God.

ETERNAL SECURITY
Ronnie Young

We are all concerned about our security, especially since 9-11-2001--the terrorists’ successful assault against our country.

We are concerned about our job security. Many have lost their jobs due to downsizing and company closings. We are concerned about financial security, our ability to provide for our families, especially as we grow older. We are concerned about our personal security and the security from harm and abuse of our family members.

There are valid and very serious concerns for each of us. The uncertainty of security looms even greater today than most of us have ever experienced. Doubts and fears occupy more and more of the thought process robbing us of time needed in more productive areas.

Yet, there is an area of security far greater than any of the foregoing concerns, and that is, of course, our eternal security. John recorded these most comforting and encouraging words of Jesus in John 10:27ff: “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand. My Father, which gave them Me is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of My Father’s hand.”

The promise of eternal security is available for each of us and all who will be obedient to God’s Word. Most of us will never be in a position to control what happens around us or what others may do to us, but we can control our relationship to God, and determine our “eternal security.”

God’s Word Studied and Taught
By: Tom Maddox

“And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.”

While I would immediately confess my failure to be diligent in this regard, I certainly would not argue with the importance of the admonition to teach. Teaching God’s word is one of the most important things we can do. In 2 Timothy 3:15, Paul told Timothy, “From childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which ware able to make you wise for salvation.” Timothy was taught by his mother and grandmother from his childhood, but what happens when God’s word is not studied and taught? The Bible tells us in Hosea 4:6, “My people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge.”

Bill Beck would often remind us that we were to study to attain knowledge and to pray for the wisdom to apply it correctly. There is no shortcut for attaining the knowledge. 2 Timothy 2:15 begins with the word “study” and continues with the benefit of that study: “To show thyself approved.”

Why do people fall away? Listen to Hebrews 3:12: “Beware brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God.” How do we build our faith so we will not have “an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God”? Romans 10:17 says, “So then faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.” And as James 1:21 says, “Receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.” Only by knowing God’s word can our children and our souls be saved.

Make time in your busy life to study God’s word. If you have children, please help them see the importance of knowing God’s word. Take advantage of Bible study classes at church. If you teach, be diligent in your own study and preparation. AND, if you teach: Thank you! We appreciate and commend our Bible class teachers.

Just Open the Doors and They Will Come
By: George Bryan

How many times have you heard someone say that evangelism is just not necessary? How many times have you heard someone say (in effect), “just open the door and they will come”? This sounds a lot like a movie release from some years ago. In that instance, it really worked very well, but in real life it just simply will NOT work. In real life, we must work to take the Gospel to others. The truth of the matter is they will not just come simply because the doors are open. If we want others to know the Truth, then we MUST take the Truth to them.

In Matthew 28:18-20, Jesus said, “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you, and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.”

Notice also the words of James 2:14-17: “What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? Can faith save him? If a brother of sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, and one of you say unto them, ‘depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled,’ not withstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body, what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works is dead being alone.”

I believe the words of the Apostle Paul from Romans 10:14-15 put everything in perspective for us: “How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? As it is written, “HOW BEAUTIFUL ARE THE FEET OF THEM THAT PREACH THE GOSPEL OF PEACE, AND BRING BLAD TIDINGS OF GOOD THINGS!”

And finally, we should always be aware of the consequences of NOT evangelizing. May we always keep in mind the words of Ezekiel 3:17-19: “Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me. When I say unto the wicked, “Thou shalt surely die,’ and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way to save his life, the same wicked man shall died in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou has delivered thy soul.”

We have been commanded to take the Gospel to others. If we fail to do so, then God will surely hold us responsible for our lack of action. May we all be diligent in our efforts to evangelize the world, beginning with our local community.

Our Responsibility

Ronnie Young

It is important to constantly remind each of us of this responsibility. To stir up implies a continuous activity of mixing, rearranging, and sorting ingredients that promote love and good works. When we prepare a meal, we do not simply pour all of our ingredients into a container and leave them alone. Certainly not! We continuously mix, measure, and watch carefully as the items cook into a finished product.

The same can be said about Christians. The ingredients we use are very important if we want to have the desired product. Let us consider and ask ourselves: Am I presently stirring up love and promoting good works by my current activities and actions?

Someone has said, and rightfully so, our actions speak louder than words. It only takes a few moments to send a message of encouragement. It only takes a few moments to exemplify our good works. It also only takes a few moments to destroy our influence and relationship with others.

Remember that God has blessed us with our abilities. Let’s not be hesitant to demonstrate our love for each other and encourage good works among the brethren.

James 2:20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?

Acts 10:34-35 Then Peter opened his mouth and said: "In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. But in every nation, whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him.

Luke 6:46-49 "But why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do the things which I say? Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like. He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. and when the flood rose, the stream beat vehemently agains that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock. But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it fell. And the ruin of that house was great."

Getting the Most out of Reading
Pam Crittenden

While reading, I conjure up pictures in my head; therefore, concise descriptive writings (not too tedious) are important to my enjoyment of books--mysteries, biographies, history, the Bible.

For example, can’t you just see Jesus getting exasperated as you read Mark 8:12. The Pharisees are disputing Jesus, and seeking a sign, testing Him. He answered them this way, “But He sighed deeply in His spirit, and said, “Why does this generation seek a sign? Assuredly, I say to you, no sign shall be given to this generation.”

We don’t have a description of Jesus in the Bible, understandably so. We do have descriptions of others, such as Saul, David, Samson, Peter, Esther, and Rachel. While some of the descriptions are not detailed, their character and dispositions are well documented, which can certainly help to picture them. For instance, Saul, David, and Samson, were all described as handsome. Because Peter was bold and aggressive, it is easy to assume he was at least fairly robust. By contrast, I have never pictured Paul as robust because of his “thorn of the flesh; however, he certainly had to have a lot of stamina and determination to endure the hardships he faced. It is easy to picture John the Baptist as a rugged wilderness man in his camel hair and leather clothing.

We have beautiful comforting descriptions of what heaven will be like in Isaiah 35, John 14:1-3, Revelation 21 and 22, that have inspired glorious hymns. Teresa Kimbel, in “Seed to the Sower” said: “We talk about getting our troubling spiritual questions answered when we reach heaven, but when I’m safe in the Father’s arms for eternity, I don’t figure on having any more troubling questions.”

We also have vivid terrifying descriptions of hell in Mark 9:46-48, Matthew 25:41, 46, Matthew 12:42,50, and 2 Thess. 1:7-9. We have a tract titled “Scared of the Dark” by Allen Webster, which points out that aside from the fire and heat that is not quenched, and the worms that do not die, it will be forever dark. Dawn will never come, we cannot switch on a light. We will be totally alone, isolated in the dark, not just dark, but total blackness forever.

None of Self
By Bette Ham

When Anna asked me to write a column for the bulletin, I confess my mind drew a complete blank.

I began to consider the many, many weaknesses and faults I have as a Christian. I decided selfishness is one of the “biggies” for me, and so I chose this subject for my brief words. This is just another of the very human qualities I battle every day and I am reminded of Paul’s comment to the Corinthians at the end of chapter 9 where he states he “fights” to keep himself from yielding to “normal wants” and desires of his body ( a form of selfishness) when it is contrary to the will of Christ. In verse 27 he says, “But I keep under (buffet) my body; and bring it into subjection, lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.” Not meaning to compare myself to Paul, I battle also every day those things that “pull” me the most, and selfishness is one of them. If I am not very careful, I find myself thinking primarily of “I, Me, and Mine”. Again, Paul said in Philippians 3, “Let nothing be done through strife or vain glory but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than themselves.” This too is much easier to say than to practice… at least for me.

There is a song we often sing with a powerful meaning: “None of Self and All of Thee.” The first verse arrogantly says to Jesus “All of self, and none of Thee”; the second verse, recognizing His great sacrifice for us, changes to a reluctant, “Some of self and some of Thee”, and finally, when conquered by the wonderful love of the Savior, verse four triumphantly says, “None of self, and all of Thee.” As you can see this is a “growing process”, and is the goal I fervently strive for. Perhaps you do as well.

I cannot discuss this subject without a mention of my mother. She was undoubtedly the most completely unselfish person I have ever known. She was the epitome of unselfishness. We were raised in the country in the after math of the’29 depression, having almost nothing of this world’s goods. However, I remember that nobody among our many relatives, the neighbors, or hungry strangers ever faced a need of any kind but that my mother was there to help. There was no task too menial for her to step right in with love and a smile and do whatever she could. She fed any and all hungry or needy passersby (sometimes called Hobos) with whatever we had ourselves. There are so many memories of the things she did for others, always without a thought for herself, that I cannot put them all down in this article. Just suffice to say that I will always thank God for the wonderfully unselfish person she was and the example she was to me.

FAITH IN OUR CEO
Tom Maddox

Hypothetical:

A person is hired by a large corporation to do an important, but not too difficult job. The company has a wonderful reputation for its contribution to the community and its CEO is a person of utmost integrity and ability. The new employee is elated that he has been chosen for the position. Upon inquiry about the salary, he is told just to have faith and his needs would be met; that in the history of the company no one who has performed his duties satisfactory as every been forced to leave the company before retirement. He questions several in the work force who assure him that he will be happy. He accepts the position and begins a very rewarding experience. The pay is not exorbitant, but is adequate for his needs. The work is sometimes difficult, but never overwhelming and the challenge is just what he needs to keep him “on his toes”. In almost no time he falls in love with the work and, because of the pay and all the benefits, he develops faith in the company and its leadership. No task is impossible and because of his faith and commitment, he is willing to do whatever is asked of him.

Non-hypothetical:

God has offered us “employment” in His kingdom, the church. The job requirements included service to God and to other people. Even though there is no financial remuneration, He has never failed to recompense faithful “employees”. Even in this life, with all the anxieties, confusion, and disturbing events, His workers can feel peace and contentment, knowing, by faith, that the “pay” will be more than adequate. Faith in our “CEO” results in benefits that are beyond our comprehension. Just as in the hypothetical example, we can have faith that our needs will be met, but there is another aspect of faith that we must keep in mind. The person in the secular example realized that if he had “faith” and followed the “plan”, his needs would be met. Faith in God also requires that we follow the ”plan”. If we have faith in God, then we will be willing and happy to do what he requires.

Birds of a Feather
By: Pam Crittenden

Choose your friends wisely: Much has been written on this subject. The following stuck in my memory best (even better than “Birds of a feather flock together”).

Many animals and insects take on the color of their surroundings, making it almost impossible to see them, even when they are in plain sight. The tree frog merges into the bark of the tree. Chameleons just melt into any background. People often take on the “color” of their environment too, and become like their friends--good and bad. (taken from a bulletin by Greg Terry at the Tenth St. Church of Christ in Opelika)

In Acts 4:13 we read how the religious leaders “saw the boldness of Peter and John” and realized “they had been with Jesus.” The disciples became like Jesus because they spent time with Him, listened to Him teach, walked and talked with Him, and they followed His example. We will take on the character of Jesus, if we will study and obey God’s word, and walk and talk with Him throughout the day.

Teenagers are especially vulnerable when picking friends, but we may reach adulthood before our choice of friends leads us astray. Sometimes the devil is very subtle. This is when he is most dangerous. A Christian sees and avoids the obvious pitfalls, such as going to bars. The subtle pitfalls come at social gatherings with social drinking, etc., and when other activities conflict with worship services.

One of the most interesting examples in the Bible which underscores the need to beware of subtle ways the devil can use trusted people, is in I Kings 13. The young priest, who was commanded not to eat or drink with the people in Bethel had no problem turning down the king when he offered him food and drink at the palace, but when an old trusted priest lied and told him an angel said he should come back to his dwelling to eat and drink, he did just that. For his disobedience God struck him dead.

As George Bryan, one of our elders, told us in a Bible class, “Satan doesn’t care if we put God last, as long as we put Him second.”

Home, at Last
By: Betsy Martin

As a child asleep in the back of the station wagon, I’ll never forget the feeling of coming home. We would spread out in the car so that no two kids would touch each other. (Mama was happier that way). Regardless if it were a long trip or a short one, no matter the length of time, I was usually asleep. When we neared the house, I would somehow sense the arrival, and come to a state of semi-consciousness. Finally, we were home!

Even now as an adult, whether returning from a short shopping trip to Montgomery, from a botched flight in South Florida (complete with a hydroplaning experience on the interstate), as I near the city limits of Elba, then my street, and finally my driveway, a sense of relief and security overtakes me.

I know that no home is perfect, but I have been blessed. I grew up in an exceptionally loving hoe; and I have made it a main goal in life to have a home that my family will want to come to at the end of a busy day. I have come home elated with a new baby; I have come home sick and gone straight to bed; I have come home ecstatic over a ballgame victory; and I have come home in tears over the news of a loved one’s death. Just get me home, and I can handle things okay!

Our lives are part of a journey that will continue until we go home, that is our true home, heaven. What a relief to finally realize that we are turning into the neighborhood, the driveway, and finally the beautiful gate of heaven. There will never be any tears, fears or dreads in heaven. I will never have to dress for a funeral. I will never have to pick up the phone only to hear bad news about someone I love. No more precious families split up. No one will need anti-=depressants or pain pills. There will be no wars and no politics. There will be no gossips or tattletales. Heaven is waiting for us to finish our imperfect trip and arrive at our perfect home, prepared by God.

Finding True Joy
By: Nancy Bedsole

One of my biggest struggles is remembering that joy should not be dependent on the circumstances around me, but on the attitude within me. In Philippians 4:4, Paul says, “Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice.” What makes this verse so meaningful is that Paul wrote it while he was in prison--certainly not a desirable circumstance. However, he managed to find joy in spite of his situation.

God wants us to have joy, but how can we? One way is by doing God’s will. The latter part of Proverb s 29:18 says, “He that keepeth the law, happy is he.” This means we can find joy in doing what God wants us to do. It follows then that we cannot have true joy if we are not doing God’s Will. All of us have selfish and wrong things and later felt the pain of regret. How much more joyful we are when we are consistently trying to do what we know is right!

A second way of finding true joy is by helping others. Someone very close to me tried to tell me this for a long time, but it was only recently that I understood it.

In the last years of Mrs. Rossie (Ellenburg)’s life I visited her often. Even though she was not always at her best when I went to see her, I always knew that she was glad that I had come. Somehow I would always leave feeling that I had received the greater blessing for going. Each time, I would resolve to go back sooner, but many things got in the way. Now that she and others have passed on, I know that many of us feel that we should have done more. We cannot go back to those times, but we can resolve to help others more in the future.

There is joy to be experience as a Christian. However, it is something that we must purposefully seek. No matter what happens in life, we should be hopeful and happy because we are members of the Kingdom of God.

Nancy Bedsole

Oh Be Careful Little Mouth
By: Alice Maddox

Oh be careful little mouth what you say
Oh be careful little mouth what you say
There’s a Father up above
And He’s looking down in love
So be careful little mouth what you say

These are words to a familiar children’s song. Some of us might remember it from our childhood days. Many of us have sung it as we have taught children’s bible classes. The message is clear and plain, and confirmed repeatedly in scripture. In Colossians 4:6, Paul writes “Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.” This indicates that our speech should be courteous to others and appropriately spoken. Sometimes it is not entirely what we say, but when or how we say it, that determines how it is received. Paul repeats a similar warning to the Ephesians in Eph. 4:29, “Let no unwholesome word (corrupt communication) proceed from your mouth.”

Contrary to another childhood saying which begins “Sticks and stones may break my bones…”, we know that words can indeed hurt. In Colossians 3:8, Paul warns against using abusive speech. This seems to refer to demoralizing words which are hurtful to others, and are often the product of anger. Speaking out of anger is addressed by James. In James 1:19. He writes “..let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.” Words spoken in anger are often the source of sorrow and regret. James writes in chapter 1: 26, “if any man among you seems to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is in vain. Now, that is serious business. Controlling the tongue is an important issue. But controlling our tongue is only the first step. Further action is needed. Our words are the expression of our thoughts. Evil words are the expression of evil thoughts. Evil thoughts are the product of sinful hearts.

Ultimately, we need to clean up our hearts. Jesus taught in Matthew 15:18 that the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man. Again, from Matthew 12:36-37, “But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.”

Oh be careful little mouth what you say!

THE EXTRA MILE

Once upon a time there was a little country girl whose uncle and aunt would go a couple of miles out of their way down a dirt road to pick her up for Sunday School. She spent a lot of time at their house playing with her older cousins and doing odd jobs to make spending money., The uncle was in poor health and required extra help with their large pecan orchard and large garden.The Aunt was a teacher by nature. Whether they were picking up pecans, picking beans, shelling peas, peeling apples, or just goofing off she was always teaching. She would teach Bible stories, right from wrong, how to treat other people, the value of a college education, etc. She never raised her voice. She always had words of praise and encouragement for any worthwhile accomplishment.

The little girl was greatly influenced by this sweet Christian aunt, as well as by her three Christian cousins. Her oldest cousin was a counselor one summer at a Christian Youth Camp and invited her to come along. At this camp, the summer before 7th grade she was profoundly changed forever, but it wasn’t until a couple years later that this shy little girl was brave enough to come forward one Sunday morning requesting to be baptized and become a Christian. In the meantime, her aunt and uncle had started to study the Bible with her parents, and they too were baptized shortly thereafter.Several years went by .

The little girl grew up and met a young man to her fancy. He attended church with her and was baptized not long before they were married. The years slipped by and the couple were blessed with three wonderful children.

More than 40 years went by since the car first went down the dirt road to pick up a little girl for Sunday school. One Sunday morning as she sat in church with her family, she wondered how different all their lives would be today and throughout eternity had it not been for the aunt who was willing to go "the extra mile". As she sat next to her children and her husband who is now an elder of the church, she joyfully scanned the pew and knew she owed a world of gratitude to her aunt.

The little girl from long ago was me; and I am so, so thankful that my Aunt Eloise was willing to go "the extra mile, literally, and that she took advantage of teaching opportunities to influence me. I am so thankful that I grew up with Christian cousins who exerted a positive influence on me; and I am especially thankful for Cousin Joyce who cared enough to take a kid to Camp with her.

I share my story for one reason. We all have opportunities to influence, to teach, to encourage, to lead others to Christ one way or the other. We need to look for those opportunities and not let them slip by. Children are especially susceptible to our influence and Christ encouraged us by his example to seek after these precious souls while their hearts are still tender. (Matt.18:1-6, Mark 10:13-16)If we can influence just one person to become a Christian today, we, like Aunt Eloise, may be packing a pew or two 40 years from now also; or many pews 100 years from now; or a whole neighborhood in Heaven 1000 years from now. We never know just how far reaching our influence may be. Let us always "go the extra mile" for Christ.

Glenda Bryan

ONE STORY—SEVERAL POINTS

My favorite bible stories are not the usual. They are the ones we all know and love, but the points that interest me most are the ones often skimmed over; the ones that show their very human side, and give me hope that God will forgive me too.

Jonah is one of my favorites, not because he was swallowed by a big fish, but because he actually thought he could run from God. Also the fact that when he finally obeyed God and went to Nineveh to urge the people to give up their evil ways, he pouted when he succeeded in his mission. The people of Nineveh repented and God forgave them. Jonah, however, wanted them to be punished, not forgiven. Basically Jonah spent much of his time either trying to hide from God or disagreeing with Him. Jonah (the whole book)

In the story of Samson, a most interesting part is regarding his father and mother. Samson saw a Philistine woman and liked her. His mother and father asked him if he couldn’t find a woman among the brethren, but he wanted the Philistine woman. Since he was obviously the apple of their eye and an only child, they relented against their better judgment and went with him to get her. Just like us today when we cannot say no to our beloved children, things often begin to go awry. Judges 14:1-4

Even Abraham sinned, and in a way which was bound to fail.. Sarah, his wife, was “fair to look upon” and he was afraid when he traveled to Egypt during the famine, someone would want Sarah and kill him to get her. He then dragged Sarah into his sin, by having her pretend she was his sister. This plan backfired completely. The princes of Pharaoh beheld her and took her to the palace. The Lord plagued Pharaoh and his house because of Sarah. Pharaoh was understandably upset with Abraham saying: “What is this you have done to me? Why did you not tell me that she was your wife? Why did you say she was your sister? I might have taken her as my wife.” Fortunately for Abraham, the Pharaoh sent him and Sarah away unharmed. Genesis 12:10-20

These are just three stories with interesting sub topics. The more I read and study, the more I find. David, for instance, merits an entire article by himself.

Pam Crittenden