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March 7, 2010

 
Protecting Our Sin

If you had a dangerous reptile loose in Dayton, Ohio, you called the fire department and hoped to get Michael Peterman. He was recognized as a collector of snakes and lizards. On July 31, 1998, his colleagues responded to a report of a python loose behind a restaurant. Peterman was off duty, but when he arrived he explained that the captured python was obviously somebody’s pet because it was healthy and well fed. His expert eye was trained by his own research on reptiles.

Peterman kept many snakes, some of them very dangerous. One, an African rhino viper, is considered one of the most dangerous snakes in Africa since it is very aggressive and strikes very swiftly. The pint-sized reptile measured only 28 inches and weighed three pounds. On Sunday, August 3, 2003, Peterman reached to close the cage after feeding it. The snake struck, injecting him with a complex venom that attacks both the circulatory system and the nervous system.

A nearby fire department rescue crew rushed him to Miami Valley Hospital and the call was issued for antivenin. The University of Cincinnati supplied initial doses, but a supply in Florida was flown in, arriving on Monday, August 4, at 3 PM. At 3:17 PM Michael Peterman was pronounced dead in the Dayton hospital.

“When tempted, no one should say, 'God is tempting me.' For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.” (James 1:13-15)

We might find it incomprehensible that someone might keep a deadly viper as a hobby. It seems very foolish to protect and nurture a potentially lethal animal, but that is precisely what we do when we preserve sin in our lives.

When we become Christians, we give control of our lives to Christ. He is to be the King and we are to be His subjects. He is to exercise control over every facet of our lives, purifying us from our sinful habits and releasing us from our bondage to sin.

Often, though, we prefer to reserve certain sins to ourselves. We will cheerfully give control to Jesus in areas that are painful to us, but the sins we secretly enjoy, we try to hoard and clutch to our hearts. One day the sins we protect and nurture will be the death of us.

Handling sin, like snakes, is best left to the experts. Only One is qualified to deal with our adversary, the old serpent, Satan. Jesus knows the power and danger and sting of sin. He knows it is fatal to us, and He wants to save us if we will give up our sin and quit protecting it in our hearts.               

~~By Chris Stinnett

PRAYER LIST

Please remember the following in your prayers:

Scott Melton has not been feeling well while he is in Florida.  He has some doctor’s appointments coming up.

Derek Miller is in the hospital in Okinawa, Japan.

Dr. Rob Smith, June Miller’s nephew, has been diagnosed with cancer.

Elmira Trentham is now home from rehab.

Maydene Asbury, Micky Bell, Bailee Bolden, Beverly Burt, Gerald Carden, Jennifer Carden, Lee Carden, BB Carter, Pearl Colvin, Robin Croslin, Vera Douglas, Buck Herren, Dot Herren, Amber Kenyon, Stan Lambert, Dorothy Melton, Derek Miller, Dwight Nicholson, Ann Nygard, Frankie Phillips, Jim & Lillian Redden, Regina Rowland, Peggy Sebring, Pam Simmons, Schlaine Thomas, Gerald and RoyLyn Young, Our troops, Our elders, Our Mission Works

SHUT-INS

Iva Jones-----Briarcliff

Wally Caulo-----Wartburg

Please let Gail Sharp know if anybody needs to be added to or removed from the prayer list. 

MICRONESIA MISSION REPORT

Scott and Rebecca Shanahan will be here for our evening service.  Scott will be giving a report on the mission work in Micronesia.

36th ANNUAL EAST TN SCHOOL OF PREACHING AND MISSIONS LECTURESHIP

Ancient Faith – Modern World

March 7-10, 2010

Come and learn more of God's word as the East Tennessee School of Preaching conducts its annual lectureship program. Faithful gospel preachers from all around the southeast will deliver lessons from God's word to encourage our faithful living according to God's word.  See the bulletin board in the foyer for a schedule of lessons.

CLINTON LADIES DAY PLANNING MEETING

Our Ladies Day will be May 22 with Teresa Hampton speaking on “Silver Threads That Bind.” We will have a planning meeting Sunday, March 7, after our evening service.  Everyone that can help out, please plan to be there.

GOSPEL MEETING

The Rockwood church of Christ will hold a Gospel meeting with Freddie Clayton March21-26.  Services Monday through Friday will start at 7:30 p.m. 

GOSPEL MEETING

Our Gospel Meeting in the spring will be June 6-10, 2010, with David Powell speaking.  Brother Powell is a Professor of Bible at Freed Hardeman University.

PUBLICATIONS AVAILABLE

Check the magazine rack in the foyer for issues of Think, Christian Woman, and other Christian publications.  Feel free to take one or two and after reading them, return them for others to read.

CHURCH OF CHRIST NIGHT AT THE TENNESSEE SMOKIES

August 21, 2010

Church of Christ Night at the Tennessee Smokies Baseball game has been changed to August 21.  Group price bleacher seats are $6.  The sign up list is still in the foyer if you plan to go.

CREEKESIDE PARK

When the weather warms up a little, we will begin working again on our Creekside Park.  This year, we will continue clearing brush, adding a gravel walkway, and installing picnic tables.  This will be a service project for everyone interested (from youth to Silver Saints).  We hope to create a place for the congregation to use and to open to our community to enjoy.  Be looking for upcoming dates to come and work on this project.

CHALLENGE YOUTH CONFERENCE

We had 17 go to the Challenge Youth Conference and the weekend was truly a blessing for youth and chaperones alike. There were around 7000 people in attendance.  Local Gatlinburg residents actually commented to the CYC organizers about how polite and kind these kids were.  We appreciate all who were involved and especially to our elders for giving us this opportunity. 

We Must Put Away Lying

By Ron Boatwright

One of the more common sins that is  going to cause many people to be lost is the sin of lying.  Because of this Ephesians 4:25 says, "Therefore, put away lying, let each one speak truth with his neighbor."  If we tell a lie it is a little lie, but if someone else tells a lie it is a big lie.  There are no little lies or big lies, but as far as God is concerned, a lie is a lie.  Proverbs 6:16-19 says, "These six things the Lord hates, yes seven are an abomination to Him: a proud look, a lying tongue…a false witness who speaks lies."

The Bible tells us that "God who cannot lie" (Titus 1:2).  God despises a lie.  In John 8:44 Jesus says, "You are of your father the Devil…there is no truth in him.  When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it."  When we tell a lie we are like the Devil, but if we always tell the truth we are more like God.

In Acts chapter 5, Ananias and his wife Sapphira had conspired to lie.  In Acts 5:3-5 we read, "But Peter said, Ananias why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit?…Why have you conceived this thing in your heart?…Then Aninias hearing these words fell down and breathed his last."  Three hours later his wife Sapphira came in and also told the same lie.  Then we read in verse 10, "Then immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last."  God struck them dead because they each told a lie.  This shows us how God feels about lying.

Revelation 21:8 says along with murderers, the sexually immoral, and the abominable, that "All liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death."   This says that all liars, not some but all liars are going to be lost.  So we must put away all lying.

You can't control the wind, but you can adjust your sails.

Serving the Congregation Sunday

                           AM                           PM

Song Leaders:    Joey Smith                Rick Caudle

Opening Prayer:    Herman Herren     Tim Melton

Lord’s Table:  Jack Sebring, Bob Paquette, Tim Nygard, Quentin Ashworth

Closing Prayer:   Carlos Herren          Jacob McCrary

 PM Table:    Ben Smith

Announcements:  Jim Ashworth

Greeters:    Rachel Broadway & Jettie Hensley

Wednesday

Song Leader:  Ben Smith

Invitation:  Darryl Glenn

Announcements:  Mike Smith