ATTENDANCE/CONTRIBUTIONS

August 14, 2016

85 a.m./37 p.m.

$2,504.00

Service Saturday ~ to pass out Bibles

August 27, 2016

8th Annual Middle Georgia Bible Lectures

What Controls Your Life?

September 9-10, 2016

Ladies Day

Forest Park Church of Christ

October 14 & 15, 2016

Ladies Day

The Church of Christ at Moreland Avenue

October 15, 2016

WE CARE ADDRESSES

Mildred Allaway

2385 Tiffany Place

Decatur, GA 30035

You can send a card,

say a prayer or make a phone call

to let our members know we care.

That there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. I Corinthians 12:25-26

THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD


A Sunday School teacher decided to have her young class memorize one of the most quoted passages in the Bible - Psalm 23. She gave the youngsters a month to learn the chapter. Little Rick was excited about the task - but he just couldn't remember the Psalm. After much practice, he could barely get past the first line.
On the day that the kids were scheduled to recite Psalm 23 in front of the congregation, Ricky was so nervous. When it was his turn, he stepped up to the microphone and said proudly, 'The Lord is my Shepherd, and

that's all I need to know.'

The Area Wide Devo will be hosted by Fayetteville Church of Christ tonight. Cornerstone, from Falkner University, will sing after the worship service.

Prayer

Requests

Sue Collins is not doing well.

Alice Guzman has Stage 3 breast cancer ~ please see Wyn Miller for details.

Bill Hales, Dianne Free’s older brother, had open heart surgery.

Alnita Hudson, Libby’s mother-in-law, is in Piedmont Atlanta undergoing tests ~ see Libby for an update.

Libbie Hudson had a lung CT scan last Thursday ~ please pray for her and her family.

Donna Kent, Libbie Hudson’s co-worker, has been diagnosed with breast cancer.

Willard Mann has been experiencing nerve paint.

CONTINUE TO REMEMBER: Louella Alley, Lula Childs, Vern Morris, Gertrude Musslewhite

MISSIONARIES: Robert Martin (Pacific Islands)

SHUT-INS: Gwinnell Goss; Sonny Vaughn

Imani Childs

Mercy Odhiambo

Staicy Odhiambo

Erick Suarez

Jasmine Sweeting

WEDNESDAY INVITATION

August 24, 2016

Ben Born

Fairview Church of Christ

And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:13

August 21, 2016

Minister:

Jerry Whitmire

678-432-4953 Home

678-492-0383 Cell

Church Info:

1048 Swan Lake Rd.

Stockbridge, GA 30281

Phone: 770-474-7107

Fax: 770-506-0136

Email:

Services:

Sunday

Bible Study . . . . 9:30 a.m.

Worship . . . . . 10:30 a.m.

Worship ...... 6:00 p.m.

Wednesday

Bible Study . . . . 7:00 p.m.

Worship Assignments

August 28, 2016

Announcements/Opening Prayer: Courtney Atchison

Lead Singing: Ted Brown

Lord’s Supper:

Dennis Brown, Allen Dailey,

Carlton Smith, Jayland Fowler

Reading: Charles Killian

Prayer: Ben Born

Attitude

How can one develop a proper attitude toward God? First, our attitude toward God must be based on our conviction that “He is,” and that “He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6). This kind of faith will produce a good attitude of godly fear, and “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge” (Proverbs 1:7). Second, God is absolutely holy, absolutely perfect, and absolutely wise. He is grieved by evil. He loves man and wants us to love and obey Him. All of this should motivate us to want to be true to Him all the days of our life. Our attitude toward God will then be such as expressed by the heavenly hosts: “Worthy are thou, our Lord and our God, to receive the glory and the honor and the power: for thou didst create all things, and because of thy will they were, and were created,” (Revelation 4:11).

The churches of Christ greet you.

Romans 16:16

Handling Your Spiritual Sword

Jack McNiel

A sword is “a weapon with a long blade for cutting or thrusting that is often used as a symbol of honor or authority.” (Webster’s Dictionary). For centuries, the sword was the primary weapon of warfare and was carried by people from all walks of life for the purpose of personal defense. The sword could protect and defend as well as attack and destroy. It was an awesome weapon in the hands of a skilled knight or samurai. In medieval times, sword training began at an early age and it took years of hard work and dedication to truly master its use. Swordsmanship was a vital part of a young nobleman’s education. Training with the sword was not simply a classroom or verbal exercise ~ it required intense physical training and actual practice with the sword to achieve mastery over it.

The Word of God is a “spiritual sword” to be used as a weapon of spiritual warfare and personal defense. The Holy Spirit, by inspiration, speaks of the Bible as His Sword, “And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:” (Ephesians 6:17). Again in Hebrews 4:12, He speaks of His Word as, “quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”

The Spirit’s Sword is useful for defense of the Gospel. To be able to use the Spirit’s Sword we must be trained in its use. How do we train? Answer: by a dedicated study of God’s word and by putting the word into action (II Timothy 2:15, I Peter 3:15)

Although the physical sword was once the most important weapon in the arsenals of history, today the sword is primarily a symbol used solely for ceremonial purposes. Many of these “ceremonial” swords are not even sharpened and are essentially useless as weapons of warfare or personal defense. Very few train in its use.

The same is true of the Spirit’s Sword today. Very few people know how to use it. Most people have a Bible, yet few ever read it or even open its cover. They have a Bible, but it is only a “ceremonial” Bible to be brought out only when the preacher or one of the elders visits. The remainder of the time, it is simply the centerpiece of the coffee table.

In years past this was not so; Christians were “Spiritual Swordsmen”. Most Christians were skilled in its use, not just preachers and elders. They spent hours and hours each week studying and memorizing scripture. They could give a “book, chapter and verse” defense of the gospel at a moments notice without having to even open a Bible ~ because they were so thoroughly trained in Spiritual Swordsmanship

Does this describe you? If not, then it is time to begin your training. Just as there was no easy way of learning the art of swordsmanship, there are no shortcuts in learning to use the Bible. The only way to become proficient with either sword is to practice. Prayerfully study the Word daily, commit yourself to putting into practice its precepts and you will become a “Spiritual Swordsman.”