Know Your Bible
July 2000

Are You Willing?

Are you willing to let the Bible be your only rule of faith and practice? Are you willing to study the Bible and the Bible only with someone that wants to do the same thing in the same way? Are you willing to lay aside every manmade doctrine and creed and take the Bible, for what it says, in matters religious?

If you answer yes to the above questions then you and we ought to really enjoy studying together through the medium of this little bulletin. We hope you will allow this little paper to come into your home each week free of charge with no obligation to you in any way except to encourage you to study your Bible and see if the things taught herein are true according to the Word of God. If the teaching within these articles are not true according to the Bible, then we beg you from the bottom of our heart to write us and tell us wherein we are wrong. If you will do this, you will be a cherished friend. For we do not desire to teach anything in these pages that are not according to the Bible. First of all, we do not want to be wrong because of our own soul's salvation. Secondly, we do not want to lead anyone else astray from God's word.

If any question or comment comes to your mind during the reading of these articles in the future, please send such to the address given on the back page. You can either write us or e-mail us; whichever you prefer. Every consideration will be given to any question or comment you might have. If for any reason you do not desire to receive this paper into your home each month, then please let it be known by writing to the same addresses. But, we do want to encourage you to continue to study with us each month. May God bless you as you study His word to determine what He wants you to do and to be while you live upon this earth.

(Jim Sasser, adapted)

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"If The Foundations Be Destroyed..." Psalms 11:3

God has ordained the existence of three institutions: the home, the church, and civil government. He instituted the home after creating the first man and woman in Genesis 2. He established His church in Acts 2. Romans 13:1-7 teaches us that the "powers that be are ordained of God" (verse 1). These are very important institutions that not only affect our lives in this world but will determine our eternal destiny.

Because of their importance, they must be maintained and the only proper way to maintain them are in accordance to God's instructions. After all, He ordained their existence, He know best how they must function. However, God's instructions are not always heeded and whenever that is the case, the results are devastating. When the move is made away from God's word, these institutions become corrupt.

Our existence as a society is dependant upon these three institutions. Indeed, these are the foundations upon which our society is built. Who is it of us that can say the home, the church, and civil government have not had evil influences that have carried them away from God's ordinances? To deny such is the case, is to have had our heads buried in the sand! Evolution, Feminism, Modernism, Materialism, etc. have all eroded the foundations of our society because of the devastating affects they have had on these three institutions. Indeed as David asked: "If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?" (Psalms 11:3).

In recent times, we have seen the corruption of civil government by high ranking officials even to the point of impeachment. Yet, there was no removal from office. Therefore, they were set free to continue the things they had been doing. Because of the democracy form of government, we have a voice by means of voting to put in or keep out those of corrupting practices and influence. Therefore, the corrupting of the government is partly to be blamed on us when we know of the sin and wickedness of certain candidates and yet we vote for them anyway.

The Lord's church has not escaped, in many places, the onslaught of liberal, loose minded thinking that has come to dominate the thinking of the majority. Tolerance and acceptability are more sought after than a "thus saith the Lord" and the results have been a slow gradual change of thinking in regards to God's absolute truth. Nearly everything is up for compromise from the plan of salvation, worship, modesty to what defines adultery!

Nor has the home escaped. This is the reason why the church which meets at 112 Roberts Avenue in Wise, Virginia has decided to conduct and invite you to:

A Series Of Bible Lessons On
The Home And Family
July 16-21

Sunday AM Preparing For Marriage Andy Mitchell
Sunday PM Marriage Chris Fleming
Monday Divorce And Remarriage Charley Ward
Tuesday Husband/Wife Relationship Doug Ramey
Wednesday Parent's Responsibility Gaddy Hall
Thursday Children's Responsibility Phillip Mullins
Friday Choosing An Occupation Marshall Stubblefield

7:30 Nightly

The meeting place is located just off West Main Street on Roberts Avenue. Upon coming into Wise, you should have no trouble finding the building if you follow the signs to the Wise County Health Department.

We believe this series of Bible lessons will help us and everyone to find out what God has said concerning the home and family. By God's word we can be "throughly furnished unto all good works" (2 Timothy 3:16,17). There is no relationship in life, the family included, that God's word does not set forth the guidelines which we must follow if we are to be pleasing to Him. No only do we please God when we do what He teaches but we will also have the kinds of homes and families that will be a source of joy and peace that God intends.

Let us not wait until it's too late to learn what God would have us to do. Let's don't wait too late to implement into our families the precepts of God's words. We urge you to come, bring your Bibles, hear, and benefit from this series of lessons.

—E.R. Hall, Jr.

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Reasons To Discipline Our Children

A scanning of the Book Of Proverbs provides several reasons...

1. To show you don't hate them:

"He who spares the rod hates his son but he who loves him is careful to discipline him." (13:24)

2. To give them hope:

"Discipline your son, for in that there is hope; do not be a willing party to his death." (19:18)

3. To help them for a lifetime:

"Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it." (22:6)

4. To chase away foolishness:

"Folly is bound up in the heart of a child but the rod of discipline will drive it far from him" (22:15)

5. To save his soul:

"Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you punish him with the rod he will not die. Punish him with the rod and save his soul from death."(23:13-14)

6. For your own comfort:

"Discipline your son and he will give you peace; he will bring delight to your soul." (29:17)

Parents need to read and understand these passages. So, too, should our children. We want them to see why for their own good, and for the good of their children as well.

---Bob Hines

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