The Clear View Letter

• If you own just one Bible, you are abundantly blessed. 1/3 of the world does not have access to even one.
• If you woke up this morning with more health than illness, you are more blessed than the million who will not survive the week.
• If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture or the pangs of starvation, you are ahead of 500 million people in this world.
• If you attend a church meeting without fear of harassment, arrest or torture of death, you are more blessed than almost three billion people in the world.
• If you have food in your refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof over your head and a place to sleep, you are richer than 75% of this world.
• If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish someplace, you are among the top 8% of the world's wealthy.
• If your parents are still married and alive, you are very rare, even in the United States.
• If you hold up your head with a smile on your face and are truly thankful, you are blessed because the majority can, but most do not.
• If you can hold someone's hand, hug them or even touch them on the shoulder, you are blessed because you can offer God's healing touch.
• If you prayed yesterday and today, you are in the minority because you believe in God's willingness to hear and answer prayer.
• If you believe in Jesus as the Son of God, you are part of a very small minority in the world.
• If you can read this message, you are more blessed than over two billion people in the world that cannot read anything at all.

Be Thankful to the Lord!

Author Unknown

"An Ancient Voice"

He was not a Noah, Abraham, or Moses. He was not nearly as well known as Isaiah or Jeremiah. But Azariah, the son of Obed, had the Spirit of God resting upon him, and he expected to be heard.

He was so bold that he went out to speak to Asa, the king, and to the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. He demanded that all pay attention to what he was getting ready to say.

Azariah's message was clear and plain: "The Lord is with you, while ye be with him; and if ye seek him, he will be found of you; but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you" (2 Chronicles 15:2).

Colin Sedgwick says, "Do not these two sentences sum up the essence of all religion? The destiny of men and women - slaves as well as kings - is to know God, to love him, and to be loved by him. To do this is to find life and meaning. God’s desire is to be our friend and companion. He wants nothing more than to be found by us."

Ancient Israel could do many wonderful things when God was with them. They could depart from slavery in Egypt, and cross the Red Sea on dry ground. They could overcome nations and defeat giants.

But when they forsook God, God forsook them. They should have learned this important lesson when the twelve spies went into Canaan. Scared to death, the ten spies convinced the people to despise God. They refused to go into Canaan. Only when they heard they were going to die in the wilderness did they say, "Lo, we be here, and will go up unto the place which the Lord hath promised; for we have sinned" (Numbers 14:40). Moses warned them that it was too late. He said, "because ye are turned away from the Lord, the Lord will not be with you." And sure enough, the Amalekites and the Canaanites who lived in that hill country came down, and defeated them and pursued them.

God is not to be trifled with. He commands our submission and obedience, and to refuse is to court disaster.

Saying "No" to God means a non-life; a journey into meaninglessness and sorrow.

Awake Azariah, and speak to our generation! Your sermon is one we all need to hear.

John Gibson

A Special Welcome to our Visitors

Please fill out a blue visitor card so that we might have a record of your visit. If needed, there is a nursery available at the rear of the auditorium. Bible classes for all ages are available Sundays at 10:00 am and Wednesdays at 6:30 pm. We hope that you will join us for these studies. Please come and worship with us again soon.

Youth - News & Notes

Bible Bowl 2000 - September 9, 2000

Bible Bowl study cards will passed out Sunday, July 2

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