The Champions Spirit
Volume 68, Issue 31
Aug. 9, 2009
Just Two Percent Matters!
One time I had trouble with mice, so I bought some d-CON. I noticed on the package that only two percent of its contents was actually poison. The rest was edible.
Now if some educated mouse could read, he might reason: “But there is so much good in it, a little bit won’t harm me, and besides, I’m hungry.” Yet all that good food didn’t do that poor creature much good because the little bit of poison either killed him or gave him some mighty nasty indigestion. The 98 percent nourishment was useless if that 2 percent killed him! The 98 percent was not enough to offset the 2 percent. The makers of d-CON know they have to put much good-tasting food in before mice will be tempted to eat that little bit that kills them.
This is parallel with a situation we often find in religion. Many feel that if there is so much good in their doctrines, a little bit of error won’t hurt them. However, the devil is smart enough to give people enough of the truth to make his lies appear wholesome but just enough error to condemn. No one will benefit from 98 percent truth if there is 2 percent error mixed in with it. Man won’t go 98 percent to heaven and 2 percent to hell; he’ll go to either one place or the other. Did not James say, “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all”? (James 2:10). The person who rejects two percent of the truth of God is guilty, just like the person who rejects all. “The wages of sin is death.” (Romans 6:23)
Think about it.
—Author Unknown
FAMILY MATTERS...
We are thankful for all those who are visiting with us today! Your presence is a blessing to us, and we pray that the time we spend together might glorify God and help us all to walk closer to His side! Please come again as you have the opportunity.
The family is growing! We welcome three new family units to the Lord’s church that meets at Champions. Pat and Kay Hemmingway, Judy Jackson, and Jim and Gail Morrissey are all Christians who have decided to work and worship with us! What a blessing they are! Please be sure to meet and welcome them to Champions.
Today is the last day of Ben Treme’s summer internship. We have been blessed in so many ways through his work with us and his devotion to the Lord. I’m sure we will be blessed yet again as he will be bringing the message during our evening worship tonight. Our thoughts and love goes with him as he will be returning to Harding University in the fall. We pray that he will have a long and useful life in the Lord’s service!
Back to Bible School Aug. 30 will be a special day for us. As this is typically “Back to School” time, we see it as a great opportunity to stress Back to Bible School! Details to follow.
Soon after our Back to Bible School Sunday, will come Sept. 13! By now, you know that Sept. 13 is “Be at Champions Day.” We are looking for all of our members to be here that Sunday. In view of that, take your “get-away weekend” before or after that day. Plan to be here on that Sunday! It will be special!
Parting Thought: If at first you don’t succeed, try following directions!
HAVE A BLESSED WEEK!
Jeremy's Junction
Last week I talked about how great our teens and college students did in Lithuania. Somehow, I neglected to mention one of our workers.
The last couple of years, I have had the pleasure of watching Skylar Massey grow into a wonderful Christian young woman. She has demonstrated great leadership and has helped very much in our ministry.
Lithuania was definitely an avenue in which Skylar showed her many spiritual gifts. One day Illia (one of the preachers there) came to me wanting to talk about Skylar. He was very impressed with the way Skylar was easily befriending the other girls. I remember when we first arrived. Our teens were surrounded by other Lithuanians and Russians teens. I quickly noticed that Skylar was already making friends. She did a wonderful job, and we all should be very proud of her efforts. She is preparing to go away to Oklahoma Christian University to further her education. Make sure you let Skylar know how much we love her and how we are very proud of her.
Skylar is one of several amazing stories that came from this trip. As I said in last week’s article, I will be using the next several weeks to share stories about this trip and other trips that our teens have been on this summer.
However, next Sunday evening , Aug. 16, we are going to hear from some of our teen boys regarding the Lithuania trip. We strongly encourage you to come early, as we will begin at 5 p.m. with several of our teens and adults who went to Lithuania, sharing stories about our trip and showing pictures. We will have refreshments and snacks at 5 p.m. Please take this opportunity to show your support for our "missionaries" as we share how we saw God moving in Lithuania.
In Him,
Jeremy Geurin
John's Jogs
THE CONVERSION OF CORNELIUS
Cornelius was a Centurion in the Roman Army. It appears that he had a solid religious background. He was devout, he feared God, his household feared God, his generosity to the people and prayer life to God were exceptional. By all human standards he was a good man but he was lost and evidently knew it. Let’s observe two visions:
About 3 p.m. he saw an angel of God coming in and saying, “Cornelius;” Your prayers and alms have come up for a memorial before God. Send to Joppa for Simon Peter – he’s lodging with Simon the tanner. He will tell you – “What you must do.” Notice his response: He called two faithful servants and a devout soldier and sent them for Peter an unknown Jew 30 miles away in Joppa.
We can see the Lord actively working to bring a teacher and a prospective convert together. About noon the following day Peter went to the roof to pray. He became hungry and while waiting for food he fell into a trance. He saw heaven open and an object like a large sheet bound at four corners descending on him and in it were all kinds of animals and birds and a voice said, “Peter, rise kill and eat.” Peter responded, “Not so Lord, – I have never eaten any unclean or impure thing.” The voice again said, “What God has cleaned – you must not call impure....” This was done three times then the object was taken back to heaven.
While Peter wondered about the vision, the men arrived from Cornelius. When they arrived in Caesarea, Cornelius with his household and close friends were waiting to be told what they must do. Cornelius fell at Peter’s feet to worship him, but Peter told him to stand up for he was just a man. Peter explained his vision that God had shown him that he should not call any man unclean. Then he asked, “But why did you send for me?” Cornelius explained his vision and then says, “So I sent to you immediately and you have done well to come. Now therefore, we are all present before God, to hear all the things commanded you by God to tell us.”
Peter preached Jesus to them and as he was speaking the Holy Spirit fell on all those who heard his word. Thus the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles. This is the only time recorded where anyone received the Holy Spirit before baptism showing the Jewish Christians that God was accepting Gentiles into his kingdom. Peter then asked, “Can anyone keep these people from being baptized with water? They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have. So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.” Now he has told him what he must do and he has obeyed.
Bowling: It’s a good thing that we are the Quiet Bunch and that we never brag about our tremendous skills because Sunday night we were humiliated by getting beat by A GIRL – Ashley Willis, made a strike every time she needed one.
—John Qualls