The Champions Spirit
Volume 69, Issue 6
Feb. 14, 2010
In This Issue
“The Importance of Songs”
The mission was about over. Forty years! Moses had gone back to Egypt and through the awesome power of God delivered a multitude of motley slaves and turned them into a formable nation. The nation by now was literally led by God as He had the cloud or the pillar of fire move from its place over the tabernacle’s Most Holy Place. The nation had a law—given directly to Moses from the Lord. The nation had already defeated some of their enemies and had even claimed territory on the east side of the Jordan River. Now, it was time for the nation, through its new generation, to receive their land promised long ago to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. A new leader, Joshua, was appointed by God to take over for Moses who would have to end his mission in only looking at, not living in the Promised Land.
Still, even though his mission was almost complete, Moses did want to leave a lasting message—a message of warning—to the people he so dearly loved. How would he do it? He could write it. Certainly, he did write, for we believe that he was the inspired author of the first five books of the Old Testament...called the books of Law, which includes Deuteronomy. Yet, there was another way in which Moses would indelibly imprint those important words on the minds of the people. The suggestion came from God Himself as we find in Deut. 31:19: “Write this song for yourselves, and teach it to the sons of Israel, put it on their lips, so that this song may be a witness for Me against the sons of Israel.” We are told that Moses did exactly as God commanded in this matter. Deut. 31:30
Question. Why do we still sing today? Why not just listen to the melodious notes of an instrument? Because there is an importance of songs! In singing, we do what Moses and the people would do...we teach, we learn, we edify. That is exactly what the inspired writer Paul said in Col. 3:15 “Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” Whether in Moses' day, or in ours, we are reminded of The Importance of Songs.
—Larry Keele
FAMILY MATTERS...
To our guests, we would like to extend our warmest welcome! We know there are a lot of choices you could have made as to where you would spend this morning...we are thankful you chose to spend it in worship to our God with us! Please come again!
Mildred Ewell, Niki Gustin, and David Idlebird (both Sr. and Jr.), all asked to be identified as part of the family of God in Champions. Please be sure to meet and welcome these!
For those who wanted to get one of Eric Lyons books on the alleged discrepancies in the Bible, there is a sign up list on the bulletin board. He has written two volumes. We are taking orders for each. All books are $10. We will order the books in two weeks.
Thanks to all who made our “Sweetheart Banquet” such a great event yesterday. A special thanks to Darlene Bounds and those who helped her decorate and to Tony Brown for his work as Master of Ceremonies.
Special note for our Look at the Book program: Our program deviates in the “order” of reading this week. Our “book of the week” to read is JOB!
Parting Thought: Every day is a good day to express love!
HAVE A BLESSED WEEK!
Jeremy’s Junction
Last Friday evening, as many of you already know, several of the teenage guys gathered for a super hero party. We watched the Smallville movie; we dressed like super heroes; we went out for a special meal at McDonald’s. Some of us were dressed like popular characters including Batman, Superman, Spiderman, and the Hulk. Others were dressed as lesser-known characters such as Scourge, Deadpool, and several others. Tyler was dressed up like Matt Jones (former Arkansas QB).
Interest in super heroes has really entered the main stream this past decade. From everything I am seeing, it appears this is a trend that will last many more years. Within the next few years, we will be seeing films such as Iron Man 2, Thor, The Avengers, Captain America, Batman 3, a rebooted Superman, Green Lantern, and eventually a Justice League film. Super hero films and comics are selling at an all-time high.
Why do you think this is? Well, when you dissect most super heroes, they are normal people who, at some point in their lives, had greatness thrust upon them. Whether it be the psychological effect of watching your parents murdered in front of you (Batman), a radioactive spider biting you, (Spiderman), or a cosmic-powered ring choosing you as a soldier (Green Lantern), what you typically have is a normal person being given a gift, a choice, and then doing extraordinary things.
Does any of this sound familiar? Recently, while giving his retirement speech, famous quarterback Kurt Warner walked up to the podium with his Bible and explained what it meant to him. He said that this Book was filled with ordinary people that God called to do something extraordinary. The Bible is filled with people who seemed ordinary or even dramatically flawed: Jacob, Moses, Aaron, David, Peter, and Paul just to name a few. Still, God took them and did extraordinary things with them.
Be a hero. You don't have to be a supe rhero. Just be someone who is open to what God calls you to be when you read His scriptures. Be someone who helps the helpless. Be someone who brings the message of salvation to someone on the street. Be someone who prays with a waiter or waitress and helps them see that there is hope in this world. Be someone who courageously stands up for their faith when it is being threatened by outside forces. For all of us who are ordinary, let's let God take control of our lives and do something extraordinary with it. Let God make you a hero.
Isaiah 61:1-1
1 The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn...
—Jeremy Geurin
John’s Jogs
BIBLE BASICS #4
On his way to Haran, Jacob stopped for the night. Finding a stone for a pillow he had a dream of a ladder reaching into heaven with angels ascending and descending on it. God reassured him of the promise made to Abraham and Isaac and now to Jacob that He will give this land to his descendants and that all people would be blessed through his offspring.
Arriving in Paddan Aram, Jacob met Laban, the son of Rebecca’s brother Bethel, who had two daughters, Rachel and Leah. Jacob fell in love with Rachel and agreed to work seven years for Laban for her. On the wedding night he slept with his bride only to awake the next morning to find Leah there. Laban explained that they could not give the younger girl before the older one and agreed again to give him Rachel for another seven years. Leah bore six sons for Jacob (Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar and Zebulun) and she gave her maidservant Zilpah to Jacob as a wife who bore him two sons (Gad and Asher). Rachel gave Jacob two sons (Joseph and Benjamin) and gave him her maidservant Bilhah who bore him two sons Dan and Naphtali.
After Joseph was born Jacob asks Laban to give him his wives and children and I’ll be on my way back to my homeland. Laban bargained with him to stay longer and he would pay him the wages asked. Jacob agreed that his wages would be all the speckled or spotted sheep or goats. From this agreement Jacob became independently wealthy. Jacob learned that Laban and his sons attitude toward him had changed – they were jealous of his prosperity saying he had taken Laban’s flocks. The Lord said to Jacob, “Go back to the land of your fathers and to your relatives; and I will be with you.”
Jacob left Paddan Aram with his wives, children and livestock and with all the goods he had accumulated to return to Canaan. As they neared the end of his journey, Jacob prepared to meet Esau. He sent a message with a large gift to Esau. The messengers returned with the news that Esau was coming to meet him with 400 men. How would you feel? In great fear and distress Jacob divided his group and prayed a fervent prayer for deliverance from his brother Esau. He prepared a lavish gift for Esau and sent them on ahead with instructions to say, “These belong to your brother Jacob. They are a gift sent to my lord Esau, and he is coming behind us.”
That night a man wrestled with Jacob all night. The man asked what is your name? He answered – Jacob. The man said, “it will no longer be Jacob but ISRAEL”.... Jacob looked up and there was Esau. Esau ran to him and embraced him. They wept! Jacob introduced Esau to his wives and children. Esau went back to Seir and Jacob (Israel) to Canaan.
Next Week = Twelve Tribes (children) of Israel
—John Qualls