Thursday, January 26, 2006

The Third man

Last night I dreamed I took a walk
Up Calvary's lonely hill.
The things I saw with my own eyes
Could not have been more real.
I saw upon three crosses
Three men in agony;
Two cried out for mercy;
The third man looked at me.
And, Oh, the hurt in the Man's eyes
Just broke my heart in two.
It seemed that I could hear Him say,
"I'm doing this for you."
I knelt beneath the third man's cross
And slowly bowed my head.
I reached out to touch His feet,
They stained my hand with red.
And when I heard Him cry in pain,
I raised by eyes to see.
The blood spill from the third man's side
And some of it spilled on me.
And there among the mighty crowd
The ones who mocked Him cried,
"King, save thyself, if thou art King."
And then the third man died.
Suddenly I heard the thunder roar,
I saw the ligtning pierce the sky.
The third man was still hanging there;
And I began to cry.
I saw the darkness fall;
I heard the breaking of the ground.
Then I awoke, and though I had dreamed,
I touched by cheek and found.
My eyes were wet where I had cried,
A dream? I wish I knew.
Yes, I can still hear Him say,
"I'm doing this for you."

by request from Tom Wacaster
Author Unknown

Monday, January 16, 2006

50 Things A Christian Can Do

Someone may be asking, "What can I do in the church?" Here is a list of 50 things to start out with, if you still have time left over or need further direction we can add another 150 things to the list. Here are some simple, yet practical areas you may be able to help in:

  1. Study your Bible
  2. Worship Sunday Morning
  3. Worship Sunday Evening
  4. Attend Bible Study Sunday Morning
  5. Attend Bible Study Wednesday Evening
  6. Teach a Bible Class
  7. Assist in a Bible Class
  8. Bring Children to Bible Class
  9. Visit Shut-ins
  10. Visit memebrs in the hospital
  11. Visit non-members in the hospital
  12. Visit old members
  13. Visit new members
  14. Visit newcomers to the community
  15. Visit in the prisons
  16. Distribute tracks to hospitals
  17. Distrubites tracks to your friends
  18. Distribute tracts to your neighbors
  19. Do Bible Correspondence Courses
  20. Grade Bible Correspondence Courses
  21. Do daily Bible reading
  22. Give to the Lord's work more
  23. Conduct home Bible studies
  24. Pray daily
  25. Distrubite clothing to needy
  26. Greet visitors at worship services
  27. Be an active worshipper
  28. Donate a book to the church library
  29. Support gospel meetings in your area
  30. Invite people to attend services
  31. Provide transportation to serives
  32. Provide transportation at other times
  33. Write a missionary
  34. Collect toys for needy children
  35. Call those who are absent from worship
  36. Have the youth in your home
  37. Have the elders in your home
  38. Have the deacons in your home
  39. Have the preacher in your home
  40. Take flowers to people who are sick
  41. Take food to people in need
  42. Baby sit for a working family
  43. Prepare food to bereaved
  44. Show interest in children
  45. Prepare material for teachers
  46. Maintain baptistery clothing
  47. Help at funerals
  48. Do office work
  49. Help church secretary
  50. Help the preacher

NOTE: This is not a works based salvation but these works should come from our love, care, and concerns for souls. These are things not in any particular order but just beginning is important. Once you begin to work on these things you will be suprised how little time you really have to think of self.

David Dugan