THE ENON ENDEAVOR

VOLUME XXII                                                         APRIL 4, 1999                                     NUMBER 13

HOSPITAL NEWS:  Tammy Moss was in SAMC last week, Alberta Roney was in SAMC for treatments for blood clots, Dennis Taylor had a heart cath. at SAMC, and the Suggs were released with their new son from Flowers Hospital.  We continue to remember Tressie Farmer, Doran and Norma Deal, Johnnie B. Mendheim, Merle Whatley, Merle Whatley's son-in-law;  Crosher Whitehead's son-in-law; Jesse Brown's sister-in-law; Callie Kilgore; Clarice Turk; and several others who have been sick at home, let us remember all of our sick in prayer.

VISITORS:  It was good to see Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert Kilgore last Wednesday.  We wish them and the congregation with which they regularly work and worship in South Carolina the very best.

SPECIAL INVITATION:  Ann Knight invites the entire congregation to her pond on Saturday, April 3, 1999 at 2:00 P.M. for a finger food get-together.  There will be special activities for the children!  See her for details.

WATCH SPEAKING WHERE THE BIBLE SPEAKS on Graceba Images Cable 6 Mondays at 7:00 P.M., Fridays at 9:00 A.M. and Sundays at 1:00 P.M.!  Tell your friends!

WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED?  Hear the Gospel (Romans 10:17), Believe the Gospel (Hebrews 11:6), Repent of Sins (Acts 2:38), Confess Faith in Christ (Acts 8:37), be baptized (Acts 22:16), and remain faithful, even to the point of death (Revelation 2:10).  May we assist you in becoming a faithful Christian?

TOGETHER IN UNITY

PSALM 133:1  "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity".

     The picture of the first century Church is indeed a beautiful one, despite the backdrop of bloodshed and persecution against which it is cast.  The brethren were fully devoted to the Lord, and as a result of that devotion, they were also fully committed to each other in the kingdom.  The words of our text describe the "ideal" situation for us as Christians, a dwelling together, an abiding, a walking in harmony with each other and the Lord.  Let us consider a few of the areas wherein the first followers of the King in His Kingdom enjoyed unity.

I. THEY WERE UNITED WITH RESPECT TO THEIR POSSESSIONS.  In ACTS 4:32 we read, "The multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul:  neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common".  In a time of great persecution, with the hatred of the Jews raging against her, the church of the Lord treated properly the "things" of this world.  We love not this world (cf., I JOHN 2:15-17), and yet still we live in the world and have need of the provisions thereof.  This being so, when the brethren were destitute of those necessities of life, those provisions   without which life is impossible, their better supplied brothers and sisters came to their aid.  It has, from the beginning, been a steadfast rule of the Lord that we look out for one another:  "As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith" (GALATIANS 6:10).  When James commanded that we practice pure religion, he indicated that pure religion visits (cares for the needs of) the widows and orphans (cf., JAMES 1:27).  There was no spirit of "better" versus "worse" due to financial standing then, they were united in the area of possessions.  Could the same be said of us?

II. THEY WERE UNITED WITH RESPECT TO THEIR THOUGHTS.  We are often so commanded, and this is a command which was designed to not only tell us what to do, but to reflect what we naturally do as men and women who respect the authority of the Will of God.  Paul told the Romans to "be of the same mind one toward another" (ROMANS 12:16).  In this command is the idea of a common source for our thoughts, a common well from which we all draw.  We will think alike only to the extent that we respect alike a common "thought-source", and that source is the Word of God.  The thoughts of the Philippian brethren were very important to Paul, who wrote to them:  "Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind" (PHILIPPIANS 2:2).  He was thankful for their "one mind", would he be the same upon considering our mind?

III. THEY WERE UNITED WITH RESPECT TO THEIR ACTIONS.  What we do matters before the Lord, and there is a right way and a wrong way of doing all things.  We seek unity, we seek peace, we seek to please the Lord; but to realize these things we must act in harmony with His Will, knowing that "there is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death" (PROVERBS 14:12).  Paul commanded the Roman brethren concerning unity of action, writing:  "Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another" (ROMANS 14:19).  We act in unison when we 'follow after' a common desire, a common way of life.  The command is clear to the Corinthians:  "Be perfect [complete, mature], be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you" (II CORINTHIANS 13:11).  Using 'conversation' to mean 'manner of life', Paul told the Philippians: "Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ:  that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind, striving together for the faith of the gospel" (PHILIPPIANS 1:27).  How did they accomplish this unity of action?  Consider:  "Let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.  Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample" (PHILIPPIANS 3:16-17).  Are we so walking?

IV. THEY WERE UNITED WITH RESPECT TO THEIR TEACHINGS AND BELIEFS.  It matters what we teach and believe!  The idea that 'doctrine' is unimportant is simply not biblical, it is wrong.  Hear Paul's impassioned plea in his first letter to Corinth: "Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment" (I CORINTHIANS 1:10).  We cannot be 'of the same mind and judgment' if we do not think, believe, and teach alike.  Since all that we do is to be done by the authority of the Lord (cf., COLOSSIANS 3:17), and since "...God is not the author of confusion..." (cf., I CORINTHIANS 14:33), when we act by His authority we will of necessity teach and believe alike.  We are to ever endeavor "...to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace" (EPHESIANS 4:3).  So long as men respect the authority of other men over and above that of the Lord, religious division will exist, and the beautiful prayer of the Lord will not be realized:  "That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us:  that the world may believe that thou hast sent me" (JOHN 17:21).  Do we believe and teach alike?

V. THEY WERE UNITED WITH RESPECT TO THEIR PURPOSES, OR MOTIVES.  Their sole reason for existing was to please the Lord and glorify Him through His Son:  "Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end.  Amen" (EPHESIANS 3:21).  What higher or more noble motivation is there?  Paul told the Romans:  "Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another, according to Christ Jesus:  that ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ" (ROMANS 15:5-6).  They were not out to advance themselves, and they did not attend worship services to see or be seen of men; they were sincere and devout, they had their hearts in the right places and therefore their actions followed suit.  Could the same be said of us?

     "Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous" (I PETER 3:8).  Let us endeavor to be united in the Lord!
TIM SMITH  1272 Enon Road  Webb, AL 36376  (334) 899-8131

ARE YOU A CHRISTIAN?  Have you heard and believed the truth (Hebrews 11:6, John 8:32), repented of sins (Acts 2:38, Luke 13:3), confessed faith in Christ (Acts 8:37, Romans 10:10), and been properly baptized (Acts 22:16, I Peter 3:21)?  Are you being faithful (Revelation 2:10, Matthew 6:33)?  Let us help you!

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