You had Heaven in your hands. Your sins had been washed away in the blood of Jesus. You could stand before God redeemed. Whiter than snow. You were Heaven-bound.

And now you’ve thrown it all away. What did you trade all of the treasures of Heaven for? Money? Sundays on the lake? Anger toward a brother in Christ? Sexual sin? Extra sleep on Sunday mornings? Simple loss of interest?

Can you think of anything that is really worth losing Heaven for? Please Come Home!

Your brothers and sisters at church miss you! We want you to come home and we want to go with you to the Father’s home forever. But that requires faithfulness on your part and ours.

Please, come home, today. Call the preacher or an elder and come back to the Lord.

Why do you wait, dear brother,

O why do you tarry so long?

Your Savior is waiting to give you

 A place in His sanctified throng.

What do you hope, dear brother,

To gain by a further delay?

There’s no one to save you but Jesus,

There’s no other way but his way.

Michael L. Ray

South Fulton, Tennessee

THE SEQUOIA TREES of California, known as Redwoods, are spectacular - towering as much as 300 feet above the ground… Strangely, these towering trees have unusually shallow root systems that spread out just under the surface of the ground to catch as much of the surface moisture they can. And this is their vulnerability. Storms with heavy winds would almost always bring these giants crashing to the ground but this rarely happens because they grow in clusters and their intertwining roots provide support for one another against the storms.

When we are together, either as a family or a church, we provide this same support. Pain and suffering come to all of us. But, just like those giant Sequoia trees, we can be supported in those difficult times by the touch of one another's lives. The knowledge that we have someone; that we are not alone; that there is someone who is willing to touch us, hold us - keeps us from being destroyed.

The apostle Paul said that we are “many members, yet one body” (1 Cor. 12:20), and he goes on in that context to tell us that every member is vital to the whole (1 Cor. 12:22-27). As the body of Christ are built up by one another. “From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love” (Eph. 4:16). To stand alone will bring destruction – we need one another. Tell your brethren this week how much you need them and appreciate them. And be the support for your brethren that they need.

By:  Tom Moore, Hamilton, Texas. KneEmail:

"That there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another." 1 Corinthians 12.25 Via KneEmail

The story is told of John T. Johnson that at the age of thirty-five his health failed and he was at the point of death. A doctor called upon him and informed him that the use of tobacco was destroying his health and that if he expected to live he must give up the habit. At the time Johnson had a plug of tobacco in his pocket. Going alone into the parlor, he pulled the tobacco out of his pocket, held it in his hand, and soliloquized: “John T. Johnson is sick – unfitted for business – and is, in fact, dying. What is killing him? The use of this poisonous weed I hold in my hand.” He laid the plug of tobacco down on the mantel, and fixing his eyes upon it, continued: “You have been and are now my mortal enemy; today we part forever. Remain where you are, I adjure you. I will never touch you again – never, God being my help.” From that day forward John T. Johnson never touched tobacco.

Johnson was one of the outstanding preachers of his time. When someone asked a companion of Johnson to describe his style of preaching, the reply was: “Imagine the largest cannon you can think of, loaded to the muzzle and fired at creation, and you will have an idea of how he preaches.” It is said that Johnson could picture hell so graphically that people in his audience became frightened. On other occasions, he could be very tender and loving and move the audience to tears.
    Earl West Gospel Advocate 6/22/1950

(John T. Johnson was a member of the United States Congress from Kentucky. When he left congress he devoted his life to preaching the gospel. It was said that after he began preaching his wife saw less of him than when he was a congressman. His brother, Richard T. Johnson served as Vice President under Martin Van Buren.)
    Source: Winder, GA Bulletin

Some people look at life like a slot machine.  They put in as little as possible and then expect to get out as much as they can!

Such a man goes through life never giving himself - never really putting anything into it. And he's always expecting his big break - expecting to hit the jackpot!  He usually envies the man at the top - figures he had all the breaks! It never occurs to him that generally men make it to the top by faith, plain hard work, struggle, and sacrifice.

Pitiful little men go through life with a chip on their shoulder - begrudging everyone who succeeds. They never give a man credit for his achievement - and they never blame themselves for getting nowhere!

"Do not be deceived, God is not mocked, for whatsoever a man sows, that will he also reap."  (Galatians 6:7)

A man who makes no proper investments in life - in people - in causes greater than himself - can expect to be disappointed with what life hands him.          -

By:  Tom Butterfield