Did you get your exercise today? What if we would walk with the Lord? Walking with the Lord in the Bible means living for the Lord daily.  2 Cor. 4:16, reminds us to be renewed day by day.  How do we do this by:

1.       Every day let God say something to you (Ps. 119:11, 105; Acts 17:11) Let’s read and study our Bible.
2.       Every day say something to God (1 Thess. 5:17). Pray
3.       Every day do something for God (Gal. 6:10; Jam. 1:27). Be a servant. Be helpful to your neighbor. Let’s do good to one another.
4.       Every day say something for God (Mk. 16:15). Tell someone about Christ, Invite someone to church.  Will you be my guest this Sunday?

 The Bible challenges us to be like Christ every day! Will you do your spiritual exercise and walk with the Lord?

This is Mark T. Tonkery with a minute of meditation from the Camden Ave. church of Christ where you are always welcome.

Adapted from a Sermon by Gus Nichols

A man saw an eagle flying in the sky hunting for food.  A little later this same man saw the eagle swoop down and snatch something up.  Even though the man was a good distance away he could tell that the eagle had garbed a snake. As the eagle flew up in the air, with the snake in his talents, the eagle suddenly did a nose dive straight to the earth.  The man ran to where the eagle had crashed into the ground.  There he saw the eagle lying dead.  In the eagle’s talents was a poisonous snake which had bitten the eagle and killed it.

What is the poison you are holding on to?  What do you need to let go of?  Is it drugs, alcohol, a bad attitude, hate, or some other harmful thing?

Rom. 8:13-14, teaches, “For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.  For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.” 

If you need help letting go of something that is harming you please contact us.

I am Mark T. Tonkery with a minute of meditation from the Camden Ave. church of Christ where you are always welcome.

A fable is told about a fox going out one day to console a sick lion on his illness. When the fox came to the mouth of the cave, he heard the lion inviting him in. But the fox, having first examined the entrance, answered, "Not today, for I see the footsteps of all creatures of the woods leading into the cave, but I see the footsteps of none leading out."

That cave represents to many death and the grave. The way of the whole earth leads into it. But are there any footsteps leading out?

Christianity answers with a firm, unfaltering, "Yes, all that are in the graves shall come forth." Why, because Jesus Christ died and is risen from the grave.

1 Cor. 15:20, affirms this, “But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead,” 

The resurrection of Jesus changed history!  And it changes the spiritual direction of all who would believe in it today! To learn more contact me.

I am Mark T. Tonkery with a minute of meditation from the Camden Ave. church of Christ where you are always welcome.

On a dangerous seacoast where shipwrecks often occur there was once a crude little lifesaving station. The building was just a hut, and there was only one boat, but the few devoted members kept a constant watch over the sea, and with no thought for themselves, they went out day or night tirelessly searching for the lost. Many lives were saved by this wonderful little station, so that it became famous. Some of those who were saved, and various others in the surrounding areas, wanted to become associated with the station and give of their time and money and effort for the support of its work. New boats were bought and new crews were trained. The little lifesaving station grew.

Some of the new members of the lifesaving station were unhappy that the building was so crude and so poorly equipped. They felt that a more comfortable place should be provided as the first refuge of those saved from the sea. They replaced the emergency cots with beds and put better furniture in an enlarged building. Now the lifesaving station became a popular gathering place for its members, and they redecorated it beautifully and furnished it as a sort of club. Less of the members were now interested in going to sea on lifesaving missions, so they hired life boat crews to do this work. The mission of lifesaving was still given lip-service but most were too busy or lacked the necessary commitment to take part in the lifesaving activities personally.

About this time a large ship was wrecked off the coast, and the hired crews brought in boat loads of cold, wet and half-drowned people. They were dirty and sick, some had skin of a different color, some spoke a strange language, and the beautiful new club was considerably messed up. So, the property committee immediately had a shower house built outside the club where victims of shipwreck could be cleaned up before coming inside.

At the next meeting, there was a split in the club membership. Most of the members wanted to stop the club's lifesaving activities as being unpleasant and a hindrance to the normal pattern of the club. But some members insisted that lifesaving was their primary purpose and pointed out that they were still called a lifesaving station. But they were finally voted down and told that if they wanted to save the life of all various kinds of people who were shipwrecked in those waters, they could begin their own lifesaving station down the coast. They did.

As the years went by, the new station experienced the same changes that had occurred in the old. They evolved into a club and yet another lifesaving station was founded. If you visit the seacoast today you will find a number of exclusive clubs along that shore. Shipwrecks are still frequent in those waters, but now most of the people drown!

                    Many of us often make it a habit of reading the obituaries to see which one of our classmates, co-workers, friends, and family have gone on to meet their reward.   Obituaries tell us about where a person was born, lived, one’s immediate family history, one’s occupation, hobbies, and many other things, as well as times of the funeral and burial location. These notices of death are a daily reminder that our life on earth is not permanent.  Obituaries have a finality to them, they become a permanent record and reminder that a loved one is not present with us in this life any more.

            Now as one reads the Bible it becomes very clear that Jesus never had an obituary.  We read about His birth in Bethlehem (Mt. 1:18 – 2:6).  We can learn about His family (Mt. 1:1-17).  We can learn about much of His life and ministry in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.  We can also learn about the events leading up to His death and His actual death upon the cross in these same passages of the Bible.  But the one thing no one can find in the Bible is Jesus’ obituary.

1 Corinthians 15:1-4, explains it this way, “Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the Gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you--unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures…”.

1 Corinthians 15:20-23 continues to teach, “But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ's at His coming.”

Because Jesus, by the power of God, was raised from the dead, His death was not the end.  The Bible also makes it clear that not only did Jesus raise from the dead but all people will be raised at Jesus’ second coming, some to a resurrection of life; others to the resurrection of condemnation (John 5:28-29).  Those who obey Jesus’ doctrine which "reenacts" the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ through faith, repentance and baptism (Romans 6:1-4, 17) are cleansed from their sins, and continue to be faithful to Christ, have the hope of being raised at His second coming to be with Christ forever in heaven (1 Corinthians 15:23; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17).

Jesus’ death was not permanent; His grave was not final; the tomb was not Jesus’ final resting place.  Jesus does not have an obituary because Jesus did not remain in the grave.  Jesus death, burial, and resurrection is the “good news” of the Bible.  Jesus does not have an obituary.  He came not to have an ending but bring a new beginning. 

What will your obituary say?  Will it tell how you lived because you followed the One who arose from the grave and never had an obituary?  Have you been saved?  You can be, if you’ll respond to Jesus on His terms.    Think about it! Mark T. Tonkery