Christian

When did the word Christian become so generic? Let me explain what I mean. When I read bulletins, religious journals, periodicals, etc., the writers have adopted key words to help us under and identify followers of Jesus. For example:

faithful or unfaithful Christian.

baby or mature Christian

committed or uncommitted Christian

liberal or conservative Christian

wayward or sound Christian

I guess I just missed that in Scripture. I believe I know what the writers are trying to say, but is it sufficient just to say Christian, or have we watered-down the word to where it does not have a meaning unless we flavor it with our adjectives?

I just want to be a Christian.

Sid

Has Anyone Seen?

Eleven-year-old Brennan Hawkins was LOST. He was last seen on Friday, June 17, 2005 at a Boy Scout Camp in rugged northeast Utah. A climbing wall supervisor said he had seen Hawkins removing his climbing gear, but the boy failed to show up for dinner an hour later.

An intensive search began involving as many as 3,000 volunteers. Searchers set out on foot, on horseback and all-terrain vehicles to find Hawkins. Authorities feared Brennan might have fallen into the fast-running Bear River. The searchers scoured the area, searching both mountains and rivers.

Four days later, Brennan Hawkins was FOUND. Two volunteer searchers came across the boy around noon (3 p.m. ET) about 1.5 miles south of Lily Lake, approximately five miles from the Boy Scout Camp. Hawkins was found alive and in remarkably good shape, given the ordeal he’d been through, said Dr. Edward Clark, medical director of Primary Children’s Hospital in Salt Lake City.

“We are absolutely thrilled with the outcome of this,” said his uncle, Bob Hawkins. "This is the GREATEST outcome we could expect."

Jody Hawkins, Brennan’s mother, said, “We're here to unequivocally tell you that Heaven is NOT closed, prayers ARE answered, and children DO come home.”

We rejoice with the Dawkins family and our gratitude is extended to those thousands of searchers who gave of their time and effort to find Brennan Dawkins. We are thankful to God for a happy ending to this ordeal!

Brennan’s experiences teach us some things about our OWN condition?

1. We are all lost without Jesus, whether we know it or not – Romans 3:23.

2. We can be lost and not know how to come home – Luke 15:11-24

3. There are people out there trying to help us find our way home – Matthew 28:19, 20

4. Only by the grace of God will we be saved – Ephesians 2:8, 9

5. Like Brennan, we are all on a journey that is dangerous without God – Matthew 28:20.

When you travel, take God along. Even though the trip will still be dangerous, with God there is always hope.

David is my first cousin by marriage. He preaches for the Creekwood Church of Christ in Mobile, AL and is doing a great ministry.

David Sargent/Sid Dye

Amazing Grace

I don't normally do this, but I think this story "hits" a walk-off homer. I hope you like it:

Freddy and the Lord stood by to observe a baseball game. The Lord's team was playing Satan's team. The Lord's team was at bat, the score was tied zero to zero, and it was the bottom of the 9th inning with two outs. They continued to watch as a batter stepped up to the plate named 'Love.'

Love swung at the first pitch and hit a single, because "Love never fails." The next batter was named Faith, who also got a single because Faith works with Love. The next batter up was named Godly Wisdom. Satan wound up and threw the first pitch. Godly Wisdom looked it over and let it pass: Ball one. Three more pitches and Godly Wisdom walked because he never swings at what Satan throws.

The bases were now loaded. The Lord then turned to Freddy and told him He was now going to bring in His star player. Up to the plate stepped Grace. Freddy said, "He sure doesn't look like much!" Satan's whole team relaxed when they saw Grace.
Thinking he had won the game, Satan wound up and fired his first pitch. To the shock of everyone, Grace hit the ball harder than anyone had ever seen! But Satan was not worried; his center fielder let very few get by. He went up for the ball, but it went right through his glove, hit him on the head and sent him crashing on the ground; the roaring crowds went wild as the ball continued over the fence . . . for a home run!

The Lord's team won!

The Lord then asked Freddy if he knew why Love, Faith and Godly Wisdom could get on base but couldn't win the game. Freddy answered that he didn't know why. The Lord explained, "If your love, faith and wisdom had won the game, you would think you had done it by yourself. Love, Faith and Wisdom will get you on base but only My Grace can get you Home:

For by Grace are you saved, it is a gift of God; not of works, lest any man should boast." Ephesians 2:8-9

Get Out Of Jail Free Card

The apostle Paul says in Romans 6:11 So you should consider yourselves dead to sin and able to live for the glory of God through Christ Jesus.

That reminds me of a story told that in the fourteenth century there were three brothers that were all Dukes in Belgium. One of them was named Renald and he was a very large man and had a nickname of Crassis which was Latin for fat. He and his younger brother Edward got into a dispute. And Edward took over his brother's kingdom. Edward put his brother in prison in the Newkirk Castle. He built a special cell for him - special because it had a door and windows but no locks. The problem was that the door and windows were a little smaller than normal and Renald could not get through them. Every day Edward would send sumptuous foods for his brother to eat. Crassis instead of dieting and losing weight to get out of the prison in fact put on weight. When charged by others about the cruelty of imprisoning his brother Edward would tell them that his brother is not a prisoner, he could leave anytime.

Who we serve determines if we can get out of sin. Think about your situation and then see if God has not given you freedom from animprisonedd life. God is good!

Sid