The Encourager

Church of Christ

140 West 15th Street

Front Royal Virginia 22630

540 635 2613

FrontRoyalChurchofChrist.com

SimpleBibleLessons.com

We Welcome Our Guest! We are so glad you’ve come for worship today!

Our prayer is you will be blessed by your time with us. Please feel free to ask us any questions you may have concerning our worship.

May 13, 2018

Sunday Service’s

Bible class 10:00 am

Worship 11:00 am

Afternoon 2:00 pm

Tuesday Ladies Class

11:00 am

Wednesday Service

7:00 pm

Personal Bible Study

SimpleBibleLessons.com

Online

Correspondence

In Home

RSW Jail Ministry

Correspondence

2nd & 4th In House

Food Pantry

By Appointment

Minister

John Stephen Smith

540-635-2613

ministerfrcoc@gmail.com

Serving Today Peter Diaz

Bob Baleskie

Mark Derflinger

Eddie Benfit

Song Service

David Born Wilson Diaz

Scripture Reading Art Candenquist

Cathy Derflinger 8

Kelly Clark 10

Vickie Petrow 10

Ellen Fristoe 26

Mike McCool 31

Mark & Karol Derflinger 24

Potter’s Children’s Home

Please see front Bulletin Board.

Monetary donations are

also welcome.

Needed Pantry Items:

Lysol Spray Disinfectant

Liquid Laundry Detergent

Yard Trash Bags

Heavy Duty Plastic Forks

Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cereal

Our Food Pantry Helps for the

month of April was 7.

Today’s 2:00 service will be

Lesson 4 in the

“The Christian Conscience” study.

Ladies!

The afternoon “Pretty in Pink” tea here,

on May 19th at 2:00.

Has been rescheduled for June 2nd.

Parents, Please Read:

There’s Trouble in the Land

There’s trouble in the land. No wideawake person will deny that! These upheavals have

caused many parents to express apprehension concerning the future of their children. That’s

understandable. When our children graduate from high school and leave home, many of

them also leave the church. Suddenly they are exposed to an environment hostile to home

life and Christ and even to the basic principles of morality. If a young person is ill-equipped to

handle this, he is in grave trouble.

Unfortunately at a time when families should be doing everything in their power to “beef up”

their spiritual defenses and intensifying their fight against Satan, many are permitting the

safeguard to be torn down. Neglect of Sunday morning Bible classes, Sunday evening

services, absence from Wednesday Bible study, and failure to encourage children to become

totally involved in church-centered activities are some of the more obvious evidences of this

foolish neglect.

Parents need to get their priorities straight. Those of us who preach seldom have the courage

to remind weeping parents of the problem. But when dads and moms begin crying over what

has happened to their kids, they could be reminded of the days when they chose camping

instead of worship, weekend trips instead of weekend Bible camp, and Sunday night

inspiration.

It only takes one hole in the fence to let the sheep out. It’s amazing how prolific some people

are at inventing new excuses to rationalize their habitual neglect. I would much prefer a

person to be honest enough to say, “I just don’t want to” than to forever blame job, health,

grandma, or baby.

Parents, give your kids a break! Put first things first! Let nothing interfere with regular church

attendance. Then after they’ve gone from home with that good training you can do what you

want with your own life. By that time, I feel you will make this a lifetime policy.

Bulletin Digest

Joe R. Barnett

Ashdown, AR

BSGFAA 2 Peter 1 &2 Lesson 198

Knowledge; False Teachers Peter

Bible Quiz:

1. Was David pleased with men who had murdered Ish-Bosheth? 2 Samuel 4:9-11 How did the people feel about David? 2 Samuel 3:36

2. At the Passover before Jesus’ death, what was the order given by the chief priests and Pharisees in Jerusalem? John 11:57

3. Why did the chief priests want to kill Lazarus of Bethany? John 12:10-11

4. Servants are to follow the example of the steps of _____. 1 Peter 2:21

5. What is a person supposed to do instead of returning evil for evil, or insult for insult? 1 Peter 3:9

6. Yes or no, is a person blessed if he must suffer for the sake of righteousness? 1 Peter 3:14

7. With what attitude should Christians show hospitality to each other? 1 Peter 4:9

8. Christians should ____in their suffering. 1 Peter 4:13

9. Yes or no, did Peter say that he was an elder? 1 Peter 5:1

10. How should the younger men treat the elders? 1 Peter 5:5

Additional Scriptures:

Seven deadly sins—Proverbs 6:16-19

Jesus’ transfiguration—Matthew 17:1-8

Jesus had promised the Apostles that the Holy Spirit would speak through them.—Matthew 10:20

Jesus had told of false prophets.—Matthew 7:15-25

Angels who had sinned—Jude 6

Questions:

1. How has God given us everything pertaining to life and godliness? 2 Peter 1:3

2. Yes or no, are there qualities which a Christian should add to his faith? What will be the result: 2 Pe-ter 1:5-8, 11

3. How did Peter know the things which he had taught? 2 Peter 1:16

4. In 2 Peter, Peter spoke of his death as (a) soon, (b) distant, or (c) unknow? 2 Peter 1:14

5. Where did Peter say that prophecies originated? 2 Peter 1:21

6. According to Peter, who would distort the truth? 2 Peter 2:1-3

7. How can a person become enslaved to sin? 2 Peter 2:19

Application:

On how a Christian must grow to live a holy life—2 Peter 1:5-8

BSGFAA 2 Peter 3 Lesson 199

False Teaching Concerning Second Coming

Peter

Bible Quiz:

1. David was ____years old when he became king, reigning ____years over Judah, and ____over all Israel and Judah. 2 Samuel 5:4-5

2. The city where David reigned over all Judah and Israel was____. 2 Samuel 5:5

3. What did the people along the road do and say to Jesus as he rode the colt to Jerusalem? Mark 11:8-10

4. What should a Christian be ready to do, if someone should ask him concerning his faith? 1 Peter 3:15

5. Name the man who probably wrote the five Old Testament books of Law? (a) Jeremiah, (b) Moses, (c) Adam.

6. How many books are in the entire Bible? (a) 29, (b) 65, (c) 44, (d) 66

7. The devil is likened to ____. 1 Peter 5:8

8. Jonah is classified as an Old Testament book of ______. (a) law, (b) prophecy, (c) history

9. Yes or no, are there qualities which a Christian should add to his faith? What will be the result? 2 Peter 1:5-8, 11

10. According to Peter, who would distort the truth? 2 Peter 2:1-3

Additional Scriptures:

1. Flood during Noah—Gen. 6-8

2. Day of judgment—Isa. 65:17; Daniel 7:10; Matthew 24:36-51; 25:34, 41; 2 Thess. 1:7-10; Hebrews 12:27

3. Paul wrote of the “patience of our Lord.”—Rom. 2:4; 9:22; Galatians 5:22

According to the Dictionary:

1. Repentance— to change one’s mind, for the better from sin; Acts 2:37, 38. Being sorrowful of wrong.

2. Grace—is an undeserved gift. There is nothing a person can do to deserve grace.

Questions:

1. By what did God form the heavens and the earth? How once did God destroy the world? Hwo will God destroy the heavens and earth on the day of judgement? 2 Peter 3:5-7, 10, 12

2. Does God count time as we do? 2 Peter 3:8

3. How many people does God want to save? 2 Peter 3:9

4. The Lord’s returning is compared to a ____. 2 Peter 3:10

5. The knowledge of God’s promises to destroy the heavens and the earth should cause us to live____. 2 Peter 3:11

6. Peter said that _____also wrote about salvation. 2 Peter 3:15

7. In what are Christians instructed to grow? 2 Peter 3:18

Application:—on God’s desire for salvation of mankind—2 Peter 3:9

What is God saying to you for your life? Answer using the word “I” or “me”.

Names On This Page Will Periodically be removed.

Please Keep Tenia Informed as to there Condition & or Status

Condolences to: Ellen Fristoe and family and friends of the passing of Kelly Holzhauser.

Philip (Pop) Funk, Lynn Care #243

Linda Sullivan, testing on the 15th

Priscilla L., (Vickie’s friend) cancer.

C.R. Newlin, (Debbie’s friend) cancer.

Cancer Diagnosis

Ron Parks

Philip Funk Jr.

Jackie Barbe

Frank Couto

Blaine Tewalt

Ryan Denharat

Sandy Holzhauser

Vita Torres

Jeff Pingley

Wendy Willoughby

Elaine Appleton

Robert Jenkins

Our Homebound

Audrey Herring John Woodall

Nancy Barnes

Ongoing Concerns

Linda Sullivan

Ray Stelzl

Becky Hawes

Margaret Lantz

Woody Bolton

Diana Wines

Tim Gunter

Bobby Jo Henderson

Kenny Henderson Jr.

Ruth Brooks

Sharon Jenkins

Gloria Van Arsdall

Jamie Shell

Marty Jones

Jamie James

John Taylor

Irene Alger

Lisa Settle

Scott McCool

Jaden Turner

Kim Wines

Doris & Donald Jones

Carol & Doug Ritenour

Dolores Williams

RSW Jail Ministry

Our nation and lawmakers

The Lord’s church

Military men and women

First Responders

“Come unto to me all you that labor and are

heavy laden and I will give you rest.” says

Jesus, our Lord. Matthew 11:28

The Cracked Acorn

Nothing May 13, 2018 c.r. van arsdall

Nothing about nothing! Mother would cajole me into things that I was very nervous about doing. She would tell me that I was worrying about “nothing.” As a child then it was a very big thing to me; I did not at that age, have a vast warehouse of experience and useless knowledge to back me up! I could not rely on,”Well, I have been there and therefore, this is just a repeat of something that is in most cases, probably will not happen or will happen in a sudden fashion to make you a better person or you, in a quiet mo-ment will look back and say “Why me? LORD!”

So, in a quiet moment, I have asked the Lord to give me a little “nothing.” I have not received a reply...Maybe, the Lord is out of nothing, or it is on order. It would seem to me, that creating the universe with suns, stars, planets and all that good stuff, that it could be that the Lord is short on Noth-ing. If I wait for the Lord to supple me with an ample sup-ply of nothing; I will then have enough to last me for sev-eral years.

Meanwhile, I probably should get ready for the moment when the Lord will give me, what He thinks is the correct “nothing” dosage for my age. I love the Lord, and am sure that like a father, he will select the nothing that will have no side effects. If it is free, and I am almost sure that when nothing arrives; it will be untaxable, but just to be sure, on the 1040 it says,”other income.” Nothing does not come cheap whethere it is in the small, medium or large economy or family size. I should write in that space

that I have received nothing and do not know its value. I should surf the internet and see if any one else may be knowledgeable about nothing and can advise me. I am sure that you cannot buy stock on the NY exchange; no one wants to invest in nothing.

As a child when I came in from playing outside, Mother would ask me what I was doing; I always said nothing. It was lots of fun then to do nothing. It is hard as an adult to do nothing, someone always wants to put something in your noth-ing. You have to guard your nothing, turn your head and it could disappear. Some-where between child and adulthood, I lost my nothing; it is out there somewhere.

When I talk to friends about nothing, they laugh, Why would I be concerned about nothing! It is a like an orphan looking for a home with love. I love noth-ing and sometimes I have it and then it is gone. Believe me if I ever get more nothing, I will hang on to it and love it and hug it and never ever let my nothing go. Touch my nothing and you could be in trouble, but I am a Christian and I will bear my cross of lost nothing until I find it again.

So, if you see me out there in the big world and I am wearing a big smile, you will know that I have found noth-ing and intend to keep it. Find the right moment and I just might share it with you. I hear that leasing is the thing now. How about 36 months at zero interest and you put the nothing to work and see what nothing can do for you.

*Songs of FAITH and PRAISE #902

Hebrews 9:12 Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.

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Take Me Out To The Ballgame

by Steve Higginbotham (March 7, 2018)

Because we lived close to Pittsburgh while growing up, my dad took me to a lot of Pirates baseball games when I was a boy. With the passing of time, most of the events that transpired at those games have been forgotten, but one game we attended has been etched deeply into my memory.

I would imagine I was about 10-12 years of age when about 10 men from church attended a Pirates game with my dad and me. We were all seated in the same row, taking up the first 12 seats from the aisle. My dad and I were sitting the farthest from the aisle. As you know, during the game, venders walk up and down the aisles trying to sell, hotdogs, popcorn, soft-drinks, and beer as well.

At some point during the game, a man to my right hollered at the vender, wanting a beer. So the vender handed a beer to our friend sitting in the aisle seat and asked him to pass it down. He did, to our friend in the second seat, the second passed it to the third, and so on until it got to my dad. My dad crossed his arms and refused to pass it on. At this point, the vender began yelling at my dad, and the guy sitting on the other side of me who wanted his beer began yelling at my dad, but dad didn't budge. Finally, dad said, "I didn't come here to bartend, I came to watch a ballgame." At that point, our friend to the left of my dad, passed it back, and the next guy passed it back, and so on until it was returned to the vender. The vender was incredulous at what just happened, and continued to yell at the whole row of us, telling us to pass it on to the guy who wanted a beer. Finally, when he saw he wasn't going to make any progress with us, he went down to the row in front of us and had them pass the beer over to the guy in our row.

I'll have to admit that as a kid, I was embarrassed that day. People were yelling at my dad, and I just wanted to sink down in my seat. But looking back on this memory as an adult, I couldn't be more proud of my dad for taking a stand a living in harmony with his convictions.

I don't remember who won the game that day. In fact, I don't even remember who the Pirates were playing. But I do remember my dad's resolve and his refusal to compromise his convictions. Now that's a father/son memory at the ball-park I'll never forget!