There was a preacher name Stewart and one day he was talking to the butcher about a steak.
The butcher said, I see you quite often, but I never asked you what you do for a living.   
 Stewart replied, I’m a preacher, I preach for a local church of Christ.    
The butcher said, “oh wow, you are a reverend!”   No, Stewart replied, just a preacher. 
 I don’t understand, the butcher said, isn’t a preacher a reverend?   No, he isn’t, said Stewart, reverend is one of the names for God and even if men allow people to call them reverend, it is wrong for no man is fit to wear the name of God.    I never heard that before, said the butcher; all the ministers I know were called reverend.   

Yeah, I’m sure they are, said Stewart; but it is still wrong for them to be addressed as such.  Let me ask you this. Would you address a preacher as Almighty?   No said the butcher, only God is Almighty.   Correct said Stewart, but the word reverend means just that, it means “Awesome” and no man is such.  Let me quote from Psalms 111.9
 “ He sent redemption unto His people: He hath commanded His covenant forever, Holy and Reverend is His name.    The butcher said, I have never heard that verse in my life,  I didn’t know; but from now on I will correct anyone who calls a preacher “reverend.”
Great said Stewart, I’m glad I could be of help and if I can be of farther service to understand
​the bible, let me know.       Now, how about my steak?

If a church only has a few members, you shouldn’t disqualify that church.  If a church is made of mostly members of a race which is different than yours, you shouldn’t disqualify that church.  If you are a single person and all the members of that church are married, you shouldn’t disqualify that church. If the church doesn’t own its meeting location, you shouldn’t disqualify that church. If your children will be the only children there, you shouldn’t disqualify that church.
 
A church should only be disqualified if it doesn’t stand for the truth.   If it is unfriendly and has clicks.   
 I’m speaking of questionable behavior by the members.   All the other kinds of things that we have
​mention today, can be fixed.    
 
And just think for a moment.  Maybe you, by choosing to work with that church, will be the one who helps bring about the needed changes.     Acts 18.9-11.    Acts 9.27-28.

 Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the [a]remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.” And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this [b]perverse generation.”  Acts 2.38-39.
 
 
Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
Phil 2.12
 
 
Don’t wait on cities and organizations to help you be a person who is successful.
Its your life, step up, take charge and get to it.    Allow the word of God to help you work toward that goal.   Fight for yourself. If you see that the word of the Lord commanded you to do something, do it!    Allow nothing to stand in your way.

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​Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;  Psalms 1.5
 
People who are different from others will stand out and have a rough time jelling with those who live differently.  In this case, I’m speaking of a group of God-fearing people living holy lives and others who don’t, trying to co-exist together.
 
Because the righteous speak and do the things of God. It will be hard for a person who is only interested in things of the world, to have much in common.  But that is a good thing, because the premise of one being different from the world is established.  

​No man of God should live as unchurched persons do, cursing, drinking, lewd dancing, lying, etc.  
There should be a difference and when around the righteous, a ungodly person should feel uncomfortable.   
And when around ungodly people, a godly person should feel uncomfortable.
 

​“And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.” Acts 2.47
 
All the saved people are found inside the church.  No save people can be found outside of the church.   The church of Jesus is like the ark in the days of Noah.  All people who went into the ark were saved from the flood; anyone outside of the ark drowned in the waters of the flood.  

In order to be saved from hell fire, mankind must submit himself to the word of God and become members of the church.  John 10.9 The word church in its original form means “those who have been called from darkness into light.”  Colossian’s 1.13 

​The church is essential; if you want to go to heaven you must be a member of the Lord's church. Eph 5.23
 
                                   

​There are many commercials on tv attempting to convert us to whatever they are broadcasting.  I see a lot of commercials with gay couples.  I believe differently about human relationships because of what the Bible teaches. I believe what the word of God reveals, He approved of male and female relationships. 1 Cor 7.1-2.   Gen 2.18-25.  Matt 19.1-6.  I stand on this truth because it is what the Lord said.
 
There are those who believe that gay marriages are ok, but they don't get that information from the scriptures. They feel that way because of what the world has taught them about this issue.   I do not have to be the enemy of a gay person.

​But I am a person who would challenge the philosophy of the gay marriage advocate, my anchor is based on what the word of the Lord said and anchors are great because they will keep you from drifting.  Since I am convinced of the truth that the Bible has taught, the commercials I see on TV do nothing for me because of my anchor in the word.     If you don’t have the word of God as your anchor you don’t have a good anchor. Matt 24.25.  1 Peter 1.22-25.  Psalms 119.152
 
 
  
                         
                                               

​Do not set foot on the pathway of the wicked nor walk in the way of evildoers.  Avoid it, do not travel on it, turn from it and go on your way because they cannot rest until they do evil things.  They are robbed of sleep until till they make someone stumble.  They eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.  Pro 4.14-15
 

Enough has been said.  Just protect yourself and don’t get in involve with bad people. It is better to walk alone then run with the wrong crowd.
 

​According to Jesus words in Luke 16.19-31, the dead will have a lot of time to think the life they passed from along with relatives and friends who are still alive.  I have heard that convicts in jail do a lot of thinking as well. 

But it is the dead, that we wish to focus on in this article, because if they die outside of Christ, they won’t be resting in peace.  Isaiah 48.22
 
Currently a dead person is agonizing over his past life. The dead cannot change their works because deeds follow men into eternity. Revelation 14.13.   I cannot help but wonder about the Uvalde Texas shooter. No doubt this man is in agony about his decision to shoot up that school.  If the guy could come back to life, he wouldn’t shoot up that school.
 
After death, one will have plenty of time to reflect on the life lived and it will be fear of destruction or joy of eternal life with Christ.  Philippians 1.23

But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man.  For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. These are the things which defile a man  Matt 15.18-20
 
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.
2 Cor 5.10
 
There are decisions made which touch others.   This nation is suffering because man has decided to wage war creating high gas prices. Others have decided to fire guns into crowds hoping to kill their enemy. Men by actions make life miserable for others.  Only by changing how we feel toward the word of God. Can things get better.  The world needs the word of God.  The world needs people willing to go to church, worship the Lord and learn of His ways.  This advice will create a godly community.
 

There was a time non-Jews weren’t welcome with the gospel. But all of that changed when the Lord decided to allow other people into His Kingdom.  The story of the vision of Peter is truth of that fact.  Look at Acts 10.9-16.   “ The next day, as they went on their journey and drew near the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray, about [a]the sixth hour and he became very hungry and wanted to eat; but while they made ready, he fell into a trance and saw heaven opened and an object like a great sheet bound at the four corners, descending to him and let down to the earth.  In it were all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air. And a voice came to him, “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” Peter said, “Not so, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean.” And the voice spoke to him again the second time, “What God has [b]cleansed you must not call common.” This was done three times. And the object was taken up into heaven again.

​The vision was God informing Jews that a change was on the way. When God authorizes change, no man can reject it.  That is why Peter asked in Acts 10.48, is there anyone who could reject the baptism of Cornelius, because he wasn’t Jewish. The answer is none, God was accepting them.   God accepts any who conform to His word. Act 10.34-35.