Schedule of Services:

Sunday Bible Study @ 9:30am

Sunday Worship @ 10:15am

Sunday Worship @ 6:30pm

Wednesday Bible Study @ 7:00pm

Phone: 304-337-2772

questions@padencitychurchofchrist.com

PADEN C ITY CHURCH OF CHRIST

We invite you to join us at any of our

services. You will find…

Worship that honors God through the

simplicity of New Testament worship.

A friendly welcome from our mem-

bers.

An emphasis on teaching that comes

from the Scriptures.

A love for the Lord and a respect for

the privilege to share His message.

A willingness to discuss your Bible

questions and seek answers through

God’s word.

We will not be soliciting funds from

our visitors. Leave your wallet at

home and come with an open heart

to study the Scriptures with us.

Sunday Morning:

Bible Study Prayer...Ken Davis

Announcements...Randy Michael (Job 18)

Song Leader…Isaac Price

Prayer...Tom Martin

Scripture…Jason Space

(Jeremiah 1:4-10)

Sermon...Brian Price

Lord’s Table... Bread: David Earley Cup: John Skinner

Assist At The Table:

David Hayes Hunter Starkey

Jim Culp Jim Stackpole Ron Heasley Zach Heasley

Closing Prayer…Rick Hayes

Sunday Evening:

Songs...Isaac Price

Prayer...Kevin Grimes

Scripture...Larry Starkey (Matthew 5:21-26)

Sermon...Brian Price

Table/Announce…

Gary Witschey

Prayer...Scott Starkey

Wednesday Evening:

Prayer...Brian Bailey

Songs...Jeff Smith

Prayer...Aaron Heasley

“God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship

him in spirit and in truth.” John 4:24

Revelation was probably written about 96 A.D. by the apostle John as he was living on the island of Patmos. This was an era of in-tense persecution of Christians by the Roman emperor, Domitian--plainly stated, Christians were being forced to either recant their faith or be executed. Though news traveled slower in those days, such a horror was surely spread round the empire, inflaming the terror of the saints. Revelation was written to comfort the suffering Christians of that era; the events de-scribed in the book were to "shortly come to pass (1:1, 22:20)." The message from Patmos was a consolation to them because Jesus told John "the time was at hand (1:3)" for their protection. The events of Revelation deal with the punishment of the Roman government by God for its persecution of His people and the assurance that Christians would eventually prevail in the day of judgment. But Revelation has meaning for us as well. While we cannot look for the symbols in the book to be fulfilled (they already have been--we can not anticipate the opening of the sev-en seals, for instance), we can take comfort in the encouragement provided by God to Chris-tians who were suffering the trials of this life. We, too, face persecution and trial and the

ultimate promise to Christians in the first and sec-ond centuries applies to us as well. Were it unim-portant to us at all, it would not have been pre-served. Revelation is apocalyptic--or symbolic--in its liter-ary form. The events that are related are not literal, but figures of things which were soon to come as John recorded them. Much of the imagery and sym-bolism is based in Old Testament prophecies and events. Numbers are symbolic of different concepts, ranging from good to evil and imperfection to com-pletion. In the tenth chapter is one of these symbols and it is intended to provide comfort to suffering disci-ples. We read in verses 8-11 of the little book: John was instructed to assimilate the little book to himself--in other words, to make it a part of him. It is said that "you are what you eat." John was to take the content of the little book and allow it to affect him deeply in his spirit and intellect. This was a great part of the message God had for his people and it was John's responsibility to deliver it in its purity and completeness. But John's eating the book is also a symbol of a Christian partaking of all that faith in God offers--both those things that are pleasant and those that are distasteful. (continued inside…)

Paden City Messenger January 8, 2017

The Little Book of Encouragment

Morning Evening

Learning From Those Who Should Have Learned

Jeremiah 1:4-10

I Know You Better Than You Know Yourself (Vs. 4-5)

You’re Not A Child So Don’t Act Like One (Vs. 6-7)

Do Not Be Afraid (Vs. 8-9)

Jeremiah 1:4-10 The Tasks (Vs. 10)

Root Out, Pull Down, Destroy Throw Down, Build, Plant

Jeremiah 3:6-11

Do You See What Backsliding Israel Has Done (Vs. 6)

An Offer To Let Her Return (Vs. 7)

Judah Didn’t Learn (Vs. 8) Defilement Of Israel (Vs. 9)

Jeremiah 3:6-11

With All This Knowledge Judah Has Feigned-ly Given Me Their Heart (Vs. 10)

Israel Is Better Than Judah (Vs. 11)

Jeremiah 11:6-10 Hear And Do (Vs. 6) Father Pleads For Obedience From His Chil-

dren (Vs. 7) Didn’t Incline Their Ear (Vs. 8) A Conspiracy (Vs. 9) Refused To Listen (Vs. 10)

Jeremiah 14:14-16

Don’t Be Deceived (Vs. 14) Make Jeremiah To Be A Liar (Vs. 15) Destruction Will Come According To God’s

Will (Vs. 16)

“You have heard that it was said.” •You have heard that only the most severe of sins will be judged. (Matthew 5:21-26) Jesus said…

•Anger will be judged. •Hateful statements will be judged. •Lost opportunities for repentance has consequence.

•You have heard that only outward actions bring consequence. (Matthew 5:27-30) Jesus said…

•A pure heart is as important as pure con-duct. •We must govern our senses as much as our behaviors

•You have heard that marriage can be a temporary relationship. (Matthew 5:31-32) Jesus said…

•A writing of divorcement doesn’t break the obligations to the bond. •Adultery is about the covenant. (Ezekiel 16:32)

•You have heard that if you cross your fingers you don’t have to keep a promise. (Matt. 5:33-37) But Jesus said…

•Quit making oaths on a variety of objects in hopes that it won’t count. (Deuteronomy 23:21-23) •Say yes or no and be done.

•You have heard that retaliation is the standard. (Matthew 5:38-42) Jesus said…

•Retaliation is not a sign of strength. •Being peaceable is better than bitterness towards another. •Compliance when “compelled.”

•You have heard that you should hate the haters. (Matthew 5:43-48) Jesus said…

•The children of God do good and pray. •Love is perfected when offered to the undeserving. (Romans 5:8)

...continued from front A similar figure is used in Ezekiel 2:8-3:3, 14. The warning the prophet gave was composed of the sweet promises of God of protection and victory but also the bitter woes to the disobedient and the backslider. And so John offers a message of sweet relief to Christians but of bitter pun-ishment to aliens from the cross (Eph. 2:12). Revelation 11:1-2 marks the distinction between those inside the body of Christ and those without. John's message to the Christians of that era was that the pain and persecution they were ex-periencing were necessary parts of their service to God. It would not cease immediately, but it will eventually end and reward will overwhelm these painful memories. The sweet promises of God that led you to put trust in Him are always in effect, John gently reminds his reader, but you were warned that there would be some hard times, too (I Thess. 3:1-4). It is only by enduring all that you will find a home in heaven (Heb. 12:1-2). There yet remains a message for suffering Christians of any subsequent age. First, assimilate the word to your spirit and mind. Make God's word a part of you (Josh. 1:8) by daily study and prayer and meditation upon what you have read. "Let the words of my mouth and the medita-tion of my heart be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer (Psalm 19:14)." The Lord Jesus has life-giving words, so heed them (John 6:68, I Tim. 4:13-15). "For I de-light in the law of God according to the inward man (Rom. 7:22)." Secondly, always remember that his promises are as sweet as honey to his children (Psalm 19:7-11). We sing, "More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold. Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb." To the guilty penitent, God promises forgiveness, a clear conscience and a clean slate to begin the walk toward the last day of reckoning (Rom. 10:9-13). To the righteous, his promises are exceedingly great and precious (II Peter 1:4, 10-11). They are reliable, for he has never failed and they lead to an eternal home in glory. Third, we must remember that the life of a Christian is not a bed of roses and was never in-tended to be. "All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution (II Tim. 3:12)," Paul wrote. John said, "Do not marvel, my brethren, if the world hates you (I John 3:13)." Perse-verance is the key, for "He that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved (Mark 13:13)" and "If we suffer, we shall also reign with him. (II Timothy 2:12)." A Christian must understand that there will be both pleasant and unpleasant times in his life on earth in service to God, but he must also keep in mind that only joy awaits him on the other side of life. I pray that you will examine the sweet promises of Jesus this day and take them into your heart. Make Jesus your Lord and Savior by putting him on in confession and immersion. Or if the trials of life have led you away from Him, put them in their proper perspective now and come back to God.

(This article was written by Jeff Smith and his visit with us last week reminded me of it)