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January 26, 2020 Rick Bright - preacher churchofchristmo.blogspot.com [email protected] Cell: 417-468-8194 Cathy’s Cell: 599-8980 Office: 468-4161 Sunday Bible Class: 9:30 AM Worship: 10:30 AM / 6 PM Wednesday Bible Study: 7 PM Thursday Ladies Bible Class: 9:30 AM Sunday Morning Radio & TV KOOL 104.7 FM Answers 9:00 AM Hardy, Arkansas Live stream www.myhometownradiostations.com Channel 10 Search 7:00 AM Living Word, 7:30 AM Channel 33 Know Your Bible, 10:30 AM Marshfield church of Christ 610 S. Marshall P.O. Box 458 Marshfield, MO 65706 (417) 468-4161 churchofchristmarshfield.org www.facebook.com/ marshfieldchurchofchrist Just Too Comfortable Now in my prosperity I said, “I shall never be moved.” Psalm 30:6 Early Thursday morning with the ice and snow coming down, I looked out the back window and saw a pretty good size rabbit huddled up under a tree. Just above the rabbit in the limbs was a puffed out bird. My first thought was that they could surely find a better place to be than a tree with no leaves. The leafless tree wasn’t shelter against the snow, ice and cold. In fact, just a few feet away was the storage building with a nice space underneath for protection for both the rabbit and the bird. My second thought was that I was extremely thankful that I had a nice warm and comfortable home to reside in and to enjoy. And, unlike the rabbit and the bird, there were no worries about the cold and having to find food covered with ice and snow. How blessed we are to be so comfortable inside when the weather outside is anything but a place to enjoy. Truly, in our prosperity, we can sit back and relax surrounded with all the comforts life has to offer. And like the Psalmist, in our prosperity, it is easier to say, “I shall not be moved!” Who wants to get up out of a nice comfortable recliner or easy chair and get out in the cold, ice and snow? David goes on in Psalm 30 and verse 7 and tells us that it is easy to find security in our world of comfort. “Lord, by Your favor You have made my mountain stand strong” (Psalms 30:7). As King, David had his share of life’s troubles, especially with the warring Philistines and his arch enemy King Saul. But when David finally settled in comfort and peace as King in Jerusalem, he could easily say, “I shall not be moved!” After David, it would be King Solomon who would fully enjoy a world of comfort, peace, and prosperity, as he declares, “But now the LORD my God has given me rest on every side; there is neither adversary nor evil occurrence” (I Kings 5:4). Scripture tells us that “the king (Solomon) made silver and gold as common in Jerusalem as stones” (II Chronicles 1:15). But kings can be just too comfortable. Remember, both David and Solomon had to deal with their own sin problems in the midst of being too comfortable. Both had to heed the call for repentance and recognize their need for forgiveness. In Psalms 30, David cries out, “You hid Your face, and I was troubled. I cried out to You, O Lord; And to the Lord I made supplication (Psalms 30:7-8). Being too comfortable can lead to sin and the need for repentance and forgiveness. In other words, there can be problems with being just too comfortable. Just like the kings of old, when we are prosperous in the material things of life, it is easy for us to be distracted by the prosperity and comforts of this world. Therefore, it is important that we remember the words of Jesus when he said, “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon (money; riches) (Matthew 6:33). And may we never forget our Lord's exhortation, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal (Matthew 6:18-20). Last Wednesday evening we didn’t have Bible class because of the ice and snow which made for slick walkways and parking lot. As I sat in my comfortable chair, I was happy to be safe and warm at home rather than out on the roadways. However, I wondered how many people regularly miss Bible classes and worship assemblies because it is just so comfortable at home even without ice and snow? How many people are so comfortable in life they see no need for God, the church and heaven? Spiritually speaking, have you ever found yourself just too comfortable? Need to be moved? Rick Bright Connued from Page 1 Connued on p. 4 www.churchofchristmarshfield.org Marshfield Church of Christ It’s God’s Plan for Man Believe: Hebrews 11:6, Mark 16:16, Acts 8:36-37, Acts 16:31 Repent: Mahew 4:17, Acts 2:38, Acts 17:30 Confess: Romans 10:9-10, Acts 8:37 Be Bapzed: Acts 2:38, 1 Peter 3:21, Galaans 3:26-29, Acts 8:36-38, Acts 22:16, Romans 6:3-4 Live Faithfully: Romans 6:4, Mahew 7:21, Mahew 28:20 Rest From Their Labors God’s Word is very plain in its declaration that men ought to work. Whether we consider the examples of Jesus—a carpenter (Mark 6:3), Paul—a tentmaker (Acts 18:3), or Peter—a fisherman (Matthew 4:18), it is clear that work should be a part of our lives. Making this point even stronger, Paul wrote: “For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat” (2 Thessalonians 3:10). It is also interesting to note that the Bible offers advice about how we do our work. Solomon wrote: “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going” (Ecclesiastes 9:10). And Paul wrote: “Bondservants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eye-service, as men-pleasers, but in sincerity of heart, fearing God. And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men” (Colossians 3:22, 23). But with all of that being said, Christians have the privilege of looking forward to a time that is free from work. This time is not merely the retirement that so many long for—it is eternal rest which results from being faithful to Jesus. Describing this John wrote: “Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, ‘Write: ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’’ ‘Yes,’ says the Spirit, ‘that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them’” (Revelation 14:13). While the labor of the Christian on earth never ceases, the eternal rest which awaits will be worth it all. There is a rest waiting for those who faithfully serve God. It is found in heaven. —Chad Ramsey
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