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March 10, 2013

WELCOME!
WE'RE GLAD YOU'RE HERE

We are a group of believers who simply try to follow the Bible as a guide for all we do. Everything done in our worship service is something for which we have a Bible basis. You are welcome to participate as much or as little as you wish. We will sing hymns together and we will observe the Lord's Supper or Communion together. We will also have an opportunity to give to the work of God in this area. This collection is for the members here, and if you are visiting you should not feel and pressure to give. Our lesson time will be divided into two groups. The young children will go to our classroom area in the basement where they will be taught the Bible at a level they can understand. The adults will stay in the auditorium for a lesson at an adult level. We do try to serve the community, and if you have some needs that we can help you with, mention it to one of the members. Thank you for worshipping with us.

FAMILY NEWS

THANKS — to Leon Forbes for bringing in some material he searched for on how to establish a Day Care Center. We all need to take an interest in where we are headed as a congregation. We were given a financial report last week which indicated we have a considerable amount of money in savings. God has blessed us with the resources to make a difference in this community, and we must not just accumulate financial resources and not use those resources in God's work. Hiring a full time minister in the near future, establishing a day care center, doing media advertising, and establishing a counseling center are all proposals that have been made. What is your input? What do you suggest we do?

PLANS — We have bought a recording system to produce copies of classes and sermons. The system will also allow us to put sermons on our website so when people cannot make it to services they can still hear the lesson on line. See Karl if you need more information. Next Sunday Glynn Langston will be speaking to us about his ministry to the blind.


TODAY'S LESSON

DEMONS AND EXORCISMS

Sound on icon“The rite of exorcism is reserved for priests of wide experience and maturity and high morality. In the case of demon possession the use of free will and intellect has been suspended. The person is no longer responsible for their actions.”

Rev. John J. Nicola, Advisor to the film The Exorcist.

SATAN IS REAL.
1. Angels and humans have the capacity to choose.
a. Love is not possible unless there is choice.
2. Satan has always had limits imposed by God.
WHEN GOD BECAME FLESH, FREE WILL STILL HAD TO EXIST.
1. Jesus was God dwelling among men — John 1:14.
Satan was given greater freedom to balance Christ.
2. Demons did not exist in Old Testament, but did in the New.
DEMONS HAD MANY FORMS AND AFFECTED INNOCENT.
1. Exorcism provided a balance to Satan's power.
a. Exorcisms did not involve ritual.
b. Only those authorized could perform exorcisms.
DEMONS DO NOT POSSESS PEOPLE TODAY, EXORCISMS ARE MISGUIDED BECAUSE:
1. The methodology is different.
2. Man's free moral choice is violated.
3. Prophecy said demons (unclean spirits) would end.
4. Warnings to the church do not include demons.
5. Cures for Satan's power do not include exorcisms.
6. Jesus was not demon possessed.
7. Trusting God means controlling Satan.
8. My personal witness
WHERE YOU SPEND ETERNITY IS YOUR CHOICE.
1. God will not allow Satan to take away your choice.
2. My plea is Matthew 10:28.
3. If you are determined to reject God, he allows that.
Exorcism Lesson is a sheet that can be used for further study.

THE BACK PAGE

FAITH IN GOD IS NOT IRRATIONAL

Last Sunday and this morning our lesson has involved looking at what kind of a world we live in. Are we swimming in a sea of spiritualism that involves ghosts, spirits, and demons that affect us physically and cause the misfortunes in our lives? Last week we took a general look at the paranormal. We saw that God has and does condemn participation in the paranormal by his children, and we talked about why that is.

When Jesus taught the people of his day, he did not resort to spiritualism and the paranormal. He reasoned with people, and taught them in terms they could understand and grasp. The parables Jesus used were not ghost stories or fantasy, they were practical every day stories about life and experiences the people knew. Lost sheep, lost coins, prodigal children, hypocritical adults, and daily business transactions were the subjects of Jesus' parables and were known to his listeners.

When the apostles went out and began teaching the people they too used rational factual arguments to tell people what they needed to do to be saved. Paul reasoned with people everywhere he went, and even taught in the school of Tyrannus “disputing daily” for two years with the people of Ephesus (Acts 19:9).

We live in an age when people are doubting the existence of God and rejecting the Bible as a reliable source of guidance for life. It has been said that “When people don't believe in something, they will believe anything” and that is so true of today's world. People will swallow ghost stories hook, line, and sinker, but they will not believe that they need to obey God and live as Christians are told to live. This is true even though all evidence supports belief in God and belief in the Bible as a reliable guide to life. Do not be irrational! Believe and follow Jesus Christ in all he calls you to believe and do.

— John Clayton