The following excerpts were taken from the Living Section, printed in the Friday edition of the Crossville Chronicle.

Making proper decisions

"Making proper decisions" was a message for present-day Christians, using examples from 3500 years ago. After the Israelites had journeyed through the wilderness for two years, God told Moses to send out 12 men to spy on the land of Canaan. After returning, two of the men were optimistic, but the other ten infiltrators depressingly told everyone, "The people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and very great:"

After hearing the unsettling news the people decided against claiming the land that God had promised them, unfortunately , they, like many of us, looked at the circumstances instead of the possibilities. They were looking at tomorrow's problems today, instead of following the leadership of God, one day at a time. For the next 38 years, literally millions wandered in the desert because of the negative influence of only ten men.. They could have had God's best but rebelled and doubted Him, and, ending up dying in the wilderness.

How many times have each of us made bad decisions because of wrong influences, or simply doubting God's abilities? We can conclude by appealing to the unsaved to repent of their sins and trust the Lord Jesus Christ, reminding all, "Our decisions always determine our destiny."

Church roofers

From Mark chapter 2 we read about the palsied man healed by the Lord Jesus after four of his friends tore open the roof and lowered him to the Savior.

"But there remains one question, after it was all over, who patched the roof?" There were many bystanders, and, the curious there, but they didn't fix it, neither did the murmuring Scribes and the average church goers were out of there on the last amen.

So, who patched the roof? It was the same kind of folks who work around the local churches today, they did it. The ones who visit the sick and unsaved, those who help clean the church, teach a class, witness for Christ, or, who willingly ask, what can I do for God? Modern day church roofers love the Savior and are willing to do the small jobs to advance the Kingdom of God by simply, patching the roof.

Saul's disobedience

Although the first Sunday of Spring started out rather chilly, we certainly had a warm friendly spirit inside. God blessed us with several visitors, special singing and really good preaching. If you're new in the Crossville area and looking for a Christ-honoring, Bible believing church, please visit with us this Sunday.

Here is an interesting message from I Samuel 15 titled, "Saul's disobedience." If we are honest with ourselves, many of us have a self-will just like Saul did. We do exactly what we want to do instead of what God has told us to do. Sometimes we think we can do things a better way, or half way, or not at all, just plain old stubbornness and disobedient to the instructions given us in the Word of God.

Many times we tend to blame others for our mistakes without being responsible for our own actions. We need to wake up and stop living half-hearted for God. In Psalm 51, David takes responsibility for all of his sins, doesn't blame anyone but himself and God blesses him for it. Instead of being miserable stubborn Christians, we are to determine in our hearts to listen and be obedient to what the Lord Jesus wants us to do.

Hear and do

How about the profound lesson from Deuteronomy, explaining how Moses taught the new generation of Israel, and, why those same principles still hold true today. Moses said, "Now therefore hearken, O Israel, unto the statutes and unto the judgments, which I teach you, for to do them." He was simply saying....Hear and do! Many of us today are hearers, but not doers. Moses continued, "Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you." Some folks today are quick to add to God's word by reading the, "New & Improved", but corrupt translations hitting the religious market faster than a wildfire.

Here is a closing illustration: that no one would ever buy a house without seeing the inside, or the neighborhood, or knowing anything about the neighbors. But yet, people unfortunately die every day without Christ and go to their new home in Hell forever. Revelation 21:8 describes their neighbors now....Fearful, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, whoremongers, sorcerers, idolaters and liars to name a few. Showing others that we live a good life won't get them to Heaven, we must tell them about Jesus our Savior.