Grover Beach Church of Christ

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness. 2 Timothy 3:16

God Must Communicate! God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son (Hebrews 1:1-2a NASB). As I have studied God’s characteristics or nature, I have come to the conclusion that God by His very nature must communicate with us. For example, He cannot remain righteous if He were to judge us without clearly setting the standard by which we are judged.... It is plain that God has given us exactly what we need to know for a relationship with Him. He has maintained contact with His creation over the centuries. Scholars argue over whether God gave each word to the forty men He chose to write the books in the Bible or just an idea. However, God made sure that whatever was written was exactly what He wanted written. The writing of the books took approximately 1,500 years and there is amazing unity among all those sixty-six books. Some critics of the Bible argued that Isaiah was written after the first century and presented the so-called prophecies about Jesus as after the fact. This was based on the fact that the oldest copy of Isaiah that we had was written several centuries after Jesus walked among us. Then the Dead Sea Scrolls were found, and they contained a copy of Isaiah that predated New Testament times. That copy matched the newer copies we had. Therefore, it is clear that the prophecies preceded their fulfilment by Jesus. Jesus asked His disciples if they wanted to leave after others were leaving because they found His teachings too hard (John 6:66-67). Peter replied, Lord to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life (John 6:68b). May we be like Peter and the others and hold fast to the words of eternal life. Hymn: Ancient Words Righteous Father, help me to live my life in a way that brings You glory. May I always yield my will to Yours. I will entrust myself to You, the righteous Judge, as Jesus did. In the name of my Lord Jesus. Amen. Ed Wittlif, Denver, Colorado [email protected]

Join us tomorrow, April 10th at 11 a.m. for Rob's lesson, "Count Your Many Blessings". The lesson will focus on the importance of gratitude and how this leads to a faithful Christian life! Social distancing and masks encouraged. Hope to see you there!

Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe. Proverbs 29:25

God Is Eternal Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God (Psalm 90:2c NASB). Understanding that God is one and yet three is a hard concept. Another thing revealed about God is that He has always been and will always be. It is hard to wrap one’s mind around the truth that God has no beginning. He has always existed and He will never cease to be. Everything we see and know about has a beginning and an end in this existence.... God confronted Moses out of a burning bush and gave him a great mission. Moses asked God, What is Your name so that I can tell the people? God answers, I AM WHO I AM and simply I AM (Exodus 3:13-14). God’s name is a simple declaration that He IS. The Jews in the days that Jesus walked among men knew that I AM was exclusively God’s name. When Jesus said, Before Abraham was born, I am the Jews picked up stones to kill Him (John 8:58-59). They understood that Jesus was declaring that He is God (John 10:33). I have to trust God saying that He just has always existed, exists, and will always exist. That trust is based on the fact that He has never lied and all His prophecies have come true. Therefore, there is no reason to doubt Him. Our Father desires us to share in eternal life with Him when this temporary existence ends. He has done everything to make that possible. We can come to Him through Jesus and only Jesus (John 14:6). Song: Our God is an Awesome God Eternal Father, there is none like You. You are Creator, Redeemer, Lord of all, and so much more. We praise and honor and glorify You, the only God and the only One worthy to be praised. You are beyond our understanding, and we will glorify You with our lives. In the name of Lord Jesus. Amen. Ed Wittlif, Denver, Colorado [email protected]

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Hebrews 13-8

"What Is That In Your Hand?" The Lord said to him, "What is that in your hand?" And he said, "A staff."--Exodus 4:1 God's people, the Israelites, were slaves in Egypt, trodden under the heel of an oppressor that made their lives miserable. It was God's will that they be delivered and that Moses lead that deliverance. Moses was hesitant to undertake that task and said to the Lord, "they will not believe me. This prompted the Lord to ask this simple question to which Moses ans...wered, "a staff." Just a little rod, some sort of stick used in tending the sheep. But that which was just a little stick in the hands of Moses became, by the power of God, the force that brought the plaques on the land of Egypt, divided the Red Sea and brought water from a rock. It may sound strange, but the Lord can take the little things we hold in our hands and change them into something great and mighty when we, with a willing mind submit them into his hands, He can take the things of little value in our hands and make them priceless. I think of David who once held in his hands only a sling and five small stones as he went out to fight the giant, Goliath (1 Samuel 17:20-51). As David approached him, Goliath mocked David but David simply said, "I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel. That sling and those stones when placed in the hands of the Lord became a force that slew Goliath and put the Philistine army to flight. I think about a little boy who had only 5 loaves and 2 fish (John 6:8-14). A simple lunch, not more than enough for two, perhaps three people but when placed in the hands of the Lord it fed 5000 with 12 baskets left over. We must never look at our life and begin to think that we are just small, weak, frail, insignificant individuals with little to offer the Lord. We hold in our hands our life, time, talents (abilities) and influence. I submit to you that if we will place our life into his hands with the attitude "Lord, here am I, use me, he can make it something beautiful, wonderful and useful. My friends, this is not simply a matter of what can I do. It is a matter of what God can do through me. I plead with you to willingly, without reservation, place your life, time, influence and abilities into the hands of God and let him surprise you with some marvelous results. To God be the glory forever and ever, Amen. Charles Hicks, White House, TN [email protected]

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Ephesians 4:32

Keep The Change Scripture Reading: if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you (Matthew 17:20). A few days ago, I pulled into a parking lot and spotted some coins. It was not just one or two coins, but a small pile of pennies. It was as though someone had just emptied his or her pockets and dropped them. I began picking them up, and in all, I picked up a tot...al of twenty coins. One writer explained that it takes most people more than two seconds to pick a penny off the ground, and he offered this as an explanation as to why there are so many pennies on the ground. I’m reminded of a time when a brother came and presented a mission work presentation about India. He explained that fifty cents would supply a New Testament. Later that day, I stopped and visited a friend from church. While walking across his yard, I saw a number of pennies lying abandoned on a slab of concrete. I told him, I see several New Testaments lying there. We began gathering pennies, and moments later, we had picked up enough coins to purchase three New Testaments. In reality, little things can make a huge difference in God’s kingdom. Jesus praised a woman in Luke 21:1 4 for giving two mites to the temple treasury, and on another occasion, Jesus used a sack lunch of five small loaves and two fishes to feed thousands (John 6:1 14). Coins may not be worth much in today’s world, but we serve a God who excels in working wonders with even the smallest things even pennies. When we trust it to Him, we have no way of knowing how He will use it. Sing: Little Is Much When God Is in It Pray: Righteous Father, I pray that people will realize that even the smallest things make a difference in Your service. I pray that I will never forget it. In Jesus’ name, Amen. Kenny Westmoreland, Celina, TN ([email protected])

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will ishis good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2

Pharaoh’s Hardened Heart Ponder: Who hardened Pharaoh’s heart? Scripture: But I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go (Exod. 4:21b, NKJV).... Did God harden Pharaoh’s heart? Or did Pharaoh harden his own heart. The Biblical answer is . . . Yes! Ten times in the book of Exodus Moses recorded that the Lord said He would harden Pharaoh’s heart and that He did so. Yet in three additional places the text says Pharaoh hardened his heart, and five others simply state that Pharaoh’s heart was hardened. So which is it? Actually, we don’t have to choose. It’s all of the above. At first glance we might easily view God as manipulating Pharaoh’s heart, turning it hard where otherwise it would have been compliant or at least neutral. That misunderstanding produces doubts about God’s justice. If God arbitrarily directed Pharaoh’s heart to be hard, and then condemned him for behaving accordingly, was that really fair? The fact is, however, that Pharaoh chose to be proud and self-willed. Though he didn’t recognize it, the Lord brought him to power and endured with much longsuffering the king’s wicked behavior (Rom. 9:22). When Moses spoke the Lord’s command to him, Let My people go, it hardened the arrogant monarch’s heart. Did God harden it? Yes, but not by manipulation. He hardened Pharaoh’s heart by mean of His word. Then, by means of the ten plagues, He gave the king opportunity after opportunity to soften his heart and repent. Pharaoh’s pride rejected these offers, as God foreknew; the king hardened his heart, and we can accurately say that God hardened him by means of the plagues. In no way did the Lord ever prevent Pharaoh from changing; the king chose to dig in his heels and refuse to submit. Like Pharaoh, you and I decide for ourselves how we will respond to the commands of God. As the cliché says, The same sun that melts butter will harden clay. We determine whether God’s word will soften our hearts to believe and obey, or whether it will harden us to rebel and bring destruction upon ourselves. Is your heart butter or clay? Don’t blame God! It’s your decision. Song: Have Thine Own Way, Lord Prayer: Righteous Heavenly Father, forgive us for hardening our hearts against Your word. Help us to put away our pride and submit to You in loving obedience. In Jesus’ name, Amen. Joe Slater (Justin, TX) [email protected]

Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you. Hebrews 13:5

A Noisy Gong If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal (1 Cor. 13:1). A woman was an outspoken advocate of the LGBTQ movement. She wrote columns for newspapers and magazines denouncing the biblical viewpoint of marriage. She had a doctorate degree and held a large following of people who believed as she did.... Her neighbors were devout Christians. They wanted to lead her to Christ. They invited her to dinner and began to get to know her and form a relationship with her. Yes, they wanted to tell her about Christ and salvation, but they did not. Gradually, she began to trust them and opened up to them. After more than 500 dinners at their house, she started asking questions about Christianity. Gradually, when she was ready, they taught her about God’s love for her. It changed her completely. She was baptized, began a new way of life, and now writes books about why she became a Christian. She is also married to a wonderful Christian man who works with her in her ministry. Did these sweet neighbors hit her over the head with the gospel the first time they had her over for dinner? If they had, she probably would have never set foot in their house again. They first gained her trust, formed a relationship with her, and by their example and kindness, they led her to Christ. People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. Perhaps this is a trite saying, but it has been proven over and over. The same holds true when we are trying to win someone to Christ. Love them first, and then show them God’s love. Hymn: Take My Life, and Let It Be Prayer: Father, help us to become Your ambassador by showing Your love to others. In Jesus’ name. Amen. Donna Richmond Wittlif, Denver, Colorado [email protected]

Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. Ephesians 5:1-2

The Masquerade Text: "For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve" (II Cor. 11:13-15 NIV). Halloween is just around the corner. Kids, and some adults, will don masks and walk around yelling "trick or treat?" ...Continue reading

I can do all this through him who gives me strength. Philippians 4:13