HOUSEHOLD OF FAITH EZINE

The Church Of The Nazarene was first organized October 8, 1908 in Pilot Point, Texas but moved shortly after that to Kansas City Missouri. The birthdate is enough to assure one that it is not a creation of God or Jesus Christ, however, they have grown rather steadily and quietly to 1.2 million adherents according to their own statement. They are a denomination of the Holiness (Wesleyan) sort and they have several medical clinics, 2 hospitals and many other secular holdings. Here is a statement copied from their own website under their topic "Theology":

"The Church of the Nazarene is the largest denomination in the Wesleyan-Arminian theological tradition. The doctrine that distinguishes the Church of the Nazarene and other Wesleyan denominations from most other Christian denominations is that of entire sanctification. Nazarenes believe that God calls Christians to a life of holy living that is marked by an act of God, cleansing the heart from original sin and filling the individual with love for God and humankind. This experience is marked by entire consecration of the believer to do God's will and is followed by a life of seeking to serve God through service to others. Like salvation, entire sanctification is an act of God's grace, not of works. Our pursuant service to God is an act of love whereby we show our appreciation for the grace that has been extended to us through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ".

Also, here is a statement taken from one of their congregation's website describing their worship service. It seems significant to me, that I find no reference to an item of worship as is indicated in the New Testament. "This service features a praise team, worship band, choruses, drama, video and message to present the theme of the day."

Here is a link to their official home page for those who might be interested in reading more about them.

The entire life of Jesus on this earth was a living example of His words, "not my will, but thine, be done." The night of His betrayal in the garden, He prayed in a state of great sorrow and fear for deliverance, but concluded by stating His desire to follow God's way no matter what the outcome. In spite of what His personal feelings were, He always set His course to match His Father's will for Him.

Surely no one would suppose that it was easy for Jesus to leave the glories of heaven (John 17:5), to live a life of physical poverty (Luke 9:58), to be rejected by His own (John 1:11), or to be killed as a common criminal. And yet Christ did all of this because His supreme purpose on earth was to "do the works of him that sent me (John 9:4)." Obviously, doing the will of God was quite often not an easy or particularly pleasant task for our Master. As we consider the fact that Christians are to follow in His steps, including the suffering (1 Peter 2:21), then it should be obvious that walking in the light of God's word will not always be easy for us. When our personal desires conflict with God's desires for us, then we must give way to His will, just as did Jesus, our perfect example. All who have even a casual acquaintance with the Scriptures easily sees the logic of this line of reasoning.

However, too many of us suddenly develop blindness when this principle is applied to us personally, as it concerns our purpose on this earth. That purpose, of course, is to "seek and save the lost." This was Christ's mission and now our co-mission (Mark 16:15). The will of God is that all of us teach the lost around us while it is yet day. And this is so even when it is difficult for us to do so

. Occasionally, I hear some person make an announcement about a personal evangelism effort in the equivalent of these words: "If you like to do this sort of thing, come out this afternoon for our door-knocking session." Just where do we get the idea that we are expected to do only what we like to do? Had Jesus Christ done only that which He enjoyed doing, we would all be destined for an eternity in hell. Thank God that Jesus came not to do His will only, but the Father's who sent Him. How much we need to learn this same lesson as seekers of the lost today!

Chula Vista Books is owned and operated by Mark and Teah McWhorter. We carry a wide selection of Bible related materials--ladies' books, childrens' materials, commentaries, apologetics, lectureship books, missions books, class books, debates, sermon books, church history, topical studies, Bible covers, Bibles, tracts, BCCs and more.

We also send out used book lists from time to time. Unfortunately we do not have a catalog at present but invite your inquiries. If you would like to be on our mailing list, send us your email address.

Mark McWhorter, 420 Chula Vist Mtn Rd, Pell City AL 35125, Phone 205-338-1843

Does your congregation have a web site? Can you add, update and delete information from your existing web site easily? If you answered no to either question visit The Lord's Way. This new service allows you to create a web site for your congregation and update it yourself whenever you want by simply completing online forms. The service is designed for any congregation that wants a web site that contains current, updated and fresh information but does not want to invest the time and money in learning about the inner-workings of the Internet. Your new site will be packed with information about your congregation. Visit us and take a tour!

You may tire of hearing me whine about the current state of moral decay in our country and my remembrances of the "good old days" when it was not nearly so rampant. I hope not, because it stays on my mind a lot. It just seems to me that, with our overwhelming blessings from God, our great country, where almost everyone can be considered afluent, we have grown to the point that we give virtually no gratitude to the one who has showered blessings upon blessings toward us.

But some tell me that this appears to be the nature of man. The Israelites did that. Each time they grew prosperous and were at peace, they slid back into idolatry and sin, giving God no credit or glory. Then God would give them a spanking to bring them back into line.

If he still does such things, I fear we may be in for a very sound thrashing. It is difficult to imagine the amount of progress in technology, accompanied by living comforts, pleasure and relaxation, that has come our way in the past 60 years. To the point that we are now fat, lazy and live for recreation and entertainment.. I hope that all of you will read the the articles I have linked below. Take the next two weeks if necessary but read them and think. Let us not return to dust without, at least, attempting to leave a warning to our progeny. We owe them that. The world is not going to straighten itself out. If the Lord's church cannot influence it, then only God is left to take care of the situation.

These are not sermons, nor are they written by gospel preachers, but they are very meaningful. America's Moral Decay

Here is one by the President of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod: Moral Decay In Society

And this one may startle you! 16,000 crimes on school campuses per day!

Monday, September 30, Tuesday, October 1 and Wednesday, October 2 are the dates for our Annual Forum, this years theme is "Come Follow Me". Come hear some of the outstanding gospel preachers in the brotherhood today.

For a program schedule of the events, please Click Here. And for full details of the this upcoming event, lodging facilities, etc., please Click Here.

The Kid and the Wolf

A Kid standing on the roof of a house, out of harm's way, saw a Wolf passing by and immediately began to taunt and revile him. The Wolf, looking up, said, "Sirrah! I hear thee: yet it is not thou who mockest me, but the roof on which thou art standing."

Time and place often give the advantage to the weak over the strong....Aesop