Volume  3    Issue   19   March 16th, 2003

A publication of the:
Butler church of Christ

Our meeting location is:
201 5th Ave.
Butler, PA 16001
724-287-0628 (building) / 724-282-9417 (home/office)

Assembling Times:
Sunday Bible Class - 9:30 AM
Sunday Worship – 10:30 AM
Wednesday Bible Class – 7:00 PM
 

Editor / Preacher –
Brian A. Yeager
 

Check out the web site:

http://www.wordsoftruth.net

Welcome to a place where only God is glorified and only the Bible is taught!

(I Corinthians 10:31 and I Peter 4:11)

Shortcuts
By: Brian A. Yeager

    Everybody looks for shortcuts when doing tasks that take a considerable amount of time.  They make so many “ready made meals” today that are a testimony to that fact.  We are a people who live in the “fast track”.  We like the motto for Burger King “your way, right away”.  Sadly, we find that the shortcut mentality is also prevalent among spiritual tasks.  People have taken shortcuts when it comes to worship.  People have taken shortcuts when it comes to studying.  People have even tried to find the shortcut plan of salvation.  There is no express way to be saved.  There is no shortcut you can take to please God (Matthew 7:21).  The path of faithfulness is long and has many bumps.  Paul was clear in pointing out that being faithful is like running a race and fighting a fight in which the goal is to keep the faith (II Timothy 4:6-8).  Paul was about doing being completely faithful not just partially faithful.

What Cut Will Take Place in Your “Shortcuts”?

    The word “shortcut” is made up of two words.  The first of the two is short.  The word short is the exact opposite of long.  The second word is cut.  When you cut something you remove a part from that which was once whole.  What do you get when you take the whole plan of God and you cut something out?  You get another plan.  You get a fraction of the whole.  You no longer have that which is complete.  In so doing you directly violate the word of God.  (Revelation 22:18-19) “For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.”

    Anytime you cut out part of a plan you have a partial plan which is one that will not have the same results of the whole plan.  If a builder decides to cut out some of the architect’s plan he will not finish with the same result as if he followed the whole plan.  God is the architect of the plan of salvation (Ephesians 1:3-4; 3:9-11).  When one removes part of His plan, they will not get partially saved, they will be totally lost (James 2:10).  Obeying God is not about finding the quickest and fastest way, it is about finding out what God desires and dedicating our whole lives to do that which pleases the Lord (Ecclesiastes 12:13).

Conclusion

    This article was not intended to be specific, but it was intended to be thought provoking.  We should think about our spiritual lives and find out if we have taken the short way and cut out some of God’s plan.  An example is this: One might desire to be at services on Sunday morning, but they do not wish to be there for several hours.  So, they take a shortcut.  They cut out the first session which is Bible Class and then they are satisfied with thinking they have fulfilled their duty to be dedicated in study and worship to God.  What is failed to be realized is this is just another shortcut.  Something has been left out of the plan.  It is a good thing for us that Christ came to earth and had a desire to follow His Father’s plan (Luke 2:49 and John 5:30), for if He took a shortcut, we may have been what would have been left out of God’s plan!
 

Quick Notes
Those Serving Today:
Announcements – Brian Yeager
A.M. Song Leader – Terry Nannie
Lord’s Table – Bill Graham
Assisting – George Papp and Jay Wagner
First Prayer – John Wagner
Closing Prayer – Mike Lockwood

Those In Need of Our Prayers:
Samantha Graham’s heart test results are good – continue to pray for her continual recovery, the Lockwood family will be loosing Mike when his orders of deployment are finalized, Kathren Lucas is in Kentucky visiting family until the end of April, Marie Glunt (a friend of the Papp’s who has been diagnosed with Cancer), Nancy Green (Barb’s cousin who has cancer), and Joan Croyle who has been struggling with her health.

Ladies Class:
The ladies will be meeting at the Lockwood’s today at 2:00.


What must one do to be saved (Acts 2:37)?  Hear and believe the Gospel (Mark 16:15-16), repent of their sins (Acts 3:19), confess Christ (Acts 8:37), and be baptized (immersed) for the remission of sins into the church (Acts 2:38, I Corinthians 12:12-13, and Galatians 6:3-5).  One must then remain faithful (Revelation 2:10).