Swiftly we’re turning life’s daily pages.Quickly the hours are changing to years.How are we using God’s golden moments?Shall we reap glory? Shall we reap tears? We stand on the dividing line of this year and next year. Regrets stand behind and opportunity stands ahead. It is easy to see those opportunities lost and wasted in the past. How easy it will it be to squander them this next year? If there is a next year. Consider our assemblies. Which people have you helped to be stronger in the Lord through your efforts in the Lord? How many people are staying away from God because of childishness, animosity and peevishness? I wonder if soul searching and application of God’s Word will allow another day, week, month or year to pass before repentance is sought? Lost, Lost Oh, what a cry from soulsalong the shore.Forever to go in sorrow and woeand be lost, lost ever more. “The Summer is past, harvest is ended and still we are not saved” is the saddest cry because it came from a heart hardened by sinful attitudes (Jeremiah 8:20). Brightly beams our Father’s mercy.From His lighthouse evermore.But to us he gives the keeping of the lights along the shore.Let the lower lights be burningSend a gleam across the wavesSome poor fainting, struggling seamanYou may rescue you may save. Busy lives will quickly burn out your desire to seek and save the lost. You don’t have the luxury of time. In fact, we have less time now than ever

Before you say no when asked to take a job in the church, think about some reasons why you should say yes. There are at least three good reasons why every Christian ought to serve in the church. 1. Your Christian life needs a service outlet. Nothing helps you to grow as a Christian like putting your faith into practice by using your talents (Ephesians 2:10). 2. You have a talent to share with others. The reason why you are asked to serve is that your brethren have confidence in you and your ability. Your Christian service will be a good influence in the lives of those whom you lead and serve. 3. Your church family needs you. There is no way for our congregation to get its work done unless members volunteer their time to teach and lead. When you accept a place of responsibility, you help the church move forward in the name of Christ.

With so many churches, denominations and religions in this world it is easy to become confused and even skeptical. How would a person ever know if he was doing the “right” thing religiously and how would he know if the church he goes to is the one God approves? We know that two opposing conclusions cannot be correct. If person “A” is doing one thing to please the God of the Bible and person “B” is doing something totally opposite to please God, then either one or both of them is wrong. Isn’t it important for us to search the Scriptures to find out what, if anything, we must do and which, if any church, we should attend? Isn’t it sensible to find the correct way that pleases God? Let us notice a few things about Matthew 16:13-19. These verses are actually a record of Jesus’ words regarding the establishment of “his” church or kingdom. “I” will build “my” church. Notice to whom the church belongs. Christ says it would be “my” church. He makes the statement that he was going to build a church and nothing, including his own death, would stop him from doing just that. In other places, we see that Christ bought the church (Acts 20:28). The apostle Paul called it the “church of Christ” (Romans 16:16). Elsewhere, Paul says that Christ is the “Head” of the church (Ephesians 1:21). There is no doubt that Christ intended to build “his” church. God planned for the establishment of the church in purpose “before