A VIEW FROM THE BACK  
(By a substitute usher.)  
   
Last Sunday I had the privilege of serving as an usher. In many churches ushers sit in the back of the auditorium to count attendees, help latecomers to find seats, and answer questions. I usually sit close to the front and rarely get an overall view of what occurs during worship, but last Sunday I did.  
   
There is no question that the back of the auditorium is noisier and has more distractions. However I noticed many positives, including:
   
Bibles! Nearly everyone brings his or her Bible. This is encouraging, as it reflects  a deep devotion to God’s word.  
   
Children! We are blessed with couples that bring babies, toddlers and young children. Although the parents may not hear every word or sing every line, they are teaching their children valuable lessons by bringing them to worship.  
   
Teenagers! We may not have an abundance of teens, but those we have attend worship regularly, including a few whose parents do not come. Their passion for God inspires me.  
   
Singing! Listening to the singing of this congregation helps me understand why the only music authorized in the New Testament is acapella singing. The words are inspirational.  
   
The elderly! I noticed people who have been Christians for more than 50 years, and couples who have been married for even longer. Some of these devoted saints are in poor health yet still attend services.  
   
Four generations! I saw families with four generations in attendance! What a blessing for great-grandparents to see their descendants worshipping God under the same roof.  
   
Friendships! It is thrilling to see people of different ages, races, accents and backgrounds come together as a family – the family of God!  
   
There is a lot to see from the back of the building, and most of it is VERY GOOD!  
   
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I was glad when they said to me, "Let us go into the house of the Lord."  Psa. 122:1  
   
Jesus, always Jesus!  
   
Dennis

KEEP YOUR LIGHT SHINING!  
   
"You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." (MT 5:14-16)  
   
Many years ago, a gospel preacher accepted an invitation to preach for a church in Houston, Texas. After arriving, he typically rode a city bus from his home neighborhood to downtown Houston. One day, upon taking his seat on the bus, he discovered that the driver had given him a quarter too much in change.
   
He initially thought, "I should return the quarter. After all, it would not be right to keep it, even if it is only 25 cents." Then he thought, "But why worry about a quarter? The bus company probably gets too much fare as it is, and the driver has enough on his mind without me trying to explain why I am returning a mere quarter. Just keep it."
   
But when it came time for the preacher to exit the bus, he paused at the door, reached into his pocket and handed the quarter back to the driver. "Here", he said, "You gave me too much change when I got on your bus today."  
   
The driver, exhibiting a broad smile, replied, "Aren’t you the new preacher that moved to town recently?"
   
"That's correct", the preacher replied.  
   
"Well, I've been giving thought to getting back in church. I overheard someone mention that you are a preacher, so today I thought I would see what you would do if I gave you too much change. So…I plan to see you at church this Sunday!"  
   
When the astonished minister stepped off of the bus, he purportedly grabbed the nearest light pole, held on a few moments and said, "Oh God, I almost sold your Son for a quarter."  
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This story vividly illustrates the idea that our lives may be the only Bible some people will ever read. Who knows who might be carefully observing our actions today? May God grant us the determination to be a light for Jesus to everyone, everyday!
   
Jesus, always Jesus!
   
Dennis  

What Grabs Our Attention?  
   
Most of us have witnessed many dramatic rescue scenes (like those below) on televised news broadcasts.  
   

• Four helpless workers hang precariously from the edge of a skyscraper. Their  

scaffolding has all but collapsed. Police, fire and rescue personnel have been summoned. Thousands of anxious spectators watch from below. News helicopters and ground crews record every moment of the unfolding drama. Scores of people are trying to save these four lives. Thousands pray for their safe rescue.
   

• Immediately following an apartment fire, dozens of critical burn victims are  

transported to the Trauma Unit of a nearby hospital. Teams of burn specialists are quickly assembled. Meanwhile, dozens of family members and supportive friends assemble in waiting rooms, anxiously awaiting the status of loved ones. A prayer vigil takes place outside the hospital.  
   

• A four-year-old child is missing in dense woods near an isolated campground.  

Swamps, bears, coyotes, snakes and other dangers abound. Police, National Guard personnel and hundreds of volunteers spend the entire night fervently searching for the child. The family eagerly awaits news, and requests the prayers of local churches. No one rests until the child is found.  
   
   
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Such scenes have repeatedly touched our hearts, and most of us have fervently prayed for successful outcomes. This is as it should be. However, other tragic dramas unfold around us daily, but rarely get our attention, let alone our prayers. The irony is that the potential consequences are far worse.  
   

• A neighbor is lost in sin. He knows little about God's word and has never  

obeyed the gospel. He is on a collision course for the fiery lake that burns forever. One of his neighbors is a Christian, perhaps you or me. A church building may even be located nearby. Despite the fact that his soul is at stake, no crowds watch anxiously for rescue. No search party is organized. Few, if any, pray. No spiritual rescue personnel knock on his door.  
   
I commend Christians that pray for the victims of the real-life dramas that unfold on TV. But what of the lost souls next door or across the street? Do we notice? Do we pray? Meanwhile, Jesus hopes that we will obey His Great Commission. Do we?  
   
Jesus, Always Jesus!  
   
Dennis

May I Borrow Your Axe?  
   
Author Samuel Clemens told the story of a man whose neighbor habitually borrowed things without returning them. One day the neighbor asked to borrow the man’s axe. “Nope”, came the reply. “And why not?” “Because I’m about to eat a bowl of soup.” Puzzled, the neighbor said, “I do not see what one thing has to do with the other. You are certainly not going to eat your soup with an axe, are you?” “No,” said the man. “But when a fellow’s decided he’s not going to do something, one excuse is as good as the next.”  
   
Mr. Clemens was right. When people decide on a course of action, they’ll justify it with any excuse — even one that makes no sense. We see it all the time in life. An unemployed man who was being evicted from his apartment was asked why he did not get out and look for a job. “Are you kidding?” he replied. “Who has the time?”  
   
It is far more tragic that millions of people concoct excuses for ignoring God and the gospel of Jesus Christ. “I’m too busy.”“Other things are more important.” or “I’ll get around to it later.”  
   
Jesus heard many such excuses during His earthly ministry: “Lord, let me first go and bury my father” (Luke 9:59); “…let me first go and bid them farewell who are at my house” (Luke 9:61). The Apostle Paul also heard excuses for neglecting the gospel – "Go away for now; when I have a convenient time I will call for you" (Acts 24:25).  
   
As a gospel preacher, I have also heard numerous excuses for putting God off. I once encountered an unfaithful Christian in a mall. After a brief greeting, I asked him if he had given any thought about his soul. He replied, “This is not really a good place to talk about my soul.” When I asked him to name a better place, he shrugged and walked away.  
   
As the man in the Samuel Clemens story demonstrates, excuses typically begin the moment we decide what we’re going to do (or not do). The key to breaking the cycle of excuses is to DECIDE to obey Jesus’ commands (Jn. 14:15) and put Him and His kingdom first (Matt. 6:33). If we make that decision and stand by it, excuses will quickly diminish.  
   
Jesus, always Jesus!  
   
Dennis

6 WAYS TO WIN A SOUL     
Jesus said, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” (Mk. 16:15)  
Paul responded, “I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes…” (Rom. 1:16)  
   
Nothing on earth is as fulfilling as leading a lost soul to Christ. However, some Christians believe that the pursuit of souls is restricted to preachers or trained personal workers. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, there are at least 6 ways that any Christian can help lead others to Christ.
   
1. Pray specifically for one lost soul daily. Even Paul prayed regularly for his lost Jewish countrymen – Rom. 10:1.  
   
2. Pray for God to lead you to a lost soul, or vice versa. God has answered such prayers by leading many Christians in the direction of searching souls. (See Acts 10:1ff & 16:9ff.)  
   
3. Call or visit a church member that no longer attends services. Such contacts have turned many wayward souls around. James wrote, "…he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death…."  Jam. 5:19-20.  
   
4. Keep inviting people to church services or activities. This is the “come & see” approach - Jn. 1:46. It is estimated that 30% of those that obey the gospel do so after receiving at least 5 invitations to attend.  
   
5. Speak to every visitor. Surveys indicate that the chief factor that determines whether visitors return is the initial reception they receive. If a visitor immediately feels "at home", he or she will almost always return.  
   
6. Give a little more. It is a fact that soul-winning tools such as radio, TV, the internet, billboards and newspapers are often restricted by insufficient funding. Some churches spend twice as much on air conditioning than on winning souls.  
   
Won’t you take part in the greatest endeavor of all? Start by picking a soul and praying for them daily. "The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise" Prov. 11:30.  
   
Jesus, always Jesus!  
   
Dennis

ARE WE CONVINCING?  
   
“Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it” (Prov. 22:6).  
   
Nothing is more important for Christian parents than to know that their children are headed for heaven. After all, if a child eventually dies unprepared to face God, all earthly accomplishments will be pointless. Realizing that our children learn more from our behavior than our words, what kind of example are we setting at home?  
   
Are we convincing our children that worshipping God is crucial (John 4:23) if we sometimes put sports, picnics or household projects ahead of church services?  
   
Are we convincing our children that Bible study is vital (1 Tim 4:13) if we allow them to skip Bible class because they stayed up late on Saturday night?  
   
Are we convincing our children that swearing and/or taking God’s name in vain is wrong (Matt. 5:34) if we occasionally blurt out “damn”, “Oh my God” or worse?
   
Are we convincing our children that modest appearance is important (1 Tim. 2:9) if we sometimes wear revealing attire or allow them to do so?  
   
Are we convincing our children that pornography is evil (Eph. 5:3) if we periodically watch movies that depict partial nudity or couples ostensibly having sex?  
   
Are we convincing our children that lying is wrong (Col. 3:9) if we occasionally tell “white lies” or withhold the truth?  
   
Are we convincing our children that Jesus is our Savior, Lord and King (1 Tim. 6:15) if we rarely mention His name at home (or anywhere else)?  
   
Are we convincing our children that the most important goal in this life is to be prepared for eternity(Matt. 16:26) if we are not ready ourselves?  
   
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Children learn from our example every day. Are we teaching them the things that please God and Christ? Let’s make certain that they have the best possibility of reaching heaven by showing them THE WAY at home.  
   
Jesus, always Jesus!  
   
Dennis  

AN ODD MARRIAGE  
   
Following their wedding and reception, a young man and his new bride eagerly jumped into their vehicle. But as they pulled away, the bride spoke up, "Honey, would you mind just taking me home." "Home?",  the startled man exclaimed. "Don't you remember that we have a plane to catch, a honeymoon to begin and a new life ahead of us?"  
   
"Oh, about that," she replied, "I’ll admit that the ceremony was beautiful and the reception memorable. Moreover, I’ll take your name and wear your ring, but…” “But what?” Jim interjected. She continued, “But I miss my small apartment, job, friends, and diversions. I really want to get back to them. But don’t worry; we can still get together once or twice a week.”  
   
The young man was speechless as she continued. “Please don’t take this personally. I love you and accept you as my husband, but I also love my old life. Understand? Tell you what, if it will make you feel better, I’ll call once or twice a day. In the meantime, let’s make the most of this. Okay? Okay???”  
   
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You may be thinking, “That’s no marriage!” And you are right. A nightmare would be a more apt description. But before you dismiss the story as fiction, it actually depicts some “spiritual” marriages.  
   
In Romans 7 the apostle Paul uses marriage to illustrate the commitment involved when we became Christians. “You (are) married to another -- to Him who was raised from the dead” (Rom. 7:4). When we obeyed the gospel, we committed our lives to Christ, just as a new husband and wife commit to one another. Everything else is secondary.  
   
Yet some folks that claim to be Christians have an attitude akin to the wife in the aforementioned story. Although they repented, confessed Jesus and were baptized, they eventually returned to their old ways. And although they may still attend services of the church, and pray to God when in trouble, they otherwise live as they did before they obeyed the gospel.   
   
One cannot be truly be joined to the Lord, and hold on to one's former life. Attempting to do so is not a marriage, but a nightmare…with eternal repercussions. “For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning” (2 Pet. 2:20).  
   
Are you married to Christ? Then remain faithful to Him, no matter what.  
   
Jesus, always, Jesus!  
   
Dennis