Consider how, daily, we hear of many young and older people overdosing; who are not well known except to their families who have to deal with the grief that comes from losing a loved one.  These people are not living so much in the desire of popularity; they are just looking for something to fill a void in their lives - something to give them a new high - and they go too far. 

Please don't try to tell me that this cannot happen to us.  How many people today die of drug overdoses from prescription medicines, not realizing that they have taken too much?  Many start off innocently enough - taking the first drink, the first puff, the first hit, and then their bodies are wired in such a way that they become addicted with the first try.  WHAT A LESSON FOR ALL OF US NOT TO TAKE MEDICINES (NOR ALCOHOL) IF WE CAN AVOID IT!  We never know until it may be too late if we can handle it or not.  Sadly, even members of the Lord's church have done this, and our hearts break!

My heart is saddened by all of these deaths - deaths that could have been prevented if perhaps some of these had looked for the answers to the questions of life somewhere else than a pill bottle or liquor bottle.  Many of these stars mentioned above were so addicted to the popularity that comes from the "high" of performing that when they were growing older they became afraid that their followers had forgotten them.  The pride of life (1 John 2:15) is a high price to pay when it comes to temptation and giving in to this.

The answer to this sounds too simplistic for some people - but the answer to all of life's troubles and questions are not found in a bottle - they are found in Jesus.  God has created humans with a desire to worship someone greater than ourselves; and if we will not find Him, we will wind up worshipping ourselves and our things.  It doesn't take long, however, for us to realize that things, accomplishments, intelligence . . . do not satisfy - only God can (Read Ecclesiastes 1-2; 12:13-14).  Only God can satisfy.  And this is the message GOD wants us to share with our neighbors and friends.

The drug trade in this country can be stopped only when we win the hearts and minds of its citizens with the gospel of Christ.  Until then, man will keep looking in the wrong place for the answers to the BIG questions in their lives.  And they will keep dying because the answers are not found where we think they are!  The answer is found only in JESUS!    

                                                                                                                                                 Tommy Tidwell

The headline above is in a font called "Edwardian Script." It is a lovely font that brings forth an image of elegance and a calm air of peace. But looks can be deceiving.

                 The term "collateral damage" was first known to have been used in 1972 by the military. "The USAF Intelligence Targeting Guide defines the term '[the] unintentional damage or incidental damage affecting facilities, equipment, or personnel, occurring as a result of military actions directed against targeted enemy forces or facilities. Such damage an occur to friendly, neutral, and even enemy forces' (USAF Intelligence Targeting Guide - AIR FORCE PAMPHLET 14-210 Intelligence. 1998-02-01. p. 180. Retrieved 2007-10-06)

Timothy McVeigh used the term "collateral damage" when asked about the 19 children who died when he bombed the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City in 1995. (Wikipedia article on Timothy McVeigh; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timothy_McVeigh.)

We also use the words that bring forth an image of calmness, peace and respectability. Words such as "pro-choice," "alternate lifestyle," "cohabitating," "life-partners," and "no-fault divorce," sound much more respectable than the words "murderer of innocent children," "sodomite," "fornicator," or "home wrecker." But changing the vocabulary to more respectable terms has unintended consequences.

Married couples represented only 48 percent of households in the USA in 2010. In 1950 it was 78 percent. Today the majority are single parent households, or households where couples are living together without marriage. In a New York  Times article by Sabrina Tavernise (May 26, 2011), it was said, "What is more, just a fifth of households were traditional families - married couples with children - down from about a quarter a decade ago, and from 43 percent in 1950, as a iconic image of the American family continues to break apart."

Some of the collateral damage from this is that children who come from divorced parents are more likely to earn lower grades in schools; are 50 percent more likely to develop health problems such as asthma, speech defects, and headaches; are 10 times more likely to be beaten or murdered; and more likely to be lonely, unhappy, anxious and insecure; and are twice as likely to attempt suicide. Seventy percent of long-term prison inmates grew up in broken homes. (See http://www. Marriage-successsecrets.com/statistic-about children-and-divorce.html.)

Another unintended consequence of divorce is that marriage has fallen from being viewed as a sacred institution ordained by God and intended to last a lifetime. Satan's trickery is the source of questions like, "Why can't we just live together and spare ourselves the pain and expense of a divorce?' and, "Why should marriage be restricted to only a man and a woman?"

Instead of changing our vocabulary to soften, or gloss over the ugliness of sin, why not just say it the way the Bible says it. That way sin will retain its putrid odor and be less desirable (perhaps) to those who would partake of it.

The Bible says, "For the Lord God of Israel says that He hates divorce for it covers one's garments with violence" (Malachi 2:16). We can either say "Amen," or "Oooohh me."

There will be more collateral damage from our modern attitudes toward adultery and fornication, divorce and remarriage - souls will be cast into the lake of fire for eternity.

                                                                     Written By: Steve Vice

                               Published in the Forest Park Church of Christ Bulletin

 The parable of the servants given the ten minas is a parallel to the parable of the five, two and one talent man in Matthew 25.  The context is a little different, and it is for this reason Jesus tells the story in a different way.  Both of the parables portray one man who is fearful of "wasting" the master's money, so they do nothing at all.  There are various reasons for their fear; "fearful because the master is a hard man," or fearful of their failures and what would happen if they risked it and lost the money committed to their trust.

Fear is a paralyzing emotion.  It keeps men and women from taking risks; from venturing out, from stretching and growing.  We are fearful of what people may think of us; we are fearful of failure; we are fearful of risk.  We want to play it safe, and risk nothing for fear of failure and having to answer for it.

Yet, in this parable and the parable of the talents, the man condemned is the man who will not risk what he has to gain more.  And, when he fails, that which he has is taken from him and given to another. This seems somewhat unfair to us - why take what the man has and give to another who already has? 

The great lesson of both of these parables is if we will not use the gifts God gives us for His glory, He will take these things away from us and give to others.  We are answerable to God for what He has given; we are answerable to God for the failures we have; we are answerable to God for the failure to take risks and grow and stretch to become better than we are now.  I am often made to wonder how many times I have played it safe, and not taken the risk of stretching out in faith and trust in God, and failed because of this.  Has God taken something from me and given to another because I did not use what he gave for fear?

Faith demands that we trust God!  It is simple to say it, but hard to live by faith.  It is learning to walk, not by sight, but simply because God says it!  How many churches have died, or failed, because the brethren are not willing to step out in faith and do what God has told us to do?  How many of us have not grown spiritually because we are afraid to risk what talent God has given us? 

I ask you to pray for me that I will be willing to trust God more, and RISK more to do more for God and His kingdom.  And I challenge all of us to do the same - we don't need what we have taken from us.  If we but believe, what great things could be accomplished here at South Cobb?

And let me encourage you to think about something else - is it really a risk to put our faith in God and act accordingly, when He promises to be with us and help us as we seek to do His will?  I think, upon further reflection, that there is really no risk - not doing what God wants done.  Will we believe?

Tommy Tidwell

"She couldn't tell the truth from lies.  By the same token, could you pass the test?  How good are you at telling a lie from the truth?  Does the truth vary according to your personal convenience - black one day; white the next?  The next time you read anything ask yourself, "I have the right to doubt; am I using it?  Because it is dangerous living in a world of misinformed people.  There's a reason why the lie is the tyrant's favorite death weapon - it has killed more people since the world began than all the armies and automobiles put together."

I have thought about that statement in light of the media and it's "coverage" of the upcoming election.  Many of us will vote, not on the basis of truth, but on the basis of "sound bites" the media wants us to hear.  And, because of information overload, we will believe something about a candidate simply on these things, rather than honestly investigating where they stand.

Satan is the father of lies and he loves lies (John 8:44)!  Jesus is the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6).  Hence, all truth comes from God; all lies come from Satan.  Please notice the following verses:

In Psalms 119:29-30 The Psalmist asks God, "Remove from me the way of lying, And grant me Your law graciously. I have chosen the way of truth; Your judgments I have laid before me."  Later he prays in Psalms 120:2 "Deliver my soul, O Lord, from lying lips And from a deceitful tongue."

God abominates "A proud look, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood," (Proverbs 6:17).  Solomon later wrote, Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, But those who deal truthfully are His delight. (Proverbs 12:22).

In Romans 1:24-25 Paul characterized the Gentiles in this way, "Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

Paul challenges the Colossian brethren in Colossians3:9 Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds,.  Could it be that the Colossian brethren had been lying to one another; hence the warning and command? We also see the same idea in Ephesians 4:25 Therefore, putting away lying, "Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor," for we are members of one another.

John tells us in Revelation 21:27 But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb's Book of Life. There will be no liars in heaven. 

Brethren, we must put away all lying, and we need to be careful when we listen to all the things out there in the media and the internet.  May we believe the truth, and not a lie!

                                                                                                                                        Tommy Tidwell

One of the characteristics of first century Christians is that they spent a great deal of time together, encouraging and building up one another.  Considering the fact that persecution was to come upon the fledgling church in short order, this period of time right after the beginning of the church was crucial to get the church ready for that persecution.  They would need one another desperately to encourage and build one another up to encourage faithfulness in the coming storm.

As noted in Acts 2 above, we see that one thing the early church did was to eat meals together.  Table fellowship was vitally important to encouraging one another and encouraging the growth that was necessary to stay faithful in time of tribulation.  When we consider the fact that we grow closer to one another was we eat together, we can see that avenue is fellowship is vitally important.  Some have confused the idea that ALL fellowship is when we eat meals together, yet we know that this is not the case.

Scripture teaches us that fellowship includes the fact that we use the gifts God gives us for the good, not only of ourselves, but for the whole church (Romans 12:6; 1 Corinthians 12:1; James 5:16).  We are to encourage, or stir up, love and good works (Hebrews 10:24; Acts 2:46).  We are to use our money to support the saints (2 Corinthians 8:4-5).  We are to be there for one another and bear with and encourage the weak, not to please ourselves, but to edify one another (Romans 12:15; 15:1-2; Galatians 6:1-2).  These are some of the things we must do for one another in the body of Christ. Indeed, fellowship means more than just eating together.

But consider how closely we come together when we eat together.  When we share food together and sit across the table from one another, we draw closer to one another.  When we eat together, we let our "guard" down sometimes and share things about one another that we normally wouldn't.  We will discuss the weather and other things, but we will also discuss our families, the church and our hopes, dreams and disappointments.  Our knowledge of one another and the toils, difficulties and joys are shared.  We then can, hopefully, share one another's sorrow and rejoice when the other rejoices.  Brethren, how can we truly fellowship and encourage when we don't know one another? 

Next week, if God wills, we will have another opportunity to share our lives with one another; to encourage one another and grow closer to one another.  I ask that everyone stay and eat with us - encourage us by your presence.  Let us get to know you better - and truly, let us serve one another as our Savior set the example for us (John 13:1-10; Matthews 20:28).

                                                                                                                                                        Tommy Tidwell

"Be careful for noting; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God." (Philippians 4:6)

"I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, so shall I be saved from my enemies." 2 Samuel 22:4

            Brethren, How often do we sit around and complain about the way our nation is headed.  We talk about what we can do, and outside of writing our congressman (woman) or senator and voting between the lesser of two evils, all we can do is complain.  This we have done and the situation continues to get worse.  As Christians have we forgotten?

            Have we forgotten that we are "One Nation, under God, indivisible".  Our nation is "Under God".  Our government is "Under God". Our citizens are "Under God".  If we don't like the way things are going, why don't we go over their heads by getting on our knees and going straight to God?

 We can go over their heads by going directly to God!!!!!!"

I recently received the above email from the minister of the Luna Lane Church of Christ in Hendersonville, TN., and I thought seriously about the plea that this brother in Christ has made to the church there and to all of us.  We do know that GOD commands us in 1 Timothy 2:1-2 Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence., so we have to ask ourselves if we have been doing this persistently enough to make a difference.  Have we been trying to change things according to the world's way of doing things?  How well has that worked out for us as Christians?  WHY IS IT THAT WE HAVE TO VOTE FOR THE LESSER OF TWO EVILS?  Why should Christians have to vote for any evil?

I, for one, am convinced that our only hope is in GOD.  I am also convinced that GOD is waiting for his people to repent, so that our prayers can be heard.  For the good of this nation the best thing Christians can do is repent of sins, seek GOD'S way and live as GOD would have us to live.  In the first century it "turned the world upside down."  I believe in GOD who can make that happen again - if we allow him to work through us.

That is why Sunday I asked that every prayer we pray between now and November be prayers asking GOD to help us be his people, and for the wisdom to choose wisely.  Brethren, we MUST pray for statesmen to be more interested in this country, than their party or themselves.  I do not believe that Christians should pray for a particular party affiliation (this is where a big problem is - this has divided our country) - but pray that God's will be done more than anything else (and vote accordingly). BRETHREN - LET US PRAY DAILY FOR THE CHURCH TO BE WHAT SHE CAN BE - AND FOR OUR COUNTRY!

THANKS TO ALL OF YOU WHO HELPED BY BRING FOOD, DRINKS,  SWEETS AND YOURSELVES TO SUPPORT OUR AREA WIDE YOUTH DEVOTIONAL HERE AT SOUTH COBB SUNDAY.  WE HAD 154 FOR SUNDAY NIGHT SERVICES - GOD WOULD LOVE TO SEE THAT HAPPEN ALL OF THE TIME ON SUNDAY NIGHTS!  AND A SPECIAL THANKS TO ROB STROUD, DWAYNE WATSON AND CELESTE PETERS IN HELPING ORGANIZE AND MAKE THIS HAPPEN.  THANK YOU!

AND LET'S PRAY FOR AND PLAN GREATER THINGS LIKE THIS IN OUR FUTURE!

Tommy Tidwell

We become discouraged in our souls because of these events, but it is not as bad as those in the book of Hebrews were facing.  The Hebrew writer says in Hebrews 12:3-4 For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin. (NKJV)  We have not yet shed blood for the cause of Christ, but there are plenty of opportunities to become weary and discouraged in our souls.  So what do we do?  What can we do to maintain our faith, and to grow more like Jesus?

When a team is playing poorly, the coaches often try to get the team back to the basics - whether in football, basketball, baseball or soccer.  Sometimes the team is trying to make big plays, but what has to be learned is that you do the basic things well; not forgetting them, and then work on the other things.  It is consistency that makes a team a winner.

The same is true when it comes to Christianity.  When we hit the low points in our Christian walk we must get back to the basics.

WE NEED TO GET BACK TO THE CROSS.  Jesus' death on the cross, and his subsequent resurrection, is the foundation of Christianity.  When we put Jesus on in baptism, why did we do so?  Did we respond in love to this great love story that shows how much God wants our fellowship?  Or were we motivated by something else?  Beloved, if our motivation for becoming Christians was anything but the cross, we can count on the fact that we will grow discouraged and we will want to quit.  But if our Christian life is founded upon Jesus, and striving to build a relationship with him, then we will work at it.  What does it take to build that relationship?  Love for the Lord that manifests itself in Bible study, prayer, faithful attendance to the assembling of the saints are some of the basic things we need to do and be faithful in when we grow weak and discouraged.

WE NEED TO FOLLOW JESUS.  Jesus set the example for all of us (1 Peter 2:21ff) that we can do the Father's will and serve him.  He did not show us it would be easy; he did show us that it could be done. As Jesus was talking with the disciples before his death, he stated, "If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love. (John 15:10 NKJV). He set the example - we need to follow him.  Beloved, what would happen if we really followed Jesus, and pointed the way to him?  What difference could we make on the world?

Yes, when we are discouraged and weary we need to get back to the basics.  I am not sure about you, but this will keep me busy for some time! 

WELCOME TO THE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO WILL BE WITH US THIS EVENING FOR WORSHIP!  WE ARE GLAD YOU ARE HERE!

                                                                                                                                                           Tommy Tidwell

By saying this, I am stating as well my value system.  What is important to me I find the time to do, what is not - I don't.  Hence, sometimes what is important to me gets lost in the urgency of the moment, and I fill my life with things that are not really important.  Thinking about this - this last year I planted a garden (something I love to do) but as time went on, I filled my time with other things and did not have time for the garden.  I rationalized this by saying that the things I filled my time with - teaching at Georgia School of Preaching, camp, Summer series, plus my regular opportunities for service in preaching and teaching Bible class were more important than the garden.  I hope that this does say something about my values and what I deem important.  It also says that I (we) can fill our time with things that are less important and become so busy with other things that we lose sight of what is important, and what we need to do.  By writing these words I truly see my priorities, and see the need to change some things in my life!

Our beloved brother Paul (through inspiration) stated it this way in Ephesians and Colossians - letters he wrote at the same time while under house arrest in Rome (Acts 28):

Eph 5:15-16 See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. NKJV

Col 4:5-6 Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time. Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.  NKJV

If it is the case that we do what we want to do, then we need to make sure first things come first.  God must have first place in my life (Matthew 6:33).  Family is vital; I need to work on the relationships that will help my family reach their goals and become what God intends for them to become.  The church is family as well; I must do what I can to help every member of the church at South Cobb reach their full potential in Christ and become the church Jesus intends for us to be.  I must take time to teach the gospel to anyone and everyone that I can, for eternity hangs in the balance.  I need to encourage my brothers and sisters in Christ to make time and take time for God.  After all, we will do exactly what we want to do.

In light of today being January 1^st, may I plead with you to make a resolution this year to live up to the calling God has called us to?  To live our lives more like Jesus; to put him and his kingdom first; to open our eyes to opportunities to do good EVERY DAY; to defend his cause and way.  After all, we will do what we want to do.

And please, let us encourage one another daily as the Hebrew writer tells us to do:

Heb 3:12-13 Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; but exhort one another daily, while it is called "Today," lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. NKJV  Pray for me - encourage one another - let us show the world who is the most important person in our lives - JESUS CHRIST!  After all . . . 

                                                                                                                                                          Tommy Tidwell

Those called Christians in I Peter 4:16 were souls who had met the Bible conditions that entitled them to that name. They were souls "purified ... in obeying the truth", and "born again ... by the word of God" (1 Peter 1:22, 23). The Lord saved them when they were baptized in water (1 Peter 3:21). They were the "spiritual house"; the people of God", who worshipped God according to the testament governing God's present priesthood of believers (1 Peter 2:5, 9, 10). They were trying their best to live holy lives; to resist the lust of the flesh, and to endure faithfully under severe persecution (I Peter 4:1-18). So living, they could "commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator" (I Peter 4:19). Bible Christians (those with the above characteristics) have a "living hope", "an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you" (I Peter 1:3, 4). But those who are guilty of bringing shame and dishonor in the use of the name Christian will not be spared the punishment of God who gave the name to grace those born into His family (II Peter 2:9).

King Agrippa recognized Paul to be a Christian (Acts 26:28). The name was given by God in fulfillment to prophecy to those born into his spiritual family, the Church (Isaiah 62:2; Isaiah 56:5; Acts 11:26; I Timothy 3:15). The name Christian was used to identify the followers of Christ so much so that Agrippa knew who was entitled to wear the name. When Paul said, "I would to God that not only you, but also all who would hear me today, might become both almost and altogether such as I am" (Acts 26:29). He knew and they knew, that certain gospel conditions had to be obeyed for them to be called Christians. Paul tells the conditions he met to be entitled to this God given name in Acts 22:16. Paul knew, and Agrippa knew, that just being religious was not enough to be entitled Christian (Acts 26:5). The final condition of the gospel Paul met to be saved (Acts 2:38, 47; I Timothy 3:15). To be baptized into Christ is to be baptized into His body, the Church (Romans 6:3; I Corinthians 12:13). Paul knew, and Agrippa knew, (AND EVERYONE TODAY SHOULD KNOW), THAT ALL WHO ARE UNWILLING TO MEET THE CONDITIONS OF THE GOSPEL ARE NOT ENTITLED TO WEAR THE NAME CHRISTIAN. HAVE YOU MET THE CONDITIONS?

Robert H. Martin