Scripture

“But if you cause one of these little ones who trusts in me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone hung around your neck.”

~Mark 9:42, NLT

Quote

There is only one thing worse than committing sin, it is to teach another to sin.

~William Barclay

 

 

One of the more unpleasant realities in life is that someone must introduce the younger and weaker to their first temptation. Can you remember your first taste of alcohol: who tempted you to drink it? You have a face and name in mind, don’t you? Who gave you your first cigarette or tempted you to smoke some weed? I will not lie, Joe David’s message Sunday morning  and the verse above disturbed my peace. I am sure that I have caused others to sin by my poor example.

Now, I would not put a cigarette in a child’s mouth nor a beer in their hand. I hate drugs and what they do to people so there is not much fear about encouraging someone to do drugs. I will say this, I would not want to trade places with those who make drugs accessible to others. Drug dealers may end up next door to the Pharisees in hell. I don’t push drugs but I have lost my cool in front of children and said and did things that were wrong. There is no question about my guilt.

An old man was dying and he seemed very distressed. Someone asks him what was wrong. He said, “It is my conscience. When I was a boy we found a road sign that had lose bolts so we took them out and inverted the sign. We left the sign pointing in the wrong direction and I wonder how man people took the wrong road on account of my foolishness?” I wonder about the same thing.

 

• Becky Lindsey is better and Joyce Moore got to go home. Anthony’s mother {Nell Shaneyfelt} had a knee replaced yesterday in Huntsville.
• Jeremy’s dad, Jerry Reeves is in DGH. Respiratory and heart issues.
• Joe David needs Children’s Chewable [gummy] Vitamins for the Guatemala trip. He is asking each family to spend $10 on vitamins and bring them to the foyer where there will be a suitcase to put them in. We have only two weeks to complete this project.
• Joe David’s schedule: Leave on Mission Trip to L.A. this Friday July 15. He will be preaching in Grand Bay on Sunday July 17. He will be leading a college and career team to Guatemala on July 28 and return August 4. August 25-26, New Orleans {Seminary}. August 27-Sept 2 he will be in Huston and Dallas Texas. He will go back to New Orleans in September, October and November and graduate in December. Do any of you want to exchange places with him? Didn’t think so! I am asking for one think: pray for him. I got winded just reading his schedule.
• BLOCK PARTY MEETING yesterday. Everything looking good. There will be some reduction but not that much. Going with last years budget, $10, 700.

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