heaven.
The Lord will single him out from all the tribes of
Simply from the Scriptures
from the Church of Christ in Richmond Indiana
When the children of Israel entered the promised land they
were to go to Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal to hear the
blessings the Lord would give, if they obeyed the Law
(Mount Gerizim), and to hear the cursings the Lord would
bring about if they disobeyed the Law (Mount Ebal):
“Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse; A
blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the Lord your
God, which I command you this day: And a curse, if ye will
not obey the commandments of the Lord your God, but
turn aside out of the way which I command you this
day, to go after other gods, which ye have not known. And
it shall come to pass, when the Lord thy God hath brought
thee in unto the land whither thou goest to possess it, that
thou shalt put the blessing upon mount Gerizim, and the
curse upon mount Ebal.” Deut. 11:26-29 (KJV)
This is restated later: “And it shall come to pass, if thou
shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God,
to observe and to do all his commandments which I
command thee this day, that the Lord thy God will set thee
on high above all nations of the earth…” Deut. 28:1 (KJV)
“But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the
voice of the Lord thy God, to observe to do all his
commandments and his statutes which I command thee
this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and
overtake thee:” Deut. 28:15 (KJV)
After noting the cursings that would take place, a rather
significant statement is made: “When such a person hears
the words of this oath, he invokes a blessing on himself
and therefore thinks, "I will be safe, even though I persist
in going my own way." This will bring disaster on the
watered land as well as the dry. The Lord will never be
willing to forgive him; his wrath and zeal will burn against
that man. All the curses written in this book will fall upon
him, and the Lord will blot out his name from under
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Israel for disaster, according to all the curses of the
covenant written in this Book of the Law.”
Deut. 29:19-21 (NIV)
In consideration of these thoughts, we may ask, “What
does this have to do with me?” The answer is, “much!”
I submit two passages to consider: “For whatsoever things
were written aforetime were written for our learning, that
we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might
have hope.” Romans 15:4 (KJV)
Paul wrote to those in Corinth: “Moreover, brethren, I
would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our
fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the
sea…[9] Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also
tempted, and were destroyed of serpents. Neither murmur
ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed
of the destroyer. Now all these things happened unto them
for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition,
upon whom the ends of the world are come.” 1 Cor. 10:1,
9-11 (KJV)
In applying this to our time, we must not think that we can
sin and that sin not have an adverse effect on our
salvation. Just as the one who disobeyed God’s word in the
Old Testament would suffer, so will the hardened sinner
who believes his sin is inconsequential to his salvation.
Though we may try, directing our own footsteps is not
within ourselves. This too was noted in the Old
Testament: “O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in
himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps. O
Lord, correct me, but with judgment; not in thine anger,
lest thou bring me to nothing.” Jeremiah 10:23-24 (KJV)
Man needs guidance. The wise man will seek guidance and
correction from God. Solomon wrote: “A wise man will
hear, and will increase learning; and a man of
understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:” Proverbs but the end thereof are the ways of death.” Proverbs 16:25
1:5 (KJV) (KJV)

God’s word is what brings life and light into our world. The
psalmist wrote: “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a
light unto my path. Psalm 119:105 (KJV)
Some people in the Old Testament resisted guidance. They
suffered greatly for their evil deeds. They did not want
guidance from the Lord to the extent they would rather
listen to lies than the truth: “Now go, write it before them
in a table, and note it in a book, that it may be for the time
to come for ever and ever: That this is a rebellious people,
lying children, children that will not hear the law of the
Lord: Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets,
Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth
things, prophesy deceits: Get you out of the way, turn
aside out of the path, cause the Holy One of Israel to cease
from before us. Wherefore thus saith the Holy One of
Israel, Because ye despise this word, and trust in
oppression and perverseness, and stay thereon:” Isaiah
30:8-12 (KJV)
There are still people today with the same problem: “Even
him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all
power and signs and lying wonders, And with all
deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish;
because they received not the love of the truth, that they
might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them
strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they
all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had
pleasure in unrighteousness.”
2 Thes. 2:9-12 (KJV)
“There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the
end thereof are the ways of death.” Proverbs 14:12 (KJV)
I cannot think I am saved…I must know if I am saved
I cannot think I am saved…I must know if I am saved. This
is not a statement of pride, it is a statement of awareness.
Paul commands: “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in
the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own
selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be
reprobates? But I trust that ye shall know that we are not
reprobates.” 2 Cor. 13:5-6 (KJV)
We cannot think we are saved if we are in sin. We must
heed the warnings given in the Bible that were noted in
this bulletin (there are more). I close with this passage for
all’s consideration, “Be not deceived; God is not mocked:
for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For
he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap
corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the
Spirit reap life everlasting.” Gal. 6:7-8 (KJV)
Douglas R. Clark
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Schedule of Services:
Sunday Morning: Classes: 9:30 am
Worship Service: 10:30 am
Sunday Evening: Worship Service: 6:00 pm
Wednesday Evening: Classes & Invitation 7:00 pm
Questions, Comments call or write. 765-935-2911

Regardless of the time, those who resist God and have Proverbs 28:14: Happy is the man that feareth alway: but he that
delight in false doctrines will suffer God’s wrath. hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief

We must have God to guide us. We can believe we are

sincerely correct and be completely wrong. This is so
important of a warning that God has it repeated in two
proverbs: “There is a way that seemeth right unto a man,
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