THE HEIGHTENER

"Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall exalt you." -James 4:10

VIEWPOINT

In the unpublished writings of Miss Ruth Paxton was found a list of her "Prayer Check" by which she tested her own prayer life.

(1) Has my prayer life been powerless because of some besetting sin?

(2) Has it been hindered by haste, irregularity, insuf-ficient preparation?

(3) Have I had such power with God that I have had real power with people?

(4) Has my prayer life been limited to my own life or am I an intercessor after God's own heart?

(5) Has my prayer life been starved, or have I, through meditation on the Word, let the Lord teach me to pray?

(6) Has my prayer life been joyless — more of a duty than a privilege?

(7) Has my prayer life been sacrificial — has it cost me anything in time and energy?

I certainly need to perform those checks!

I appreciated Chris’s sermon on Rahab last week. I especially liked this statement: “Faith is believing that it IS SO, even when it ISN’T SO, because GOD SAID SO, so that it WILL BE SO.”

Here’s another comment: “If you don't think every day is a good day, just try missing one!”

I look forward to seeing you Sunday with a Bible, a smile and a positive word! RA

Poor in Spirit

BLESSED are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:3)

RIGHT at the beginning of his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus contradicted all human judgments and all nationalistic expectations of the kingdom of God. The kingdom is given to the poor, not the rich; the feeble, not the mighty; to little children humble enough to accept it, not to soldiers who boast that they can obtain it by their own prowess. (John R. W. Stott, The Message of the Sermon on the Mount)

JESUS KNOWS all about the others, too, the representatives and preachers of the national religion, who enjoy greatness and renown, whose feet are firmly planted on the earth, who are deeply rooted in the culture and piety of the people and molded by the spirit of the age. Yet it is not they, but the disciples who are called blessed—theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship)

GOD DOES NOT force his kingdom upon anybody but gladly gives it to all who know they're losers without him and humbly seek his help. (Clarence Jordan, Sermon on the Mount)

THE KINGDOM of God can only be received by empty hands. Jesus warns against (a) worldly self-sufficiency: you trust yourself and your own resources and don't need God; (b) religious self-sufficiency: you trust your religious attitude and moral life and don't need Jesus. (Michael H. Crosby, Spirituality of the Beatitudes: Matthew's Vision for the Church in an Unjust World)

WE ARE to be spiritually poor only for the sake of becoming spiritually rich, detached from what we can own so that we can be attached in a different way to what we cannot own, detached from consuming so that we can be consumed by God. (Peter Kreeft, Back to Virtue)

HUMILITY, or poverty of spirit, is not a matter of thinking low thoughts about ourselves. It is not a matter of groveling in the dust. It is simply a matter of knowing ourselves as we really are. And when we see ourselves as we really are, we will see that we are poor. (John W. Miller, The Christian Way)

– Compiled by Richard A. Kauffman

We appreciate Ralph White for starting off the season of lawn care recently with the good job he always does.

Todd and Dean Wisenbaker followed up with another week of yard work. Thanks to them as well.

David White, Ralph and Doyle’s brother, did not receive good news with his recent surgery, and the malignancy is more widespread than it was hoped. His address is available in the church office if you would like to encourage him.

A graduation invitation from Jessica Weimer is posted on the bulletin board for your information.

Fayetteville – An Area-Wide Men’s Breakfast will be on Saturday, May 17 at 9:00. This is to kick off the gospel meeting at Fayetteville May 18-21.

The sympathy of the congregation is extended to Jim and Willie Mae Warren in the death of Jim’s brother-in-law, Ned Waters. Funeral services were on Monday in Smyrna.

All ladies are invited to a baby shower for Courtney Justice Knight on Sunday, May 18 at the Peachtree City church. The invitation is posted on the bulletin board.

Continue to remember Susan Carson, Nell Peters, J. W. Richard Smith, Geneva White and Ned Waters.

THOSE TO SERVE - May 11, 2008
Welcome	Ross Anderson
Song Leader	Jimmy Pulliam
Opening Prayer	Todd Wisenbaker
Lord's Table	*Chris King
	*Steve Putman
	Dave Hamby
	Chris Greenwald
Scripture Reading	Jim May
	Proverbs 23:24-26
Closing Prayer	Greg Cannon
Welcome -PM	Ross Anderson
Song Leader	Jimmy Pulliam
Opening Prayer	Jim Warren
Scripture Reading	Josh May
	Psalm 118:14-174
Closing Prayer	Romeo Brinkley
Communion Preparation	Sally Ray
Nursery Attendant	Myra White

Bible School	91
Worship AM	130
Worship PM	65
Wednesday Bible Study	60
Contribution	$ 4,484.50