Living Within God’s Laws

How could Jesus walk on water?  How could he feed thousands of people with only five small loaves of bread and a two small fish?  How could he make a person who had been dead four days live again?  The answer is really quite simple.  He can change and manipulate the laws of nature any time he wants to and in any way he wants to because he’s the one who created these laws of nature (John 1:3, Colossians 1:16, Hebrews 1:2).  He is not subject to the laws of nature, they are subject to him.

The rest of us, though, must live within the powers of these laws.  If we jump off of a tall building, the law of gravity will pull us to the earth.  We can use a safety net to prevent injury or death, but we can’t keep gravity from pulling us earthward.  If we touch a hot pan, we’ll burn our skin.  We can use a pot holder to keep our skin from touching the pan, but if we touch it we’ll get burned.  We cannot change the laws of nature.  We are subject to them even if we do not know they exist or if we don’t understand them.  However, we can learn how to live within the laws Jesus has created and make battleships of steel that float and rockets that go into space.  Our lives are happiest when we learn to work within these laws instead of defying them.

The same principle is true with the spiritual laws of God.  Jesus could heal on the Sabbath or forgive an adulterous woman or take a thief to paradise, things that seem to us to be violations of the law.  But remember, he is the one who gave the laws.  He knows them inside and out, and can even change the laws when he chooses (see Mt. 5:22, 28, 32, 34).  Jesus is greater than the laws he has given (see Mt. 12:8).   The lawgiver is greater than the law.

The rest of us, though, like with the laws of nature, must live within the scope of these spiritual laws to have life at its best.  We have no choice.  These are the laws of God and no matter how much we may want to change or ignore them, we cannot do so without severe consequences.  We are subject to these spiritual laws even if we don’t know that they exist or even if we don’t understand them.  God tells us how to worship, how to become a Christian, and how to treat our neighbors.  He has laws about marriage, about priorities, and about attitudes.  We can choose to ignore or even defy his spiritual laws, but unless you can walk on water, I don’t suggest that you do so.

Joe Chesser, Fruitland Church of Christ, Jackson, Missouri

News & Notes

PRACTICAL MINISTRIES CLASS:  The ‘Practical Ministries’ class, during Sunday morning Bible class hour, will be starting on April 4th in the Fireside Room off the new fellowship hall. This can be a refresher course for those who have already taken it or can be taken by those in preaching class for the first time. We discuss: weddings, funerals, campus ministry, youth ministry, Christian writing, hospital visitation, Christian camping, etc., and even take a field trip.”

ADULT BIBLE CLASS:  We are continuing in our study of the book of John. Thus far we have made it through the end of chapter 20. This week we will be discussing our homework: “What was Jesus’ point in His discussion with Peter in verses 15-17?” This will be the last week we spend in John’s writing of the story of Jesus. Next week we plan to begin a study of Romans. Everyone is encouraged to begin reading the first chapter of Romans.

Bible Reading if FUNdamental (BRIF):  We are keeping track of Bible chapters read by Grandview embers each week.  Here  are the results so far:

Date    Chapters
Jan 9    538
Jan 16    732
Jan 23    693.5
Jan 30    537.5
Feb 7    658
Feb 14    562
Feb 21    529
Feb 28    638
Mar 7    490
Mar 14    433

Prayer Requests

Gwen Duckstein’s aunt Jan Nikkel has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Please pray for wisdom for the family as they decide how to proceed in the future.

Lyndsay Gordon has bronchitis as well as an ear infection.  Taylor Gordon has pneumonia.

Jacob Sparks tonsillectomy went well.  He is doing well.

A friend of Jason Housby, Deb Bergsma, her grandmother Joan has cancer.

A friend of Phyllis Mort, Jane Ellis, has been diagnosed with cancer.

Michael Watson’s brother, Adam, has Mononucleosis.

Jenna Mort is not doing well in her therapy and the family has requested prayers for wisdom and guidance for the future.

Mitzi Wood’s son Blake, is 14 years old and has been diagnosed with cancer.

Jared Van Egdom’s father, found out from CAT scan results that he does not have cancer, however, he will have to have surgery on Wednesday to remove the tumor that was found.

Paul Powers is in room 458 at Mercy Hospital. He continues to improve on a daily basis. He is doing well in physical therapy.

Glen Stevens has an appointment to have an echocardiogram later in May.

Prayer request from Diane George: Please include my former mother-in-law, Jessie George, on our prayer list.  She has suffered a stroke and is now experiencing TSI’s.  Thank you.

Kelly Potter’s roommate committed suicide. Please pray for her family as well Kelly during this time.

Dora Bailey’s mother, Carol Crocker saw the specialist and found out that she has a bulging disk instead of a herniated disc, which will not require surgery, but physical therapy instead.

Andrew Graves (Harriett’s grandson) is requesting prayers for himself and his 10-month-old daughter Kayleigha Graves. She’s been diagnosed with severe Acid Reflux, anemia and weight loss.

Jake Ferrell’s mom, Vicki Bennett, is still in Lutheran hospital, and she is doing better.

Lyndsay Gordon asks you to pray for her high school friend, Katie Ford, who had a stroke. She is only 31 years old.

Looking for a job: Tom Collier, Meredith South,  David and Frank Colton, Deborah Wallis,  Robert Housby, Arlene Ogle.

Shane Siegle’s sister, Cherrie Hubbard’s cancer has spread to her bones.

Please pray for Deb Kuper and the children as well as Chad.

Pray for our nation and all it’s  challenges.

Expectant mothers: Dawn White, Dora Bailey, Anne Ogle, Melissa Ludwig, Danielle Duquette

Marnie Walker and the girls in Des Moines with the house for sale while Philip is in Alabama.

Missions:  Mike & Diane Richardson; Mexico Trip; Bob &  Marla Housby

Calendar of Events

• Apr 11 – Mazak Retirement Party after  evening worship
• Apr 23-25 – Grandview Lectureship
• May 1 – Hickman Ladies Day
• May 21-23 – Davis City ‘Creation’ Seminar
• Ladies Quilting—1st & 3rd Tuesday at 9:30-11:30am  Building