NORTH CAROLINA CHURCH OF CHRIST
February 02, 2025
Home: Gerald Clemmons, Thomas Davis, Barbara Smith
Sympathy is extended to Evelyn Newton and her family on
the passing of Doug Newton on Tuesday night. Visitation
will be this afternoon at Spry-Williams Funeral Home, from
12-2. The funeral will begin at 2. Burial will be in the N.
Carolina Cemetery. Please keep this family in your prayers.
Please remember to keep Ricky Rogers in your prayers. He
Is scheduled for surgery in B’ham on Tuesday, February the
11th.
Cedar View: Barbara Parker
LCNH: Prue Kelley/1
SHUT INS: Freddie Davis, Stacy McCormack, Evelyn
Newton, Betty Scott, Vicki Wright.
Please remember those in the nursing homes and our
Shut-Ins
ISAIAH’S CALL: Please continue to bring Hamburger
Helper Meals or give your donations to Amy, Ann, or
Pat.
Lesson #7 for next weeks Auditorium Class, Teachings of
Jesus on the Baptism of Believers in the 21st Century, is o
the table for your study. Men…The lessons to be taught are
also on the table in the foyer. As always, please pick the
lesson you would like to teach and sign the appropriate space.
Lesson #13 for the Wednesday night class is on the table
in the foyer. That lesson is Zecheriah.
Please check the Bulletin Board for cards, etc.
Please sign the list in the foyer if you would like a copy of
your contribution for 2024.
Gordon & Marie Krieg have a new address: 7401 Parkwood
Street, Florence, 35634. Please make a note of that in
your directories.
REMEMBER IN PRAYER
Please keep these folks in your thoughts and prayers.
Michelle Bernstein, Sherry Box, Alma Butler, Billy Bryant, Vicki Burbank, Haley Bugg, Donnie Carroll, Tom Childers, Jane Clark, Gerald Clemmons, Mitch Clemmons, Jim Clemmons, Brandon Cody, Jennifer Davis, Thomas Davis, Caitlyn Dennis, Tammy Dial, Kevin Dillon, Dakota Garner, Bridgett Gattis, Carter Glascock, Kayla Hamner, Lori Hargett, Shirley Harmon, Cypress Hayes, Taylor Hendrix, Charles and Joyce Hester, Lana Hines, Christine Holden, Cindy James, Josh Hones, Brock Killen, Don Lakey, Madalyn Littrell, Brenda McDonald, Porter Mitchell, Peggy Montgomery, Luke Oliver, Tracy Pace, Ethan Pennington, Kenzie Perkins, Dennis Phillips, Tamika Powell, Mike Prince, Linda Rickard, Ricky Rogers, Lazaro Ruiz, Susan Schmidlkofer, Kim Sharp, Steve Shelton, Kristi Shollenberger, Barbara Smith, Betty Sparkman, Kevin Springer, Jean Symore, Earl Tank, Brad Tank, Patrice Tucker, Rene Voser, Luke White, Donna Wilkerson, Vicki Wright
HIS GLORY IN HIS TEMPLE IS NOT FOUND IN GOLD
Last week we looked at the work David did to gather much of the material for the temple his son, Solomon, was to build. That temple was adorned magnificently because it was built by 183,000 laborers working for seven years. Read the details about it, and you will discover how much gold was used to construct it. It was almost equal to all the gold in Ft. Knox. The estimated value for the cost of all material used to build the temple is $240,381,000,000.
When Solomon dedicated the temple, the visible manifestation of God coming down and entering it was like what happened at Mt. Sinai when He entered the tabernacle. They literally saw the presence of God entering both of these buildings. Tragically, one great truth was overlooked by those who later worshiped at the temple. It is a truth so many have failed to see in our day. The grandeur of that temple has nothing to do with its appearance. The greatness of that temple is that God was present within it. We would be so much wiser if we comprehended this truth.
What happened to that temple? A far greater question is why Nebuchadnezzar was used by God to destroy it and to carry its gold furnishings to Babylon. As you read how rapidly the Jews left God following Solomon’s death you will readily see the answer. For the next 300 years they worshipped idols (sometimes with the idols being brought into the temple) and there were only four righteous kings who ruled over them.
How did God respond to such gross mockery of His Holy Place and His Most Holy Place? God is good; He is merciful; He is longsuffering—but He is not mocked. “God is not mocked, for whatever a man sows that he shall also reap” (Gal. 6:7). In a vision, Ezekiel described what he saw just before the temple was razed and the prophet shows why it happened.
Read Ezekiel 9-11 as he described what he saw. The glory of God departed from the ark of the covenant and its golden cherub and went to the door of the temple Solomon had built. It paused at the threshold once he saw the cloud and the brilliant light in the temple. However, it only paused at the door, for Ezekiel saw the glory of God leave that building and go to a mountain on the east side of Jerusalem. God will not be mocked. God will not abide in the midst of a rebellious nation. The Lord who was in His holy temple left it.
His glory is not found in our buildings. We glory in the earthly material aspects of what we offer to Him. Solomon’s temple is no more (neither is Herod’s). His Spirit departed from it, but today He has another temple in which His glory is found today (Eph. 3:20-21). Think about it!
Via: Dan Jenkins
Palm Beach Gardens Church of Christ
Palm Beach Lakes, FL