A Christmas Reminder This holiday season makes for a valuable exercise if we would take it. We are moving in the direction of the changing world conditions. Such conditions effect and affect our daily existence - how we think and what we do and don't do. It is too easy to get caught up in the mood and movement resulting in the absence of God's Good News which conquers all the bad news. When God is left out of the GOOD NEWS we have only ZERO (Good - God - 0). We are left with trying to piece together, to keep together the things in and about our lives which seem to give it meaning. We necd light for the darkness; right for the wrongness; and a safe and sure WAY through these days in which we live. A Way is Needed The artist's painting of the wooded forest was not to be looked upon in comfort. It needed a way in and a way out, a path through it. Here we are on planet earth looking up into seemingly endless galaxies, conscious of timeless eternity and becoming more aware of our littleness, our limitedness. "There is A WAY which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death" (Proverbs 14:12). We could cry out with Thomas, "How can we know THE WAY?" (John 14:5). A Way is Provided "Jesus saith unto Him, I AM THE WAY, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me" (John 14:6). The Christ of the Scriptures is the only Christ that works and outworks God's everpresent Person and His gracious all-wise program for Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Peter, John, Paul, for you and me. "And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord" (Luke 2:10-11). The Way Must Be Received and Relied Upon "Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the LIGHT of the world: he that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life" (John 8:12). "For the wages of sin is death; but the GIFT of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Rom. 6:23). "Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that BELIEVETH N ME, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and BELIEVETH IN ME shall never die. Believest thou this?" (John 11:25-26). So that we assuredly say, "I have chosen THE WAY of truth" (Psalm 119:30) and with David, "As for God, HIS WAY is perfect" (Psalm 18:30). It is God who "maketh MY WAY (in His way) perfect [a wholeness that is safe and full of health]" (Psalm 18:32). Middletown Bible Church 860-346-0907 349 East Street, Middletown, CT 06457 Route 217 (East Street, Westfield) midway between Routes 66 and 372 SUNDAY: www.middletownbiblechurch.org 9.30 am Sunday School - all ages Independent Bible Centered Christ Exalting Contact us if you are interested in a free Bible correspondence course. BIBLE LINE: Call 860-346-0021 for a timely message 24 hours a day. BIBLE LINE for CHILDREN: Call 1-800-368-1115 10:45 am Morning Worship 7:00 pm Evening Worship WEDNESDAY: 7:30 pm Prayer Meeting and Bible Study A Christmas Reminder This holiday season makes for a valuable exercise if we would take it. We are moving in the direction of the changing world conditions. Such conditions effect and affect our daily existence - how we think and what we do and don't do. It is too easy to get caught up in the mood and movement resulting in the absence of God's Good News which conquers all the bad news. When God is left out of the GOOD NEWS we have only ZERO (Good - God - 0). We are left with trying to piece together, to keep together the things in and about our lives which seem to give it meaning. We necd light for the darkness; right for the wrongness; and a safe and sure WAY through these days in which we live. A Way is Needed The artist's painting of the wooded forest was not to be looked upon in comfort. It needed a way in and a way out, a path through it. Here we are on planet earth looking up into seemingly endless galaxies, conscious of timeless eternity and becoming more aware of our littleness, our limitedness. "There is A WAY which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death" (Proverbs 14:12). We could cry out with Thomas, "How can we know THE WAY?" (John 14:5). A Way is Provided "Jesus saith unto Him, I AM THE WAY, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me" (John 14:6). The Christ of the Scriptures is the only Christ that works and outworks God's everpresent Person and His gracious all-wise program for Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Peter, John, Paul, for you and me. "And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord" (Luke 2:10-11). The Way Must Be Received and Relied Upon "Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the LIGHT of the world: he that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life" (John 8:12). "For the wages of sin is death; but the GIFT of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Rom. 6:23). "Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that BELIEVETH N ME, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and BELIEVETH IN ME shall never die. Believest thou this?" (John 11:25-26). So that we assuredly say, "I have chosen THE WAY of truth" (Psalm 119:30) and with David, "As for God, HIS WAY is perfect" (Psalm 18:30). It is God who "maketh MY WAY (in His way) perfect [a wholeness that is safe and full of health]" (Psalm 18:32). Middletown Bible Church 860-346-0907 349 East Street, Middletown, CT 06457 Route 217 (East Street, Westfield) midway between Routes 66 and 372 SUNDAY: www.middletownbiblechurch.org 9.30 am Sunday School - all ages Independent Bible Centered Christ Exalting Contact us if you are interested in a free Bible correspondence course. BIBLE LINE: Call 860-346-0021 for a timely message 24 hours a day. BIBLE LINE for CHILDREN: Call 1-800-368-1115 10:45 am Morning Worship 7:00 pm Evening Worship WEDNESDAY: 7:30 pm Prayer Meeting and Bible Study