Peter wrote, "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour" (I Pet. 5:8). Being a Christian is a sobering thought. It is laced with pitfalls, one of the most dangerous being a lack of vigilance, or as we usually state it: Apathy. It is so very easy for one to let slip his main commitment when he stated to Christ and to the world that he was putting on Jesus, God, the Bible, the church as his number one priority. Things interfere with our time, prayers, benevolence, worship, and service. Soon it becomes a chore, or even perhaps a bother to take time to "go to church." When it becomes a matter of "going to church" we might ought to take stock of our selves. Let us consider: You are a Christian if you:

1. Read (study) your Bible daily. A person needs food for his physical body every day. A Christian will see to it that his spiritual body receives spiritual food every day as well. Without spiritual food (the Word of God) one's faith will grow weak. Paul said, "faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Rom. 10: 17). There is no substitute for study.

2. Pray daily. Prayer guards one's heart. Paul said, "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus" (Phi. 4:6-7). We need to keep our heart on things spiritual.

3. Do good unto others daily. Paul admonished, "As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith" (Gal. 6: 10). God knew that doing good unto others will help the door have a greater sense of gratitude for the blessing of helping others. A heart turned inward will soon turn to stone.

4. Live righteously daily. People see us in a different light than we see ourselves. Others can see through hypocrisy. If we say we are something and then prove otherwise through our actions, we destroy what influence we might could have with them. Honesty is never wrong, and a good name is to be desired. Solomon said, "A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold" (Pro. 22: 1), and "A good name is better than precious ointment" (Ecc. 7:1 a).

5. Worship every time the church assembles. A Christian who is dedicated to his Lord, will not miss the opportunity to assemble with the saints. The phrase, "go to church," is wrong! The church assembles to worship God! Not for social considerations, but to worship and adore our Creator, Sustainer, and Rewarder (Heb. 11:6). One who claims to be a Christian and then forsakes the worship is not what he claims to be.

It is easy for one to make all sorts of claims, but the proof of the pudding is in the eating. It would be good for all of us to take stock of ourselves, be honest with our hearts, and ask the questions: "Am I really being a Christian, or am I trying to fool God?"

1350 N Abrego Drive; Green Valley, AZ 85614

September Calendar
The September Activities Calendar & Men To Serve list is available today in the foyer. Be sure to get a copy.

PM Fellowship
We meet in the annex tonight after the PM worship for our regular fellowship that honors the month’s birthdays and anniversaries. Tonight will be special in that we will also be “pounding” our two student preachers, George Franklin and Jeffrey McNeal. Bring a pound of staple goods for each of these fine young men so that they might have a foundation of basic needs during the remainder of this new school year.

3 Weeks and Counting
Our Gospel Meeting with Jimmy Clark starts on Sunday, September 19th and lasts through Wednesday, September 22nd. Invite your friends and neighbors and plan to attend each and every evening. There are flyers in the foyer for your convenience.

Every person converted in the New Testament was a person who learned he was wrong and changed. You could be wrong too. Study the Bible and do what it tells you.