ASSIGNMENTS

1. Daily read over this material and read or sing the songs.

2. Keep the scripture where you will see it often each day.

3. Think of things you need to have taken away from your life and ask God to remove them.

4. Write down what you and God have subtracted from your life.

5. Plan to tell the class about a time something was taken out of your life and how it changed your life.

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DAILY BIBLE VERSES AND PRAYER THOUGHTS

MONDAY - VERSES: Exodus 8:8; 10:17; 23:25	PRAYER THOUGHT: Great Physician of All, please take away the plague of sin from my life, and help me not to resist like Pharaoh did.

TUESDAY - VERSES: Exodus 33:17-23 PRAYER THOUGHT: Glorious God, help me to have the desire to see you like Moses did, and take away anything that would hinder my vision of you.

WEDNESDAY - VERSES: 2 Corinthians 3:12-16	PRAYER THOUGHT: Great Lawgiver, thank you for taking away the veil and allowing us to see your will clearly in the New Testament.

THURSDAY - VERSES: Acts 8:33; John 20:1-2,12-17 PRAYER THOUGHT: Giver of Eternal Life, thank you for taking away the stone from Jesus' tomb and promising to take away all death and give eternal life to those who love you.

FRIDAY - VERSES: 1 Corinthians 5:1-8 PRAYER THOUGHT: Master of the church, help your servants serve you in purity and work to keep sin out of our lives individually and the church as a whole.

SATURDAY - VERSES: Leviticus 3:9-16 PRAYER THOUGHT: Creator, help me to cut all the fat of sin from my life and make my life a living sacrifice to you.

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TAKE AWAY GOD'S WAY

L.S. - LET US OBSERVE. . .

I. GOD'S ___________ FOR TAKE AWAY. - 1 CORINTHIANS 5:3,12-13; 5:7; 5:13; 2 CORINTHIANS 2:6

II. GOD'S ___________ FOR TAKE AWAY. - 1 CORINTHIANS 6:4-5; 6:6,8; TITUS 2:11-14; JOSHUA 7:5; 2 CORINTHIANS 2:9

III. GOD'S _______________ FOR THOSE WHO DON'T PLAY BY THE _________. - REVELATION 2:20-23; 2:14-16; 2 PETER 2:9-22

SPIRITUAL HEALTH REGIMEN - WEEK 81

SUBTRACTING - 2-23-14 TO 3-1-14

SCRIPTURE - Joshua 7:13b There is an accursed thing in the midst of thee, O Israel: thou canst not stand before thine enemies, until ye take away the accursed thing from among you.

COMMENT – We are so used to taking out whatever we don't like in a recipe or any other area of life that we don't think about the fact that there are some things God doesn't like. He wants us to take away some things and let him decide which things.

SONG - NOTHING BUT THE BLOOD

1) What can wash away my sins? Nothing but the blood of Jesus; What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

CHORUS: O! Precious is the flow that makes me white as snow; No other fount I know, Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

2) For my pardon this I see, Nothing but the blood of Jesus; For my cleansing, this my plea, Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

3) Nothing can for sin atone, Nothing but the blood of Jesus; Naught of good that I have done, Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

4) This is all my hope and peace, Nothing but the blood of Jesus; This is all my righteousness, Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

THOUGHTS

ON POINTING FINGERS	EDDIE PARRISH

I had an opportunity a couple of years ago to visit in my office with a man who had taken exception to the "reputation" of the congregation in Odessa where I labored, and what he referred to as a history of "negativism" and "strictness" in churches of Christ in general. Specifically, he was concerned that we were unnecessarily shutting the door of opportunity to over half of Odessa's population because I taught that there is only one legitimate cause for acceptable divorce and subsequent remarriage (fornication, Matt. 19:3-9). In the course of conversation this gentleman, who was a member of the church in another city, revealed that he thought it was terrible to take such an unbending stance, and his clear implication was that we didn't believe in the grace of God, and might very well be lost for it. His view of the grace of God was basically that grace is just going to cover the sins of people regardless of whether or not they are concerned about being obedient to the Lord's instructions. Based upon that view of grace he made this startling statement. "I don't think we should go around pointing fingers at people and telling them they're lost." To that statement, let me offer the following observations.

Self-contradiction is alive and well. What many of our leftward-
leaning brethren cannot seem to grasp is that they are guilty of the same thing that they think is so objectionable. This brother, whom I believe to have been well-intentioned, had spent several minutes "pointing his finger" at me and the Eisenhower congregation in an effort to show how evil it is to point fingers. It is not uncommon to hear the digressives cry for tolerance, patience and non-judgmentalism toward other people, only to find them doing the same toward those who do not share their harmful ideas. "Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things" (Rom. 2:1).

The truth is, it is not wrong to tell another person that he is in error, provided it is done with kindness, love and patience (Eph. 4:15; Col. 4:6), and provided you are not hypocritically overlooking glaring errors in yourself (Matt. 7:1-7; Gal. 6:1). How else could we ever teach someone the gospel without first determining (judging) by the scriptures that said person is lost and in need of the gospel? Do people not think anymore?

May we never become so consumed with addressing the errors of others that we never take the time to consider our own spiritual conditions. But may we also never shrink back from judging righteous judgments (John 7:24), declaring "the whole counsel of God" (Acts 20:27) and calling our sinful world away from the doctrines of men and back to the doctrine of Christ (2 John 9-11). --THE UNIVERSITY FORUM, Tyler, Texas

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LAUGHING AT DIRTY JOKES	JESSE FONVILLE

Christians sometimes get into awkward positions with evil going on around them, and may not always know how to deal with it. Let us look at some God-given principles for dealing with both the evil and evildoers around us.

1) "Abstain from (shun) all appearance of evil" (1 Thess. 5:22). That is, if it is known to be evil, produces evil, or looks to be evil, we are to avoid it—stay away from it! Dancing is an example of this. Drinking, lust, and fornication are known to be some of the "fruits" of dancing. Immodest dress can provoke the sin of lust.

2) "Should you help the ungodly, and love those that hate the Lord?" Jehu spoke this to King Jehoshaphat (2 Chron. 19:2). He told the king that this was the reason for God's wrath upon him.

This prohibition is clearly given in the New Testament in regard to our dealings with those who teach false doctrines (2 John 9-11). We cannot support, encourage, or silently imply that we endorse their false teachings (Gal. 1:6-9).

3) "He who justifies the wicked, and he who condemns the just, even they BOTH are abomination to the Lord" (Prov. 17:5).

To the shame of our nation, the 20th Century produced leaders who brazenly promoted such evils as the "legalized" killing of unborn babies, and the acceptance of homosexual behavior. And they are passing laws to condemn the just who protest this "freefall" into the gutter, charging that they are "homophobic," "anti-women," and guilty of "hate crimes."

Paul, dealing with such behavior, said, "...they who commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in those who do them" (Rom. 1:32). --via THE MESSENGER, Huntsville, AL

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Christ died to save us "from our sins," not in our sins. It is not a good sign to hear a believer either defending or excusing his sin. We agree with Dr. A.J. Gordon, who said:

"We gravely fear that many Christians make the Apostle's

word, 'If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves,' the unconscious justification for a low standard of Christian living. It were almost better for one to overstate the possibilities of sanctification in his eager grasp after holiness, than to understate them in his complacent satisfaction with a traditional unholiness.... If we regard the doctrine of sinless perfection as a heresy, we regard contentment with sinful imperfection as a greater heresy."

We orthodox believers are prone to ignore John's pointed word to us: "These things write I unto you, that ye sin not." God wants a cleansed and righteous people. A sincere believer must want to be rid of all sin for all coming time.

And how true the word that "if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus Christ His son cleanses us from all sin."

TAKE AWAY GOD'S WAY

INTRODUCTION:

L.S. - LET US OBSERVE. . .

I. GOD'S RULES FOR TAKE AWAY.

A. PRACTICE JUDGING - 1 CORINTHIANS 5:3,12-13 (3) For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed, (12) For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within? (13) But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.

B. PURGE OUT- 1 CORINTHIANS 5:7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:

C. PUT AWAY - 1 CORINTHIANS 5:13 But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.

D. PUNISH - 2 CORINTHIANS 2:6 Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many.

II. GOD'S REASONS FOR TAKE AWAY.

A. PRESERVE SOULS - 1 CORINTHIANS 5:4-5 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, (5) To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

B. PREVENT LEAVENING - 1 CORINTHIANS 5:6-8 Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? (7) Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: (8) Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

C. PURIFY AND PROTECT - TITUS 2:11-14 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, (12) Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; (13) Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; (14) Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

JOSHUA 7:4-7 So there went up thither of the people about three thousand men: and they fled before the men of Ai. (5) And the men of Ai smote of them about thirty and six men: for they chased them from before the gate even unto Shebarim, and smote them in the going down: wherefore the hearts of the people melted, and became as water. (6) And Joshua rent his clothes, and fell to the earth upon his face before the ark of the LORD until the eventide, he and the elders of Israel, and put dust upon their heads. (7) And Joshua said, Alas, O Lord GOD, wherefore hast thou at all brought this people over Jordan, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? would to God we had been content, and dwelt on the other side Jordan!

D. PROVE OBEDIENCE - 2 CORINTHIANS 2:9 For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in all things.

E. POINT TO KNOWLEDGE - 1 TIMOTHY 1:18-20 This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare; (19) Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck: (20) Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme.

III. GOD'S CONSEQUENCES FOR THOSE WHO DON'T PLAY BY THE RULES.

A. PHYSICAL RETRIBUTION - REVELATION 2:20-23 Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols. (21) And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not. (22) Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds. (23) And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.

B. PERSONAL CONDEMNATION - REVELATION 2:14-16 But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication. (15) So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate. (16) Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.

C. PERMANENT PUNISHMENT - 2 PETER 2:9-13 2 Peter 2:9-13 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished: (10) But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities. (11) Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord. (12) But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption; (13) And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you;

CONCLUSION:

A. SUMMARY

B. INVITATION

Joshua 7:13b

There is an accursed thing in the midst of thee, O Israel: thou canst not stand before thine enemies, until ye take away the accursed thing from among you.

Joshua 7:13b

There is an accursed thing in the midst of thee, O Israel: thou canst not stand before thine enemies, until ye take away the accursed thing from among you.

Joshua 7:13b

There is an accursed thing in the midst of thee, O Israel: thou canst not stand before thine enemies, until ye take away the accursed thing from among you.

Joshua 7:13b

There is an accursed thing in the midst of thee, O Israel: thou canst not stand before thine enemies, until ye take away the accursed thing from among you.

Joshua 7:13b

There is an accursed thing in the midst of thee, O Israel: thou canst not stand before thine enemies, until ye take away the accursed thing from among you.

Joshua 7:13b

There is an accursed thing in the midst of thee, O Israel: thou canst not stand before thine enemies, until ye take away the accursed thing from among you.

Joshua 7:13b

There is an accursed thing in the midst of thee, O Israel: thou canst not stand before thine enemies, until ye take away the accursed thing from among you.

Joshua 7:13b

There is an accursed thing in the midst of thee, O Israel: thou canst not stand before thine enemies, until ye take away the accursed thing from among you.

Joshua 7:13b

There is an accursed thing in the midst of thee, O Israel: thou canst not stand before thine enemies, until ye take away the accursed thing from among you.

Joshua 7:13b

There is an accursed thing in the midst of thee, O Israel: thou canst not stand before thine enemies, until ye take away the accursed thing from among you.

Joshua 7:13b

There is an accursed thing in the midst of thee, O Israel: thou canst not stand before thine enemies, until ye take away the accursed thing from among you.

Joshua 7:13b

There is an accursed thing in the midst of thee, O Israel: thou canst not stand before thine enemies, until ye take away the accursed thing from among you.

Joshua 7:13b

There is an accursed thing in the midst of thee, O Israel: thou canst not stand before thine enemies, until ye take away the accursed thing from among you.