HOME, SWEET HOME!

"There's no place like home. There's no place like home." Truer words were never spoken. It is great to be back home. It is great to be able to sleep in my bed on my pillows, eat my food in my kitchen, and prop my feet up on my couch to watch my TV in my living room. It is great to get my clothes out of my closet or my dresser instead of a suitcase. Don't get me wrong, the traveling was fun. We had a great time as a family. But it is great to be home.

Speaking of home, it was great to be back in my home church this past Sunday. I am still on sabbatical until Sept. 3rd, but my wife and I needed our church family so we decided to go home on Sunday and be with family. I love my church. Our brothers and sisters in the Lord welcomed us back with love. Lisa and I were put into the Refiner's fire this past week and we really needed our church. It was great just to be able to sit in the services and be ministered to. We sat in Sunday School with Bro. Ron and enjoyed his lesson on Choosing the Path of Full Devotion from our Discipleship Challenge workbook.

I am so thankful for our faithful associate, Bro. Chadd. He is a great friend and a real blessing to me and to Texas Avenue. He has done the majority of the preaching while I have been gone and God has used this time to mature him as a preacher. His message on love this past week is well worth your time. You can find it on our website. Also, our Deacons have been teaching on Sunday evenings. This past Sunday we were able to hear Bro. Jason teach from James 4 on not allowing the world to infiltrate our lives and our church. It was a great reminder of God's unwillingness to share us with the world. God wants all of our affection, devotion, and attention and He is more than worthy of it all.

I am not sure how people who are not active in church cope with tragedy and tribulation in their lives. Too many times we associate church with long sermons and giving away our money (yet we have no problem sitting through a four hour football game for $75 per ticket; but that's for another time). However, it is that long sermon that God uses to comfort our hearts and give us hope in tough times. And I would give every dime I had just to be part of a church family when troubles come our way. On top of the encouraging words, the warm hugs, and the shoulder to cry on, their is no dollar amount that can be placed on God's people taking your name and your circumstances to the Throne of Grace. There is not enough money in the world to replace the comfort and confidence that comes when God answers the prayers of His saints on on my behalf. You can have your pills, your psychiatrists, your psychologists, your secular counselors, your sleep-aids, your barroom buddies, and your whatever else helps you cope with life. I'll take my church home any day. And I won't just cope, I will overcome and live an abundant life as a result!

Speaking of home (again), won't it be great when Jesus Christ calls us Home! I was reminded again this past week of just how rotten this old world is. And, as the songwriter put it, I am glad "this world is not my home, I'm just a passin' through; my treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue." As the Bible puts it, we are nothing more than strangers and pilgrims here. For the believers, our citizenship (way of life or standard of living) is in heaven. One of these days we will hear the Lord shout from heaven, then the voice of the archangel, followed by the trumpet of God. Then, according to the Bible, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, the dead in Christ will be called out of the graves, then those alive in Christ will be caught up together with them into the clouds to meet the Lord, yes, to meet the Lord Jesus Christ, in the air! And so shall we ever be with the Lord Jesus Christ. We will be in that place the Lord Jesus said He was preparing for His followers.

What a day that will be
when my Jesus I shall see;
when I look upon His face,
the One who saved me by His grace;
when He takes me by the hand
and leads me through the Promised Land,
what a day, glorious day, that will be.

No more packing. No more pilgrimage. No more strangers in a strange land. No more SUFFERING. No more PAIN. No more HEARTACHE. No more CRYING. No more rotten SIN. Just God the Father and Jesus Christ in all of His glory. And his joint-heirs, His brothers and sisters. To enjoy Forever. And Ever. And Ever.

There's no place like Home!

HOME, SWEET HOME!

I MISS MY CHURCH!

GTT - Gone To Texas! This was a slogan posted on the abandoned homes of those who left everything to migrate to Texas in the early and mid 19th century. This is my new slogan. The Doucet World Tour finds itself back in the promised land today, praise the Lord!!!! We arrived in Lindale late last night and will be here through the weekend for Lisa's family reunion.

Can I tell you that I miss my church. I know it is the Lord's church. I know I do not own Texas Avenue. But TABC is mine in the sense that it is my family. I miss my brothers and sisters in the Lord. I miss your smiles. I miss your warm greetings. I miss your Amens. I miss your gracious comments. I miss hearing your prayers. I miss hearing our choir. God has used my time away to remind me how much I love every single member of TABC.

We had a great few days on Table Rock Lake in the Branson, MO area. In my opinion, Table Rock is one of the most beautiful places God has created. We were able to use a pontoon boat last Tuesday to spend a day on the lake. The kids really enjoyed being pulled around the lake on the tube. Tuesday night we took the kids to the oldest show in Branson, the Baldknobbers. Or, as Jackson calls them, the Bald Numbers. It was a very funny show and I picked up a few new lines like, "I had as much trouble as a woodpecker with chapped lips."

I really, really miss my church!

Wednesday night we went to the 40th annual Brumley Gospel sing in Lebanon, MO. We went with Ryan and Lilly Moses. Lilly was able to get us free tickets through a connection at KWFC in Springfield. We were able to hear the Primitive Quartet, Karen Peck and New River, The Gospel Enforcers, the Isaacs, and Greater Vision. Greater Vision debuted their new tenor. He debuted singing one of my favorite songs of all time, Little is Much. He almost did it as well as I do. Almost. It was a great concert and we had a great time with Ryan and Lilly.

Speaking of Ryan and Lilly, we went to church with them last Sunday morning at West Division Street Baptist Church. Their Pastor, Bro. Bell, preached a challenging message on being salt and light in the world from Matthew 5. Sunday evening we went to a church called Broadway Baptist Church in Springfield. Their Pastor, Eddie Bumpers, preached a great sermon on managing money from 1 Timothy 6. His sermons are available online and I would encourage you to listen anytime you can.

Have I mentioned that I miss my church?

Thursday, we had lunch with Ronn, Amanda, and Jace Herod. They are doing well. Ronn is looking for a new job so please pray for him. They are also waiting on the Lord for direction for their lives and the next step He would have them take on their journey to be Missionaries. Please be sure to speak to the Lord about them in your prayer time.

This weekend we will be in church at First Baptist Church of Lindale. We attend this church whenever we are here on a Sunday. I really enjoy the Pastor's preaching and I am looking forward to hearing him. Continue to pray for us. We love you and miss you.

Bro. Eric

p.s. - Have I told you I miss my church?

I'VE BEEN EVERYWHERE, MAN!

I've been to Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Missouri.  If you say that real fast and put some music to it you can make a lot of money (or so I've heard).

I am currently (11:50 a.m. 8/2/08) sitting in a hotel in St. Charles, MO (suburb of St. Louis).  We are packing (again) and headed to the Branson area to stay for a couple of weeks.  We are having a great time.  We spent some time in Nashville at the Ryman Auditorium.  It is a very famous place (I found out) because of its place in country music and blue-grass music.  It use to be a church. They now sell beer in the foyer.  It was a sad reminder of the spiritual battle we are in.

We also spent a day at the Creation Museum in Kentucky, just outside of Cincinnati.  It was a great learning experience and I highly recommend it as part of any family's vacation.

Last night we went to see the Gateway Arch in St. Louis.  I was very impressed with the arch and the museum underneath the arch.  I was too chicken to ride the tram to the top of the arch (630 feet).  I got queazy just looking up at the arch.  After seeing the museum, we went on a horse-drawn carriage ride along the banks of the Mississippi River.  We really enjoyed the ride. 

Last Sunday we were able to go hear one of my favorite preachers, Greg Locke, at his church just outside of Nashville.  We really enjoyed the service. The church is just 20 months old, but God has blessed greatly.

Tomorrow, we will be at West Division Baptist Church in Springfield with Ryan and Lilly.  I am looking forward to seeing them and meeting their Pastor. Please continue to pray for us as we travel.

I am praying for TABC.  I really miss all of you and I am getting homesick for my church home already.  I love you guys and will write again soon.

Bro. Eric

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Today's entry may upset the apple cart, but that is not my intention.  My intention is simply to cause us to stop and think about something that is alarming in modern day Christianity.  I have noticed an exponential increase in different kinds of ministries "for Christ".  For example, I recently read of Bikers for Christ, Horsemen for Christ, Cowboy Churches, Racers for Christ, etc.

It seems to me that all we are doing these days is adding Jesus to our lifestyles, as opposed to allowing Jesus to transform our lives.  You may disagree, but this is my blog so I get to state my opinion.  The problem with this approach to "ministry" is that I believe it sends the wrong message to the people being "reached."  The message is this: "you don't need to follow Jesus, we'll let Jesus follow you; you don't need to change; we'll change Jesus."

There are several problems inherent to this approach.  First, it doesn't bring the person into full submission to Jesus.  It allows the person to continue his lifestyle, good or bad, while just adding Jesus to his life.  Jesus is simply seen as "fire insurance", not the Sovereign King of the Universe and my life.

Second, this approach leads to an "anything goes" brand of so-called Christianity.  There is no submission to the authority of Jesus Christ in one's life.  For example, should a person who receives Christ as a race car driver make Sunday race day or the Lord's Day?  Should we try to fit Christ into our schedules and lifestyles or should we conform to His schedule and His lifestyle?

I understand this may seem radical.  But isn't Christianity radical?  Isn't the Bible radical compared to the world system?  Maybe the real issue for all of us is this:  Who's in charge in my life?  Am I submitting to Christ or I am I asking Christ to submit to me?  Am I following Christ, or am I asking Christ to follow me?

Shouldn't we all be submitting to Christ?  Shouldn't the pro football player make Sunday the Lord's day as much as the banker?  That's pretty radical, isn't it?  Not if we start with the Bible and then think about how we should live in this world.  If we start with the world and then think about how to live out the Bible it is very radical.

Think with me, though, for just a moment.  If we started with a Bible and we were able to start our own world and our own society and culture from scratch with the Bible as our only guide, what would Sunday be like?  It would be a day set aside only for worshipping the Lord.  That's it.  That is the only conclusion you could come to after reading the Bible, Old or New Testament.  So, how did we get to the point in Christianity in which ministries (i.e., ministers, Christians), not the world, are leading the way in taking the emphasis off of following Christ and submitting to Christ?  This would be understandable if the charge was being led by those who didn't know Christ, but it is being led by those who name the name of Christ.  That's just my two cents.

IS ANYONE OUT THERE?

The answer to that question is yes, no, and maybe. Please let me explain.

If that question is being asked by someone looking for answers to life's problems, the answer is a resounding YES! God is out there. But the one true God, the God of the Bible, is much closer than "out there." God came near in the person of His Son, Jesus Christ. God left "out there" to come down here to identify with His creation. God the Son, Jesus Christ, hurt like us, hungered like us, wept like us, grew weary like us, lost friends like us, felt rejection like us, felt lonely like us, and bled like us. God is much more personal than some cosmic force; much closer than the Big Guy upstairs (I hate even writing that phrase); much different that how the world defines god. The one true God of the Bible is a personal God who wants a personal relationship with people who are asking, "Is anyone out there?"

Psalm 145:18 The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth.

Psalm 34:18 The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.

James 4:8-10 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. (9) Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. (10) Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

If the question "Is anyone out there" is being asked by those looking for alien life, the answer is a resounding NO! ET is not going to phone home; not now, not ever. How do I know? God did not include them in His creative work or His redemptive work. I know that is too simple of an answer for all of the "Area 51" folks, but it does not make it any less true.

If the question "Is there anyone out there" is being asked by me to see if anyone reads this blog the answer is a resounding maybe!?!? I am not sure if anyone is out there. I may be all alone on planet earth. Well, my wife is here, too. She just called. WE may be all alone on planet earth. This is my destiny...to save mankind from extinction! In order for me to know for sure if this is my destiny, I need to know if anyone is out there. Please, If you are out there, physically and/or mentally, send me a comment real soon about my blog. The destiny of the human race hangs in the balance.........the suspense is killing me.

JED

FORGIVENESS

There is a bumper sticker that reads, "to err is human, to forgive is out of the question." Unfortunately, that is how most people view forgiveness. As a result of people failing to forgive, parent-child relationships are broken, marriages fall apart, and churches struggle with unity. Realizing that we are all sinners and imperfect, we can understand that forgiveness is essential in any healthy relationship.

What does it mean to forgive someone? According to the Word Study Dictionary the primary word used for forgiveness in the New Testament means "to send forth or away, to let go from oneself; to dismiss; to let go from one's power, possession, to let go free, let escape; to let go from one's further notice, care, attendance, occupancy, i.e., to leave or let alone; to let go." Therefore, to forgive someone means that I am releasing them from the hurt they caused me. According to Jay Adams in "The Christian Counselor's Manual" to forgive a person means a commitment to not hold the issue against the offender anymore; this is accomplished by (1) a commitment to not bring up the issue again, (2) a promise to tell no one else about the issue, and (3) a promise not to dwell on it oneself. The issue has been released like a helium-filled balloon is released by a child. The offense is sent away and the offender is released from any future punishment due to the forgiven offense.

The same concept is found in the Old Testament in Leviticus chapter 16. God, in giving instructions concerning the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), instructs Aaron, the High Priest, to select two goats. One of the goats will be sacrificed and his blood sprinkled on the Mercy Seat. The other goat was called the scapegoat. Aaron would confess the sins of nation while placing his hands on the head of the goat, transferring the sins of the people to the goat. The goat was then sent "away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness" and let go. This was a picture of God's forgiveness. He dismissed the sins of the children of Israel because of the blood sacrifice.

The Day of Atonement is a great picture of how the Lord Jesus Christ forgives sinners. In the New Testament the sinner is seen as a prisoner to sin, enslaved and bound by sin and unable to free himself from the its bondage and run to God. Jesus sets the sinner free from the bondage of sin by taking the sinner’s punishment for sin and by taking away their sins. Jesus is the sacrificial goat and the scapegoat of Leviticus 16. This is why Jesus described His ministry as one of setting captives free in Luke 4:18-19 "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance (forgiveness) to the captives (prisoners of war), and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty (forgiveness) them that are bruised, (19) To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. (parenthesis mine)

Therefore, the basis of forgiveness, or the reason the sinner can be forgiven for his sins and forgive others for their sins, is the shed blood of Jesus Christ. Notice these verses:

Hebrews 9:22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission:

Ephesians 1:7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

Ephesians 4:32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

Colossians 3:12-13 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; (13) Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.

Forgiveness is never earned by the offending person, it is granted by the offended person, just as Christ granted the sinner forgiveness.

The question most asked about forgiveness is, when should I forgive someone who offends me? Should we wait to forgive someone until they ask for forgiveness? Absolutely not! Actually, there are two points to this answer. First, we must spiritually forgive people who have wronged us. In other words, we must forgive them in the sight of God. Jesus said in Matthew 6:14-15 "For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: (15) But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." You should forgive the person in your heart immediately, regardless of their desire to be forgiven. Failure to do so results in broken fellowship with God and bitterness toward that person that permeates every area of your life. Forgiving a person in your heart spiritually allows you to easily forgive the person personally when the time comes to do so.

Secondly, we must personally forgive the offender. Luke 17:1-10 is a classic passage on forgiveness in relationships. Forgiveness is not a suggestion, it is commanded by Jesus Christ (v. 3). It is not optional for the believer. When a person is wronged, it is the responsibility of the offended person to go to the offender. The offended are never to wait for the offenders to come to them to ask for forgiveness. Also, forgiveness is to be granted every time it is requested (v.4). It is difficult to forgive someone repeatedly, but it is still commanded. Failure to forgive is not a lack of faith, but a lack of obedience (v. 5-6). Finally, when we forgive in the manner commanded here, we are simply doing our duty (7-10) and no more. It is not the super Christian who forgives in this manner, but the obedient Christian.

So, do your Christian duty and be obedient to Jesus Christ. Go in the supernatural love and meekness of Jesus Christ to those who have hurt you, tell them how they have hurt you, and release them and yourself from the bondage of an unforgiving spirit. Tell them you forgive them because of the shed blood of Jesus Christ and release the balloon into he air as symbol of your release.

God Is For Me

Psalm 56:9 “When I cry unto thee, then shall mine enemies turn back: this I know; for God is for me.”

God is for me. Let this great truth sink in. Meditate deeply on this thought. Omnipotent, Omniscient, Omnipresent God is for you – He is on your side. Beloved, let this thought rule over you today – if you stand with God, God stands with you.

The God who is higher than the highest mountain - because he formed that mountain – is for you. The God who is deeper than the lowest valley – because He scooped out that valley – is for you. The God who is greater than the devil – because He crushed the serpent’s head on Golgotha’s hill – is for you. The God who is mightier than death – because He left it dead in the tomb – is for you. The God who is greater than all our enemies – because He has conquered them one and all – is for you.

GOD is for you. God IS for you. God is FOR you. God is for YOU. Regardless of where the emphasis is placed, this truth is almost overwhelming.

God – Jehovah, Elohim, Adonai, God of the Bible, Creator, Redeemer, The Judge of all the earth;

is – right now, present tense – in the lowest valley, on the highest mountain, facing the greatest struggle, experiencing the greatest joy, in the midst of your worst nightmare, or living you greatest dream – God IS for you!

for – in favor of, in support of, with, on the same team as - He is not against you, trying to destroy you, opposed to you; 2Ch 16:9 For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him.

you – redeemed, blood-bought, born-again, saved from sin, insignificant, undeserving, usually-in-a-mess you; even unsaved, ungodly, wicked, disrespectful, sinful, nasty, could-care-less-about-God you; Jesus is even for YOU; He hates what you are doing and wants to save you from your sins; He came to you when you couldn’t come to Him; He died for you when you were dead in your sins; He helped you when you were helpless; He gave you hope when you were hopeless; Yes Jesus is even for you, so much so that if you will come to Him he will not cast you away, beat you down, or condemn you. He will forgive you of your sins and save you.

When life is against you, God is for you. When death is against you, God is for you. When your boss is against you, God is for you. When your health is against you, God is for you. When your family is against you, God is for you. When your finances are against you, God is for you. When your enemies are against you, God is for you. When sin is against you, God is for you. When the devil, every demon, every principality, every power, every ruler of darkness, every minion, every evil spirit – when the gates of hell are against you, God is for you. When your past is against you, God is for you. When you future is against you, God is for you. When your present is against you, God is for you!

Conclusion:
Rom 8:31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

The Whole Counsel of God

On Wednesday evenings at Texas Avenue Baptist Church I try to answer questions from the members. These questions are given to me in advance. I will use this blog to post the questions and answers on a regular basis. If you have questions about the Bible, spiritual issues, or your walk with God, please feel free to send me your question and I will attempt to answer your question from the Bible.

Q. Why are there not many sermons preached about everyday worldly issues that kids and young people have to deal with on a daily basis? It seems like sermons are preached to people with the presumption that they already know a lot about the Bible. If any of my old friends or any of these young kids were to attend some of the sermons that I have heard, they would be lost. I don’t believe any of them know who Job or Paul or Abraham is, much less Jesus.

A. At the heart of this question is the issue of preaching the whole counsel of God. Why do we preach the whole counsel of God and not just address the daily issues people face.

First of all, we preach the whole counsel of God because we are commanded to do so. In Matthew 28:20, Jesus instructed His followers to teach all that He had commanded. In 2 Timothy, preachers are commanded to "preach the Word."

However, many preachers preach only to felt needs, thinking they are helping people by dealing only with issues they face daily. Felt needs are what people think they need, as opposed to real needs, which are needs God meets. There are several problems with preaching to felt needs:

1. Many times people don’t know what they really need. Jeremiah 17:9 reads, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?" Our hearts are deceptive and wicked. Our hearts lie to us about our needs. Our hearts tell us we need happiness, but God says we need forgiveness. Our hearts tell us we are good people, but God says we are sinners. Therefore, we must look to God for our real needs. For example, a couple comes for help in their marriage saying they are unhappy. They feel like they need principles that will help their marriage. However, after asking some questions about their relationship with God it was discovered that they really needed to become followers of Jesus Christ by being born again. They felt like they need help with their marriage, but what they really needed was a personal relationship with Jesus Christ
2. Most people’s felt needs are not really needs at all. Their felt needs are really desires, wants, and lusts, but not needs. Real needs lead us to realize we lack self-sufficiency and we need God’s intervention to meet the need. On the contrary, most people’s felt needs are really a desire for personal happiness, not godliness.
3. Preaching to felt needs often interferes with the ability to address the real needs. If felt needs are addressed and affirmed, the core issues of personal sin and guilt are never addressed.
4. If we only preach to felt needs we develop very shallow Christians. God wants His followers to be perfect (meaning complete or mature) so that they can thoroughly equipped for every good work. This means that the child of God understands doctrine and theology, not just how to manage his finances in a godly manner.
   

Therefore, the better option is to simply teach the Bible line upon line and precept upon precept so that God can deal with the real needs of people. It is for this reason that we are commanded to teach all that God has commanded, not just the parts we like (Matthew 28:20).

The second reason we preach the whole counsel of God is because God's Word is alive and powerful (Hebrews 4:12-13). The Bible is different from every other book because it is a living, powerful document. This does not mean that the Bible constantly changes because God's Word never changes. This truth simply means that God's Word does God's work by God's Spirit. When God's Word is preached the Spirit of God makes the Word of God speak to the individual so that God's Word is applied to the individual's need. The Bible says that it penetrates the heart and is able to discern the thoughts and intents of the individual.

Thus, the preacher’s responsibility is to deliver the Word of God so the Spirit of God can do the Work of God. As I preach, I believe the Holy Spirit applies the Word of God exactly how the individual needs to hear It. Notice Isaiah 55:10-11
(10) For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: (11) So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

Every time God sends His Word out It accomplishes His purpose because It is alive and powerful. Therefore, I have the confidence to know that when God’s Word is proclaimed, It will accomplish whatever purpose God has in mind, whether in personal Bible study, in Sunday School, or from the pulpit. Even if a person is not familiar with the people or stories in the Bible, because God’s Word is alive and powerful, God can still speak to them through the preaching and teaching of His Word.

The third reason we preach the whole counsel of God is that the primary purpose of meeting together is to edify and instruct believers. The primary reason Jesus started His church was so that each congregation could glorify Him by carrying out the Great Commission. However, the primary reason that congregations meet together regularly is to glorify Jesus Christ by edifying and instructing of believers, according to Ephesians 4:8, 11-15. In Titus 2:1-10, Paul exhorted Titus to teach things that become sound doctrine.

Therefore, the preacher needs to preach so that believers can grow. In Hebrews 5:12-6:3, the author rebukes the Hebrew Christians for their lack of spiritual growth. He cites the reason for their lack of spiritual growth as being the continual preaching of salvation sermons to saved people. His point in verses 4-8 is that it is impossible for believers to be saved over and over, therefore they need to move on to deeper doctrines so the believers can grow.

The purpose of the teaching doctrine and instructing believers is to equip them do the work of the ministry. In other words, churches should be equipping the saints to take the Gospel into the work place and neighborhoods. That is where we can address the individual issues people face. Being equipped means we can take our Bibles and show them how God can meet their real need for forgiveness of sins through the shed blood of Jesus Christ on the cross. We can show them how Jesus has been resurrected to give them eternal life and power to live for Him today. Thus, in equipping the saints at church, we are meeting the needs of the saint and the sinner.