CATCH THE FIRE

"Catch the Fire" is the theme for our Ministry Fair, Sunday, July 29. The prophet Jeremiah had this to say in Jeremiah 20:9, But if I say, "I will not mention Him or speak any more in His name," His word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot.

In summary, Jeremiah's prophecies were about coming disaster, and he had set forth the gist of his messages: "violence and destruction." When the burden became so heavy that he finally decided he would no longer serve as a prophet, Jeremiah found out the impossibility of denying his call. He learned that God's Word was irrepressible. Even when he aroused opposition from his enemies, Jeremiah found no other satisfaction than in preaching God's truth. For Jeremiah, the word of God was a reality, not the product of his own thinking. So it demanded expression in spite of opposition and derision. Even though Jeremiah was a man of God doing the will of God, he experienced some rough days with difficult circumstances.

Regardless if you've been a Christian less than one year or more than fifty years, when you are striving to serve the Lord, there will be some tremendous times of joy but also periods of great discouragement and frustration. But ultimately, we need to come to the point that Jeremiah was when he expressed his inability to suppress God's Word any longer. He had a job to do for the Lord and he needed to be about that task.

Every member of the Body at West-Ark has an important role to fulfill. You may have allowed the fire in your heart to dim, but you can shine brightly once again. Our deacons and ministry leaders are making preparations for the upcoming Ministry Fair on July 29. (See Ted Edwards if you have any questions).

Church: please make your plans now to peruse the Ministry Displays on July 29. I'm confident that you'll find information about a ministry opportunity where you're gifted to serve. The West-Ark congregation needs all of our members involved in service to our Lord -- all for His glory.

See you in Bible Class!

Ted Edwards

West-Ark Church of Christ, Fort Smith, AR
Bulletin Article, 17 June 2001


 Link to Ted Edwards Home Page