IMPORTANT

A national survey of churches in the United States revealed the following about church members: Ten percent cannot be found anywhere. Twenty percent never attend a service. Twenty-five percent admit they never pray. Thirty-five percent say they never read the Bible. Forty percent never contribute anything to the church. Sixty percent of those who attend never read or study the lesson for Bible class time. Seventy percent never attend the evening service. Seventy-five percent never assume any responsibility for the church. Ninety-five percent never win a soul for Christ. One hundred percent expect to go to Heaven. May we examine ourselves as the Bible teaches and work, serve, attend and give as we should before it is too late.

A. LINCOLN (1809-1865)

In the midst of the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln was asked why he joked and told so many tall tales. He simply said, “Were it not for this occasional vent. I would die. I must laugh to keep from crying.” Laughter does the body—and the people around you—good. Dr. Lee Bark of Loma Linda University in California found that laughter causes endorphin release, similar to the “high” that athletes get from rigorous training. Ball Memorial Hospital in Muncie, IN compiled the following facts about laughter: It takes nearly 250,000 smiles to produce one wrinkle because our faces only use 13 muscles to smile, they require 47 muscles to frown, which puts more pressure on the skin and increases the likelihood of wrinkling. One good laugh burns off 3 1/2 calories. Fifteen minutes of laughter equals the benefits of two hours of sleep. You can improve your breathing capacity by laughing. Recent studies have shown that you are six times more likely to laugh in the presence of one person and thirty times more likely to laugh in a group of people. We rarely laugh alone; people make us smile. We instinctively smile when we are introduced to someone. Unless the subject matter involves death or disease our conversations usually gravitate toward the funnier things that have happened in our days. The best Hollywood comedy writers cannot reproduce the hilarious moments that happen day in and day out to ordinary people.

WISE WORDS

• The man who smiles when things go wrong has thought of someone to blame it on.
• Time is a great teacher, but unfortunately it kills all its pupils.
• I went out to find a friend, but could not find one there. I went out to be a friend and friends were everywhere.
• Some say that if you lined up all the cars in world end to end-there would be someone who would try to pass them!

WATCH-PRAY

Jesus said, “Watch and pray.” Some things we need to watch. There is our daily living. God’s people are to live pure and holy lives. Live a good righteous life every day. Christians need to watch their church attendance. If the Enemy can hinder you from being in the assembly of worship then he can rob you of spiritual things as singing, praying, preaching, communion and fellowship that are needed in order to remain strong in the Lord. Also every member should watch their giving. The economy is not at its best but the work of the Lord is to go on. May we heed the words of Jesus when He said, “Watch and pray.” Be in your place every First Day of the Week. Come with a Bible in your hand and a smile on your face and a spring in your step. I’ll look for you in your place.

-Pat Casey