Newsletter

15 March 2020 | ISSUE: 568

“A mobile phone is a wireless handheld device

that allows users to make and receive calls and to send

text messages, among other features” [taken on 24 Dec.

2019 from www.techopedia.com]. Some people just

call them “a mobile” (without adding the word

“phone”). In other locations, such devices are called

“hand phones,” “cell phones,” or “cellular telephones.”

The amazingness of mobile phones – While it

would be untrue to declare that every person in the

world possesses a cellular phone, their widespread us-

age and influence is phenomenal. Those who lived and

died in the pre-mobile phone periods of history would

be astounded if they could be transported to our time

and observe mobile phones in action.

Like money, mobile phones and all other forms of telephones are neither inherently

godly nor ungodly devices. They are a material object, period. A person might use one of

them in a fashion which pleases the Lord, or he might use it in a way that the Creator consid-

ers to be evil. In terms of perspective, mobile phones are not the Savior of the world, but

neither are they “the mark of the beast.”

The potential benefit which mobile phones can bring to our lives – I possessed my

first mobile phone ten years ago this month when a brother placed one in my hand and basi-

cally told me, “Use it.” Ready or not, a mobile phone became a part of my daily life.

Mobile phones are wonderful for communication. Back in the pre-mobile

phone days, one had to wait until he could find a stationary phone in a private or public

place. Not anymore. Mobile phones, if one has available service, are an extremely conven-

ient way of communicating. That is one of their biggest plusses.

MEMORY VERSE

Oh, how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day.

You, through Your commandments, make me wiser than my enemies;

For they are ever with me. I have more understanding than all

my teachers, For Your testimonies are my medita-

tion.

Psalm 119:97-99

MUSINGS ON MOBILE PHONES

SUNDAY: 9.30 a.m. Sunday School & Bible Study | 10.30 a.m. Worship | 5.00 p.m. Evening Service

WEDNESDAY: 7.30 p.m. Mid Week Bible Study

If you know anyone who would love to study the Bible please contact any member of this congregation.

BIBLE TRIVIA QUESTIONS : Numbers in the Bible (One)

1. At creation, God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so. What did He call the gathering together of the waters? (Genesis 1:9,10)

2. The whole earth had one language and the same words. What did they plan to do to stop them-selves being scattered abroad? (Genesis 11:1-4)

3. Who was the prophet that told Eli the priest that both of his sons would die on one day? (1 Samu-el 2:27-34)

4. What was unusual about the one cluster of grapes that the spies in Canaan land cut down? (Numbers 13:23-25)

5. Pharaoh's butler told him that he and the baker had both had dreams on one night, and that they were interpreted by a Hebrew who was the servant to the captain of the guard. Who was he talk-ing about? (Genesis 41:11-14)

6. Jesus likened the kingdom of heaven to a merchant man, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and… (Matthew 13:45,46)

7. In the parable of the talents, what did the servant who received one talent do with it? (Matthew 25:18)

8. In the sermon on the mount, Jesus said,... 'Even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.' What was he talking about? (Matthew 6:28,29)

9. Jesus said to Peter, 'What, could ye not watch with me one hour?' What were the disciples doing when he said it? (Matthew 26:40)

10. The writer of Hebrews described Esau as immoral and profane because for one morsel of meat he sold... (Hebrews 12:16)

Answers: 1.Seas 2.Build a city and a tower with its top in the heavens. 3.He is not named. 4.It was so big that it took two men with a pole to carry it. 5.Joseph 6.sold all that he had, and bought it. 7.He dug a hole in the ground and hid the money. 8.Lilies of the field 9.Sleeping 10.his birthright.

Church St church of Christ

Address: 10 Church St, Bayswater, VIC 3153

Phone: +613 9729 6034

Email: contact.us@churchstreetcoc.org.au

Prayer request? Articles or News to share?

Send us an email or contact any of the members in this congregation.

We will be happy to in-clude it in this Newslet-ter.

The introduction of smartphones really changed the world of mobile phones.

“Smartphones can browse the Internet and run software programs like a computer. Smartphones

use a touch screen to allow users to interact with them. There are thousands of smartphone apps

including games, personal-use, and business-use programs that can all run on the phone” [taken

on 24 Dec. 2019 from www.computerhope.com].

Because smartphones allow a person to connect to the internet, they give their users ac-

cess to almost unlimited information . . . like an old-school set of encyclopedias at their finger

tips. What a blessing. It might be using a GPS (Global Positioning System) for navigation, find-

ing the nearest pharmacy, or sharing helpful information in a group chat with Christians.

On the spiritual side of things, a beautiful benefit of mobile phones is being able to

download a Bible, Bible programs, and Bible-related articles. Smartphones allow us to listen to

and watch Bible lessons. All of that has the potential to help us in our effort to grow in grace

and knowledge (2 Peter 3:18), grow in healthy thinking (Philippians 4:8), and be prepared to

give a defense of our faith (1 Peter 3:15).

I personally choose to use a hard copy of the Bible because that works better for me. It

gives me a better feel of context and I am much better in locating verses with a “regular” Bible.

However, I do enjoy using my mobile phone to read the Bible when I have a few moments

waiting on someone or an activity to begin. I could not count the number of times I have used

my smartphone to review a lesson or access my personal study materials which I have stored

“in the cloud.”

The potential destruction/distraction which mobile phones can cause – This side of the

story deserves to be heard, too. As with other devices, a mobile phone can be used to access

pornography, false religious messages, and unhealthy advice about a multitude of matters.

While access to the internet can be a blessing, it also can be a curse. It all depends on how we

use it.

Some things have suffered because of the use of mobile phones. People’s communica-

tion skills have deteriorated. It is not uncommon to observe this scene in a restaurant: a family

of four – dad, mom, and two kids, each one staring at the phone in their hand and no one is

speaking with others at the table. A lack of communication hinders, even injures, relationships.

Mobile phones, with the use of texting, have had an adverse affect on many young peo-

ple’s grammar skills, spelling in particular. Far more serious, though, is the reality that, in gen-

eral, those whose study of the Bible is done exclusively with a phone are not as strong in Bible

knowledge. That may change in the future, but presently that is the way it stands.

Mobile phones can be a distraction during a Bible class or worship assembly. In such a

setting, if a child of God is not using his phone for a spiritual purpose, but rather has it out play-

ing a game or sending a text about some trivial, non-emergency matter, such action has the po-

tential to be a stumbling block to others. “Messing around” on a phone during a Bible class or

worship shows a lack of reverence for the God of heaven, His word, and His people. Malachi

1:6-14 shows us that God is not pleased with irreverence.

Monthly News and Announcements

Events

1 Men’s Meeting

4 Prayer Night

9 Youth Gathering

TBA Women’s Bible Study

4 Ruben

8 Joan

9 Reegan

15 Lea

17 Randall

20 Edward

21 Christine

24 Kennedy

29 Ruby

Men to Serve

Morning Service This Week Next Week

Songs Before Class Alvin Peter

Bible Class Charlie Charlie

Song Leader Peter Jonathan

Opening Prayer Han Jin

Lord’s Supper Stephen Han

L.S. Assistance Tristan Daniel

Scripture Reading Jin Stephen

Sermon Charlie Charlie

Prayer Leon Geoh Soon

Evening Service

Song Leader Randall Stephen

Prayer Charlie Peter

Scripture Reading Adam Daniel

Sermon Leon Randall

Prayer Peter Jonathan

Statistics Last Week

Attendance: 56

Contribution: $1309.55

Ushers

This week

Next week

Jin & Myra

Reuben & Christine

AM Lesson Title: The Huge Army (Revelation 9:11-21) PM Lesson Title: Who we are—Servants (1 Corinthians 4:1-2)

As we engage in activities or use products which are helpful (like a mobile phone), we

must not allow ourselves to become addicted to them. “All things are lawful for me, but I will

not be brought under the power of any” (1 Corinthians 6:12). The first love of our life needs

to be the Lord, not a phone.

-- Roger D. Campbell

Guest and Visitors Last Week

Doug and Heather, Ronnie (Klang CoC),

Yu Kong (Malacca CoC), Vivienne and

Jesse, Doug & Loise (Peter’s parents)