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Poor Jack Whittaker himtall, March 12, 2004 at 1:30:00 PM GMT
by Tim Hall Can you feel pity for Jack Whittaker? You really should try, though for some it won't be easy. On Christmas 2002, Jack Whittaker of Winfield, WV won the Powerball Lottery. His prize of $314.9 million was the largest single prize ever won in U.S. lottery history. Pity this man? Please, hear the rest of Jack's story. According to an article carried by the Associated Press on March 11, 2004, Jack's office was broken into on Tuesday of this past week and $2,000 was taken. Two days later, thieves broke into his vehicle as it sat outside his home and made off with undisclosed property. Earlier in the week, an employee of a local casino filed charges that Jack Whittaker had assaulted her in March 2003. Jack has made no formal response and no criminal charges have been filed. There's more. In January of this year, Jack Whittaker was charged with threatening to kill the manager of a local bar and with drunken driving. In that same month, $100,000 was taken from his vehicle. Four months before, $500,000 he was carrying in a briefcase was taken from him after he was drugged at a strip club. We suspect this is not the end of Jack Whittaker's woes. As we consider the saga of this "lucky" man, let's also be sure to consider the words of Ecclesiastes 5:11,12: "When goods increase, they increase who eat them; so what profit have the owners except to see them with their eyes? The sleep of a laboring man is sweet, whether he eats little or much; but the abundance of the rich will not permit him to sleep." Do you have trouble understanding what this passage means? Consider the experience of Jack Whittaker. Whittaker's experience also helps us to see the truthfulness of 1 Timothy 6:10: "For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows." (Do I hear an "Amen" from Winfield, West Virginia?) What could be better than winning the biggest jackpot of all time? Here's God's answer: "Now godliness with contentment is great gain" (1 Tim. 6:6). "Great gain" isn't measured in dollars and cents; it's measured in peace of mind and contentment. Now can you feel pity for poor Jack Whittaker? ... subscribe
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Update on FMag Forthright Magazine continues, more dynamic than ever! We have groups created for FMag on Facebook and the Churches of Christ Network. Announcement blog is up and going on Preachers Files. Email lists about FMag and FPress are available both on Yahoo and GoogleGroups. And, to top it all off, we're twittering for both on Twitter.com. by randal @ 1/20/09, 11:55 AM How to Make Sure That Your Judgment Is Flawless by Don Ruhl Read the Bible in a Year This evening read John 5:24--47 How to Make Sure That Your Judgment Is Flawless Yes, it is popular to say that we are not supposed to judge, but the truth is we all make judgments about many things daily. Otherwise, we would never succeed in life. The real question is what is our guide for judging. Why can we not simply follow the example of our Master and Lord? He said, 30 "I can of Myself ... more ... by diane amberg @ 5/18/05, 5:08 AM Do You Ever Feel Like Just a Name? by Don Ruhl Read the Bible in a Year This morning read First Chronicles 1--3 Do You Ever Feel Like Just a Name? Think on the manner, in which the Book of First Chronicles begins, 1 Adam, Seth, Enosh (1 Chr. 1:1). In this way begins the longest genealogy in the Bible. The names continue to the end of the ninth chapter! Were these just names? Adam; who is he? You know there is more in the Bible than the mere mention of his name in ... more ... by diane amberg @ 5/18/05, 5:05 AM ...
by Don Ruhl Read the Bible in a Year This evening read John 5:1--23 Jesus healed a man. Praise God! However, Jesus healed him on the Sabbath. Uh oh. Some people were ready to kill Jesus for this perceived violation of the Sabbath Law. 16 For this reason the Jews persecuted Jesus, and sought to kill Him, because He had done these things on the Sabbath (Joh. 5:16). Jesus did a good thing. Yet, people criticized Him severely for it. And they were not people ... more ... by diane amberg @ 5/18/05, 5:03 AM They Were His Servants by Don Ruhl Read the Bible in a Year This morning read Second Kings 24 and 25 They Were His Servants As the writer of Second Kings explains whom the Lord sent against Judah, the writer said that this was 2 ...according to the word of the LORD which He had spoken by His servants the prophets (2 Kin. 24:2). Those great men we have honored for centuries were nothing more than servants of the Lord God. What does that make us? Do you do something ... more ... by diane amberg @ 5/18/05, 5:01 AM ...
by Don Ruhl Read the Bible in a Year This evening read John 4:30--54 The disciples went into a town to buy food while Jesus remained out of the town. There He engaged a woman in conversation. When the disciples returned, here is what happened, 31 In the meantime His disciples urged Him, saying, "Rabbi, eat." 32 But He said to them, "I have food to eat of which you do not know" (Joh. 4:31, 32). As you read the Gospel According to John, watch ... more ... by diane amberg @ 5/18/05, 4:59 AM Having a Tender Heart by Don Ruhl Read the Bible in a Year This morning read Second Kings 22 and 23 Having a Tender Heart When Josiah heard the word of God for the first time, he tore his clothes, knowing of the wrath that was upon Jerusalem for the idolatry of his forefathers. Therefore, he sent messengers to a prophetess to inquire of the Lord. He did have a message for Josiah. God said through the prophetess, 19 "...because your heart was tender, and you humbled yourself before ... more ... by diane amberg @ 5/18/05, 4:56 AM
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