After years of serving individuals and churches from its bookstore in the Louisville, KY, area, Religious Supply Center (RSC) will soon be closing its doors. This difficult decision was the result of health issues resulting from cancer surgery and treatment experienced by Jim Berryman, owner and operator of RSC.

The Guardian of Truth Foundation (also known as Truth Publications) is partnering with RSC to ensure that the popular Discovering God’s Way Bible Class curriculum will continue to be offered to individuals and churches. On November 15, 2016 the companies reached agreement in principle for Guardian of Truth Foundation (also known as Truth Publications) to become the publisher, and its CEIbooks Bookstore in Athens, AL, to become the primary supplier, of this outstanding resource beginning December 1, 2016. Robert Harkrider has spearheaded the development of this excellent product and will continue in this regard.

• “We wanted the Discovering God’s Way material to be available for use by individuals and churches for many years to come and the merger with Guardian of Truth Foundation will ensure that happens,” said Jim Berryman, owner/operator, Religious Supply Center, Inc.
• “I am pleased to continue my work on this series with Jim and the folks from Guardian of Truth Foundation,” said Robert Harkrider, editor of Discovering God’s Way.
• Scott Willis, President & CEO, Guardian of Truth Foundation, Inc. added, “We are excited to add such a high quality set of Bible class literature to our product portfolio. Discovering God’s Way will complement our other products and fill an important area in the materials we publish. Further, we are excited about working more closely in the future with some key executives of Religious Supply Center.”

RSC has also provided materials other than Discovering God’s Way, which RSC is now working to liquidate. Contact RSC today at (800) 626-5348 for attractively priced materials in their current Inventory Reduction Sale.

For more information about the Discovering God’s Way series, please contact the friendly staff at CEIbooks at (855) 492-6657 or visit their website at www.ceibooks.com.

Click here for Children’s Workbooks and here for Teen and Adult Workbooks.

By Mark Mayberry

Last Saturday, Sherelyn and I were able to attend the memorial service for Lisa Jennings that was held in San Angelo, TX. Sitting in the audience, reflecting upon the meaning of the event, these thoughts came to mind:

Memorial services are a time of quiet reflection, when those who have suffered loss are surrounded and supported by family, friends and brethren. Thank God for the relationships that we share with one another through physical and spiritual kinship.

The fleeting quality of life sometimes escapes our notice as we are busy with daily activities, but watching the commemorative slideshow produced in honor of Lisa, seeing the experiences of 50 years compressed into mere moments, is a reminder of life’s brevity. What is life? It is a vapor, a shadow, a whisper…

Our hearts were comforted and strengthened through singing gospel hymns, Jeff Trees’ beautifully worded prayer, and Tim Jennings’s heartfelt reminder of life’s ultimate purpose: “We are here to honor the memory of Lisa Ann Jennings and to honor her God. She is now at peace and in paradise.”

Over the last few months of Lisa’s life, Boyd recorded various thoughts and reflections entitled, “A few drops from the river of my mind.” He shared these with his brother, Tim, who in turn shared them with us.

Appropriate honor was shown to a wonderful Christian woman, who set a loving example, and faithfully served her husband, children, brethren, and friends. Such devotion deserves our respect. Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints. Yet, suitably, the emphasis was not upon Lisa, but rather upon her God. In accordance with Boyd and Lisa’s expressed desire, Tim Jennings closed by preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ, and reminding those assembled, “Our relationship w/ God is the only thing that matters!”

Sadness and shared sympathy brought us together, but we do not weep as others who have no hope. Christians are blessed in life and death.

By Mark Mayberry
10/16/2016

INTRODUCTION

Disciples of Christ should be sympathetic to the needs of others, rejoicing with those who rejoice and weeping with those who weep (Rom. 12:15-16). In his defense, Job said, “Have I not wept for the one whose life is hard? Was not my soul grieved for the needy?” (Job 30:25). In like manner, Jesus wept at the death of Lazarus, sharing the heartache of Martha and Mary (John 11:35). The writer of Hebrews admonishes believers to “Remember the prisoners, as though in prison with them, and those who are ill-treated, since you yourselves also are in the body” (Heb. 13:3).

This weekend we had occasion to both rejoice and weep. Yesterday was Ryan’s 25th birthday. Birthdays are fun, a time of rejoicing, blowing out candles, giving gifts, singing off-key, and most important of all, eating cake. It also was a sobering reminder of the brevity of life. Sister Lisa Jennings sent out a very touching post to her Facebook friends, saying her final goodbyes. To our knowledge, she has not yet passed away, but the end will soon come.

REJOICING OVER THE BIRTH OF A CHILD

Zacharias and Elizabeth, the parents of John the Baptist, rejoiced at the birth of their son, along with their neighbors and relatives (Luke 1:5-17, 57-58). There is also joy in heaven whenever a sinner repents (Luke 15:3-7), and is born again into the kingdom of the Lord (John 3:3-6). Christians rejoice at the spread of the gospel (Acts 11:19-24) and in expectation of their own salvation (1 Peter 1:3-9).

WEEPING OVER THE END OF A LIFE

Yet, we live in a world that is under the curse of sin and death. This sentence was imposed as a consequence of Adam’s disobedience (Gen. 2:15-17; 3:1-7, 17-19, 22-24; 5:1-5; Rom. 5:12-14). As a result, we all face the certainty of physical death (Eccl. 3:1-8; Heb. 9:27-28). Yet, we are delivered from the fear of death through Christ Jesus our Lord (Rom. 6:23; Heb. 2:14-18).

Receiving hospice care, and facing the end of her life, sister Lisa Jennings recently wrote:

“Goodnight my sweet brethren and sisters in the Lord. I just want to express one last time how much your faithfulness has meant to me these last days. You have walked close beside me in prayers, admonitions and love. Though the journey’s been hard, I cannot imagine it without each of you. God’s plan for His people is so excellent! Our Savior’s sacrifice so excellent. Our Holy Spirit’s work so excellent! I love thy church, oh God! I’ve received so many blessings and God is fulfilling my last requests of a peaceful entrance into eternal rest. My Lord and Savior did not have what I’ve had in my last days and hours. Forever yours, Lisa Ann Jennings”

CONCLUSION

I have felt conflicting emotions this weekend, sharing the personal joy in celebrating a birthday of one I love, while knowing that several hundred miles away, dear friends are facing the impending loss of one who is equally dear to each of them. Extrapolate that out by billions, and try to comprehend the greatness of God who cares for each and every person (Matt. 10:29-31). God loves all humanity (John 3:16-21; Rom. 5:6-11). Jesus not only wept beside the tomb of Lazarus, but also over the impending doom of Jerusalem (Luke 19:41-44).

Our Lord provides a path of deliverance: by living a life of full obedience and dying on the cross, Jesus provided the perfect sacrifice for sins; He bore our griefs and carried our sorrow (Isa. 53:4-6). If you have not obeyed the gospel, or if your life is not right with God, will you not respond to the love of God while there is time and opportunity (2 Cor. 5:14-15)?

ADDENDUM

On Tuesday, October 18, Boyd Jennings posted the following message to Facebook:

“Dear ones: We thank you so-very-much for the outpouring of love, prayers and support during this trying ordeal of eight months. My dear precious beloved wife (Lisa Ann) of 36 years, 4 months and 12 days has almost completed her race. She has been my right arm, my confidant, my fellow worker, my supporter-helper, and my intimate friend for so long that to imagine life without her is both unthinkable and unbearable. She has always walked worthy of her calling as a Christian woman, wife and mother. We are having a difficult time accepting that she cannot continue her labor for the Lord; we believe she’s irreplaceable. However, by faith, we have accepted the He knows best, and that she is deserving of a rest from her labors. To that we wholeheartedly agree! I love you all, in Christ Jesus our (the) Lord and Savior.”

On Thursday, October 20, 2016, we received the following message from Boyd Jennings:

“Lisa passed from us into eternal rest at 7:52 a.m. Thursday October 20. Angela has been so loyal, strong and helpful through this process. I couldn’t have endured it without her. We love you all even more today. May God bless us!”