Month: July 2023

Ron Adams Via Bulletin Gold

Paul lived long before the Brothers Grim published their fairy
tale about Rumpelstiltskin spinning straw into gold. The apostle
did, however, hold out hope that straw could be transformed into
spiritually (not gold but materially).

Likening the Corinthian church to a building, Paul compared
himself to a wise master builder” who laid the foundation (1
Corinthians 3:10). That is, he had come to Corinth and preached
Christ’s gospel, leading many to faith and obedience.

Others (Apollos, for example) had built on that solid foundation.
A knowledgeable, eloquent teacher, Apollos had skillfully
begun.

But builders can use only those materials which are available
to them. Paul wrote of using “gold, silver, precious stones, wood,
hay, straw” (3:12). Individual Christians in Corinth and
elsewhere would fit these categories. The first three types would
stand the test of fire while the latter three would burn. In other
words, on Judgment Day some would be saved but others lost.

In Corinth, many had fallen victim to petty disputes and
divisions, fornication (and tolerance of it), corrupt worship, and
blatant false doctrine. What a mess! No doubt some were like
straw. Yet God hadn’t given up on them, and neither would Paul.

Could straw become gold? Yes, it could happen then in Corinth,
and it can happen today right here! Jesus, not Rumpelstiltskin,
can and will transform you when you repent and submit to His
will.

Ron Adans Via Bulletin Gold

“Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do,
and does not do it, to him it is sin.”
James 4:17

Those who say:
“I didn’t do anything wrong,” “I never hurt anyone,” or
“I never even bothered anyone,”
fall short of “doing right” and “helping.”

Righteousness is not just the absence of sin–
it’s the presence of right-doing.
The absence of wrong-doing leaves a void that
is to be filled with righteous deeds.
Faith without works is dead!

Jesus said to those on His left:
“Depart from Me …
for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat;
I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink;
I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in;
naked, and you did not clothe Me;
sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me. ..
to the extent that you did not do it to one of
the least of these, you did not do it to Me.”
Matthew 25:43-45

By Joe Slater Via Bulletin Gold

 

“And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high
time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is
nearer than when we first believed” (Romans 13:11).
Saturdays and Sundays used to be my opportunities to “sleep
in.” School was out, and church wasn’t a priority. On school
days, however, my parents would say, “It’s time to get up! You
don’t want to be late for school.”

Some of the Christians to whom Paul wrote in Romans needed
to wake up! Physical sleep wasn’t the problem; Paul used sleep
as a metaphor for their spiritual lethargy.

Who knows why they had become sluggish? Being the capital
of the empire, the city of Rome contained every vice, every
philosophy, and every strange religion you can imagine.
Christians might well struggle to stay true to the gospel. How
should they interact with different religious groups? What should
their relationship to the government be? How should they treat
fellow Christians and people in general? Wrestling with such
issues can make you tired and sleepy!

Paul exhorts: “Wake up!” Why? Because “now our salvation
is nearer than when we first believed.” This salvation refers not
to our initial cleansing at baptism, but our ultimate salvation
when the Lord takes us to Heaven. Paul wasn’t saying that Jesus’
return was imminent, but our departure to be with Christ
(Philippians 1:23) draws nearer every day.

Our challenges aren’t identical to those of the Romans, but
vice and false religions confront us too. And the same lethargy
infects us, especially after we’ve been in Christ several years.
Time draws shorter for each of us every day. That being so, may
God help us to wake up!

By Joe Slater Via Bulletin Gold

 

How can God’s word “grow”? We think of a tree growing, or
a child growing, but God’s word?

Three times the book of Acts speaks of God’s word growing.
First, after resolving the complaint about some widows in the
shift
Jerusalem church being neglected, “Then the word of God grew,
and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem”
(Acts 6:7). Obviously, the body of truth (i.c. the gospel) didn’t
become any larger. But unrest within the church discourages the
spread of the gospel; once that issue was settled God’s word was
proclaimed enthusiastically, resulting in numerous conversions.

Second, after the death of Herod Agrippa I (the one who killed
James and wanted to kill Peter), Acts 12:24 says, “But the word
of God grew and multiplied.” God dealt with the murderous
monarch in due time. Meanwhile, Herod’s brutal behavior
couldn’t stop the spread of the gospel.

Finally, the inspired record states, “So the word of the Lord
grew mightily and prevailed” (Acts 19:20). The first word, “So,”
points to the reason the Lord’s word grew, as shown in the two
previous verses. Some believers evidently hadn’t made a clean
break with pagan occultism (“magic”). When they confessed
their deeds and demonstrated the fruit of repentance by burning
their expensive books, the gospel made tremendous advances.

God’s word spreads (grows) when Christians are united, when
Christians evangelize despite persecution, and when Christians
show genuine conversion by turning away from their previous
ungodly practices. God’s word will grow today when we pay
heed to these very things.

Al Behel Via Bulletin Gold

 

“We must obey God rather than man” (Acts 5:29)
When the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776 its
founders were declaring independence from an earthly power
while making a clear declaration of dependence upon Almighty
God. The closing words of this historic document declares
solemnly:

“With a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we
mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our
sacred honor.”

The founding fathers of this nation recognized the need for
guidance. Relying on the providence of God they pledged
their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor to the mutual
good of the citizens of this new nation. Their declaration was one
of dependence on God while exercising freedom from foreign
domination.

Pledging allegiance to our national flag represents our mutual
commitment to preserve our sacred honor under divine leadership
and guidance. We recognize the position God holds far above
governmental leaders and that all nations stand or fall as He wills.

As Christians our allegiance extends beyond flags and
declarations of independence. Our God is supreme over all
nations, all peoples, and all cultures. He stands untouched by the
corruption and greed of rulers gone bad, or governments whose
leaders refuse to bow before Him. Arsenals of mass destruction
pale under His power. Our allegiance is to the King of Kings and
the Lord of Lords.