Author: Tim

THE BALLAD OF FORT MCHENRY

David Bragg

On the evening of September 13, 1814 an Americạn diplomat found himself stuck on a British vessel watching a fierce bombardment of Baltimore’s Fort McHenry. The state of affairs looked grim. As he spent the night detained by the enemy, Francis Scott Key looked out across the waters towards the American fort. But with the dawn of a new day the American cause found strength. The flag still waved above the fort. That morning, on the back of a letter he happened to find in his pocket, Key began to compose a poem that would be finalized within a week. He called it “The Defense Of Fort McHenry.” Over the space of many years the beloved song would grow in popularity as it was sung in patriotic settings and, in 1862, at a major sporting event. The patriotic tune would also be sung to inaugurate the first World Series game in 1903 (www.pbs.org). Many attempts were made to have it adopted as America’s official national anthem, but that would not happen until March 3, 1931 when President Herbert Hoover made “The Star-Spangled Banner” America’s song.

For Christians of every generation the familiar words penned by Key have special meaning: “the land of the free and the home of the brave.” We are citizens of a heavenly kingdom/nation (Phil. 3:20). As such, our freedom is purchased with the precious blood of Jesus (Acts 20:28). Our spiritual liberty demands courage, the willingness to stand up for, and suffer if necessary for, the cause of Christ. It requires courage to live faithfully in the kingdom of the saved.

GOD: OUR REFUGE AND STRENGTH

Joe Slater

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear. . .” (Psalm 46:1-2a). God is our refuge, our place of shelter in life’s storms. Danger isn’t always physical; our adversary walks about as a roaring lion seeking to devour us. Jesus taught us to pray, “Deliver us fromn the evil one” (Matthew 6:13).

God is our strength. Our own strength will fail us, but God’s strength never will. Not just our physical strength but our moral and spiritual strength may be taxed to the breaking point by whatever trials and temptations we are facing.

God is a very present help in trouble. He is not distant from us or unconcerned about us. Even people who do not know Him are objects of His care, as Paul told the philosophers in Athens, “He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live, and move, and have our being” (Acts 17:27-28). That being true of people in general, how much more should we have confidence He is present with us, especially during difficult times?

Therefore, we will not fear. Since God is our refuge, our strength, and a very present help in trouble, why would we fear? When Jesus’ disciples became afraid, He said, “Oh you of little faith! Why did you doubt?” (Matthew 14:31). Little faith is often our problem, too. We find ourselves saying with the man in Mark 9:24, “Lord,I believe; help my unbelief!”

Your trials aren’t the same as mine, but we all encounter trials that put us to the test. Let’s remember that God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. So, let us not be afraid, but confident and strong in the Lord!

Via Bulletin Gold

NOBODY IS A NOBODY IN THE FAMILY OF GOD (May 15, 2022)

Edd Sterchi

If you have ever read Romans 16:1-16, you will see a list of people Paul wished to commend for their work in the church. The vast majority of them are individuals of whom we have no additional details concerning their lives or service in Christ. But Paul wanted to honor them for their dedication and contribution to the advancement of the gospel.

In the early church we see the membership actively engaged in the work of the Lord. Paul reminded the church at Corinth that the church is a body made up of many different individual parts – all with important functions (1 Corinthians 12:12- 27; see also Romans 12:4-8). It is so well worded in Ephesians 4:16, from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love. The bottom line is this: Nobody is a nobody in the family of God. Everybody is important and everybody has something to contribute. Let us all find our place and do our part. You are an essential worker!

via Bulletin Gold

HAPPY MOTHER’ DAY

Ron Thomas

via Bulletin Gold

Let me spell the word m-o-t-h-e-r, with a message to complement. M is for Mature. Do you remember when mom always seemed to have the right answer, and when she gave the answer, it was with the right spirit and attitude (I remember that).

O is for Open. Mothers who love their children will have an “open door policy” with the kids. That simply means that when trouble is brewing in the youth, mom is there to lend a hand.

Tis for Teacher. Can hardly think of mom without there being some component of teaching involved. Mom taught things of importance like personal hygiene, laundry, or doing the dishes because that was women’s work! (Boy, did I learn about that!)

H is for Health. I remember that when I got sick, I never wanted dad to tend to my needs or concerns. He would have been there and done what was needed, but gruff and “suck it up” just wasn’t the same as the tender *honey,” and “sweet heart.”

E is for Expectations. Mothers who love their children will have expectation and, when they are not met, the child (or children) will suffer consequences. I learned early that suffering was less than pleasant.

R is for Remember. Mom had (has) a memory that just doesn’t need to work as good as it did (at least whenI was in trouble!), but on the other hand I am glad it works as well as it does. Let our “memory” work the same, and be sure to wish your mother (and all mothers) a HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!

By Cecil May, Jr via Preacher Talk

In the United States, people with views hostile to Biblical Christianity are satisfied with Christians as long as we keep our faith to ourselves. One said, “Keep all religion in your church, in your home, and out of the public square, and most of all, out of my face!” Another remarked, “Christian Right people can do what they want in their churches and homes, but not in the public arena.” (George Yancy, professor of sociology, University of North Texas, quoted in Christianity Today, 27 March 2015)

Our Christianity cannot be hidden in our church buildings! It must be taken to the marketplace. Compassion for the poor and homeless must be demonstrated where the poor and homeless are. Cries for social justice must be heard by those who make and enforce our laws. Our opposition to immorality must be heard where immorality is being approved. Our message of love and redemption through Jesus Christ is to be proclaimed to every living creature.

Question for atheists and secular humanists: Do you keep your faith out of the public arena?

There was a moment when Moses had the nerve to ask God what his name is. God was gracious enough to answer, and the name he gave is recorded in the original Hebrew as YHWH.

Over time we’ve added an “a” and an “e” in there to get YaHWeH, in order to be able to speak this holy name.

But scholars and Rabbi’s have noted that the letters YHWH represent breathing sounds, or aspirated consonants. When pronounced without intervening vowels, it actually sounds like breathing.

YH (inhale): WH (exhale).

So a baby’s first cry, his first breath, speaks the name of God. .

A deep sigh calls His name – or a groan or gasp that is too heavy for mere words.

Even an atheist would speak His name, unaware that their very breathe is giving constant acknowledgment to God.

Likewise, a person leaves this earth with their last breath, when God’s name is no longer filing their lungs.

So when I can’t utter anything else, is my cry calling out His name?

Being alive means I speak His name constantly.
So, is it heard the loudest when I’m the quietest?

In sadness, we breathe heavy sighs.
In joy, our lungs feel almost like they will burst.
In fear we hold our breath and have to be told to breathe slowly to help us calm down.
When we’re about to do something hard, we take a deep breath to find our courage.

When I think about it, breathing is giving him praise. Even in the hardest moments!

This is so beautiful and fills me with emotion every time I grasp the thought. God chose to give himself a name that we can’t help but speak every moment we’re alive.

All of us, always, everywhere.
Waking, sleeping, breathing, with the name of God on our lips.

“written by – Sandra Thurman Caporale from the Memorial Church of Christ in Houston”

By Cecil May, Jr via Preacher Talk

The difference between salvation by works and salvation by grace is the difference between “Hey, look what I’ve done!” and “Look what God has done for me!” We are saved by grace through faith. There are works that demonstrate the reality of our faith (James 2:21- 24), but no works have merit to cancel sins or earn salvation. If they did, we could boast in them.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Ephesians 2:8- 9). “For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God” (Romans 4:2).

I will not boast in anything No gifts, no power, no wisdom. But I will boast in Jesus Christ His death and resurrection. Why should I gain from His reward? I cannot give an answer. But this I know with all my heart: His wounds have paid my ransom. “But far be it from me to boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world” (Galatians 6:14).

By Rob Albright Via Bulletin Gold (4-17-22)

When the women came to the tomb of Jesus, an angel met them and said “He is not here” (Mt. 28:6). Jesus was not in the tomb. It was empty. Even though a large stone was blocking the entrance and even though the tomb was guarded, the fact is, the tomb was empty. So, what happened? Luke states the truth in Acts 2:24 when he said, God raised Him. That message of Jesus resurrection must be preached. The resurrection verifies Jesus’ claim to be the Son of God. This truth was confirmed when Jesus appeared to His disciples (John 20). Paul said that Jesus even appeared to over 500 people and most were alive in 56 AD (1 Cor. 15:6) The resurrection benefits us. It gives us a living hope (1 Peter 1:3) and if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, burial, and resurrections, we shall be in the likeness of His resurrection (Romans 6:1-5).

 

By Ron Bartanen Via Bulletin Gold (4-10-22)

Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name given among men whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). The name referred to by which we are saved is “the name of Jesus Christ” (4:12). His is “the name which is above every name…the name before which every knee shall bow” (Philippians 2:8-10. The name signifies one’s power and authority. Jesus commissioned His apostles to preach “repentance and remission of sins…in His name…” (Luke 24:47). The power to become sons of God is given “to them that believe on His name” (John 1:12). The convicted multitude at Pentecost were commanded to “Repent and be baptized.. in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins” (Acts 2:38). Christians are admonished, *Whatsoever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus (Colossians 3:17). Faith, repentance, baptism and Christian worship and service are all in the name of Jesus Christ, not in the name of religious leaders or churches. Why, then, do some wear human names in religion? To paraphrase Paul, who opposed the wearing of his name: “Is Christ divided? Was (your denomination or preacher) crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of (your denomination or preacher)?” (1 Corinthians 1:13). Human, denominational names give honor to others than to Christ, and divide those who claim faith in Christ. We urge all to honor Christ alone in faith and obedience.

By Ed Wittlif Via Bulletin Gold (4-3-22)

“She will bear a son and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21 ESV). caps I didn’t grow up in a family that was godly. What I knew about Jesus I learned by watching Christmas specials on TV. I grew up a spoiled rotten” kid, who always got what he wanted. As a result, I was very self-centered, and everything was for my wants and pleasures. I had done a lot of stuff by age twenty that I knew was wrong. I was looking forward to the freedom that came with reaching twenty-one. At the same time, I was beginning to realize that there might be more to life. Just what that was, I didn’t know. When two of my good friends got married, I started talking with the minister, which led to a series of studies. He introduced me to Jesus, and I discovered what was missing in life. I learned that I was a sinner and what that meant, and that Jesus took my punishment for me. I gratefully accepted His gift when I believed and rose from my baptism into a new life. By God’s grace, I am saved from the eternal consequences of my sins. Paul said, I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life I now live in the flesh by faith in the Son of God, who gave Himself up for me” ( Galatians 2:20). Like Paul, I have striven to live for Christ and to serve Him in His mission of reconciliation. Knowing what I was before, I am grateful and blessed to be His. I encourage you to do the same and remember what you were before you were redeemed. Never forget the cost paid for your salvation.