Author: Tim

By Brian Mitchell – Via Bulletin Gold

Prayer is something that develops within each of us as we grow in our faith
and understanding. The stronger our belief in God and the more we come to
understand Him and His Word the more prayerful we will become. There are
some childlike elements to prayer that we must never lose, and yet there are
some childish and immature aspects of prayer that we certainly want to
outgrow.

Listen to some of these prayers of children and see what insights you can
gain from them. Debbie, age 7 writes: Dear God: Please send a new baby for
mommy. The new baby you sent last week cries too much. Dear God: Who
did you make smarter? Boys or girls? My sister and I want to know. Jimmy,
age 6. Dear God: How many angels are there in heaven? I would like to be the
first kid in my class to know the answer. Norma, age 8.

Dear God: Thank you for the nice day today. You even fooled the weatherg
man. Hank, age 7. Lois, age 9: Dear God: Please help me in school. I need
help in spelling, adding, writing, history, and geography. I don’t need help inE
anything else. Natalie, age 7: Dear God: Do you have any helpers in heaven?
I would like to be one of your helpers in heaven when I have summer vacation.
Diane, age 8: Dear God: I am saying my prayers for me and my brother, Billy,
because Billy is six months old and he can’t do anything but sleep and wet hist
diapers.

There is a childish misunderstanding of prayer represented here but they get
so much right about God that we sometimes forget about. So much could be
said and should be said about prayer, but for our purposes today I want to say
three things: Prayer is EXPECTED, should not be EXHAUSTED because it
is EFFECTIVE.

If you are like me, then you don’t need to be convinced of the place and
power of prayer. But what I do need to be reminded of often is to make prayer
a priority. I need to be careful to carve out time for prayer and to guard that
time for all of its worth. In order to be more faithful in prayer, I want to suggest
three things to do. First, set a time and a place for prayer. Prayer must be
intentional. Second, remove the things that interfere with prayer. Third, pray
with faith, persistence, and the right motive. And then see what happens!!!

By Seth Myers Via Bulletin Gold

Popular doctrine claims that the Lord will return “secretly” to
take away the saints. As seen on TV, a certain number of people
will simply vanish from the earth! While “the Rapture” may be
exciting, it is simply not scriptural.

Here is what the whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:27) says
will happen “when the Son of Man comes” (Matt. 25:31):

1. When the Lord returns, the entire world will know (Matt.
25:31,32a; 1 Thess. 4:16).

2. “AI|” the angels and faithful dead will be with Him (Matt.
25:31; 2 Thess. 1:7; 1 Thess. 4:14b).

3. The bodies of the dead will be raised [to be reunited with their
spirits] (Jn. 5:28,29a; 1 Thess. 4:16b; 1 Cor. 15:52; cf. Jas.
2:26a).

4. The faithful then living will join the Lord and His saints in
the air” (1 Thess. 4:17).

5. “Earthly” bodies will be “changed” from mortal to immortal
(1 Cor. 15:51,52).

6. Every human being since the beginning of time will stand
before God in judgment (Matt. 25:31,32; 2 Cor. 5:10a; cf. John
5:27; Rom. 14:10; Heb. 9:27).

7. The entire physical Creation will be utterly and permanently
destroyed (2 Pet. 3:10-12).

8. Jesus will “deliver the kingdom,” which He had received and
established after His resurrection/ascension, over to the Father (1
Cor. 15:24; cf. Acts 2:30,3 1 a; Dan. 2:44).

9. Each person will be consigned to one of two eternal destinations-
chosen for themselves while in the body” (Matt. 25:33,41,46; John
5:29; 2 Thess. 1:7-9; cf. 2 Cor. 5:10b).

10. This is called “the last day” (John 5:39,40,44,54; 12:48) and “the
end” (1 Cor. 15:24a).

By Joe Slater

 

Road signs used to urge is to reduce our speed in construction
zones: “Slow! Men At Work!” Political correctness forbids such
gender-specific signs nowadays, but using “slow” to describe the
men instead of our driving (several men leaning on their shovels
while one actually works) still brings a smile to our face.

Usually, we can perceive when men are working. But what
about God? Yes, God works! He worked in the six creation days,
though no human was there to observe it (Genesis 1). He works
in sustaining His creation (Hebrews 1:3). Our five senses don’t
perceive that either.

God works when a sinner obeys the gospel, being “buried with
Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through
faith in the working of God who raised Him from the dead'”
(Colossians 2:13). That’s a spiritual operation not seen by eyes
of flesh.

Does God continue to work in lives after we become
Christians? “It is God who works in you, both to will and to do
for His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13). Once again, His
working may not be outwardly obvious.

Sometimes we might think God is slow in His work. Job
suffered at great length before God delivered himn. Joseph spent
many years as a slave and a prisoner before God exalted him a
governor of Egypt. But be assured, God knows exactly what He
is doing, and His timing is always impeccable. He always acts in
our best interest!”The Lord is not slack concerning His promises,
as some count slackness, but is long-suffering toward us, not
willing that any should perish, but that all should come to
repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).

By Joe Slater

What do you suppose God’s people were doing on New Year’s
Day roughly 3500 years ago? Would you believe they were
putting up the tabernacle? “On the first day of the first month,
you shall set up the tabernacle of the tent of meeting” (Exodus
40:1). “And it came to pass in the first month of the second year,
on the first day of the month, that the tabernacle was raised up”
(40:17).

Earlier in Exodus (chapters 25-31) God had given Moses
explicit and detailed instructions about the tabernacle and all of
its furnishings, beginning with this exhortation: “According to
all that I show you, that is, the pattern of the tabernacle and the
pattern of all its furnishings, just so shall you make it” (25:9).

The Lord repeated this command several times as He specified
the dimensions, materials, design, etc., of the tabernacle and its
furnishings. “And see to it that you make them according to the
pattern which was shown you on the mountain” (25:40). “And
you shall raise up the tabernacle according to its pattern which
you were shown on the mountain” (26:30). “As it was shown
you on the mountain, shall they make it” (27:8). SO Moses and the Israelites took 

God seriously!”Thus Moses did: according to all that the Lord had 

commanded him, so he did”
(Exodus 40:16).

The tabernacle and things associated with it were a shadow of
the better things Jesus Christ established in the New Covenant.
The Hebrews writer taught that we ought to be even more
diligent to be faithful in the New Covenant than Moses and the
Israelites were in the Old Covenant (Hebrews 2:1-4; 10:28-31).
In this new year, let us renew our determination to follow God’s
pattern set forth in the New Testament!

David R. Ferguson – Via Bulletin Gold

One of my favorite passages of Scripture comes from the pen of the
Psalmist who declared, “FO the Lord taketh pleasure in His people: He
will beautify the meek with salvation” (Psalm 149:4). What a great
statement of love and hope is found within these words!

It’s hard to believe the very Creator of the universe can be moved
with such great emotion by us that we are told “He takes pleasure in
His people,” but He does! The fact of the matter is, the Bible is chock-
full of such wondrous themes of God’s love for mankind, His desire to
be close to us, the joy He wishes so desperately to share with us, and
the great riches of His boundless grace that He so longingly wants to
bestow upon us, that we are really without excuse not to access all of
these.

Let’s take a few moments to consider just a handful of these
wondrous, uplifting passages of Scripture. Do all things without
murmurings and disputings: that ye may be blameless and harmless,
the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse
nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; (Philippians 2:14-
15). Did you hear that? We are sons of God! We are to be His lights in
a dark, dying and desperately-lost-in-sin world!

But the Apostle Paul tells us God recognizes those who come to Him
through His Son in obedient, saving faith as His children! What a great
delight that is to know! It’s also worth noting that God expects His
children to “do all things without murmurings.” Does that really
describe us, or are we individuals who constantly go around looking at
other people and things to complain about and criticize?

When Jesus came to the Earth, Light was found in the world again!
That Light was coming from a manger in Bethlehem when our Savior,
Jesus, was born. He is the Light of the world. He has brought spiritual
Light to this very dark, dying world. This spiritual Light must be
received to be seen. With an obedient faith we believe, and God saves
us and gives us eternal life. The darkness is thick, but the Light of Jesus
can penetrate anything. Even your hard heart if need be.

David R. Ferguson – Via Bulletin Gold

In one of my favorite scenes fromn one of my favorite movies, Dead
Poets Society, new and inspiriting (yet eccentric) English teacher John
Keating, played by Robin Williams, takes the boys into the foyer
outside the classroom on the first day of class where he asks one of the
lads by the name of Pitts (“A rather unfortunate name,” Keating muses)
to read a poem out loud. In an uncertain voice, Pitts reads,

“Gather ye rosebuds while ye may
Old time is still a-flying
And this same flower that smiles today
Tomorrow will be dying

“Carpe deum,” Keating says to the boys, “Seize the day. Every single
one of us is just food for worms. You may be destined for great things,
but you need to take the opportunity now.”

There are many passages in God’s word which encourage us to seize
the day. One of the greatest of these comes in Ephesians 5:15-21. If we
simply follow these instructions, we will not only seize the day in this
lifetime, we will grab hold of eternal life to come in Heaven through
Jesus Christ by doing His will.

So then, be careful how you walk, not as unwise people but as wise,
making the most of your time, because the days are evil. Therefore
do not be foolish, but understand what the will af the Lord is. And do
not get drunk with wine, in which there is debauchery, but be filled
with the Spirt, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and
spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your hearts
Lord; always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord
Jesus Christ to our God and Father; and subject yourselves to one
another in the fear of Christ.

Our days on Earth are numbered. Don’t waste your time but use it
wisely to serve the Lord!

Joe Slater

 

Immediately after saying that love doesn’t rejoice in unrighteousness, Paul wrote that it does rejoice in the truth (1
Corinthians 13:6). This shouldn’t surprise us since our God is “a
God of truth and without injustice; righteous and upright is He”
(Deuteronomy 32:4).

Paul himself exemplified the love that rejoices in the truth.
Though under house arrest in Rome, he continued proclaiming
the gospel even to his captors, and he knew other brethren were
evangelizing also. Some had corrupt motives, but “whether in
pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes,
will rejoice” (Philippians 1:18). Christ’s gospel is truth, and
Paul rejoiced in it being preached.

John the apostle also rejoiced in the truth. He told the elect
lady,” “I rejoiced greatly that I have found some of your children
walking in truth, as we received commandment from the Father”
(2 John 4). Along the same line he wrote to Gaius, “I rejoiced
greatly when brethren came and testified of the truth that is in
you, just as you walk in the truth. I have no greater joy than to
hear that my children walk in the truth (3 John 3-4). Christian
parents rejoice when children in their earthly families walk in the
truth (i.e. obey the gospel and serve God faithfully). Let’s rejoice
when others we`ve led to Christ are walking in the truth or, for
that matter, any time we see anyone walking in the truth.

The ungodly “suppress the truth in unrighteousness” (Romans
1:18). That is, they hold it back, hindering it from advancing. We
must promote the truth vigorously and constantly, rejoicing in its
progress.

David Bragg

What do you do after the turkey is unstuffed and you are stuffed?

What do you do after the parades and bowl games have ended
and your guests have left for home?

The internet is filled with recipes for dealing with the remains of your
Thanksgiving meal, from Turkey Pumpkin Chili to Cranberry
Turnovers to Sweet Potato Waffles. In the wake of our annual
Thanksgiving holiday the question of what to do with those
leftovers should be the least of our concerns. Come Monday
morning we will enter a world that is convinced that they have
sufficiently paid all obligations to be thankful until next year.
But we know that God commands us to be thankful every day.
The apostle Paul wrote: “in everything give thanks; for this is the
will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). This
year, as we look back on the Thanksgiving holiday, what should
be the real Thanksgiving Leftovers? Here are a few suggestions:

1. Thank God for our family and friends. Don’t take them for
granted but rather cultivate those precious relationships year
round

2. Thank God for His abundant blessings. The very fact that there
are Thanksgiving leftovers proves that we are truly blessed.

3. Thank God for His church. This is our spiritual family. We
ought to take advantage of these precious relationships of people
who care.

4. Thank God for His Son. He gave everything so that you can
enjoy all blessings through Him.

5. Thank God for today and, should it come, tomorrow.

By Patrick Hogan

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing. in everything give
thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” 1
Thessalonians 5:16-19

The above reference is just one of many in Scripture that
encourage Christians to have a positive outlook. As a matter of
fact, the second admonition, “pray without ceasing,” is one good
reason to rejoice and to be thankful. Regardless of what happens
we have the avenue of prayer by which we may communicate
with the Father!

The third instruction, “in everything give thanks,” may
sometimes be more difficult to follow. There are some situations
in which we find it difficult to be thankful. Perhaps an
observation by commentator Matthew Henry can encourage us
to be more thoughtful, and therefore more thankful, in those types
of situations. When Henry discovered that he had been robbed,
he entered the following in his daily journal:

I thank Thee first because I was never robbed before; second,
because although they took my purse they did not take my life
third, although they took my all, it was not much; and fourth,
because it was I who was robbed and not I who robbed.

While we hear much about thanksgiving during the last weeks of
each year, may we cultivate a constant attitude of thankfulness.
As Christians we have much for which to give thanks.

Via Bulletin Gold
11/27/22

Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!

For His mercy endures forever.

Oh, give thanks to the God of gods!

For His mercy endures forever.

Oh, give thanks to the Lord of lords!

For His mercy endures forever:

Bulletin Sunday 11/1822