Category: Bulletin Articles

Welcome to the Groveland Church of Christ.

In this section, you will find announcements of upcoming congregation events and fellowship activities as well as articles of spiritual interest and encouragement.

By Glen Elliott

All movement with directed purpose follows a
predetermined path. Our blood travels through our bodies
through channels called veins and arteries. Misdirected or
interrupted blood flow can have serious consequences.
Similarly, as we travel, our efforts to reach a desired
destination is largely dependent upon our ability to navigate
our nation’s elaborate system of streets and highways.
Likewise, aircraft are required to file a flight plan and
strictly adhere to it once it has been approved. Otherwise,
there could be catastrophic results. The point it this: if we
want to get to our desired destination, we must follow the
right path.

There is only one path that leads to heaven. Jesus is “the
way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but
through [Him] (John 14:6). Other routes are offered by man;
but His is the only way to eternal glory. Jesus says, “Enter
through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is
broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter
through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that
leads to life, and there are few who find it” (Matthew 7:13-
14). Sadly, many who feel they are on the right path will
discover all too late that they were mistaken. Jesus says,
“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the
kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father
who is in heaven will enter” (Matthew 7:21). Solomon says,
“There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is
the way of death” (Proverbs 14:12)

Because the danger of being misled is always present, we
must diligently study God’s word. It is the roadmap that
will lead us to heaven. But, we must trust its direction and
“walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7).

Remember, “a man’s way is not in himself, nor is it in a
man who walks to direct his steps” (Jer. 10:23). Walking in
the light of God’s word provides clear, unmistakable
direction (1 John 1:7). One step at a time, and His eternal
kingdom will be abundantly supplied to all who follow His
od ud over path to glory.

Kenny Westmoreland

“Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him” (Psalm 34:8).

Have you ever noticed the clever slogans at fast food chains? The concept each restaurant seeks to portray is that the customer is in complete and total control. For example, Burger King invites customers to come and “have it your way.” Wendy’s encourages patrons to “do what tastes right,” while Taco Bell bids their clientele to “think outside the bun” and “live mas” (live more) by choosing a burrito or taco over a hamburger. Quite often, these catchphrases eventually become engrained in our culture.

Now, consider how frequently these “slogans” mirror everyday life. Regarding spiritual matters, many choose to “have it their way” by embracing lifestyles that contradict God’s will. Rather than “tasting and finding the Lord to be gracious” (1 Peter 2:3), others make the choice to “think beyond the things which are written” (1 Corinthians 4:6) and “live more” by “doing what feels right.” When all things are considered, being in complete and total control is not always a good thing.

How do we remedy this problem? We must reject conventional thinking and exercise the ultimate self-control by allowing God to take total control. Paul writes, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:2).

By Burton Coffman

So manifold are the blessings God has poured out upon contemporary America that the average man has not merely one day, but two, out of every week in which he may seek Almighty God in worship. A tragic paradox is that the very abundance of contemporary blessings has become the occasion for increasing neglect of the day of worship.

What an oddity that man, finding himself with two or three days on his hands, promptly decides to make them all for pleasure and leave God out of his life altogether! The neglect of the day of worship is a basic wrong that shall cry to God until it is righted, or until the spiritual basis of society is removed altogether and man finds himself once more strapped to his plow or his machine, as presently is the case in godless slave states.

One sometimes hears the cry, “Sunday is the only day I have!” On the contrary, it is the only day one does not have; it is the Lord’s Day. Christ claimed the first day of the week through His resurrection on that day and the earliest Christians gave it to Him by fidelity of their pre-dawn devotions in the darkness of those ancient assemblies.

Their faithfulness won the day for all succeeding generations, a day primarily for rest and worship. God forbid that Sunday should be lightly thrown away by a godless, secular society which dares to seize it for lust or pleasure, forgetting its origin, and making its ultimate loss
a certainty.

By Jay Launius, via Bulletin Digest

When thinking about the earthly life of Jesus Christ, it is nothing short of extraordinary. From His humble birth in a manger, to His ministry to the multitudes, we are fascinated by His composure, compassion and character. He reached out to the rich and the poor, the popular and unpopular, without partiality. Having the full measure of the Holy Spirit, He performed amazing healing miracles including bringing the dead back to life. Yes, when we consider the life of Jesus, it is remarkable.

Thus, the perceived dilemma of 1 John 2:3-6. “Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.” Walk (live) just as Jesus walked? How is that possible? Why would God ask us to do the impossible? The truth is, He never would.

Not only does this passage encourage us to be like Jesus, but there are others as well. Matthew 11:29, John 13:15, and 1 Peter 2:21 all tell us to exemplify the life of Christ.

We do this by being humble, compassionate, giving, sacrificial, and possessing the servant’s attitude. We may not be able to heal the sick, raise the dead, or walk on water, but we can take on the character of the Christ and thus be like Jesus!

With Whom Are You Walking? You cannot walk with Jesus and with the world at the same time. They are going two different directions. –Doug Smith

By Glen Elliott via Bulletin Digest

Friendship is one of our deepest needs. Yet so many have no idea about how to fulfill that longing. Fortunately, the Bible has much to say about the matter. Solomon wrote, “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity” (Prov. 17:17). Later, he adds, “There is a friend who sticks closer than a brother” (18:24). Such friendship is a beautiful and treasured possession. A friend is one who loves at all times, even when our weaknesses become evident. An old proverb says, “He who seeks a friend without a fault remains without one.” A friend does not easily give up but seeks to encourage and strengthen. “A friend loves at all times.” In fact, “A brother is born for adversity” (17:17). If you cannot lean on a friend, who can you lean on? How does a friend get to be someone who sticks closer than a brother? The answer lies in the realm of adversity. A friend does not give up on us, even when we have given up on ourselves. A friend remains loyal when loyalty is not popular. A friend believes and expects the best of his friend and their friendship. How do we go about developing friendships? There are no short-cuts. Relationships require time and energy. In our madly-paced world, many are starving for friendship. Many of our “so-called” friendships are shallow and unfulfilling. The one who would have friends must show himself to be friendly (Prov. 18:24, KJV).

No one would argue that a person can seriously seek friendship without seeking to be a friend. In a practical sense, this means that we must develop those qualities which will make us a good friend to others. Loyalty, dependability, a sense of caring and an ability to overlook another’s weaknesses are a few of the essentials of friendship. It takes time to develop close friendships; but while we are waiting, we must seek to develop the qualities which will make a good friend.

By Joe Slater via Bulletin Digest

“They received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so” (Acts 17:11b, NKJV).

I’ve been hearing a saying that is new to me: “I have the receipts.” It’s a memorable way of saying, “I’m telling the truth, and I can prove it.” When you need to return that defective appliance, you can prove where you bought it by showing them the receipt.

Jesus tasked His disciples (that’s us) with spreading His gospel to all people throughout the world. As Paul fulfilled that commission in Berea, he proclaimed the truth to them. Unlike some in Thessalonica, the openminded Bereans gave Paul a fair hearing. But before accepting what he taught, they looked to see if he “had the receipts” (i.e. was his doctrine what the Old Testament Scriptures said about Messiah?).

We have no right to expect people to believe what we teach them unless we “have the receipts.” Modern American culture has bought heavily into the Oprah Winfree idea that everyone has their own version of truth: “Your truth, my truth, his truth, her truth, their truth, somebody else’s truth.” But what about “the” truth?

We owe it to the Lord and to our neighbors to know the Bible well enough to lovingly and kindly point people to God’s word, which is truth (John 17:17). Jesus said the truth will make people free from the slavery of sin (John 8:32). That being the case, we simply must “have the receipts”! If we don’t handle aright the word of truth, innumerable false teachers will be more than happy to lead our neighbors astray. Do you have the receipts?

By Robert Kargbo via Bulletin Digest

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding.” – Proverbs 3:5

Have you ever found yourself overwhelmed, trying to make sense of life’s complexities, feeling the weight of decisions, problems, or even your own thoughts? In today’s fast-paced world, we often strive to have all the answers, to figure things out on our own. But the truth is, we were never meant to carry such a burden. Just as the brain, with all its billions of neurons, is far beyond our ability to fully comprehend, so too is life itself. The Creator, in His infinite wisdom, designed both to be complex, knowing that we would need to rely on Him.

God’s invitation is clear: we are not to lean on our own understanding. The pressure to know everything, to manage every detail of our lives, is not something He ever intended for us to bear. And this is where the love of Christ comes in. Jesus, fully aware of our limitations, came to help carry our burdens. He invites us to find rest in Him. When we find ourselves anxious or confused, it is a sign to step back and trust in God’s higher wisdom through Christ. We may not have all the answers, but we have the assurance that God does—and Jesus is with us every step of the way. We don’t have to figure everything out because Christ is already holding everything together for us.

Today, reflect on an area of your life where you’ve been trying to carry the weight of understanding on your own. What would it look like to release that to Christ? Spend a
moment in prayer, asking for the strength to let go and trust in His plan.

Your citizenship is in Heaven You only have a work visa for earth (Philippians 2:20)

By Richard Dent via Bulletin Digest

In Mark 2:3-12 a paralyzed man needed help to come to
Jesus. Fortunately, he had friends willing to help. His
friends picked up the mat on which he was lying and
carried him to the house where Jesus was. Not just one
or two men could have done the job. It took all four,
each carrying his corner of the mat.

But wait! The story gets even more intriguing as we find
that so many people were in the house that the men
couldn’t get their stricken friend inside. They lifted their
friend, mat and all, onto the roof, made a hole, and
lowered him into the room where Jesus was (Mark 2:4).

Jesus was impressed with the men’s faith and said to the
paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you” (2:5). The
man immediately arose, took up his mat as Jesus
directed him, and went out from the presence of them
all. Then they glorified God, saying, “We never saw
anything like this before” (2:11-12).

Friend, do you know that there are many in any given
community who will never find the truth or hear the
words of Jesus about salvation without our help? If any
one of those friends had dropped his corner of the mat,
the paralyzed man couldn’t have reached Jesus

As a Christian, have you dropped your corner? Or are you
carrying it to the best of your ability to serve the Lord?

Every member is needed to shoulder the responsibility for
helping the Lord’s work to progress. We need Bible School
teachers. We need parents who set faithful examples for
their children. We need men who dependably serve in
leading prayers and songs. We need men who aspire to
serve as elders and deacons.

Let us all carry our corner!