A High Price

By Ron Thomas

 

None of them can by any means redeem his brother, Nor give to Goda ransom for him (For the redemption of their life is costly, And ii faileth for ever), (Psalm 49:7-8, ASV) We live on this earth with the prospect of making our lives pleasant and easier than the generation before us. We know that we don’t always achieve what we set out to accomplish, but it does not stop us from trying. In this trying there is hope of success.

None of this is new to us. Unfortunately, as we set about to do this, we come nearer to the end of our individual lives before we accomplish it or think that we do. We then think about how we have lived our lives and wonder if we were (are) a blessing, a help, or a hindrance to others in the way we have lived. More than that, we think about our lives and wonder about the Lord’s response to the way we lived. “Have I done enough to be pleasing to the Lord?” and Will He receive me into His kingdom?” eternal Some of us are fortunate to have accumulated some means, some wealth. “Surely, if the Lord was not with me, I would not have what He gave me we think.

We transfer that thinking to “It must be the case the Lord is pleased with me, for how else can my wealth be explained?” never thinking it might be from the world (cf. 2 Cor. 4:4) this of god The passage in Psalm 49 is a reminder that no matter what a person accumulates, there is no wealth available to a person that is satisfactory in redeeming (purchasing) a person from the throngs of Hell.

Equally important on this theme is: no matter how gracious a person is, how charitable to others a person is, without the Lord Jesus directing their life in faithful obedience to His will, all is lost, even one’s soul.

Via Bulletin Gold

At Your Weakest Moment

By Greg Gwin

At your weakest moment, that’s when Satan will tempt you to sin. Our adversary is no fool. He’s not going to waste time and effort by working against your strengths. He will attack you when you are the weakest and where you are most vulnerable. Here’s an example: Someone has had harsh words to say about you. They have assumed the worst. impugned your motives, jumped to false conclusions, spread rumor and innuendo about you. How will you react? You are angry. hurt, insulted, disgusted. The strong temptation is to strike back, to get even, to put this person “in his place”. But. you must not submit to the temptation.

God’s word says. “Never pay back evil for evil to anyone… Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Rom. 12:17,21), It’s hard to follow this instruction at the moment, because you are weak and vulnerable. But this course of action is best- the Lord says so, and our Own experience bears this out.

During such times of weakness and vulnerability, we should pray as David did, “Set a guard, 0 Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips. Do not incline my heart to any evil thing, to practice deeds of wickedness with men who do iniquity; and do not let me eat of their delicacies” (Ps. 141:3,4). We’ve been warned that Satan has many “devices” (2 Cor. 2:11). Chief among these is his ability to detect our weaknesses and attack us there. Please realize that you must work hardest during your weakest moments, because that is when Satan is at work against you.

Via..Bulletin Digest

Seeing The Blessings Instead Of The Sorrows

Joseph D. Chase

It really is up to you! You can see the myriad of problems that plague us in this world and worry about them. You can complain about them, You could curse them or many other actions. However, there is only one way that we, God’s family, ought to respond to these troubles…

God has given us the opportunity to shine our lights before men and so glorify the God of heaven (Matthew 5:16). I can decide to work for the Lord and right wrongs that I see, lift up the broken and hurting. I can become a part of God’s solution for a lost and dying world…”Go out and make disciples..”, visit the poor, the widowed, the orphan (James 1:27), offer a simple cup of cool water in the name of our Lord Jesus. When we do the Lord’s work it makes the world a better place. We bless and are blessed when we view problems as opportunities.

It won’t be easy, but I assure you it will be worthwhile.

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A THOUGHT ON LOVE

C.S. Lewis was born in Belfast, Ireland in 1898 and became a prolific Irish writer and scholar. He is best known for his ‘Chronicles of Narnia’ fantasy series and his pro-Christian texts, especially his collection of radio talks that were published under the title “Mere Christianity Following his graduation from Oxford he was given a teaching position at Magdalen College where he formed friendships with other intellectuals. It was through conversations with this group that he was re-introduced to Christianity.

He would become famous for his work as an apologist, explaining his beliefs through logic and philosophy. Lewis defines four types of love derived from these Greek terms: Agape is the highest form of love unconditional and all encompassing, the love of God Eros is romantic loving, a bond common to the celebration Valentine’s Day Storge is affection and familial love, such as the deep bond for a child Philia represents the love of friends and intertwined relationships Lewis said, “Agape is all giving, not getting…Giving money is only one way of showing charity; to give time and toil is far better and (for most of us) harder.”

Paul said, Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. (1 Corinthians 13:4-7)

(special thanks to Biography.com Editors)

Why Go to Church?

Grand Blanc church of Christ

A churchgoer wrote a letter to the editor of a newspaper and complained that it made no sense to go to church every Sunday. “1’ve gone for 30 years now, ” he wrote, “and in that time I have heard something like 3,000 sermons. But for the life of me, I can’t remember a single one of them. So, I think l’m wasting my time and the preachers are wasting theirs by giving sermons at all.”

This started a controversy in the “Letters to the Editor column, to the delight of the editor. It went on for weeks until someone wrote this clincher:

I’ve been married for 30 years now. In that time my wife has cooked some 32,000 meals. But, for the life of me, I cannot recall the entire menu for a single one of those meals but I do know this: They all nourished me and gave me the strength I needed to do my work. If my wife had not given me these meals, I would be physically dead today. Likewise, if I had not gone to church for nourishment, I would be spiritually dead today!”

Via Bulletin Digest

Salvation Is in the Church

Foy E. Wallace, Jr.

The idea that one is first saved by some mystical or mystified. unintelligible or intangible process, and afterwards joins some church” is a common religious delusion. Yet, there is no truth more plainly emphasized in the Bible than the fact that the process of being saved is the process of entering the church (Acts 2:47).

1. It is affirmed in Acts 4:12 that salvation is in Christ. Then, to have salvation, one must get into Christ. But Paul, by analogy, in Ephesians 5:30, teaches that as husband and wife are one, so Christ and the church are one. “I speak concerning Christ and the church,” he said. Christ and the church being one, how can one be in Christ and out of the church?

2. Paul makes the fact that Christ is “the saviour of the body” (5:23) the ground of his exhortation to the Ephesians concerning the church as the bride of Christ (5:25). He washed it and sanctified it, cleansed and saved it, purchased it with His blood and redeemed it, reconciles us to God in it, and adds all the saved to it. Therefore, out of the church there is no cleansing, no blood, no redemption, no reconciliation to God, no salvation.

3. The relation between Christ and the church is the same as that which exists between God and Christ. Christ is the “fullness” of God (Col. 1:19), and the church is the “fullness” of Christ (Eph. 1:22). Therefore, no man can come to Christ and ignore the church for the same reason that no man can come to God and ignore Christ.

We exhort the unsaved to come to Christ, “gladly receive the word,” be “baptized into Christ,” and the Lord will add you to His church.

Via Bulletin Gold

Treasure in an Old Jar

By David Bragg

A condemned house filled with junk in St. Cloud, FL was being demolished in April 2014. Clearing the debris, they realized that the crumbling chimney was in danger of collapsing. That’s when a worker heard a metallic sound. The ensuing investigation quickly turned into a hectic treasure hunt as jar after jar stuffed with old coins were pulled from the rickety chimney. In the end they had recovered over 2,000 coins that had been stored for decades in old glass pickle jars. The oldest of the coins dated back to 1917. (Orlando Sentinel)

Who would have thought that an old dilapidated house, an unstable chimney, and dusty glass pickle jars would contain anything of value?

That’s how many look at the Bible. To many people today, some who may have never opened the cover to look inside, the Bible is an old, outdated book that has nothing to contribute to our modern, enlightened society.

They see God’s Word as out-of-touch as those who believe it. They fail to realize that the Bible is just as relevant today as it was on the day it was written. The Bible is … Eternal (Isaiah 40:8); Truth (John 17:1); Saves (1 Corinthians 15:2); Inspired (2 Timothy 3:15-17);: Living and powerful (Hebrews 4:12); Implanted in the heart (James Enduring 1:21); (1 Peter 1:22-2:3).

You may never find an old chimney filled with a pickle jar treasure trove, but you can hold in your hand God’s inspired and saving Word. By reading it you will be blessed. By living it you will become better. By following it you will be saved.

Via Bulletin Gold

Waging the Good Warfare

Ron Thomas

The greatest battle a Christian has to engage in is the battle with self; it’s never-ending. There is knowledge about what to do, how to do it, but weakness in making it happen.

The Christian knows what to do because the Lord revealed it, the Christian also knows how to get it done because, again, the Lord revealed it. Yet, the application is difficult when the person engaged in the battle struggles with the weakness of the flesh, it’s such a powerful warrior. When Paul used the expression he counseled the preacher, Timothy, to prepare himself for the battle ahead. Herein was how he was to engage.

First, he had God’s gift (1:18).

Second, the faith he had was to be fully in place with a good conscience (1:19).

Third, he was renminded of those who threw away their first love, using their failure as an example of what not to do (1:20).

We can learn from this.

Via Bulletin Gold

Coping in 2021

Richard Bartanen

What will we be facing in this new year? Will it be a year of good health, or of illness? Will there be a stabilizing economy or a stock-market crash? Will there be an increase of unity as a nation or an increase of chaos, looting, burning and physical violence? As individuals, will we learn to cope with life’s illnesses and failures or will we collapse under the stresses of life? We don’t know all the answers to the situations we must face. As our fears mount up, it becomes more and difficult to cope.

 

Even those who are people of faith find it difficult to national and global problems face personal, confidently. We need daily to be reminded of the words of Jesus: “In this world ye shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer. I have overcome the world” (John 1’6:33).

Our ability to cope begins with faith in Jesus. The apostle Paul wrote, “We are more than conquerors through Him that loved us” (Romans 8:37). Is your trust in Him who died for you, and was raised again? Have you, in faith, repented of sins, confessed faith in Christ, and been baptized? (Mark 16:15-16; Acts 2:38; 22:16). Are you faithfully following Him? (Revelation 2:1’0) When united to Him who died for us, we are encouraged and strengthened by His Spirit to cope with the problems of life, and to rejoice in the new life He has promised those who follow Him.

Via Bulletin Gold

A YEAR OF TIME

By Steven B. Cloud

…Though even thinking on the subject of time may prove discomforting, it is not a bad idea-especially at the beginning of a new year.

As we look into 2020 we look at a block of time. We see 12 months, 52 weeks, 365 days, 8,760 hours, 525,600 minutes, 31,536,000 seconds. And all is a gift from God. We have done nothing to deserve it, earn it, or purchase it. Like the air we breathe, time comes to us as a part of life.

The gift of time is not ours alone. It is given equally to each person. Rich and poor, educated and ignorant, strong and weak-every man, woman and child has the same twenty-four hours every day.

Another important thing about time is that you cannot stop it. There is no way to slow it down, turn it off, or adjust it. Time marches on.

And you cannot bring back time. Once it is gone, it is gone. Yesterday is lost forever. If yesterday is lost, tomorrow is uncertain. We may look ahead at a full year’s block of time, but we really have no guarantee that we will experience any of it.

Obviously, time is one of our most precious possessions. We can waste it. We can wworry over it. We can spend it on ourselves. Or, as good stewards, we can invest it in the kingdom of God.

The new year is full of time. As the seconds tick away, will you be tossing time out the window, or will you make every minute count?