Category: Bulletin Articles

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

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

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?

By Bill Brandstatter

The Christmas season is here. The excitement in the eyes of children during this time of year is always wonderful. The young children at Christmas time have enthusiasm from which many Christians could learn.

Children are innocent and pure. They are not born with inherited sin. Jesus used the example of a little child to show how we should be in the kingdom. Jesus stated; “unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Matt. 18:3 NKJV) If children were sinful creatures, Christ would not have used in not them illustration.

Isn’t it interesting that young children have no bias, hard feelings or hatred? In Christ, we too, should have that attitude. God is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34). We shouldn’t be either.

What children learn is also important. Children can learn a great deal. In order to be saved, a person must learn something (John 6:44, 45). We too should desire to learn God’s will like children.

May we have the desire and enthusiasm of little children when we look at the Word of God. Let us study with a hunger and listen with attentive ears. May we be recipients of Jesus’ statement; “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled.” (Matt. 5:6 NKJV)

May we become like little children not just during this time of year but all year long as we rely on our Father and diligently desire the milk of HIS Word.

Marion (IL) Church of Christ Via Bulletin Gold

By John K. Wills

On his second missionary journey, Paul came to the city of
Philippi. There, while worshiping by the river, he met and
baptized Lydia. But not all in Philippi listened to Paul and
he was falsely accused of “troubling the city” (Acts 16:20).
Beaten and thrown into prison, Paul and Silas did not let
persecution stop their preaching. Instead they sang hymns
to God. An earthquake gave Paul the opportunity to tell the
jailor about the hope of eternal life through Jesus. The jailor
gathered his family and they heard the precious message
of Jesus Christ. He and all in his household were
immediately baptized-the same hour of the night!

Paul could have griped and moped about his problems.
Instead, he was devoted to serving God. He had come to a
city where he knew no one. On the day of worship he went
where others were worshiping God. An obstacle became an
opportunity to tell others about Jesus. Falsely imprisoned,
he preached Christ to the keeper of the jail.

How important is Christ to us today? Are we going where
we can worship with others? Can we overcome the fear of
persecution, or rejection by telling others the good nevws of
Jesus? When our soul’s salvation becomes more important,
then we like Paul, will be “ready in season and out of
season” to spread the gospel to our world.

By David Bragg

 

Almost 400 years ago much of Europe, Asia and Africa were devastated by the bubonic plague. When the outbreak erupted among the villagers of Oberammergau, Germany, according to tradition, they made a vow that if God spared them from this terrible disease, they would stage a portrayal of the death of Christ on the cross. The plague passed and they kept their vow. Starting in 1634 the citizens have staged their Passion Play every ten years. It was delayed in WWI, cancelled in WWII, and rescheduled in 2020, because of COVID-19, until 2022. The story is told of an American tourist attending the play. He really wanted his picture made holding the cross used by the actor portraying Jesus. But when he tried to lift the wooden cross to his shoulders the man was surprised at its weight. He asked “Why heavy?” the actor, is it so The actor’s reply: “f I did not feel the weight of it I could not play the part” (Don Cox, Jackson, MO Church of Christ). When contemplating the cross of Jesus, we need to feel the weight of it. The burden of sin carried on His innocent shoulders. The weight of MY sins that, if just for a moment, separated Him from His Father, our God. That is no superficial love. It is the real thing.

Via Bulletin Gold.

Florence Ave church of Christ

God said in the long ago, “While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease” (Genesis 8:22).

The changing seasons are proof of God’s faithfulness to His Word. Even in the bleak deadness of winter, we can be sure that the spring will blossom with life. God keeps His promises!

That is why it is not difficult for us to believe what he has said about life beyond the grave, the future resurrection from the dead, and the glorious consummation of our hope in heaven. God is utterly dependable!

“The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).

Via Bulletin Digest

Ken Hamilton

Charles Dickens said that we are somewhat mixed up here in America. He told an audience that instead of having one Thanksgiving Day each year we should have 364. “Use that one day just for complaining and griping,” he said. “Use the other 364 days to thank God each day for the many blessings He has showered upon you.”

Via Bulletin Digest

Thank God for Dirty Dishes
Thank God for dirty dishes;
They have a tale to tell.
While others may go hungry,
We’re eating very well
With home, health, and happiness,
I shouldn’t want to fuss:
By the stack of evidence,
God’s been very good to us.

Ron Thonnas

 

Thanksgiving is, in the eyes of some, esteemed as the greatest of holidays. When one thinks about the idea of thanksgiving, it is easy to appreciate the holiday as some do being the Those who are truly greatest of holidays.

thankful, however, are those who were once dead, but are now alive. The Lord spoke to the Jews and said that the hour was coming in which the dead would hear His voice and live John 5:25). The Lord was not referring to the second coming, for that He does in John 5:28-29. The Lord referred to those who heard His voice (orally, and through the written word) and responded to His holy will. They were dead in sin, but applying the truth of God’s word to their individual lives, they are now alive spiritually (cf. 2 Corinthians 5:17). Those who live, but were once dead, were dead in sin ( Ephesians 2:1-10), but now are alive in Christ. This is a time for Thanksgiving.

Via Bulletin Digest