Category: Bulletin Articles

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

By Joe Slater

“See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all'” (1 5:15). Thessalonians

In the text above, Paul’s word pursue is the same as “persecute elsewhere in the New Testament. It means to chase. Saul persecuted Christians by chasing them down to harm them. After becoming a Christian, the same man urged the Thessalonians to chase what was good for themselves and else. everyone By contrast, he urged them not to seek payback for ill treatment. Too many are bent on revenge! Jesus taught His disciples to “love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you” (Matthew 5:44).

Revenge appeals to the it. above rise calls to God flesh, but us Paul exhorted Timothy to flee the love of money and all the pitfalls that go with it, and to “pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness”” (1 Timothy 6:9-11). A few years later Paul urged him similarly: “Flee also youthful lusts: but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart” (2Timothy2:22).

Successfully chasing something takes energy; it takes time; it takes determination and perseverance. Is what you catch worth the effort? If you’re chasing revenge, money, or fulfillment of the fleshly appetites, you might say “yes” at first, but in the long run you’ll be disappointed. The pursuit of righteousness and good things, however, yields rich rewards both now and eternally.

Church of Christ in Justin, TX.
Via Bulletin Gold

By (Anonymous)

I have learned there is little I can do in my life that will make me truly happy. I have also learned that most of the time I do not need half of what I think I do. Therefore, I have learned to depend on God to make me happy and to meet my needs. When a need arises in my life, I have learned to TRUST GOD to supply according to HIS riches. God has never let me down! The Psalmist wrote, “Happy is that people, whose God is the LORD” (Psalm 144:15). This is the SECRET to Happiness.

You might say, That is too simple! Well, take a moment and reflect over your own life. Possibly you once thought that a bigger house would make you happy, but it did not. Maybe you thought a better paying job would make you happy, but it did not. When did you really realize your greatest happiness? Was it when you were sitting on the floor with your grandchildren, playing games with your children, eating your favorite food, or reading a story? Those are all simple gifts from God.

Friend, you cannot depend on physical things (including money and people) to make you happy. Only God in His infinite wisdom can do that. God will take care of you. You simply must TRUST HIM. You must believe and really TRUST God! As you trust God for happiness in your life, please consider the following five suggestions:

(1) Make up your mind to be happy (cf. Prov. 17:22).

(2) Locate life’s center [Jesus Christ and Him crucified| (Col. 1:17-18; Gal. 2:20; John 14:6).

(3) Define life’s purpose (Ecc. 12:13-14; Isa. 43:7).

(4) Make the most of your time and blessings (Phil. 4:11-13; James 4:13-15).

(5) Do something for someone else (Acts 20:35; Eph. 2:10). Proverbs 3:5-6

by Edd Sterchi

It always amazes me how some can claim that it is impossible for a Christian to fall away from the grace of God. Consider these Hebrews: book of the from texts

Heb. 2:1, “Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away.”

Heb. 3:12, “Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God”

Heb. 4:1, “Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it.

Heb. 6:4-6, “For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift.if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for of God. Son the themselves

Heb. 10:26, “For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins”

Heb. 10:38, “Now the just shall live by faith; But if anyone draws back, has soul pleasure in him.” My no

Heb. 12:15, “looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this defiled become many

Heb. 12:25, ‘much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks heaven from

Heb. 13:9, “Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines.”

And that’s just the book of Hebrews, let alone all the others books of the New Testament (of which there are many, many more passages that relate this truth). The Bible clearly reveals that it is possible to fall away from God’s grace. Knowing that, we should be inspired to remain faithful and active for the Lord. Let us watch our steps and be careful not to fall. “But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul” (Heb. 10:39),