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Editor's
comments
---Donna Richmond
Panning for more
Gold:
---preacher's articles this issue
Quick
Riches
---misc. goodies this issue
Hearts
of Gold
---poetry this issue
Gold
Mines
---quotes & sayings or yard
signs
*Archives
*Donna's
tips Archives:
---grammar for writers
*Explorations
Archives
---bulletin help
resources online
For the May 20 issue of BulletinGold, I would like to include articles and poems about
the Bible. If you have anything about the Bible, please send it to me at Bulletin.Gold@verizon.net. Perhaps you noticed an internet address
(url) after my name and address in last week's
BulletinGold Resources. A friend who writes a business ezine made me aware of it. I thought you might like to help fight diseases and help others
through this link. It won't cost you a thing except a little of your time. You can click on each category up to five times. If you have a website, you may want to put a link to My Small Part on it for others.
Please go through the BulletinGold link, then look for "Link to Us" at the bottom of the lefthand links column on the "My Small
Part" website. http://www.MySmallPart.com/join/bulletingold
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Panning for more
Gold
----
preacher's articles this issue
PREACHING IN LOVE
by Jay Kelly
As Paul discoursed on righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix was
afraid and said, "That's enough for now! You may leave. When I find it convenient, I will send for you."
Acts 24:25 Sounds like Paul was preaching a little fire and brimstone! At the very least, Felix got the idea that Paul thought he was
going to have to pack the asbestos jammies for the big sleep! Every so often someone will get a funny look on their face during a Bible study, look at
me and ask, "Do you think I'm going to hell?" While I try to be as tactful as possible, there is no getting around the fact that, most of the
time, I am studying with the person for precisely that reason! It is the serious consequences of sin and the great salvation that is ours in Christ
Jesus that should motivate us to a little "fire and brimstone!" I'm not talking about scaring people just to manipulate them, or brow-beating
people into submission with dire threats of eternal consequences if they don't "tow the line." I'm talking about telling people that an
infinitely just, powerful, and benevolent God exists and takes interest in each person's life.
When Paul began to preach the truth about the righteousness of God, the self-control that is part and parcel to a life pleasing to
Him, and the judgment reserved for those who refuse His generous offer, it naturally scared the willies out of Felix! It is the same word that offers
the freedom of salvation in Christ that condemns the alien sinner to eternal punishment. People need to hear both sides. People need to know they are
lost before they want to be saved, and people need to know they can be saved before they will be concerned about being lost. Let's just take the
apostle's example, preach the truth in love, and let the Spirit do His work.
Jay Kelley is the evangelist for the church that meets at 510 E. Fourth in Colby, Kansas. You may contact him at jkelley@nwkansas.com
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WHAT MOVES YOUR HEART?
by Scott Hoover
One of the problems living in the abundant lifestyle that we have is the same problem
that the Israelites had centuries ago in the times of the judges. When the Israelites would be in trouble from a nation, then God would send them a
judge. With God's help the judge would deliver the people from their troubles. After the deliverance, as long as the judge lived, the people would be
true to God and experience prosperity. These good times, however, would cause the people to become lax in their service to God.
Unfortunately, today we're still people, and we haven't learned the lessons much better. When the church is persecuted, it becomes
stronger, but with prosperity, it begins to weaken from within. We begin to bicker between ourselves and forget our purpose. Satan wins as he sees the
church argue and quibble instead of evangelizing.
Part of the problem is we forget the message of the gospel story. When was the last time that thinking about Jesus dying on the cross
really moved your heart to action? Of course, we're glad He did this for us, but that was a long time ago, and it's old news, isn't it?
One of the most moving films that I have ever seen was entitled, "The Bridge". Let me share with you the story.
The film opens with a loving husband and father leaving for work. His wife is expecting and the time is near. He says good-bye to his wife and son and leaves for his job at the bridge. He tells the son to come get him if his mother needs him. The job the man has is to secure the bridge across the river. In order for boats to travel up and down the river, the bridge swings on some heavy machinery, parallel with the river. When a train is scheduled to come, the man starts the machinery to move the bridge back across the river. It's not a difficult job, but a necessary one to make sure that everything goes as planned. On this particular day, he begins to swing the bridge into position for a passenger train scheduled to come down the track. As he watches the bridge connect, he notices that it doesn't snap into place as it should. This means derailment for the train, plunging its passengers into the river below. Knowing what must be done, the man goes out to the track and with a crowbar snaps the track into place. Unfortunately, it won't hold except with the man holding the crowbar. He can do so without harm, so he resolves himself to hold it. The roar of the train gets louder as it approaches, when he looks up to see his son crossing the bridge to bring him the message about his wife. Suddenly the task before him is an impossible one. If he lets go of the bar the train will crash, killing many. If he holds to the bar, the train will be spared, but his son will die. He yells at his son, but the noise is too loud.
In the film we see the crowd on the train having a party, drinking, laughing without a care in the world. The man makes the most difficult decision in the world. He holds the bar. That's the decision that God made for you. He sent His Son knowing that we wouldn't always care, but hoping that knowing the story, we would serve Him. Think about what God did for you. After all, what does it take to move your heart?
Scott Hoover preaches for the church of Christ in Comanche, Oklahoma, 73529. You can reach him at tshvlh@pldi.net
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ALL TEMPTATION IS NOT THE SAME
by Mel Martin
The word "tempt" or "try" is most commonly the translation of one
of two Greek words, "PEIRAZO" or "DOKIMAZO." Though sometimes translated the same, there is a significant difference between the
two.
It might be also noted that "to prove," "to test," and "to examine" are also appropriate translations
of the same words.
-
PEIRAZO - the most common meaning is "to test one maliciously, craftily to put to the proof his feeling or judgment...to try or test one's faith, virtue, character by enticement to sin" (Thayer).
-
DOKIMAZO - the most common meaning is "to test, examine, prove, scrutinize (to see whether a thing be genuine or not), as metals...to recognize as genuine after examination, to approve, deem worthy" (Thayer).
The fundamental difference between the words is not found in how we translate them, but in the attitude of the one performing the act. Satan tempts maliciously and craftily, seeking our downfall; God, on the other hand, is looking for our genuineness in His test. Furthermore, let it be noted that when God tempts, tries, or tests, He does not put evil before us to see if we will fall, but He puts good (test of obedience) before us to see if we will prevail.
Mel Martin is the preacher for the Lincoln and Tunnell Church of Christ in Santa Maria, CA 93458.
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Quick Riches
----misc. goodies this
issue
THE NAIL
Author unknown
Some Christians built a new church building and invited everyone to come see it. All admired its beauty. Up on the roof, a little
nail heard the people praising every- thing about the new building. They praised everything but him. No one even knew he was there, and he became angry
and jealous. "If I am that insignificant, nobody will miss me if I quit," he said to himself. So the nail released its hold, slid down off the
roof, and fell in the mud. That night it rained and rained. Soon, the shingle that had no nail blew away, and the roof began to leak. The water streaked
the walls and the beautiful murals. The plaster began to fall, the carpet was stained, and precious Bibles were ruined by water. All this because a
little nail decided to quit! While holding the shingle, the nail was obscure, but it was also useful. Buried in the mud, it was just as obscure, but now
it was useless and would soon be eaten up by rust. You may, like the nail, feel obscure at times. But just like the nail, your absence is felt. When you
are not present for worship, the body of Christ is hurt. We are ALL part of the Lord's ministry.
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SOME THINGS TO THINK ON
Author Unknown
Never neglect daily prayer. When you pray, remember that God is present, and that He
hears you.
Never neglect daily private Bible reading. When you read, remember that God is speaking to you, and that you are to believe and act
upon what He says.
If you are in doubt whether a thing is right or wrong, go to God and ask for help in making your decision the right one.
Never take your standard of Christianity from other Christians, or argue that because this or that person does something, you may.
Ask yourself, "What would Christ do?" Strive to follow Him.
Never believe what you feel if it contradicts God's Word. Ask yourself: "Can what I feel be true if God's Word is true?" If
both cannot be true, believe God, and make yourself the liar.
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Hearts of Gold
----poetry this issue
THUS SPEAKETH CHRIST OUR LORD TO US
Author Unknown
Ye call me MASTER, and obey me not;
Ye call me LIGHT, and see me not;
Ye call me WAY, and walk me not;
Ye call me LIFE, and desire me not;
Ye call me FAIR, and love me not;
Ye call me RICH, and ask me not;
Ye call me ETERNAL, and seek me not;
Ye call me JUST, and fear me not;
If I condemn thee, blame me not.
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CRAYONS
-- Author Unknown
We can learn a lot from crayons:
Some are sharp, some are pretty,
Some are dull, some have strange names,
All are different colors. . .but--
They all have to live in the same box!
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Gold Mines
----quotes & sayings
for bulletins and signs this issue
Feed your faith, and your doubts will starve to death.
The obedience which glorifies God most beautifully is that which grows out of deep appreciation for what He has done for us.
Christians who act like orphans have forgotten that God is their Father.
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