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Once again, thanks to all those who send me
articles and poems. BulletinGold
could not exist without your help. If you write articles for your
bulletin, I would love to have one to publish. Perhaps you haven't
sent me one because you are afraid it won't be good enough or will have
punctuation or grammatical errors. Well, if that's the case, those
little things can be easily fixed, so go ahead and send your article.
I appreciate everyone who sends me things, but I'm always eager to hear
from brethren who haven't been published.
Every time I look at http://www.BulletinGold.PreachToday.com
, I breathe a sigh of relief. No more advertisements at the top,
and especially, no more ads for online gambling! I am so grateful
to Ed Thomason for keeping up our website and for being the host.
If you need a business or church website, please check out his hosting
and ISP services at http://www.mydoghouse.com
. Participating churches, ministers and non-profit
organizations get their access service free the month of December!
Tell him you heard about "his doghouse" from BulletinGold.
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Panning for more
Gold
----
preacher's articles this issue
Letting Jesus Into My
Heart
by: Bill Brandstatter
I was at a local gas
station recently. I noticed the cashier talking to a man.
While I was pumping gas they were engaged in conversion. When I
went to pay for the gas, the cashier announced to me," I just
let Jesus into my heart." Of course, what she was implying
was that she was saved. No doubt the man talking to her was
talking about Christ.
The message this woman received is the type of message many today feel
will save. The message about the good news of Jesus, accompanied
by a quick confession, repentance, and maybe a sinner's prayer is all
that it takes, according to some.
However, accepting Jesus involves more than just an emotional
experience. I fully realize that a person can hear a gospel
message for the first time and obey it. That is what happened on
the day of Pentecost in Acts 2. The Ethiopian eunuch did that in
Acts 8. Lydia, and the jailer also heard the gospel message for
the first time in Acts 16. Also, individuals in Ephesus did in Acts 19.
In all of these cases, these individuals were baptized for the remission
of sins. The Bible never records an incident where an individual
heard the gospel, was convicted in their heart, and then was saved
without being baptized.
The Bible also teaches that faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the
word of God (Rom. 10:17). If any one speaks he should speak as God
directs (1 Pet. 4:11). A message about the gospel that does not
include baptism is not a message that will save. We must be
willing to talk to our friends and religious neighbors about what the
Bible says and does not say. The ultimate authority in all
religious matters is the Bible. What Jesus said will judge us in the
last day (Jno. 12:48). Letting Jesus into my heart according to
the Bible would mean obeying Christ and putting Him on in baptism.
Anything else will not save.
Bill Brandstatter worships
with the Church of Christ in Vienna, IL .
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What
Can I Do?
by: Charlie Thomason
Sometimes in the church we know of people who are hurting with loss or
loneliness, or we discover that there is an individual or a family who
really has a need, and we ask ourselves, "What can I do to
help?" Here are some ideas.
Make a telephone call. Write a note. Send an email.
Drop by for a visit. Pray for them. Pray with them.
Quietly listen. Say something encouraging. Refrain from
saying anything that would be discouraging. Take them to lunch.
Invite them over for dinner. Give them a gift. Give them a
hug. Offer to baby-sit. Compliment them. send flowers.
Make a special dish or dessert and drop it off at their home.
Point them to professional help (if needed). Give them a good book
that would be helpful.
I'm sure you could add your own ideas to the list. The important
thing is that we do something. The apostle John wrote: "If
anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has not
pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let
us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth."
(1 John 3: 17, 18)
As we do, God will bless. "But the man who looks intently
into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not
forgetting what he has heard, but doing it, he will be blessed in what
he does." (James 1:25)
Let us live in ways that God will bless.
Charlie Thomason preaches
for the Faith Village Church of Christ in
Wichita Falls, Texas.
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He is the Glue
by: Russ LawsonIn
response to my article about "surprising myself," I received a
note from our cousin Darrel this week with a great comment in it and
wanted to share it with you. Darrel wrote, "Give people food
and affection and make them feel secure, and for the most part they are
fine. But sometimes they realize that something else is missing,
but they just can't quite put their finger on it. Of course we
know that believing in God is the final and most important part.
He is the "Glue" that holds us together, both part and parcel.
He gives us the final ingredient to our lives, the best part that
enriches us and feeds the greatest hunger."
I thought Darrel's comments were fantastic. "He (God) is the
glue that holds us together." Paul said it this way in
Ephesians 4: 15-16, "But speaking the truth in love, may grow up
into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the
whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint
supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every
part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in
love."
In Colossians 2:18-19 Paul writes, "Let no man beguile you of your
reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into
those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly
mind, And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and
bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with
the increase of God."
The Greek here for the words "Knit Together" is literally:
" to cause to coalesce, to join together, put together, to unite or
knit together." That is exactly what glue does. Who is
the glue of our lives? God!
We sometimes hear people say, "I just can't seem to get it
together," or "My life is falling apart." We know
the secret that far too many don't. It you want to get it together
and keep it together, then add the "Glue of God" to your life.
He is what makes it all work; he is the original "super glue."
May our God continue to bless you and help you keep it together everyday
of your life! Preach on.
Russ Lawson preaches for
the Greenville Church of Christ, Greenville,
Ohio. rlawson@bright.net
Click here for life and health: http://www.integrisdream.com/rlawson
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KneEmail (Sent
10/24/02)
Mike Benson,
editor; Matt Gehlhausen, managing editor
An article by: Steve
Higginbotham,
One of yesterday's more
interesting news stories which has stirred a great deal of excitement
among many biblical archaeologists is the possible discovery of an
ossuary (a burial box) which at one time, would have contained the
remains of James, the brother of Jesus...
Engraved on this stone box is the inscription in Aramaic, "James,
son of Joseph, brother of Jesus." According to the scholars,
from all appearances, this box seems to be genuine. The greatest
criticism is that "Joseph," "James," and
"Jesus" were fairly common names in the first century like
"Tom," "Dick," and "Harry." However,
naming the brother as well as the father on an ossuary is very unusual.
In fact, there's only one other known example of this in Aramaic.
Thus, it is likely that this "Jesus" must have had some
unusual role or fame for him to be included in the inscription.
Now here's the point of this writing. Suppose it can be proven
that this is indeed is an ancient artifact verifying the life of Jesus,
and the testimony of Scripture (Matthew 13:55). Do you think that
suddenly churches will be filled to overflowing with people clamoring to
surrender their lives to Jesus? Or what about the highly
publicized searches for Noah's ark? Suppose it did survive the
centuries and was discovered. Would preachers' hands be puckered from
baptizing so many people? I think not.
The Bible was written to make believers (John 20:30-31). It
contains sufficient evidence to convince one of the genuineness of
Jesus' claims. If God's word can't prick the heart and bring about
conviction, an ancient relic isn't going to do the job either. The
power of conversion and the basis for faith is the Word of God, not the
artifacts of the past. Keep preaching the Word, for it is the
power of God unto salvation (Romans 1:16)
[Steve Higginbotham, South
Green Street church of Christ, Glasgow, KY, www.glasgow-coc.org.]
KneEmail #321: "And
truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which
are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe
that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may
have life in His name" (John 20:30-31.)
***If you are interested in
reading more about this discovery, you can visit Biblical Archaeology
Review's website at: http://www.bibarch.org/bswb_BAR/bswbbar2806f1.html
To subscribe/unsubscribe,
visit us on the web at http://www.oakhillcoc.org
. Be a missionary! Forward KneEmail to a friend,
loved one, or coworker today.
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Quick Riches
----misc. goodies this
issue
We Need Spiritual Growth
if. . .
It is very evident that we need spiritual
growth when:
It is easier to work than to worship.
It is easier to read a novel than the Bible.
It is easier to support the club we joined than the church.
It is easier to condemn people than to pray for their salvation.
It is easier to hold grudges than to forgive.
Author unknown.
We could all add situations to this list.
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Hearts of Gold
----poetry this issue
I Do Not Understand
by: H. L. Gradowith
Precious little we know of the future,
friend,
Why, we barely perceive the past;
In this life our ignorance will never end,
We so remain until the last.
For example, why have we such blessings known
As have so often come our way?
Have we never reaped the seeds by others sown?
Been blessed though we had gone astray?
And what about the times that we really tried
To do what we knew to be right
Only to the righteous reward be denied
And find ourselves faced with a fight?
Have we never seen other Christians bowed down
With tribulation and sorrow?
Have not they been faced with trouble all around
And no relief could they borrow?
And what of the wicked who prosper and gain?
How can that be considered fair?
They seem to have nothing of which to complain,
They live each day without a care.
I have stood at the bedside of those who have sought
To do what the Lord commanded,
Despite the good fight that they faithfully fought
Their lives from them were demanded.
I have seen the wicked stand and smugly smile
When the faithful were mistreated,
Though they devote themselves to evil and guile
"Good" from them has not retreated.
I do not understand how things seem to be,
I confess: the "why" I don't know;
But I still believe that He's watching for me
And that to Him someday I'll go.
I believe that He knows what He's doing here,
And that some where's a better land;
I believe on That Day He'll dry ev'ry tear,
And that by Him I'll take my stand.
And so, until the day when I reach that shore,
I'll be ever faithful and true;
For there the righteous won't suffer any more
And the wicked will get their due.
May God Bless You as You
Study and Obey His Word. Tim Smith
Enon Church of Christ http://www.geocities.com/fp5699/
See The Humor Archive at Yahoo! Groups:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gradowithsdailyhumor/
See The Poem Archive at Yahoo! Groups:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gradowithspoems/
Gradowith's Homepage:
http://www.geocities.com/gradowith/GradowithsHomepage.html
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Gold Mines
----quotes & sayings
for bulletins and signs this issue
It isn't necessary to blow out the other
person's light to let your own shine.
Some people know how to live everyone's life but their own.
One doesn't find life worth living; he must make it that way.
Nothing is more often opened by mistake than the mouth!
A bee is not making honey when it is stinging.
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