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This March starts our third year of
publication. BulletinGold would not have succeeded without the help and
support of all of you who have sent your articles and poems for
publication. Thank you for all your help. Please keep sending
those great contributions. Also, please let me know of anyone whom
we can help through "Ray of Hope."
I want to start two new BulletinGold features. The first is a
column for contributions from our sisters in Christ. Some
suggestions include short, Bible based articles, with scriptures, from a
woman's viewpoint; Bible school teaching tips; short poems (no more than
40 lines); and articles to help women with problems and everyday
living. Please keep your articles short-no more than 400 words.
Also, please do not send your article as an attachment, but send it in
the body of your email. Always include the name, city, and state
of the church where you worship. Send your articles to me at Bulletin.Gold@verizon.net
If you do not have a computer and email,
send them to my address, which is the last thing in each issue of
BulletinGold.
Our second new feature will be ads. If you have something to sell,
a business to advertise, a website for profit that you want others to
know about, put it in BulletinGold for only $5.00. Ads should be
no more than four lines long with 80 characters and spaces per line. They
should include some means of contacting you, whether it be by phone
number, email address, your home/business address, or your url.
Send your ad to me at Bulletin.Gold@verizon.net
Each issue of
BulletinGold will include no more than four ads, which will be published
on a first-come, first-serve basis.
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Panning for more
Gold
----
preacher's articles this issue
Arabian Horses
by: Kevin Rayner
Arabian horses go through rigorous
training in the deserts of the Middle East. The trainers require
absolute obedience from the horses, and test them to see if they are
completely trained. The final test is almost beyond the endurance of any
living thing. The trainers force the horses to do without water for many
days. Then he turns them loose and of course they start running toward
the water, but just as they get to the edge, ready to plunge in and
drink, the trainer blows his whistle. The horses who have been
completely trained and who have learned perfect obedience, stop. They
turn around and come pacing back to the trainer. They stand there
quivering, wanting water, but they wait in perfect obedience. When the
trainer is sure that he has their obedience he gives them a signal to go
back to drink.
Now this may be severe but when you are on the trackless desert of
Arabia and your life is entrusted to a horse, you had better have a
trained obedient horse. We must accept God's training and obey
Him.
Kevin Rayner preaches for
the Oak Tree Church of Christ in Rochester,
Minnesota. http://www.geocities.com/otchurch
Check out his "Off-the-church-
walls" humor at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/off-the-church-walls
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What Did Not Save
Saul?
by: Mel Martin
1. A good, clear conscience (Acts
23:1; 26:9; 2 Corinthians 1:12)
2. A fantastic religious experience (Acts 9:3-9). How often
will people say, "I know what I have experienced"? Saul
saw the risen Jesus and heard His voice. Even though this was
true, he was still lost. Seeing Jesus did not save him.
3. Fasting and prayer (Acts 9:9-11; 22:16). Prayer is
essential, but it does not assure salvation.
4. A healing (Acts 22:13; 2 Thessalonians 2:14). It is not
the case that sick people lose their souls, while healthy people go to
heaven. A healing is not a calling.
5. Being a preacher (But I keep under my body, and bring it into
subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I
myself should be a castaway."
1 Corinthians 9:27; See also 2 Timothy 4:1-8).
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What Sign Would You Like
to See?
by: Mike Baker
It happens from time to
time. A person in a discussion on religion will say, "If I
could only see a miracle or a special sign to know what is really true,
then I'd follow it." Perhaps you've never heard someone say
that in person, but I have.
In the 20th chapter of John we read the account of Thomas and his famous
statement doubting that Jesus had appeared to the others while he was
absent. He says in verse 25, ".Unless I see in His hands the
print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and
put my hand into His side, I will not believe." Now that's a
pretty strong statement to make as one who had spent the past three
years with Jesus. Thomas had been present at many of the miracles
and wonders that Jesus had done. These were done for the very
purpose of showing that He was God's Son. And now Thomas is
requiring a sign before he will believe.
It is the rest of the chapter that helps us to reconsider our demands
for a personal display of a miracle, etc., before we believe.
Verses 26-29 tell of the interaction between Thomas and Jesus.
"And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas
with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the
midst, and said, "Peace to you!" Then He said to Thomas,
"Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand
here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but
believing." And Thomas answered and said to Him, "My
Lord and my God!" Jesus said to him, "Thomas, because
you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have
not seen and yet have believed."
So Thomas believed when he saw Jesus, but Jesus knows that many will
believe without ever having seen Him at all. Now, notice the
remaining two verses of this chapter. "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."
Those concluding verses should be very helpful for those who would
demand a sign before they submit their lives to God. God has
provided many signs, miracles and wonders to show that Jesus is His Son,
and to compel us to come to Him. If you find yourself looking for
a special sign today, please, take up your Bible and read of all the
evidence that God has already provided. If you do, you will likely
reach the same conclusion as Thomas regarding Jesus. "My Lord and
my God."
Mike Baker preaches for the
7th & College Church of Christ in
Mayfield, Kentucky. www.seventhandcollege.com
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Jesus, Hope for Families
by: Lawrence Barr
Even Jesus experienced the sad condition
of his own brothers (Joseph's and Mary's children, John 7:3-5) not
believing in him. But the conquering of sin and death by Him in His
crucifixion and resurrection led at last to the numbering of his family
among the believers (Acts 1:14).
In an amazing revelation we're told that Jesus counts all who put their
faith in Him as brothers (Hebrews 2:10-13). So even if family members
turn against us because of Jesus (Matthew 10:36) we are all brothers in
the family of God.
But the very relationship we enjoy in the family (church) of God gives
us practical ways to have better families (Ephesians 5:21-6:4). Instead
of being antagonists to each other, we instead submit to one another. We
put our own selves in second place to the ever-present need to serve,
love, respect and care for each other. Men are even told to die (to
themselves and sometimes literally) for their wives. Women stop trying
to control, but willing submit to the loving leadership of their
husbands. Parents care for and train (by example and by teaching) their
children to follow the Lord's way. If you haven't tried it, come join us
as we learn how! It works!
Lawrence Barr preaches for
the Indiana Church of Christ in Indiana,
Pennsylvania Indianacoc@winbeam.com
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Quick Riches
----misc. goodies this
issue
March Gladness
by: Rick Woodall
Here we are in the first week of March
already. This winter has just passed by so fast. I am ready for the snow
to melt and cheer on the spring.
With all the talk of war being heard in the background of all our
discussions lets take a moment to just be refreshed with the idea of
Spring coming.
It's wonderful and we appreciate the changes so much as the day's get
longer and the air gets warmer. We find it refreshing. We watch as the
earth renews itself in the design of God almighty. Along with the
wonders that are taking place in nature we're moved to praise God.
Somewhere in every nation on earth the springtime brings forth holy
praises.
For as the soil makes the sprout come up and a garden causes seeds to
grow, so the Sovereign LORD will make righteousness and praise spring up
before all nations. Isa 61:11
My gift reminds me that springtime is a witness of precious promises.
These Promises are pure and sure. God reveals himself to us though His
ultimate design. The long dark days are over and we will now be
re-energized. True believers have no problem being aware of this fact.
Let us acknowledge the LORD; let us press on to acknowledge him. As
surely as the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us like the
winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth. Hosea 6:3
Take some time this week on your commute to work to focus on the birth
of spring and make sure to see God renewing the earth and refreshing
your soul.
Life Thoughts is a weekly
devotional message brought your way by Rick Woodall, Associate Minister
for the Metro Church of Christ in beautiful Sterling Heights Michigan.
Listen to our web broadcast of "Life Thoughts" by clicking
here:
http://www.qix.net/~metrococ/page5.html
You can write Rick by clicking here:
rneverland@comcast.net
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Hearts of Gold
----poetry this issue
Repentance
is Renewal
by: Rose Ann Noey
As we go from day to day,
As we walk along the way,
We sin.
Tell me, Lord, what can I do?
How can I my soul renew? -
My life to mend?
Can I toss those sins so grim
And submit my life to Him?
For forgiveness, I would ask,
Then set my mind onto the task.
Forgive me, Lord!
Set my mind, my precious Lord,
Set my heart and purpose t'ward
Your Ways.
As we walk in His Light,
We can put our sins to flight -
Walk day by day.
Rose Ann Noey worships with
the church of Christ at Lincolnway in
Columbia City, Indiana. Her email is enoey@earthlink.net
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His Wonderful, Saving
Grace
by: H. L. Gradowith
I do not deserve the gift He
gave to me,
Yet, but for it I could not hope to be free;
My sins His blood washed away,
All my debt He fully paid;
And now on the Judgment Day
I'll not have to be afraid.
All because of His wonderful, saving grace,
In heaven someday I will look on His Face.
If I had to take from Him my rightful due,
My hopes for redemption would fail, I tell you,
But because of Calvary
All my guilt is washed away;
From my sin I've been set free
And that is why I can say,
"All because of His wonderful, saving grace,
In heaven someday I will look on His Face."
The soul-saving word of the Lord I received,
And in each word of it I fully believed,
I turned away from all sin,
And His lovely Name confessed;
And I was baptized, and then
With salvation I was blessed:
All because of His wonderful, saving grace,
In heaven someday I will look on His Face.
He said, "Be thou faithful to the point of death..."
And how can I but do whatever He saith?
He took all my sins away!
Before Him someday I'll stand!
His word I'll trust and obey!
Till I've reached the Promised Land!
All because of His wonderful, saving grace,
In heaven someday I will look on His Face.
To subscribe to GRADOWITH
POEMS, one needs simply to send a note to
gradowith@yahoo.com with the
words SUBSCRIBE POEMS in the subject
line or body of message.
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Gold Mines
----quotes & sayings
for bulletins and signs this issue
Peace is the presence of God in our
lives, not the absence of trouble.
Think less of the power of things over you and more of the power of
Christ in you.
Truth is not determined by how many people believe it.
The best exercise program is to walk with God!
To be almost saved is to be totally lost!
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