Blog - Page 18 of 44 - Bulletin Digest

God Can, But Should He?

[508 words] We marvel at the scene of the tomb of Lazarus. Rightly so. How often is divine power on such spectacular display? The impact of Jesus raising dead Lazarus is evidenced by the thinking of Jewish leaders to kill Lazarus. His being alive was bringing so many people to faith in Jesus that these…

Jesus Never Quit!

[364 words] Jesus did not quit meeting with His disciples because Judas was a thief, nor because Peter was fickle at times. He didn’t quit preaching and living right because some of His brethren were unforgiving and unkind. He did not quit His post of leadership because He had in His presence the adulterous woman,…

The Preacher’s Wife

[140 words] She heard all his stories andlaughed at all his jokes. She listened to every sermonWhich he ever spoke. She took care of their children All alone in the pew.As she listened to her husband Proclaim the good news. She saw him in tears as on his knees he did pray,For those that were…

The Pursuit of Happiness

[92 words] When I lay my head at the end of the dayHaving pursued self and selfish playMy mind is restless and preoccupiedAnd my heart’s uneasy and ungratified. When I rest my head at the end of the dayHaving helped another push burdens awayMy mind is content and satisfiedAnd my heart is happy and fortified.…

Details

[439 words] I am a “detail” oriented person. As a music director, I spent much time paying attention to the smallest of details. At least, that is what most of my students thought. They always questioned the need to repeat a section of music, or the need to do a marching formation “one more time.”…

A New Car! (Just Kidding)

[202 words] A few years ago some friends and I attended the Fort Worth Stock Show. There a local radio station was having a drawing to win a truck. A girl from our group decided to fill out as many entry forms as she could. Turns out it worked! The next week she gets a…

Be Strong!

[86 words] Be strong! We are not here to play, to dream, to drift: We have hard work to do and loads to lift; Shun not the struggle: face it ‘tis God’s gift. Be strong! Say not the days are evil who’s to blame? And fold the hands and acquiesce O shame! Stand up, speak…

Our Country Needs Changes Toward Service

[177 words] The United States of America needs to make some serious changes toward serving God. We need to begin today to speak only kind, loving and respectful words. The faithful Christian speaks kind, loving words of appreciation to others. “Let your speech be alway with grace” (Colossians 4:6). The speech of a Christian must…

Bible Quiz: 1 Peter 2:6-10

[69 words] “Behold I lay in Zion a chief __, elect, precious, and he who __ on Him will by no means be put to shame.”“The stone which the builders __ has become the chief __.”Peter says Christians are a __ generation and a royal __.True or False: Christians are God’s own special people.“…who once…

Bible Quiz: 1 Peter 2:11-17

[63 words] “Beloved, I beg you as __ and __, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul.”What type conduct should Christians display among the Gentiles?“…that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your __ __ which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.”“Therefore submit yourselves to __ __…

Bible Quiz: 1 Peter 2:18-25

[68 words] True or False: Servants were to be submissive to their masters, whether they were good and gentle or whether they were harsh.“For what __ is it if, when you are beaten for your __, you take it __?”“For to this you were called, because __ also __ for us…”True or False: Christ committed…

Bible Quiz: 1 Peter 3:1-6

[67 words] “__, be submissive to your own __,”Is it possible for someone to won to Christ by observing Christian behavior?“Do not let your adornment be merely __ — arranging the __, wearing __, or putting on fine __ —“The true adornment of a Christian woman should be the hidden person of the __, with…

Bible Quiz: 1 Peter 3:7-12

[68 words] “Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with __, giving __ to the wife…”“Finally, all of you be of one __, having __ for one another…”Name three qualities Peter uses in verse 8 to describe the kind of actions Christians should have toward one another.“…not returning __ for __ or __ for __, but on…

Quotes and Sayings (January 2021)

“Prayer is not a hard requirement – it is the natural duty of a creature to its creator, the simplest homage that human need can pay to divine liberality.” — Charles Spurgeon “The right way to pray is to stretch out our hands and ask of One who we know has the heart of a…

On the Lighter Side (January 2021)

Governmental Talent Curtis and Leroy saw an ad in the newspaper and bought a mule for $100. The farmer agreed to deliver the mule the next day. The next morning the farmer drove up and said, “Sorry, fellows, I have some bad news, the mule died last night.” Curtis and Leroy replied, “Well, then just…

Expensive Junk and Free Treasure

[376 words] The zeal with which people will pursue the toy that their kid wants most for Christmas is astounding. Every year seems to have a new fad—a new massively hard-to-purchase toy. A few years ago it was “Shopkins” (tiny collectable rubber toys). When stores sold out parents flocked to eBay and spent thousands of…

A Gift for God

[203 words] This is a gift-giving season. We have been given more gifts from God than we could possibly count. So, what are you giving God this season? In Ephesians 4:30, we are warned not to grieve the Holy Spirit. Given that warning, what can we “give” to God this season? • Read your Bible…

Oh Be Careful What You Sing

[241 words] How can we sing… …that we are “Standing on the Promise” when we are rarely even sitting on the premises (Hebrew 10:23-25)? …that we have “Victory in Jesus” when we are AWOL from his army (2 Timothy 2:4)? …“When We All Get To Heaven” when we can’t even get to church (Hebrew 10:38-39)?…

Pray for Others Without Ceasing

[288 words] Paul’s famously inspired words in 1 Thessalonians 5:17, “pray without ceasing” really come to light when observing all of his two letters to the church in Thessalonica. As documented in Acts 17, Paul, Silas, and Timothy establish the Lord’s church there after spending three Sabbaths reasoning with them from the Scriptures (v. 2).…

Comfort for Holiday Loneliness

[362 words] Although each person is different in how they respond, there are many common reasons why people may experience loneliness. Each of us will face events in our lives that may lead us to feel alone, rejected, or out of place. The Bible records many of these events in people’s lives: Lack of friends…

‘Twas the Night Jesus Came

[318 words] ‘Twas the night Jesus came and all through the house,not a person was praying, not me or my spouse.The Bible was left on the shelf without care,for no one had thought the Lord would come there.The children were dressing to crawl into bed,not once ever kneeling or bowing their head.And Mom in the…

What Does Christmas Mean to You?

[440 words] Soon it will be Christmas day. To children, it seems that day will never come. They dream about their time off from school, the presents they hope to receive, and seeing family they may seldom see during the rest of the year. These are things that make Christmas special for children, but what…

If the Doors Are Blocked

[318 words] Mark chapter 2 (as well as Mathew 9 and Luke 5) records the time that Jesus Christ healed a paralyzed man—one who had to be carried by his friends. The report begins by telling us Jesus was wildly popular at this particular time: “And many were gathered together, so that there was no…

Why We Need Each Other

[323 words] The sole business of the church is souls. The church is souls in love with God and one another. The church is souls weeping and rejoicing together, laughing and praying together, eating and singing together. The church is souls looking upward, in praise, inward in penitence, outward in practice, and forward in promise.…

Joseph’s Integrity Needed by All

[214 words] Marriage and fatherhood are not just quaint human traditions. They didn’t evolve out of ancient needs or convenience. The humanists and feminists all assume this and that is where they are very wrong. Fathers are important. Not just to physically produce children. But to raise them and produce a Godly home. Marriage and…

They Gave Till They Heard ‘Stop Giving’

[421 words] It was a plethora! In fact, the two lead craftsmen of the tabernacle said that they had, “more than enough for doing the work of the Lord” (Ex. 36:5). What a statement to be made about God’s people. There was work to be done, there was a godly plan to be executed, and…

Who Sees You?

[467 words] Michael was a sculptor. At age 33, he was just starting to make his mark in the art world, working on a piece for the biggest art patron in the world. So when that patron asked him to switch projects from the one he had his heart set on and paint a fresco…

Talk to Someone Today

[370 words] In John 4, Jesus makes the decision to go from Judea to Galilee (v.3). Samaria lay between the two. John 4:4 states, “But He needed to go through Samaria” (v.4). Most of us well know that the Jews and the Samaritans were bitter enemies. In fact, many Jews making the same trek Jesus…

Signs of Grace

[370 words] Paul began his second letter to the Thessalonian church with these encouraging words, “We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brethren, as is only fitting, because your faith is greatly enlarged, and the love of each one of you toward one another grows ever greater; therefore, we ourselves speak proudly…

An Important Question

[295 words] The question asked in Psalm 116:12, “What shall I render to the Lord for all His benefits toward me?”, could only come from the lips of humans. Humans alone are endowed with the ability to be concerned about gratitude and its obligations. Two thoughts might be considered in regard to that question. They…

Can You Say, “Jesus Christ, My Lord”?

[394 words] In Rom. 5:21, Paul states that eternal life is through “Jesus Christ our Lord.” That threefold name of our Savior is an interesting progression that we must go through to truly have salvation in Him. Jesus. Jesus was His given name. Although it means “Savior” we have to remember that it was a…

Paper Dolls

[345 words] Paper dolls, paper people that came with paper clothes and could be cut out and played with. They never were a very durable toy, but they could be printed on the back of a cereal box cheaply and kids could get a free toy to play with. What happened when two kids wanted…

Reminders

[210 words] We all need reminders. If not for our digital calendars and alarms, our post-it notes, and our spouses, most of us would be lost and would fail to meet most deadlines. The Lord let Peter know that he had a responsibility to remind his fellow Christians about what was truly important (2 Peter…

The Empty Swing

[268 words] Last Sunday afternoon, I walked for about forty minutes at home. It was a nice, brisk fall after-noon. I finished up walking as the darkness was moving in on our part of the world. As the wind blew, I could see out of the corner of my eye a swing in a tree…

Psalm 27: A Message in Life

[342 words] Life is in need of Courage. Some men prepare themselves for the battle ahead mustering up courage to engage. For some, try as they might, it does not come easy. The battle is engaged, they learn they had more within than they realized. Some Christians wonder about themselves when they face the enemy.…

Bible Quiz: 1 Peter 1:13-16

[36 words] “Therefore __ up the loins of your __…”What does Peter say Christians should rest their hope upon?What type of children should Christians be?“not conforming yourself to the former __, as in your __;”“Be __, for I am __.” Solution: gird, mind; the grace to be brought at the revelation of Jesus Christ; obedient;…

Bible Quiz: 1 Peter 1:17-21

[57 words] True or False: God judges everyone’s work without partiality.“conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in __;”True or False: Christians were redeemed with corruptible things.“With the precious __ of Christ, as of a __ without blemish and without spot.”“He indeed was __ before the __ of the world, but was __…

Bible Quiz: 1 Peter 1:22-25

[49 words] “Since you have __ your souls in obeying the __…”How should Christians love one another, according to verse 22?Of what type of seed have Christians been born again?What does the incorruptible seed refer to?“The grass withers, and its flowers fade away, but the __ of the __ endures forever.” Solution: purified, truth; fervently,…

Bible Quiz: 1 Peter 2:1-5

[54 words] What does Peter say Christians should do with malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and evil speaking?“as __ __, desire the pure __ of the word, that you may grow thereby,”Peter says Jesus is a living __.True or False: Jesus was immediately accepted by all men.Peter said Christians are being built up a “spiritual __,…

Quotes and Sayings (December 2020)

“If you haven’t got any charity in your heart, you have the worst kind of heart trouble.” — Bob Hope “I stopped believing in Santa Claus when I was six. Mother took me to see him in a department store and he asked for my autograph.” — Shirley Temple “It’s true, Christmas can feel like…

On the Lighter Side (December 2020)

We Need a Riddle Christmas Q: What do you call Santa’s little helpers?A: Subordinate clauses. Q: Why don’t you ever see Santa in hospital?A: Because he has private elf care! Q: What do you call an elf that can sing and dance?A: Elfis. Q: What do you call a broke Santa?A: Saint Nickel-less Q: What…

Thanksgiving or Turkey Day?

[321 words] ls it “Turkey Day” or “Thanksgiving?” This question came to me a few days ago as I read an ad in the newspaper regarding the upcoming holiday. But I wonder if the renaming of Thanksgiving is not filled with cultural overtones. Church attendance has been in decline for many years and the culture…

Thankful For What We Don’t Have

[214 words] “Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget none of His benefits;” (Psalms 103:2). This time of year we think about ‘counting our many blessings’. It’s easy to look at all of our stuff all our friends and family, our homes, our jobs and understand the need to be grateful. Yet do we…

Thanksgiving Leftovers

[156 words] The Thanksgiving holiday is over and most of us are having leftovers until the food is gone. While we enjoy family and friends during such days, the significance of giving thanks to God every day is far more important than any earthly joy we receive from such a one-day event. “Behold what manner…

The Thanksgiving Attitude

[222 words] In 1623, Governor William Bradford issued the first proclamation of American Thanksgiving. In that decree, he directed the Pilgrim Fathers to gather and “render thanksgiving to ye Almighty God for all His blessings.” Since that time, there have been countless Thanksgiving proclamations by presidents and governors of our land. In the words of…

Your Example Matters

[426 words] It’s not just the doctrine, it’s the examples! While in the midst of the study of Daniel, we have been deep into the prophecies of chapters 7-12 for the last several weeks. The whole book reminds us of the chief doctrine, “God rules in the kingdoms of men” (4:17), but Daniel’s life (and…

Blessings of Worship

[204 words] First and Second Chronicles offers us several great reminders about what a wonderful blessing worship should be to our lives. Especially right now when our routines have been disrupted, we need to make sure we are participating with heart, soul, mind, and strength. When the Ark of the Covenant was brought to Jerusalem,…

Light for the Road Ahead

[496 words] Change is stressful. Our country is torn apart and the world seems turned upside down. The Bible is balm for our hearts in these troubled times. One book in particular shows us how to think as we adjust. It is the book of Ecclesiastes. Here are some verses that will give us peace…

Not As Good As It Looks

[175 words] In one of the most powerful anti-smoking ads I’ve ever seen the promises of the cigarette ads are examined. You’ll look cool. Smoking makes you independent and mysterious. But then the curtain is pulled away and a man in a wheelchair who can barely breathe says: the reality is you could end up…

We Must Learn Our Lesson

[218 words] What was God’s response to the sins of Israel and what will His response be to our sins? God would beat His fist in anger at the violent crimes of Israel. “Behold, therefore, I beat My fists at the dishonest profit which you have made, and at the bloodshed which has been in…

God is Unchanging

[425 words] This world is full of changes. Yet, the God who created this world does not change. The Bible teaches that God is an eternal, timeless, changeless being. Consider the following passages: “God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and…

Thorns in the Flesh

[460 words] We all have them. Those nagging thorns in the flesh. They come in different levels of severity, but they do come. Perhaps they are seen in the process of aging. We don’t like to deal with the changes our bodies and minds go through, but like it or not, it is a part…

Watching Them Drown

[327 words] It was shocking, to say the least. In July, 2017, James Dunn, a disabled man, drowned in a Florida retention pond. There is a disturbing video to prove it. Standing on the shore was a group of five teens – ages 14-19 – watching James Dunn drown. Instead of going into the water…

The Motivational Factor of Faith, Hope, and Love

[126 words] When Paul wrote to the church at Thessalonica, he opened his letter with these words: “We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers, remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thess. 1:2-3).…

I Long to Meet My Father

[74 words] As I gaze up to the skiesMy mind begins to wanderTo live with Him and dear onesI long to meet My Father Through blessings or trialsThat shall come my wayI long to meet My FatherMy love for Him will stay When I see the woe of the worldAnd all the pain it does…

Will You Not Tell It Today

[321 words] Samaria was under siege. The city was cut off from resupply. Prices for fuel and food skyrocketed. Things that would not be considered food became meals, even children (2nd Kings 6:24-29). It seemed all hope was lost. Yet God had a plan. The army that threatened would be gone. Food would be cheap.…

Forgiving Others

[224 words] Jesus told a parable about a king who forgave a servant who owed a very large sum of money. However, this same servant refused to forgive another a very small amount. In the story, when the king heard about the actions of this unmerciful servant, he was “white hot” with anger and punished…

The Old Clothesline

[363 words] My daddy was a man of many talents. He thawed frozen water pipes under the house during the winter, repaired bicycles, house fans, was a great cook and even overhauled a car engine in our drive-way. When I was old enough, my job was to always hold the flashlight, carry the toolbox, or…

When Small Fires Become Big Fires

[264 words] A few weeks ago, I was burning the wood from two trees that had to be cut down. I’d piled the wood as far from any other tree as possible, but the fire was so hot that a branch about 30 feet above and off to the side of the fire started to…

Love Jumps In

[470 words] In the earthly, material realm, “love” and “hate” are defined according to the way of thinking that belongs to this world. That means both words are fluid in meaning. In other words, how love is defined today may or may not correspond to how another generation defines it. The same with the word…

When Losers Are Finders

[253 words] Most of us have had the delight of finding something of value—a dollar bill on the sidewalk, a piece of jewelry in the grass, a tool by the wayside. I recall hearing this saying in my boyhood: “Finders keepers, losers weepers.” In the spiritual realm, however, the expression sounds like this: “Keepers weepers,…

Bible Quiz: James 5:13-15

[42 words] “Is anyone among you __? Let him __.”“Is anyone __? Let him sing __.”Who should a Christian call if they are sick?“And the __ of __ will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up.”“And if he has committed __, he will be __.” Solution: suffering, pray; cheerful, psalms; elders; prayer,…

Bible Quiz: James 5:16-18

[53 words] “Confess your __ to one another, and __ for one another, that you may be healed.”The prayer of what kind of man avails much?What prophet does James use as an example of effective prayer?Elijah prayed that it would not __.“And he __ again, and the heaven gave __, and the earth produced its…

Bible Quiz: James 5:19-20

[59 words] Who is to turn others back to the truth?“…if anyone among you __ from the __,”True or False: According to James, it is possible to lose your salvation.We are to turn sinners back from the “__ of his way.”If you help a sinner return to the truth, you will “save a soul from…

Bible Quiz: 1 Peter 1:1-5

[64 words] “Peter, an __ of Jesus Christ, to the pilgrims of the __…”“…elect according to the __ of God the Father, in __ of the Spirit, for obedience and __ of the blood of Jesus Christ:”Peter says it is according to God’s abundant __ that He has begotten again to a living hope.Through the…

Bible Quiz: 1 Peter 1:6-12

[66 words] “In this you greatly __, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been __ by various trials,”“…that the __ of your __, being much more previous than gold that perishes,”“…though it is tested by __, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the __ of Jesus Christ,”What…

Quotes and Sayings (November 2020)

“More men have been elected between Sundown and Sunup than ever were elected between Sunup and Sundown.” — Will Rogers “For me, every hour is grace. And I feel gratitude in my heart each time I can meet someone and look at his or her smile.” — Elie Wiesel “To speak gratitude is courteous and…

On the Lighter Side (November 2020)

[152 words] Thanksgiving Funnies Q: Why did the farmer have to separate the chicken and the turkey?A: He sensed fowl play. Q: If you call a big turkey a gobbler, what do you call a small one?A: A goblet. Q: Why did they let the turkey join the band?A: Because he had his own drumsticks.”…

After the Election

[388 words] One of the most divisive and chaotic election campaigns has come to an end. During this time Christians in America have faced many opportunities to exercise patience and let our faith shine. Chances are each of us have experienced some failures and some successes. Politicians and pundits will now judge and discuss the…

Word Search: Kingdom First (Matthew 6:31-34)

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