500+ words | Bulletin Digest

God’s ‘House-Law’

[643 words] Every home has some kind of system in place to keep order. Maybe you were told to take your shoes off at the door, keep your elbows off the table, make your bed in the morning, or brush your teeth more than twice a month. Every home is different and the expectations for…

His Yoke is Light

[509 words] The commands of God are wonderful. They guide our lives and bring healing to our souls. People, however, sometimes have the bad habit of making these commands a little less enjoyable than they should be. Once the disciples were following Jesus on the Sabbath. Which is a good thing. And the Sabbath is…

Christians and Lethal Force

[524 words] Much has been said in recent days about the “church shooting” in Texas on Sunday, December 29, 2019 ― the right and wrong of it. The initial shooter was clearly wrong. He was evil incarnate, whose history of bad choices ended in a final bad choice to take innocent human life. God’s judicial…

Suffer The Little Children to Come Unto Me

[550 words] “And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them. But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.…

I-N-V-O-L-V-E-M-E-N-T Equals Church Growth

[540 words] The early church grew (Acts 2:41; 5:14; 6:1,7; 9:31; 11:24). As we read of this growth explosion, we see the key role member involvement played. Christians were spreading the word (8:4), involved in each other’s lives and in the lives of the lost around them. This is such a simple concept, but churches…

‘My’ Religion

[565 words] A famous country singer told how she got religion. When she was a child, her mother said the Holy Spirit told her that her daughter had a special gift. When she grew up and started singing, she said the gift had to come from God because she didn’t get it from her mother…

Be Friendly and Greet Visitors and Guests!

[536 words] Many people know who Glenn Beck the conservative radio personality is. But did you know that Glenn was raised Catholic, but was not practicing anything when he decided his family needed to go to church? Glenn Beck is reported as saying his family tried all churches, “Unitarian, Episcopalian, Baptist, even a synagogue.” His…

For Such a Time as This

[537 words] Esther could have died. Sure, all the Jews were scheduled to die anyway but Esther could have been the first one. She did something that was illegal and went, unsummoned, to the king. The punishment for doing so was a date with the royal executioner. And why would she do such a thing,…

Go Forward

[519 words] In the account of the crossing of the Red Sea in the Exodus of the Israelites, we can learn some important things about God and His people. As the Egyptians were in hot pursuit and the Israelites’ fears are growing, God said to Moses, “Why do you cry to Me? Tell the children…

No Awe of God

[504 words] I remember listening to a talk radio program where the host was eliciting comments on why the crime rate had risen for the first time in several years. As you can probably guess, most of the responses were extreme and unconvincing. Still, a common thread among most of the callers was that there…

Satan and Weeds

[543 words] There are weeds dying at my house (in fact, many are already dead). I know because I had a big part in killing them. As I was in the process of spraying them with a certain herbicide, an interesting analogy came to mind–I was actually playing Satan. Notice these salient points: Someone once…

5 Things To Remember To Be A Church That Cares For Children

[530 words] If we are going to be a church that truly cares for children, there are some vital things we must keep in mind. Children are important. They are people too! Children are little souls who need to be loved, trained, molded, and matured. They will stand before the Lord at that last great…

The Best Part of Sunday’s Super Bowl

[658 words] This year’s Super Bowl was truly “a tale of two halves,” but that was not the best part of the Super Bowl. Fans witnessed a dominant San Francisco 49er offense come to life after a 34-minute game delay and score, in about four minutes, seventeen unanswered points, but that was not the best…

The Significance of Baptism

[548 words] Few religious groups in our world today teach the full significance of baptism as it pertains to salvation. There are many who teach that one is saved first and then, baptized. Several others say baptism is necessary as a command of God but fail to see the urgency of it, baptizing an individual…

Punctuality

[604 words] Punctuality is the practice of being prompt, especially in keeping an appointment or engagement; it is observing, or doing, at the precise exact time. There are some responsible souls out there who can be depended upon to do whatever they are expected or asked to do at the very time they are supposed…

Will Jews Be Saved Without Obedience to Christ?

[546 words] The Jews, under the Old Law, were God’s chosen people. God dealt with them, and blessed them, in ways that He did not with Gentiles. But when Jesus died on the cross; that Old Law died with Him, for He “took it out of the way, nailing it to His cross” (Col. 2:14).…

‘The Voice of Thy Brother’s Blood Crieth Unto Me’

[541 words] Adam Lanza (Sandy Hook Elementary shooter) and William Spengler (Webster, N,Y. shooter), names we’ve become quite familiar with in recent weeks, were men who’II be remembered as was Cain. I thought it appropriate to share some thoughts surrounding the first recorded shedding of innocent blood, Cain killing his brother Abel (Gen. 4:1-15). Evil…

The Uniqueness of Jesus

[543 words] Jesus Christ is the most unique individual who ever lived. Some have attempted to compare him to other religious leaders like Buddha, Confucius, and Mohammed, but when the evidence is considered Jesus stands head and shoulders above everyone else who has ever lived. Reflect on some truths that show the uniqueness of Jesus.…

It is NOT ‘Just a Church’

[575 words] Jesus promised to do something never before done on earth: He would build His Church upon the great truth that He is the Christ, the Son of the Living God! “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock l will build My church, and the gates of…

‘It Was Just His Time to Go’

[572 words] A person asked me about this recently. They had heard people say such things as “It was just their time to go.” There are many folks, even members of the church, who believe there is a set time for someone to die. In defense of such a view, some look to Hebrews 9:27…

Never Die Easy!

[640 words] Walter Payton ranks second on the National Football League’s list of all-time leaders in rushing yards. Through 13 seasons as a Chicago Bear Payton was tackled and knocked down thousands of times. He built an extraordinary career, not by getting knocked down, but by not staying down! He was knocked down a final…

Don’t Ever Quit!

[511 words] Most people regard a quitter as one of the most despicable characters on earth. We admire a person who, against all odds, keeps on struggling till the contest is ended; who keeps on running till he finishes the race, even if he has no chance of winning. We applaud the man who crawls…

On the Lighter Side (January 2013)

[506 words] Finding one of her students making faces at others on the playground, Ms. Smith stopped to gently reprove the child. Smiling sweetly, the Sunday School teacher said, “Bobby, when I was a child. I was told if I made ugly faces, my face would freeze and I would stay like that.” Bobby looked…

Seasons

[709 words] It’s fall again and a time when we expect the see brilliant colors in God’s nature. Alice and I have always loved making fall excursions Just to see the colors as the foliage turns. This year has not been so good for that as we have now made four trips out in search…

On Becoming a Christian While Young

[575 words] As a young boy, I remember the excitement of the prospect of becoming a Christian and being allowed to take a part in the work of the church as an added benefit. All the boys and girls in the churches where I worshiped made decisions for Christ at reasonably early ages. I don’t…

Are You One of Jesus’ Sheep?

[519 words] One would have thought Jesus’ sayings would engender unity and love everywhere he went because that was his message, right? That was not the Jew’s reaction. Their reaction was division. In John 10:19, the apostle John wrote, “There was a division therefore again among the Jews” about Jesus’ sayings. Some claimed he was…

It is NOT ‘Just Church’

[577 words] Jesus promised to do something never before done on earth: He would build His Church upon the great truth that He is the Christ, the Son of the Living God! “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of…

Success

[687 words] How close can you come to success and still fail? Why do some people succeed and others who seemingly are doing the same thing fail? I guess I am asking is, “What is the secret to succeeding?” In the Bible God tells us about the lives of some people who were successful and…

Elements of a Depraved Culture

[500 words] No God. People have many gods, but not God. They have the god of pleasure. They worship the god of money. Their “god is their belly” (Phil. 3:19). Though the creation plainly declares God (Psa. 19:1), they still refuse to acknowledge Him. No Fear. When men turn to themselves, they become presumptuous, self-willed,…

All Authority

[527 words] Ken Klaus wrote about an experience that taught him a valuable lesson: “A year or two ago a friend offered me a ride in his custom Corvette. That machine was beautiful to look at, impressive to sit in. Riding a few inches off the ground, my friend put that contraption through its paces.…

The Sixth Command

[603 words] You shall not kill. The Hebrew word for “kill” is a word modern translations render “murder.” The Hebrew word can be used in contexts where one is killed intentionally or unintentionally. In Matthew 5:21-26, Jesus develops what we are to understand. The command “thou shalt not kill” is a moral failing that begins…

The Quran

[531 words] Last month marked thirteen years since radical adherents to the religion of Islam organized an attack against our country. It is hard to believe that it was that long ago. However, militants such as these continue to dominate the headlines. Groups like the Islamic State and Boko Haram seek to strike fear in…

Abide in the Same Calling

[621 words] Do the best you can in whatever circumstance you face. Your situation in life is never completely ideal. Make the most of it regardless of the obstacles. There are some circumstances you can change, there are some you cannot. But you can live the Christian life either way. Earthly conditions don’t last. Even…

On Demand

[507 words] Several factors have led to a trend in recent years concerning television viewing. One of those factors is the availability of digital recording. With digital video recording (DVR), viewers can record and store multiple programs for later playback. They can then recall the program on demand. That is simply to say that they…

An Angry Death

[500 words] Last month an ugly and tragic incident played out on a racetrack as a young driver named Kevin Ward, Jr. lost his life. This particular driver had apparently been driven into a wall by another driver during the race. Video of the event then shows Ward exiting his car and walking into oncoming…

Sour Grapes and Justice

[566 words] Ezekiel 18 is a marvelous chapter on the fairness and justice of God. Its message is in an Old Testament setting, but it portrays an attribute of God which is unchanged; and it should be read today—with care. The Israelites had a proverb: “The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth…

Sad Words

[536 words] This past week, I heard someone on TV make this statement: “There is no God. What happens to us, just happens to us.” These are probably among the saddest words I have ever heard come out of someone’s mouth. It’s so pitiful to think that anyone could ever believe such a thing, much…

Patience and Time

[646 words] Patience and time are closely related, since being patient implies being able to remain calm and not be annoyed when waiting for a long time. As children our sense of time develops along with our other understandings of the physical world in which we currently live, but it does not take too long…

A Little Resolve

[562 words] “But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king’s food, or with the wine that he drank” (Daniel 1:19-20). All the students in the Cape and Jackson area have officially begun the 2014-15 school year. Each year as this time period comes I can’t help but think about my time…

Improving Your Serve

[640 words] One of the games my dad and I played when I was a teen was Ping-Pong. I played against my peers and generally won most games. But when I played my dad, he destroyed me every time. So, I practiced and I practiced and I practiced until one day we played each other…

+ More