What True Fellowship Involves

What True Fellowship Involves                                 March 17, 2024

“Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers.  For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness?  And what communion has light with darkness?  And what accord has Christ with Belial?  Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols?”  (II Corinthians 6:14-16a, NKJV)

Even though written in the negative, I believe we can examine this text and extrapolate many positive aspects of true fellowship which come forth clearly in the words used.  So here’s what true fellowship involves:

  • Yoked together.  True fellowship involves being linked together for the purpose of being productive.  Fellowship operates best when people work closely together for a common cause.
  • Fellowship.  True fellowship involves companionship and comradery (which is the definition of the Greek word translated “fellowship”).  Fellowship is formed when people are truly together.
  • Communion.  True fellowship involves close, personal association with one another.  Fellowship is strengthened when personal connections are made.
  • Accord (harmony, NAS).  True fellowship involves unity, harmony, and peace.  Fellowship grows when people get along.
  • Part (share, ESV).  True fellowship involves sharing and partaking together.  Fellowship blossoms most beautifully when everyone does their part.
  • Agreement.  True fellowship involves being one in thought, belief, expression, effort, and outlook.  Fellowship moves forward when there is common ground.

Truly, true fellowship is wonderful.  Take a look at the above list again and note  all the benefits of true fellowship.  Resolve to do your part to be in true and total fellowship with Christ and His church.                                                                                        

By Edd Sterchi Via Bulletin Gold

Depression Management

Depression Management                                                      March 10, 2023

Depression is something that tugs at the heart of each and every individual at one time or another.  The causes are many and varied in nature that bring about the depressive state.  Those who are Christians are not immune to being affected by a depressive condition.  Moods may vacillate in degree and form.  We may swing from normal ups and downs to mild mood disturbance, to borderline clinical depression, to moderate depression, to severe, and some even experience extreme.  Most of us will deal with the first two levels.

The question is, “How do I manage my depression?”  Most people have lost sight of their purpose or personal goals to meander around  in somewhat a lost or confused state.  Our daily activity schedule becomes garbled and we feel as if we are flailing and running at an accelerated pace; yet accomplishing less. 

Reidentifying our goals and managing our time can assist us with feeling productive again.  Some focus on negatives and the bad things that are happening with them presently and lose sight of the big picture.  Imagine positive thoughts and opportunities and avoid lethargic cycles and habits.  Keep in mind some Biblical perspectives that can be of benefit during depressive times.  It is true that “as one thinks in his heart, so is he” (Proverbs 23:7).  We have been promised, “ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be made full” (John 16:24).  When we do what is right, “the God of peace shall be with you” (Philippians 4:9).  Here is a good one, “In all thy ways acknowledge him, and He shall direct thy paths” (Proverbs 3:6).  We are to avoid being conformed to this world in which we live, but are to be “transformed by the renewing of our mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:2).  Paul reminds us “to be Spiritually minded is life and peace” (Romans 8:6).

Common sense would recommend that we have adequate sleep habits, eat properly and receive some physical exercise.  Overcoming even mild cases of depression requires some discipline and deliberate effort on our behalf.  Much energy and effort are required to break some harmful cycles that we may be experiencing in life, one of which being depression.

The good Lord is stronger than any and all emotional strains that tend to immobilize us and prevent us from the doing of good.  One final admonition, “Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the Lord” (Psalms 27:14).                                                                                               By Mike King

Things That Matter

Things That Matter                                                    March 3, 2024

We want to leave things for our children upon our passing.  Why?  Our children want things to remember us by, our children wants things so they will remember their childhood, and our children want things that will sustain them through the difficult years of adulthood.  What should we leave our children?

A good name: Solomon said: “A good name is to be more desired than great riches, favor is better than silver and gold” (Proverbs 22:1).  We know riches can be taken, but the reputation of a faithful Christian cannot.

A good memory of a Christian Home:  In Luke 15:11-32 the Prodigal Son was wasteful.  When he realized his plight, his memory caused him to make the long trip home.  Why?  The influence of a Christian Home is powerful in the minds of our children.

Personal example: It is important to tell our children what is right, but it is equally important to demonstrate.  Our actions and words must match.  In a world full of confusing pathways, the last thing our children need are mixed signals of what their parents stood for spiritually.

A good education:  Luke 2:52 is the perfect education…Jesus increased in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and Man.  We recognize our children must be vocationally proficient, but more importantly, they must be spiritually prepared!

A true faith in God!  Our children must own their faith.  Have we prepared them to explain why they believe what they believe?  Does their belief come from Scripture or tradition?

We will leave things to our children.  Choose to leave things that matter!

By Allen Jones (Adapted)

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A good name is better than a good ointment

and the day of one’s death is better than the day of one’s birth.”

(Ecclesiastes 7:1)

The Christian’s First Love

The Christian’s First Love                                            February 25, 2024

When people first became Christians, they usually are very excited about being saved.  They want to go out and teach the whole world.  They are burning with zeal.  They love the Lord and want to share Him with everyone (cf. Acts 9:17-22).  A true disciple has given himself to the Lord, to be taught and used in His service (Luke 14:33; Galatians 2:20; Romans 12:1-2).  Such a one will never grow weary in well doing (Galatians 6:9).  He will remain fervent in spirit in serving Christ (Romans 12:11).

In the first century, the Christians at Ephesus somehow had lost their first love (putting Christ first in all their considerations and setting their chief concerns on Him and spiritual things – Colossians 3:1-2).  They taught the truth (Revelation 2:2) and would not tolerate false teachers.  They patiently persevered and did not grow weary (Revelation 2:3).  They labored in His cause, yet they had lost their first love.

We see that people can teach the truth and perform the acts of worship outwardly in a correct way, but still not do these things with the proper attitude of the heart.  Every act of obedient service to the Lord must be done out of genuine love for Him (I Corinthians 13:1-3) or it is useless.

If we teach or do anything in service to Him only as a sense of duty and not because we truly love Him, it will not be acceptable to Him.  This is truly an important lesson for Christians to learn.

Another lesson we must learn is that we must serve the Lord by “abiding” in His teaching: “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed” (John 8:31). 

Finally, let us fully understand that “Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God.  He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son” (II John 9-10).

By Mike Riley

Courage to Do Right

Courage to Do Right                                                    February 18, 2024

Courage is the antidote to uncertainty, fear and anxiety – a few of the strikingly powerful human emotions that can rob us of abundant joy and purposeful direction (John 10:10).  In trying times, we must first be committed to do the right thing.  The courageous aspect of this commitment is evidenced by Peter and the apostles as they faced the intimidating threats of the Jewish Council and said, “We must obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29).

Again, when Peter exhorted Christian wives to be submissive to their husbands in a Godly and gentle manner, he cited the example of Sarah, who obeyed her husband, calling him lord.  Then, he goes on to explain how they could share in her likeness by doing right “without being frightened by any fear” (I Peter 3:1-6).

Later in the same chapter, Peter widens his scope to all who might “suffer for the sake of righteousness”, saying, “do not fear their intimidation, and do not be troubled, but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence…” (Vs 14-15).

It’s amazing how someone who denied the Lord three times in rapid succession should have so much to say on the subject of courage! (Matthew 26:69-75).  Clearly, there is a remarkable difference between the man who denied the Lord in HIs hour of crisis and the man who boldly spoke out for God in the face of great opposition.

Courage evaporates in the presence of discouragement.  Even then, we must focus on doing the right thing, trusting God to work things out according to His purpose (Romans 8:28).  We must follow the example of David who, in spite of unbelievably discouraging circumstances, found a way to encourage himself in the Lord (I Samuel 30:6).  Communing with God in prayer and study is essential along with finding creative ways to “encourage one another” (Hebrews 3:13).

By Glen Elliott

Buried With A Bible

Buried With A Bible                                                    February 11, 2024

Years ago, when the tomb of Constantine was discovered, archaeologists found his remains situated in a most unusual manner.  Apparently, he had been positioned sitting on his throne with a crown on his head, a scepter in his right hand, and a Bible on his lap.  What they discovered was that his crown had fallen from its place, his scepter from its bony clasp, but, the Bible was still in his lap opened to Matthew 16:26: “For what will a man be profited, if he gains the whole world, and forfeits his soul?  Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?”

God’s word deserves our utmost respect and devotion.  David prayed, “Your word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against You” (Psalms 119:11).  Jeremiah spoke of a time when God’s people would have His teachings written on their hearts (Jeremiah 31:31-33).  When God’s word is written on our hearts, His teaching will be put into practice into our lives.  Only an open Bible can accomplish this purpose.  What good is owning a genuine, hand-sewn leather edition of the Bible if it is never opened and read?  Many Bibles, opened on Sundays, are unused the rest of the week.  They might as well be left on the pew until the next Sunday.  Too many have buried their Bible in a grave of misplaced priorities.  One day, when their tomb is uncovered, their beautiful, seldom used Bibles might as well be opened to Matthew 7:23: “I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.”

It will be too late to open the Bible when we have been laid to rest.  Hebrews 9:27 reminds us “it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment…”  Diligent study and faithful application of God’s word in this are necessary for His approval in the next (II Timothy 2:15; James 1:25).  It may be a fitting gesture for a faithful Christian to be buried with his Bible; but the thing which first be buried is the old man of complacency and neglect.  That must happen is this life as we open our hearts to the power of God’s word, remembering that it is not a Bible enclosed in our coffin, but a transformed life that reminds others that our hope was grounded in Jesus and His word.

By Glen Elliott

“Push Through It” Endurance

“Push Through It” Endurance                                         February 4, 2024

A pee-wee football team enthusiastically runs on to the field where a prominently displayed, break-through banner is held in place by pee-wee cheerleaders.  Rather than breaking through the banner, the team begins running around it and are urgently directed to correct their mistake.  Half of the team changes course, heading back toward the banner.  Likewise, those already past the banner immediately change their direction and head back toward the banner, only in the opposite direction, meeting teammates at the banner in a hilarious display of mass confusion.  Just then, the coach throws down his hat in frustration and walks away.

Endurance has been described as “pushing through it” – “it” being whatever stands in the way of spiritual progress.  “It” could be a trial or tribulation (James 1:2-4; Romans 5:3-5).  For Jesus, “it” was the cross.  We are exhorted to “lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and … run with endurance the race that is set before us …” (Hebrews 12:1).  We must “push through it.”  We must not “grow weary” or “lose heart in doing good” (Galatians 6:9-10).  Instead, in light of the coming resurrection, we must “be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord” (I Corinthians 15:58).  We find strength to “push through it” by “fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2).

We must not sidestep the inevitable suffering which comes our way; but shoulder our burden with the help of God and our spiritual family (II Timothy 3:12; Galatians 6:2, 5).  Each “push through it” moment strengthens us for the next, building endurance and spiritual maturity (James 1:2-4).  Such opportunities come and go.  But, once they have passed, we cannot “push through it” in the opposite direction and expect to receive the promised blessing.  However, we can reset our course and prepare for the next “push through it” opportunity to build endurance and demonstrate our trust in God.

By Glen Elliott

Anxious

Anxious                                                                         January 28, 2024

Many suffer from what might be called emotional paralysis.  We are unable to function today because we either live in the past or are preoccupied with worry about the future.  While we may regret mistakes of the past, we cannot make up for those mistakes by continually reliving them in our minds.  Where forgiveness is necessary, we should by all means pursue it with vigor.  But there comes a time when we must move on and make the most of the present.

The apostle Paul had formerly lived in hostility to the way of Christ.  He was obsessed with the destruction of the church.  He consented to the death of Stephen (Acts 7:58; 8:1).  He had been “a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor…” (I Timothy 1:13).  Paul dealt with his dark past by looking forward to his bright future in Christ.  He wrote the Christians at Philippi saying, “forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13-14).  It matters not so much where we have been as where we are going.  We cannot change the past, but we can set the course for our future by how we choose to live today.

While some need to move forward out of the past, others need to take a step back from the future.  It is as paralyzing to occupy today with worries of tomorrow as it is to continually relive the past.  In these troubling times, how can we avoid needless worry?  The inspired recipe is ours: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6-7).  In the midst of his warning about coming persecutions, Peter tells us to cast “all our anxiety upon Him, because He cares for us (I Peter 5:7).

Because God cares, there is no past so dark or future so bleak but that our present cannot be filled with the light of hope: “This is the day which the Lord has made; let us be glad in it” (Psalms 118:24).                    By Glen Elliot, Greenbrier church of Christ (Adapted)

Christians are not completely immune to anxiety.  However, as Holy Spirit-filled followers of the will of God, we do have access to a God who cares for us and who will help us cope with this human reality.  Consider, for instance, some things that have been discovered about human anxiety.  Objective studies indicate that the average person’s anxiety is focused on 40% of things that will never happen; 30% of things about the past that can’t be changed; 12% of things about the criticism of others, mostly untrue; 10% about health, which gets worse with stress and 8% about real problems that will be faced.

By grace, God gave us Jesus Christ who pleads, “Come to Me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  All of you, take up My yoke and learn from Me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for yourselves.  For My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30).                By John ? (Only the first name was given) (Collingwood church of Christ bulletin)

If We’re In Heaven And Know Some Of Our Loved Ones Aren’t There, Will We Be Happy?

If We’re In Heaven And Know Some Of Our Loved Ones Aren’t There, Will We Be Happy?                                            January 21, 2024

Perhaps a bigger concern for the moment is, how unhappy are we right NOW about our loved ones who are not Christians or unfaithful Christians?  I’m not happy about it, are you?  But, that does not prevent me nor hinder me from serving and worshipping God acceptably.  How much effort are we exerting to teach them and encourage them to obey the Gospel?  If we were more unhappy about it, would we do more to teach and warn them?

It’s not possible for us to have control over others.  Nor can we make them obey the Lord and live faithful Christian lives.  We certainly can teach, counsel, advise, warn, beg and plead and pray for our loved ones (and everyone else) to obey God.  But, we can’t make them obey.  What we can do is be a good example and influence for them.  We can pray for them.  But we cannot live their life for them.  God made it that way.  Each one is responsible for him/herself and no other.  Would you like for someone to have control over you and make all your choices for you?  I wouldn’t, and I don’t think you would either.

The Scriptures are clear concerning our state of mind in heaven. “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain; for the former things are passed away” (Revelation 21:4).  How God will make this happen is not my concern.  The Bible simply says that is the way it will be.  God will take care of it.

I John 3:20 has some bearing on this subject as well.  “For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.”  God will take care of it.  We often may feel inadequate and down on ourselves, but we need not be.  God wants us to be saved and has provided what is necessary so we can be saved.  When we comply with His commands, He will take care of the rest.

Another thing to consider is that our relationship with one another will be different in heaven than it is on earth,  Jesus said, “For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven” (Matthew 22:30).  What God has in store for us, we do not completely know right now, but we do know it will be wonderful and beyond our imagination.

The time is NOW that we prepare for that day.  Are YOU ready? 

By Garland M. Robinson

Following the Pattern in the New Year

Following the Pattern in the New Year          January 14, 2024

What do you suppose God’s people were doing on New Year’s Day roughly 3500 years ago?  Would you believe they were putting up the tabernacle?  “On the first day of the first month, you shall set up the tabernacle of the tent of meeting” (Exodus 40:1-2) and “And it came to pass in the first month of the Second year, on the first day of the month, that the tabernacle was raised up” (Exodus 40:17).

Earlier in Exodus (chapters 25-31) God had given Moses explicit and detailed instructions about the tabernacle and all of its furnishings. Beginning with this exhortation: “According to all that I show you, that is, the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of all its furnishings, just so shall you make it” (Exodus 25:9).  The Lord repeated this command several times as He specified the dimensions, materials, design, etc., of the tabernacle and its furnishings, “And see to it that you make them according to the pattern which was shown you on the mountain “ (Exodus 25:40), “And you shall raise up the tabernacle according to its pattern which you were shown on the mountain” (Exodus 26:30), “As it was shown you on the mountain, so shall they make it” (Exodus 27:8).

Moses and the Israelites took God seriously!  Thus Moses did; according to all that the Lord had commanded him, so he did” (Exodus 40:16).

The tabernacle and the thing associated with it were a shadow of the better things that Jesus Christ established in the New Covenant.  The writer of the book of Hebrews taught that we ought to be even more diligent to be faithful in the New Covenant than Moses and the Israelites were in the Old Covenant (Hebrews 2:1-4; 10:28-31).

In this New Year, let us renew our determination to follow God’s pattern set forth in the New Testament.

By Joe Slater