Not Feeling Close to God

Not Feeling Close to God                                              June 23, 2024

Have you ever gone through a period where you just don’t feel as close to God?  Sure, you are still attending worship and you still live a very moral life – but you just feel your spiritual life has become stale or stagnant.

Satan loves those periods.  Because his hope is he can keep you in this “funk” and have his way with you, as you drift aimlessly through life.

I want to gently remind you God hasn’t moved – so if you are feeling stagnant, the cause is coming from you.  Maybe you have gotten too busy or maybe you’ve allowed more worldly influences into your life.  Whatever the reason, I want to share a few things you can do if you are currently experiencing this.  (Maybe consider posting this list on your refrigerator or bathroom mirror for the next time you find yourself in this situation.)

1. Draw closer.  Wake up and open His Word.  Don’t think about doing it, actually start tomorrow morning.  Spend 10-15 minutes in His Word every morning.

2. Serve.  Identify someone you can take a meal to, cut their grass, or do an errand for.  Don’t just offer, do it.

3. Minister.  Check on your shut-ins.  You know, the ones in the bulletin that you see their names every week.  Spend some time checking on them in person or on the phone.

4. Encourage.  Take 5-10 minutes from your day and text family, friends, and church family to encourage them

5. Think on these things!  Set strict limits on your phone and television usage, and then turn it off!!  Stop aimlessly scrolling.  Stop watching mindless videos.  Instead, spend time thinking on good things.

6. Evangelize.  Reach out to that one person you know you should be talking to about Jesus.  Send them an email or text and invite them to study.  Don’t worry over it – just do it.

7. Praise Him.  Get outside and take a walk.  Turn off outside distractions and just focus on God and His amazing creation.  I would encourage you to do this daily.

8. Thanks Him.  Spend a few minutes before bed giving thanks to God for all the many ways He has blessed you.  Take the time to identify specific things – maybe even writing them down.

9. Eat better.  Sometimes our diet and lack of exercise put us into a funk that becomes cyclic.  We don’t exercise because we feel bloated and tired.  But we feel bloated and tired because of what we ate.

10. Pray.  And not just before you eat.  Find some time in your car or at home to really talk to Him.  Share what is going on in your life.

I assure you, if you practice these things that stagnant feeling will go away – and you will feel closer to Him.

Now, it’s your turn, what would you add to this list?  What have you found to help you improve your spiritual life?                                         By Brad Harrub

Father’s Day

Father’s Day                                                                             June 16,2024

What comes to mind when you consider the term “Father’s Day?”  Is it time spent with family remembering what wonderful things your dad did for you while you were growing up?  Do you think about how he worked to love, guide, protect, and provide for you?  Maybe it’s a special meal as you and your siblings all gather around the same table to eat, enjoy, and celebrate.  Some may think of the time it took to travel to his house to present him with gifts of love, gratitude, and appreciation.  Whatever special thoughts come to mind, you are blessed if you had or have a father that God desires.

God’s expectations is that, barring unforeseen circumstances, a father and mother will raise children that will be a glory to their parents and to God.  Father’s Day should be more than a sentimental remembrance of the presence of a doting father.  It should be an affirmation of the presence of a Godly man deeply involved in the lives of his children.  Father’s play a great part in the ordering of the lives of their children.  The absence of a father’s guidance puts their future in jeopardy.

A Godly father is a loving man.  He loves his wife and his children and is willing to be there for them.  A Godly father is a devout man.  He loves his God and knows that bringing up his children in “the nurture and admonition of the Lord” is of great importance.  A Godly father is a wise man.  He understands that he must raise his children in the way that God instructs in His Holy Word.  He loves his children, but he also knows that they need to be corrected with a firm but gentle hand at times.

Children raised by Godly fathers who are involved are more likely to enjoy school and engage in extracurricular activities.  Children with involved fathers are less likely to drop out of school and are less likely to repeat a grade.  They are more likely to get good grades, have good attendance, and good behavior.  Involved Godly fathers are more likely to see the importance of their children having a good relationship with the Lord.

A Godly father must provide …

  • More than a paycheck.
  • Affection to his wife and to his family.
  • A Godly example to live by.
  • Godly advice to his children and household.
  • Loving concern for all under his roof.

Happy Father’s Day to all of the great fathers, grandfathers, and great-grandfathers in this congregation.                                                         By Larry Schneider (Adapted)

Justice, Mercy, and Peace

Justice, Mercy, and Peace                                             June 9, 2024

It’s a tough world right now, locally, nationally, and internationally.  With war, crime, political strife, and natural disasters being broadcast 24/7, it’s not always easy to keep our heads on straight.  Some I know have opted out of TV news because they have been struggling to keep their inner peace.  Keeping our balance while seeing so much bad, evil, negative strife is a bit like walking a tight rope.  Deep inside we know evil has always flourished, but in recent years we keep seeing crime increase while punishment decreases.  For those with Biblically aligned values, the lack of proper justice is deeply disturbing.  It has become increasingly difficult, even for mature Christians, to balance justice and mercy, punishment and forgiveness.  It’s a bit like a 4-sided see-saw in a high wind, it just won’t keep its balance.

For a healthy, mature spirit to rule in our heads and hearts, we must continue to find the Biblical balance of justice and mercy.  And that calls for a Biblical understanding of when and where to apply each of those two things.  If we allow anger and frustration to dominate our thoughts, personal revenge will raise its ugly head.  But if we over-apply compassion and grace, we will be unhappy with Biblical justice; it will seem too harsh to those who are out of balance.

I see these challenges:

1. For those with a finely honed sense of justice, giving grace will be a deep challenge.

2. For those with a strong sense of gentleness and grace, allowing justice to take place will seem mean-spirited.

3.For those with protective sheepdog mentality (protecting others at all cost), the temptation will be to react too quickly for fear of not protecting those in your charge.

These challenges are genuine, daily, and very practical.  And if we are not carefully Biblical, these challenges can lead to strife between our brothers and sisters.  The “He deserves to hang,” crowd is at odds with the, “He needs to be forgiven,” faction.  The “hang them” crowd has a keenly developed sense of justice (consider I Corinthians 5:1-2).  The “forgive him” crowd has a keenly developed sense of mercy (Luke 17:3).

But God’s word calls us to a keenly developed sense of the proper application of justice or mercy depending on the details of each and every individual situation.  A “one size fits all” approach to justice or mercy is not a Biblical approach.  God, Himself, ripped the throne from King Saul (I Samuel 15) yet forgave David and let him stay on the throne (see II Samuel 11, 12). 

To be pleasing to Him (II Corinthians 5:9) we must be well-versed in His word and properly balanced according to each, individual situation.

We must deal with the reality of the evening news yet maintain a balance of justice and mercy.  We must develop and maintain the fine art of assessing reality while still meditating in the pure and beautiful things of Philippians 4:4-8.  Please understand living in the real world, protecting yourself and your family (nuclear or church) and still live in the deep peace that comes from thinking (meditating, pondering) the positive things of this passage.  Keep your balance, or you will fall.                                                                      By Ray Wallace

Check How You Look in the Mirror

Check How You Look in the Mirror                 June 2, 2024

It happens to everyone every day of their lives, few of us like the way we look the first time we see ourselves each day in the mirror, so it is not long before we begin making changes to our appearance.  Usually, before we leave the house, we take a final look in the mirror hoping that we look presentable and acceptable to others.

James describes the Bible as a mirror:

“For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was” (James 1:23-24).

It is remarkable how God uses the simplest aspects of our lives to illustrate truth.  To look into His mirror, the Bible, and to see our spiritual needs and do nothing about them just does not make sense.  It is even more foolish than that person who looks into a regular mirror, sees something which destroys his appearance and then walks away forgetting what the mirror showed him.

Paul describes the Bible as a mirror with the power to change you:

“But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord” (II Corinthians 3:18).

These words are much like the words from James.  But Paul sees that person as spending time looking into the mirror, but not seeing just self.  He looks into the mirror and sees Jesus in His radiant glory.  The present tense of “being transformed” indicates an ongoing process.  He does not just see the Lord once, and then he is immediately and completely changed.  He sees the Lord.  He spends time gazing at Him.  The glory of the Lord becomes his standard, and he is being changed into the very image of the Christ.  Looking into God’s mirror will change the heart of all men.

Consider some “mirror rules” for those seeking to change their appearance.  We must come to our mirror, His word, with an open, sincere heart and see His image clearly.  We must come with a determination to change the flaws we see in ourselves in that mirror.  We must spend time seeing the glory of the One in the mirror, meditate on what we see and then change our lives to become like that One.  We need to think often about this, knowing that it takes time to become just like Him.

Taken from the Groveland church of Christ bulletin articles (Adapted)

The Growth of God’s Word

The Growth of God’s Word                                        May 26, 2024

How can God’s word “grow?”  We think of a tree growing, or a child growing, but God’s word?

Three times the book of Acts speaks of God’s word growing:

First, after resolving the complaint about some widows in the Jerusalem church being neglected, “Then the word of God grew, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem” (Acts 6:7).  Obviously, the body of truth (i.e. the gospel) didn’t become any larger.  But unrest within the church discourages the spread of the gospel; once that issue was settled God’s word was proclaimed enthusiastically, resulting in numerous conversions.

Second, after the death of Herod Agrippa I (the one who killed James and wanted to kill Peter), Acts 12:24 says, “But the word of God grew and multiplied.”  God dealt with the murderous monarch in due time.  Meanwhile, Herod’s brutal behavior couldn’t stop the spread of the gospel.

Thirdly, the inspired record states, “So the word of God grew mightily and prevailed” (Acts 19:20).  The first word, “So,” points to the reason the Lord’s word grew, as shown in the two previous verses.  Some believers evidently hadn’t made a clean break with pagan occultism (“magic”).  When they confessed their deeds and demonstrated the fruit of repentance by burning their expensive books, the gospel made tremendous advances.

God’s word spreads (grows) when Christians are united, when Christians evangelize despite persecution, and when Christians show genuine conversion by turning away from their previous ungodly practices.  God’s word will grow today when we pay heed to these very things.                         By Joe Slater

ABIDE WITH ME

ABIDE WITH ME                                                                 May 19, 2024

“Abide with me!  Fast falls the eventide,

The darkness deepens, Lord with me abide!

When other helpers fail, and comforts flee,

Help of the helpless, oh abide with me!”

In 1847, Henry F. Lyte’s poetic words were published in this beautiful song.  Singers of these words plead with God to abide in their presence every day and in every way.  What if God wrote a song to us, pleading us to abide with Him?  What would He say?  He did, essentially, at the test of Psalm 15.  David asked, “Lord, who shall abide in Thy tabernacle?  Who shall dwell in Thy holy hill?” (Psalms 15:1).  By God’s divine revelation, David penned these characteristics:

1. One who walks uprightly (2a).

2. One who works righteousness (2b).

3. One who speaks truthfully (2c).

4. One who does not waste the reputation of another behind his back (3a).

5. One who does not do evil to his neighbor (3b).

6. One who has no reason to be ashamed in the presence of a neighbor (3c).

7. One who despises the evil actions of men (4a).

8. One who honors God-fearing men (4b).

9. One who keeps his word, even if it hurts (4c).

10. One who does not exact interest on gifts/loans (5a).

11. One who does not take a bribe against the innocent (5b).

What a list!  In essence, God pleads with us, “Abide with Me,” by showing us the type of person who can abide with Him through His word.  Truthfully, none of us are worthy to abide in God’s presence; however, His Son Jesus has made it possible for us to change (Acts 2:38; 17:30; II Corinthians 7:10), obey (Hebrews 5:8-9; Acts 2:38; 8:36-38; 22:16), be changed (Galatians 3:27; Romans 6:3-4; Acts 2:47), and abide (Romans 6:4; Galatians 6:9-10; I John 1:7). 

Will you abide with Him?                                           By Clifton Angel Via Bulletin Gold

Honoring Our Mothers

Honoring Our Mothers                                                           May 12, 2024

“Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.  ‘Honor your father and mother,’ which is the first commandment with promise: ‘that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth'” (Ephesians 6:1-3).  The command “honor your father and mother” was one of the Ten Commandments given by God (Exodus 20:12).  It includes both the concepts of obedience of children and caring for wizened (wrinkled with age) parents.  Jesus made this latter point in Mark 7:9-13.  The Pharisees thought that by giving their money to the temple, they would be excused from taking care of their parents.  They were wrong.  Jesus taught that the commandment applied just as much to our elderly parents.

On Mother’s Day, we show respect for our mothers by praising their role as child bearers.  For those who have reared children, we acknowledge their dedication and sacrifices, but mothers are not perfect.  Even the most saintly sins.  The first mother brought sin into the world, yet she was honored with the title: the mother of all living (Genesis 3:20).  Jesus died for his own mother’s sins, but He honored her by appointing the apostle John as her guardian (John 19:26-27).  We should honor our mothers despite their faults; Jesus certainly did.

Some are fortunate to have their mothers nearby where they are available to have an everyday relationship.  Other mothers are not so near and are celebrated when opportunity arises.  Yet other mothers have passed on and are no longer with us, but their life and memories may yet be honored.  God’s command to honor our father and mother, however, isn’t about superficialities, but a manner of living that extends to every day of the week.  May God bless our mothers, and may our mothers be Godly.

By Kevin Cauley (Adapted)

To Be Like Jesus

To Be Like Jesus                                                                      May 5, 2024

We love to sing, “To be like Jesus, to be like Jesus, all I ask, to be like Him.

                             All through life’s journey from earth to Glory

                            All I ask, to be like Him.”

But how much do we really mean it?  Personally, I believe most Christians really do mean it, but many don’t realize what it entails.  It certainly must include forgiving one another.  In what we call the “Lord’s Prayer,” Jesus explains just one of the items, “But if we do not forgive other people, then your Father will not forgive your offenses.” (Matthew 6:15, NASB).  Most Christians remember that one.

But another concept of being “like Him” is far less often recognized.  In Ezekiel 18 God is quite clear that He, Himself, does not hold a son responsible for the sins of his father, nor the father responsible for the sins of his son.  Read Ezekiel 18.  Therefore, if we are seeking to be more Godly in our daily walk with Him, we must strive diligently to judge others as individuals rather than by their ancestry.  That is usually far more difficult than we realize.

The reality of judging each person as an individual, can be excruciatingly hard!  Racism, around the world, is a result of judging others by who their ancestors were: black/white; Muslim/Jew; Japanese/Chinese (yes, they have centuries-long violent conflicts); Comanche/Ute; etc., for virtually every people group on earth.  Consider Naomi who was an Israelite and Ruth who was a Moabite – (Israel and Moab were traditional enemies).  But as individuals, they became like mother and daughter, precious friends (see Ruth 1:16).  How could that happen?  They judged one another as individuals, not by the bloodline of their ancestors.  In fact, Ruth was converted to Judaism, “Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God.”

Likewise, King David had a faithful soldier in his army named Uriah.  He was a Hittite, another nation which was a traditional enemy of Israel.  How could that happen?  David and Uriah must have judged one another by individual, personal merit and not the bloodline of their ancestors.  (Yes, there’s a lot more to that story, but that doesn’t negate this ancestral reality).

Today is no different.  The current war between Israel and Hamas is based on millennia long bloodline hatred.  (Notice that I say “Hamas” not “Palestinian”).  The savage attack by Hamas that even killed babies is evil to the core.  If anyone of any bloodline seeks to be pleasing to God, we must strive to be like Him, not holding the sins of the fathers against their offspring.  Through thousands of years of war on every continent in every century, bloodline hatred has fomented (stirred up) war and violence on totally innocent people – people who had nothing to do with former sins of violence.  Again, in Ezekiel 18, God says, “The person who sins will die.  A son will not suffer the punishment for the father’s guilt, nor will a father suffer the punishment for the son’s guilt; the righteousness of the righteous will be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked will be upon himself.”  If and when anyone tries to exact inter-generational punishment or revenge, he becomes very much not like God!

We rather easily understand and practice the concept legally – we don’t put a son in prison for a crime his father committed.  We don’t execute the grand-children or great-grand-children of men who committed war crimes (on either side).  So why do we often find it so hard to stop judging the progeny of evil men?

Let’s keep singing “To be like Jesus,” and keep striving to do exactly that.                By Ray Wallace

The Value In A Cracked Pot

The Value In A Cracked Pot                                                       April 28, 2024

An elderly woman had two large pots, each hung on the ends of a pole which she carried across her neck.  One of the pots had a crack in it while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water.  At the end of the long walks from the stream to the house, the cracked pot arrived only half full.

For a full two years this went on daily, with the woman bringing home only one and half pots of water.  Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishment.  But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it could only do half of what it had been made to do.

After two years of what it perceived to be bitter failure, it spoke to the woman one day by the stream.  “I am ashamed of myself, because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your house.”  The old woman replied, “Did you notice that there are flowers on your side of the path, but not on the other pot’s side?”  That’s because I have always known about your flaw, so I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back, you water them.  For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate the table.  Without you being just the way you are, there would not be this beauty to grace the house.”

Each of us has our own unique flaw.  But it’s the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together so very interesting and rewarding.  You’ve just got to take each person for what they are and look for the good in them.

So, to all my cracked pot friends, have a great day and remember to smell the flowers on your side of the path!  God bless you all!                                                                   

(Author Unknown-From the Collingwood church bulletin, April 21, 2024)

Picture By Penny Parker

The “I Musts” of Jesus

The “I Musts” of Jesus                                                              April 21, 2024

            I once heard a preacher make light of his fellow preachers for tossing around words like “must” and “have to.”  I didn’t agree with him, for the Bible clearly uses such words.  But the longer his barb has hung in my mind, the more I think I understand what he meant.  We do toss those words around a little too lightly.  They are designed to be heavy words.

            The word “must” first appears in the New Testament in Matthew 16:21 as Jesus began warning the disciples of His impending crucifixion.

            In Luke 4:43 Jesus issues the “must” of responsibility”: “I must preach the Kingdom of God to other cities also, for I was sent for this purpose.”

            Luke also records for us a transaction that lets us know that sometimes the needs of others came into His scope: “When Jesus came to the place, He looked up and said to him, ‘Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for today I must stay at your house'” (Luke 19:5).

            On two occasions Jesus shows us the importance of obedience to the scriptures with the “musts” that He issues (Luke 22:37; 24:44).

            And the words of necessity are clear from the lips of the Lord when ot comes to worshipping His Father (John 4:24).

            In John 9:4 Jesus teaches says: “I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work.”

            Of course we know that the greatest question ever asked involves a “must”: “What must I do to be saved?” (Acts 16:30).  But even after that question has been answered and followed correctly, there are still some “musts” for the Christian.

            For a culture that prides its postmodern self in not accepting being “told” what it has to do, there are “musts” for any person who would be a follower of Christ.  Among those must clearly pointed out by Christ are: denying self and taking up one’s cross (Luke 4:43; 9:23), inconveniencing ourselves to meet the needs of others (Luke 19:5), and being involved in the work of God (John 9:4-5).

            I didn’t ask it lightly:  What must you do?

By Dale Jenkins (via Bulletin Gold)