The Plan

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By David R. Ferguson
    In Ephesians 4:15 we are told to “speak the truth in love.” So how do we overcome Satan? We must understand that we are in a battle. We must put on “the whole armor of God.” And we must utilize our spiritual victory plan.    That plan is laid out for the child of God in Revelation 12:11 where John wrote, “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.” Look at those things. “The blood of the Lamb” is Jesus’ sacrifice. “The word of their testimony” is what we today recognize as the Scriptures. “And they did not love their lives to the death” is self-sacrifice. So today we can overcome Satan “by the blood of the Lamb.” The lamb that was slain in the Old Testament era was a symbol of something pure and perfect that took the place of sinners. John the Baptist once saw Jesus approaching and said, “Behold the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world!” Hebrews 10:4 tells us that “it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins.” Hebrews 10:12 says that Jesus, “after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God.” His sacrifice, being perfect (Hebrews 4:15), was able to remove completely the guilt and stain of sin for those who obey Him.    There also is “the word of their testimony,” which to us are the Scriptures. Those Scriptures are our spiritual lifeline. They, as it were, turn on a flashlight for us in a world of spiritual darkness (Psalm 119:105). The Scriptures are what make us spiritually clean. “How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word” (Psalm 119:9). The Scriptures help us prevent sin in our lives. We hide God’s word in our hearts so that we will not sin against Him (Psalm. 119:11).    The third aspect in our spiritual victory plan has to do with the fact that we must be willing “not to love our lives to the death.” This means that we must be willing to sacrifice ourselves for the cause of Christ. We are not talking, of course, about a person going out and doing something foolish that would intentionally harm his body in the name of Jesus. What we are talking about is being willing every single day to give our lives to Christ, and being willing to submit our will to God’s will. The Scriptures teach in Romans 12:1 that we are “living sacrifices.” We are to consider ourselves “crucified with Christ” (Galatians 2:20). We are to deny ourselves and take up our cross daily, according to Jesus in Luke. 9:23. The Scriptures teach us that the love of God ought to cause us to die to self daily to live for Jesus. Are you in the battle today to win? Are you aware that Satan is trying to cause you to lose your soul? If so, have you put on the whole armor of God? Are you prepared spiritually to go to battle against the Devil? Are you taking advantage of the spiritual victory plan? Always remain true to God, and fight the good fight of faith.

- David R. Ferguson preaches for the Mentor Church of Christ in Mentor, OH.  He may be contacted through the congregation's website: http://mentorchurchofchrist.com/ or davidferguson61@yahoo.com

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God Is Love

By David R. Ferguson     I’m continually amazed and grateful for the many ways God demonstrates His love to us. During my devotional time, I began to make a list of them and want to share them with you. I pray that you will be blessed as you are reminded of His great love.     He doesn’t change. Hebrews 13:8 tells us, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever,” and Malachi 3:6 says, "I the Lord do not change.”     His love is always sure. Seasons change, people change, the world is changing, but God never changes. We can rely on Him.     He is faithful. God isn’t moody or fickle. We are. People will love you for a while and then they don’t. But God isn’t like that. He sticks with you. Mom     Whenever He asks us to obey Him, He also provides everything we need (1 Thessalonians 5:24). You can trust the One Who calls you to do that for you.     He’s our protector. He is our shield. And He is our “always there” protector. “So our hope is in the Lord. He is our help, our shield to protect us” (Psalm 33:20). Iti’s so comforting to know that everything that comes our way has to go through the shield about us before it touches us.     He’s always thinking about us. Psalm 139:17 says, “How precious it is, Lord, to realize that You are thinking about me constantly! I can’t even count how many thoughts turn towards me.” This is one of the neatest things. When you think about it, there are over seven billion people in the world, and He still thinks of you and me constantly. He’s able to give us His undivided attention.     He’s always with you. This is made abundantly clear in Scripture. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5). No matter where we are, God will be there with us.     He’s never too busy for us. He never goes away, takes a break, or goes on a vacation. He will always have time for us!     When we are in trouble, we can be encouraged. Deuteronomy 33:27 tells us, “The eternal God is a hiding place, and underneath are His everlasting arms.” Those arms are longing to embrace you today as His child, for as John puts it, “God is love” (1 John 4:16).

- David R. Ferguson preaches for the Mentor Church of Christ in Mentor, OH.  He may be contacted hrough the congregation's website: http://mentorchurchofchrist.com/ or davidferguson61@yahoo.comt

The Untouchables

By David A. Sargent     Dan Richardson lost his battle with cancer. A fervent Christian, he wrote the following to be distributed at his memorial service.     Cancer is limited . . . It cannot cripple love, It cannot corrode faith, It cannot eat away peace, It cannot destroy confidence, It cannot kill friendship, It cannot shut out memories, It cannot silence courage, It cannot invade the soul, It cannot reduce eternal life, It cannot quench the Spirit, It cannot lessen the power of the resurrection.*     “You have cancer.”  So many have heard these devastating words.  Fear is the most common response.  These are sobering, life-altering words.     The medical profession has made many advances.  We pray for our loved ones who have heard the somber diagnosis.  We long to hear the words after surgery and treatments: “You are cancer free.”     Even children of God are not immune from this disease.  But Dan Richardson’s words remind us of what cancer cannot touch.  May his words that are based on Scriptural truths bring strength, comfort, and peace to you, if you are battling cancer or going through some other difficult struggle.     Neither cancer nor any other trial in life can touch the spiritual blessings that are found in Christ.  That is because Jesus has won for us the victory over sin and death (1 Corinthians 15:57).      Unforgiven sin is the only real reason for despair because it separates us from God (Isaiah 59:1-2) and puts us on the path to eternal destruction (Matthew 7:13-14).     But God loves us so much that He gave His one and only Son to die on the cross for our sins (John 3:16) so that we can receive the forgiveness of our sins (Ephesians 1:7) and the gift of eternal life (Romans 6:23).     God will save and give eternal life to those who place their faith and trust in Jesus (Acts 16:30-31), turn from their sins in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confess Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10), and are baptized (immersed) into Christ for the forgiveness of sin (Acts 2:38).  He will continue to cleanse from sin and prepare for an eternal home those who continue to walk in the light of His Word (1 John 1:7-9).     Are you struggling with the difficulties that plague us in this world?  Consider the untouchable blessings that are found in Christ.  He died to make these things possible for you.  Embrace these blessings on His terms.  They will sustain you now and for eternity.

David A. Sargent, minister for the Church of Christ at Creekwood in Mobile, Alabama, is also the editor of an electronic devotional entitled "Living Water." To learn more about this excellent resource contact David via their website: http://www.creekwoodcc.org

One Baptism (Ephesians 4:5)

By David Bragg     Years ago, in an issue of The World Evangelist, G. F. Raines related the story of a terrible head-on collision between two speeding trains. Both trains were barreling down the same track in opposite directions on a foggy, moonless night. Both engineers throw on their brakes in a futile attempt to stop their respective trains.      Rescue workers, systematically working their way through the wreckage, discovered "one of the engineers alive and pinned inside the locomotive. He was holding a yellow sheet of paper in his hand and saying with mournful repetition, "Someone gave the wrong orders".     The Apostle Paul was very clear that, although the New Testament speaks of various types of baptism, for the Chrisitan age there is but one. We are given but one set of marching orders (Matthew 28:18-20). There is but one action a person can take to wash away sins (Acts 22:16). The Apostle Peter was clear that there is but one action one can take that, when sincere, saves (1 Peter 3:21). We can be clear today, in a world confused by false doctrine, Jesus gave us but one baptism

David Bragg is co-editor of BulletinGold. He may be contacted through his blog: http://davidbragg.blogspot.com/

God’s Grace

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By Ron Thomas     It has been said that God's riches were given to man at Christ's expense. While this acrostic idea may easily preach (and it is true), it is more accurate to say that God's riches were given to man as the Lord willingly gave up the glories of heaven for the benefit of those He loves (all of us).     God's grace, it is our message to a world lost in sin but refuses to think they are guilty of anything as seriously consequential as eternal death. Some will speak as if they “okay” with the idea of going to Hell, but they have no idea about what that means, except to say it can’t be as bad as some harsh Christians say it is. “Anyway, my friends will be there!” They judge their actions as not being worthy of the Lord’s favor, but neither do they care.     We are very much aware of how the worldly mind thinks on this or that topic, and we also know the mind of the Lord and His view toward those who reject Him. With this knowledge, what do we do in a sinfully vile world around us?     Let us begin by understanding that we must live the life of Christ (Gal. 2:20). Difficult as it may be to do this, even more s- Ron Thomas preaches for the Church of Christ at Rio Grande in Bidwell, OH. He may be contacted at etsop95@gmail.como, consistently, we must begin here. Next, be sure we speak the words of Christ. When we speak of His saving grace, how He has given to each of us a hope that none in the world can take away (Rom. 8:24), repeat this message; in time, it will be heard. Third, support those who are serving in capacities that we are not, whether it be as elders, preachers, missionaries, schools of preaching, websites that promote the Lord’s way, etc. Fourth, do you enjoy being with your brethren? If so, then make association with them your priority and not those outside the Lord. Those things / events you value you will pursue, attain, and promote.     These are some things we can do, and if we do them with commitment, enthusiasm, and loyalty to the Lord, a difference we will make.

- Ron Thomas preaches for the Church of Christ at Rio Grande in Bidwell, OH. He may be contacted at etsop95@gmail.com

Untainted

By Rob Redden "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world" (James 1:27 NIV).     Several years ago, Federal health regulators said they found tiny particles of trash in drugs used to treat rare enzyme disorders. Since the FDA has not discovered any adverse events, the agency is not removing the products from the market because it says there are few alternative treatments. The agency urged doctors to thoroughly inspect vials for particles before injecting them into patients!     How would you like to discover you have been injected with trash? What's a little steel, rubber and fiber as long as it makes you feel better? Years ago, when President Nixon attended a ceremony celebrating a high-tech water purification plant that treated water from sewage, he was offered a drink of its 99% pure water. He responded, "No, I'm worried about the 1%!"     There are so many people who do not worry about a little contamination. Just a little cheating, a little lying, a little sexual immorality, a little false doctrine are fine if it does not become a major percentage! Like the FDA, we tolerate a little bit of error and worldliness because we have not seen any adverse problems - yet. This is like saying, "I will eat out of trash cans as long as I don't get sick!" How foolish!     James tells us our religion must be pure and unadulterated, without spot (Jas. 1:27). Do we use a little "cussing"? What about a little lust? Perhaps a little road rage isn't all that bad! "Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles!" (James 3:4-6 NKJV)     We need to be vigilant about the subtle contaminations of our souls that daily attack us.

Rob Redden preaches for the Grover Beach Church of Christ in Grover Beach, CA. He may be contacted through the congregation's website - www.groverbeachchurchofchrist.com

The Word of God

 

By Dan C. Bailey     The word of God is God's revelation to mankind. God inspired men to write down His word. We read in Il Timothy 3:14-15, "But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus." The apostle Paul had personally instructed Timothy. Timothy had the assurance that he was taught the truth. The scriptures are holy because they are from God, they are from heaven. We read again in Il Timothy 3:16-17, "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works." The word "inspired" means "God breathed." So when we read the Bible, study the Bible, or preach the Bible, we are reading, studying or preaching from an inspired book. If we do not reverence the word of God, then we do not reverence God.      There are many who do not give due diligence to the word of God. We are instructed in Il Timothy 2:15, "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." The word of God or the gospel, is God's power to save the lost. "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek" (Romans 1: 16). It is able to save our souls. "Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls" (James 1:21).      If we are serious about living right and about going to heaven, we will be serious about studying and learning the word of God. Let us all come to our Bible study classes on Sunday mornings and Wednesday evenings. Each class that we attend will increase our knowledge of the word of God. It is God's inspired word! We must take it seriously! It is God's word that will judge us one day. "He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day" (John 12:48). That should prompt us to learn more about the word of God. "For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart" (Hebrews 4:12).

- Dan C. Bailey serves as a minister with the State Street Church of Christ in Bristol, VA. He may be contacted through the congregation's website at https://www.thelordsway.com/statestreetchurchofchrist/framedindex.asp?Group=Home