October 29, 2017 Your God Himself Fights for Youbridgestreetcofc.org/Bulletin 29 October 2017.pdf · October 29, 2017 — Paolo Di Luca WORSHIP SCHEDULE Your God Himself Fights for

ELDERS: Roger Spencer Paolo Di Luca (304) 758-4924 Evangelist [email protected] (304) 559-7735 [email protected]

DEACONS:

Jr. Daugherty Gary Durig

Herb Jung

Office: 304.455.2130

Email: [email protected]

Web: www.bridgestreetcofc.org

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * BRIDGE STREET CHURCH OF CHRIST PO BOX 292 NEW MARTINSVILLE WV 26155

God’s Plan for Man’s Salvation

* * * * * * * * * * * * “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” Acts 16:30

The Gospel Must be HEARD Rom. 10:17 John 8:32

The Gospel Must be BELIEVED John 8:24 Mark 16:16

Sins Must be REPENTED OF Luke 13:3, 5 Acts 2:38

Christ Must be CONFESSED Matt. 10:32-33 Rom. 10:10

There Must Be BAPTISM (Immersion) for the Remission of Sins Acts 2:38 1 Peter 3:21

There Must Be CHRISTIAN

GROWTH and FAITHFULNESS 1 Peter 2:2 Rev. 2:10 2 Peter 3:18

October 29, 2017

— Paolo Di Luca

Your God Himself Fights for You

“You must not fear them, for the LORD your God Himself fights for you” (Deut. 3:22). Just after Sihon, King of the Amorites, and Og, King of Bashan, were defeated by the Israelites, Moses instructed Joshua to have no fear when he was going to lead the people into the Promised Land. Just as God had given victory to the nation under Moses, in the same way He would give victory to Israel under Joshua if only Israel would trust and obey. Today, we are not fighting literal kings and literal armies, though we do fight the spiritual forces of darkness (cf. Eph. 6:12). Our call is to not fear evil nor to cower before the devil. Even though he has rebelled against God to set up his own kingdom, he knows that he is not the supreme power. This is why, for example, he had to ask God for permission to afflict Job and his family (Job 1:12). God had a plan for Job to sanctify him and use him to teach countless people great lessons about suffering and the sovereignty of God. When we read the accounts of Job and of Israel as they entered the Promised Land, we should be moved to have greater confidence that the same God who delivered them from their enemies is the same God who can deliver us today from our adversary, the devil. In Christ, we have the victory. No demon and no scheme of God’s enemy can defeat the children of God or force them into sin. When Christ is in us, the enemy must flee when he is resisted: “Therefore submit to God. Re-sist the devil and he will flee from you” (James 4:7). It is true that people can be difficult and sometimes we are teased, bullied, or mocked just for their evil senti-ments. However, the command from Moses to Joshua (and by extension to all of us) is “You must not fear them.” Who are your “them” that you fear? Who are your “them” that frustrates you? Who are your “them” that are a thorn in your flesh? God’s call is not to lose hope and to not give in to sinful actions simply because of the schemes and ways of evil man. What is man after all (cf. Ps. 144:3)? The Christians serve a powerful God Who goes by the name of Jehovah Jireh that means: the God Who Provides. There is nothing He cannot do. When we are pressed against the wall by our enemies and have every human reason to fear, God can deliver if we allow Him to do so. He is the One fighting for us. When a relationship is just going nowhere and is just plain difficult, God is the One fighting for us. When we are attacked, insulted, or mocked, God is the One fighting for us. It does not matter if the wicked prosper (Ps. 73:3) and the righteous suffer (Matt. 5:45). Our hope is always that God is just, and that godly justice will ultimately be served because God will avenge all wrongs (Rom. 12:19). He is on our side, taking up our cause. God is in our corner. May we always remember that, no matter what opposi-tion or struggle we face. He is the One fighting for us. We are weak but He is strong. We are feeble but He is pow-erful. If we depend on ourselves, the task is impossible. But when we depend on God, all things are possible (Matt. 19:26). What a mighty God we serve, and how wonderful it is that He fights for us to accomplish His will in our lives. “If God is for us, who can be against us” (Rom. 8:31)? In the end, righteousness always prevails be-cause God gets the final say both at judgment time and in eternity. God is always on call, always available, and always present. He is the One fighting for us. Political measures might fail. Personal influence might not get the job done. Money might not solve the problem. Our strength might not be enough. Whatever is the situation and predicament, call to God and remember Paul’s trust: “For I am per-suaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 8:38-39).

WORSHIP SCHEDULE Sunday

Bible Study 9:45 a.m. Morning Worship 10:30 a.m. Evening Worship 6:30 p.m.

Wednesday Bible Study 7:00 p.m.

Week of October 22

Bible Study 44 AM Worship 56 PM Worship 44 Wednesday 46

ATTENDANCE RECORD:

CONTRIBUTION $1,819.00

SCHEDULED TO SERVE nov. 5 : ANNOUNCEMENTS: R. SPENCER SONG DIRECTOR: am D. MOSER pm M. HOOD PRAYER: am JR. DAUGHERTY pm H. JUNG READING: D. MELOTT WAIT ON TABLE R. McCOY J. RICE SERVE CONGREGATION: S. HOOD A. SKINNER CLOSING PRAYER: am G. DURIG pm Ju RICE GREETERS JR. DAUGHERTY’S Wednesday Invitation: November 8

Paolo Di Luca

PREPARE COMMUNION - November Sandra Reed

Bridge Street

Church of Christ 1139 S. Bridge Street - PO Box 292

New Martinsville WV 26155

Messenger

Paolo Di Luca

We are honored to have you with us today! We invite you to return this evening—6:30, and Wednesday at 7:00 for our mid week Bible study.

IN SEARCH OF THE LORD’S WAY

Every Sunday morning Channel 7 - Wheeling

Keep in prayer:

Bill Longwell was transferred back to Wheeling to receive treatment for a blood clot. Please keep all on our sick list in your prayers.

We rejoice to announce that Brenda Riggs re-sponded to

the invitation of Christ and was baptized last Lord’s Day, request-ing to be identified with the Lord’s body here at Bridge Street. We Commend Brenda for her de-sire to live as Christ. May each of us welcome her and her family and be a source of strength for her.

Mike Moore Wilda Thomas Joyce Campbell John Powell Clair & Doris Twyman Shirley Hood

Sharon Pugh Pete Day Lisa Wade Matt Lamp Linda Duke Charlotte Wilson

Welcome to Services

AREA EVENTS

October 27 - 28: “God is Good”

Bridgeport Youth Rally to be held

at Jackson’s Mill Conference

Center.

October 28: “Grace Like Rain”

Woodsfield Church of Christ

Ladies Day. Speaker: Ruth

Wareheim. Registration 9:00 - 9:30.

October 29 - November 2: Reader

Church of Christ will have Sam

Bartrug speaking. 7pm weeknights

Flyers posted on the bulletin board

as space permits.

Are Your Study Habits Killing The Church? (Part 2)

Ben Geiselbach

1. Reading the Bible and studying the Bible are two different things. Kevin Rhodes writes, “The goals are

very different. Bible reading assumes understanding while Bible study seeks understanding” (159, emp. add-

ed). The Pharisees during Jesus’ ministry prided themselves in their knowledge of God’s Word, but they did

not study God’s Word with a humble desire to learn the truth. They failed to see that Scripture pointed to Je-

sus all along (Rom. 10:4). “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life;

and it is they that bear witness about Me, yet you refuse to come to Me that you may have life.” (John 5:39-

40). When we read, we are searching God’s Word, but when we study, we are allowing God’s Word to search

us (Heb. 4:12).

2. Reading material someone else wrote does not constitute Bible study. We are often quick to point out

the danger of just “taking the preacher’s word for it” without comparing his words to Scripture (cf. Acts 17:11).

Yet in principle is this any different than just reading a religious book or article instead of simply studying

God’s Word? Many Christians believe that by reading a Christian periodical or blog (like this post) they have

fulfilled their obligation to study.

3. Reading the text and simply stating, “it means what it says” is not Bible study. I’ve attended congre-

gational Bible “studies” that consist of a teacher reading a verse of the Bible, saying “it means what it says,”

asking if there are any questions, and then moving on to the next verse. Bible classes like these are usually

the result of the teacher either (a) being lazy in his preparation, or (b) not knowing how to teach a Bible class.

Yes, the Bible does mean what it says, but how can we learn what it says without examining the context and

asking how the text applies to our lives today? Because so many passages in the Bible are difficult to under-

stand (cf. 2 Peter 3:16), a cursory reading of the text is often insufficient.

4. Sitting in a Bible class at church does not constitute Bible study. Many suffer from the illusion that one

or two weekly 45-minute classes at church qualify as Bible study. When we think of Bible class as anything

more than just a supplement to our personal Bible study, we are abusing the class. Many congregations have

realized their members are not studying regularly throughout the week, and – instead of challenging people to

greater faithfulness – have simply dumbed down their classes to merely what they decide are ‘the ba-

sics.’ Many churches “need milk, and not solid food” (Heb. 5:12)because the membership views their congre-

gational Bible classes as the only ‘studies’ they need. When we take shortcuts in our study of God’s Word, we

become intellectually lazy. Conclusion next week. . . .

WEEKLY SERVICES NMHCC

Wednesday 1:30 pm