Author: Bill

THINK ON THESE THINGS (Philippians 4:8)

May 10th 2020 BULLETIN for the

OUR FAMILY NEWS

Pray: Kenny Dearing, Wayne and Cathy, Peggy Beebe.
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Today’s Scripture: “Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay.” Jeremiah 20:9 (KJV)
Wisdom for Today: “My heart was hot within me, while I was musing the fire burned: then spake I with my tongue,” Psalm 39:3 (KJV)
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God’s Plan of Salvation

Hear Romans 10:17
Believe Mark 16:16, Hebrews 11:1-6
Repent Acts 2:38, II Corinthians 7:10
Confess Romans 10:9-10, Matthew 10:32-33
Be Baptized Mark 16:16, Acts 22:16
Arise & Walk in Newness of Life Romans 6:4

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth…”
–Romans 1:16 KJV

CONTACT INFORMATION

ELDERS:
Ed Maxwell (907) 373-5583 ed@churchofchristwasilla.com
Hans Nicholson (907) 230-2969 hnichs@gmail.com
Paul Stone (907) 491-1170 good_nooz@yahoo.com
DEACONS:
Joe Murdock (907) 715-0089 montana2189@hotmail.com
Phillip Kelly (907) 632-1118 affordablehydroseeding@hotmail.com
Logan Decker (907) 244-1777 logan.decker9@gmail.com
EVANGELIST
Bill Beebe (907) 841-9261 bill@churchofchristwasilla.com

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AM Worship: 11AM
PM Worship: 5PM
Wednesday:
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The church of Christ at Wasilla meets at:
2061 N. Merciful Circle
Wasilla, AK 99654
(907) 373-5773
Visit our website at: www.churchofchristwasilla.com
Visit our website at: www.churchofchristwasilla.com

Visitors Always Welcome; Members Expected

Passion

Preacher: Daniel Schramm Article By: Bill Beebe

All of us are passionate about something. Some are passionate about golf, others about basketball and still others about football or soccer. As for me, I have had three things that I have been passionate about besides my family. First was preaching the gospel. I wanted to be the best preacher I could be, so I wrote my own sermons and preached at every opportunity I had. I debated with Jehovah's Witnesses when everyone else was trying to avoid them. Next, I was passionate about catching and prosecuting arsonists. I was so passionate about this that I modified my state truck by adding blackout lights so that I could follow people at night without being seen. Once even following an arsonist at speeds up to 80 miles per hour at night without lights on a gravel road to try to catch him setting fires. The other thing I have been passionate about was Kodokan Judo. I just couldn't get enough practice time. I would meet a friend in Anchorage and workout for 2-3 hours then we would go to other martial art schools and see if anyone there wanted to grapple with us. I read everything I could get my hands on and talked with other judo players for hours about it.
When the Christians in Jerusalem began to be persecuted many left and went elsewhere. But instead of remaining quite and living a life that didn’t call attention to themselves, they spread the gospel message there. They did this because they were passionate about he gospel. Their passion allowed them to endure the most horrible torture and persecution that could be imagined by humans. Their passion for spreading the gospel caused the church to be planted in Samaria. Luke gives us the following account: “Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word. Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them. And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed. And there was great joy in that city. But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one: To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God. And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries. But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.” Acts 8:4-12 (KJV)
Their passion was defined by their love for the gospel and their willingness to spread it under even the most trying circumstances. All we have to do is look at what took place. Paul, a persecutor of Christians was converted after meeting Jesus on the road near Damascus. After his conversion, he spent the rest of his life spreading the message that he had tried to hard to stamp out. His passion became that of a truly devoted Christian and a planter of churches. He made at least three missionary trips that we know of, then his final trip to Rome. In these journeys, Paul covered an estimated 8,583 miles a lot of it on foot. His passion was planting and watering churches. He was so passionate about it that he was willing to suffer things others wouldn’t dare to do just to preach the gospel. Listen as he tells us about his travels and those things he endured just to convert people to Christ: 2 Corinthians 11:22-29 (KJV) “Are they Hebrews? so am I. Are they Israelites? so am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? so am I. Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not?”
It is this idea of concern for the churches that was his passion. The rest he endured so that he could plant and water churches. But he equated his care for the churches with the burdens that he suffered physically. His passion was that the people he had converted and the churches that he had started would remain sound and strong in the gospel. We can see that in his letters. Listen as he chastises the church in Galatia. Galatians 1:6-9 (KJV) “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.”
What is your passion today? Is it studying the word and converting people to Christ, or is it something else. Would you rather watch a basketball or a football game than study your Bible or to evangelize? Are you passionate about the church, or about other things in your life. Will you be willing to door knock with us this summer, or will you find excuses for not participating? What is your passion, is it serving God or serving something else? The answer can have eternal consequences so consider it carefully.