Author: Bryan Gibson

Weekly Bulletin
October 28, 2018

How Paul Dealt with His Thorn (2 Corinthians 12:7-10)
by Sewell Hall
(From the book, Hallmarks, pp. 97-98)
He did not blame God for it. He called it "a messenger of Satan." God may allow Satan to attack us, even as He did Job, but God is not responsible for anything evil that may trouble us. Satan is. There was no suffering in the world till Satan introduced sin.
He prayed for its removal. Three times Paul prayed. Surely, it was not as he gave thanks for his three meals one day! He pleaded with the Lord for the removal of this thorn.
He accepted the fact that he would just have to live with it. Our generation has been schooled to the idea that there is a quick solution for every human problem; that we should not have to suffer any inconvenience, discomfort, or even boredom; that we have the right to do anything necessary to avoid any kind of thorn that might trouble us. This accounts for the fact that many people will not work to support themselves. It accounts for the breakup of marriages when problems first arise. It accounts for the popular idea that Christianity does not fit our times because it requires self-discipline. If we can learn to live with physical handicaps which we cannot remove, we can learn to live with thorns of a spiritual or social nature which cannot be removed in a manner pleasing to God.
He looked for blessings in his thorn. He saw that, though it was from Satan, God could use it for good—to keep him humble. Any handicap that kept him humble was a blessing, for it made him more Christ-like. It also caused him to look to God for grace and strength, and to give God the glory for whatever he accomplished in his weakness. In fact, with God's help he was stronger when he was weak.
He learned even to rejoice in his thorns. Seeing that God could use them for good, he rejoiced in them rather than complaining about them. He considered any spiritual benefit the thorns provided to be compensation more than sufficient for the pain of the thorn.
May God help us to view our own thorns as Paul viewed his!

How to Cause Unrest and Division Among Your Brethren
by Bryan Gibson
Keep your finger on the pulse of society. Know what people love to hear, and preach it. Don’t be content to preach what you know for certain is the truth. If you know it will have a great impact, preach it anyway, regardless of the certainty of your conclusions. Be bold; be daring; push the envelope; be ever conscious of preaching something new. Embrace all the positive feedback, and reject the negative. Tell yourself you’re doing too much good for anyone to dare criticize you.
What Do You Really Know About the Prattmont Church of Christ?
by Bryan Gibson
We don't know what you may have HEARD about us, but please don't trust what OTHERS have said. Come and see for YOURSELF. What we believe you will see is a very determined effort to do everything according to the teachings of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).

Contact Information
	P.O. Box 680872 / Prattville, AL 36067
	(334) 365-5887 / (334) 868-0801
	prattmont@gmail.com / prattmontchurchofchrist.org

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The Prattmont Church of Christ is just what the name suggests, a church that belongs to Christ. We are not a denomination; we are simply a group of Christians trying very hard to practice the teachings of our Head, Jesus Christ. The New Testament offers a complete pattern for what each local church should be like—its organization, its worship, its work, etc. We are committed to following that pattern. We cordially invite you to attend our services. We would also welcome any comments or questions about this bulletin.

TIMES OF SERVICES:
Sunday
Bible Study 9:00 A.M.
Worship……….10:00 A.M.
Training Class 5:00 P.M.
Worship 6:00 P.M.
Wednesday:
Bible Study 7:00 P.M.