Prayers for a Wayward Boy Scout

Prayers for a Wayward Boy Scout

I grew up outside the church, but when I learned about the God and Country award in the Boy Scouts, I wanted it. If that meant going to church, then that's what I determined to do. Each week I walked from my house to the little church building in the next block. I walked past the Rinards' home every time, and later, I worked for the Rinards, doing yard work. I attended that little church on the next block just long enough to get the award, and then I quit. Twelve years later, after I became a Christian and a preacher, I learned that Mr. and Mrs. Rinard were in a nursing home nearby. Out of friendship for the family, my wife and I decided to pay them a visit.After a delightful visit, Gail and I turned to leave. I don't remember which one of them spoke, but I'll never forget what they said: "Do you remember when you used to walk to that little church? We've not missed one day since, praying that God would do something in your life." For 12 years, this elderly couple prayed for me, every day—prayed that God would one day do something in my life. I had no other Christian influence at that time, but eventually I became a Christian and a preacher. I was prayed into the kingdom. There is simply no other explanation.

SUNRISE

SUNRISE
Sunrise by Rachel Branch

I sit and stare at the sunrise every morning.
And inside I cry for I can see it for all its wondrous beauty.
And pity the people to concerned with complaining and disagreeing
to look up and almost swear you can see
God's marvelous face smiling back.
You can be happy or you can be depressed
but even the slightest glance at the morning sky
can fill you with unspeakable joy,
that only God can give.
So share God's gift of love
with every one you meet and they will share it with others

SINCE YOU ONLY LIVE BUT ONCE...

SINCE YOU ONLY LIVE BUT ONCE...author unknown

God has given you ONE life with daily opportunities to INVEST for eternity. EACH day the prayers you pray, the LOVE you show, the THINGS you DO for others in Christ's name, the WITNESS you speak, and the FINANCE you GIVE are an ETERNAL INVESTMENT if done because of LOVE for christ.

Since you live but ONCE: Make some eternal investment each day. Invest time. You have the same number of hours as everyone else. Much of what you do is SPIRITUALLY NEUTRAL. It is necessary, but no special investment for eternity, EXCEPT as all you do consciously is done to God's glory.But you can make a DELIBERATE investment of TIME.

First in importance is PRAYER TIME for others and for God's work.

Second is TIME GIVEN to bless others just because you LOVE Jesus and them.

Invest Love. Do something you would not need to do, just because you want to SHOW the LOVE of Jesus to someone who needs it. SHOW LOVE to a child, a christian in need, or an unsaved friend.

Invest Words. You will be judged or rewarded in eternity for WHAT YOU SAY as well as what you FAIL TO SAY. Don't be a silent witness. Say something for Jesus EACH day. Say, "God bless you." "Isn't God giving us a beautiful cay?" "I hope you are getting as much joy out of life as I am since I gave my life to Jesus."
find something to say to someone each day.

Plan your Priorities. What is MOST important for you to do while you still live? Is it to WIN your loved ones?
Then plan how to LOVE them and LEAD them to Christ. Is it to help your church? Then pray for your PASTOR each day and plan ways to WIN and bring NEW people into the church fellowship. There are MANY THINGS YOU CAN DO to strengthen the church even if you do not have officially assigned positions.

Plan your giving. Do you want to INVEST a major proportion of your GIVING where it is needed most?
Where it will accomplish most? Then plan how you will give to missions. Some missions are not worthy of your help. Are they TRUE to the Bible? Are they well supervised?. . .You give each gift only one time.
God will reward your good intention, but be sure to GIVE to groups WHERE your funds are not wasted
and where God is greatly blessing.

You are another day nearer the END of your sowing and the BEGINNING of your eternal reaping.
Do God's will NOW! You have NO PROMISE of tomarrow. God has given you TODAY! Plan for tomarrow.
Plan for your family. Above all, plan for WHAT YOU WANT TO DO for God. But if you can do it today,
do not put off till tomarrow what you know God wants you to do. Satan's great SNARE is to get you to DELAY
and then perhaps FAIL to accomplish what you could. You can BEGIN a real prayer investment from today on. You can start sharing love, witness and new financial investment in souls now.Ask God's help and guidence, but ACT AT ONCE! The FINAL decision is yours. It is your life.
You can live a happy life, caring for your own and family needs, but always putting God FIRST in daily use of your time,your love and your possessions. THIS IS YOUR ONLY CHANCE to invest life for God.
You live but once, but YOU WILL LIVE ON FOREVER! Live so that you will have great eternal reward.

Personally Accountable; Jeremiah 31:29,30

Jeremiah 31: 29 & 30

The people will no longer quote this proverb "The parents have eaten sour grapes, but their children's mouths pucker at the taste'. All people will die for their own sins- those who eat the sour grapes will be the ones whose mouths will pucker. The people tried to blame God's judgment on their sins of their parents. One person's sin does indeed affect other people, but all people are still held personally accountable for their own lives and their own actions, both the good and the bad. (Deuteronomy 24:16, Ezekiel 18:2 )

Examine your own heart... What excuses do you use for your own sin ?!?

Lord God we know that through your Word, you hold us each accountable for our own actions. Father this day we ask for your cleansing on our hearts, our lives, and our minds. Lord show us any areas of unconfessed sin and guide us each to make choices that will glorify you. For we pray these things in your Son's Precious and Holy Name, Amen..

Running Away -2 Tim 2:22

2 Timothy 2:22

Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts. Instead, pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace. Enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts.

Running away is sometimes considered cowardly. But wise people realize that removing themselves physically from temptation often can be the most courageous action to take. Timothy, a young man, was warned to run from anything that produced evil thought.Do you have a recurring temptation that you find hard to resist ?Remove yourself physically from any situation that stimulates your desire to sin.
Knowing when to run is as important in spiritual battle as knowing when & how to fight.Lord, we thank you that you are our refuge and our strength in times of trouble. God we ask you to lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Guide us to stay away from those things which tempt us. And lead us onto the path of righteousness for your names sake. In Jesus Name, Amen..God Bless You !

CHRIST IN ME

CHRIST IN ME - - - - -by Max Lucado

Like Mary, you and I are indwelt by Christ. Find that hard to believe? How much more did Mary? No one was more surprised by this miracle than she was. And no one more passive than she was. God did everything. Mary didn't volunteer to help. What did she have to offer? She offered no assistance.
And she offered no resistance. Instead she said, "Behold, the bond-slave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word"(Luke1:38).
Unlike Mary, we tend to assist God, assuming our part is as important as his. Or we resist, thinking we are too bad or too busy. Yet when we assist or resist, we miss God's great grace. We miss out on the reason we were placed on earth-to be so pregnant with heaven's child that he lives through us. To be so full of him that we could say with Paul, "It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me." (Gal. 2:20)
What would that be like? To have a child within is a miracle, but to have Christ within?

To have my voice, but him speaking.
My steps, but Christ leading.
My heart, but his love beating
in me, through me, with me.
What's it like to have Christ on the inside?
To tap his strength when mine expires
or feel the force of heaven's fires
raging, purging wrong desires.
Could Christ become my self entire?
So much him, so little me
That in my eyes it's him they see.
What's it like to a Mary be?
No longer I, but Christ in me.

Psalm 86:11-13

Psalm 86:11-13

Teach me your ways, O Lord, that I may live according to your truth ! Grant me purity of heart, so that I may honor you. With all my heart I will praise you, O Lord my God. I will give glory to your name forever,
for your love for me is very great. You have rescued me from the depths of death. This prayer within a prayer captures a glimpse of vibrant spiritual vitality.

Two requests are made :"teach me your ways" and "grant me purity of heart". Each request has a God centered purpose : that the person praying would "live according to your truth" and "honor you".

No matter how well we know and follow God, we can always ask Him to increase our awareness and improve our obedience. Jesus echoed one of these requests in the sixth beatitude, "God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God"(Matthew 5:8)

Commit this prayer to memory & use it often to draw nearer to the Lord. Father we thank you again today for your Living Word. We come to you this day in humble prayer and ask for more and more of you in our lives. We love you Lord and we long to draw near to you. Wrap us in your love and write your Word on our hearts we pray, In Jesus Name, Amen...God Bless You !

Titus 1:16

Titus 1:16== Such people claim they know God, but they deny him by the way they live. They are detestable and disobedient, worthless for doing anything
good. Many people claim to know God and be Christians. How can we know if
they really are Christians and know God ? We will not know for certain in this life, but a glance at their life styles will quickly tell us what they value and whether they have ordered their lives around Kingdom priorities. Our conduct speaks volumes about what we believe (see 1 John 2:4-6) What do people know about God & about your faith by watching your life ?

O Lord, we want to not only claim to know you with our voices, but we want to really, really know you Lord God ! We want to live out our faith in our lifestyle choices. We want to reflect Kingdom priorities and desires and make them our own. Let those around us see the Jesus inside of us ! Lord this is our prayer !
In Your Son's Precious and Holy Name, Amen...

~I AM~

Subject: ~I AM~

1. A Child of God (Romans 8:16)

2. Redeemed from the Hand of the Enemy (Psalms 107:2)

3. Forgiven (Colossians 1:13-14)

4. Justified (Romans 5:1)

5. Saved by Grace through Faith (Ephesians 2:8)

6. Sanctified (1 Corinthians 6:11)

7. A New Creation (2 Corinthians 5:17)

8. Partaker of His Divine Nature (2 Peter 1:4)

9. Redeemed from the Curse of the Law (Galatians 3:13)

10. Delivered from the Powers of Darkness (Colossians 1:3)

11. Led By The Spirit of God (Romans 8:14)

12. A Son of God (Romans 8:14)

13. Kept in safety wherever I go (Psalms 91:11)

14. Getting all my Needs met by Jesus (Philippians 4:19)

15. Casting all my cares on Jesus (1 Peter 5:7)

16. Strong in the Lord and in the Power of His Might (Ephesians 6:10)

17. Doing All Things through Christ Who Strengthens Me (Philippians 4:13)

18. An Heir of God and a Joint Heir with Jesus (Romans 8:17)

19. Heir to the Blessings of Abraham (Galatians 3:13-14)

20. Observing and Doing the Lord's Commandments (Deuteronomy 28:12)

21. Blessed Coming In and Blessed Going Out (Deuteronomy 28:6)

22. An Heir of Eternal Life (1 John 5:11-12)

23. Blessed with All Spiritual Blessings (Ephesians 1:3)

24. Healed by His Stripes (1 Peter 2:24)

25. Exercising My Authority over the Enemy (Luke 10:19)

26. Above Only and Not Beneath (Deuteronomy 28:13)

27. More than a Conqueror (Romans 8:37)

28. Establishing God's Word on Earth (Matthew 16:19)

29. An Overcomer by the Blood of the Lamb and the Word of My Testimony (Revelation 12:11)

30. Daily Overcoming the Devil (1 John 4:4)

31. Not Moved by What I See (2 Corinthians 4:18)

32. Walking By Faith and Not By Sight (2 Corinthians 5:7)

33. Casting Down Vain Imaginations (2 Corinthians 10:4-5)

34. Bringing Every Thought Into Captivity (2 Corinthians 10:4-5)

35. Being Transformed by Renewing My Mind (Romans 12:1-2)

36. A Laborer Together With God (1 Corinthians 3:9)

37. The Righteousness of God in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21)

38. An Imitator of Jesus (Ephesians 5:1)

39. The Light of the World (Matthew 5:14)

40. Blessing the Lord at All Times and Continually Praising the Lord with My Mouth (Psalms 34:1)

The Very Last Gospel Tract

This story will bring tears to your eyes...

Touching story.

Subject: The Very Last Gospel Tract

Every Sunday afternoon, after the morning service at the church, the
Pastor and his eleven-year-old son would go out into their town and hand out Gospel Tracts.This particular Sunday afternoon, as it came time for the Pastor and his
son to go to the streets with their tracts, it was very cold outside, as well
as pouring down rain. The boy bundled up in his warmest and driest clothes
and said; "OK dad, I'm ready." His Pastor dad asked, "Ready for what?" "Dad, it's time we gather our tracts together and go out." Dad responds, "Son, it's very cold outside and it's pouring down rain." The boy gives his dad a surprised look, asking " But Dad, aren't people still going to Hell, even though it's raining?" Dad answers, "Son, I am not going out in this weather." Despondently, the boy ask, "Dad, can I go? Please?" His father hesitated for a moment then said, "Son, you can go. Here are the tracts, be careful, son."

"Thanks Dad!" And with that, he was off and out into the rain. This eleven-year-old boy walked the streets of the town going from door to door and handing everybody he met in the street a Gospel Tract. After two hours of walking in the rain, he was soaking, bone-chilled wet and down to his VERY LAST TRACT. He stopped on a corner and looked for someone to hand a tract to, but the streets were totally deserted. Then he turned toward the first home he saw and started up the sidewalk to the front door and rang the door bell.

He rang the bell, but nobody answered. He rang it again and again, but still
no one answered. He waited but still no answer. Finally, this eleven-year-old
trooper turned to leave, but something stopped him. Again, he turned to the
door and rang the bell and knocked loudly on the door with his fist. He waited, something holding him there on the front porch. He rang again and this time the door slowly opened. Standing in the doorway was a very sad-looking elderly lady. She softly asked, "What can I do for you, son?" With radiant eyes and a smile that lit up her world, this little boy said, "Ma'am, I'm sorry if I disturbed you, but I just want to tell you that JESUS REALLY DOES LOVE YOU and I came to give you my very last Gospel Tract which will tell you all about JESUS and His great LOVE."
With that, he handed her his last tract and turned to leave. She called to him
as he departed. "Thank you, son! And God Bless You!

" Well, the following Sunday morning in church, Pastor Dad was in the pulpit. As the service began, he asked, "Does anybody have a testimony or want to say anything?" Slowly, in the back row of the church, an elderly lady stood to her feet. As she began to speak, a look of glorious radiance came from her face, "No one in this church knows me. I've never been here before. You see,before last Sunday,I was not a Christian. My husband passed on some time ago, leaving me totally alone in this world. Last Sunday, being a particularly cold and rainy day, it was even more so in my heart that I came to the end of the line where I no longer had any hope or will to live. So I took a rope and a chair and ascended the stairway into the attic of my home. I fastened the rope securely to a rafter in the roof, then stood on the chair and fastened the other end of the rope around my neck. Standing on that chair, so lonely and brokenhearted I was about to leap off,when suddenly the loud ringing of my doorbell downstairs startled me. I thought, 'I'll wait a minute, and whoever it is will go away. I waited and waited, but the ringing doorbell seemed to get louder and more insistent,and then the person ringing also started knocking loudly. I thought to myself again, 'Who on earth could this be? Nobody ever rings my bell or comes to see me.' I loosened the rope from my neck and started for the front door, all the while the bell rang louder and louder. When I opened the door and looked I could hardly believe my eyes, for there on my front porch was the most radiant and angelic little boy I had ever seen in my life. His SMILE, oh, I could never describe it to you! The words that came from his mouth caused my heart the at had long been dead TO LEAP TO LIFE as he exclaimed with a cherub-like voice, 'Ma'am, I just came to tell you that JESUS REALLY DOES LOVE YOU.' Then he gave me this Gospel Tract that I now hold in my hand. As the little angel disappeared back out into the cold and rain, I closed my door and read slowly every word of this Gospel Tract. Then I went up to my attic to get my rope and chair. I wouldn't be needing them any more. You see I am now a Happy Child of the KING. Since the address of your church was on the back of this Gospel Tract; I have come here to personally say THANK YOU TO God's little angel who came just in the nick of time and by so doing, spared my soul from eternity in hell." There was not a dry eye in the church.

And as shouts of praise and honor to THE KING resounded off the very rafters
of the building, Pastor Dad descended from the pulpit to the front pew where
the little angel was seated. He took his son in his arms and sobbed uncontrollably. Probably no church has had a more glorious moment, and probably this universe has
never seen a Papa that was more filled with love & honor for his son except for
One. This Father also allowed His Son to go out into a cold and dark world. He received His Son back with joy unspeakable, and as all of heaven shouted praises and honor to The King, the Father sat His beloved Son on a throne far above all principality and power and every name that is named.

Blessed are your eyes for reading this message. Don't let this message die, read it again and pass it to others. We will meet in Heaven. Warmest Regards,

A Rich Man's Best Friend is Health

Thank You for visting my blog. The article below is so true for many in this world. For those without the guiding wisdom in our Bible, such articles they will read with great interest, trying to peer into the lives of the Rich and Famous. But what is even sadder, is that those of us who are Christians, who have the wisdom from the One and Only, also fall victim to such "worldly" lifestyle. How often have you heard that Christians don't have time for this and the other as it relates to church and the Kingdom of God, but they make time to do the things documented in this article that ruin not only their physical health, but also their spiritual health. So, let's us who know the One who made us, return to the instructions that He gave for right living (i.e. Study The Scriptures), for good health in this life and more so for spiritual health which has impact for the life hereafter. God bless.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A Rich Man's Best Friend is Health.

Lord Beaverbrook, the greatest British press baron of his generation, used to say to me in his strong Canadian accent: "Aw, Mistah Johnson, look after your good health. You may be the richest man in the world. You may be the most powerful man in the world. But if you lose your good health, you will be the most miserable man in the world."

From my observations I'd say that's a true statement. Take the case of Sir James (Jimmy) Goldsmith. He was the most interesting rich man I've known, and I witnessed his rise from nothing to the position of a sterling billionaire. I first met Jimmy when he was 16. He'd run away from school on the proceeds from an "accumulator bet" on horse races that had brought him £8,000--a lot of cash in 1948. He said to me, "What's the point of going on at Eton, with nowhere to spend it except the Tuck Shop. I want to get my teeth into life."
And that's precisely what he did. Eventually, however, life got its teeth into him. He was afflicted with incurable cancer. In an attempt to prolong his existence, Jimmy went to an Indian guru/doctor. The prescribed regimen didn't allow for painkilling drugs, so Jimmy endured months of agony before deciding the "cure" was useless. By then he was near death. For the sake of his family, however, he endured one last spasm of discomfort by moving from his house in France to his house in Spain, thus avoiding France's crushing death taxes. It was a sad end to a life of uninhibited energy expenditure and hedonism, in which "looking after your good health" played little part.

Of course, health should never become an obsession. Nothing could be more miserable than the way Howard Hughes, the once-swashbuckling billionaire of the aviation industry and movie world who developed a germ phobia, spent his last years: He e nded his days stark naked in a cocoon of tissues.

Health Hazards

On the other hand, it has to be admitted that great health--whether inherited or acquired by your own exertions--brings its own peculiar health hazards. Here are some of them: Travelmania. The very rich seem to move around too much, for reasons of both business and pleasure. There's an explanation: Wealth has its limitations. There's a limit to what you can eat or drink; you can wear only one outfit of clothes or sleep in one bed at a time. Travel, however, is an area of expenditure in which big money can make a difference, via private jets, yachts, limos and the like. The very rich are always airborne. They attend board meetings all over the world. They have houses everywhere--fully staffed, of course--and, in order to get some value out of these abodes, they continually relocate. It's a self-imposed labor. Not long ago the wife of one billionaire said to me, "One-third of my life is u sed up running our houses or traveling between them."

Travel is exhausting. I told Rupert Murdoch some years ago that he had the face of a man who is always getting on or off a long-distance jet. Travel can also be dangerous. You may use the world's best-run airlines or travel by private jet only when weather conditions are perfect, but every time you step aboard an aircraft you are taking on some more risk. Moreover, if you can afford it, the temptation is to cut any delays by hiring helicopters--a flashy, high-risk mode of transport. The rich should remember that nobody ever risked his neck by staying in one place. If you're rich enough, let them come to you.

The culture of excess. The rich are exposed to this all the time. Eating in the grand manner, not sometimes but always. Drinking the best vintages, the oldest cognac. Partying (and often flying thousands of miles by private jet to do so ). Staying up late. Taking pills to get through a life of luxury. And then spending spells in health clinics to get over it all. Or employing fashionable society doctors to stay fit--a sure formula, in my humble opinion, for chronic unease in health.

Worry. This is something no amount of money can banish. And the world's highest-paid psychiatrist cannot cure it, because in most cases the worries of the rich are imaginary. Worry not only poisons but also shortens life. Mr. Worry sits on the end of the billionaire's bed, keeps him awake at night and greets him with a wintry smile in the morning.

Yet--and here is the paradox--wealth is made by continual hard work, and an able man who makes himself rich will be happy (and therefore healthy) only by doing what comes naturally. He has to carry on competing--and competing in spending and pleasure-seeking, as well as in accumulating the lucre. The rich l ead the lives they do for the same compulsive reasons they become rich in the first place.

Are the problems of the very rich insoluble, then? If so, they are problems many would like to share.

Paul Johnson, eminent British historian and author; Lee Kuan Yew, minister mentor of Singapore; and Ernesto Zedillo, director, Yale Center for the Study of Globalization, former president of Mexico; in addition to Forbes Chairman Caspar W. Weinberger, rotate in writing this column

YOU CAN DO IT !

Thank You again for visiting my blog..I came across this short article, reminded me of how often a simple word of encouragement and/or action on our part can make a big difference to someone else. So, be encouraged to do the little things that others may not noticed, but God does. Everything you do counts ! Scriptural truths that ring out are: God is for us, who can be against us? Nothing can frustrate the plan and purpose of God. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. With God, nothing is impossible. Be strong! YOU CAN DO IT !
=======================================================================
Gratitude For Encouragement

Someone shared with me that a phrase would run through his mind quite frequently. It was, "You can do it!" Whenever something he was doing seemed to become too difficult, he would hear an inner voice saying, "You can do it!" Whenever he felt too tired to take care of something he knew he had to take care of, he heard this inner voice saying, "You can do it!" This seemed so much a part of him that he took it for granted and didn't give it much thought.

When it was suggested to him to think about gratitude for those who had encouraged him, he remembered a childhood incident. He had an older brother who had repeated this phrase to him a few times. His brother was just three years older, but when he was little, those three years made a big difference. Without his realizing it, those words stayed with him and helped him innumerable times.

Over the years he had grown apart from his older brother and there was a lot of tension and stress in their relationship. They tended to avoid each other. Realizing how much his brother's encouragement had helped him, his sense of gratitude motivated him to renew their relationship. His positive feelings towards his brother aroused positive feelings in return. They both found it almost miraculous that they became so close.

Don't we all want to be strong? But, how?

Christ strengthens us through our own weakness!

Sometimes your biggest weakness can become your biggest strength. Take, for example, the story of one 10-year-old boy who decided to study Judo despite the fact that he had lost his left arm in a devastating car accident.

The boy began lessons with an old Japanese judo master. The boy was doing well, so he couldn't understand why, after three months of training the master had taught him only one move. "Sensei," the boy finally said, "Shouldn't I be learning more moves?" "This is the only move you know, but this is the only move you'll ever
need to know," the sensei replied. Not quite understanding, but believing in his teacher, the boy kept training.

Several months later, the sensei took the boy to his first tournament. Surprising himself, the boy easily won his first two matches. The third match proved to be more difficult, but after some time, his opponent became very impatient and charged; the boy deftly used his one move to win the match. Still amazed by his success, the boy was now in the finals. This time, his opponent was bigger, stronger, and more experienced. For a while, the boy appeared to be overmatched. Concerned that the boy might get hurt, the referee called a time-out. He was about to stop the match when the sensei intervened. "No," the sensei insisted, "Let him continue."
Soon after the match resumed, his opponent made a critical mistake: he dropped his guard. Instantly, the boy used his move to pin him. The boy had won the match and the tournament. He was the champion.

On the way home, the boy and sensei reviewed every move in each and every match. Then the boy summoned the courage to ask what was really on his mind. "Sensei, how did I win the tournament with only one move?"

"You won for two reasons," the sensei answered. "First, you've almost mastered one of the most difficult throws in all of judo. And second, the only known defense for that move is for your opponent to grab your
left arm."

The boy's biggest weakness had become his biggest strength. In the same way, God can use our weaknesses and turn them into strengths. Paul had asked God to remove his thorn in the flesh (three times!) but God said no because God's power is perfected in weakness. Paul learned to be content with his weaknesses so that he could become strong in Christ; to boast of his own difficulties so that the power of Christ's would dwell in him.
May each of us learn the lesson of Christ's power through our own weaknesses.
_____________________________________________________

><> When God seems far away, call on Psalm 139

God Will Go With You

God Will Go With You

Do you sometimes feel so all alone,
And wish someone would call you on the phone?
Are there days when you wonder why you are here
And why your heart's so full of fear?

Do you think no one else has felt that way
And that all the others are having a great day?
What you're thinking may be true,
But chances are, others are feeling just like you.

Ask God to undertake for you,
To show you what He'd have you do.
There may be someone you should touch,
Someone who needs you very much.

God has a reason for you being here
And He can overcome your fear.
Go to Him, boldly, in Christ's name.
He'll take away your guilt and shame.

He'll lead you into the bright sunshine
And show to you His will divine.
Just follow Him with what you know.
He'll teach you more and with you go.

You can know He's with you every day,
Leading and guiding you along life's way;
Giving you peace and joy within,
Forgiving and cleansing you from your sin.

So, don't give up and don't despair.
God will go with you everywhere.
Christ understands the way you feel.
His fellowship and love are real.

Written by Bob Hefner

Make two good decisions today!

Two short articles about developing a praying habit to access God's good influences, and living by God's Word and Spirit to stop society's bad influences from getting to us. We live each day at a time. That's the way God has instituted. Each day we make our decisions that will impact not just us today, but also impact others that we come in contact with and what will become of our future, here in this life and more so, in our life to come. So, make good decisions today. God is watching, even if you think others may not. Be careful. Be watchful. Be alert. Be good. God bless.

=================================================================================
Make Prayer A Habit

ROMANS 12:12 NRSV

12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer.

Prayer is a habit that, like every other good habit, must be developed. You know you need to pray. You need God's help, His wisdom and His guidance. But you must persevere in prayer. The activities of life try to keep you from praying. So persevere!

LUKE 21:36 BBE

36 But keep watch at all times with prayer, that you may be strong enough to come through all these things and take your place before the Son of man.

In communing with God, you gain strength that comes in no other way. You find the wisdom and courage to face life and overcome.

1 THESSALONIANS 5:17-18 ICB

17 Never stop praying.
18 Give thanks whatever happens. That is what God wants for you in Christ Jesus.

Learn to always include God in your thoughts. Ask Him about everything. Cultivate your relationship by continual communication. And one of the most important things for you to communicate to God is your gratitude. Thank God for everything.

Don't relegate prayer to just when you're on your knees. As you go about your activities, include God by constant communion with Him. Talk to God about everything!

SAY THIS: Lord, help me to develop the habit of continual communication with you.
================================================================================================
Don't Let It Get To You

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
(Romans 12:2)

First, the bad news. Our society can have a terrible influence on us and our children. The entertainment media, for example, offer various forms of sinful behavior for our listening and viewing "pleasure." One music TV channel, for instance, was characterized in World magazine by film critic Michael Medved like this: "There is absolutely no excuse for MTV to be present in the home. It is 100-percent negative."

And now for the good news. None of society's negative influences have to bother you. They will affect you and your family only if you let them. They can infiltrate the minds of you and your children only if you refuse to use the discernment, power, and instruction God has provided to everyone who is redeemed by faith in His Son Jesus Christ (Eph. 4:20-24).

In other words, our problem is not so much the evil in society as it is our lack of discernment and self-control.
We should find great comfort in knowing that the Lord has given us the resources to live above society's level of degradation. We can be in the world but not of it (Jn. 17:14-17). If we're living in the power of the Holy Spirit under the guidance of the Word of God, society's bad influences can't get to us.

To live in the world but not of it
Is the path that we should take;
For to be in the world and live like it
Brings nothing but sad heartache.
--JDB

Let's yield to the spirit, and we won't be conformed to the world.
========================================================================================

Better To FORGIVE; it's BEST for us.

Good day and thank you for visiting my blog. Last sunday, I was teaching my equipping class in church about the parable of the unmerciful servant (Matthew 18:21-35), and now I came across this (see article below) about forgiveness. I decided to blog this and also share with you what I shared with my equipping class about FORGIVENESS.

Practising forgiveness in real life situations is very different from justing talking about it. We all know how much it cost God to forgive our sins, at least we all say we do know. We all also know how Jesus taught us to pray (Matt 6:12): Forgive us our sins/trepasses as we forgive those who sins/trepass against us. Jesus wanted us to know that while everything had been done to secure our forgiveness before God, yet there is someone that can neutralise all that; that someone is YOU! Jesus taught that if we would not forgive someone their sin against us, neither will our Father in heaven forgive us our sins (Matt 6:14,15). Our forgiveness before God is conditional on whether and how we forgive others. So, stop now and search your heart. How ever hard it is to forgive that someone that has wronged you so badly and wounded you so deeply, look at Jesus and look again at yourself, would you forgive that someone? It's not a question of "can you" but a question of "would you". Are you willing? Will you obey?

You see, our Father in heaven, is always merciful and forgiving. We are His children, so we ought to be like him, practicing being merciful and forgiving. For sure, the person whom you need to forgive don't deserve your forgiveness, at least from your perspective. But God has forgiven him in Christ; would you not forgive?
To learn forgiveness is to learn victory over the devil's schemes. The apostle Paul wrote about this in 2 Cor 2:11. So, don't let the devil have a foothold in you ( Eph 4:26,27,32). Be angry but don't sin; don't let the sun go down with you still angry. Forgive just as you have been forgiven.

In fact, it is really for our own good that we forgive. For not to forgive, the Bible says in Hebrews 12:14,15, we would allow a root of bitterness to grow inside us, and that bitterness will ruin our life, robbing us of all peace and happiness, denying us of God's blessings and favour. That unforgiveness will be like poison, taking away our life; it will be like cancer, quietly eating away what we need to live on. So, best to get rid of all bitterness, all unforgiveness. Be forgiving, just like your Father in heaven.

In Psalms 86:5, it says God is good, ready to forgive, and rich in mercy to all who call on Him. As God's beloved children, we must stand ready to forgive, just as God is. When we meet God face to face to receive his commendation on what we do in this life, will He say to us "You are my good and faithful servant"? God is good. Will you be good like Him? Please do. God bless.

NOTE: Peter asked Jesus how often should one forgive; is 7 times enough? Just before this, Jesus was teaching his disciples how they ought to handle a person who was sinning/offending, giving Peter perhaps the impression that 3 times was what Jesus had in mind. So, his offer to forgive 7 times since quite generous already. But Jesus told him not 7, but 70 times 7. Did Jesus meant literally 70X7=490 ? Most likely not, as Jesus went on to tell the parable of the unmerciful servant, and then ending with this: that we must forgive our offending brother from the heart. In this parable, the chinese text had the debt owed by the unmerciful servant as "yi qian wan" meaning a thousand times ten thousands; which is 10 million. While the other person who owed that unmerciful servant only 10. Out of interest, if we were to just compare that indeed our sins before God is like 10 million, and the sins others may offend us with is like 10, then actually we need to forgive a million times before our forgiveness of others can equal that of what God has forgiven us. Assuming a person live for about 80 years, 80x365=29200. A million divide by 29200 days would mean more than 34. I think you get the point, right?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Kathaleen Swank

To: Its_all_about_JESUS@yahoogroups.com

Subject: bible study............FORGIVENESS

ACTION STEPS I CAN TAKE TODAY

In this chapter we have examined two key truths: (1) Jesus instructs us
to forgive those who have offended us; (2) He also instructs us to seek
others' forgiveness when we sin against them. Completing the action steps
that i will put below will help us make these truths a part of our lives and
moves us closer to our Lord and one another.
According to Matthew 5:23,24, forgiveness is the first step in
restoring a relationship.
You are encouraged to prayerfully follow the prodigal son's example.
In his case, forgiveness was granted immediately, but this is not always so.
Sometimes feelings are too raw or the other person may be defensive or
unresponsive. The important thing, however, is to follow Christ's command.
No matter how difficult or what the immediate result will be, to do anything
less than obey will result in a hardening heart.
On the contrary, Samuel, the prophet, tells us that "to obey is better
than sacrafice" (1 Samuel 15:22), and David wrote, "a broken heart, O God,
you will not despise" (Psalm 51:17). Obedience and humility are great heart
softeners.
Two words from 1Peter 3:8 (NKJV) whisper through my mind: "Be tender
hearted".
WHY FORGIVENESS IS HARD
"Forgiveness is......" I wrote those words on a peice of paper and i
am a inviting you to do the same and i am asking them to complete the
sentence.
I hesitated before i wrote anything and stated "It has to do with
others,". but that doesn't really say anything does it?
Steve ( a friend) scowled. He picked up a pen, then, without writing
anything, put it back down. Have you ever felt like this? Forgiveness is
hard.
Do i have your attention now? I know you people know about hurting,
bitterness and anger that comes from being mistreated by others. You know
how hard it is to forgive when peers, teachers, and parents say and do
things that gnaw wounds in your hearts.
You also know that you don't always do what is right either. You make
mistakes and say the wrong things, struggle with rebellion, self-pity and
resentment.

Daily Scripture Promise=EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBERS

Hi...Thanks for visiting my blog again! I came across the below construction, which I thought may be helpful to you sometime, so I blog it for your use and consideration. God bless.

Daily Scripture Promise
EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBERS


When in sorrow, ......................................... call John 14
When people fail you, ..................................... call Psalm 27
If you want to be fruitful, ............................. call John 15
When you have sinned, .................................. call Psalm 51
When you worry, ................................. call Matthew 6:19-34
When you are in danger, ................................ call Psalm 91
When God seems far away, .............................. call Psalm 139
When your faith needs stirring, ...................... call Hebrews 11
When you are lonely and fearful, ....................... call Psalm 23
When you grow bitter and critical, ............. call I Corinthians 13
For Paul's secret t o happiness, .............. call Colossians 3:12-17
For understanding of Christianity, ....... call II Corinthians 5:15-19
When you feel down and out, ......................... call Romans 8:31
When you want peace and rest, .................. call Matthew 11:25-30
When the world seems bigger than God, .................. call Psalm 90
When you want Christian assurance, ................ call Romans 8:1-30
When you leave home for labor or travel, .............. call Psalm 121
When your prayers grow narrow or selfish, .............. call Psalm 67
For a great invention/opportunity, .................... call Isaiah 55
When you want courage for a task, ...................... call Joshua 1
For how to get along with fellow men, ................. call Romans 12
When you think of investments and returns, .............. call Mark 10
If you are depressed, .................................. call Psalm 27
If your pocketbook is empty, ................... ........ call Psalm 37
If you are losing confidence i! n people , ........ call I Corinthians 13
If people seem unkind, .................................. call John 15
If discouraged about your work, ....................... call Psalm 126
If you find the world growing small and yourself great,..call Psalm 19


Alternate numbers:
For dealing with fear, ............................... call Psalm 34:7
For security, ....................................... call Psalm 121:3
For assurance, ........................................ call Mark 8:35
For reassurance, ................................... call Psalm 145:18


Emergency numbers may be dialed direct. No operator assistance is necessary.
All lines are open to Heaven 24 hours a day!


-- Author Unknown

WHO IS MY NEIGHBOUR?

WHO IS MY NEIGHBOUR?

A lawyer wanted to know how to secure eternal life. Jesus referred him tothe Scriptures and asked the lawyer what the Scriptures said and what he understood from the Scriptures. The lawyer answered correctly, by identifying that the way to secure eternal life is to love God your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength, and to love your neighbour as oneself. Then the lawyer wanted to justify himself and so asked Jesus who was his neighbour. The lawyer knew there is only one God, coming from a Jewish background. So, no question about who God is. But who was his neighbour? There are so many people out there - whom among them would be considered our neighbour? If we can just limit it in some way, it would be more practical, won't it? Our resources are finite and the needs out there are practically limitless. Jesus' reply in the parable of the Good Samaritan is most instructive. I would like to share some perspective.

First, I think Jesus did not answer the lawyer's question. And I think this is probably deliberate. By telling this parable, Jesus is teaching us this: Who is our neighbour is not as important as who needs a neighbour out there. Our focus should not be on justifying ourselves ( as the record said the lawyer was attempting to do), but on meeting the needs of people out there. At the ending of the parable, Jesus told the lawyer to GO and do likewise. I understand from this that Jesus' key point to the lawyer was don't wait and sit around waiting for people to come to us, or worse still, waiting and debating the finer points of scriptures while hurting people are out there needing our help, needing us to be a neighbour to them.

Then, I recalled what Jesus revealed in Matthew 25 about a future judgement, the separation between the good and the evil, the sheep from the goats. Jesus revealed that on that day, the separation/the judgement will be based on the deeds we do now while we have the opportunity. We all have such opportunities everyday. It depends on what we choose to see and what we choose to do. Jesus revealed in Matthew 25 about doing good to even the least among us is what counts on that judgement day. Do you see the needy in your midst? Those who hunger, those who thirst, those who are lacking in this and the other? Do you remember those who are put away , out of sight, before of their faith and service to God? In those days, it meant in prison; in some places today, that is still the case. But, we don't need to look so far; how about those who labour in our midst for the Lord? In some ways, they too are in "prison", needing someone to come alongside, to encourage them to press on and not to lose faith.

Have we really understood the parable of the Good Samaritan? Are we doing what Jesus told the lawyer to do? To GO and be a neighbour to someone today. Everyday, you and I have this same opportunity to GO and be a good neighbour. Don't ask who is my neighbour. Rather, GO and BE the neighbour that someone needs.

May God bless you as you GO.

A Tribute to My Father

Dear friends, brothers and sisters in Christ, Thank You again for visiting my Blog. When I read the article below, it cause me to wonder what kind of a father am i. What will my two sons say about me. For sure, I want them to also know the eleven truths mentioned by William Solomon that his father taught him. It sounded more like William Solomon caught these truths over the years just watching and observing his father's lifestyle. When I am 86 years, God willing, I will be all too thrilled to have my sons write something like what this William Solomon has done. Like it or not, sons do look up to their dad for the father model, and i understand that the bible tells us that even God look to us dad to model for HIM what HE is like as our heavenly Father.

On Father's Day this year, I was prepared to share a passage from JOHN 14:30,31 where Jesus said this:" ...the ruler of this world comes, and he has nothing in Me.
..But that the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father has given Me commandment, even so I do..." You see, the ruler of this world, which is the devil, will come to us. He will tempt us. He is like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Quesion is when the devil comes to us, what will he find? Jesus said this:" he has nothing in me.." Jesus has so resisted all of the devil's temptations that there is nothing in Jesus that the devil could use. We, fathers, men, are much more susceptable to temptations in areas of sex, money/greed, power/authority, pride. When the ruler of this world comes to us with these temptations, what will he find? Would he find someone resisting him, causing him to flee, or would he find someone already willing to be tempted, waiting just to be eaten? We fathers need to be like Jesus; living a daily lifestyle so close to our Father God, that when the devil comes to us, we can be like Jesus and say to him: "You have nothing in me. Be gone. Go away." Jesus did this because He love the Father and do exactly what the father says. This is the tribute of Jesus to His Father. Since we say we love the Father God, let us also DO exactly what our heavenly Father says. Then, we indeed will be one with Jesus; in word and in deed. In this passage of John 14, Jesus said he wanted the world to know of his love for the father. William Solomon's tribute also has this exactly the same point as his eleventh truth. Read on and discover the heart of a son for his father. Then, resolve to be that son, as well as that father. Glory be to God!

==================================================
A Tribute to My Father
William Solomon Hottle Piper

June 19, 2005

Ephesians 6:1-4

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. "Honor your father and mother" (this is the first commandment with a promise), "that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land." Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

My aim in this message is threefold. First, in obedience to Ephesians 6:1-2, to honor my father. “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. ‘Honor your father and mother’ (this is the first commandment with a promise), ‘that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.’” When children are younger and moving toward adulthood, they should honor their father especially by obeying him. I don’t mean to the exclusion of mothers. But the focus today will be on fathers. As children move out of childhood into adulthood the way we honor our fathers is not primarily in the category of obedience, but rather by tribute and care. Today I pay tribute to my father even as the days of increasing care have come.

The promise in verse 3, taken from Deuteronomy 5:16, “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land,” I take to be a general encouragement based on the fact that in the days of Israel when there was humility and respect and obedience to parents God protected the people from their enemies and prospered them. But when they forsook his laws and became arrogant and disrespectful and disobedient he gave them over to their enemies. The point is not that every child who is obedient will live a long life. The point is that God delights in obedience and gives special blessings to families and churches and peoples where that kind of humility and respect and obedience prevails. So the first part of my aim in this message is to honor my father by paying him public tribute.

The second part of my aim is to inspire fathers to be worthy of this kind of tribute—to help you see the glory of your calling to exhibit the fatherhood of God to your children and lead them to faith and Christian maturity. I pray that Christ will take what I say about my own father and will use it to make you better fathers.

Third, my aim is to glorify the Fatherhood of God whose Fatherhood is the source and pattern of all human fatherhood. Human fatherhood exists to display the beauty of God’s Fatherhood. Our highest calling as fathers is to be the image of God’s fatherhood to our children. I think this is implied in the words of verse 4b: “Bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” What does it mean that our discipline and instruction should be “of the Lord”?

It means, in part, that in our fathering we take our cues from the Lord Jesus. Jesus, in his human nature and in his earthly ministry directed the disciples again and again to the Father in heaven. And in his life and death he modeled for us how to relate to God as our Father. His longest prayer in John 17 begins, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you’ (v. 1). The discipline and instruction of the Lord takes its cues from the Lord Jesus who lived and died to glorify his Father in heaven. No father here should do less. Our calling as fathers is to exhibit the glory of the Fatherhood of God.

So I turn with a sense of deepest gratitude and joy to pay tribute to my father publicly and through this to honor my Father in heaven who adopted me, an undeserving sinner, into his everlasting and supremely happy family on the basis of Christ’s blood and righteousness alone.

My father is 86 years old and lives in home called Shepherd’s Care owned and operated by Bob Jones University in Greenville, South Carolina—the school from which he graduated and which conferred on him the honorary degree of Doctor of Divinity. His short term memory is weak, but his memory of Christ and his word is strong. And for that I thank God.

Here is a fragment of the legacy of truth imparted to me by my father. And I hope that you will see before we are done that the word “imparted” is no mere transmission of information, but involves a whole life of demonstration of what he taught. I will mention eleven precious truths imparted to me by my father.

1. There is a great, majestic God in heaven, and we were meant to live for his glory not ours.
Most of these truths that I will mention are rooted in my memory of particular texts that were branded on my mind at home. Few texts were more often on Daddy’s lips in relation to me than 1 Corinthians 10:31, “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” I am sure that in heaven some day the Lord will make plain the unbreakable chain of influences that led from that verse when I was a boy to the mission statement of this church: “We exist to spread a passion for the supremacy of God for the joy of all peoples through Jesus Christ.” This won’t be the only influence you will see of my father on that mission statement.

2. When things don’t go the way they should, God always makes them turn for good.
Even more prominent in my growing up was the presence of Romans 8:28 in our family: “God works all things together for good for those who love him and are called according to his purpose.”

I have several vivid memories of this truth. One was in 1974 when I rode with my father in the ambulance from Atlanta to Greenville with my mother’s body in the hearse following behind. They had just been flown in from Israel where Mother had been killed in an accident and Daddy was seriously injured. All the way home, for three and a half hours, he would weep and talk and weep and talk. He was 56. They had been married 36 years. And when he talked it was Romans 8:28. I remember the very words: “God must have a reason for me to live. God must have a reason for me to live.” In other words, God governs our accidents and makes no mistakes.

I will never cease to be thankful that I heard and saw the truth of Romans 8:28 in my father’s life, “When things don’t go the way they should, God always makes them turn for good.”

3. God can be trusted.
How many times did I hear the words of Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not rely on your own insight; in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make straight your paths.” And Philippians 4:19, “My God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”

I can see us as a family when I was just a child. We were all (Mother, Daddy, my older sister, Beverly) sitting around a card table my parents’ bedroom folding letters and stuffing envelopes which would be sent to pastors asking them to consider having my father come lead their churches in evangelistic meetings. This was Daddy’s life—he was a full time evangelist—and our livelihood. The answers to these letters meant bread on the table and paid bills. Then we prayed over these envelopes and Daddy closed in a spirit of utter confidence: God will answer and meet every need. He can be trusted.

He told me more than once of a financial crisis when I was six years old in which he almost lost everything. And he said that God used Psalm 37:5 to sustain him and bring him through: “Commit your way to the Lord, trust in him and he will act.”

And so I saw and I learned: God can be trusted.

4. Life is precarious, and life is precious. Don’t presume that you will have it tomorrow and don’t waste it today.
My memory of my Father’s preaching was that he always began with humor but within seconds he was blood earnest and talking about heaven and hell, and sin and Christ and life and death. One text above all others rings in my ears with terrible seriousness. He squinted when he said it and his mouth pursed tightly the way it does after you taste a lemon: “It is appointed unto men once to die, after that comes judgment” (Hebrews 9:27) It made a huge impression on me as a boy.

The motto on Daddy’s college wall was, “The wise man prepares for the inevitable”

The plaque in our kitchen when I was growing up was: “Only one life ’twill soon be past, only what’s done for Christ will last.”

The stories of wasted lives tumbled from his mouth:

“During a South Carolina [campaign] a lovely high school senior attended every night but refused to accept Christ. Shortly after the crusade while driving her car over a treacherous railroad crossing, she was killed instantly by a freight train she failed to see coming.”

“While in a Pennsylvania campaign, I witnessed a whole town shaken by the sudden deaths of six young men. Driving home from an afternoon football practice, they failed to stop at a major intersection and were struck broadside by a heavy truck. Six were dead within three hours.”

“I’ve seen babies die in their mothers’ arms. I’ve seen little boys and girls struck down before their lives had scarcely begun. I’ve witnessed men die in the prime of life and others at the height of success.” (Menace, pp. 49-50)

He told story of a girl who said she would give her life to God when she was old. A wise old woman sent her a bouquet of dead flowers, and when the girl expressed offense, she said, “Isn’t that the way you are treating God?”

And most memorable of all to my young mind: The old man saved in the eleventh hour of his life weeping in Daddy’s arms: “I’ve wasted it. I’ve wasted it.”

5. A merry heart does good like a medicine and Christ is the great heart-Satisfier.
That’s a quote from Proverbs 17:22. My father has been the happiest man I have ever known. Here is the kind of things he said in a sermon called “A Good Time and How to Have It.”

“Right from the start, let’s get one thing straight; a Christian is not a sour puss. I grant you that some of them look and act that way, but you simply can’t blame God for it.”

“Some folks seem to have been born in the objective case, the contrary gender and the bilious mood.”

“Mama, that mule must have religion too, he looks just like Grandpa.” (Good Time, p. 7).

He preached another sermon called “Saved, Safe and Satisfied.” He said, “He is God. When you fully trust Him you have all that God is and all that God has. You cannot be otherwise than satisfied with the perfect fullness of Christ.” (Good Time, p. 48).

He said worldly Christians are like a cow with her head stuck through fence eating stubby grass on the highway while a beautiful green pasture lies behind her.

A merry heart does good like a medicine and Christ is the great heart-Satisfier. What a legacy of joy my father has left!

6. A Christian is a great doer not a great don’ter.
We Pipers were fundamentalists without the attitude. We had our lists of things not to do. But that wasn’t the main thing. Here’s what my father preached in a sermon called The Greatest Menace to Modern Youth.

Millions insist upon thinking that Christianity is a negative religion. You don’t do this and you can’t do that. You don’t go here and your can’t go there. To the contrary, the Bible constantly sounds the triumphant and positive note. “Be ye doers of the Word and not hearers only.” . . . “Whatsoever your hand findeth to do, do with all your might.”

God wants us to be doers, not don’ters. A Christian who is only a don’ter is a sour saint who spread gloom wherever he goes. A don’ter is usually a hypocritical Pharisee. Years ago, I heard the late Dr. Bob Jones say. “Do so fast you don’t have time to don’t.” That sums it up.

That left an indelible mark on my life. We had strict standards, but I never chaffed under them. They were not the point. Enjoying Christ, doing good and loving people was the point. The rest was just fencing to protect the good field of faith and purity.

7. The Christian life is supernatural.
I have one precious DVD of my father preaching. It is a message on new the new birth. John 3:7 “Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’” Becoming a Christian was not a mere decision. It was a supernatural work of the Holy Spirit.

And therefore he believed in prayer—crying out to God to do the miracle of the new birth. We prayed together every night as a family, because the great need in life is supernatural, divine power to live with joy—and that is a fruit of the Holy Spirit, not a work of our own.

I saw that my father’s work was not a human work. It was divine work. Impossible work. But with God all things are possible.

8. Bible doctrine is important but don’t beat people up with it.
At this point he admitted openly to me with grief that our fundamentalist tradition let him down. There was great truth, but too many of them were not great lovers. I can remember him saying: If they only understood Ephesians 4:15, “Speaking the truth in love.” So from as early as I can remember he showed me the importance of both right doctrine and the way of love. They must never be separated.

9. Respect your mother.
If you wanted to see Daddy angry, let one of his children sass our mother. He not only knew the command of God to honor our mothers; he also knew the extraordinary debt that every child owes a mother. Time and again he would compare true love not to married love but to mother’s love. He knew the price my mother paid for him to be away so much. Therefore, he would tolerate no insolence or disrespect toward her. I trembled at the fierce gaze in his eyes if I said something sarcastic to my mother.

10. Be who God made you to be and not somebody else.
My father was short, a good bit shorter than I am. But he was content and could joke about it. The one I remember is that he said he was part of a football team as boy, and the name of the team was “Little potatoes but hard to peel.” I think God delights to make short men great preachers. (Remember John Wesley!)

For me this contentment with being who God made you to be meant freedom. He never forced me or pressured me to be an evangelist or a pastor or anything else. His counsel was always: seek God and be what he has made you to be. And then what your hand finds to do, do it with all your might for the glory of Christ.

I close with one more truth, the central truth of my father’s life. This was what he preached and what he loved. So I will let him preach it one more time to you as we close:

11. People are lost and need to be saved through faith in Jesus Christ.
My father was an evangelist. His absence from home two thirds of the year (in and out, in and out) meant one main thing. Sin and hell are real and horrible, and Jesus Christ is a great savior. Here’s a direct quote from my Dad:

“In my evangelistic career I have had the thrill of seeing people from all walks of life come to Christ. I have seen many professional people saved. I have knelt with Ph.D.’s and led them to Jesus. College professors, bankers, lawyers, doctors. I have seen them all saved.

Then I have seen many from the other side of life come to the Lord. I have put my arm around drunkards in city missions and prayed with them. I have sat by the bedside of dying alcoholics and led them to Christ. I have seen the poor, the forsaken, the derelicts, the outcasts all come to the Savior. Yes, God takes them, too. Isn’t it wonderful that anyone who wants to can come to Christ.” (Grace for the Guilty, p. 111)

Perhaps you never had a father like that, but right now you hear your heavenly father calling, “Come home, come home!” Father’s Day would be a good time to stop running and come home.

I thank you heavenly father for my earthly father. What a legacy he has left to me and my children and grand children—and to this church. O, raise up fathers in this church with great legacies of faith in Jesus Christ. Amen.

The Holy Alphabet

Thank You for visiting my blog. A friend send this "Holy Alphabet", which indeed is beautiful. It reminds me of the song " God is good all the time. All the time God is good." We may not fully understand all the plans He has for me, but through the eyes of faith, I can clearly see "God is good". If you are walking through the valley, and there are shadows all around, do not fear; God has promised, "I will not leave you, nor forsake you" and His word is true. Through the darkness night, His light will shine. So, read these holy alphabets and do what it says. Be edify and be blessed!
===============================

The Holy Alphabet... This is Beautiful.

A lthough things are not perfect

Because of trial or pain

Continue in thanksgiving

Do not begin to blame

E ven when the times are hard

F ierce winds are bound to blow

G od is forever able

H old on to what you know

I magine life without His love

J oy would cease to be

Keep thanking Him for all the things

Love imparts to thee

M ove out of "Camp Complaining"

N o weapon that is known

O n earth can yield the power

P raise can do alone

Q uit looking at the future

R edeem the time at hand

S tart every day with worship

T o "thank" is a command

U ntil we see Him coming

V ictorious in the sky

W e'll run the race with gratitude

X alting God most high

Y es, there'll be good times and yes some will be bad, but...

Z ion waits in glory...where none are ever sad!

"I AM Too blessed to be stressed!"

The shortest distance between a problem and a solution is the distance between your knees and the floor.

The one who kneels to the Lord can stand up to anything.

Love and peace be with you forever, Amen.