How to Spot a Healthy Church - Quickly

NOTE=This quick view, rule of thumb, seemed to be reflective of what Jesus himself taught. First, Jesus said our of the abundance of a person's heart so his mouth speaks. So, if a person's heart is right with God and with his people, and there is gladness of heart, there is joy and peace of the Spirit, it won't be surprizing to hear from that person's mouth the hearty singing as unto the Lord. Second, Jesus taught that by our love, others will know we are his disciples. If this is so not just in the life of a pastor, but also in the lives of his congregation, then there will be that obvious affection that this author spoke about. Are you a healthy disciple? Do you belong to a healthy church? You need to do your part to make it happen ! Enjoy the article and be blessed.
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How to Spot a Healthy Church - Quickly
Ray Pritchard
In the last 18 months I have come to a few conclusions about how to quickly gauge the health of the churches we visit--either to preach or simply to participate in a worship service. The Lord has allowed us to travel from coast to coast and to visit country cities, city churches and suburban churches--some large, some small, and many in-between. I don't know if doing this sort of itinerant ministry makes you more qualified to evaluate churches, but the very fact of being in a different church almost every Sunday inevitably forces you to think about where you've been, what you've seen, and what you've experienced. On one hand, it's obviously true that coming in to preach and then leaving doesn't allow you to do an in-depth analysis. But when your schedule takes you from Tupelo, MS to Muscle Shoals, AL to Baton Rouge, LA to New Brunswick, Canada to Arlington Heights, IL (my current schedule), it does allow you to worship in a variety of settings and it gives you a birds-eye view of how things are going in various churches.
I have come to the conclusion that there are two very obvious indicators of church health that the one-time visitor can gauge very quickly.
Hearty congregational singing.
Obvious affection between the pastor and the congregation.
I have written quite a bit about hearty congregational singing. That's one factor that I never fully appreciated until I started traveling and preaching in different churches. Healthy churches love to sing. This is not a statement about worship style, hymns vs. choruses, Power Point vs. hymnals, and it has nothing to do with denominational preference, church size, location, or the beauty or lack thereof of the sanctuary. I am not suggesting that healthy churches have great "music programs," a phrase I don't much like because it tends to emphasize the performance side of things. I'm not talking about excellent "special music" or beautiful choir anthems or praise bands or organ music, as good as those things may be. Lots of churches with big "music programs" hardly sing at all, although they may have big choirs and put on excellent Easter musicals. I am speaking of a church that truly loves to sing, where the music is based on good theology and the whole congregation lifts its voice in song, where a visitor can't help but join the rising chorus of praise to God. That's easy to check because it's obvious. If the people aren't singing, you can tell it. If the singing is anemic, preaching is generally more of a challenge. I think there is a lot of theology here and some insight into the human heart and something about the work of the Holy Spirit that I don't fully understand, but I have experienced it over and over again. Healthy churches love to sing. I've yet to visit an unhealthy church or a troubled church with strong congregational singing.
I have't written much about the second point, but it is equally obvious to me. When there is visible affection between the pastor and his people, when he loves them and they love him, and when you can see that expression of affection before and after the service as he greets people, and when you sense his love for his people as he speaks to them from the pulpit, there you have a healthy church. This is not a function of personality because some pastors are naturally more reserved and others are more outgoing. Pastors and congregations come in all sizes, shapes and various permutations. But you can't fake genuine love. I have come to understand that a true bond between a pastor and his people is a precious gift from God. It doesn't happen overnight but is built up over time as the pastor preaches strong messages from the Word and the people listen with eager hearts. And it is buttressed by times spent together laughing, crying, praying, talking, singing, eating, arguing, confronting, thinking, dreaming, meditating, evaluating, rejoicing, worshiping, sharing, proclaiming, rebuking, exulting, and all the other things that go into the life of the local church.
I do not tire of quoting Jess Moody who said that people choose a church with their noses. They can smell the joy.
That's as good a summary as I've ever heard. People can smell the joy on Sunday morning. And they can smell the other stuff too. Sometimes it's easy to smell the manure of church conflict. Most of us have had the experience of visiting a new church and without knowing anything about it, we sense that something is wrong inside the church. People look distraught, upset, flat, disinterested, and sometimes you can feel the tension in the air.
I don’t think you can fake joy. Even unbelievers can sense it. And nowhere is it more obvious than in hearty congregational singing and obvious affection between the pastor and the congregation. Where those things are present, you have found a healthy church.
(I’d love to know what you think about this. Do you agree with these two marks of a healthy church? What else would you add that would help a visitor quickly gauge the health of a church? Click here to offer your comments.)

"Believers, without Faith?" No!

NOTE:=It has been a while since i blogged. This article shook me, as it reminded me of the parable that Jesus told about the widow who appealed to an unrighteous judge for what she wanted. While the parable in Luke 18 was to teach us to pray always, never to give up, Jesus ended that parable with these words: Whether when the Son of Man return to the earth will He find FAITH?....Read this article and examine the condition of your faith. God bless.
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"Believers, without Faith?" No!
by Undrai & Bridget Fizer
Many have mastered the art of becoming "believers without the implementation of faith." Many are "believers" who trust in the rudiments of religious christiandom "than the prerequisites of believing with a Divine Mind." Embracing the Mind of Christ, to the point of becoming a living expression of the Divine Nature of God, totally blows certain minds away. It seems that simple Faith in this Principle "is very hard to come by."
What are you living from "if you have not mastered possessing faith?" Religion gives us the power "to become" without truly believing. It gives us the "title," while yet allowing us to make faith payments until we experience transformation and mature faith. Religion gives us the power to "say that we are something now," while not yet believing what we've said to the fullest. What are we living from "if faith is not the foundation of our momentum?"
Power for life "begins with believing what God believes." It begins by believing in the most humanly impossible Truths known to man..which is a virgin having a baby and Jesus dying and coming back to life! We cannot even begin a walk into destiny "until we have mastered believing God from impossible foundations." But for some, we usually "trade away belief of the impossible" for belief "in a denominational prerequisite or cultural doctrine." We believe in goodness "more than we believe in God!" We believe in the moral good "more than we believe that we are partakers of the Divine Nature!"
Religion makes it possible for us to get many to our "church" instead of awakening many to their Divine Life. We have been thorougly conditioned to press our way to church service "through the rain," instead of pressing our way to Divine Discovery "through our everyday pain." Indeed, religiosity makes it possible to "claim a Divine Name" without the implementation of Divine Faith." Faith? Believe? "How do I believe" is what is said more often than not.
What are we living from "if faith in, and from Christ, is not our foundation, our passion, or our beginning?" What are we living from "if creative possibility is not our Food?" What are we living from "if the mundane is more relevant than the supernatural dimensions that are responsible for our existence, purpose, and destiny?" What are we living from if ritual, regardless of sincerity, is more powerful "than the Truth that derives from the Mind of God?"
When faith becomes the believer's weakness, creation cannot help but continue in misery. Creation groans and awaits with eager anticipation, for the Manifestion and Becoming of the sons of God in the earth. Creation is not awaiting a conference, a revival, neither does it await another movement of men. It awaits for an explosion and an awakening of the Divine Nature of God to appear with confidence from the sons of God that are present in the earth. Faith and Belief must no longer be the believers weakness. What makes us a believer "when faith is our weakness?" *True belief never begins in the head. It always begins in the heart. The heart is life. Whatever is in the heart will naturally come out in one's progression. Intellect begins with the head, but Faith is birthed in the heart!
Our lives, choices, and direction, will become a direct result of the thing that made us "believers without faith being our foundation!" And everything that is not of the Kingdom, will be shakened. If your foundations did not include the mastery of believing the impossible, then that foundation will shake violently. The Father desires to give you a Kingdom "that cannot be moved." If your life is "moving, and your concepts of life and routine are being violently interrupted, then the Kingdom is making it's way into your vicinity." When we believe from the beginning, what God believes, our lives and power will not be moved. It does not stop life around us from shaking and burning, but it will not come nigh us! Believing what God believes "will not stop the storms from raging around us, but it will give us Divine Focus that will empower us to live as though the storm never began!"
And believe me, I know this is true! Because when you truly believe a thing "that thing will feel like yours!" It will feel like you gave birth to it yourself!
*Discovery beyond your present reality becomes impossible "if your faith only leads you to more religiosity." Believing what God believes, as well as believing how He believes, however, will lead you to what you were really born to do as well as manifest the Kingdom's Maximum Potential within you!

God knows our every thought

NOTES:=Oftentimes we are tempted to think we can get away with it and then we stumble and sin. Even strong very mature and established Christians can be so tempted. That's why we have high profile pastors and preachers fall from grace into disgrace. Often, because God does not immediately strike us dead and pin us down when we sin, we presume upon his grace and patience and continue on our wayward path. But this verse in Exekiel 11 reveal to us this one fact:= God says He knows every thought that comes into our mind. And He sees all our actions, even our self-deception. So, be reminded of this fact and live wisely, in the fear of God.
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Ezekiel 11:5
Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon me, and he told me to say, “This is what the Lord says to the people of Israel: I know what you are saying, for I know every thought that comes into your minds.

God knew everything about the Israelites, even their thoughts. He also knows everything about us, even the sins we try to hide. Instead of worrying about people noticing how we look or what we do, we should care what God thinks, for He see's everything. Trying to hide our thoughts and actions from God is futile. "Secret" sins are never secret from God. The only effective way to deal with our sins is to confess them and ask God to help us overcome them.

"How Do I Uncover My Spiritual Gifts?"

Notes;= I often hear believer give the excuse that they are not serving because they are not good at anything. This article outline a process to help us identify what we are good at and use it to serve God and serve others. I am reminded that Jesus came to serve to give his life up to save us. He wants to continue this work through us by giving all believers his holy Spirit. hence all believers have a spiritual gift, all believers can serve, all believers must serve. As we serve, we will bear fruit, and our fruit will bring glory to God. May you discover what your spiritual gift is, and begin to use, and may God multiply your fruit 30-fold, 60-fold, 100-fold. This is what living the abundant life in Christ means ! Right?
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"How Do I Uncover My Spiritual Gifts?

"3 ways to discern how God wired you.

by Nancy Ortberg

I love this question! Discovering and utilizing your spiritual gifts is one of the most exciting adventures a person can have with God. The Bible says spiritual gifts are abilities God bestows on every believer for the common good of the body of Christ. They're a large part of the answer to the question, "What should I do with the life God gave me?"
Passages like 1 Corinthians 12, Romans 12, and 1 Peter 4 go into specific detail about what these gifts are and how they should be used. It's clear every spiritual gift is a reflection of God's nature that you carry within you. And because your spiritual gift reflects God's design and direction for your life, you'll find great passion, joy, and satisfaction in expressing it. Your spiritual gift also will be a place of deep spiritual formation in your life, as God uses it both to powerfully connect you to him and to expose areas of your soul that need his forgiveness and redemption.
So here's a process to start:
Pay attention. Notice the things that energize you and seem to come naturally. Remember the quote from the movie Chariots of Fire when Eric Liddell explained to his sister why he was postponing his return to the mission field in order to race in the Olympics? "Because when I run, I feel the pleasure of God."
Every spiritual gift gives off clues. Your spiritual gift will cause you to react a certain way in a given situation. If there's a problem, people with the spiritual gift of shepherding will be immediately concerned that people are cared for and growing in Christlikeness as a result of the issue. Those with the gift of intercession (prayer) will immediately say, "We need to pray about this," while those with a leadership gift will begin looking at solutions for the problem.
Try. Once you've gathered enough information to create a list of some possible gifts (perhaps gifts of mercy, evangelism, encouragement, or hospitality), exercise your options. A great place to start would be a volunteer position at your church. While you're trying it out, you'll start to discern whether you're good at it or not. Also, others will tell you!
When my kids were young, our church needed help in the nursery during the worship services. I volunteered for a three-month opening. I didn't feel the pleasure of God; the children didn't feel the pleasure of God. It was so not my spiritual gift. Part of learning what you're good at is having to go through the pain of learning what you're not good at.
As you try different things, you'll eventually find yourself engaged in something during which time flies and you find a deep sense of connection to God. Pick that road to continue your adventure.
Develop. In 2 Timothy 1:6, the apostle Paul encourages Timothy to "fan into flame the gift of God." We're responsible to develop our gifts. Perhaps one of the best ways to do that is to mentor someone who's just starting on this discovery process. People with the spiritual gift of wisdom are probably the best people to develop someone else with the spiritual gift of wisdom, and so on for each of the gifts.
It's remarkable how you can deepen your relationship with God as you uncover and live out the spiritual gifts he's bestowed on you. What could the church and our world look like if each of us used the gift God's given us?

Questions Couples Should Ask (Or Wish They Had) Before Marrying

NOTES;= These questions highlight the real life issues that married couples will face. Each person will look at these issues differently. Talking through them before marriage will help the couple to better understand each other and whether they think they have what it takes to make the marriage works. Not that they must necessary share the same views, but that they know what the differences might be and how they can best handle it. If during the pre-marital phase of such sharing, the couple discover such big gaps that they cannot bridge, then its a clear sign they need to seriously re-think their relationship moving forward.

Questions Couples Should Ask (Or Wish They Had) Before Marrying

Published: December 17, 2006

Relationship experts report that too many couples fail to ask each other critical questions before marrying. Here are a few key ones that couples should consider asking:

1) Have we discussed whether or not to have children, and if the answer is yes, who is going to be the primary care giver?
2) Do we have a clear idea of each other’s financial obligations and goals, and do our ideas about spending and saving mesh?
3) Have we discussed our expectations for how the household will be maintained, and are we in agreement on who will manage the chores?
4) Have we fully disclosed our health histories, both physical and mental?
5) Is my partner affectionate to the degree that I expect?
6) Can we comfortably and openly discuss our sexual needs, preferences and fears?
7) Will there be a television in the bedroom?
8) Do we truly listen to each other and fairly consider one another’s ideas and complaints?
9) Have we reached a clear understanding of each other’s spiritual beliefs and needs, and have we discussed when and how our children will be exposed to religious/moral education?
10) Do we like and respect each other’s friends?
11) Do we value and respect each other’s parents, and is either of us concerned about whether the parents will interfere with the relationship?
12) What does my family do that annoys you?
13) Are there some things that you and I are NOT prepared to give up in the marriage?
14) If one of us were to be offered a career opportunity in a location far from the other’s family, are we prepared to move?
15) Does each of us feel fully confident in the other’s commitment to the marriage and believe that the bond can survive whatever challenges we may face?

Use Your Material Possessions to Draw Closer to Christ

NOTES;= This article reminds me of Jesus parable of the sower. The seed that fell on thorny ground. Most Christians these days belong this category. Their life in Christ is characterise by worries of this life and pursuit of wealth. These concerns choke us and prevent us from bearing fruit. To the extent that we worry less and be content with what we have rather than fret for more and what we dont have, to that extent we can truly bear fruit for God. Many Christians bear little or no fruit for they generally seek to glorify themselves before men. No wonder Jesus said in John 17 that those who bear much fruit bring glory to God and are true disciples of His. When you read this article below, consider how you can worry less and pursue less wealth, so that you can be free to bear fruit for Christ, 30-fold, 60-fold, 100-fold. Be edified!


Use Your Material Possessions to Draw Closer to Christ
Whitney Hopler
Kelly is constantly thinking of stuff she doesn't have. A pastor's wife, Kelly lives on an income that's far tighter than she would like. She regularly reminds her husband of what a painful sacrifice it is for her to live on their income, and she often window-shops for things she would like to own.
Kelly feels guilty about secretly buying lottery tickets, and even more guilty about resenting the members of her congregation who live in large houses filled with more stuff than she has in her small townhouse.
Mike is always thinking about the stuff he has. He worked and saved for years to acquire things he dreamed of owning -- a Porshe in his garage, a big-screen television in his living room, an extensive collection of suits in his bedroom. Mike can't bring himself to get rid of all his stuff, but he frequently worries about whether it's demanding too much of his time and money.
He and his wife sense a calling to start a family someday, but Mike doesn't see how he can make the necessary sacrifices. Then there's giving to their church. Mike never manages to drop more than a few dollars into the collection plate each week, despite knowing he should contribute much more. When he finds himself feeling badly about it, he takes a ride in his Porsche, which never fails to put him in a better mood.
You may think you have either too little or too much stuff. But what truly matters is how you use the stuff you have. Here are five principles for using your stuff as tools to grow closer to Christ:
1. Don't give greater priority - as measured by your time and attention - to your stuff than you do to your relationship with Christ. It's often the case that the more possessions you have, the more they possess you. Buying, maintaining, insuring, fixing, cleaning, and storing your stuff can eat up a considerable amount of time. Do you really need that Oriental rug that requires you to take off your shoes every time you walk in your house? Do you need to get a wax job for your car every other week, or can you skip it?More importantly, time you don't spend taking care of your stuff can be spent in prayer or reading the Bible. Take an inventory, not of your stuff, but of the time you spend dealing with your stuff. How does that compare with the time you spend with Christ? If the former number is out of balance with the latter, you'll do well to simplify.
Jesus said, "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money" (Matthew 6:24).
2. Your attitude toward stuff should bless others. In all things - including dealing with stuff - an attitude of love should rule your actions.
It's not enough just to decide to get rid of extra stuff you already own and decide not to buy more. You can sanctimoniously congratulate yourself on not wanting or owning a lot of stuff, but still end up sinning if you fall into the traps of ingratitude or miserliness.For example, if friends or family members present you with gifts that cost more than you think they should, don't criticize their generosity by judging how they spent their money. Remember that just because a gift is expensive doesn't make it bad. As long as the gift-givers are sincerely expressing love through their gifts and not trying to manipulate you through them, you should accept graciously and cheerfully.
Don't feel pressured to reciprocate with expensive gifts of your own if God doesn't lead you to do so. But whenever you have stuff that you don't truly need - and that other people could use - be willing to be generous yourself. Acts 2:45 records that early Christians sold their possessions, giving "to anyone as he had need." They knew that material things are merely tools to express Christ's love and grow closer to Him.
3. Your stuff should foster enriching experiences. Manage wisely whatever God chooses to give you. Stuff isn't inherently bad; sometimes it can enable you to experience something that will draw you closer to Christ. If you can hear God's voice more clearly out in nature, it makes sense to own a tent and a sleeping bag so you can go camping.
When Jesus attended the wedding in Cana, He chose to perform His first public miracle by changing water to wine. Serving wine was an important part of the wedding experience in that culture, and Jesus knew that preventing the supply of wine from running out would support the fellowship the wedding guests were enjoying.
4. Your stuff should honor Christ. In 1 Corinthians 10:23, 31, the apostle Paul wrote, "'Everything is permissible' - but not everything is beneficial. 'Everything is permissible' - but not everything is constructive. ... So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God."
Whatever stuff you choose to have should glorify God. Of course, that means you shouldn't own stuff that is by its nature opposed to God's teachings - such as pornographic magazines. Most of the stuff in our lives, however, doesn't fall into that category. We should use whatever we have in ways that honor Him. For example, you can use your television to watch news that keeps you informed, or an inspiring show that reflects biblical principles. Or you can use it to watch soap operas, filling your mind with values that don't please God.
Think about how your stuff honors the Lord. If certain items don't, it's best to give them up.
5. Your stuff shouldn't make you feel discontent. Just like Kelly and Mike's experiences, stuff can rob us of the contentment God wants for us. Wouldn't it be nice to be able to agree with the apostle Paul: "I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to be have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situations, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want" (Philippians 4:12)?
What is that secret? A close relationship with Christ. All of our stuff will one day pass away from us, but a relationship with Christ is eternal!

My Days Are Numbered

Note:= Think about this ! What do you have? and what do you need?

My Days Are Numbered

By RICK MORANIS
Published: November 22, 2006
The average American home now has more television sets than people ... according to Nielsen Media Research. There are 2.73 TV sets in the typical home and 2.55 people, the researchers said.
— The Associated Press, Sept. 21.
I HAVE two kids. Both are away at college.
I have five television sets. (I like to think of them as a set of five televisions.) I have two DVR boxes, three DVD players, two VHS machines and four stereos.
I have nineteen remote controls, mostly in one drawer.
I have three computers, four printers and two non-working faxes.
I have three phone lines, three cell phones and two answering machines.
I have no messages.
I have forty-six cookbooks.
I have sixty-eight takeout menus from four restaurants.
I have one hundred and sixteen soy sauce packets.
I have three hundred and eighty-two dishes, bowls, cups, saucers, mugs and glasses.
I eat over the sink.
I have five sinks, two with a view.
I try to keep a positive view.
I have two refrigerators.
It’s very hard to count ice cubes.
I have thirty-nine pairs of golf, tennis, squash, running, walking, hiking, casual and formal shoes, ice skates and rollerblades.
I’m wearing slippers.
I have forty-one 37-cent stamps.
I have no 2-cent stamps.
I read three dailies, four weeklies, five monthlies and no annual reports.
I have five hundred and six CD, cassette, vinyl and eight-track recordings.
I listen to the same radio station all day.
I have twenty-six sets of linen for four regular, three foldout and two inflatable beds.
I don’t like having houseguests.
I have one hundred and eighty-four thousand frequent flier miles on six airlines, three of which no longer exist.
I have “101 Dalmatians” on tape.
I have fourteen digital clocks flashing relatively similar times.
I have twenty-two minutes to listen to the news.
I have nine armchairs from which I can be critical.
I have a laundry list of things that need cleaning.
I have lost more than one thousand golf balls.
I am missing thirty-seven umbrellas.
I have over four hundred yards of dental floss.
I have a lot of time on my hands.
I have two kids coming home for Thanksgiving.
Rick Moranis is the creator of a country music album, “The Agoraphobic Cowboy.”

OB Lines

NOTE:= A great reminder to exercise great caution when it comes to affairs of such a nature. Remind me of 1 kings 11:1-5, where it was recorded how King Soloman wandered away from following God and fell away. Men are especially proned to such temptations. I think King Solomon must have deceived himself into believing that he can have God's blessings and at the same time share in the pleasure of this world. His heart, although made wise by God, was no security to protect him when he let his guard down. May we learn to keep very close watch over our hearts. Drawing such OB (Out-of-bounds) lines and fences can help us stay on the secured and lighted path and not wander down a slippery path, thinking and deceiving ourselves that it's OK when in our heart of hearts, we know it's not. Take care and God bless.
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5 Moral Fences

Fact: Some kids like to play "near the edge," and some kids don't. I always did! Whether the "edge" was rock jumping into a cool mountain lake or "bumper jumping" moving cars to slide along an icy winter street, the potential of peril invigorated me.

But "when I became a man, I put away childish things" (1 Cor. 13:11). I was a pastor and in seminary when the moral failures of the late '80's hit the news. In addition to the big names, I heard a shocking number of similar tragedies from my own circle of pastor/friends.

One Sunday night in 1987 I remember crying all the way to church. I was terrified. I asked over and over, "How does this happen? Could this happen to me? How can I protect myself, my family, and my ministry from the devastation a moral failure would cause? How can I keep myself pure when men better than me are falling like flies?"

As I prayed it through, I figured that those who fell morally must have disregarded the warning signs. They didn't go from Spirit-led to stepping off the cliff in one day. They must have crashed some social barriers before their slippage became sexual.

Where is that line? I wondered, And how can I make sure I never cross it? I knew I had to make my decisions early and my standards public so that others would know when I was "playing near the edge." I was determined that, by God's grace, I would not take the plunge. So I set some boundaries of behavior.

I remembered an incident back in Bible college when the college president would not give my (young, beautiful) fiancee a ride to our church almost two hours away when he came to speak. At first that seemed odd; now I was beginning to understand why.

Sexual temptation is
where we are held least
accountable and where
we can fall fastest.

I began to form my list of moral fences:

1. I will not, under any circumstances, ride alone in a car with a female other than my wife or an immediate family member. No lifts home for a church secretary, no baby sitters driven home late at night, no rides for teen girls in my student ministry, more recently no personal pickups for my daughter's girlfriends, no exceptions.

Recently while speaking out of town, I had to explain to my pastor friend why it would not work out for his wife to meet me and drive me over there. It has been awkward at times, but it's a beneficial discipline.

2. I do not counsel a woman in a closed room or more than once. No matter what the issue, counseling is an intimate activity, and when the subject matter itself becomes intimate, counseling the opposite sex is like playing with fire.

When our church was smaller, keeping this standard meant that some women had to seek counsel elsewhere and two or three left our church over my "fence." I was hurt at first, but it blessed my wife.

My time was better spent training a team of men and women to do the lighter counseling and then referring those with more complex issues to biblical counseling centers outside our church.

When I cannot avoid a second session with a woman in our church, I have my wife or another pastor join us. Pretty hard to commit adultery with someone you never spend time alone with.

3. I do not stay alone in a hotel overnight. I did my doctoral thesis on increasing the incidents of self-disclosure of sin among men. I have heard more confessions of addiction to various forms of sexual sin than any one pastor should have to hear, and it has changed me. It has left me deeply persuaded that "there but for the grace of God (and some moral fences), go I." I know myself too well.

Lengthy, unaccountable hours with manifold temptations available is a recipe for failure. Romans 13:14 instructs us to "make no provision for the flesh." Do I sound weak? I am! And when I forget that weakness, I cease to know God's strength (1 Cor. 12:10).

When I travel, I travel with someone. When that is impossible, I stay with a friend. When that is impossible I do not go. Period.

Early in my ministry, that meant there were things I missed out on. Recently our elders have agreed to help fund a travel partner for me. If an outside ministry opportunity is deemed worthwhile, and the ministry cannot afford a second airfare, our church pays for me to take another pastor or elder, or best of all, my wife!

4. I speak often and publicly of my affection for my wife, when she's present and when she's not. Marriages that are failing often become silent in public before they become loudly negative. If a pastor neglects publicly affirming his wife, it may reveal a private deterioration of that relationship.

I have tried to develop close friends who consistently monitor the way I refer to and interact with my wife. I know some men in our church feel the heat because I am so publicly wild about my wife of 16 years, but maybe that's good for them.

5. Compliment the character or the conduct, not the coiffure or the clothing. I'm still working on this one. As our church has grown, and I don't know everybody personally, the power of a compliment has become a problem. As pastors we love people and want to be an encouragement. Formerly, if I noticed that Shelly had a new dress or Susan had changed her hair I would compliment her on that. I felt it was harmless. If it seemed to meet a need and I meant it sincerely, I thought, No harm done.

But more recently I have seen that this seemingly innocent gesture can have far more impact than I ever intended. Now I'm trying to restrict my compliments to character and conduct. I get to use my gift of encouragement, but I focus on the things God is doing in a person's life and not the externals that are so easily misunderstood.

Make the fences public

The fence is useless if I can take it down any time my sinful heart desires. To make it work, those around me must understand the fences and be willing to tell me if they see one broken down. I periodically weave the fences into a sermon.

My most recent example was a message on "Meeting God in Moral Failure." When the message came to the "how to prevent" part, I simply explained my five moral fences.

At the staff level, we require the fences to be maintained. From pastors to ministry leaders, custodians to bookstore personnel, every paid staff member is held to this standard. A former singles pastor found it very difficult not to have lunch alone with women in his ministry, claiming he "forgot." Eventually we told him we would "forget" to pay him if he "forgot" again.

Isn't this legalism?

This is not legalism. Legalism is when we judge another's spirituality based on man-made rules. We are not judging anyone's heart for the Lord. We are simply reasoning together how we can remain pure and faithful in our commitments to God and family.

Of course, Christian morality involves far more than righteous sexuality. Money and power have often been observed to destroy ministers and ministries. However, decisions about money and power are more public. People see the kind of car I drive, the clothes I wear, the vacations I take, and the home I live in.

People also observe the ways I use my influence over others. If I become powerdriven rather than servant-oriented, if I lord my authority over others and abuse my position, people will "vote with their feet."

With both money and power, there is a broad public accountability that is a "fence" of sorts. Beyond that most of us have elders and/or deacons who monitor the way we use power and money in the church. I account regularly for the way I use my influence and am excluded almost completely from the money matters of ministry.

Yet none of these co-leaders can monitor my sexual purity. It stands alone as a purely private matter capable of instantly destroying my ministry.

Moral fences are most needed in the area of sexual temptation because it is here we are held least accountable and it is here we can fall fastest.

What about solo sexual sin?

The fiercest battle for sexual purity is fought in the mind, what I look at, and what I think about. Moral fences may protect me from the act of adultery, but what protects a minister from the mental/emotional infidelity Jesus warns of (Matt. 5:28)?

My resume in these matters is certainly not spotless, but I have found great help in weekly accountability from my men's small group, which asks specific questions about Internet usage, television/movies viewed, and magazines read.

Knowing that within days my brothers will ask me point blank, "Have you set anything unclean before your eyes this week?" (Ps. 101:3) has been a strong deterrent.

Above reproach

In both Timothy and Titus, Paul instructs leaders in Christ's church to be above reproach. That is, our conduct must be such that it would be difficult, even for those who oppose our ministry, to bring an accusation against us. Many a pastor has had his ministry destroyed over accusations that could not be proven false, though they were.

Our congregation is comforted in knowing that our ministry team is seeking to protect themselves and the church from moral failure. By identifying the behaviors that lead to moral problems and avoiding them, we embrace the wisdom of Proverbs 4:26 to "ponder the path of your feet and let all your ways be established."

Of course, the standards themselves are not in any way righteous. They are only a protection against potentially overwhelming temptation.

Last summer on our family vacation, we drove through some very high, single lane, mountain passes. The road was narrow and the drop-off immense. I drove slowly and hugged the mountain! I kept my eyes on the road and refused to look down, but I'm still glad the guard rails were there.

This is one pastor's attempt to live above reproach. What are your reactions? LEADERSHIP would like to publish other approaches to protecting the integrity of ministry. Send your thoughts to ljeditor@leadershipjournal.net or to LEADERSHIP, 465 Gundersen Dr., Carol Stream IL 60188.

James MacDonald is founding pastor of
Harvest Bible Chapel
800 Rohlwing Road
Rolling Meadows IL 60008

GRACE : A LICENSE TO WANDER ?

Note:= A great article, reminding us what truly is relying on God's grace and what is expected by God as a consequence of giving us His grace. Like what the apostle john said in first john, those who are born of God do not continue to sin. Like what Jesus said to the woman caught in adultery, " Go and sin no more." Only a person saved by grace and walking in daily obedience to God's commands will experience in reality the joy of true salvation, arising from a pure conscience. May God strength our resolve to continue in true faith that saves !

GRACE : A LICENSE TO WANDER ?
The need for a balanced message.An article by Bryan Chapell.
Talking about God's unconditional love in order to promote godliness is counterintuitive. If all we do is keep assuring people that God loves them, then what is to keep them from taking advantage of grace and doing whatever they want?In recent decades a number of wonderful movements of grace have begun to sweep across the evangelical world. These groups include the Sonship, World Harvest Mission, and New Life ministries that have flourished from the seminal influence of the late Jack Miller, Redeemer churches associated with Tim Keller; New City Fellowship churches and ministries in various cities; and the L'Abri fellowships spawned by the teachings of Francis Schaeffer. To these early and deep fountains of grace could be added a great number of ministers, churches, and institutions in evangelical circles that have recently made grace a chief focus of their ministries. Contributors are as diverse as John Armstrong, Charles Swindoll, Joyce Meyers, R. C. Sproul, Steve Brown, Michael Scott Horton, Jerry Bridges, and Philip Yancey.Without a doubt a grace awakening is occurring, but the new emphasis does not come without varying accents, challenges, and concerns. Concerns that the new emphasis on grace will result in antinomianism (disregard for the law of God) have become quite numerous and acute. The history of the evangelical church in North America can partially explain the reasons for these concerns.Much of the evangelical church finds its cultural roots in the modernist/fundamentalist controversy of the early twentieth century. Not only did those who stood for historic Christianity against modern skepticism fight against disregard for biblical truth, they also warred against the lifestyle changes being adopted by those who discredited the right of Scripture to govern their lives.Concern about lifestyle issues is necessary for biblical Christianity. Early leaders among the North American evangelicals rightly insisted that the Bible has commands that God's people must obey in order to honor him. Problems came, however, when patterns of personal conduct became almost as much an emphasis in evangelical preaching and teaching as the message of God's grace. As a consequence, people began to think of their conduct as a qualification for God's acceptance.The result of the strong emphasis on lifestyle issues was the creation of codes of conduct that supposedly distinguished real Christians from the secular world and nominal believers. Strict adherence to the codes became the mark of serious Christianity in many churches, even when the particulars could not be biblically proven. In fact, many of the standards of the evangelical code (for example, do not play card games, drink alcoholic beverages, smoke, or go to movies) became so much a part of the culture of most conservative churches that few people in them even thought to question whether the Bible actually taught all that the churches expected.Part of the concern about a renewed emphasis on grace is simply a fear of the loss of evangelical identity as interest wanes in adherence to the codes that have distinguished Bible-believing Christians over the past century. The fear has some merit. The codes have, in fact, kept many Christians from dallying with cultural practices and adopting societal patterns wherein lie great spiritual danger. Those who become strong advocates of a grace emphasis must acknowledge the legitimacy of this concern and show how their teaching will provide protection from secular dangers when the codes of conduct are undermined.Admittedly, strong advocates of the new grace emphasis may not feel that it is their responsibility to deal with the behavior issues that concern advocates of the codes. Preachers of grace typically see the old evangelical codes as destructive forms of legalism that need to be dismantled. Many of us have been personally wounded by legalistic attitudes in the church and resonate with the need to fight their spiritually corrosive influences.Still, it is not enough for the advocates of grace simply to react against legalism. We must also respond to the license that always tempts Christians when preachers say, "God will love you no matter what." Legalism makes believers think that God accepts them on the basis of what they do. Licentiousness makes believers think that God does not care what they do. Both errors have terrible spiritual consequences.Jesus said, "if you love me, you will obey what I command" (John 14:15). Grace should not make obedience optional. When God removes good works as a condition for his acceptance, he does not remove righteousness as a requirement for life. The standards of Scripture glorify God and protect his people from spiritual harm. We cannot undermine the legitimate standards of the Bible without grave consequences.God does not love us because we obey him, but we cannot know the blessings of his love without obedience. Thus, a grace focus that undermines Christ's own demand for obedience denies us knowledge of and intimacy with him. This is not grace.Grace that bears fruit is biblical. Grace that goes to seed uses God's unconditional love as an excuse for selfish indulgence. Such egocentric living ultimately burdens us with the guilt and consequences of sin that God has designed his grace to remove.Resting on God's grace does not relieve us of our holy obligations; rather it should enable us to fulfill them.

A BEAUTIFUL ANALOGY!

A BEAUTIFUL ANALOGY!

A man went to a barbershop to have his hair cut and his beard trimmed. As the barber began to work, they began to have a good conversation. They talked about so many things and various subjects. When they eventually touched on the subject of God, the barber said: "I don't believe that God exists." "Why do you say that?" asked the customer. "Well, you just have to go out in the street to realize that God doesn't exist. Tell me, if God exists, would there be so many sick people? Would there be abandoned children? If God existed, there would be neither suffering nor pain. I can't imagine a loving a God who would allow all of these things."

The customer thought for a moment, but didn't respond because he didn't want to start an argument. The barber finished his job and the customer left the shop. Just after he left the barbershop, he saw a man in the street with long, stringy, dirty hair and an untrimmed beard. He looked dirty and unkempt.

The customer turned back and entered the barber shop again and he said to the barber: "You know what? Barbers do not exist." "How can you say that?" asked the surprised barber. "I am here, and I am a barber. And I just worked on you!" "No!" the customer exclaimed. "Barbers don't exist because if they did, there would be no people with dirty long hair and untrimmed beards, like that man outside."

"Ah, but barbers DO exist! " answered the barber. " What happens, is, people do not come to me. " "Exactly!"- affirmed the customer. "That's the point! God, too, DOES exist! What happens, is, people don't go to Him . That's why there's so much pain and suffering in the world."

IF GOD BE WITH US, WHO CAN BE AGAINST US.

How to live a life of victory?

"Brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall." (2 Peter 1:10)

You shall never fall. When you think about it, that's a startling statement, isn't it? Most of us have been tripped up by the devil so many times we don't like to think about it. But the Word of God says it doesn't have to be that way. He says there's something that can keep us on our feet. What is it? Diligence.

If you haven't already, you need to realize how important diligence is. You need to face the fact that you simply can't live a life of victory without it. You can't stand strong on the Word of God and not pick your Bible up during the week. Sunday morning alone isn't going to get the job done. Yet most believers try to get by on that. That's precisely why we have thousands of churches all over the world filled with born-again people who don't have enough faith to blow their hats off. No diligence.

I remember several years ago when I ministered to a lady who was healed of cancer. She'd gotten into the Word, taken a stand of faith, and had been delivered. But several years later she called me and said, "Brother Copeland, I wish you'd pray for me. This cancer has come back on me again." Right away I recalled the scripture the Lord had given us to stand on those years before: "No weapon formed against you shall prosper." So I said, "Get your Bible and let's go back to Isaiah 54:17." In the background I could hear her whispering to someone else in the room, "Where's my Bible?" When I heard that, I almost cried out. I knew she wasn't going to make it. Why? No diligence.

Listen, this is a daily thing. The devil's out there 24 hours a day devising ways to make us fall. Jesus is on the throne 24 hours a day giving us power to resist him, and we need to be exercising our faith all the time. If you're going to stand in the days ahead, you're going to need a lot more than Sunday school faith. You're going to need some full-grown, mountain-moving faith, and there's only one way to get that: By giving yourself to the Word more diligently than you ever have before. Give diligence to make your calling and election sure; and no matter how slippery the situation gets, you won't have to fall!
Scripture Study: 2 Peter 1:3-10

Because GOD is...

Attributes of God by Dr. William R. Bright

1* Because God is a personal Spirit...........I will seek intimate fellowship with Him.

2* Because God is all-powerful......He can help me with anything.

3* Because God is ever-present......He is always with me.

4* Because God knows everything......I will go to Him with all my questions and concerns.

5* Because God is sovereign......I will joyfully submit to His will.

6* Because God is holy......I will devote myself to Him in purity,worship and service.

7* Because God is absolute truth......I will believe what He says and live accordingly.

8* Because God is righteous......I will live by His standards.

9* Because God is just......He will treat me fairly.

10* Because God is love......He is unconditionally committed to my wellbeing.

11* Because God is merciful......He forgive me of my sins when I sincerely confess them.

12* Because God is faithful......I will trust Him to always keep His promises.

13* Because God never changes......my future is secure and eternal.

Father, deep within our hearts we want to know You more. Amen
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Some things to think about !

Trust the past to God's mercy, the present to God's loveand the future to God's providence.

St, Augustine of Hippo

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Things You Probably Never Knew or Thought About.

* At least 5 people in this world love you so much that they woulddie for you.

* At least 15 people in this world love you in some way.

* A smile from you can bring happiness to anyone, even if they don'tlike you.

* Every night, SOMEONE thinks about you before they go to sleep.

* You mean the world to someone.

* If not for you, someone may not be living.

* You are special and unique.

* Someone that you don't even know exists loves you.

* When you make the biggest mistake ever, something good comes fromit.

* If you have a great friend, take the time to let them know thatthey are great.

They say it takes a minute to find a special person, an hour toappreciate them,a day to love them, but then an entire life to forget them.

Take the time....to live and love.

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Don't Quit, Keep Playing

NOTE=This article is a great reminder of who we are and who God is. I just returned from my church camp, mandarin service; theme was "love God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind; and love your neighbour as your self". The speaker shared much from his life experiences, what is meant by "such a love". Often many of us limit our love; meaning, we set conditions when we would love or continue to love. We draw boundaries beyond which we would cease to love. This is in contrast to the limitless love of God; and we were challenged to re-examine the way we love in the light of such limitless love. The key lesson I learnt was this: while there is clearly a limit to what I can do, because I am human and not God, this does not mean I need to set a limit to my love for others. I can love regardless. I can love even if I don't get what I hope for in return. I can love even if I am aware I am being used in the process. I can continue to play my "twinkle little star" in obedience to my master, and let him do the rest. I don't need to do the 100%. I can do my little 5-10%, and trust God to do the rest. He is God. And I am man. Together we are called to a special partnership to love. Will you keep "playing" and not quit? God has not quit on us. Thank God!


Don't Quit, Keep Playing

Wishing to encourage her young son's progress on the piano, a mother took her boy to the concert of a great master pianist. After they were seated, the mother spotted an old friend in the audience and walked down the aisle to greet her. Seizing the opportunity to explore the wonders of the concert hall, the little boy rose and eventually explored his way through a door marked "NO ADMITTANCE."

When the house lights dimmed and the concert was about to begin, the mother returned to her seat and discovered, to her horror, that her child was missing. Suddenly, the curtains parted and spotlights focused on the impressive Steinway on stage. In disbelief, the mother saw her little boy sitting at the keyboard, innocently picking out "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star." At that moment, the great piano master made his entrance, quickly moved to the piano, and whispered in the boy's ear,

"Don't quit. Keep playing."

Then leaning over, he reached down with his left hand and began filling in a bass part. Soon his right arm reached around to the other side of the child, and he added a running obligatio. Together, the old master and the young novice transformed what could have been a frightening situation into a wonderfully creative experience. The audience was so mesmerized that they couldn't recall what else the great master played. Only the classic "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star." Perhaps that's the way it is with God. What we can accomplish on our own is hardly noteworthy.

We try our best, but the results aren't always graceful flowing Music.However, with the hand of the Master, our life's work can truly be beautiful. Next time you set out to accomplish great feats, listen carefully. You may hear the voice of the Master, whispering in your ear, "Don't quit. Keep playing."

May you feel His arms around you and know that His hands are there helping you turn your feeble attempts into true masterpieces. Remember, God may seem to call the equipped, but in truth, He equips the 'called'.

Unexpected Blessings from Affliction and Suffering

NOTE=This article is a great reminder of the place God has ordained for suffering in the life of a believer. So if you are suffering at this time, take comfort in this knowledge that your God knows and He cares. May you honour God greatly in your suffering just as Jesus did in His suffering when he was here. If we suffer well, we will also share in his wonderful glory. Learn the example of Job, dont ever curse God in your suffering; instead, rejoice evermore, and these words come from one who were suffering in prison for his faith. Yet he counted his sufferings very light, not worth comparing with the glory which he will share with the Lord of Glory when he comes again.

Unexpected Blessings from Affliction and Suffering

From "The Cocoon and the Butterfly", Author unknown

A man found a cocoon of a butterfly. One day a small opening appeared. He sat and watched the butterfly for several hours as it struggled to force it's body through that little hole. Then it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it could and it could go no farther.

So the man decided to help the butterfly. He took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon. The butterfly then emerged easily. But it had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings.

The man continued to watch the butterfly because he expected that, at any moment, the wings would enlarge and expand to be able to support the body, which would contract in time. Neither happened!

In fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its life struggling around with a swollen body and shriveled wings.It never was able to fly.

What the man in his kindness and haste did not understand, was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required for the butterfly to to get through the tiny opening were God's way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings, so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved it's freedom from the cocoon.

Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our life. If God allowed us to go through our life without any obstacles, it would cripple us. We would not be as strong as what we could have been. And we could never fly.


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Dear Friends in Christ, God has built into His creation many examples of His wisdom for us to learn from. This is hinted at in this interesting verse:

Prov 6:6 (KJV)
Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise:

The example of the butterfly and the cocoon is yet another such source of wisdom. It reminds me of the Christian song lyrics which say, "If I never had a problem, I'd never know that He could solve them". The point is, God allows and designs suffering and affliction to come into our lives to give us the ability to grow as we ENDURE the problem. Our reaction to the problem is also a measure of our maturity in the Christian walk, and may change as we grow in our faith.

Just as there are three opponents to our walk with Christ, the devil, the world and the flesh, so are there three kinds of sufffering that we must endure:
Persecution or suffering for our faith;
Affliction or medical problems and the accompanying pain or inconvenience; Temptations to sin or worldiness, or idolatry.

Persecution for our Faith, or "Suffering"

In the concordance you will find that whenever the word "suffering" or "suffer" occurs, it seems to be related to our Christian testimony. The devil works overtime to try to negate our Christian testimony. He does this through fear, lies and intimidation. His aim is to get us to cowar and go silent about what Christ has done for us and what He can do for others. Either by our words or our actions, we are tempted to deny our Lord in response to the fear of threats or lies or damage to our reputation or to our life.
1 Pet 1:3-7 (KJV) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope
by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, {4} To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,
{5} Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.{6} Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season,
if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: {7} That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

Pain and Affliction-Affliction is physical or medical suffering that we may have to endure. Of course, the book of Job shows us that the devil is also the one who tries to encourage God to take away our health so that we will perhaps "curse God and die".

Job 2:7-9 (KJV)So went Satan forth from the presence of the LORD, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown. {8} And he took him a potsherd[broken piece of pottery] to scrape himself withal; and he sat down among the ashes. {9} Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity?
curse God, and die[H=kill yourself].

Here in a nutshell is satan's true goal for causing pain and suffering to a Christian: he wants you to have to endure such pain and depression that you will curse God for putting you through it, and then deny your faith, and then to kill yourself...a triple victory for satan from bringing suffering into our lives.

Of course, the story of Job's affliction does not end in defeat, but in continued and persistent faith as he endured the suffering. Consider his response to the faithless response of his wife from the above verses:

Job 2:10 (KJV) But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.And at the end of Job's trial of medical affliction and loss, we find the true result of what God had in mind for Job all along. Although He permitted all the evil things to happen to this good man, His intent was to deepen Job's faith and give him a personal relationship with Himself that Job did not have before:

Job 42:1-6 (KJV)Then Job answered the LORD, and said, {2} I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee.{3} Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? therefore have I uttered that I understood not;
things too wonderful for me, which I knew not. {4} Hear, I beseech thee, and I will speak: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me. {5} I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee. {6} Wherefore I abhor myself,
and repent in dust and ashes.

Worldliness or Riches- Idolatry of worldly things.

We also often find ourselves struggling with the alure of money and material things to take our attention away from serving Christ. As Jesus teaches in the parable of the Sower and the Soils:
Mat 13:22 (KJV) He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word,
and he becometh unfruitful.

1 Tim 6:8-12 (KJV) And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. {9} But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition{Gk=eternal damnation}.
{10} For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
{11} But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. {12} Fight the good fight of faith,
lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.

And as we endure the suffering or temptation, and struggle to overcome it, Christ is watching us and limiting the intensity of the temptation so that it will not be above that which we are able to bear.

1 Cor 10:9-14 (KJV) Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted,
and were destroyed of serpents. {10} Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer. {11} Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.{12} Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. {13} There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man:but God is faithful, who will not suffer{cause} you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. {14} Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.

The unexpected consequences of suffering and affliction for the Christian are Christian growth, and experiences of victory that you will have as a treasure with which you can help and counsel others. Observe:

2 Cor 1:2-4 (KJV) Grace be to you and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. {3} Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;{4} Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble,
by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.

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Verses for further meditation:

Isa 30:20-21 Though He give you the bread of adversity and water of affliction,
yet He will be with you to teach you--with your own eyes you will see your Teacher.
And if you leave God's paths and go either to the right or to the left,you will hear a Voice behind you say, "This is the way; walk ye in it."

Rom 8:16-18 (KJV)The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit,that we are the children of God:{17} And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. {18} For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

2 Cor 1:3-7 (KJV) Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; {4} Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. {5} For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ. {6} And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation. {7} And our hope of you is stedfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation.

Phil 1:29 (KJV)For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him,but also to suffer for his sake;

Phil 3:7-10 (KJV)But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.
{8} Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things,
and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, {9} And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law,but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: {10} That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings,
being made conformable unto his death;

1 Th 3:3-4 (KJV) {3} That no man should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto. {4} For verily, when we were with you, we told you before that we should suffer tribulation;even as it came to pass, and ye know.

Rev 2:10 (KJV) Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

LOOSING ALL YOUR MARBLES

NOTE:=I came across this article aboit LOOSING ALL YOUR MARBLES some years back. Read it and take the main point to heart. My marble count today is 1248. What's yours?

LOOSING ALL YOUR MARBLES

Dear Colleague,

"...A few weeks ago, I was shuffling toward the kitchen with a steaming cup of coffee in one hand and the morning paper in the other...I turned the volume up on my radio in order to listen to a Saturday morning talk show. I heard an older sounding chap...(who) was talking about 'a thousand marbles' to someone named 'Tom'. I was intrigued and sat down to listen to what he had to say.

'Well, Tom, it sure sounds like you're busy with your job. I'm sure they pay you well but it's a shame you have to be away from home and your family so much. Hard to believe a young fellow should have to work sixty or seventy hours a week to make ends meet. Too bad you missed your daughter's dance recital.' He continued, 'Let me tell you something Tom, something that has helped me keep a good perspective on my own priorities.' And that's when he began to explain his theory of a 'thousand marbles.'

'You see, I sat down one day and did a little arithmetic. The average person lives about seventy-five years. I know, some live more and some live less, but on average, folks live about seventy-five years. Now then, I multiplied 75 times 52 and I came up with 3900, which is the number of Saturdays that the average person has in their entire lifetime. Now stick with me Tom, I'm getting to the important part. 'It took me until I was fifty-five years old to think about all this in any detail', he went on, 'and by that time I had lived through over twenty-eight hundred Saturdays. I got to thinking that if I lived to be seventy-five, I only had about a thousand of them left to enjoy.

'So I went to a toy store and bought...[a]1000 marbles. I took them home and put them inside of a large, clear, plastic container...Every Saturday since then, I have taken one marble out and thrown it away. I found that by watching the marbles diminish, I focused more on the really important things in life. There is nothing like watching your time here on this earth run out to help get your priorities straight.

'Now let me tell you one last thing before I sign off with you and take my lovely wife out for breakfast. This morning, I took the very last marble out of the container. I figure if I make it until next Saturday, then God has blessed me with a little extra time to be with my loved ones...It was nice to talk to you Tom...'
"I had planned to do some work that morning, then go to the gym. Instead, I went upstairs and woke my wife up with a kiss. 'C'mon honey, I'm taking you and the kids to breakfast.' 'What brought this on?' she asked with a smile. 'Oh, nothing special,' I said. 'It has just been a long time since we spent a Saturday together with the kids. Hey, can we stop at a toy store while we're out? I need to buy some marbles.'"+

"My days are swifter than a runner; they fly away without a glimpse of joy. They skim past like boats of papyrus, like eagles swooping down on their prey...Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom..."
(Job 9:25,26; Psa. 90:12)(See Job 7:6,7; 14:1,2; Psa. 39:4,5; 89:47; I Pet. 1:24)

"Have a great week...and may you have many happy years after you lose all your marbles."++Author unknown

7 Realities of Experiencing God.

NOTE:= Came across this today. A challenge to remind us of a reality from the divine perspective. Are we conscious of this reality daily? If we are, it ought to influence our thoughts and our actions. May God be a true reality to us! If we can't feel him, then go and read Psalm 139, and re-examine yourself; may be God will be merciful and reveal himself specially just for you. Seek him and he will be found! This is his wonderful promise. Believe it! Be blessed.

7 Realities of Experiencing God.

1.God is always at work around you.

2.God pursues a continuing love relationship with you that is real and
personal.

3.God invites you to become involved with Him in His work.

4.God speaks by the Holy Spirit through the Bible, prayer, circumstances,and
the church to reveal Himself,His purposes,and His ways.

5.God's invitation for you to work with Him always leads you to a crisis of
belief that requires faith and action.

6.You must make major adjustments in your life to join God in what He is
doing.

7.You come to know God by experience as you obey Him and He accomplishes His
work through you.

Print this out and hang it on the wall!

God Bless!

Invisible Blessings

In prayer it is better to have a heart without words
than words without a heart.
John Bunyan
___________________________________________

Invisible Blessings
For this slight momentary affliction is preparing us for an eternal
weight
of glory beyond all measure, because we look not at what can be seen
but at what cannot be seen; for what can be seen is temporary,
but what cannot be seen is eternal. (NRSV)
2 Corinthians 4:17-18
Being very much of the earth - earthy - we always want tangible,visible things - proofs, demonstrations, something to latch onto to. If we always had them, of course, faith would be "struck blind." When Jesus hung on a cross, the challenge was flung at Him: Come down! He stayed nailed, not so spectators would be satisfied (that miracle, his coming down, would have been a great crowd pleaser), but that the world might be saved.
Many of our prayers are directed toward the quick and easy solution. Long suffering is sometimes the only means by which the greater glory of God will be served, and this is, for the moment, invisible. We must persist in faith. God has a splendid purpose. Believe in order to see it.
"Our troubles are slight and short-lived, and their outcome an eternal glory which outweighs them far. Meanwhile our eyes are fixed, not on things that are seen, but on the things that are unseen." (2 Cor 4: 17-18 NEB).

I can sleep when the Wind Blows

NOTE:=This little story remind us that the little discipline that we picked up and practice daily will stand us in good stead when the storms of life blow over us. Rather than feeling fear and crisis, we can know peace and rest. While there is not much we can do to change the outside world around us, there is certainly a lot we can do to change the inside of us, and it begins today with a small first step. What will it be for you? Remember, a journey of a thousand miles begin with the first step; an ocean is made up of tiny droplets, and a mountain cannot stand for long against a persistent digger with only a spade!


I can sleep when the Wind Blows

Years ago, a farmer owned land along the Atlantic seacoast. He constantly advertised for hired hands. Most people were reluctant to work on farms along the Atlantic. They dreaded the awful storms that raged across the Atlantic, wreaking havoc on the buildings and crops. As the farmer interviewed applicants for the job, he received a steady stream of refusals.

Finally, a short, thin man, well past middle age, approached the farmer. "Are you a good farm hand?" the farmer asked him. "Well, I can sleep when the wind blows," answered the little man. Although puzzled by this answer, the farmer, desperate for help, hired him.

The little man worked well around the farm, busy from dawn to dusk, and the farmer felt satisfied with the man's work. Then one night the wind howled loudly in from offshore. Jumping out of bed, the farmer grabbed a lantern and rushed next door to the hired hand's sleeping quarters. He shook the little man and yelled, "Get up! A storm is coming! Tie things down before they blow away!" The little man rolled over in bed and said firmly, "No sir. I told you, I can sleep when the wind blows."

Enraged by the response, the farmer was tempted to fire him on the spot. Instead, he hurried outside to prepare for the storm. To his amazement, he discovered that all of the haystacks had been covered with tarpaulins. The cows were in the barn, the chickens were in the coops, and the doors were barred. The shutters were tightly secured. Everything was tied down. Nothing could blow away. The farmer then understood what his hired hand meant, so he returned to his bed to also sleep while the wind blew.

When you're prepared, spiritually, mentally, and physically, you have nothing to fear. Can you sleep when the wind blows through your life? The hired hand in the story was able to sleep because he had secured the farm against the storm. We secure ourselves against the storms of life by grounding ourselves in the Word of God. We don't need to understand, we just need to hold His hand to have peace in the middle of storms. A friend of mine sent this to me today, and I enjoyed it so much, that I wanted to send it to you. I hope you enjoy your day and you sleep well.

Little Things Matter..Challenge from Spurgeon

May 30

Morning
“Take us the foxes, the little foxes that spoil the vines.”
- Son_2:15
A little thorn may cause much suffering. A little cloud may hide the sun. Little foxes spoil the vines; and little sins do mischief to the tender heart. These little sins burrow in the soul, and make it so full of that which is hateful to Christ, that he will hold no comfortable fellowship and communion with us. A great sin cannot destroy a Christian, but a little sin can make him miserable. Jesus will not walk with his people unless they drive out every known sin. He says, “If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love, even as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.” Some Christians very seldom enjoy their Saviour’s presence. How is this? Surely it must be an affliction for a tender child to be separated from his father. Art thou a child of God, and yet satisfied to go on without seeing thy Father’s face? What! thou the spouse of Christ, and yet content without his company! Surely, thou hast fallen into a sad state, for the chaste spouse of Christ mourns like a dove without her mate, when he has left her. Ask, then, the question, what has driven Christ from thee? He hides his face behind the wall of thy sins. That wall may be built up of little pebbles, as easily as of great stones. The sea is made of drops; the rocks are made of grains: and the sea which divides thee from Christ may be filled with the drops of thy little sins; and the rock which has well nigh wrecked thy barque, may have been made by the daily working of the coral insects of thy little sins. If thou wouldst live with Christ, and walk with Christ, and see Christ, and have fellowship with Christ, take heed of “the little foxes that spoil the vines, for our vines have tender grapes.” Jesus invites you to go with him and take them. He will surely, like Samson, take the foxes at once and easily. Go with him to the hunting.

Evening
“That henceforth we should not serve sin.”
- Rom_6:6
Christian, what hast thou to do with sin? Hath it not cost thee enough already? Burnt child, wilt thou play with the fire? What! when thou hast already been between the jaws of the lion, wilt thou step a second time into his den? Hast thou not had enough of the old serpent? Did he not poison all thy veins once, and wilt thou play upon the hole of the asp, and put thy hand upon the cockatrice’s den a second time? Oh, be not so mad! so foolish! Did sin ever yield thee real pleasure? Didst thou find solid satisfaction in it? If so, go back to thine old drudgery, and wear the chain again, if it delight thee. But inasmuch as sin did never give thee what it promised to bestow, but deluded thee with lies, be not a second time snared by the old fowler- be free, and let the remembrance of thy ancient bondage forbid thee to enter the net again! It is contrary to the designs of eternal love, which all have an eye to thy purity and holiness; therefore run not counter to the purposes of thy Lord. Another thought should restrain thee from sin. Christians can never sin cheaply; they pay a heavy price for iniquity. Transgression destroys peace of mind, obscures fellowship with Jesus, hinders prayer, brings darkness over the soul; therefore be not the serf and bondman of sin. There is yet a higher argument: each time you “serve sin” you have “Crucified the Lord afresh, and put him to an open shame.” Can you bear that thought? Oh! if you have fallen into any special sin during this day, it may be my Master has sent this admonition this evening, to bring you back before you have backslidden very far. Turn thee to Jesus anew; he has not forgotten his love to thee; his grace is still the same. With weeping and repentance, come thou to his footstool, and thou shalt be once more received into his heart; thou shalt be set upon a rock again, and thy goings shall be established.