During an impromptu question and answer session Saturday, Snow said he has become closer to God and his family because of the cancer.
"I am actually enjoying everything more than I ever have," he said. "God hasn't promised us tomorrow, but He has promised us eternity."
Read more of this story on The Christian Post.A wife invited some people to dinner. At the table, she turned to their six-year-old daughter and said, "Would you like to say the blessing?"
"I wouldn't know what to say," the girl replied.
"Just say what you hear Mommy say," the wife answered.
The daughter bowed her head and said, "Lord, why on earth did I invite all these people to dinner?"
NOTE: Yesterday was Internet Evangelism Day.
Evangelical Christians today are either entering secular scenes on the worldwide Web to save the lost or designing their own Christian web world to house the faith community. In both cases, the Internet has become a powerful tool for Christian evangelism.
Read more of this story on The Christian Post.
NOTE: There's a great quote in this story: "We don't have any spiritual superstars here," White says. "We believe that serving God shouldn't be a spectator sport." WOW! All Christians should believe that!
Steve's Cape Cod, a seafood restaurant and bar known for all-you-can-eat snow crab on Monday and ladies-drink-free night on Wednesday, is reborn each Sunday morning as the Salvation Saloon. Worshippers who go by names like Curly Joe and Wild Bill file in by the dozen - many holding plastic foam cups of coffee, some biting at doughnuts - for a service they say is unlike any other.
Read more of this story on One News Now.
A little girl had just finished her first week of school. "I'm just wasting my time," she said to her mother. "I can't read, I can't write and they won't let me talk!"
Despite the hard-line Islamist regime in Iran the underground church is growing, Release International has reported.
Evangelists are sharing their faith in towns and villages and planting new churches, according to the international persecution watchdog.
Iranian partners of Release International, which supports the persecuted church, report significant growth in the activities of the house churches - including outreach.
Read more of this story on Christian Today.
Today is Internet Evangelism Day. A day to promote Christian use of the internet as a tool to spread the Gospel to all the world. You can read more about it at this website.
You can also find out more information on the website for the Internet Evangelism Coalition. An interview with the coalition's chairman, Dr. Sterling Huston, Director of Special Ministries for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, can be heard on the May 2006 edition of the "Walking with the Giant" podcast. He gives some great information that can be useful to churches, organizations and individuals that may want to use the web for evangelism.
Check out our ministry websites:
Here's an interesting view on the creation of humans:
God may have created man before woman, but there is always a rough draft before the masterpiece.
Please inquire for the word of the Lord today. —1 Kings 22:5
A Congolese man went to the BBC’s News 24 for a job interview. But a time-conscious producer mistook the man for a scheduled guest authority. He led the baffled but compliant applicant into the newsroom studio and fitted him with a microphone.
When the “on air” signal was given, the interviewer missed the look of panic on the man’s face, and the flustered job-seeker awkwardly bluffed his way through the questions. When the mistake itself became news, the network apologized for the error.
That hapless man wasn’t pretending to be an authority—he was mistaken for one. In contrast, Ahab, the king of Israel, chose to ignore the truth by seeking answers from false prophets who were posing as religious authorities. Ahab didn’t want to inquire of the Lord through the godly prophet Micaiah “because he does not prophesy good concerning me, but evil” (1 Kings 22:8). The king had an aversion to the truth.
Sometimes we would rather hear the comfort of a lie than words of truth. But we need to get our counsel from advisers who believe that “all Scripture . . . is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (2 Tim. 3:16). We can’t afford to let our desires cause us to exchange God’s truth for a lie.
When sin entices and allures
Its lies must be ignored;
The strength to gain the victory
Comes when we trust the Lord. —Sper
Better to hear the hard truth than a soft lie.
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Bible Study > Application > Effect/Power
Add in arts and crafts and you have the makings of a worship service designed for the unique worship needs of children and older preschoolers.
LifeWay Christian Resources has developed Worship KidStyle, a resource available for the first time this summer for churches interested in providing interactive children's worship services. Designed for small and large group settings, Worship KidStyle offers easy-to-use and reproducible leaders' guides and materials that incorporate creative, active worship elements within a biblical context.
Read more of this story on Baptist Press.
NOTE: I'd love to hear your "Biblical viewpoints" on this issue, just post a comment below.
A three-day conference is underway in Arlington, Texas, to teach Baptists and other Christians what Scripture says about the Holy Spirit.
Recent debates on charismatic practices within the Southern Baptist Convention prompted the Rev. Dwight McKissic to open “A Baptist Conference on The Holy Spirit” on Friday along with a host of speakers lined up to discuss the role of the Holy Spirit in the church.
McKissic, a trustee of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (SWBTS), was recently involved in a controversy at the school where he had mentioned in a chapel service of experiencing private prayer language. The sermon sparked debate among Southern Baptist leaders, most of whom do not engage in or accept charismatic practices, and the video recording of the service was not posted on the seminary's website, as was regular practice.
Read more of this story on The Christian Post.
MEDIA ADVISORY, April 27 /Christian Newswire/ -- Bees have been disappearing at an alarming rate. Learn how these missing bees relate to the use of cell phones, and the fulfillment of Bible prophecy.
A unanimous vote by the Transylvania County (North Carolina) Board of Commissioners this week defied a demand letter from the American Civil Liberties Union and approved an invocation policy that will continue its tradition of opening its meetings with prayer. The prayer policy will follow a model provided by the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF) that has proven constitutionally defensible.
Read more of this story on One News Now.
A 12-year-old Christian girl was kidnapped and gang-raped by four Muslim men in Lahore, Pakistan, on Easter Day. Less than a week later, a Christian man in Jamshoro district was threatened by a mob following allegations of blasphemy, persecution watchdog Christian Solidarity Worldwide has learned.
According to a report from the All Pakistan Minorities Alliance, Shaheena Masih was kidnapped at around 10am on 8 April as she was going to a shop. The rest of her family were at church, but Shaheena and her elderly father had stayed at home because he was unwell.
On her way to the shops, four men grabbed Shaheena and placed a handkerchief over her mouth. She fell unconscious, but when she woke up she found herself in a factory. The four men raped her, and then locked her in a room, CSW reports.
One of the rapists allegedly told his accomplices: “Don’t hesitate to rape a Christian girl. Even if she dies, no one will get us. Her poor parents cannot pursue us.”
Read more of this story on Christian Today.
A man and his wife were having some problems at home and were giving each other the silent treatment. Suddenly the man realized that the next day he would need his wife to wake him at 5:00 AM for an early morning business flight.
Not wanting to be the first to break the silence (and LOSE), he wrote on a piece of paper,"Please wake me at 5:00 AM." He left it where he knew she would find it.
The next morning the man woke up, only to discover it was 9:00 AM and he had missed his flight. Furious, he was about to go to see why his wife hadn't wakened him when he noticed a piece of paper by the bed. The paper said, "It is 5:00 AM. Wake up."
Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us? —Luke 24:32
In Acts 17, Paul went to Mars Hill to declare the truth of the resurrection. Many listeners gathered there were not spiritual seekers. Luke, who wrote the book of Acts, records that they spent their days simply wanting to discuss the latest new ideas, with little interest in acting on what they learned (v.21).
Too much information can be dangerous. All the ideas can blur together and become incoherent, leaving us unchanged by what we know.
Centuries ago, the historian Plutarch warned of the danger of living on a purely informational level. He wisely said, “The mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be kindled.”
The Christ-followers on the road to Emmaus would have agreed (Luke 24). As they grieved the death of Jesus, the risen Christ Himself joined them but hid His identity. He began instructing them on the ancient prophecies of those events found throughout the Old Testament. Later that day, Christ revealed Himself to them and then departed.
After Jesus’ departure, they marveled at what they had heard. The things He taught were not sterile facts but a fire that kindled their hearts with devotion for Him. May we likewise trust the Shepherd of our souls to kindle our hearts as we grow in His Word.
As we walk along the road of life,
We can sense that Jesus is there too;
As we read His Word and hear His voice
We will find He kindles fire anew. —Hess
You cannot start a fire in another’s heart till it is burning in your own.
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Relationships > Relating to God > Guidance/LeadingAn all-star line-up from the church, sports, politics and business are coming together to impart their wisdom on leadership and management skills in a rare Salvation Army Conference event.
Occurring only once in every four years, The Salvation Army National Advisory Organizations Conference this year will bring together Purpose Driven Life author Rick Warren, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, and U.S. first-lady Laura Bush on Friday to share about the best practices for serving suffering humanity in the United States and worldwide.
Read more of this story on The Christian Post.
Tomorrow is Internet Evangelism Day. A day to promote Christian use of the internet as a tool to spread the Gospel to all the world. You can read more about it on their website.
A father was at the beach with his children when the four-year-old son ran up to him, grabbed his hand, and led him to the shore where a seagull lay dead in the sand.
"Daddy, what happened to him?" the son asked.
"He died and went to Heaven," the Dad replied.
The boy thought a moment and then said, "Did God throw him back down?"
NOTE: After reading this information, you would think it might make some leaders reconsider removing the Bible from schools?
CrossFeed Religious News points out that some of the findings of this study are reflected in the Bible; Proverbs 22:6 and 2 Corinthians 6:14-16.
I also wonder how much press coverage this study will receive and if it will be featured on news/talk programs like "negative theories" against Christianity?
Religion can be good for the kids, a new study has found.ABC loved the idea, and will host a debate in New York City on May 5, 2007. Moderated by Martin Bashir, the debate will be streamed LIVE on their website and will also be filmed for "Nightline."
Read more of this story on Christian Newswire.
Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near. —Isaiah 55:6
Money is a necessary part of living. Without it, we couldn’t secure the necessities or luxuries of life. But there are things money can’t buy. As preacher W. A. Criswell said, “Money will buy luxuries, but it will not buy spiritual power. Money will buy advancement and preferment, but it will not buy the recognition of God. Money will buy . . . favor and accolades, but it will not buy soul respect.”
The greatest good—so great that it is in a category all by itself—cannot be bought. If the entire human race were to bankrupt its resources in an effort to buy forgiveness of sin and eternal life with Jesus, it would be infinitely insufficient. All the wealth of the whole world cannot purchase the supreme blessing of forgiveness and heaven.
We’ll never accumulate enough riches to purchase a place in the paradise of God. But there’s good news! Salvation can be ours “without money and without price,” according to Isaiah 55:1.
Have you trusted Jesus as your Savior? You need only to stretch out your empty hands in childlike faith to the Lord (John 1:12). Cry out to Him and confess your sin. “He will abundantly pardon” (Isa. 55:7).
I am redeemed, but not with silver;
I am bought, but not with gold;
Bought with a price—the blood of Jesus,
Precious price of love untold. —Gray
The faintest knock of faith opens wide the door to forgiveness.
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Basics Of Faith > Salvation > New BirthI heard about a teacher who gave her six grade class an assignment. They were to get their parents to tell them a story with a moral at the end.
The next day the kids came back and one by one began to tell their stories in class.
"Billy, do you have a story to share?", the teacher asked.
"Yes, ma'am, my daddy told a story about my Aunt Carol. Aunt Carol was a pilot in Desert Storm and her plane got hit. She had to bail out over enemy territory and all she had was a small can of whiskey, a pistol and a survival knife. She drank the whiskey on the way down so it wouldn't fall into enemy hands and then her parachute landed right in the middle of twenty enemy troops. She shot fifteen of them with the gun until she ran out of bullets, killed four more with the knife, 'till the blade broke and then she killed the last one with her bare hands."
"Good heavens," said the horrified teacher, "What kind of moral did your daddy teach you from that story?"
"Stay away from Aunt Carol when she's been drinking."
NOTE: This post is not a Christian related story, but has sentimental value for me. I remember listening to "Monster Mash" as a kid and buying the "45" record. I also remember playing the song around Halloween when I worked as a DJ for WBKF-FM in Macclenny, Florida. Let's see, that radio stuff as "James The Giant" was in the area of 1978-1982. Pickett, dubbed "The Guy Lombardo of Halloween," died Wednesday night at the West Los Angeles Veterans Hospital, said his longtime manager, Stuart Hersh. His daughter, Nancy, and his sister, Lynda, were at Pickett's bedside. "Monster Mash" hit the Billboard chart three times: when it debuted in 1962, reaching No. 1 the week before Halloween; again in August 1970, and for a third time in May 1973. The resurrections were appropriate for a song where Pickett gravely intoned the forever-stuck-in-your-head chorus: "He did the monster mash. ... It was a graveyard smash."
Bobby "Boris" Pickett, whose dead-on Boris Karloff impression propelled the Halloween anthem to the top of the charts in 1962, making him one of pop music's most enduring one-hit wonders, has died of leukemia. He was 69.
Visit the official Monster Mash website.
The monument, which featured a Bible, was on display for more than four decades until atheist Kay Staley, a member of Americans United for Separation of Church and State and former employee of the ACLU, sued Harris County, claiming the monument violated her constitutional rights. A district court agreed and ruled that Bible should be removed.
Read more of this story on One News Now.
Jody McBrayer, who has been with the band since it first began 12 years ago, announced his departure on the group’s website.
“The past 12 years have been such a tremendous blessing, and I am thankful for the opportunities I’ve been given as part of this amazing group,” explained McBrayer on the website. “While the decision to leave Avalon saddens me, I feel that it is necessary in order to prolong my health both for myself and my family. I am so thankful for the love and support that my family has received from Janna, Greg and Melissa [other group members] through this challenging time in our lives.”
Read more of this story on The Christian Post.
I had a wonderful time during the revival services at Statenville Baptist Church in Georgia this week. Pastor Ted Sauls, his family, church members and visitors all made me feel right at home. I'm excited to report we had one young lady to accept Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior. There were several others that rededicated their life to Christ. Only the Lord knows all of the decisions that were made during the week. Please join me in praying for this church as they move forward with the Lord's work in Statenville, Georgia.
If you live in the area of Statenville, Georgia, give Statenville Baptist Church a visit. Pastor Ted Sauls and all of the members will be glad to have you. For more information about the church, service times or directions, call the church at (229) 559-7148. The church is located on Baptist Church Road.
An old farmer had a wife who nagged him unmercifully. From morning till night (and sometimes later), she was always complaining about something. The only time he got any relief was when he was out plowing with his old mule.
One day, when he was out plowing, his wife brought him lunch in the field. He drove the old mule into the shade, sat down on a stump, and began to eat his lunch. Immediately, his wife began nagging him again.
Complain, nag, complain, nag; it just went on and on. All of a sudden, the old mule lashed out with both hind feet; caught her smack in the back of the head and killed her dead on the spot.
At the funeral several days later, the minister noticed something rather odd. When a woman mourner would approach the old farmer, he would listen for a minute, then nod his head in agreement; but when a male mourner approached him, he would listen for a minute, then shake his head in disagreement. This was so consistent, the minister decided to ask the old farmer about it.
So after the funeral, the minister spoke to the old farmer, and asked him why he nodded his head and agreed with the women, but always shook his head and disagreed with all the men. The old farmer said, "Well, the women would come up and say something about how nice my wife looked, or how pretty her dress was, so I'd nod my head in agreement."
"And what about the men?" the minister asked.
"They wanted to know if the mule was for sale."
A third grade elementary student who was initially barred from singing one of her favorite Christian songs at a local talent show was able to perform the song last week after a letter was sent to school officials explaining the student’s right to religious speech.
For the talent show at Mount Scott Elementary School in Portland, Ore., Kelli Bobst gave her rendition of “God’s Love is for You” on Thursday after receiving aid from Liberty Counsel – a Christian legal group that promotes religious freedom.
"Student-initiated speech endorsing religion is fully protected by the Constitution,” commented Mathew D. Staver, founder of Liberty Counsel and Dean of Liberty University School of Law, in a statement. “It is unconstitutional to eliminate Christian viewpoints from a school talent show or any other time where secular viewpoints are permitted.”
Read more of this story on The Christian Post.
A mother was preparing pancakes for her sons, Kevin 5, and Ryan 3. The boys began to argue over who would get the first pancake. Their mother saw the opportunity for a moral lesson.
She said, "If Jesus were sitting here, He would say, 'Let my brother have the first pancake, I can wait.'"
Kevin turned to his younger brother and said, "Ryan, you be Jesus!"
Police recently arrested four American Christian leaders and dozens of Chinese house church leaders during a fellowship gathering in a northwest province in China.
The Americans had arrived at Akesu airport in Akesu city, Xinjiang province, on Apr. 17 and started meeting with house church leaders in the region for fellowship on Apr. 18 at a local church family house, reported China Aid Association’s sources on Tuesday.
However, just two days after their arrival, on Apr. 19, China’s Public Security Bureau (PSB) reportedly arrested about 30 Chinese house church leaders who met with the American Christians and detained the Americans.
Read more of this story on The Christian Post.
Gideons International, an evangelical Christian organization dedicated to distributing copies of the Bible, filed a lawsuit on Friday after members of the organization were arrested for their activities in Florida.
Defending the group is the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF) – a legal alliance that defends the right to speak the “Truth” – which is arguing against the unlawful arrests. The Gideon members had been taken into custody because they were within 500 feet of a public school.
“Free speech in America exists even within 500 feet of public school property,” explained ADF senior legal counsel David Cortman in a statement. “Under the First Amendment, the Gideons have every right to distribute Bibles on a public sidewalk to those who wish to accept them. There is no legal justification for the continued harassment of peaceful members of the community who wish to hand out Christian literature.”
Read more of this story on The Christian Post.
NOTE: Please be advised that this story contains information that may be tremendously disturbing to you, but it should also move us to prayer more than ever.
The three Christians who were martyred in Turkey last week were horribly tortured for three hours prior to being killed, Christian Today has learned, as details continue to emerge.
According to the Washington-DC based human rights group International Christian Concern, the three were put through a horrific ordeal which included multiple stabbings before finally being killed.
An ICC statement tells: “As difficult and sorrowful as it is to learn more, we believe that we must expose the truly hellish nature of this attack for what it is.”
Read more of this story on Christian Today.Four centuries after the first English settlers planted a cross on Virginia soil, dedicating the New World in prayer, Christians across the nation are gathering on that same soil this week to rededicate America to God.
The Assembly 2007 is expected to gather Christians to Virginia Beach beginning Thursday in a major prayer event centered around the 400th anniversary of the first permanent English settlement in North America. Top Christian leaders will join the national gathering, which is said to be the only faith-based event among all other Jamestown quadra-centennial events.
"We see this as a God-given time for our nation," said Bishop John Giminez, who is leading the team that is organizing the event. "We are encouraging Christians across the country to plant a cross at their churches or in their front yards to do their own personal dedication of their land to God."
Read more of this story on The Christian Post.
The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. —James 5:16
Some things are irresistible. For me, it’s bubble-gum machines. I can hardly resist the urge to watch one of those colorful gumballs roll down the tunnel so I can pop it into my mouth. But without a quarter, those gumballs are locked up inside. You can be sure that as long as I have the right coin, I won’t pass up an opportunity to enjoy the mouth-watering treat.
Prayer is the quarter in your pocket when it comes to releasing the vast resources of God’s character and blessings in your life. The “muchness” of God stands in sharp contrast to the leanness of our souls, and without prayer we cannot begin to tap into the reservoir of all that He is waiting to bestow on us. When we long for a satisfying taste of His resources, prayer is essential.
James makes it clear that our prayer needs to be “fervent” and “effective” (5:16). God is not into ritual but reality. He wants us to avoid formulaic prayers in exchange for a persistent passion. We are to approach His throne of grace with a keen awareness of our need for Him.
As James stated earlier in his book, “You do not have because you do not ask” (4:2). The more we pray, the more we receive, and before long our lives will demonstrate the life-changing reality of the muchness of God.
The more we go to God in prayer
Intent to seek His face,
The more we’ll want to be with Him
Before His throne of grace. —Sper
Much prayer, much power; little prayer, little power; no prayer, no power!
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Relationships > Relating to God > PrayerThousands of cult members who used to worship a mythical messiah figure they believed to dwell inside a nearby volcano are giving their hearts to Christ after viewing the Jesus film.
The people on the isolated South Pacific island of Tanna, in the country of Vanuatu, have long put their faith in John Frum, a figure they insist is a former American GI during World War II who will someday emerge from the volcano and shower his believers with wealth and knowledge.
Frum has been described as a combination of John the Baptist, Uncle Sam and Santa Claus.
Yet members of the cult quickly forego their volcano “god” after viewing the Jesus film.
Read more of this story on The Christian Post.
I will be traveling to Tallahassee, Florida on Sunday, June 3, 2007 for two separate preaching services. The first will begin at 10 AM at Chapel Hill Baptist Church located at 102 Chapel Drive. For more information call (850) 222-6900. The second service will begin at 6:30 PM at Crossway Baptist Church located at 405 Crossway Road. For more information about this service call Pastor Josh Parker at (850) 877-5216.
This will be the first time that I will have ministered in either of these churches. Please be in prayer for these services.
By Emir Caner
FORT WORTH, Texas (BP)--In some far-flung field around the world a Southern Baptist missionary enters a territory which has remained hostile to the Gospel for some time. Upon entering the mountainous village, he is able to speak to some of the villagers about eternal matters. They are uninhibited to speak about their faith, although reticent to accept any other opinion, and this missionary quickly gains a cursory understanding of their god. He is an all-powerful being who blesses both the just and the unjust. He reveals himself through miracles. Additionally, these villagers believe that there is no forgiveness of sin without the shedding of blood. In fact, these villagers believe that their god has a son and that this son was once dead and now has come to life! Now, can this missionary then assume that the god the villagers are describing, due to so many similar characteristics, is the same God the Scripture reveals?
If your answer is yes, you have fallen prey to a tactic the devil has used since the Fall in the Garden of Eden. The devil, the best counterfeiter in history, plays upon the attributes of God and places them upon another, even himself. Ironically, the situation above is not foreign to the Scripture, for Elijah is that missionary who found himself in a strikingly similar situation in 1 Kings 18:20-40. The Jewish people had fallen into idolatry, specifically Baal worship. Although Baal worship differed regionally, Elijah came across the form of Baal worship which believed that Baal is the son of El, the most high god. Baal was once dead, but like the fall harvest, has come back to life. Baal required a blood sacrifice for appeasement to El, albeit the sacrifice is not of Baal himself but of a first-born son of each family. Baal was all-powerful and could be seen in miracles such as raining down fire. Yet, Baal was not mistaken as Jehovah. Elijah rhetorically asks the Israelites who are worshipping a false god, "How long will you falter between two opinions? If the Lord is God follow him; but if Baal, follow him" (1 Kings 18:21).
Today, similar debate has revolved around the two largest faiths in the world, Islam and Christianity, and whether the god of the Koran is the God of the Bible. Simply put, the god of Muhammad is not the Father of Jesus. The subject in its essence is not a linguistic issue, but a theological matter with eternal ramifications. To say that since Allah is Arabic for God and YHWH is Hebrew for God, Christians and Muslims worship the same God is beyond naïve –- it is blasphemous.
Read more of this opinion on Baptist Press.
An article about the success of last year's event can be read on the Bradford County Telegraph.
John Lind is CEO of the Presidential Prayer Team. He says the group has called all of its members to intercession through prayer alerts, but the PPT also "felt led" to put together a prayer wall on its website at www.presidentialprayerteam.org.
"It's kind of reminiscent of the wailing wall, and people can post prayers," Lind explains. "Also, when we complete this, we would like to bind these prayers up and send them to Virginia Tech as a gift from our members at the Presidential Prayer Team," he says.
Read more of this story on One News Now.
When I saw it, I considered it well; I looked on it and received instruction. —Proverbs 24:32
My father-in-law took a rocky, barren hilltop in Texas and transformed it into a beautiful homesite with a shaded green lawn. After removing thousands of rocks, he added topsoil, planted trees and grass, and kept it watered. Since his death, it has lacked his consistent care. Today when I visit and work around that house, battling the invading thistles, thorns, and weeds, I ponder the state of my own heart.
Am I like that neglected yard, or perhaps the field and vineyard described in Proverbs 24—overgrown with thorns, covered with nettles, its stone wall broken down? (v.31). The owner is lazy and lacks understanding (v.30), perhaps putting off today’s tasks for a more convenient time.
Along with the practical instruction about diligence in work, I find an application for the care of my soul. The thistles of self-interest grow naturally within me, while the fruit that pleases God requires constant weeding and watering through prayer, confession, and obedience to the Lord. Without these, the soil of my heart will become choked with the thorns of trivial pursuits and greed.
“Keep your heart with all diligence,” Solomon wrote, “for out of it spring the issues of life” (Prov. 4:23). That requires constant care.
One little sin, what harm can it do?
Give it free reign and soon there are two.
Then sinful deeds and habits ensue—
Guard well your thoughts, lest they control you. —DJD
The garden of our heart needs constant weeding and care.
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Christian Life > Sin > Conviction Of
The lawsuit filed in Marion Superior Court in Indianapolis claims motorists who request the "In God We Trust" plates receive preferential treatment because they do not have to pay a $15 administrative fee that the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles collects. The administrative fees are added to other fees whose proceeds promote the causes of the other specialty plates.
Read more of this story on The Christian Post.
Read a related post from March 25, 2007.
One particular four-year-old prayed, "And forgive us our trash baskets as we forgive those who put trash in our baskets."
NOTE: There's a lot of truth in that prayer.
Twelve suspects have been detained by Turkish police as investigations continue into the slaying of three men last week in a Christian publishing house that distributes Bibles in Turkey.
The girlfriend of one of the 11 suspects was arrested in Istanbul Saturday bringing the total number to 12 people believed to be connected to the killing of the three victims, reported The Associated Press.
Last Wednesday, one German and two Turkish Christians were bound hand and legs before having their throats slit in the southeastern city of Malatya.
Read more of this story on The Christian Post.
I will be speaking during a meeting of the Baptist Men on Mission of Wellborn Baptist Church on Thursday, May 10, 2007 beginning at 6:30 PM. The church is located on US90 in Wellborn, Florida. For more information call the church at (386) 963-2231.
We had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead. —2 Corinthians 1:9
In J.R.R. Tolkien’s fictional The Lord of the Rings, a simple, good-hearted hobbit by the name of Frodo Baggins is entrusted with a dangerous mission. Together with a group called the Fellowship of the Ring, he must defeat the forces of evil by returning a magic gold ring to the fires of Mount Doom from which it was forged.
Along the way, evil stalks Frodo. Battles are lost. Friends die. Reflecting on such tragedies, Frodo confides in his wise friend Gandalf, “I wish the ring had never come to me. I wish that this had never happened.” Gandalf replies, “So do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All you must decide is how to use the time that is given to you.”
In the “fellowship of the cross,” a servant of Christ is also tested. Like Paul, we may feel crushed under the weight of circumstances (2 Cor. 1:3-11). The path seems too steep to climb. We wonder if there is a dawn beyond the darkness.
Though we may not choose our circumstances, we do choose whether to trust God (2 Cor. 1:9). Through the fellowship of the Son and the enablement of the Spirit, we can carry out our mission for God (1 Cor. 1:9; John 16:13).
Trust Him to guide you along the way. He offers wise counsel.
Then in fellowship sweet, we will sit at His feet
Or we’ll walk by His side in the way;
What He says we will do, where He sends we will go—
Never fear, only trust and obey. —Sammis
You can trust God in the dark as well as in the light.
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Basics Of Faith > Holy Spirit > MinistryTest your reaction time by taking a swing at a fastball at this website.
I didn't do so well. I did actually get one base hit out of who knows how many attempts.
Dear Bill,
I have been unable to sleep since I broke off your engagement to my daughter last month. Would you please forgive me? I was much too sensitive about your purple mohawk, tattoo, nose plug and pierced tongue. I now realize that motorcycles aren't really that dangerous. I know that I have said some mean things about the way you have never held down a job, and have lived under the bridge in the park with some nice people.
I know that my daughter is only 17 years old and wants to marry you instead of going to the university on full scholarship. After all, you can't learn everything about life from those college books. I sometimes forget how backwards I can be. I was wrong. I was foolish. I have now come to my senses, and you have my full blessings to marry my daughter.
Sincerely,
Your future father-in-law
P.S. Congratulations on winning this week's 150 million dollar lottery.
[Moses’] eyes were not dim nor his natural vigor diminished. —Deuteronomy 34:7
Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical Sunset Boulevard tells the story of Norma Desmond, a former silent film star. When the talking movies came into fashion, she lost her audience. As an older woman, she longed for the glory of her past. In her mind, silent facial expressions alone made a good movie—not dialogue. In the song “With One Look” Norma sings:
With one look I can break your heart;
With one look I play every part . . .
With one look I’ll ignite a blaze;
I’ll return to my glory days.
Because Norma lived in the past, her life ended in tragedy.
It’s been said that each life is like a book, lived one chapter at a time. If you think your most fruitful years are behind you, remember you’re writing a new chapter now. Learn to live each day with contentment in the present.
Near the end of Moses’ life, God showed him the Promised Land. Clearly, he had accomplished his mission in life. But he didn’t long for the miracles of his “glory days.” Instead, Moses was content to obey God in the present. In his sunset years, he mentored Joshua to be his successor (Deut. 31:1-8).
Living contentedly in the present has a way of making us productive for a lifetime—for God’s glory.
I give my life to You, O Lord,
And live for You each day;
Grant me contentment as I strive
To follow and obey. —Sper
Living in the past paralyzes the present and bankrupts the future.
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It was the end of the day when I parked my police van in front of the station. As I gathered my equipment, my K-9 partner, Jake, was barking, and I saw a little boy staring in at me. "Is that a dog you got back there?" he asked.
"It sure is," I replied.
Puzzled, the boy looked at me and then towards the back of the van. Finally he said, "What'd he do?"
A production company called "First Word Productions" told Answers in Genesis it was doing a documentary on world religions and wanted to showcase AIG's Creation Museum near Cincinnati, which will open to the public May 28. The film crew spent about three hours walking through the museum with Ken Ham, asking him questions along the way. They then requested a sit-down interview with Ham in his office.
As the crew began recording, one of them propped open a secure back door and let comedian Bill Maher in to take over the interview. AIG co-founder Mark Looy, who the film crew distracted so Maher could sneak in, says Ham was not aware of who Maher was.
Read more of this story on One News Now.
NOTE:
Proverbs 6:6 (NKJV)
6 Go to the ant, you sluggard!
Consider her ways and be wise,
Revival services begin at Statenville Baptist Church this Sunday at 11 AM and 7 PM. The services will continue Monday through Wednesday at 7 PM nightly. The church is located on Baptist Church Road in Statenville, Georgia. For more information you can call Pastor Ted Sauls at (229) 559-7148.
This will be my first time preaching at this church and I'm excited about the opportunity. Please be in prayer for these services.
The revival services at Pine Grove Baptist Church in Gainesville, Florida ended on Wednesday night. The services went very well; even though my voice grew weaker each day due to allergies. This was my first time ministering at this church and I really made some wonderful friends. The congregation was so receptive to the Word of God and were truly seeking revival.
If you live in the area and do not have a regular church home, give Pine Grove Baptist a visit. Pastor John Parker will be glad to have you. For more information about the church, service times or directions, call the church office at (352) 376-4052. The church is located at 4200 NW 39th Avenue in Gainesville, Florida.
If you don't live in the area, please pray for this church as they minister and evangelize for our Lord, Jesus Christ.
My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. —John 10:27
Near the village of Gevas in eastern Turkey, while shepherds ate their breakfast, one of their sheep jumped off a 45-foot cliff to its death. Then, as the stunned shepherds looked on, the rest of the flock followed. In all, 1,500 sheep mindlessly stumbled off the cliff. The only good news was that the last 1,000 were cushioned in their fall by the growing woolly pile of those who jumped first. According to The Washington Post, 450 sheep died.
The Bible often refers to human beings as sheep (Ps. 100:3; Isa. 53:6; Matt. 9:36). Easily distracted and susceptible to group influence, we would rather follow the crowd than the wisdom of the Shepherd.
I’m glad the Bible also describes sheep in a positive way. Jesus said, “I am the Good Shepherd . . . . My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me” (John 10:14,27).
So the big question for us is: Whom are we following? One another? Self-centered shepherds? Or the voice and direction of the Good Shepherd?
Our challenge is to avoid the mistake of the sheep who blindly followed one another over a cliff. We must make it our daily purpose to ask ourselves: Am I listening for the voice of the Good Shepherd? Am I following Him?
Savior, like a shepherd lead us,
Much we need Thy tender care;
In Thy pleasant pastures feed us,
For our use Thy folds prepare. —Thrupp
Follow Christ, not the crowd.
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Relationships > Relating to God > DiscipleshipOne day a farmer's donkey fell down into a well. The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do.
Finally he decided the animal was old and the well needed to be covered up anyway, so it just wasn't worth it to retrieve the donkey.
He invited all his neighbors to come over and help him. They each grabbed a shovel and began to shovel dirt into the well.
At first, the donkey realized what was happening and cried horribly. Then, to everyone's amazement, he quieted down. A few shovel loads later, the farmer finally looked down the well and was astonished at what he saw.
With every shovel full of dirt that hit his back, the donkey was doing something amazing. He would shake it off and take a step up. As the farmer's neighbors continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he would shake it off and take a step up. Pretty soon, everyone was amazed as the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and trotted off!
Life is going to shovel dirt on you, all kinds of dirt.
The trick to getting out of the well is to shake it off and take a step up. Each of our troubles is a stepping stone.
A woman was trying hard to get the ketchup out of the bottle. During her struggle the phone rang so she asked her 4-year-old daughter to answer the phone. "Mommy can't come to the phone to talk to you right now. She's hitting the bottle."
Chief among them are GodTube.com, a video-sharing site for Christians, and MyChurch.org, a social networking realm.
The explosion of niche social networking sites that divvy up your personality into various identities has extended into religion with MyChurch.org. The site describes itself: "This is NOT `MySpace for Christians,' this is MyChurch for EVERYONE."
All are invited to MyChurch, including nonbelievers who can pick from the 4,306 churches that have pages on the site. You first form a Facebook-style profile that can be linked to friends and different churches.
Users can share sermons saved as podcasts, blog about their faith and learn about church activities.The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. —Psalm 23:1
In her down-to-earth book More Than Sparrows, Mary Welch tells of her discussion about worry with a group of teenagers. Although they were Christians, they were as worried as unbelievers about the common things of life. As she lovingly listened to them, an unusual idea came to her for a game they could play. It went like this:
Instead of saying, “I’m worried,” stop and say, “The Lord is my Shepherd.” Then add, “So I’m worried to death!” The students laughed at the absurdity of the idea, but they all promised to play this new “peace-of-mind” game.
Later, Mary received a phone call from a young woman who had been paralyzed by worry over an exam she had been dreading to take. She said, “I must tell you how the game helped me trust God today. As I froze with worry, I remembered to say, ‘The Lord is my Shepherd . . . so I’m afraid I’ll fail!’ Suddenly I felt the strangest peace of mind. I laughed at myself, then I took the exam—and I passed!”
Saying “The Lord is my Shepherd, and I am worried to death” is more than a mind game to point out the absurdity of worry. God can use this contradiction to bring us to a fuller trust in Him.
Why worry when you can pray?
Trust Jesus, He’ll be your stay;
Don’t be a “doubting Thomas,” rest fully on His promise.
Why worry when you can pray? —Peterson
© Renewal 1977 Singspiration, Inc.
Worry is the interest you pay on borrowed trouble.
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