Which One Is James Croft?

Will the real James Croft please step forward...

Actually, both of us are named James Croft.

I attended the Croft Family Reunion yesterday in Lulu, Florida. This photo is of me and my cousin, James Croft.

Back in the early 1960's James (my cousin), Johnnie Croft (my dad), and I were all in Lake Shore Hospital in Lake City, Florida at the same time, and on the same floor. That was an interesting time. On several occasions during that hospital stay, I would receive James' meals and he would receive mine. He had to endure cereal and milk for breakfast, while I had eggs, grits, bacon, toast, etc.

I served on the Baker County Commission 1984-1988. During those four years my cousin received a lot of telephone calls from people trying to reach me, some of which were not very happy.

In 1994 I surrendered to God's Call to preach the Gospel. Over the next few years, my cousin continued to receive telephone calls of people trying to reach me. These calls were quite different than the others. He once told me that I had a much nicer group of people trying to reach me now that I was preaching. 8-)

It's always good to have the opportunity to visit with family that you don't often see. Family reunions are a good way to stay in touch and can be a lot of fun. The sad part of family reunions is that not everyone is able to attend and, sometimes, loved ones are lost to death before you get to see them again.

Christians will one day experience another family reunion, one that will take place in Heaven. The Bible says there will be no more sorrow, no tears, only an undefinable joy. That will be one reunion that will never end and we will no longer have to worry about losing family. The most important part of that future reunion will be the presence of Jesus Christ. As good as our reunions are today, that will be one awesome reunion that will never end!

My question is, have you accepted Jesus' invitation to the Heavenly reunion? Only those that have been born again will be in attendance. Are you saved by the blood of the Lamb? Do you know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior? If not, what's stopping you from asking the Lord into your heart today?

For more information visit "Do You Know" on my website or send me an e-mail. I'll be happy to share more information with you.

Lake Park, GA Revival Begins Sunday

Extra! Extra! Read All About It!

The August 2007 Edition of the James Croft Evangelistic Association Newsletter is now available. This edition contains articles, podcast and video information, a joke or two and very old photos of "yours truly". 8-)

Blog Poll #5 Results

Our Blog Poll #5 question was, "Do you think the record-setting presidential campaigning so early in the 2008 election cycle helps or hurts?", and the results are:

It helps. People need to hear from candidates. 1 (14%)
It helps. Gives us more time to find skeletons in closets. 2 (28%)
It hurts. Too much money is involved in extended campaigning. 2 (28%)
It hurts. All we hear is more back-and-forth squabbling. 2 (28%)
I don't follow presidential politics. 0 (0%)

Total Votes: 7

Here are the results of Blog Poll #4.

Days of Elijah

This is one of my favorite songs.

Bigger Budget

Perspectives: Billy Graham with devil's horns?

NOTE: This opinion story addresses recent coverage about Evangelist Billy Graham and his access to American presidents. Our June 2007 Walking With The Giant podcast features a discussion of Christians role in government and politics.

Please post your comments on this subject below.

TIME and 20/20 profile the preacher's remarkable access to American presidents -- but ominously suggest that a religious leader having the president's ear is a bad idea.

TIME's cover story on Graham is a promotion for the book The Preacher and the Presidents, written by TIME reporters Nancy Gibbs and Michael Duffy. The book and Graham were also the subjects of an hour-long 20/20 broadcast hosted by ABC anchor Charles Gibson on August 10.

Read more of this opinion on One News Now.

Procrastination

God's Gift?

Cowboy In Church

One Sunday a cowboy went to church. When he entered, he saw that he and the preacher were the only ones present. The preacher asked the cowboy if he wanted him to go ahead and preach.

The cowboy said, "I'm not too smart, but if I went to feed my cattle and only one showed up, I'd still feed him."So the minister began his sermon.

One hour passed, then two hours, then two-and-a-half hours. The preacher finally finished and came down to ask the cowboy how he liked the sermon.

The cowboy answered slowly, "Well, I'm not very smart, but if I went to feed my cattle and only one showed up, I sure wouldn't feed him all the hay."

Tree Vs. Bear

Our Daily Bread

READ: Jeremiah 8:4-12

Even the stork in the heavens knows her appointed times . . . . But My people do not know the judgment of the Lord. —Jeremiah 8:7

About this cover

It’s not often that police must break up a brawl between a bear and a tree. The fight began with a playful insult and an accidental bump. Suddenly the bear talked! Then the tree talked back! Soon a guy in a bear suit was mixing it up with someone dressed as a tree. Police had to pull the two apart. The two mascots for Stanford and University of California had stopped entertaining and started fighting.

Bears and trees weren’t made to fight. Neither were we. Yet, throughout history people who were created to love and serve each other have often added insult to injury.

The amazing thing, according to the prophet Jeremiah, is that even those who know God’s law can hurt one another without regret. “No man repented of his wickedness,” he reported (8:6). “They were not at all ashamed” (v.12). Jeremiah also expressed God’s astonishment that even creatures of the wild reflect more wisdom than those who say “peace, peace” while doing harm (vv.7,11).

The One who designed birds to migrate at His command (v.7) does not merely call attention to our wrongs. He offers to fill our emptiness with the fullness of Himself. The alternatives are good: grace for bitterness, wisdom for foolishness, peace for conflict. —Mart De Haan

Heavenly Father, forgive us for our reluctance
to recognize and confess our sins. Replace our
eagerness to vindicate ourselves with a willingness
to see things Your way. Help us to repent. Amen.

Repentance not only says “I’m sorry,” it also says “I turn from my sin.”

For similar resources, search these topics:

Basics Of Faith > Sin > Repentance

VP Mistakes

Say Happy 25th Birthday to the Compact Disc

INDHOVEN, Netherlands — It was Aug. 17, 1982, and row upon row of palm-sized plates with a rainbow sheen began rolling off an assembly line near Hanover, Germany.

An engineering marvel at the time, today they are instantly recognizable as compact discs, a product that turns 25 years old on Friday — and whose future is increasingly in doubt in an age of iPods and digital downloads.

Those first CDs contained Richard Strauss' Alpine Symphony and would sound equally sharp if played today, says Holland's Royal Philips Electronics NV (PHG), which jointly developed the CD with Sony Corp. (SNE) of Japan.

Read more of this story on FOX News.

NOTE: Walking With The Giant, our monthly podcast, is also available on CD for those that prefer this type of media or for those that do not have access to a high-speed internet connection. The program can be delivered to your home, church or office on an audio CD that will allow you to listen at your convenience. To receive each issue of the program on CD simply send a $10 donation to the James Croft Evangelistic Association each month. This donation will help cover the expenses of producing and mailing the monthly program. Please use this form when mailing a donation. May God bless you for your consideration of this ministry.

The program is also offered as a free download or may be played in the Podcast Player in the left-hand column of this site.

Future of Utah Mine Search Uncertain After Cave-In Kills 3 Rescuers

HUNTINGTON, Utah — The search for six miners missing deep underground was abruptly halted after a second cave-in killed three rescue workers and injured at least six others who were trying to tunnel through rubble to reach them.

It was a devastating turn for the families of the six men trapped in the Aug. 6 collapse at the Crandall Canyon mine and for the relatives of those trying to rescue them. It's not known if the trapped miners are alive.

Read more of this story on FOX News.

TX church's principled stance brings surge of support

The pastor of a Texas church that refused to hold a memorial service that would have glorified the homosexual lifestyle of the deceased says the incident has caused many to search God's Word.

Last week, Gary Simons, pastor of Arlington's High Point Church, was contacted while on vacation by church staff about a planned memorial service for the brother of a church employee who is also a member. Church staff realized the memorial service for 46-year-old Cecil Sinclair, who was not a church member, was going to be a celebration of Cecil's homosexual lifestyle.

Pastor Simons decided High Point Church could not host the service. (See related story) In response, Internet blogs were initially filled with comments from homosexuals and their supporters, blasting Pastor Simons and his church.

Read more of this story on One News Now.

Special Delivery

Our Daily Bread

ODB RADIO: Listen Now | Download

READ: Romans 16:1-16

I commend to you Phoebe our sister, who . . . has been a helper of many. —Romans 16:1-2

About this cover

When a special delivery letter is handed to us at the door, it usually means we are receiving something very important. According to many Bible scholars, Phoebe was the one who hand-delivered a letter of immeasurable value to the church in Rome—Paul’s inspired doctrinal masterpiece. It points out how a lost and sinful humanity can find redemption through faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Phoebe, whose name means “bright and radiant,” lived in Cenchrea, a harbor village in eastern Corinth where Paul had stopped during his third missionary journey. Because of her kindness to him, he wrote to the Romans, “I commend to you Phoebe our sister, who is a servant of the church in Cenchrea, that you may . . . assist her in whatever business she has need of you; for indeed she has been a helper of many and of myself also” (16:1-2). Phoebe had assisted others in getting out the Word of God.

All of us are “spiritual mail carriers.” We have the good news that Paul wrote about so many centuries ago. And like Phoebe, we should assist in delivering it by word and deed to people around us who need its life-giving message. —Dennis Fisher

Do good to all and kindness show—
That’s what God’s Word commands;
For when we’re serving in Christ’s name,
We are His feet and hands. —Fitzhugh

We serve God by sharing His Word with others.

For similar resources, search these topics:

Ministry and Outreach > Sharing the Gospel > Missions/Evangelism

Christian News, August 16, 2007

Medical Referral

GodTube On MSNBC

The James Croft Evangelistic Association uploads all of our videos to GodTube, as well as other sites. Visit our video site at Walking With The Giant Videos.

Australian Fetus Becomes Newest Facebook Star

NOTE: At first you may think this is kind of... different. But, then when you think about life begins at conception... I guess it's just another kid with a social network page. OK, you know you want to make a comment on this one, so just click "comments" below. 8-)

It already has its own Facebook page and more than 100 people want to be its friend — but Bubba Waring, described by its mother as "the world's most famous fetus," hasn't actually been born yet.

Sydney couple Claire Gillis and Luke Waring, who are expecting their first child in three months, initially turned to the social networking site to keep their family and friends updated on the pregnancy.

But instead of creating a profile under her own name, Gillis said she thought it would be better to do it from her unborn child's perspective.

Read more of this story on FOX News.