Too Busy Serving

The Back Pew

Moving Testimony

Three buddies die in a car crash, and they go to heaven.

There, they are all asked, "When you are in your casket and friends and family are mourning, what would you like to hear them say about you?"The first guy says, "I would like to hear them say that I was a great doctor of my time, and a great family man."

The second guy says, "I would like to hear that I was a wonderful husband and school teacher who made a huge difference in our children of tomorrow."

The last guy replies, "I would like to hear them say, 'Look! He's moving!'"

Armed Or Unarmed?

Have you ever had one of those "chance" encounters that makes you praise the Lord for having you right where you needed to be?

Sunday afternoon, one of my cousins, Kevin Owen, and I were at a nursing home in Lake City visiting our 97 year-old great-aunt. After leaving her room I was approached by a young man that addressed me as "Brother James." He began to share with me about attending a 6 week soulwinning class that I lead for youth at Eastside Baptist Church in Lake City. To be completely honest, I remembered teaching the class, but sadly not his name. There were approximately 14-18 youth in the class. However, this story isn't about how "short" my memory has become, but about his sharp memory.

He said he remembered me telling the class that it was very important to use your "sword", the Bible, when witnessing to others. He went on to remind me that I urged them not to carry a big Bible with them, but a small "dagger" that could be concealed in their pocket or purse. The larger Bible could scare off their prospect before having the opportunity to share the Gospel with them. The small New Testament would still provide them with all the scripture needed to lead someone to Christ and could be quickly produced when needed.

He mentioned that I had purchased a small sharing New Testament for each member of the class. I remembered making the purchase, the store that I purchased them from and how excited some of the class members were when I passed them out toward the end of the series. It was at this point that my heart was blessed more than I am able to convey to you with my feeble writing skills. As he was recalling these events, he reached into his back pocket and produced the New Testament that I had presented to him. He told me that since that night he has carried that little "dagger" with him everywhere he went. WOW! I was blown away by this! I mean, some folks never leave home without their cell phone, but rarely do they take a Bible everywhere they go. By the way, did I mention that the soulwinning class he spoke of was held in February and March of 2000! That's been over 8 years ago!

I have no idea if anyone has been led to the Lord by this young man using his "dagger", but the numbers are not the important part of this story. What is important is his faithfulness to go into the world armed with the only weapon he will need, a small New Testament that can be concealed like a dagger and brought out at a moment's notice. A very wise retired pastor and evangelist once told me, during a "dry season" in my ministry, that God didn't call me to be successful, just to be faithful. And you know what? When we are faithful to do God's work and His Will, we ARE successful in His eyes.

I praise God that I had some small role in preparing a young man for faithfulness by arming him with a book that is "sharper than any two-edged sword." I'm even more thankful that the young man has been faithful to carry his "sword" over the years.

How prepared are you? Are you faithful to go into the world each day "armed" for any opportunity the Lord may place in your pathway? How well do you know your "weapon"? Read it, study it, don't leave home without it, and most of all, be prepared to use it!

This Call May Be Recorded

Run The Race

An elementary school "track and field day" is the inspiration and backdrop for this video called "Run The Race".

1 Corinthians 9:24 (NKJV): Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it.

Do you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ? For more information visit Do You Know?



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For more information about this ministry visit these sites:

• Evangelist James Croft
• Walking with the Giant Blog
• Walking with the Giant Podcast

You may also contribute financially to this ministry to help with evangelism projects by following these links:

• Credit Card
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May God richly bless you for your prayerful and financial support!

Lottery Spam Filter

IED 2008

...a resource focusing on Internet outreach

The growth of the Internet over the last 12 years has been incredible, and over one billion people now use the Web. There are many thousands of Christian websites, but the vast majority of these are written only for Christians. Very few are designed to reach out effectively to non-Christians. Yet the potential is vast.

So the Internet Evangelism Coalition (an umbrella group of outreach ministries) is offering churches and other groups a focus day program called ‘Internet Evangelism Day’. The website is at:

www.InternetEvangelismDay.com

This is purely a ‘web evangelism awareness day’ and resource site – there is no fund-raising element. Many churches and other Christian groups have already used this exciting focus within church services and other meetings. The IE Day site offers downloadable materials for this purpose: 5-minute video testimonies of people who found God online, drama scripts, PowerPoint presentations, discussion questions, and many helpful links. “Our church just started a website and we think that this will give us an opportunity to take it to another level,” says a church in St Louis, Missouri.

The IE Day team hopes for a range of outcomes. High on their list is that churches will create effective websites which can reach out into the community, rather than just be an online noticeboard for members. “It’s an exciting challenge,” says IE Day Co-ordinator Tony Whittaker. “The potential of the Web is enormous.”

Other leaders share his enthusiasm. “The Internet is one of the most key tools that God has given us in the church today,” writes George Verwer, founder of Operation Mobilization.

“I am excited to see how God will reveal Himself in mighty ways through the uniqueness of cyberspace,” comments Dr. David Tucker of Trans World Radio.

IE Day is endorsed internationally by a wide range of organizations and denominations. For more news of Internet Evangelism Day, visit www.InternetEvangelismDay.com

NOTE: The May 2006 edition of the Walking With The Giant podcast featured an interview with Dr. Sterling Huston, Chairman of Internet Evangelism Coalition and Director of Special Ministries for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.

Fire Rainbow

This is a real photo of a phenomenon known as a Circumhorizontal Arc or a "Fire Rainbow". You can also read a brief description on Snopes.com.

Scanning World's Every Book, Including Oldest Bible

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — In a dimly lit back room on the second level of the University of Michigan library's book-shelving department, Courtney Mitchel helped a giant desktop machine digest a rare, centuries-old Bible.

Mitchel is among hundreds of librarians from Minnesota to England making digital versions of the most fragile of the books to be included in Google Inc.'s Book Search, a portal that will eventually lead users to all the estimated 50 million to 100 million books in the world.

Read more of this story on The Christian Post.

The Last Minute

A minister waited in line to have his car filled with gas just before a long holiday weekend. The attendant worked quickly, but there were many cars ahead of him in front of the service station.

Finally, the attendant motioned him toward a vacant pump."Reverend," said the young man, "Sorry about the delay. It seems as if everyone waits until the last minute to get ready for a long trip."

The minister chuckled, "I know what you mean. It's the same in my business."

Birmingham Mayor Suggests Prayer, Wearing Sacks to Curb Spate of Homicides

NOTE: Share your thoughts about this story by clicking "comments" below.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Struggling to confront a worsening homicide rate, the mayor of Birmingham asked pastors and citizens Friday to don burlap sacks and ashes Friday in an Old Testament-style sign of biblical repentance.

Mayor Larry Langford said his "sackcloth and ashes" rally at Boutwell Auditorium was inspired by the Book of Jonah, where residents of the ancient city of Ninevah wore rough fabric and ashes as a sign of turning away from sin.

A pastor who helped organize the rally said Langford purchased 2,000 burlap bags that will be handed out at the event.

"We believe things begin to dramatically change when the mayor, or leader, calls for prayer. I don't think there's ever been a city called to sackcloth and ashes," Green said.

Since he took office last year, Langford has held three prayer rallies as a way of addressing crime and violence. Bibles were handed out at one of the events.

"This city needs to humble itself," said Langford, a professing Christian.

Read more of this story on FOX News.

Podcasting in Plain English

This is a very good explanation about "podcasting". By the way, if you haven't done so already, check out our podcast called "Walking With The Giant".

'Basic Instinct' Director Paul Verhoeven: Jesus Was Son of Mary and Roman Rapist

NOTE: You know you're going to want to share your thoughts on this one, so just click "comments" below.

In his upcoming biography of Jesus, "Basic Instinct" director Paul Verhoeven will make the shocking claim that Christ probably was the son of Mary and a Roman soldier who raped her during the Jewish uprising in Galilee.

An Amsterdam publishing house said Wednesday it will publish the Dutch filmmaker's biography of Jesus, "Jesus of Nazareth: A Realistic Portrait," in September.

It will be translated into English in 2009, Marianna Sterk of the publishing house J.M. Meulenhoff said. Verhoeven hopes it will be a springboard for him to raise interest in making a film along the same lines, she said.

Read more of this story on FOX News.

Happy Earth Day

In case you didn't know, today is Earth Day. This has sparked a bit of reminiscing on my part.

During my term on the Baker County Commission (1984-1988) I helped establish the first multi-county solid waste authority in the state of Florida. New River Solid Waste Association served Baker, Bradford and Union Counties. I began working for the association in March of 1989. During the next 17 years I helped permit a regional landfill, started recycling programs for the region and established a Certified Affiliate of Keep America Beautiful called Keep Tri-counties Beautiful. I often said I was a professional trash talker.

When I was called into the ministry in 1994, I told folks I was now a total environmentalist, my "day job" was to ensure that their environment on Earth is the best it could be and my ministry was to help ensure their environment in eternity would be the best it could be. These days the latter is now my full-time career.

I enjoyed my career in the "environmental business", because I always felt that it too was a ministry for me. I believed (and still do) that we should be good stewards of the planet God has entrusted us with, but we should never forget to worship the Creator. We can admire God's creation, but never worship the creation. Worship is reserved for God, and Him alone. Today's devotion in Our Daily Bread by RBC Ministries speaks of this as does a previous post on this site by Brian Mimbs called "Is The Sky Falling?"

I believe Jesus always gives us the example to follow and He was the first "recycler". After feeding a crowd of at least 5, 000, He asked them to take up the left-overs so that nothing was lost. You can read this in John 6:1-15.

Here's something else for you to consider. You and I, because of sin, were really "waste" (Isaiah 64:6). We were bound for the "landfill", or to be more precise, the "incinerator" (Rev. 20:15). We needed someone (Jesus) to "recycle" us (Romans 5:8). To "recycle" means to use again, so if we are "born again" (John 3:3) we are now "reusable" (2 Cor. 5:17). As a born-again believer we are now to be used by God (Rom. 12:1-2). We also have a new "eternal destination" (John 14:1-3).

Have you been recycled by Jesus? He's the ONLY way (John 14:6)!

If you would like to know more about God's "recycling plan" visit Do You Know? or view the video. You can also e-mail me and I'll try to answer your questions.

Thank you Lord for allowing us to take care of the planet you have given us. May we do better in caring for Your Creation and even more to honor You!

Ohio public school teacher ordered to remove Bible from classroom desk

A standoff may be in the works between a public school teacher in Ohio and his bosses, who ordered him to hide his personal Bible from students.

John Freshwater has taught science at Mount Vernon Middle School for 20 years and last year was named "Teacher of the Year." For the past 18 years, Freshwater has kept his personal Bible on his desk in order to provide strength and encouragement.

Administrators recently ordered Freshwater to remove the Bible, citing a violation of separation of church and state. But Freshwater's spokesman, Dave Daubenmire of Pass the Salt Ministries, says the First Amendment gives Freshwater the right to keep his Bible on his personal desk.

Read more of this story on One News Now.

Sticky Notes

Man sees Jesus on hospital ceiling

NEW YORK, April 20 (UPI) -- As Pope Benedict XVI spends time in New York, a local hospital is getting attention for a water mark on the ceiling some think looks like Jesus.

Junior Rodriguez, 31, a cab driver receiving care for anemia, said he noticed the quarter-sized face of Jesus when he looked up from his bed one day in St. John's Queens Hospital, the New York Post reported Sunday.

"I was freaking out. There was Jesus looking down on me. This room is blessed," Rodriguez said of his April 10 discovery.

Hospital employees reportedly quickly deemed Room 232 the "Jesus room."

Read more of this story on United Press International.

Return On Investment

Our Daily Bread

ODB RADIO: Listen Now | Download

READ: 1 Corinthians 6:12-20

You were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit. —1 Corinthians 6:20

Long before the US professional baseball season begins each spring, team owners and managers are busy negotiating trades and contracts. They'll pay large sums of money to get the athlete who will help them win the championship. When the season starts, all eyes are on the newly acquired talent to see if he was worth the cost. The ultimate measure of the player's success is whether his contribution to the team is a good return on the investment.

In 1 Corinthians 6:20, Paul reminds us that we too have been "bought at a price." The context paints a compelling picture of Christ's great sacrifice. He liberated us from the cruel slavemaster of sin by buying us with the high price of His own life.

Getting a grip on God's great and loving investment in us should motivate us to gladly consider making His sacrifice rich in dividends. How is that return on His investment measured? By living to bring glory to Him! Our eyes, hands, feet, thoughts, dreams, and desires have been purchased to reflect the wondrous glory of God's will and wisdom. In other words, we are no longer our own.

Paul concluded, "Therefore glorify God in your body" (v.20). Living to reflect His glory is the return on investment that makes the Owner of our lives look good! — Joe Stowell

Redemption's price our Savior paid
When all our sins on Him were laid;
He took our guilt, He bore our shame
That we may glorify His name. —D. De Haan

Our choice to bring glory to God yields a great return on Christ's investment.

For similar resources, search these topics:

Basics Of Faith > Jesus Christ > Death/Cross
Christian Life > Character > Decisions/Choices

Young Samson

Evangelist Ralph To Lead Youth Service

Evangelist Raphael Adjei Kingbi will have a busy schedule of youth services over the next week. Evangelist Ralph serves as Ghana Ministry Coordinator for the James Croft Evangelistic Association in Teshie-Accra, Ghana, West Africa.

He will be leading a Junior High School Finalists Retreat tomorrow (Saturday). This is a half-day service that features a time of prayer for students preparing for their final examinations to move from junior high to senior high school. The service will be held at Paola Memorial Presbyterian Church in Teshie

Next Wednesday, April 23rd, he will be preaching during a youth revival at an Anglican Church. The following Friday night and Saturday morning, Evangelist Ralph will be speaking during an all-night youth retreat at the Methodist Church in Teshie.

I hope you will join me in praying for the ministry of Evangelist Ralph and for his family. His wife, Mavis, is expecting their second child, so much prayer is needed for this family. The two celebrated their 4th wedding anniversary yesterday (April 17th).

If you should feel led to financially support our Ghana Ministry, you can send a check or money order to:

James Croft Evangelistic Association
P.O. Box 56
Olustee, Florida 32072-0056

You can also make a contribution with your credit card or PayPal account by clicking here. In the "comments" section of the form, please make a note that it is for the Kingbi's. We send monthly support to the Kingbi family to enable Ralph more time for evangelism efforts in Ghana.

Evangelist Ralph also gives a ministry report each month on the "Walking with the Giant" Podcast.

Pictured above are Ralph, Mavis and their first child, Ralph, Jr. This photo was taken in mid 2006.