Monday, April 30, 2001
The tracks we leave in life may not be deep or wide but must be dusted with the love of God!
-1 John 4:19-21 NIV
“We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, “I love God,” yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother. “
Sunday, April 29, 2001
When I watch the sunrise out my windows the sunshine glitters off the water on Seekers Bay. It is a spectacular sight to say the least. It is that same effect in a sense, the dazzling reflection of the work of Christ in our lives that is so desperately needed in our world today.
-2 Cor 3:16-18 NIV
“…whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
Saturday, April 28, 2001
Nothing is ever hurt by prayer except the gates of hell!
-Matt 16:18-19 NIV
“And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.”
Friday, April 27, 2001
She walked into the office and sat down in a chair for a moment. She gave me a quick smile that seemed to fade into another thought. She fought the distraction. I thought it wasn’t so unusual for a four year old. But soon I realized that she had to always fight flashes through her mind of one thing or another. She was so precious and yet so difficult. As the years went by it only got worse. Yes, there were the drugs but there was also the difficulty of proper dosage. She was difficult to control at home, at school and church. Sometimes she was good and other times it was like she was high on something. When she was over medicated she was like a zombie. I can remember her sitting on my lap as sweet of little girl as you will ever find. But minutes later she may kick the wall or another child. Who is she?
She is a lot of kids today who are what we call “crack babies” or “alcohol syndrome children.” In recent political debates they have discussed legalizing drugs or some of them. In those debates I have yet to read a single thing about what effect legalized drug use would have on babies.
If you know someone who is considering having a child or is already pregnant who is a drug/alcohol user please do everything you can to inform them of what their behavior is doing to their child. Having personally witnessed the lifetime of struggle that these children will have is heart wrenching for me, for everyone and for God.
The war on drugs will be won one heart at a time!
-Mark 10:14-16 (NIV)
“Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them.
Thursday, April 26, 2001
There are a lot of things that would be cured in people’s lives and the life of the church if personal soul winning were a priority of the believer. When people come into my office and tell me they are feeling spiritually dry I simply ask them, “When was the last time you lead someone to Christ?”
If I could wish one thing for you today it would be that you would share your faith in Christ to someone else and that they might receive Him as their personal Savior.
-1 Cor 9:19 (NIV)
“Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.”
Wednesday, April 25, 2001
Encouragement is really important to everyone. Unfortunately many times, when people need encouragement the most, they are treated with criticism, unkindness and disrespect. Think of what it would be like if every time we started to pray God would greet us with criticism. Well, I would guess that it would dramatically cut down on prayer time!
How we treat each other is no different. Make a conscious effort to be an encouragement to others. Constant criticism usually only reveals the character of the person who is criticizing.
-Rom 15:5-7 (NIV)
“May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.
Tuesday, April 24, 2001
When God touches people He doesn’t just tap them on the shoulder. He wraps His arms around them and hugs His love into them!
-Isa 40:11(NIV)
“He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.
Monday, April 23, 2001
Death could not contain Him,
His words still live today.
He listens to my every prayer,
He takes my cares away.
He lives in hearts of people,
Yet His power moves the seas,
He touches children’s hearts,
And brings giants to their knees.
I cannot comprehend His love,
His mercy or His grace.
But in the fullness of His time,
I will see Him face to face.
And I wish the same for you,
This love I hold so dear.
And find that perfect peace,
That takes away all fear.
Sunday, April 22, 2001
The value of a church should not be measured in the assets they keep but rather in the assets they give away!
-1 Tim 6:17-19 (NIV)
“Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.”
Saturday, April 21, 2001
Churches were ordained by God but too often controlled by man! Christ is the head of the church but too often only in name, somewhat like the royalty of England. They are only figureheads and have no authority to run the government. The church will not thrive until Christ is allowed to be the head. That cannot happen until He is placed in leadership and lordship in the hearts of each leader and worker in the church. Then revival, renewal, fresh winds, movement of the Holy Spirit, awakening or what ever you want to call it will come! It has to start with each of us, one at a time.
Hallelujah, I give God the glory.
Hallelujah, so be it!
Hallelujah, I give God the glory.
Unto you Lord I submit!
-Rom 10:3 (NIV)
“Since they did not know the righteousness that comes from God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness.”
-Job 22:22-23;26-27 (NIV)
“Submit to God and be at peace with him; in this way prosperity will come to you. Accept instruction from his mouth and lay up his words in your heart. If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored: If you remove wickedness far from your tent…”
“Surely then you will find delight in the Almighty and will lift up your face to God. You will pray to him, and he will hear you, and you will fulfill your vows.
Friday, April 20, 2001
The person God wants us to become is one who is bathed in His love, filled with the Spirit and over flowing with a passionate love for Him and others. Then evangelism is taken out of committee and into the community!
-Matt 22:37-39 (NIV)
Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
Thursday, April 19, 2001
The very thing person that God wants us to become can only happen by His work in us. It is assuring to realize that God is working to help us become that person.
-Heb 13:20-21 (NIV)
“May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Wednesday, April 18, 2001
THE STORY OF EDITH BURNS
Edith Burns was a wonderful Christian who lived in San Antonio, Texas. She was the patient of a doctor by the name of Dr. Will Phillips. Dr. Phillips was a gentle doctor who saw patients as people. His favorite patient was Edith Burns.
One morning he went to his office with a heavy heart and it was because of Edith Burns. When he walked into that waiting room, there sat Edith with her big black Bible in her lap earnestly talking to a young mother sitting beside her. Edith Burns had a habit of introducing herself in this way: “Hello, my name is Edith Burns. Do you believe in Easter?”
Dr. Phillips walked into that office and there he saw the head nurse, Beverly. Beverly had first met Edith when she was taking her blood pressure. Edith began by saying, “My name is Edith Burns. Do you believe in Easter?”
Beverly said, “Why yes I do.”
Edith said, “Well, what do you believe about Easter?”
Beverly said, “Well, it’s all about egg hunts, going to church, and dressing up.” Edith kept pressing her about the real meaning of Easter, and finally led her to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.
Dr. Phillips said, “Beverly, don’t call Edith into the office quite yet. I believe there is another delivery taking place in the waiting room.
After being called back in the doctor’s office, Edith sat down and when she took a look at the doctor she said, “Dr. Will, why are you so sad? Are you reading your Bible? Are you praying?”
Dr. Phillips said gently, “Edith, I’m the doctor and you’re the patient.” With a heavy heart he said, “Your lab report came back and it says you have cancer, and Edith, you’re not going to live very long.”
Edith said, “Why Will Phillips, shame on you. Why are you so sad? Do you think God makes mistakes? You have just told me I’m going to see my precious Lord Jesus, my husband, and my friends. You have just told me that I am going to celebrate Easter Forever, and here you are having difficulty giving me my ticket!”
Dr. Phillips thought to himself, “What a magnificent woman this Edith Burns is!”
Edith continued coming to Dr. Phillips. Christmas came and the office was closed through January 3rd. On the day the office opened, Edith did not show up. Later that afternoon, Edith called Dr. Phillips and said she would have to be moving her story to the hospital and said, “Will, I’m very near home, so would you make sure that they put women in here next to me in my room who need to know about Easter.”
Well, they did just that and women began to come in and share that room with Edith. Many women were saved. Everybody on that floor from staff to patients were so excited about Edith, that they started calling her Edith Easter; that is everyone except Phyllis Cross, the head nurse.
Phyllis made it plain that she wanted nothing to do with Edith because she was a “religious nut”. She had been a nurse in an army hospital. She had seen it all and heard it all. She was the original G.I. Jane. She had been married three times, she was hard, cold, and did everything by the book.
One morning the two nurses who were to attend to Edith were sick. Edith had the flu and Phyllis Cross had to go in and give her a shot. When she walked in, Edith had a big smile on her face and said, Phyllis, God loves you and I love you, and I have been praying for you.”
Phyllis Cross said, “Well, you can quit praying for me, it won’t work. I’m not interested.”
Edith said, “Well, I will pray and I have asked God not to let me go home until you come into the family.”
Phyllis Cross said, “Then you will never die because that will never happen,” and curtly walked out of the room.
Every day Phyllis Cross would walk into the room and Edith would say, God loves you Phyllis and I love you, and I’m praying for you.” One day Phyllis Cross said she was literally drawn to Edith’s room like a magnet would draw iron. She sat down on the bed and Edith said, “I’m so glad you have come, because God told me that today is your special day.”
Phyllis Cross said, “Edith, you have asked everybody here the question, ‘Do you believe in Easter?’ but you have never asked me.”
Edith said, “Phyllis, I wanted to many times, but God told me to wait until you asked, and now that you have asked Edith Burns took her Bible and shared with Phyllis Cross the Easter Story of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Edith said, “Phyllis, do you believe in Easter? Do you believe that Jesus Christ is alive and that He wants to live in your heart?”
Phyllis Cross said, “Oh I want to believe that with all of my heart, and I do want Jesus in my life.” Right there, Phyllis Cross prayed and invited Jesus Christ into her heart. For the first time Phyllis Cross did not walk out of a hospital room, she was carried out on the wings of angels.
Two days later, Phyllis Cross came in and Edith said, Do you know what day it is?”
Phyllis Cross said,”Why Edith, it’s Good Friday.”
Edith said, “Oh, no, for you every day is Easter. Happy Easter Phyllis!”
Two days later, on Easter Sunday, Phyllis Cross came into work, did some of her duties and then went down to the flower shop and got some Easter lilies because she wanted to go up to see Edith and give her some Easter lilies and wish her a Happy Easter. When she walked into Edith’s room, Edith was in bed. That big black Bible was on her lap. Her hands were in that Bible. There was a sweet smile on her face. When Phyllis Cross went to pick up Edith’s hand, she realized Edith was dead. Her left hand was on John 14: “In my Father’s house are many mansions. I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you
may be also.”
Her right hand was on Revelation 21:4, ” And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes, there shall be no more death nor sorrow, nor crying; and there shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”
Phyllis Cross took one look at that dead body, and then lifted her face toward heaven, and with tears streaming down here cheeks, said, “Happy Easter, Edith – Happy Easter!”
Phyllis Cross left Edith’s body, walked out of the room, and over to a table where two student nurses were sitting. She said, “My name is Phyllis Cross. Do you believe in Easter?
-contributed by Ralph Fischer
Tuesday, April 17, 2001
To bring peace in a valley requires heaven in ones heart!
-2 Cor 4:18 (NIV)
“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
Monday, April 16, 2001
God loves the praises of His people. It’s hard to end your week in praise if you don’t start your week with praise. Take a moment to personally, privately praise the Lord for all He has done for you. Do it every day for 30 days and see what happens to your relationship with God. Remember, every day for 30 days. God loves the praises of His people!
-Ps 147:1 (NIV)
“Praise the LORD. How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him!
-1 Pet 2:9 (NIV)
“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”
Sunday, April 15, 2001
He is risen! And He made “Friday Good.”
-Matt 28:6 (NIV)
“He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.”
Saturday. April 14, 2001
Too many Christians are still living as if Jesus is still in the tomb! We display the cross in our churches and wear it as a symbol of His death. Our lives our supposed to be the symbol of His resurrection!
-John 11:25-26 (NIV)
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die…”
Friday, April 13, 2001
The soldiers Jesus into the palace, mocked Him, wrapped a purple robe around Him and put a crown of thorns upon His head. They pretended to worship Him saying, “Hail, king of the Jews!” In a sense they were saying, “Look at our palace and what we have. You do not even begin to compare with what we’ve accomplished. You are powerless! You are nothing! We are in charge!”
I don’t know that it is so different today as people bring Jesus into their palaces with a token homage of Christian music, Christian books and a 5 second table prayer. Certainly a more subtle statement as to who is king but no less effective and meaningful!
P.S. In the early American Church people lived in modest home sand built palaces for churches. Today we build modest churches and live in palaces!
-Isa 29:13 (NIV)
The Lord says: “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men.
Thursday, April 12, 2001
The cross of Calvary is a painful reminder of the suffering of Christ. It’s interesting that we call if “Good Friday.” In our own lives there are the “Fridays” of suffering in one form or another. Perhaps we need to start calling our Fridays “good” and remember that there is always a Sunday on the horizon.
-James 1:2-4 (NIV)
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
Wednesday, April 11, 2001
When writing about frustration in the church, I received the following email:
“I’m convinced that a lot of Christians are trying to do Christianity without Christian power — the Holy Spirit. What better formula for frustration than that?”
I agree whole-heartedly.
-1 Cor 2:4-5 (NIV)
“My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power.”
Tuesday, April 10, 2001
There seems to be a lot of frustration in churches these days. It may be caused by the pressure to compete with the mega-church programs. Or, because of the lack of volunteers and the need of more staff, the increased cost of operation. There is also the pressure to abandon traditional worship in the church for the seeker-oriented trend. Regardless, it seems to have caused finger pointing by church members at each other and the pastor at an unprecedented level. The church must be nurtured into maturity. The problem is that too many people reject the idea of spiritual growth and prefer to remain in the infancy of their faith.
Many churches today are spiritual nursery schools but the problem is that the children are adults!
-Heb 5:12-14 (NIV)
In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.
Monday, April 9, 2001
When was the time that you were the happiest in your life? Many people look back to their childhood, others to the day they received Christ. Either way they were children, either in life or in their faith.
It is imperative that we maintain a childlike faith, the innocence and freshness of the day we received Christ, to have a happy life. Some may say, “That’s impossible! You can’t stay the same in your faith and you can’t maintain the freshness of your conversion.” I suppose they are correct in that our faith does not stay the same but our faith and the thrill of faith should only get better and better and better!
So how do we do this? By “living and breathing” God!
-Matt 18:3-4 (NIV)
And he said: “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
Sunday, April 8, 2001
Sentence Sermons
Be Fishers of Men…. You catch ’em, He’ll Clean ’em.
A family altar can alter a family.
A lot of kneeling will keep you in good standing.
Don’t put a question mark where God put a full stop.
Don’t wait for 6 strong men to take you to church.
Exercise daily. Walk with the Lord!
Forbidden fruits create many jams.
Give God what’s right, not what’s left!
Give Satan an inch and he’ll be a ruler.
God doesn’t call the qualified, He qualifies the called.
God grades on the cross, not the curve.
God loves everyone, but probably prefers “fruits of the spirit” over “religious nuts”!
God promises a safe landing, not a calm passage.
Having truth decay? Brush up on your Bible!
He who angers you, controls you!
He who is good at making excuses is seldom good for anything else.
He who kneels before God can stand before anyone!
Kindness is difficult to give away because it keeps coming back.
Most people want to serve God, but only in an advisory capacity.
Never give the devil a ride! He will always want to drive!
Nothing ruins the truth like stretching it.
Plan ahead. It wasn’t raining when Noah built the ark.
“Pray” is a four-letter word that you can say anywhere.
Prayer – Don’t give God instructions – just report for duty!
The Will of God will never take you to where the Grace of God will not protect you.
This Church is “Prayer Conditioned”!
To be almost saved is to be totally lost.
WARNING: Exposure to the Son may prevent burning!
Watch your step carefully! Everyone else does!
We don’t change the message, the message changes us.
We set the sail; God makes the wind.
We’re too blessed to be depressed.
Wisdom has two parts: 1) Having a lot to say. 2) Not saying it.
Worry is the darkroom in which “negatives” are developed.
-contributed by William Blocher
Saturday, April 7, 2001
It doesn’t cost much to go to church. I’ve never been charged to get into a morning worship service in any church of any denomination. When they passed the offering plate I was never pressured into putting money in it. I’ve never been called and told I didn’t give enough to the church. What ever I have given I have given on my own accord and my own conviction. I expect that this is true with almost everyone. That being the case, why do people react so emotionally when the topic of giving comes up? It is not the pressure from the church but it is about their own conviction and the amount they are giving to the Lord’s work. Perhaps most people are giving too much to the church and, therefore, it upsets them when giving is discussed. Not!
-Mal 3:10 (NIV)
Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.
Friday, April 6, 2001
Knee Mail
There are 3 kinds of mail:
Email – Computer
Snail mail – U.S. Mail
Knee Mail – Bending your knees as you Pray
This is Knee Mail…
If God had a refrigerator, your picture would be on it.
If He had a wallet, your photo would be in it.
He sends you flowers every spring and a sunrise every morning.
Whenever you want to talk, He’ll listen.
He could live anywhere in the universe, and He chose your heart.
What about the Christmas gift He sent you in Bethlehem not to mention that Friday at Calvary?
Face it; He’s crazy about you.
Remember, God answers Knee-Mail!
-contributed by Bev Sederlund
Thursday, April 5, 2001
When the church fails to address the issue of sin, it fails to address the needs of people.
-I Jn 1:7-9 (NIV)
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
Wednesday, April 4, 2001
When I was a child I can vividly remember sitting in missions conference and seeing the pictures of the natives in remote villages. It left a big impression on me. I thought the worst thing that could possibly happen to a person was for God to call them to be a missionary. I suspect a lot of people feel the same way today. Reacquaint yourself with missions and how it is done. Perhaps remembering this old time chorus from Sunday School will help.
Jesus loves the little children,
All the children of the world.
Red and yellow, black and white.
They are precious in His sight.
Jesus loves the little children of the world.
You still have time to be part of a short-term mission trip this summer. I challenge you to be awakened to the people of the world and the their need for Christ.
-Acts 13:47 (NIV)
For this is what the Lord has commanded us: “‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.'”
Tuesday, April 3, 2001
If God asked you help support someone to go to a foreign country and share Christ, would you support them so they could go? If God asked you to go, would you go? As I read the text of the great commission I noticed that it says “go” not “send.”
-Mark 16:15-16 (NIV)
“Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation…”
Monday, April 2, 2001
A recently quoted statistic shows that we have a lot of work yet to do in the great commission. At the rate of each missionary around the world per person in the world, we would have one church for every 312,000 people in America. Many cities would have only one church. Many rural counties would have no churches. How many churches would there be where you live?
-Ps 96:1-3 (NIV)
“Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth. Sing to the LORD, praise his name; proclaim his salvation day after day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples.
Sunday, April 1, 2001
A recent quoted statistic says that the average individual annual giving by Christians to missions is $1.03. That’s less than the price of a 20-ounce bottle of Coca Cola plus tax! If we really expect to reach the lost for Christ we are going to have to start giving as well as praying!
-Mark 16:15-16 (NIV)
He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.
