"But the fact is that CHRIST has been
Raised from the Dead.
HE has become the First of a
Great Harvest of those who
will be Raised to Life Again".
1 Corinthians 15:20 NLT
CHRIST has Won the Final Victory
The grave has been "boasting" of its power since Eden.
But now it has finally met its match. It wraps JESUS up
at the Cross and "Forbids HIM to Rise," but our Champion,
JESUS CHRIST, Fought and Won. Where is your sting now,
O Death? CHRIST has Won the Final Victory!!
We know that whatever Boasting we do is Not In Ourselves,
but in the Power of CHRIST. HE has Won the Victory, and
now we're just soaring where CHRIST has led. We bask in
the Benefits of the Cross, and we look past the grave to
our Heavenly Reunion with HIM. Alleluia!!!!
Everything that is going wrong in your life today shall be well with you this year. You have been destined to make it and you shall surely achieve all your goals this year. For the remaining months of this year (2008), all your agonies will be diverted and victory and prosperity will be incoming in abundance. Today God has confirmed the end of your sufferings, sorrows, and pains because HE that sits on the throne has remembered you. He has taken away the hardships and given you JOY. He will never let you down. I knocked at heaven's door this morning, God asked me... My child! What can I do for you? And I said, 'Father, please protect and bless the person reading this message' ... God smiled and answered... 'Request granted.' -----------------------------------------------
The Pastor and His Son
Every Sunday afternoon, after the morning service at the church, the Pastor and his eleven year old son would go out into their town and hand out Gospel Tracts. This particular Sunday afternoon, as it came time for the Pastor and his son to go to the streets with their tracts, it was very cold outside, as well as pouring down rain. The boy bundled up in his warmest and driest clothes and said, "OK, dad, I'm ready." His Pastor dad asked, "Ready for what?" "Dad, it's time we gather our tracts together and go out." Dad responds, "Son, it's very cold outside and it's pouring down rain." The boy gives his dad a surprised look, asking, "But Dad, aren't people still going to Hell, even though it's raining?" Dad answers, "Son, I am not going out in this weather." Despondently, the boy asks, ?Dad, can I go? Please?" His father hesitated for a moment then said, "Son, you can go. Here are the tracts, be careful son." "Thanks Dad!"
And with that, he was off and out into the rain. This eleven year old boy walked the streets of the town going door to door and handing everybody he met in the street a Gospel Tract. After two hours of walking in the rain, he was soaking, bone-chilled wet and down to his VERY LAST TRACT. He stopped on a corner and looked for someone to hand a tract to, but the streets were totally deserted. Then he turned toward the first home he saw and started up the sidewalk to the front door and rang the door bell. He rang the bell, but nobody answered. He rang it again and again, but still no one answered. He waited but still no answer.
Finally, this eleven year old trooper turned to leave, but something stopped him. Again, he turned to the door and rang the bell and knocked loudly on the door with his fist. He waited, something holding him there on the front porch. He rang again and this time the door slowly opened. Standing in the doorway was a very sad-looking elderly lady. She softly asked, "What can I do for you, son?" With radiant eyes and a smile that lit up her world, this little boy said, "Ma'am, I'm sorry if I disturbed you, but I just want to tell you that *JESUS REALLY DOES LOVE YOU* and I came to give you my very last Gospel Tract which will tell you all about JESUS and His great LOVE." With that, he handed her his last tract and turned to leave. She called to him as he departed. "Thank you, son! And God Bless You!"
Well, the following Sunday morning in church Pastor Dad was in the pulpit. As the service began, he asked, "Does anybody have testimony or want to say anything?" Slowly, in the back row of the church, an elderly lady stood to her feet. As she began to speak, a look of glorious radiance came from her face, "No one in this church knows me. I've never been here before. You see, before last Sunday I was not a Christian. My husband passed on some time ago, leaving me totally alone in this world.
Last Sunday, being a particularly cold and rainy day, it was even more so in my heart that I came to the end of the line where I no longer had any hope or will to live. So I took a rope and a chair and ascended the stairway into the attic of my home. I fastened the rope securely to a rafter in the roof, then stood on the chair and fastened the other end of the rope around my neck. Standing on that chair, so lonely and brokenhearted I was about to leap off, when suddenly the loud ringing of my doorbell downstairs startled me. I thought, "I'll wait a minute, and whoever it is will go away." I waited and waited, but the ringing doorbell seemed to get louder and more insistent, and then the person ringing also started knocking loudly. I thought to myself again, "Who on earth could this be? Nobody ever rings my bell or comes to see me." I loosened the rope from my neck and started for the front door, all the while the bell rang louder and louder.
When I opened the door and looked I could hardly believe my eyes, for there on my front porch was the most radiant and angelic little boy I had ever seen in my life. His SMILE, oh, I could never describe it to you! The words that came from his mouth caused my heart that had long been dead, TO LEAP TO LIFE as he exclaimed with a cherub-like voice, "Ma'am, I just came to tell you that JESUS REALLY DOES LOVE YOU." Then he gave me this Gospel Tract that I now hold in my hand. As the little angel disappeared back out into the cold and rain, I closed my door and read slowly every word of this Gospel Tract. Then I went up to my attic to get my rope and chair. I wouldn't be needing them any more. You see---I am now a Happy Child of the KING. Since the address of your church was on the back of this Gospel Tract, I have come here to personally say THANK YOU to God's little angel who came just in the nick of time and by so doing, spared my soul from an eternity in hell."
There was not a dry eye in the church.
And as shouts of praise and honor to THE KING resounded off the very rafters of the building, Pastor Dad descended from the pulpit to the front pew where the little angel was seated. He took his son in his arms and sobbed uncontrollably.
Probably no church has had a more glorious moment, and probably this universe has never seen a Papa that was more filled with love & honor for his son... Except for One. This Father also allowed His Son to go out into a cold and dark world. He received His Son back with joy unspeakable, and as all of heaven shouted praises and honor to The King, the Father sat His beloved Son on a throne far above all principality and power and every name that is named.
Blessed are your eyes for reading this message. Don't let this message die, read it again and pass it to others. Heaven is for His people!
Remember, God's message CAN make the difference in the life of someone close to you. Do not be too shy to share that wonderful message.
“Not by Might nor by Power, but by My Spirit,’ says the LORD Almighty”
(Zechariah 4:6).
In this day and age, we are equipped with so many Wonderful
Resources in the Natural: Technology, Education, Abilities.
It’s easy to rely on our own Natural Strength for so many things.
We have to remember that this Natural World is only Temporary,
but the Spiritual Realm is Eternal. We aren’t limited to the Earth’s
Resources; we have Unlimited Spiritual Resources by the Spirit of GOD.
There are Things in life that can’t happen by Human Thinking and Reasoning.
There are things that won’t be Solved by Natural Power and Might.
But GOD is Not Limited by the Resources of this
World. When you Open the Door of Faith in your Heart,
GOD will move through you in Powerful Ways by HIS Spirit.
By HIS Spirit, you can Overcome Temptation.
By HIS Spirit, you can Receive Healing.
By HIS Spirit, you can Fulfill every Dream and Desire in your Heart.
No matter what Challenges or Obstacles you may be Facing today,
know that you can Live in Complete Victory by HIS Spirit!
A Prayer for Today
Father in Heaven, Thank You for giving me access to all Your Spiritual Blessings by Your Spirit Today. I choose to rely on You and Trust that You are Working in my life. I Praise and Bless You, knowing that You are leading me in Victory in Every Area of my life. In JESUS’ Name. Amen.
OUR GIFTS, THOUGH DIFFERENT, ARE ALL USEFUL.
Our gifts differ in Nature, Power, and Effectiveness
according to God’s Wisdom and Graciousness,
not according to our Faith.
“Measuring your value by how much Faith GOD has given you”
means that GOD will give the Spiritual Power Necessary
and Appropriate to carry out each Responsibility.
We cannot, by our own effort or willpower, drum up more
Faith and thus be more effective teachers or servants.
These are GOD’s Gifts to HIS Church, and HE gives Faith
and Power as HE Wills. Our Role is to be Faithful and to
Seek Ways to Serve Others with what CHRIST has Given us.
CHRISTIANS USING THEIR GIFTS TO SERVE GOD AND EACH OTHER CREATE AN EXCITING FELLOWSHIP.
Look at the list of gifts in this passage and imagine
the kinds of people who would have each gift:
Prophets are often Bold and Articulate. Servers (those in ministry) are Faithful and Loyal. Teachers are Clear Thinkers. Preachers know how to Motivate Others. Givers are Generous and Trusting. Leaders are Good Organizers and Managers. Those who comfort others are Caring People who are Happy to give their Time to Others.
It would be difficult for one person to embody
all these gifts.
An assertive prophet would not usually make a good counselor,
and a generous giver might fail as a leader.
When you identify your own gifts (and this list is far from complete),
ask how you can use them to build up GOD’s Family.
At the same time, realize that your Gifts can’t do the
work of the Church all alone.
Be Thankful for people whose Gifts are completely
different from yours.
Let your Strengths Balance their Weaknesses, and be
Grateful that their Abilities make up for your Deficiencies.
Together you can build CHRIST’s Church.
BIBLE READING: 1 Corinthians 12:1-31
KEY BIBLE VERSE: Now there are different kinds of Spiritual Gifts, but it is the Same HOLY Spirit who is the Source of them All. There are different kinds of Service in the Church, but it is the same LORD we are Serving. There are Different Ways GOD Works in our lives, but it is the Same GOD who does the Work Through All of Us.
(1 Corinthians 12:4-6)
"A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two men can Stand Back -to-Back and Conquer."
Ecclesiastes 4:12 NLT
"A Faithful Friend is a Strong Defense; and he that hath found him hath found a Treasure".
(Louisa May Alcott)
The Strength of the Huddle
When I asked Mike what he missed most about pro football,
I was surprised by his answer. He said it was getting into the huddle.
You felt safe there, he said. It was where you could get direction,
support, and correction. It was where you could regroup for
the next phase of the battle, knowing 10 other guys were there
to help you win.
Mike said the huddle was a real refuge during away-games in
hostile stadiums, when, besides the team, they were fighting
a negative environment. It was a place where they could
return to for encouragement to keep going.
Every man needs a safe place to get what he needs to
enter into life's conflict. If a man's going to survive—no,
win—the battles of life, he must have a huddle of good
men around him to cheer him on and bandage his wounds.
He needs men who will celebrate with him in the good times
and do whatever it takes to bring help and healing in the bad times.
(Rodney L. Cooper in Shoulder to Shoulder)
The writer of Ecclesiastes paints a depressing picture of a man who strives to gain the whole world alone, then asks himself, "Who am I working for? Why am I giving up so much pleasure now?" The writer concludes, "It is all so meaningless and depressing"
(Ecclesiastes 4:8).
How much better it is to go through life with a strong network of support.
When you share your trials and triumphs with others, you soon realize
that you're not alone.
And somehow, when we stand together,
life's challenges don't seem so daunting anymore.
(Adapted from Men of Integrity Devotional Bible
with devotions from the editors of Men of Integrity,
a publication of Christianity Today International
(Tyndale, 2002), entry for June 29).
------------------------------------------------------
Christians -
By Maya Angelou
When I say... "I am a Christian" I'm not shouting "I'm clean living.'" I'm whispering "I was lost, Now I'm found and forgiven."
When I say... "I am a Christian" I don't speak of this with pride. I'm confessing that I stumble and need Christ to be my guide.
When I say... "I am a Christian" I'm not trying to be strong. I'm professing that I'm weak And need His strength to carry on.
When I say... "I am a Christian" I'm not bragging of success. I'm admitting I have failed And need God to clean my mess.
When I say... "I am a Christian" I'm not claiming to be perfect, My flaws are far too visible But, God believes I am worth it.
When I say... "I am a Christian" I still feel the sting of pain. I have my share of heartaches So I call upon His name.
When I say... "I am a Christian" I'm not holier than thou, I'm just a simple sinner Who received God's Good Grace, somehow!
“I now pronounce you man and wife,” the minister says.
The bride and groom look lovingly into each other’s eyes.
Family, friends, even casual acquaintances feel like cheering.
Two people have found each other, pledged to each other a
lifetime of commitment, vowed to be devoted and loving,
and promised never to leave or forsake each other. Vows of Faithfulness are the Bedrock of Marriage.
Through those vows two people, in a miraculous way,
become ONE!
Then begins a lifetime of working together,
worshiping together,
playing together,
loving together,
raising children together,
building a home together,
solving problems together.
God’s loving relationship with his people is so similar
to the marriage relationship that he uses human marriage
to illustrate his covenant with his people in the
Old Testament and Christ’s love for the church in
the New Testament.
WHERE DID THE IDEA OF MARRIAGE BEGIN?
Genesis 2:18-25 . . .
The LORD GOD said, “It is not good for the man to be alone.
I will make a companion who will help him.”
Mark 10:6-9 . . .
This explains why a man leaves his father and mother
and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.
Marriage was God’s idea from the very beginning. It is as old as Eden yet as fresh as the last wedding. Marriage is ordained by God, a sacred relationship, one not to be entered into lightly.
WHY DID GOD ESTABLISH MARRIAGE?
Genesis 2:18-25 . . .
The LORD GOD said,
“It is not good for the man to be alone.
I will make a companion who will help him.”
God established marriage for companionship.
Genesis 1:28 . . .
God blessed them and told them,
“Multiply and fill the earth and subdue it.”
Malachi 2:15 . . .
Didn’t the LORD make you one with your wife?
In body and spirit you are his.
And what does he want?
Godly children from your union.
God established marriage as the best environment for raising children. Marriage was designed to help children learn about love by being born into a loving relationship. How tragic when parents fail to model Christ’s love before their children.
Ephesians 5:31-32 . . .
As the Scriptures say, “A man leaves his father
and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two
are united into ONE!”
This is a great mystery, but it is an illustration
of the way Christ and the church are one.
God established marriage as a symbol of Christ and the church. A marriage under God should teach the couple much about how GOD relates to HIS Church.
WHAT ARE THE KEYS TO A HAPPY, STRONG MARRIAGE? Joshua 24:15 . . .
Choose today whom you will serve . . .
But as for me and my family, we will serve the LORD.
Proverbs 5:15 . . .
Drink water from your own well-share your
love only with your wife.
Proverbs 5:18-19 . . .
Rejoice in the wife of your youth . . .
Let her breasts satisfy you always.
May you always be captivated by her love.
Hebrews 13:4 . . .
Give honor to marriage, and remain faithful to
one another in marriage.
GOD will surely Judge People who are immoral
and those who commit adultery.
Faithfulness is a key to a good marriage. Without faithfulness there is no real trust or intimacy.
Matthew 19:4-6 . . .
Since they are no longer two but one, let no one separate them,
for God has joined them together.
Commitment is a key to a good marriage.
Prayer for Today
Heavenly Father, Please give us the Wisdom and Knowledge we need to help us in our Marriages and Relationships. We ask that you keep us Strong in Committment and Faith and guide us in all our decisions. In JESUS Name, AMEN!
“When they walk through the Valley of Weeping, it will become a place of Refreshing Springs. The autumn rains will clothe it with Blessings”
(Psalm 84:6).
Do you feel like you are walking through a tough place in your life today?
When you walk through the “valley of weeping”, GOD is walking with you.
HE wants to Strengthen and Empower you to keep moving forward.
HE is Leading you to a Place of Blessing and Refreshing!
Be Encouraged today, it’s not over until GOD says it’s over,
and HE Always causes us to Triumph! The Bible says that
weeping may endure for the night, but Joy comes in the
morning! It also says that the path of the Righteous is
like the Light of Dawn Shining Brighter until the Full Day.
No matter how dark your circumstance may seem, you
are on a path that is shining brighter and brighter.
Know today that there is a place of victory on the other
side of your challenge. Keep Believing and Keep Expecting.
As you continue to Meditate on the Goodness of GOD and
Declare HIS Favor in your Life, you will be Strengthened
and Refreshed in your inner man. You will Rise Higher and Higher,
and you will live the life of Victory the LORD has in store for you!
A Prayer for Today
Father in Heaven, Thank You for Leading me to my Place of Blessing. I trust that You are Faithful and Believe that You have a Good Plan for my life. Help me to always Hear Your voice so I can Follow You all the days of my life. In JESUS’ Name. Amen.
The Song of Triumph Has Begun
"For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. How we Thank GOD, who gives us Victory over sin and death through JESUS CHRIST our LORD"!
1 Corinthians 15:56 NLT
The strife is o'er—the battle done, the victory of life is won; the song of triumph has begun: Alleluia! The three sad days have quickly sped, He rises glorious from the dead; all glory to our risen Head! Alleluia!
(The Strife is O'er
Latin Hymn Symphonia Serenum Selectarum, 1695)
GOD Exercised HIS Power On Our Behalf
Note the pattern of this hymn: negative undone, positive done,
our response. In each triad we see first the forces of evil that
tried to conquer Christ but were beaten. Then we see a more
positive expression of what has occurred.
Christ had won, He rises, He opens heaven and frees slaves.
Finally, we respond with songs and shouts of joy: Alleluia!
The richness of the text was matched by the majesty of the music,
written by the sixteenth-century composer Giovanni de Palestrina.
He was a devout Roman Catholic who created many wonderful
scared works still used in churches and secular settings.
This tune was adapted from a "Gloria Patri" in one of his choral works.
It first appeared with Francis Pott's translation of this Latin text in 1861.
The Bible describes the work of Christ in many different ways, and
the Christian writers through the ages have elaborated on all these ideas.
God exercised His power on our behalf when HE raised Christ from the dead.
Death has no ultimate power over us because we are risen with Christ. Alleluia!
----------------------------------------------------- What Is Salvation?
The scene is played out before us many times every year:
a man is dramatically rescued from a swollen river;
a child is pulled by firefighters from a burning apartment building;
a woman is delivered from a would-be assailant by a brave bystander.
Each scenario includes a situation of impending peril or destruction,
a rescuer or deliverer who intervenes, and a second chance at life for
the one saved.
Although the word is rarely used in the media,
each is a picture of Salvation. The Bible teaches that sin threatens us
with broken relationships,
spiritual death, and judgment.
But GOD, through the Death and Resurrection of JESUS CHRIST,
has provided a way to Rescue Us from Sin’s Consequences.
HE offers us Salvation so that we can have a second chance at life,
an opportunity to experience a spiritual rebirth into a new and
abundant life of the Spirit, and ultimately, Eternal life with
HIM forever.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE SAVED? Romans 4:4-8 . . .
What joy for those whose sin is no longer counted
against them by the LORD.
Romans 3:24 . . .
Now GOD in HIS Gracious Kindness Declares us not guilty.
Being Saved means no longer having our sins count against us but rather being Forgiven by the Grace of GOD.
Psalm 103:11-12 . . .
HE has removed our rebellious acts as far away from us
as the east is from the west.
Being saved means our sins have been completely removed.
Psalm 51:1-12 . . .
Remove the stain of my guilt.
Create in me a clean heart, O God.
Being Saved means the stain of guilt has been washed away.
1 Peter 2:9-10 . . .
Once you received none of GOD’s Mercy;
now you have received HIS Mercy.
Romans 3:21-24 . . .
HE has done this through Christ,
who has freed us by taking away our sins.
Being Saved means we are Forgiven in Christ.
HOW CAN I BE SAVED?
Romans 10:13 . . .
Anyone who calls on the Name of the LORD will be Saved.
GOD’s Word promises Salvation to anyone who Calls on JESUS’ Name.
John 5:24 . . .
I assure you, those who Listen to My Message
and Believe in GOD who sent me have Eternal Life.
JESUS HIMself promised that those who Believe in HIM will be Saved.
IS SALVATION AVAILABLE TO ANYONE?
Luke 2:11-12 . . .
The Savior-yes, the Messiah, the LORD-
has been born tonight in Bethlehem.
JESUS was born in a humble stable among very ordinary people to Powerfully Demonstrate that Salvation is available to anyone who sincerely Seeks HIM.
Revelation 20:11 - 21:3 . . .
The dead were judged according to the things
Written in the Books.
Salvation is available to all, but a time will come when it will be too late to receive it.
HOW CAN I BE SURE OF MY SALVATION?
1 Peter 1:5 . . .
GOD, in HIS Mighty Power, will Protect you until you
receive this Salvation.
Salvation brings the sure Hope of Eternal Life.
Romans 8:12-17 . . .
All who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.
The Holy Spirit takes up residence in our hearts and
assures us we are God’s children.
Matthew 14:23-33 . . .
“Save me, LORD!” he shouted. Instantly JESUS
reached out HIS hand and grabbed him.
We cannot save ourselves from sin,
guilt, judgment, and spiritual death.
Only JESUS CHRIST can save us.
WE ARE SAVED FOR A NEW LIFE IN CHRIST.
Romans 6:1-11 . . .
You should consider yourselves dead to sin
and able to live for the glory of GOD.
Being saved means being freed from the
power of sin to live a new life.
John 3:1-8 . . .
Humans can reproduce only human life,
but the Holy Spirit gives new life from heaven.
The power of CHRIST means nothing less
than a new birth.
Romans 5:1-2 . . .
Since we have been made right in GOD’s
sight by Faith,
we have Peace with GOD.
Salvation brings Peace with GOD.
Ephesians 2:8-10 . . .
HE has created us anew in CHRIST JESUS,
so that we can do the good things HE planned
for us long ago.
Salvation results in lives of Virtue and Service.
1 Thessalonians 5:10 . . .
HE died for us so that we can live with HIM Forever,
whether we are dead or alive at the time of HIS Return.
For those who are saved, even death holds the promise of hope.
Isaiah 1:18 . . .
No matter how deep the stain of your sins,
I can remove it. I can make you as clean as
freshly fallen snow.
GOD forgives all sin.
Ezekiel 18:21 . . .
If wicked people turn away from all their sins
and begin to obey my laws and do what is
just and right, they will surely live and not die.
GOD wants to save Wicked people too.
Zechariah 2:11-12 . . .
Many nations will join themselves to the
LORD on that day, and they, too, will be My People.
Many people will come to know GOD in the End Times.
John 3:16 . . .
GOD so loved the world that HE gave
HIS only Son, so that everyone who
Believes in HIM will not perish but have Eternal Life.
Acts 16:31 . . .
Believe on the LORD JESUS and you will be Saved.
Romans 10:9 . . .
If you confess with your mouth that
JESUS is LORD and Believe in your Heart that GOD
Raised HIM from the Dead, you will be Saved.
Believing in JESUS as LORD brings Eternal life.
Ephesians 1:11 . . .
Because of CHRIST,
we have Received an Inheritance from GOD,
for HE chose us from the beginning, and
all things happen just as HE decided long ago.
Christians are sent into the world by their Lord (John 17:18)
to witness to it about God’s Christ and HIS Kingdom
(Matt. 24:14; cf. Rom. 10:18; Col. 1:6, 23) and to serve its needs.
But they are to do so without falling victim to its materialism
(Matt. 6:19-24, 32), its unconcern about God and the next life
(Luke 12:13-21), and its prideful pursuit of pleasure, profit, and
position to the exclusion of everything else (1 John 2:15-17).
The world is at present Satan’s kingdom (John 14:30; 2 Cor. 4:4; 1 John 5:19; cf. Luke 4:5-7),
and the outlook and mind-set of human societies reflect
more of the pride seen in Satan than the humility seen in Christ.
Christians, like Christ, are to empathize with people’s anxieties
and needs in order to serve them and communicate with them effectively.
They are to do so, however, on a basis of motivational detachment
from this world, through which they are momentarily passing as they
travel home to God and in which their single-minded purpose must be
to please God (Col. 1:9-12; 1 Pet. 2:11).
Monastic withdrawal from this world is not sanctioned (John 17:15),
but neither is worldliness (i.e., any internalizing of the earthbound
self-absorption of the people of this world: Titus 2:12).
Jesus encourages his disciples to match worldly persons’ ingenuity
in using their resources to further their goals, but he specifies that
their proper goals have to do not with earthly security but with
heavenly glory (Luke 16:9).
God’s first requirement, then, of Christians in this world is that
they be different from those around them,
observing God’s moral absolutes,
practicing love,
avoiding shameful license,
and not losing their dignity as God’s image-bearers
through any form of irresponsible self-indulgence
(Rom. 12:2; Eph. 4:17-24; Col. 3:5-11).
A clean break with the world’s value-systems and life-styles is called for,
as a basis for practicing Christlikeness in positive terms (Eph. 4:25–5:17).
The Christian’s appointed task is threefold.
The church’s main mandate is evangelism (Matt. 28:19-20; Luke 24:46-48),
and every Christian must seek by all means to further the conversion of unbelievers.
The impact of one’s own changed life will be significant here (1 Pet. 2:12).
Also, neighbor-love should constantly lead the Christian into deeds of mercy of all sorts.
But in addition, Christians are called to fulfill the “cultural mandate”
that God gave to mankind at Creation (Gen. 1:28-30; Ps. 8:6-8).
Man was made to manage God’s world, and this stewardship is part
of the human vocation in Christ. It calls for hard work, with God’s honor
and the good of others as its goal. This is the real Protestant “work ethic.”
It is essentially a religious discipline, the fulfillment of a divine “calling.”
Knowing that God in providential kindness and forbearance continues,
in face of human sin, to preserve and enrich his erring world (Acts 14:16-17),
Christians are to involve themselves in all forms of lawful human activity,
and by doing that in terms of the Christian value system and vision of life
they will become salt (a preservative that makes things taste better) and light
(an illumination that shows the way to go) in the human community (Matt. 5:13-16).
As Christians thus fulfill their vocation, Christianity becomes a transforming cultural force.
This article was excerpted from Concise Theology: A Guide to Historic Christian Beliefs by J. I. Packer.
CHRISTIANITY IS BASED ON JESUS’ RESURRECTION.
The resurrection of Jesus from the dead is the central fact of Christian history.
On it the church is built; without it there would be no Christian church today.
Jesus’ resurrection is unique. Other religions have strong ethical systems,
concepts about paradise and afterlife, and various holy scriptures.
Only Christianity has a God who became human, literally died for his people,
and was raised again in power and glory to rule his church forever.
Why is the Resurrection So Important?
(1) Because Christ was raised from the dead, we know that the kingdom of heaven
has broken into earth’s history. Our world is now headed for redemption, not disaster.
God’s mighty power is at work destroying sin, creating new lives, and
preparing us for Jesus’ second coming.
(2) Because of the Resurrection, we know that death has been conquered,
and we too will be raised from the dead to live forever with Christ.
(3) The Resurrection gives authority to the church’s witness in the world.
Look at the early evangelistic sermons in the book of Acts: the apostles’
most important message was the proclamation that Jesus Christ had been
raised from the dead!
(4) The Resurrection gives meaning to the church’s regular feast,
the Lord’s Supper. Like the disciples on the Emmaus Road, we break
bread with our risen Lord, who comes in power to save us.
(5) The Resurrection helps us find meaning even in great tragedy.
No matter what happens to us as we walk with the Lord,
the Resurrection gives us hope for the future.
(6) The Resurrection assures us that Christ is alive and ruling his kingdom.
He is not a legend; he is alive and real.
(7) God’s power that brought Jesus back from the dead
is available to us so that we can live for him in an evil world.
Christians can look very different from one another, and
they can hold widely varying beliefs about politics, lifestyle,
and even theology. But one central belief unites and inspires
all true Christians-Jesus Christ rose from the dead!
(For more on the importance of the Resurrection, see 1 Corinthians 15:12-58.)
This is one of the best explanations of why GOD
allows pain and suffering that I have seen.
It's an explanation other people will understand.
A man went to a barbershop to have his hair cut
and his beard trimmed. As the barber began to work,
they began to have a good conversation.
They talked about so many things and various subjects.
When they eventually touched on the subject of God,
the barber said: "I don't believe that GOD exists."
"Why do you say that?" asked the customer.
"Well, you just have to go out in the street
to realize that GOD doesn't exist.
Tell me, if GOD exists, would there be so many sick
people? Would there be abandoned children?
If GOD existed, there would be neither suffering nor pain.
I can't imagine a loving a GOD who would allow all
of these things."
The customer thought for a moment, but didn't respond
because he didn't want to start an argument.
The barber finished his job and the customer left the shop.
Just after he left the barbershop, he saw a man in the
street with long, stringy, dirty hair and an untrimmed beard.
He looked dirty and unkempt!
The customer turned back and entered the barber shop again
and he said to the barber: "You know what? Barbers do not exist."
"How can you say that?" asked the surprised barber.
"I am here, and I am a barber and I just worked on you!"
"No!" the customer exclaimed. "Barbers don't exist because
if they did, there would be no people with dirty long hair
and untrimmed beards, like that man outside."
"Ah, but barbers DO exist! What happens is,
people do not come to me."
"Exactly!" affirmed the customer. "That's the Point! GOD, too, DOES EXIST! What happens, is, People don't go to HIM and Do Not Look For Him. That's why there's so much pain and suffering in the world."
----------------------------------------------------- A rule here, a rule there. A little lesson here, a little lesson there.
ISAIAH 28:10
Equipped with the right tools,
we can learn to listen to GOD.
What are those tools?
Here are the ones I have found helpful.
First Tool: A regular time and place.
Select a slot on your schedule and a corner
of your world, and claim it for GOD.
For some it may be the best to do this
in the morning.... Others prefer the evening....
A second tool you need is an Open Bible.
GOD speaks to us through HIS Word.
The first step in reading the Bible is to ask
GOD to help you understand it....
Don't go to Scripture looking for your own idea;
go searching for GOD's. . . .
There is a third tool.... Not only do we need
a regular time and an open Bible, we also need a listening heart.... If you want to be just like
JESUS, let GOD have you. Spend time listening
for HIM until you receive your lesson for the
day--then apply it.
This is one of the best explanations of why GOD
allows pain and suffering that I have seen.
It's an explanation other people will understand.
A man went to a barbershop to have his hair cut
and his beard trimmed. As the barber began to work,
they began to have a good conversation.
They talked about so many things and various subjects.
When they eventually touched on the subject of God,
the barber said: "I don't believe that GOD exists."
"Why do you say that?" asked the customer.
"Well, you just have to go out in the street
to realize that GOD doesn't exist.
Tell me, if GOD exists, would there be so many sick
people? Would there be abandoned children?
If GOD existed, there would be neither suffering nor pain.
I can't imagine a loving a GOD who would allow all
of these things."
The customer thought for a moment, but didn't respond
because he didn't want to start an argument.
The barber finished his job and the customer left the shop.
Just after he left the barbershop, he saw a man in the
street with long, stringy, dirty hair and an untrimmed beard.
He looked dirty and unkempt!
The customer turned back and entered the barber shop again
and he said to the barber: "You know what? Barbers do not exist."
"How can you say that?" asked the surprised barber.
"I am here, and I am a barber and I just worked on you!"
"No!" the customer exclaimed. "Barbers don't exist because
if they did, there would be no people with dirty long hair
and untrimmed beards, like that man outside."
"Ah, but barbers DO exist! What happens is,
people do not come to me."
"Exactly!" affirmed the customer. "That's the Point! GOD, too, DOES EXIST! What happens, is, People don't go to HIM and Do Not Look For Him. That's why there's so much pain and suffering in the world."
----------------------------------------------------- A rule here, a rule there. A little lesson here, a little lesson there.
ISAIAH 28:10
Equipped with the right tools,
we can learn to listen to GOD.
What are those tools?
Here are the ones I have found helpful.
First Tool: A regular time and place.
Select a slot on your schedule and a corner
of your world, and claim it for GOD.
For some it may be the best to do this
in the morning.... Others prefer the evening....
A second tool you need is an Open Bible.
GOD speaks to us through HIS Word.
The first step in reading the Bible is to ask
GOD to help you understand it....
Don't go to Scripture looking for your own idea;
go searching for GOD's. . . .
There is a third tool.... Not only do we need
a regular time and an open Bible, we also need a listening heart.... If you want to be just like
JESUS, let GOD have you. Spend time listening
for HIM until you receive your lesson for the
day--then apply it.
Thank-you very much, Sha...
I am Happy for you my friend!!
Bless You!
"Your words are what sustain me. They bring me great Joy and are my heart's delight, for I bear your name, O LORD GOD Almighty".
Jeremiah 15:16 NLT
"I will write down these things as a testimony of what the LORD will do. I will entrust it to my disciples, who will pass it down to future generations".
Isaiah 8:16 NLT
"For I have stayed in GOD's paths; I have followed HIS ways and not turned aside. I have not departed from HIS commands but have treasured HIS Word in my Heart".
Job 23:11-12 NLT
The Soil of Eden
Our bodies originated in the soil of Eden.
It shou ld not surprise us that they are
sustained by food that grows from the soil.
Every source of food ultimately finds its
nourishment in the soil, and that
nourishment sustains our bodies.
Likewise, our souls were created by
the breath of GOD in Eden; it should
not surprise us that the Word of GOD,
which is inspired, or "GOD Breathed,"
sustains our souls.
If we plan to eat food each day to keep our body alive, shouldn't we also plan to feast on GOD's Word each day to Sustain our Soul?
How Does GOD Lead?
"My sheep recognize My Voice; I know them, and they follow Me. I give them Eternal life, and they will never Perish."
John 10:27-28 NLT
Hearing HIS Voice
As our Good Shepherd,
JESUS promises that we can hear and know HIS Voice.
This does not, however, have to be some mysterious,
mystical process. In fact, you may be surprised to
learn that GOD speaks to you quite often.
I would venture to say HE has spoken to you lately
and may be speaking to you right now in some way.
GOD speaks to us through HIS Word.
GOD will never lead us contrary to HIS Written Word.
It is our litmus test, our bedrock, our absolute.
GOD speaks to us through circumstances.
Those circumstances can include failure.
Jonah certainly heard God through his mistake.
GOD may even speak to us through tragedy or hardship.
C. S. Lewis wrote that, "GOD whispers to us in our
pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains.
It is HIS Megaphone to arouse a deaf world."
GOD speaks to us through HIS Peace.
When we live in GOD's Will, we enjoy HIS Peace.
Do you need GOD to make a crucial call in your life?
Then listen for HIS Peace.
And once we have heard GOD's Voice,
what should we do?
We must follow. JESUS Calls, we Respond.
HE Whispers, we Move.
We Follow—and then we keep on Listening.
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