Seven days without prayer makes one weak -Allen E. Vartlett
So,
plug into prayer power
connect with His powerful presence
he longs to hang with you
go deep into the shadow of His presence
every day with prayer makes you strong…
You cannot put straight in others what is warped in yourself.
—Athanasius of Alexandria, Patriarch of Alexandria and Church Father (c. 293-373)
Athanasius, in On the Incarnation; submitted by Kevin Miller, executive vice president, Christianity Today International
Christians, especially ministers, so often think they must always contribute something when they are in the company of others, that this is the one service they have to render. They forget that listening can be a greater service than speaking.
Many people are looking for an ear that will listen. They do not find it among Christians, because these Christians are talking where they should be listening. But he who can no longer listen to his brother will soon be no longer listening to God either; he will be doing nothing but prattle in the presence of God too. This is the beginning of the death of the spiritual life, and in the end there is nothing left but spiritual chatter.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together (New York: Harper & Row, 1954), pages 97-8.
He signals a fastball.
I think for a moment and shake my head—no, not a fastball.
Next he signals a slider.
This time I look toward my teammates in the dugout for guidance. Then I glance up at the fans. No, I’m not comfortable with that one either.
He gives me yet a third signal.
No, not today, thank you!
Then I imagine Jesus silently and slowly withdrawing his signaling hand back into his mitt. There’s a deep disappointment in his eyes. He’s decided to let me throw whatever I want. So I do—and then I wonder why there’s just no team spirit anymore!
Has Jesus stopped giving you signals?
I doubt it. He never stops speaking to his children. Is there a signal God’s been trying to give you, even as you read this sentence, that you’ve ignored because you just don’t want to obey?
Clare de Graff, The 10-Second Rule (Howard Books, 2013), pp. 52-53
Momentum is “force or speed of movement, the impetus gained by a moving object.” It is often described by taking into account the force that can stop it. On the other hand it is very difficult to explain the exact formula that brings momentum in a person’s life. But when a person gets momentum, nothing in the world can stop them. Now, this does not mean there will be no opposition, nor does it mean one will not come under attack from various forces. But when your career, business, ministry, church gets momentum – wherever and however it might have started – nothing will be able to stop you.
The bible say, “from the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing and forceful men lay hold of it (NIV).
Let’s un-pack that verse:
1. From the days of John until now – a non-stop momentum
2. The kingdom has been forcefully advancing – kingdom momentum
3. Forceful (violent) men lay hold of – a go getter momentum
Notice that the assault on the kingdom has been relentless – from the days of John the Baptist until now. It is still happening today. But God has promised us that “the gates of hades will never prevail against us (the Church).”
In fact, the greater the opposition the greater the advancement. The greater persecution the greater the achievement. That is why the scripture says “Where sin abounds grace abounds even more (rom. 5:20). I love chapter 8 in Romans – look at verses 35 through 39:
…For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Let me explain what that means in a two-fold application:
1. He that will take or get possession of the kingdom of righteousness, peace, and spiritual joy, must be forceful. If anyone truly wants to experience eternal life and be spared from eternal damnation, this will demand an earnestness.
2. We have to deal with this violent opposition against our christian life. Whenever we are achieving our goals, moving toward our dreams, getting things accomplished in our lives, ministry, family, or business, that’s when all hell breaks loose.
The devil wants to spoil your fruitfulness, hinder your increase, stop your growth. He wants to oppose any supernatural work of God in your life, prevent multiplication in every area of your life – he wants to stop your momentum.
The kingdom can never be passively received and experienced. God initiates the work on our behalf, but God’s work always propels us to action. If we want to gain entrance into the kingdom of heaven and keep our momentum in our Christian life, ministry, business, career, family and relationship we’ve got to stand and be forceful in the power of His might.
Stand on God’s promises to continue helping you to make progress (the bible say he who began a good work in you will be faithful to bring it to completion). Be forceful in resisting the enemy and pressing forward. Nothing can stop you, because “greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4).
There you go again… you did it.
You promised God that it will never happen again.
But there you go again… dealing, sniffing, lusting, gossiping.
You told yourself it was all over.
But there you go again… angry, grumpy envious, sensual.
You have fallen.
Well, it is not okay, but it’s okay.
“Failure is not falling down but refusing to get up.”
So get up!
Commit again…
Try again…
Quote: Chinese Proverb
Video: Trip, born William Lee Barefield III
God is perfect and everything he does is perfect. Take a fresh look a this timeless psalm again today… It’s the seven-fold perfection of God in our imperfect lives.
he leads us by the still waters; There is a promised reward for those who would allow God to take them to still waters - They shall find rest
he abides `with us’ even through death
There is a promised reward for who do not fear when life is hard, dangerous and even tragic – They will never be alone in those times.
he gives us `a table' full of provisions There is a promise reward for those who allow the Lord to build the house and watch over the city - They always find his provision. And they don't have to lose sleep over it.
he cares for us eternally
There is a promised reward for all those who decide to stay confident in God’s unfailing love – They shall continue to experience his goodness, mercies here on the earth and in the life to come.
Psalm 23
Have you heard about a place called hell?
Yet, in our anger we tell people to “go to hell.” In our judgment we make them guilty and sentence them to hell. In our preaching and teaching we are more concerned about debating about it than we are weeping and urgently proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ.
We do not talk about it anymore because some say it is unnecessary – it only scares people. Some of those in the forefront of church leadership say it is not a place. They say it is happening now all around us – suffering, pain, sickness and death. Still others could care less. It’s the pastor’s job. I am too shy. They will tease me. I could be fired. I don’t want others to look at me differently. We make all the excuses in the world. Yet, people need the Lord, and without him, they are going to end up in hell.
So, the question is do we really believe that hell is a real place?
Penn Jillette, an atheist said the following in a YouTube video:
If you believe that there’s a heaven and hell, and people could be going to hell or not getting eternal life or whatever, and you think that, uh, well, it’s not really worth telling them this because it would make it socially awkward – how much do you have to hate somebody to not proselytize them? How much do you have to hate somebody to believe that everlasting life is possible and not tell them that? I mean, if I believed beyond the shadow of a doubt that a truck was coming to hit you, and you didn’t believe it, and that truck was bearing down on you, there’s a certain point where I tackle you. And this is more important than that. Check out the video here.
In his book “Why Revival Tarries” Leonard Ravenhill tells a story of a preacher and a man sentenced to death. The preacher is doing business as usual as he read from “The Consolations of Religion,” but the man is troubled by what he heard and to that he said to the preacher:
Sir, “if I believed what you and the church of God say that you believe, even if England were covered with broken glass from coast to coast, I would walk over it, if need be, on hands and knees and think it worthwhile living, just to save one soul from an eternal hell like that!
Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 2:4-5
God is on a mission. Through the hands of the master carpenter he is building a temple. Only this time a spiritual power house. As we draw new to Him, our foundation is the chief cornerstone – Jesus himself. I love the way C. S. Lewis describes it in mere christianity:
Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what He is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on; you knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised. But presently He starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make any sense. What on earth is He up to? The explanation is that He is building a different house from the one you thought of – throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards. You thought you were being made into a decent little cottage: but He is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it Himself.
One of my friend’s Rod, just reminded me that “God’s version of us is way bigger than our own.” The time has come for us to embrace a bigger, bolder, broader and wider version of what He wants to do in our lives.
Just as much as they were chosen by God in the old testament, so is the church - chosen and precious.
What are these spiritual sacrifices? There are five spiritually power-pact activities going on in this power house. Here they are: 1. We offer our bodies as living sacrifice holy and pleasing unto God... rom. 12:1, Col. 3:17 2. We offer sacrifices of praise Heb. 13:15 3. We offer sacrifices of service Heb. 13:16; James 1:27 4. We offer sacrifices of righteousness Psalm 4:5 5. We offer sacrifices of a broken spirit and a contrite heart - Psalm 51:17 5. We offer sacrifices of thanksgiving Amos 4:5
Yes. Perspective is everything!
…
It’s been nearly two weeks since the bombing at the Boston Marathon. Nearly two weeks since two alleged terrorists killed three people and injured 264 others at one of the world’s oldest and most beloved annual events. Nearly two weeks since chaos erupted and an entire city was shut down to find the imposters. Nearly two weeks, and I have yet to say a word.
I haven’t mentioned Boston.
Why?
Is it because I am heartless? Am I too busy writing articles to concern myself with the plight of marathoners far, far away? Too busy talking to birds and making up poems about the night sky to worry about things like death and destruction? Too busy pondering life to take stock of what’s happening in it?
Or is it . . . something else?
View original post 367 more words
Walter Bright 
You must be logged in to post a comment.