Thu, May 31st - 7:59AM
LAUGHTER DOES GOOD LIKE A MEDICINE! BABY WRAP!
Part of my job as a public-health nurse is teaching new parents how to care for their infants.
As I was demonstrating how to wrap a newborn, a young Asian couple turned to me and said, "You mean we should wrap the baby like an egg roll?"
"Yes," I replied, "That is a good analogy."
"I don't know how to make egg rolls," another mother said anxiously.
"Can I wrap my baby like a burrito?"
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Thu, May 31st - 7:47AM
THOUGHT FOR TODAY!
God will do wrong by Nobody!*
*"Of a truth, God will not do wickedly, and the Almighty will not pervert justice." Job 34:12 (NRSV)
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Wed, May 30th - 6:43AM
LAUGHTER DOES GOOD LIKE A MEDICINE! ARIZONA RAIN
A visitor once asked, "Does it ever rain in Arizona?"
A rancher quickly answered, "Yes, it does. Do you remember in the Bible where it rained for 40 days and 40 nights?"
The visitor replied, "Yes, I'm familiar with Noah's flood."
"Well," the rancher puffed up, "We got about two and a half inches of that."
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Wed, May 30th - 6:32AM
THOUGHT FOR TODAY!
THOUGHT FOR TODAY: Be ye fishers of men -- you catch them & He'll clean them.
“Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Matt. 4:19
“but if we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7
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Tue, May 29th - 8:03AM
LAUGHTER DOES GOOD LIKE A MEDICINE! BLACK SNAKE
It was the first camping experience for Jed
As soon as he had pitched his tent, he went for a hike in the woods. In about fifteen minutes he rushed back into camp, bleeding and disheveled.
"What happened?" asked a fellow camper.
"I was chased by a black snake!" cried the frightened Jed.
The camper laughed and retorted, "A black snake isn't deadly."
"Listen," groaned Jed, "If he can make you jump off a fifty-foot cliff, he is!"
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Tue, May 29th - 7:54AM
THOUGHT FOR TODAY!
In all of us, even in good men, there is a lawless wild-beast nature, which peers out in sleep.* -Socrates, philosopher (469?-399 BCE)
*"For we know that the law is spiritual; but I am of the flesh, sold into slavery under sin. I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree that the law is good. But in fact it is no longer I that do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells within me, that is, in my flesh. I can will what is right, but I cannot do it. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I that do it, but sin that dwells within me. So I find it to be a law that when I want to do what is good, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God in my inmost self, but I see in my members another law at war with the law of my mind, making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with my mind I am a slave to the law of God, but with my flesh I am a slave to the law of sin." Romans 7:14-25 (NRSV)
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Mon, May 28th - 7:22AM
LAUGHTER DOES GOOD LIKE A MEDICINE! Men Vs Women
After drinking, Men talk unnecessarily, Become emotional,
Drive badly, Stop thinking, Fight for nothing
Women can do all these without drinking!
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Mon, May 28th - 7:15AM
THOUGHT FOR TODAY!
Some years ago, Mother Teresa was opening a new orphanage in New York City when a news conference broke out. A reporter shouted out the question, "How will you measure the success of this?" The tiny Albanian nun turned, smiled into the glare of the cameras, and said quietly, "I don't believe our Lord ever spoke of success. He spoke only of faithfulness."* (Jim Denison, Resident Theologian for the Baptist General Convention of Texas)
*2Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found trustworthy. 1 Corinthians 4:2 (NRSV)
21His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’ Matthew 25:21 (NRSV)
10“Whoever is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much; and whoever is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much. Luke 16:10 (NRSV)
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Sun, May 27th - 5:57PM
NECESSITY IS LAID UPON US!
John 4:1-4 (NRSV)
"Now when Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard, “Jesus is making and baptizing more disciples than John” —although it was not Jesus himself but his disciples who baptized—he left Judea and started back to Galilee. But he had to go through Samaria."
Jesus "...left Judea, and started back to Galilee. But he had to go through Samaria." The KJV puts that this way: “...he must needs go through Samaria.”
What necessity was laid upon Jesus that "...he had to go through Samaria"?
Certainly it was not a physical necessity. He could have taken another route. It was not the customary route that Jews took. It is true that it was shorter to go through Samaria, but that does not explain the necessity laid upon Jesus. He was not in a hurry, for He took time to witness to the Samaritan woman, who, after she was converted, told the people in her village about Jesus. The people believed and the Bible says,
“...So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them; and he stayed there two days.” John 4:40 *NRSV) No, Jesus was not in hurry.
Jesus must go through Samaria because it was a spiritual conviction, a moral necessity, a necessity that He must meet to retain his personal integrity and fulfill His mission as Messiah. If He had joined with the Jews in their prejudice against the Samaritans then Jesus could not be the Savior of the world. He would not be Who He is. In other words, Jesus must needs go through Samaria because of Who He is.
This is the same kind of necessity spoken of by Paul in 1 Cor. 9:16:
“...an obligation is laid on me, and woe to me if I do not proclaim the gospel!"
This is the same kind of necessity that Luke attributed to Peter and John in Acts 4:19-20 (NRSV)
"But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in God’s sight to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge; for we cannot keep from speaking about what we have seen and heard.”
The burden of this message and my prayer is that our souls will be set on fire with the same Spiritual necessity to win others to win others to Christ.
1. That Christ commanded in Matthew 28:19 (NRSV),
“..."Go therefore and make disciples of all nations,"
should be enough motivation for Christians to keep on witnessing. Obviously, witnessing is necessary to obedience.
Jesus said,
“Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.”
If we are not fishing for men, we are not following Jesus! Do you not hear Jesus asking those who do not witness,
“Why call ye me Lord, Lord, and do not the things that I say?”
Why so much contrition over breaking one of the ten commandments and so little anguish of soul for disobedience to the Great Commission?
This command is not beyond our means. Jesus provides Himself the means to obey. He said,
“....you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8 (NRSV)
Since He gives the command and the power to obey, then we are without excuse for disobedience. As D. M. Baillie has said,
“...the One who at the same time makes absolute demands upon us and offers freely to give us all that He demands. ...the One who requires of us unlimited obedience and then supplies the obedience Himself.” (1)
God gives us all that he demands of us and demands of us all that He gives us. This is what Jesus meant in the Sermon on the Mount, saying, “...do not worry, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ For it is the Gentiles who strive for all these things; and indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things." Matthew 6:31-32 (NRSV) God will supply every thing we need to do His will. The man or woman who puts God’s Kingdom first has a guaranteed income.
That Jesus commanded us to go ought to compel us to go to the uttermost parts of the earth witnessing. As adequate as the motive of obedience is, it does not seem to be the dominating motive of the early Christians. Harry R. Boar in his book Pentecost and Missions contrasts the place of the Great Commission in early New Testament years with its place in the modern Missionary Movement. He concludes that it was not conscious obedience to the Great Commission, but it was the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost that accounted for the success of missions in the first century.(2)
The modern Missionary Movement responding to the Great Commission with deliberate and conscious obedience certainly is more productive than those generations prior to it that felt no obligation to carry the message into the world. However, the fruit of the Modern Missionary Movement is hardly comparable to that of the days following Pentecost. “You shall receive power and become witnesses after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you.”
Let our disobedience to the Great Commission throw our soul into great conflict and conviction. However, adequate motive for witnessing will he something more than conscious obedience to the command.
2. Add to the responsibility of obedience to the command, the responsibility of the harvest. Every second much fruit drops to the ground unharvested ready to be burned in the eternal fires of Hell, The impending danger of loosing the harvest is enough, it would seem, to send us hurriedly and frantically into the fields.
It was attributed to the atheist Ingersol as saying “If I believed that people were doomed for hell, I would crawl the world over on my hands and knees on top of broken glass, if necessary, warning them.”
Do our efforts to win others to Christ justify our conviction that men are lost and doomed for hell without a knowledge of Christ as Lord and Savior?
Each year the percentage of the world's population that is Christian is smaller. One past Southern Baptist Convention President and author of the optimistic book, Look Up, Brother!(3) was quoted by the Texas Baptist Standard as saying, that by the year 2000 A. D. only 2% of the world’s population will be Christian at the present ratio between population increase and conversions to Christianity. (2000 has come and gone. W. A. Criswell’s prediction was not far off center.)
Luther bitterly denounced a preacher as living an idle life, preaching only two or three times a week. These men often preached every day, months at a time, while carrying on many other works. A lazy evangelist is a denial of the truth he declares. If there is a heaven and a hell, if all men are lost, and if there is only one way to obtain eternal life, evangelists must not cease day or night to give the gospel to the lost.(4)
3. Think not only of the millions upon millions of lost people, but think also of the value of one soul.
A soul has been weighed by Jesus Christ in the balances with the whole world and the soul is found to be of greater value than the whole world. Jesus said, “For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life?" Mark 8:36 (NRSV)
With the value of one soul being what it is, can we justify the energy we expend in accumulating a little of the world's goods against the energy we expend in winning others to Christ?
As we quoted before, “...do not worry, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ For it is the Gentiles who strive for all these things; and indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things."
The Gentiles, heathen, and pagans seek first temporal and physical security and values. Some professing Christians have these carnal priorities for fear their material needs will not be met. But Jesus promises those things which Gentiles, pagans, heathens, seek first of all to those who seek His Kingdom first of all. This promise relieves our mind of concern for material needs that we may give them to seeking the Kingdom of God above all things. If we should spend all our energy and earthly possessions to bring one lost soul to salvation, it would not be an extravagance. How can we waste time, energy and money on anything not related to this one thing: winning others to win others to Christ?
4. Not only is the harvest large, the fruit precious, and 'white unto harvest’, but the number of laborers is small.
Roland Q. Leavell said,
“Sometimes as many as five out of eight who join churches eventually drop out of active life and service. Someone has surmised that of the reported church members, 5% do not exist, 10% cannot be found, 20% never pray, 25% never read the Bible, 30% never attend church services, 40% never give to any cause, 50% never go to Sunday School, 60% never go to church Sunday night, 70% never give to missions, 75% never hold any office of service, 80% never go to prayer meeting, 90% never have family worship, and 95% never win a soul to Christ.”(5)
Only a small percentage of church members get evolved in the things of most importance to the Kingdom of God! When we think of the fact that all church members combined amount to such a small percentage of the total world’s population we realize that even if every church member labored loyally for his Lord the laborers would still be few. Does not this fact lay a necessity upon us to witness?
5. Then, there is this fact that is worthy of consideration: if we value our own souls, we will witness. It is a matter of life and death, both physically and spiritually. Because of the destructive results of a lack of knowledge of God, making God known to others becomes a matter of self preservation. If we would save ourselves we must save others.
Paul said in Romans 10:9-10 (NRSV)
....if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” 10For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved.
Salvation is secured by sharing the Savior with souls. The only way to keep the faith is to share it.
6. Witnessing is a debt that will take a life time of witnessing to liquidate.
Paul said, "I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish —hence my eagerness to proclaim the gospel to you...." Romans 1:14-15 (NRSV)
Do we not hold a Medical Doctor in debt to use his medical knowledge to heal the sick and save the dying? How much greater the debt of those who know the Way of Salvation to share Him with all the lost people they possibly can?
7. If these, considerations do not lay a necessity upon us to win others to win others to Christ, then there is yet one more consideration: witnessing is essential to the nature of the new creation that comes from the new birth.
“The Kingdom of God is like to a grain of mustard seed....” Matt. 13:31.
A seed has within itself vital life force which ends in multiplying itself, that is, to make other seed which in turn make other seed that can make other seed, and so on without any end. “The seed is the Word....” Luke 18:11. The soil is the heart (or else what is the meaning of “...then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word...which is the seed’ ”out of their hearts” (which is the soil.) Luke 18,12
Now the seed, which is the Word, planted in the soil, which is the heart, has within itself the vital life force not only to grow but to grow to maturity producing other seed that have the intrinsic —— innate power —— to reproduce themselves. And thus the Kingdom of God grows from “...smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.” Matthew 13:32 (NRSV)
For a Christian, witnessing is not one option among many services to be rendered to the Lord; witnessing is built-in to the nature of the new creature.
The fact that witnessing is essential to the new creation can hardly be stated clearer than it is stated by Alma Hunt in her Manual for Women's Missionary Union:
“The first requisite for being a witness is made in one's profession of belief in him. And one’s profession of faith imposes a spontaneous missionary obligation. He does not become a new creature in Christ and then think whether or not his is missionary. On every true Christian’s conscience rests with inescapable weight the obligation to spread the gospel.
“...their profession of faith is simultaneous with their acceptance of a personal missionary obligation. ...when they make a profession of faith in Jesus as Savior, they accept a missionary obligation of service to Him as Lord. This obligation incumbent upon every believer removes the possibility of a Christian fulfilling his responsibility by studying, by praying, and by giving only. He must also fulfill his ‘doing’ obligation.”(6)
To return to the figure of the seed, the seed is planted in the heart, that is the Word is planted in the soil that has been broken by the plow repentance and fertilized with faith. The first sign of life is the confession of faith that Jesus Christ is Lord. This is evident by the call of Christ to salvation: “Follow me, and I will make you to become fishers of men.” Mark 1:17
As we quoted already, Paul issued his invitation by inviting men to begin the new life by witnessing: "because if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." Romans 10:9 (NRSV)
Not only is the first sign of new life, witnessing, but growth is evidenced by increased witnessing. The metaphor of ‘fisher of men’ implies that witnessing and winning others to win others to Christ is the business of followers of Christ. Since a seed reproduces itself in kind then that which springs from the seed will be like the original plant which is Christ. Christ came to make known the Father and He sent His disciples to do likewise: “As my Father has sent me, even so, send I you.” John 20:21
The Word planted in the heart springs up with a confession of Christ as Lord. The seed grows into the likeness of Christ. Like Christ, the Christian makes the Father known which is eternal life. Then, reaching maturity the child of God reproduces seed that will also reproduce.
Jesus said, “You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name. :....” John 15:16 (NRSV) The beginning and the end of the new life is the Word of his testimony: "But they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony,...." Revelation 12:11 (NRSV)
The object of our witnessing is not a simple mouthing “I believe.”, not just a once for all admission that Jesus Christ is Lord, but a confession of the Lordship of Jesus Christ by word and deed from the beginning to the end.
So, our job is not complete the minute a confession is secured. Our tension is not released in that moment. Our burden continues until the one we won to Christ has won another one to Christ and so on until the Kingdoms of this world become the Kingdom of our Lord. Our task is to win others to win others to Christ. This means that every one we meet is part of our ministry.
For example, if in the course of conversation, the person we are talking to says, “I am a Christian.”, it is not time to change the subject to fishing or the weather. Our response can be, “Then you are interested in winning others to Christ. Unite with the church of God's choice for you and practice winning others to win others to Christ.
FOOTNOTES
1. God Was In Christ, ID. M. Baillie, Charles Scribner's Sons, New York, 1948. p. 121
2. Pentecost and Missions, Harry R. Boer, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.,
Grand Rapids, Mich. 1981,
3. Look Up, Brother!, W. A. Criswell, Broadman Press, Nashville, Tenn., 1970.
4. Evangelism: Christ’s Imperative Commission, Roland Q. Levell, Broadman
Press, Nashville, Tenn. 1951 p. 64
5. Ibid. p. 147
6. Women’s Missionary Union, by Alma Hunt, Wornen's Missionary Union
Auxiliary to SBC, Birmingham Ala. p. 69
Copyright 1976 Doyle Purifoy
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Sun, May 27th - 7:59AM
LAUGHTER DOES GOOD LIKE A MEDICINE! LAZY FACT!
#126744368842085: you were too lazy to read that number.
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Sun, May 27th - 7:47AM
THOUGHT FOR TODAY!
The greatest incentive in all evangelism is not the need of human beings but the glory of God; not that they shall receive salvation, but that they shall give to God the honour that is due to his name, acknowledging and adoring him forever.* JOHN STOTT
*27 therefore may it please you to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue forever before you. For you, O LORD, have blessed and are blessed forever." 1 Chronicles 17:27 (NRSV)
8 Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; bring an offering, and come into his courts. Psalm 96:8 (NRSV)
39 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. Romans 8:39 (NRSV)
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Sat, May 26th - 1:18PM
Jesus' Great Commission
My Mother used to say to me when I was about to leave food on my plate, “There are millions in this world who are starving.” Well, I have thought about that. Eating everything on my plate might make me fat but it doesn't do anything for the millions that are starving in the world. The only response to this is to box up what's left on my plate and send it to the millions who are starving. Now, of course, that is absurd. But it does present a challenge to us.
We are urged to simplify our lives and consume less. So, I buy a blade razor instead of an electric razor: $10.00 for the blade razor and $100.00 for the electric razor. What about the $90.00 I saved? I have simplified my shaving life but how does that effect the needy? It may have negative effects. If I consume less there will be jobs lost—or economy slows and the President is without a job. To me, there is such a thing as the Ministry of Consumerism.
But back to simplifying my life. What about that $90.00 I saved by buying a blade razor rather than the electric razor? If I send that $90.00 to the needy, then simplifying my life is good ethics. It is obedient to the Scriptures and glorifies God.
Luke 18:22 (NRSV)
22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "There is still one thing lacking. Sell all that you own and distribute the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me."
Ephesians 4:28 (NRSV)
28 Thieves must give up stealing; rather let them labor and work honestly with their own hands, so as to have something to share with the needy.
The purpose of work in not to lay in store what we have earned. The purpose of work is the care for our own and to share with the needy.
Tony Campola said, “There is nothing wrong with making a million dollars. It is just wrong to keep it.”
Jesus' Great Commission is: Luke 4:18-20 (NRSV)
18 "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." 20 And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him.
Glen Beck admonished people to run from Pastors and report the to their denominations if the Pastor used words like 'Social' or 'Justice'. We would have to run from Jesus and report Him to our Denomination.
Some Politicians are exhorting people to cut programs that would deny services to the poor and the elderly. These Politicians have proposed cutting or even eliminating affordable health care program, Medicare, Medicaid and other programs that serve the needs of the poor and elderly.
Such cuts are directly opposed to the Great Commission of Jesus.
Jesus went into villages and heal all the sick there: Matthew 8:16 (NRSV)
16 That evening they brought to him many who were possessed with demons; and he cast out the spirits with a word, and cured all who were sick.
This sounds like universal health care to me.
Read these Scriptures of the Good Samaritan: Luke 10:25-37 (NRSV)
25 Just then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he said, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
26 He said to him, "What is written in the law? What do you read there?"
27 He answered, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself."
28 And he said to him, "You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live."
29 But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"
30 Jesus replied, "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead.
31 Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.
32 So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.
33 But a Samaritan while traveling came near him; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity.
34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, having poured oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him.
35 The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, 'Take care of him; and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend.'
36 Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?"
37 He said, "The one who showed him mercy." Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise."
This Good Samaritan bound up the victim's wounds, took the victim to the hospital, paid for his care, and promised to come back and pay whatever balance there might be. Jesus commanded His challenger: “Go, and do likewise.” Sounds like universal health care.
And what shall we say about these Scriptures? Matthew 25:31-46 (NRSV)
31 "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory.
32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats,
33 and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left.
34 Then the king will say to those at his right hand, 'Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world;
35 for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me,
36 I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.'
37 Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink?
38 And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing?
39 And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?'
40 And the king will answer them, 'Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.'
41 Then he will say to those at his left hand, 'You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels;
42 for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink,
43 I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.'
44 Then they also will answer, 'Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?'
45 Then he will answer them, 'Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.'
46 And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."
Sound like Jesus is saying to those Politicians who would cut services to the poor and elderly are cutting services to Jesus Himself. In as much as these Politicians would cut services to the poor and elderly, they would cut these services to Jesus Himself.
I challenge these Politicians, especially those who profess to be Christians to justify their economic philosophy by the Bible, especially by the Words of Jesus!
Read this philosophy of selfishness and greed and justify it with the Scriptures if you can:
There is a false philosophy in practice in at least or nearly half of the citizens of the United States. (I will post further challenge to this false philosophy later. Watch Facebook, Shoutlife, and Christians Unite.) The Philosophy is that of Ayn Rand who advocated reason as the only means of acquiring knowledge and rejected all forms of faith and religion. Here are some comments I have previously written about this vain philosophy: Ayn Rand (1905–1982). Her philosophy is: “…the concept of man as a heroic being, with his own happiness as the moral purpose of his life, with productive achievement as his noblest activity, and reason as his only absolute.” Even a babe in Christ recognizes this as a godless philosophy.
The philosophy of Ayn Rand drives many of our American legislators. Selfishness and greed are virtues. We are to pursue our own happiness. Look after number one.
This philosophy also promotes economic Darwinism: the survival of the fittest. Of course, the fittest in Darwinism economic system are the rich. (I asked a person how his daughter was doing? He replied, “She’s driving a Mercedes.”) The laborers are the slaves of the rich, who make them rich. The Ayn Rand legislators balance the budget on the backs of the working class, the seniors, and those who for varied reasons are not working. The fittest rich pay little or no taxes. The government is financed by the taxes of the middle class.
I do not claim to have worked out a Christian Economy. However, I am sure it is not godless Communism, and I am sure it is not driven by Ann Rand’s ‘Look after number one!
I read a disturbing article in “God Politics” a blog posted by Jim Wallace. The article was written by Ernesto Tinajero. He wrote on July 12, 2011:
In one of the most-viewed articles on FoxNews.com several weeks ago, writer Onkar Ghate presents a choice of competing moralities between Ayn Rand and Jesus. While his exegetical powers leave much to be desired, he is correct in noting that the choice many Americans will have to make, as far as political philosophies go, is between Ayn Rand and Jesus. (Choose between looking after number one or looking after the needs of others. Philippians 2:3-11 (NRSV) 3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. 5 Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, 7 but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, 8 he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death— even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 so) that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
I grew sad reading while his comments stating that Ayn Rand is the best representative of the neo-conservative vision for America — one where the individual is responsible only for the individual and selfishness is a virtue.
This grave false philosophy is gripping the United States of America. It is a vain, atheistic philosophy. God save America.
I challenge the Politicians who call themselves Christians and support Ayn Rand's Philosophy, to justify it by the Scriptures, especially the Words of Jesus!
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Sat, May 26th - 8:58AM
LAUGHTER DOES GOOD LIKE A MEDICINE! REJECTED INVITATION
Mrs. Jones was reading a letter at breakfast. Suddenly she looked up suspiciously at her husband.
"Henry," she said, "I've just received a letter from mother saying she isn't accepting our invitation to come and stay, as we do not appear to want her. What does she mean by that? I told you to write and say that she was to come at her own convenience. You did write, didn't you?"
"Er, yes, I did," said the husband. "But I couldn't spell convenience, so I made it risk."
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Sat, May 26th - 8:43AM
THOUGHT FOR TODAY!
The only gift is giving to the poor; All else is exchange.* -Thiruvalluvar, poet (c. 30 BCE)
*"And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?" Matthew 5:47 (NRSV)
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Fri, May 25th - 6:34AM
LAUGHTER DOES GOOD LIKE A MEDICINE!
A pregnant woman gets into a car accident and falls into a deep coma.
Asleep for nearly six months, she wakes up and sees that she is no longer pregnant. Frantically, she asks the doctor about her baby.
The doctor replies, "Ma'am, you had twins! A boy and a girl. The babies are fine. Your brother came in and named them."
The woman thinks to herself, "Oh no, not my brother -- he's an idiot!" Expecting the worst, she asks the doctor, "Well, what's the girl's name?"
"Denise," the doctor says.
The new mother thinks, "Wow, that's not a bad name! Guess I was wrong about my brother. I like Denise!" Then she asks the doctor, "What's the boy's name?"
The doctor replies, DeNephew.
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Fri, May 25th - 6:19AM
THOUGHT FOR TODAY!
It is not enough to 'proclaim Jesus'. For there are many different Jesuses being presented today. According to the New Testament gospel, however, he is *historical* (he really lived, died, rose and ascended in the arena of history), *theological* (his life, death, resurrection and ascension all have saving significance) and *contemporary* (he lives and reigns to bestow salvation on those who respond to him). Thus the apostles told the same story of Jesus at three levels -- as historical event (witnessed by their own eyes), as having theological significance (interpreted by the Scriptures), and as contemporary message (confronting men and women with the necessity of decision). We have the same responsibility today to tell the story of Jesus as fact, doctrine and gospel.*
*Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
20 and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age." Matthew 28:19-20 (NRSV)
2 this life was revealed, and we have seen it and testify to it, and declare to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was revealed to us—
3 we declare to you what we have seen and heard so that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. 1 John 1:2-3 (NRSV)
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Thu, May 24th - 7:43AM
LAUGHTER DOES GOOD LIKE A MEDICINE! WHERE ARE WE?
Two guys were riding in a car, arguing about how to say the name of the city that they were in. One said "Louieville" and the other "Louiseville." They went on arguing and arguing, until they came upon a fast-food restaurant. The one guy goes inside and says to the waitress, "Tell me the name of the place where I am right now really, really, really slowly." The waitress goes, "Bur-ger-King."
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Thu, May 24th - 7:37AM
THOUGHT FOR TODAY!
"God wants full custody, not just weekend visits."*
*46 "Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I tell you? Luke 6:46 (NRSV)
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Wed, May 23rd - 7:48AM
THOUGHT FOR TODAY!
"One should guard against preaching to young people success in the customary form as the main aim in life. The most important motive for work in school and in life is pleasure in work, pleasure in its result, and the knowledge of the value of the result to the community."* -- Albert Einstein (Shared by Maria)
*"Do not love the world or the things in the world. The love of the Father is not in those who love the world;" 1 John 2:15 (NRSV)
"You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might." Deuteronomy 6:5 (NRSV)
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Wed, May 23rd - 7:40AM
LAUGHTER DOES GOOD LIKE A MEDICINE!
Marriage Counselling
A husband and wife were at a party chatting with some friends when the subject of marriage counseling came up.
"Oh, we'll never need that. My husband and I have a great relationship," the wife explained.
"He was a communications major in college and I majored in theater arts."
"He communicates real well and I just act like I'm listening."
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Tue, May 22nd - 11:43PM
Divine Healing
Divine Healing
Psalms 103:1-3 (NRSV) 1Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name. 2Bless the LORD, O my soul, and do not forget all his benefits— 3who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases,
On Feb 2, 2008 my wife entered Navarro Regional with what turned out to be Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia. That week she had to have 4 units of blood. She is doing better now but being monitored very closely. Early after my wife got placed in a room at Navarro Hospital, I went down to the Hospital Chapel to meditate and pray. I was not there very long when the Lord inspired me with directions for a message on Divine healing. (Tonight I want to preach a message titled “Does God Answer Prayer?”)
Now all healing is Divine whether it be through the hands of a Medical Doctor or the hands of a Minister or disciple with the gift of healing. We should give God the glory for healing through Doctors and Medicine as we do for the miraculous healing that comes through the gift of the Spirit.
As our text says, God both forgives all our iniquities and heals all our diseases. We will learn from this message, that even though God forgives all our iniquities, this does not mean that we will never sin again. And even though God heals all our diseases, this does not mean we will never be sick again. But we can rest assured that when we see Jesus, we will be totally free from sin and sickness. We will be every wit whole.
God knows that I am distressed by this critical attacked on my wife’s health and He knows that sickness abounds in many places. This message is not just for my wife and me in our hour of need, but it is for several among you who are sick or have had sickness, and even lost loved ones after much fervent prayer, laying on of the hands with the anointing with oil. This message is to bring us comfort and not to renew grief over past or present illness. This message is also to remove anger with God for not healing or looking down on the sick for being sick and not recovering. I am not called to minister guilt and condemnation.
God blesses us in more ways than we even realize, but our text mentions two blessing of God: (1) God in Christ forgives all your iniquity and (2) God in Christ heals all your diseases. We will see that salvation is not only for our souls, but for our bodies, and even the creation itself.
God has more than one delivery system for healing. But here are two of them: (1) God Heals through natural means provided for in the creation and (2) God heals through miraculous means. Both means are Divine Healing because both are instruments of healing created by God.
I trust that God has anointed me to preach this message. I believe He will lead us in this message to understand more about Divine healing through nature and through miracles. And we will understand more about the redemption of both soul and body and even the creation itself.
First of all, as I was listening to Him in the Navarro Regional Hospital Chapel, He impressed my mind that both nature and Scripture teach us that it is God’s will for us to be well.
Be assured that God reveals Himself both in Nature and in the Scripture, the record of God’s revelation of Himself. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 11:14 that nature is an instrument of God to teach us:
1 Corinthians 11:14 (NRSV) 14Does not nature itself teach you....” The expected answer is: “Yes, nature does teach you....”
And in Romans 1:20 (NRSV) Paul says:
20Ever since the creation of the world his eternal power and divine nature, invisible though they are, have been understood and seen through the things he has made. So they are without excuse;
Nature teaches us enough about God to leave us without excuse, but not enough to save us from sin.
God uses nature to teach us. Does not nature teach us that God wants us to be well? Cut your finger and immediately your body goes to work to stop the bleeding and heal the finger. Have a fever and your immune system immediately goes to work to bring your fever to normal. God created a built in medicine cabinet in our bodies. This is as much divine healing as is miraculous healing. But, it tells us that it is God’s will for us to be healed both of wounds and illnesses. Nature teaches us that it is God’s will that we be well.
Of course, we know that our immune system sometimes is defeated by disease. Our immune systems can malfunction as in my wife’s case. Her bone marrow was producing red blood cells, but her immune system was destroying them faster than she could produce them. The condition is called Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia.
We naturally ask, “Why are these things so?” We must review the human condition to understand why our built in medicine cabinet sometimes fails to heal our bodies.
We all know the story of God’s creation. He made Adam and Eve; placed them in a perfect environment with access to the tree of life which, had they chosen to eat of it, they would have lived forever in that perfect condition. God created us with perfect health and the means to stay that way. Adam and Eve had a built in medicine cabinet that would never fail unless they disobeyed God. However, Adam and Eve were forbidden to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and told the consequences of disobedience. We are free to choose whatever we want. God will not interfere with the freedom of choice that He gave us, but we are not free to choose the consequences of our choices.
It is my conviction that when Adam and Eve sinned by disobedience, it had cosmic results. When man sinned, our genes were scrambled. This is why many of our children are born deformed. This is why our immune system does not always heal our diseases as it was created and designed to do.
Nevertheless, our immune systems work often, probably most of the time. This proves that nature teaches that God wants us to be well.
God often uses doctors as instruments of healing. Doctors do not heal us. They manipulate our immune system, our built in medicine cabinet so that our body can heal itself. This is God’s doing. Do you know that Jesus makes referrals to doctors? The Bible says in Luke 5:31 (NRSV) 31Jesus answered, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick;” Jesus said that those who are sick need a physician. And God-called ministers need to refer the sick to doctors also. God-called ministers need to avoid making sick people feel guilty, if they go to a doctor. They are, in fact, agreeing with and obeying Jesus who said sick people need a physician.
Let me give you an example of a minister making sick people feel guilty for going to a doctor. I read from the book The Ministry of Healing by a Baptist Minister, A. J. Gordon one of my favorite writers on healing. He is giving the testimony of a person he knew. He told of this person:
"At length one of his children, whom he had with him away from home, was taken ill with scarlet fever. And now the question was," .... "what was to be done? The Lord had healed his own sickness, but would he heal his son‘s illness? He conferred with a brother in the Lord, who, having no faith in Christ's healing power, urged him to send instantly for the doctor, and he dispatched his groom on horseback to fetch him. Before the Doctor arrived his mind was filled with revelation on the subject. I saw that he had fallen into a snare by turning away from the Lord's healing hand to lean on medical skill. He felt grievously condemned in his conscience; a fear also fell on him that if he persevered in his unbelieving course his son would die,
Was Jesus a person who had no faith in miraculous healing? Of course not. He had faith in miraculous healing and possessed the gift of healing perfectly. However, Jesus referred the sick to physicians. Is it a snare to agree with and obey Jesus that we need a physician when we are sick? Of course not. Is it turning away from the Lord when we go to a physician because He said we needed one? Of course not.
A well-known evangelist had a woman in his presence that was confined to a wheel chair. He commanded her to get up and walk in the Name of Jesus. When she did not, he condemned her as faithless and out of the will of God. There is no scene like that in the New Testament. This evangelist contradicted Jesus who taught that not everyone who was sick was sick because of their own sin or their parent’s sin. This woman was in worse condition after seeing this evangelist than she was before. Now she had to deal with guilt for being sick, faithless, and out of the will of God. Of course, it was the evangelist who was in error misusing the Word of God.
It is a serious thing to make people feel guilty for accepting a referral from the Great Physician or their Pastor to go to Doctors.
Not only do some ministers make people feel guilty for using doctors and medicine, but many of these ministers make people feel guilty because they are sick.
Jesus did not teach that we are necessarily sick because we have sinned. The Bible says in John 9:2-3 (NRSV)
2His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parent’s, that he was born blind?” 3Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned; he was born blind so that God’s works might be revealed in him.”
It is not necessarily a sin to be sick. Sickness is one of the things that work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. Sickness is not good, but God can use sickness as He does work all things for the good of them that love Him and are called according to His purpose. Even if we are sick, which is not necessarily sin, and even if we are not healed in this life, God can use illness to work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.
For example, Helen Keller was both deaf and blind and never healed, but her testimony is a great example for faith and courage.
Fanny Crosby was blind, but how many beautiful hymns did she write? Certainly God used blindness in Fanny Crosby so that God’s works might be revealed in her. Fanny Crosby, the great Christian and lover of God that she was, can we possibly believe that no one ever prayed for her to be healed? Only God knows why she was not healed before she went to be with the Lord. Dare we think it was because of her sin or her lack of faith? Her life of hymn writing proves otherwise.
Now we have been talking how nature teaches that it is God‘s will for us to be well. He has given us a natural built in medicine cabinet in our bodies. He has given us doctors and medicine and Jesus refers the sick to physicians.
Next, the Scriptures teach that it is God’s will for us to be well. 3 John 1:2 (NRSV)
2Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, just as it is well with your soul.
The KJV says:
“Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.”
This is a direct statement that God wants our bodies to be as well as it is well with our soul.
But more certainly, Isaiah 53:5 (KJV)
5But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
Isaiah predicted Christ’s death and gives two of the many benefits of the cross: (1) He was bruised for our iniquities and (2) With His stripes we are healed. Salvation includes the forgiveness of sins and the healing of our bodies. Forgiveness and healing run parallel through the atoning death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The healing of our bodies is as sure as the forgiveness of our sins.
(1) He was bruised for our iniquities
Because Christ died on the Cross we have forgiveness of sins. Repentance toward God and Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is the blessing of Calvary: Acts 3:26 (KJV)
26Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.
God grants us repentance by grace through faith: Acts 11:18 (KJV)
18When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.
Do you glorify God because He, by grace, has granted repentance to you?
We must remember that because we have forgiveness of sins does not mean we will never sin again. God doesn’t want us to ever sin again. Listen to these Scriptures:
John 8:3-11 (NRSV)
3The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery; and making her stand before all of them, 4they said to him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery. 5Now in the law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” 6They said this to test him, so that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. 7When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8And once again he bent down and wrote on the ground. 9When they heard it, they went away, one by one, beginning with the elders; and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. 10Jesus straightened up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” 11She said, “No one, sir.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go your way, and from now on do not sin again.”]]
1 John 2:1 (NRSV)
1My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous;
While the will of God is that we never sin again, the fact is we do and God tells us we do in 1 John 1:8-9 (NRSV)
8If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Just because we have forgiveness of sins does not mean that we will never sin again. The Scriptures tell us we will sin again but they also tell us if we confess them Jesus will forgive us and cleanse us. The Scriptures say if we sin, we have an Advocate, Jesus Christ, who will take our case to the Father.
(2) With His stripes we are healed.
Matthew 8:16-17 (KJV)
16When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick: 17That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.
We must take note that Jesus healed those who were brought to him: many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick. Notice that the actual healing was done to fulfill what Isaiah said: 17That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses. The fulfillment is in the actual healing that Jesus did.
I point this out because of some erroneous teaching some ministers teach. It is what is known as word confession. Confess it and you’ve got it. I had a friend who confessed that he had a specific expensive Van. He confessed it with his mouth and would not confess that he had a small compact car. The last I knew he was still driving a small or midsized car. Not only did he fail to receive what he confessed but some of his friends and neighbors thought he was crazy and others thought he was a liar.
One minister who saw the dangers of this so-called ‘confess it and you’ve got it’ teaching did a seminar on how to confess your faith without lying. He had to know that this ‘confess it and you’ve got it’ teaching gives the appearance of lying or being deranged.
More importantly, there is no scene like this in the New Testament. There is no scene or testimony in the Scriptures of people going about saying, “I am healed.” whose friends and neighbors, both believers and unbelievers, didn’t say the same thing about them. Listen to these unbelieving Jews talking about the miracles Jesus did: Acts 4:16 (NRSV)
16They said, “What will we do with them? For it is obvious to all who live in Jerusalem that a notable sign has been done through them; we cannot deny it.
The miracles and healings that Jesus and the disciples of the early church were not just confessed by the people who were healed but the unbelievers could not deny what God had done, and confessed that notable signs were done.
To confess you have a new car before you have it is seen by unbelievers as lying and they are repelled from us. To confess we are well when it is obvious to unbelievers that we are sick is judged to be a lie and they are repelled.
There is healing, as well as forgiveness in the atoning death of Christ, but just as sure as forgiveness does not mean we will never sin again, just so, just because we have healing in the atonement, does not mean we will never be sick again.
Paul said in Philippians 3:12-14 (NRSV)
12Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal; but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13Beloved, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.
Paul did not believe he had reached sinless perfection, but he continued to press forward toward the prize of the heavenly call. Neither did Paul think he was perfectly healed. He confessed that he was sick and not in perfect health: 2 Corinthians 12:7 (KJV)
7And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.
I am afraid that many of the ministers of healing who inflict the sick with guilt have exalted themselves above measure.
Paul confessed he had a thorn in the flesh that he asked God three times to remove without success. 2 Corinthians 12:8-9 (KJV)
8For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. 9And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Paul also confessed his friends Epaphroditus and Erastus were sick. Philippians 2:25-27 (KJV)
25Yet I supposed it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, and companion in labour, and fellowsoldier, but your messenger, and he that ministered to my wants. 26For he longed after you all, and was full of heaviness, because that ye had heard that he had been sick. 27For indeed he was sick nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow.
2 Timothy 4:20 (KJV)
20Erastus abode at Corinth: but Trophimus have I left at Miletum sick.
Epaphroditus was healed. We were not told by what means he was healed. Paul gave God the glory. However Paul left Erastus sick at Miletum.
We are puzzled when we pray for the sick, anoint them with oil and appeal to the Biblical promises, that many times our prayers do not result in what we desire and expect. We ask ‘why’ and we try to answer ‘why’. But the Bible warns us against saying that people are sick because of their own sin or their parent’s. We simply don’t know the answer to why.
Oral Roberts lost a daughter and a son-in-law in a plane crash. He was a great faith teacher and minister of healing. But he said in reaction to this tragedy: “There is something we don’t know about this.”
What are we to do when we are sick? We are to call the elders of the Church to pray and anoint with oil in obedience to the Scriptures. What if the sick are not healed? We know that just as sure as we will be absent from sin when we are glorified in heaven with Jesus, we will be absent from sickness, also. We will be every wit whole when we are glorified in heaven with Jesus.
In a revival meeting, the phone rang while a prayer service was in progress. They were praying for the meeting and for a man that was critically ill. I quietly got up and answered the phone. I returned to the prayer meeting and reported that our prayers had been answered. Our brother was every wit whole because he was in the presence of the Lord.
We have the great hope of the forgiveness of sins. We have the great hope of the healing of our bodies.
But to minister guilt to those who are not healed is a great mistake. Some blame the minister or ministers; others blame the sick.
I was with a group of Elders of a particular church. We were anticipating ordaining another Elder. However, we received a message that the candidate could not come because his son got sick. This group of Elders declared the man disqualified as an Elder because he did not have faith enough or his family would not be sick. There is no scene like that in the New Testament.
This Apostles did not have success in all their healing ministry. Matthew 17:19-21 (KJV)
19Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out? 20And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. 21Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.
There was something the disciples didn’t know about why their efforts to cast out the devil failed. Jesus knew exactly why. He said, “...this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.” And sometimes we have to confess there is something about particular problems that we do not know. God knows, but we don’t.
Next, the Scriptures teach that it is God’s will for the whole creation to be redeemed and restored. We have the hope that this whole creation will be redeemed and restored. Paul says in Romans 8:21-22 (NRSV)
21that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now;
There is coming a time of restoration when all that was marred by the fall of man will be restored including the universe. You can have the pleasure of meditating in this hope by reading Revelation 21-22. But let me read the first 5 verses of Rev. 21:
1Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “See, the home of God is among mortals. He will dwell with them; they will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them; 4he will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away.” 5And the one who was seated on the throne said, “See, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
There is going to be a new heaven and a new earth. The New Jerusalem will come down out of heaven to the earth and the Scriptures thrill our hearts saying: “See, the home of God is among mortals. He will dwell with them; they will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them; 4he will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away.”
While we groan with the creation waiting for the restoration, we can have a restored relationship with God. You can have this restored relationship with God by simply turning from your sin and obediently following Jesus as your Lord and Savior.
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Tue, May 22nd - 8:15AM
LAUGHTER DOES GOOD LIKE A MEDICINE!
Q. How many programmers does it take to change a light bulb?
A. None. That's a hardware issue.
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Tue, May 22nd - 8:02AM
THOUGHT FOR TODAY!
Confession really is good for the soul. God can heal our past, redeem our present, and guide our future.* Dr. James C. Denison
*If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgives us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9
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Mon, May 21st - 10:27PM
Who Is It that Condemns?
Who Is It that Condemns? Monday, May 21, 2012 - 8:14 PM
Who is he or she that condemns....? Romans 8:34-39 (NRSV)
34 Who is to condemn? It is Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us.
35 Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
36 As it is written, "For your sake we are being killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep to be slaughtered."
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers,
39 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.
If our founding Fathers intended to establish a Christian Nation, a Theocracy or Christocracy they wrote a very poor Constitution.
If our founding Fathers intended to establish a Christian Nation, a Theocracy or Christocracy surely they could have done better than to write in the Constitution:
"... no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States."
This means that a Protestant, Catholic, Buddhist, Muslim, Atheist, or any other religious status can be a candidate for public office. How clear is this that they had no intention of establishing a Christian Nation?!
If our founding Fathers intended to establish a Christian Nation, a Theocracy or Christocracy surely they could have done better than to write in the Bill of Rights: the First Amendment: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof"
This means Congress cannot make laws favoring one religion over another.
However, the Constitution is more than satisfactory for the pluralistic society that we live in. The Statue of Liberty begs for the different nations to send us their people of different cultures.
Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses, yearning to breath free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore,
Send these, the homeless, tempest tossed,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door.
America is a pluralistic nation and our constitution is adequate for us.
As long as the Church's understanding of America is that it is a Christian Nation, the Church will not understand how lost America is. There vision of American is impaired by the notion that America is a Christian nation. Once that blind spot is removed from our spiritual eyes, we will see America as lost and our primary mission field.
The Church and the American culture is so blended we cannot tell the difference between Christians and American citizens.
Recently Barack Obama publically indorsed same sex marriage. Many Christians have responded to this as a call to judge and condemn Obama and others that take this position. The Scriptures strictly forbids judging those outside the church and commands that judgment must begin with the Church. 1 Cor 5:9-13:
9 I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral persons?
10 not at all meaning the immoral of this world, or the greedy and robbers, or idolaters, since you would then need to go out of the world.
11 But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother or sister who is sexually immoral or greedy, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or robber. Do not even eat with such a one.
12 For what have I to do with judging those outside? Is it not those who are inside that you are to judge?
13 God will judge those outside. "Drive out the wicked person from among you."
Paul laid out some very clear instructions. He had written them a letter which they misunderstood. They thought that Paul was telling them to shun,-- not even to eat with sinners outside their church. But Paul said, that is not what he meant at all, rather, just the opposite. Paul encouraged them to eat with sinners outside the Church. Was not Christ, Himself criticized for eating with sinners? The Church must be converted and start relating to lost people as Christ did.
What Paul meant, was that the Corinthians were to shun and judge those inside their Church who were living immoral lives. Paul says it is none of our business to judge those outside the Church. That is God's job. God will judge those outside the Church.
It is hard to believe that the Church will repent of their bashing sinners outside the Church. They feel that it is their commission to judge sinners outside the Church. Jesus visited and had visitors by sinners. He loved them. He did not condemn them because He knew that they were already condemned and He wanted them to be saved. John 3:18 (NRSV)
18 Those who believe in him are not condemned; but those who do not believe are condemned already, because they have not believed in the name of the only Son of God.
He knew He could not do that with a scowl on His face. Matthew 23:37 (NRSV)
37 "Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!
The only ones Jesus was ever harsh with were the self righteous who prayed like this: Luke 18:11 "The Pharisee, standing by himself, was praying thus, 'God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax collector." Could this not be paraphrased, "Lord, I thank you that I am not like other people; thieves, adulterers, or even like this homosexual?!"
How often have we heard, "But for the grace of God, there go I!?" How many really believe "Except for the grace of God I would be a homosexual!?" If they really believed that only the grace of God kept them from gross sin, they would be more empathetic, more caring, more loving toward sinners.
Jesus and Paul want the Church to learn how to relate to sinners outside the Church and sinners on the inside of the Church. Our relationship to sinners on the outside of the Church is to be greatly different from our relationship to sinners in side the Church.
Getting up from the table of sinners in the Church and withdrawing fellowship from them is designed to redeem them, not condemn them.
1 Corinthians 5:1-5 (NRSV)
1 It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not found even among pagans; for a man is living with his father's wife.
2 And you are arrogant! Should you not rather have mourned, so that he who has done this would have been removed from among you?
3 For though absent in body, I am present in spirit; and as if present I have already pronounced judgment
4 in the name of the Lord Jesus on the man who has done such a thing. When you are assembled, and my spirit is present with the power of our Lord Jesus,
5 you are to hand this man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.
The report was that there was immorality in their Church, a kind not even mentioned by those outside the Church. The Church was to judge this Church member and put the person out of the Church. As the Scripture says: "you are to hand this man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord." Excommunication is to be redemptive, not to vent our self-righteous condemnation. The person is given over to God to judge. The Church must be ready to receive the person back after repentance:
2 Corinthians 2:6-11 (NRSV)
6 This punishment by the majority is enough for such a person;
7 so now instead you should forgive and console him, so that he may not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow.
8 So I urge you to reaffirm your love for him.
9 I wrote for this reason: to test you and to know whether you are obedient in everything.
10 Anyone whom you forgive, I also forgive. What I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has been for your sake in the presence of Christ.
11 And we do this so that we may not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs.
Everything the Church does must be toward the redemption of people. Our shunning a Church member because of sin must be in view of the person's ultimate salvation. The association with sinners on the outside must be in view of their ultimate salvation.
Too many Church members are motivated by hate rather than love. The world recognizes hate and anger directed toward them by the Church. Once Christians get the scowl off their face and replaces it with the radiance of the love of Christ, we will see more people saved. Let us leave judgment and condemnation of sinners outside the Church to God and clean up the Church from the inside. When Paul said, "Put away the wicked person from you." He was not talking about our lost, sinful wicked neighbor. He was talking about a professed Christian member of the Church.
Winning others to Christ will be hindered until we learn to leave God with His business of judging the world and tend to our business of judging those inside the Church.
What I have said presents a host of problems that I have not dealt with. The Lord leading me, I will try to address these anticipated problems later.
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Mon, May 21st - 7:37AM
LAUGHTER DOES GOOD LIKE A MEDICINE!
Two Musicians’ in a major symphonic orchestra were discussing who they thought the LEAST talented musician in the band was. One of them said; that’s easy. See that guy standing in the back? Well, we just put two sticks in his hands and we call him a Drummer. The other responded; well, if we take one stick away, we call him a Conductor!
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Mon, May 21st - 7:32AM
THOUGHT FOR TODAY!
THOUGHT FOR TODAY! The primacy of evangelism I think we should agree with the statement of the Lausanne Covenant that 'in the church's mission of sacrificial service evangelism is primary' (para. 6, "The Church and Evangelism"). Christians should feel an acute pain of conscience and compassion when human beings are oppressed or neglected in any way, whether what is being denied them is civil liberty, racial respect, education, medicine, employment, or adequate food, clothing and shelter.
Anything which undermines human dignity should be an offence to us. But is anything so destructive of human dignity as alienation from God through ignorance or rejection of the gospel? And how can we seriously maintain that political and economic liberation is just as important as eternal salvation?* John Stott
*Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age." Matthew 28:19-20 (NRSV)
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Sun, May 20th - 7:40AM
LAUGHTER DOES GOOD LIKE A MEDICINE! Men Vs Women
WOMEN VS WOMEN: A man will pay $2.00 for a $1.00 item he needs. A woman will pay $1.00 for a $2.00 item she does not need. Is that politically correct or isn't it?
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Sun, May 20th - 7:31AM
THOUGHT FOR TODAY!
"Your net worth doesn't equal your personal worth." Remember the source of your personal worth.* Jim Denison, Pastor Park Cities Baptist Church Dallas TX
*19Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God, and that you are not your own? 20For you were bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body. 1 Corinthians 6:19 - 20 (NRSV
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Sat, May 19th - 4:03PM
Nations are not born again. Citizens are!
If our founding Fathers intended to establish a Christian Nation, a Theocracy or Christocracy they wrote a very poor Constitution.
If our founding Fathers intended to establish a Christian Nation, a Theocracy or Christocracy surely they could have done better than to write in the Constitution:
“... no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States.”
This means that a Protestant, Catholic, Buddhist, Muslim, Atheist, or any other religious status can be a candidate for public office. How clear is this that they had no intention of establishing a Christian Nation?!
If our founding Fathers intended to establish a Christian Nation, a Theocracy or Christocracy surely they could have done better than to write in the Bill of Rights: the First Amendment: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof”
This means Congress cannot make laws favoring one religion over another.
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Sat, May 19th - 3:06PM
Vain Philosophy
I recall reading a book on psychology by Nathanial Branden. In his preface he gave his testimony. He said he was standing in line to be baptized. A young woman was being baptized ahead of him. When she came up out of the water her white robe clave to her body. He lusted after her. He swore off Christianity at that point and became a militant atheist.
Nathaniel Branden was a co-hart with Ayn Rand, also a militant atheist. Christian should be concerned that Ayn Rand’s book Atlas Shrugged ranked second only to the Bible in a major poll.search.barnesandnoble.com/My-Years-with-Ayn-Rand. Branden’s and Rand book promote the psychology of self-esteem promoting selfishness and greed as virtues.
A mature Christian will recognize immediately that selfishness and greed are anti-Christian, just the opposite of the teachings of Jesus Christ.
Of further concern should be that the political philosophy of the party of demolition is based “…on the philosophy of the Russian-American philosopher and novelist Ayn Rand (1905–1982). Her philosophy is:
“…the concept of man as a heroic being, with his own happiness as the moral purpose of his life, with productive achievement as his noblest activity, and reason as his only absolute.”
Even a babe in Christ recognizes this as a godless philosophy.
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Sat, May 19th - 8:03AM
THOUGHT FOR TODAY!
"You can no more separate yourself from your influence than you can separate yourself from your shadow as you walk in the noonday sun."* (George Truett)
*A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favor is better than silver or gold. Proverbs 22:1 (NRSV)
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Sat, May 19th - 7:51AM
LAUGHTER DOES GOOD LIKE A MEDICINE!
Two Goobers were walking down the street. One stops and says, "Oh my!!!" A dead bird." The other looks up and says, "Were, were?"
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Fri, May 18th - 8:02AM
LAUGHTER DOES GOOD LIKE A MEDICINE!
Each evening bird lover Tom stood in his backyard, hooting like an owl - and one night, an owl finally called back to him.
For a year, the man and his feathered friend hooted back and forth. He even kept a log of the "conversation."
Just as he thought he was on the verge of a breakthrough in interspecies communication, his wife had a chat with her next door neighbor.
"My husband spends his nights ... calling out to owls," she said.
"That's odd," the neighbor replied. "So does my husband."
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Fri, May 18th - 7:48AM
THOUGHT FOR TODAY!
"Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, you'll find one at the end of your arm. . . . As you grow older you will discover that you have two hands. One for helping yourself, the other for helping others."* -- Audrey Hepburn
*"Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others." Philippians 2:4 (NRSV)
"If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill,” and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that? So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead." James 2:15-17 (NRSV)
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Thu, May 17th - 8:08AM
LAUGHTER DOES GOOD LIKE A MEDICINE!
A sweet little boy surprised his grandmother one morning and brought her a cup of coffee. He made it himself and was so proud. He anxiously waited to hear the verdict on the quality of the coffee. The grandmother had never in her life had such a bad cup of coffee, and as she forced down the last sip she noticed three of those little green army guys in the bottom of the cup.
She asked, "Honey, why would three little green army guys be in the bottom of my cup?"
Her grandson replied, "You know grandma, it's like on TV, 'The best part of waking up is soldiers in your cup.'"
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Thu, May 17th - 7:56AM
THOUGHT FOR TODAY!
One can never pay in gratitude; one can only pay "in kind" somewhere else in life.* - Anne Morrow Lindbergh, writer (1906-2001)
*"If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, 16and one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill,” and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that? So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead." James 2:15-17 (NRSV)
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Wed, May 16th - 6:27AM
THOUGHT FOR TODAY!
Prayer-condition your church.*
*"Pray without ceasing. " 1 Thessalonians 5:17
"Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him." Acts 12:5
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Tue, May 15th - 8:11AM
LAUGHTER DOES GOOD LIKE MEDICINE! LONESOME WIDOWER
A widower who never paid any attention to his wife while she was alive now found himself missing her desperately.
He went to a psychic to see if he could contact his late wife. The psychic went into a trance. A strange breeze wafted through the darkened room, and suddenly, the man heard the unmistakable voice of his dearly departed wife.
"Honey!" he cried. "Is that you?"
"Yes, my husband."
"Are you happy?"
"Yes, my husband."
"Happier than you were with me?"
"Yes, my husband." "Then Heaven must be an amazing place!"
"I'm not in Heaven, dear."
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Tue, May 15th - 8:01AM
THOUGHT FOR TODAY!
Sometimes even to live is an act of courage.* -Lucius Annaeus Seneca, writer and philosopher (BCE 3-65 CE
*"So let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest time, if we do not give up." Galatians 6:9 (NRSV)
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Mon, May 14th - 6:53AM
LAUGHTER DOES GOOD LIKE A MEDICINE! EXERCISE !NSIGHTS
~ It is well documented that for every mile that you jog, you add one minute to your life. This enables you at 85 years old to spend an additional 5 months in a nursing home at $5000 per month.
~ My grandmother started walking five miles a day when she was 60. She's 97 now and we don't know where on earth she is!
~ The only reason I would take up jogging is so that I could hear heavy breathing again.
~ I joined a health club last year, spent about 400 bucks. Haven't lost a pound. Apparently you have to show up.
~ I have to exercise early in the morning before my brain figures out what I'm doing.
~ I don't exercise at all. If God meant for us to touch our toes, he would have put them further up on our body.
~ I like long walks, especially when they are taken by people who annoy me.
~ I have flabby thighs, but fortunately my stomach covers them.
~ The advantage of exercising every day is that you die healthier.
~ If you are going to try cross-country skiing, start with a small country.
~ I don't jog, it makes the ice jump right out of my glass.
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Mon, May 14th - 6:44AM
THOUGHT FOR TODAY!
"The safest place in all the world to be is the center of the will of God." Are you safe today?*Dr. Baker James Cauthen quoted by Dr. Jim Denison, Pastor Park Cities Baptist Church, Dallas TX.
*14And this is the boldness we have in him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 1 John 5:14 (NRSV)
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Sun, May 13th - 7:53AM
LAUGHTER DOES GOOD LIKE A MEDICINE! EARLY SHOPPING
It was Christmas and the judge was in a merry mood as he asked the prisoner, "What are you charged with?"
"Doing my Christmas shopping early," replied the defendant.
"That's no offense," said the judge. "How early were you doing this shopping?"
"Before the store opened," countered the prisoner.
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Sun, May 13th - 7:44AM
THOUGHT FOR TODAY!
"One who smiles rather than angers is always stronger"* -- Chinese wisdom Sent By David Schary
*"One who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and one whose temper is controlled than one who captures a city." Proverbs 16:32 (NRSV)
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Sat, May 12th - 9:14AM
LAUGHTER DOES GOOD LIKE A MEDICINE!
This young man was elated when he turned eighteen in a state where curfew is 11:00 p.m. for any one under seventeen years of age. He told his Dad how happy he was that now he could stay out until 3:00 a.m. if he wanted. “Yes you can stay out as late as you want, but the car is under seventeen and it has to be in the garage by eleven.” His father said.
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Sat, May 12th - 8:54AM
THOUGHT FOR TODAY!
THOUGHT FOR TODAY: All history emanates from God and gravitates toward God.* --Doyle Purifoy
*1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was in the beginning with God. 3All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being John 1:1-3 (NRSV)
34....For his sovereignty is an everlasting sovereignty, and his kingdom endures from generation to generation. 35 All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does what he wills with the host of heaven and the inhabitants of the earth. There is no one who can stay his hand or say to him, “What are you doing?” Daniel 4:34-35 (NRSV)
5They conveniently forget that long ago all the galaxies and this very planet were brought into existence out of watery chaos by God’s word. 6Then God’s word brought the chaos back in a flood that destroyed the world. 2 Peter 3:5-6 (TMSG)
13I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” Revelation 22:13 (NRSV)
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Fri, May 11th - 8:19AM
LAUGHTER DOES GOOD LIKE A MEDICINE! I WANT TO BUY THAT!
A blonde goes into a nearby store and asks a clerk if she can buy the TV in the corner.
The clerk looks at her and says that he doesn't serve blondes, so she goes back home and dyes her hair black.
The next day she returns to the store and asks the same thing, and again, the clerk said he doesn't serve blondes.
Frustrated, the blonde goes home and dyes her hair yet again, to a shade of red.
Sure that a clerk would sell her the TV this time, she returns and asks a different clerk this time.
To her astonishment, this clerk also says that she doesn't serve blondes.
The blonde asks the clerk, "How in the world do you know I am a blonde?"
The clerk looks at her disgustedly and says,"That's not a TV -- it's a microwave!"
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Fri, May 11th - 8:07AM
THOUGHT FOR TODAY!
God's church means people not buildings, and God's Word means Scripture not traditions.
So long as these essentials are preserved, the buildings and the traditions can if necessary go. We must not allow them to imprison the living God or to impede his mission in the world.*
*"Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?" 1 Corinthians 3:16 (NRSV)
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Thu, May 10th - 7:50AM
LAUGHTER DOES GOOD LIKE A MEDICINE! DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM?
A blonde was telling her priest a Pollock joke, when halfway through the priest interrupts her, "Don't you know I'm Polish?"
"Oh, I'm sorry," the blonde apologizes, "do you want me to start over and talk slower?"
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Thu, May 10th - 7:38AM
THOUGHT FOR TODAY!
THOUGHT FOR TODAY: "Sometimes the treasure is coated with corrosion, but if we do some scraping, we begin to see its value. Thanksgiving expresses our faith that God can, indeed, bring treasures out of trials, and faith adds muscle to the scraping process, even in the worst of trials."* - From "It Takes Two to Tango" by Gary and Norma Smalley
*"My brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of any kind, consider it nothing but joy, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance;" James 1:2-3 (NRSV)
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Wed, May 9th - 6:41AM
LAUGHTER DOES GOOD LIKE A MEDICINE!
A strong young man at the construction site was bragging that he could outdo anyone in a feat of strength. He made a special case of making fun of Morris, one of the older workmen. After several minutes, Morris had enough.
"Why don't you put your money where your mouth is?" he said. "I will bet a week's wages that I can haul something in a wheelbarrow over to that outbuilding that you won't be able to wheel back."
"You're on, old man," the braggart replied. "It's a bet! Let's see what you got."
Morris reached out and grabbed the wheelbarrow by the handles. Then, nodding to the young man, he said, "All right. Get in."
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Wed, May 9th - 6:33AM
THOUGHT FOR TODAY!
"The reason why many miracles are not now wrought is not so much because faith is established, as that unbelief reigns."* - Bengel.
*19Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” 20He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of a£ mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.” Matthew 17:19-20 (NRSV)
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Tue, May 8th - 8:42AM
LAUGHTER DOES GOOD LIKE A MEDICINE! Traffic Camera
A man was driving through an intersection when a traffic camera flashed. He thought his picture was taken for exceeding the speed limit, even though he knew he was not speeding.
Just to be sure, he went around the block and passed the same spot, driving even more slowly, but again the camera flashed.
He thought this was quite funny, so he went around the block again and slowed down even further as he drove past the area, but the traffic camera flashed yet again..
He tried a fourth time with the same result. The fifth time he was laughing so hard and looking up at the camera when the camera flashed as he rolled past at a snail's pace.
Two weeks later, he got five traffic fine letters in the mail for driving without a seat belt.
Men! And they say blondes are dumb.
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Tue, May 8th - 8:28AM
THOUGHT FOR TODAY!
No one is useless who lightens the burden of someone else!*
*Galatians 6:2 (NRSV) "Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill£ the law of Christ."
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Mon, May 7th - 8:06AM
LAUGHTER DOES GOOD LIKE A MEDICINE! WHAT ARE WE?
"If we are what we eat, then I'm easy, fast, and cheap."
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Mon, May 7th - 7:57AM
THOUGHT FOR TODAY!
“....Christ's Death—though they know neither how nor why—has done more than either His teaching or His life to constrain and enable them to trust in the mercy of God for the pardon of sin; and because Christ is the Propitiation for the sins of the world, God has responded to their trust, and they are eternally saved. For it is not the doctrine of the Death of Christ that atones for human sin, but the Death itself;”* R. W. Dale
17“Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18Those who believe in him are not condemned; but those who do not believe are condemned already, because they have not believed in the name of the only Son of God. John 3:17 - 18 (NRSV)
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Sun, May 6th - 8:06AM
LAUGHTER DOES GOOD LIKE A MEDICINE! CARD SIGNING
I was signing the receipt for my credit card purchase when the clerk noticed that I had never signed my name on the back of the credit card. She informed me that she could not complete the transaction unless the card was signed.
When I asked why, she explained that it was necessary to compare the signature on the credit card with the signature I just signed on the receipt.
So I signed the credit card in front of her.
She carefully compared that signature to the one I signed on the receipt.
As luck would have it, they matched!
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Sun, May 6th - 7:52AM
THOUGHT FOR TODAY!
“One Person who's on your side always, no matter what you do or what the world does to you“... is Jesus Christ.* (Jim Denison, Park Cities Baptist Church)
*What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? Romans 8:31 (NRSV)
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Sat, May 5th - 8:37AM
LAUGHTER DOES GOOD LIKE A MEDICINE!
An attorney was frustrated that lawyers had such a reputation
for dishonesty. He decided to have is little say in defense of
lawyers even after his death and added to his will that his grave
stone was to be clearly marked HERE LIES A LAWYER
AND AN HONEST MAN!
Problem was, everybody concluded there must be two people
buried at that spot!
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Sat, May 5th - 8:20AM
THOUGHT FOR TODAY!
The only good work we can ever do is to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and Him Who sent Him! And, we cannot boast of that because it is God's work that we believe!*
*9Jesus answered them, “This is
the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” John 6:29 (NRSV)
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God—9 not the result of works, so that no one may boast. Ephesians 2:8-9 (NRSV)
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Fri, May 4th - 4:12PM
An Additional Thought
God's gifts are always greater than what we ask for!
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Fri, May 4th - 7:48AM
LAUGHTER DOES GOOD LIKE A MEDICINE! FLOWERS OIL
When I go to a local discount store to get oil and filters for my car, I buy my wife a bouquet of flowers on display near the checkout counter.
During one trip, some women in line behind me were oohing and aahing about a husband getting flowers for his wife. "How often do you do that?" one asked.
Before I could answer, the cashier, more than familiar with my routine, said, "Every three months or 3,000 miles, whichever comes first."
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Fri, May 4th - 7:29AM
THOUGHT FOR TODAY!
Honoring God...We live overflowing lives because the Source of life brings us contentment, instead of the gifts (people, places, possessions, and position). How? By leading us to the well that never runs dry*.- From "It Takes Two to Tango" by Gary and Norma Smalley
*"and let the one who believes in me drink. As the scripture has said, ‘Out of the believer’s heart shall flow rivers of living water.’” John 7:38 (NRSV)
"He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall never be shaken." Psalm 62:2 (NRSV)
"For God alone my soul waits in silence, for my hope is from him." Psalm 62:5 (NRSV)
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Thu, May 3rd - 8:50AM
LAUGHTER DOES GOOD LIKE A MEDICINE! PEST CONTROL
My husband works as a service technician for a large exterminating company.
One of the rules of the company is that he has to comfirm each appointment by phone the night before his service call to that household.
One evening he made such a call, and when a man answered the phone, he said, "Hi, this is Gary from A to Z Pest Control Company. Your wife phoned us."
There was a long silence, and then my husband heard the man on the other end say, "Honey, it's for you....someone wants to talk to you about your relatives."
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Thu, May 3rd - 7:55AM
THOUGHT FOR TODAY!
"God's gifts put man's best dreams to shame."* -- Elizabeth Barrett Browning Singer
*"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God—9not the result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life." Ephesians 2:8-10 (NRSV)
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Wed, May 2nd - 6:33AM
THOUGHT FOR TODAY!
To the mind that is still, the whole universe surrenders.* -Lao-Tzu, philosopher (6th century BCE)
*"Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee." ISAIAH 26:3
10 “Be still, and know that I am God! I am exalted among the nations, I am exalted in the earth.” Psalms 46:10 (NRSV)
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Tue, May 1st - 7:12AM
LAUGHTER DOES GOOD LIKE A MEDICINE! EXERCISE!
~ It is well documented that for every mile that you jog, you add one minute to your life. This enables you at 85 years old to spend an additional 5 months in a nursing home at $5000 per month.
~ My grandmother started walking five miles a day when she was 60. She's 97 now and we don't know where on earth she is!
~ The only reason I would take up jogging is so that I could hear heavy breathing again.
~ I joined a health club last year, spent about 400 bucks. Haven't lost a pound. Apparently you have to show up.
~ I have to exercise early in the morning before my brain figures out what I'm doing.
~ I don't exercise at all. If God meant for us to touch our toes, he would have put them further up on our body.
~ I like long walks, especially when they are taken by people who annoy me.
~ I have flabby thighs, but fortunately my stomach covers them.
~ The advantage of exercising every day is that you die healthier.
~ If you are going to try cross-country skiing, start with a small country.
~ I don't jog, it makes the ice jump right out of my glass.
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Tue, May 1st - 6:58AM
THOUGHT FOR TODAY!
What constitutes success in life? This morning, the Lord completed a spiritual formula he has been building in my life for several days. Here's the first part: Jesus taught his disciples, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. . . . He who does not love me will not obey my teaching" I must love Jesus to obey him. If I do not love him, inevitably I will fail him. I will refuse something he wants me to do, or do something he wants me to refuse. Love produces obedience.* Jim Denison
*23 Jesus answered him, "Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. 24 Whoever does not love me does not keep my words; and the word that you hear is not mine, but is from the Father who sent me. John 14:23-24 (NRSV)
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Name: Doyle Purifoy
