Fri, Oct 26th - 8:17AM
After Review
This is a great site with great potential. However, it has fallen into disuse even by its operator(s). It does not appear to be worth the daily time I put into it. Sorry, I'm out of here unless someone can convence me it is worth staying.
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Fri, Oct 26th - 8:12AM
THOUGHT FOR TODAY!
THOUGHT FOR TODAY: As Campbell Morgan put it, 'granted the truth of the first verse of the Bible, and there is no difficulty with the miracles'.* John Stott quoted G. Campbell Morgan
*In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, Genesis 1:1 (NRSV)
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Thu, Oct 25th - 8:26AM
LAUGHTER DOES GOOD LIKE A MEDICINE!
A student comes to a young professor's office hours. She glances down the hall, closes his door, and kneels pleadingly."I would do anything to pass this exam," she says.She leans closer to him, flips back her hair, and gazes meaningfully into his eyes. "I mean," she whispers, "I would do anything..."He returns her gaze, "Anything?""Anything."His voice softens, "Anything?""Anything," she repeats again. His voice turns to a whisper. "Would you ... study?"
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Thu, Oct 25th - 8:16AM
THOUGHT FOR TODAY!
"We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light."* - Plato
*John 3:19 - 20 (NRSV) 19And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. 20For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed.
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Wed, Oct 24th - 6:43AM
LAUGHTER DOES GOOD LIKE A MEDICINE!
The Captain called the Sergeant in. "Sarge, I just got a telegram. Private Jones' mother died yesterday. Better go tell him and send him in to see me."
So the Sergeant calls for his morning formation and lines up all the troops. "Listen up, men," says the Sergeant. "Johnson, report to the mess hall for KP. Smith, report to Personnel to sign some papers. The rest of you men report to the Motor Pool for maintenance. Oh by the way, Jones, your mother died, report to the commander."
Later that day the Captain called the Sergeant into his office. "Hey, Sarge, that was a pretty cold way to inform Jones his mother died. Couldn't you be a bit more tactful, next time?"
"Yes, sir," answered the Sarge. A few months later, the Captain called the Sergeant in again with, "Sarge, I just got a telegram. Private McGrath's mother died. You'd better go tell him and send him in to see me. This time be more tactful."
So the Sergeant calls for his morning formation. "Ok, men, fall in and listen up. Everybody with a mother, take two steps forward -- NOT SO FAST, McGRATH!"
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Wed, Oct 24th - 6:36AM
THOUGHT FOR TODAY!
Put Women In Their Place--Beside Men!* Audra and Joe Trull
*"There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus." Galatians 3:28 (NRSV)
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Tue, Oct 23rd - 8:15AM
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) He is nearer to us than the breath we breathe!
*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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Tue, Oct 23rd - 8:11AM
LAUGHTER DOES GOOD LIKE A MEDICINE! Doctor's Writing
Did you hear about the doctor who wrote out a prescription in the usual doctor's fashion?
The patient used it for two years as a railroad pass.
Twice it got him into Radio City Music Hall, and once into Yankee Stadium.
It came in handy as a letter from his employer to the cashier to increase his salary.
And to top it off, his daughter played it on the piano and won a scholarship to the Curtis Music Conservatory.
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Mon, Oct 22nd - 11:27AM
The 'already' and the 'not yet'
Is not the most helpful way to approach the gospel miracles to place them within the familiar and inescapable tension between the already and the not yet, kingdom come and kingdom coming, the new age inaugurated and the new age consummated? To the sceptical (who doubt all miracles) I want to say 'but *already* we have tasted the powers of the age to come'. To the credulous (who think that healing miracles are an everyday occurrence) I want to say 'but *not yet* have we been given resurrection bodies free from disease, pain, infirmity, handicap and death'. In this interim period between the beginning and the end we both look back to the outburst of miracles in the ministry of Jesus and his apostles, and on to the final resurrection of both body and universe. John Stott
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Mon, Oct 22nd - 9:31AM
LAUGHTER DOES GOOD LIKE A MEDICINE! The Signalman
Benny wanted a job as a signalman on the railways.
At his interview, the inspector asked him this question:
"What would you do if you saw 2 trains heading for each other on the SAME track?
Benny replied," I would switch the points for one of the trains."
"Good. But what if the lever broke?", asked the inspector.
"Then I'd run down to the signal box", said Benny, "and use the manual lever there."
"What if lightning struck it?' asked the inspector.
"Then..." Benny continued, "I'd run back into signal box & phone the next signal box."
"What if the phone was engaged?"
"Well.....in that case," persevered Benny, " I'd rush down out of the box & use the public emergency phone at the level crossing up there..."
"What would you do if THAT was vandalized?"
[gbw]"Oh, well then I'd run into the village & get my Uncle Toby."
This bizarre response puzzled the Inspector, so he asked, "And just why would you do that??"
"Because Uncle Toby... He's never seen a train wreck!!"
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Mon, Oct 22nd - 9:18AM
THOUGHT FOR TODAY!
What God has done for us in Christ is enough to initiate eternal praise.*
*"I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us." Romans 8:18 (NRSV)
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Sun, Oct 21st - 8:03AM
LAUGHTER DOES GOOD LIKE A MEDICINE! WHY DID YOU DIE?
A man placed some flowers on the grave of his dearly departed mother and started
back toward his car when his attention was diverted to another man kneeling at a grave.
The man seemed to be praying with profound intensity and kept repeating, Why did you have to die? Why did you have to die?"
The first man approached him and said, "Sir, I don't wish to interfere with your private grief, but this demonstration of pain is more than I've ever seen before. For whom do you mourn so deeply? A child? A parent?"
The mourner took a moment to collect himself, then replied, "My wife's first husband."
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Sun, Oct 21st - 7:57AM
THOUGHT FOR TODAY!
The only good work we can ever do is to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and Him Who sent Him!*
*9Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” John 6:29 (NRSV)
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Sat, Oct 20th - 9:14AM
LAUGHTER DOES GOOD LIKE A MEDICINE! INFLIGHT ANNOUNCEMENT
A plane took off from Louisville International Airport, and when it reached a comfortable cruising altitude, the captain started his announcements over the intercom.
"Ladies and gentleman, this is your captain speaking. Welcome to Flight Number 254, nonstop from Louisville to Miami. The weather ahead is good and we expect a smooth and uneventful flight. So just sit back and relax - OH NOOOOOOOO!"
Silence followed for several minutes.
Finally the captain came back on the intercom and said, "Ladies and gentlemen, I'm sorry for the earlier scare. While I was talking, the flight attendant brought me a cup of coffee and spilled it in my lap. You should see the front of my pants!"
Back in coach, a passenger said to the person next to him, "That's nothing! He should see the back of mine!"
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Sat, Oct 20th - 9:05AM
THOUGHT FOR TODAY!
The Christian is a man who has ceased to do what he wants to do and who has begun to do what Christ wants him to do."I'm trying to learn the truth of these words. In a consumer culture which makes religion a means to my end, I am tempted every day to pray so God will bless me, to read Scripture so he will guide me, to serve him so he will serve me. I am tempted by a transactional religion in which I do my part and God does his part. But none of this is biblical Christianity.* Quoted by Jim Denison, in his devotional of 7/16/09 GodIssues
*46“Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I tell you? Luke 6:46 (NRSV)
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Fri, Oct 19th - 9:28AM
LAUGHTER DOES GOOD LIKE A MEDICINE! TOOTHACHES
"A toothache is a pain that drives you to extraction."
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Fri, Oct 19th - 9:21AM
THOUGHT FOR TODAY!
Will Rogers told us not to defend ourselves, for the simple reason that your friends don't need your explanation and your enemies won't believe you anyway. St. Augustine prayed, "Lord, save me from the need always to justify myself." I heard a friend of mine, Dan Layne, pray: “Lord lead us to pass up every opportunity to be offended.”*
*39But I say to you, Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also; 40and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well; 41and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile. Matthew 5:39-41 (NRSV)
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Thu, Oct 18th - 8:44AM
THOUGHT FOR TODAY!
"People are about as happy as they make up their mind to be."* Mark Twain
*"Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me."
Acts 27:25 (KJV)
"And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee." Matthew 9:2 (KJV)
"But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid." Matthew 14:27 (KJV)
"For they all saw him, and were troubled. And immediately he talked with them, and saith unto them, Be of good cheer: it is I; be not afraid." Mark 6:50 (KJV)
"These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." John 16:33 (KJV)
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Thu, Oct 18th - 8:38AM
LAUGHTER DOES GOOD LIKE A MEDICINE! LUMBERJACK
A man comes up to the owner of a lumberjack business and says, "I need a job and I think I'm pretty good."
The owner replied, "Okay, show me what you can do, chop down that redwood over there." The man said okay and left. Five minutes later he came back and was done.
The owner was shocked and asked, "How did you chop that tree down so fast?"
The man said, "I got a lot of practice in the Sahara."
The owner replied, "You mean the Sahara desert?"
"Yes" he said, "or at least that's what they call it now."
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Wed, Oct 17th - 8:49AM
LAUGHTER DOES GOOD LIKE A MEDICINE! I NEED A PUSH!
A man is in bed with his wife when there is a rat-a-tat-tat on the door.
He rolls over and looks at his clock, and it's half past three in the morning. "I'm not getting out of bed at this time," he thinks, and rolls over. Then, a louder knock follows.
"Aren't you going to answer that?" says his wife.
So he drags himself out of bed and goes downstairs. He opens the door and there is man standing at the door. It didn't take the homeowner long to realize the man was drunk.
"Hi there," slurs the stranger. "Can you give me a push??"
"No, get lost. It's half past three. I was in bed," says the man and slams the door. He goes back up to bed and tells his wife what happened and she says, "Dave, that wasn't very nice of you.
Remember that night we broke down in the pouring rain on the way to pick the kids up from the baby sitter and you had to knock on that man's house to get us started again? What would have happened if he'd told us to get lost??"
"But the guy was drunk," says the husband.
"It doesn't matter," says the wife. "He needs our help and it would be the right thing to help him." So the husband gets out of bed again, gets dressed and goes downstairs.
He opens the door, and not being able to see the stranger anywhere he shouts, "Hey, do you still want a push??"
And he hears a voice cry out, "Yeah, please."
So, still being unable to see the stranger he shouts, "Where are you?"
And the stranger replies, "I'm over here, on your swing."
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Wed, Oct 17th - 8:38AM
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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Tue, Oct 16th - 8:24AM
LAUGHTER DOES GOOD LIKE A MEDICINE! WHERE IS GOD?
Two brothers were always getting into trouble in their neighborhood. The people in the neighborhood started complaining to the parents about the boys. So the boys parents decided to have their priest talk to the boys. The priest asks to speak to the boys alone, requesting to see the youngest first. The young boy comes in and sits at a large table across the room from the priest. The priest looks at the boy, points at him and, trying to emphasize that God is in everyone, asks, "Where is God?" The boy looks around the room and back at the priest and says nothing. Again, the priest points at the boy and in a louder voice asks, "Where is God?" The boy says nothing. The priest walks around the table, pointing inches from the boy’s face and asks again, "Where is God?" The boy jumps out of his chair and runs out the door. The boy runs right home, grabs his older brother and says to him, "We are in BIG trouble!" His brother replies, "We haven't done anything!" The younger brother replies, "God's missing, and they think we did it!"
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Tue, Oct 16th - 8:12AM
THOUGHT FOR TODAY!
"Faith is to believe what you do not yet see; the reward for this faith is to see what you believe."* -- St. Augustine
*"Whatever you ask for in prayer with faith, you will receive.” Matthew 21:22 (NRSV)
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Mon, Oct 15th - 7:23AM
LAUGHTER DOES GOOD LIKE A MEDICINE! Curve Hand
A guy was on the side of the road hitchhiking on a very dark night and in the middle of a storm. The night was rolling on and no car went by. The storm was so strong he could hardly see a few feet ahead of him.
Suddenly he saw a car coming toward him and stop.
Without thinking about it, the guy got into the back seat, closed the door and then realized there was nobody behind the wheel! The car started slowly; the guy looked at the road and saw a curve coming his way. Scared, he started to pray begging for his life. He hadn't come out of shock, when just before he hit the curve, a hand appeared through the window and moved the wheel. The guy, paralyzed in terror, watched how the hand appeared every time right before a curve.
Gathering his strength, the guy finally jumped out of the car and ran to the nearest town. Wet and in shock, he went to a restaurant and started telling everybody about the horrible experience he went through.
A silence enveloped everybody when they realized the guy was serious.
About half an hour later, two guys walked in the same restaurant. They looked around for a table when one said to the other,
"Look John, that's the dummy who got in the car when we were pushing it."
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Mon, Oct 15th - 7:13AM
THOUGHT FOR TODAY!
The poorest man is not one without money! The poorest man is the man without hope!*
*Proverbs 29:18 (KJV) "Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he."
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Sun, Oct 14th - 8:12AM
Bedrock of Christ
The bedrock of Christ
Peter's message like Paul's focused on Jesus' death and
resurrection. Both events were real, objective and
historical. And surely the right response to the
existential mood of today is not to create a parallel
Christian existentialism which despises history in favour
of experience, and demythologizes the resurrection into an inward encounter with reality, but rather to offer to the
modern mind as it flounders in the quicksands of
subjectivity the objective bedrock of Jesus Christ whose
death and resurrection are solid historical events. John Stott
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Sun, Oct 14th - 8:00AM
LAUGHTER DOES GOOD LIKE A MEDICINE!
On their way to get married, a young couple was involved in a fatal car accident. The two found themselves sitting outside the Pearly Gates, waiting for St. Peter to process them into Heaven. While waiting, they began to wonder: Could they possibly get married in Heaven? When St. Peter showed up, they asked him.
St. Peter said, "I don't know. This is the first time anyone has asked. Let me go find out," and he left.
The couple sat and waited for an answer for a couple of months. While they waited, they discussed that IF they were allowed to get married in Heaven, SHOULD they get married, what with the eternal aspect of it all. "What if it doesn't work?" they wondered. "Are we stuck together forever?"
After yet another month, St. Peter finally returned, looking somewhat bedraggled. "Yes," he informed the couple, "you can get married in Heaven."
"Great!" said the couple. "But we were just wondering what if things don't work out? Could we also get a divorce in Heaven?"
St. Peter, red-faced with anger, slammed his clipboard to the ground.
"What's wrong?" asked the frightened couple.
"OH, COME ON!!!" St. Peter shouted, "It took me three months to find a priest up here! Do you have ANY idea how long it will take me to find a lawyer?"
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Sun, Oct 14th - 7:55AM
THOUGHT FOR TODAY!
Humility and meekness are not weakness and timidity. Humility is emptying ourselves and taking upon us the will of God. Humility is denying oneself, taking up our cross, and following Jesus. Humility is submission and obedience to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.*
*5Let 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. Philippians 2:5-11 (NRSV)
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Sat, Oct 13th - 11:19PM
LOVING OUR ENEMIES
Many Christians are afraid they are going to help some body who doesn't deserve it. God has no such fear. “If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities, Lord, who could stand?” Psalm 130:3 (NRSV) We don't deserve the mercy that God shows us. The Bible teaches that God's children are to be holy like Him: “so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous.” Matthew 5:45 (NRSV) God did not have any fear of doing good to those who don't deserve it. No one He ever blessed deserved His blessing.
Paul agreed with God: “No, "if your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink; for by doing this you will heap burning coals on their heads." Romans 12:20 (NRSV)
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Sat, Oct 13th - 8:31PM
Please Defend Rand/Romney Immoral Budget With The Bible
"Please, somebody give me Scriptural justification for Rand/Romney's immoral budget"
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Sat, Oct 13th - 11:20AM
Christianity or Ayn Rand
We are living under an economic system that is built on the philosophy of the atheistic Russian-Ayn Rand. One of America's major Political Parties promotes this godless economic philosophy: Selfishness and greed are virtues according to Ayn Rand.
Communism, like Ayn Rand of Russia, denied there is a God. Communism assumes that man is basic good. That is why Communism is failing. Communism is based on the lie: 'man is basically good'. That is why capitalism success.. Capitalism is basic on the truth: 'man is basically selfish'. 'What's in it for me'. Ayn Rand says 'selfishness and greed are virtues'. This is anti-Christian-directly contradictory of Christ and the Scriptures: See the Sermon on the Mount. Listen to Paul: 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 very purpose of work is to have something to get to the poor. The reason the poor go hungry is because their money is still in our pockets.
Ayn Rand 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.”
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.
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Sat, Oct 13th - 8:17AM
THOUGHT FOR TODAY!
The only good work we can ever do is to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and Him Who sent Him!*
*9Jesus answered them, “This is
the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” John 6:29 (NRSV)
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Sat, Oct 13th - 8:07AM
LAUGHTER DOES GOOD LIKE A MEDICINE!
Recently a routine police patrol parked outside a Lafayette Street tavern. After last call, the officer noticed a man leaving the bar so intoxicated that he could barely walk.
The man stumbled around the street for a few minutes, with the officer quietly observing. After what seemed an eternity and trying his keys on five vehicles, the man managed to find his car, which he fell into. He was there for a few minutes as a number of other patrons left the bar and drove off.
Finally the man started the car, switched the wipers on and off (it was a fine dry night), flicked the blinkers on and off, honked the horn, and then switched on the lights. He moved the vehicle forward a few inches, reversed a little, and then remained still for a few more minutes as some more vehicles left. At last he pulled out of the parking lot and started to drive slowly down the road.
The police officer, having patiently waited all this time, now started up the patrol car, put on the flashing lights, promptly pulled the man over, and carried out a breathalyzer test. To his amazement, the breathalyzer indicated no evidence of the man having consumed alcohol at all!
Dumbfounded, the officer said, "I'll have to ask you to accompany me to the police station. This breathalyzer equipment must be broken."
"I doubt it," said the man. "Tonight I'm the designated decoy."
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Fri, Oct 12th - 7:46AM
LAUGHTER DOES GOOD LIKE A MEDICINE! I'll Testify To That!
Several women, each trying to one-up the other, appeared in court, each accusing the others of causing the trouble they were having in the apartment building where they lived.
The judge, with Solomon-like wisdom decreed, "Okay, I'm ready to hear the evidence...I'll hear the oldest first."
The case was dismissed for lack of testimony.
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Fri, Oct 12th - 7:36AM
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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Thu, Oct 11th - 11:22AM
Anointed To Minister To the Poor
Luke 4:18(KJV)
18The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
Luke 4:18(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,
Luke 4:18(CEV)
18 “The Lord’s Spirit has come to me, because he has chosen me to tell the good news to the poor. The Lord has sent me to announce freedom freedom for prisoners, to give sight to the blind, to free everyone who suffers,
The Holy Spirit anointed - commissioned Jesus to preach the gospel to the poor.
In spite of the plain teachings of the Scriptures there are those who would balance the budget on the backs of the poor and middle class. They would cut the deficit without raising taxes on the wealthy but lower benefits to the needy by immorally reducing funding for medical care, food stamps and other crucial programs designed to help the poor. The are cutting a deep hole in the safety net. God forbid that these selfish and greedy people gain the control of our government. In Jesus’ Name. Amen
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Thu, Oct 11th - 8:33AM
WHAT MORE DO WE DO THAN SINNERS?
Sinners, Gentiles and tax collectors behave that way. It is the highest to which they can rise. But it is not high enough for the citizens of God’s kingdom: *What more are you doing than others?* Jesus asks (47). So the model he sets before us as an alternative to the world around us is our Father above us. Since he is kind to the evil as well as the good, his children must be too. The life of the old (fallen) humanity is based on rough justice, avenging injuries and returning favours. The life of the new (redeemed) humanity is based on divine love, refusing to take revenge but overcoming evil with good. JOHN STOTT
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Thu, Oct 11th - 8:16AM
LAST OF THE LAST DAYS
The last of the 'last days'
The New Testament writers do not have an exact vocabulary
to describe the chronology of the last time or the end, and
it is not always easy to discern what eschatological period
or event they are alluding. What is clear is that they
regarded the first coming of Christ as having inaugurated
the new age and settled the doom of the old. 'The age to
come' had come, and 'the present age' was therefore drawing
to a close. It was not, of course, anticipated that this
period would last for ever. It was a stage of transition
called both the 'last days' and the 'last times'. The New
Testament writers who describe its beginning are already
looking forward to its consummation. The 'last days' will
themselves have 'last days', a period of grievous moral and
religious decadence. Similarly, the 'last times' will have
a 'last time' in which ungodly scoffers will arise. Nor is
this all. The 'last time' of the 'last times' will have a
culminating 'last time' when our eternal inheritance will
be revealed. In the same way, 'the last days' of the 'last
days' will themselves have a final 'last day' when Christ
raises the dead and judges the world.
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Thu, Oct 11th - 8:03AM
LAUGHTER DOES GOOD LIKE A MEDICINE! CRITICIZE
Before you criticize someone walk a mile in their shoes, so that when you criticize them you will be a mile away and you'll have their shoes.
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Thu, Oct 11th - 7:51AM
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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Wed, Oct 10th - 10:14PM
Jesus or Ayn Rand: Who Shall It Be?
Jesus or Ayn Rand: Who Shall It Be?
We talk a lot about Godless Communism, Darwinism, etc. But what about the Godless, atheistic, anti-Christian philosophy of Ayn Rand that is driving the economic system being proposed to the United States of America. Objectivism is a philosophy defined by the Russian-American philosopher and novelist Ayn Rand (1905–1982). Objectivism holds that reality exists independent of consciousness, that human beings have direct contact with reality through sense perception, that one can attain objective knowledge from perception through the process of concept formation and inductive and deductive logic, that the proper moral purpose of one's life is the pursuit of one's own happiness or rational self-interest, that the only social system consistent with this morality is full respect for individual rights, embodied in laissez faire capitalism....” Wika encyclopedia Ayn Rand characterized Objectivism as "a philosophy for living on earth," grounded in reality, and aimed at defining man's nature and the nature of the world in which he lives.[1]
My philosophy, in essence, 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.
—Ayn Rand, Atlas Shrugged[2]
Ayn Rand's philosophy presents greed and selfishness as virtues.
What does this have to do with us? It is critical to us, especially Christians. Paul Ryan studied Ayn Rand in his earned degree in economics and political science from Miami University in Ohio. Ayn Rand's philosophy drives Paul Ryan's economics.
The following is a quote from Doyle’s GOODMNEWSLetter published this November titled: Jesus Is Lord of All.
There are a large group of citizens of the United States who are following a political philosophy that is anti-Christian. It is the objectivism of Ayn Rand. I quote from my last Doyle’s GOODNEWSLetter:
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.
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.
A collections of Ayn Rand’s quotes are available on the WEB. One quote I found was:
I swear, by my life and my love of it, that I will never live for the sake of another man, nor ask another man to live for mine.
Where would you and I be if Jesus had said, “I swear, by my life and my love of it, that I will never live for the sake of another man, nor ask another man to live for mine.”?
The philosophy of Ayn Rand is the opposite of the Bible. Paul wrote in Philippians 2:4-9(NRSV)
4Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. 5Let 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,
God did not create us to make us happy but to please Him in everything. Jesus Christ is Lord. His Name is above every Name.
Jesus introduced His Commission in Luke 4:18 (NRSV) "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor (Sounds like we are our Brothers keeper. This doesn't sound like Ayn Rand's “selfishness and greed are virtues”. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind (Sounds like universal health care to me), to let the oppressed go free,) Remember the story of the Good Samaritan Luke 10:25-37). Does it teach selfishness is a virtue? Just the opposite. It teaches universal health care. What about Matthew 25:31-46? The Bible teach that the Nations shall be judged on their generosity or lack thereof to the poor, captive, sick, etc.
Especially those who claim that America is a Christian nation are responsible to teach American Citizens to do what Jesus would do.
Help us bring Christ's Commission to bare on the government of our nation.
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Wed, Oct 10th - 7:04AM
LAUGHTER DOES GOOD LIKE A MEDICINE! MARRIAGE REVIVAL
Joe had asked Bob to help him out with the deck after work, so Bob just went straight over to Joe's place. When they got to the door, Joe went straight to his wife, gave her a hug and told her how beautiful she was and how much he had missed her at work. When it was time for supper, he complimented his wife on her cooking, kissed her and told her how much he loved her.
Once they were working on the deck, Bob told Joe that he was surprised that he fussed so much over his wife. Joe said that he'd started this about six months ago, it had revived their marriage, and things couldn't be better. Bob thought he'd give it a go. When he got home, he gave his wife a massive hug, kissed her and told her that he loved her. His wife burst into tears.
Bob was confused and asked why she was crying. She said, "This is the worst day of my life. First, little Billy fell off his bike and twisted his ankle. Then, the washing machine broke and flooded the basement. And now, you come home drunk!"
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Wed, Oct 10th - 6:56AM
THOUGHT FOR TODAY!
"Your net worth doesn't equal your personal worth." Remember the source of your personal worth. You are not what you do, or have, or how you look, or what people think of you. You are the child of God. You are on your way to heaven this morning. What matters is not so much what you have when you are alive, but what you have after you die. Today is the dot before the line, the moment before the eternal. If Jesus is your Lord, you will forever be the child of the King of Kings. Your net worth is far less than your personal worth to God.*
*36For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? Mark 8:36 (NRSV)
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?
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Tue, Oct 9th - 8:23AM
LAUGHTER DOES GOOD LIKE A MEDICINE! MAKE IT WORK FOR ME!
A young executive was leaving the office late one evening when he found the CEO standing in front of a shredder with a piece of paper in his hand.
"Listen," said the CEO, "this is a very sensitive and important document here, and my secretary has gone for the night. Can you make this thing work for me?"
"Certainly," said the young executive. He turned the machine on, inserted the paper, and pressed the start button.
"Excellent, excellent!" said the CEO, as his paper disappeared inside the machine. "I just need one copy..."
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Tue, Oct 9th - 8:14AM
THOUGHT FOR TODAY!
God sent His Son, Jesus Christ in human likeness and lived life as God expects mankind to live. Jesus says, “Follow me.”*
*6whoever says, “I abide in him,” ought to walk just as he walked. 1 John 2:6 (NRSV)
19For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ; 20and it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God,£ who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:19-20 (NRSV)
23Then he said to them all, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. Luke 9:23 (NRSV)
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Mon, Oct 8th - 8:21AM
LAUGHTER DOES GOOD LIKE A MEDICINE!
A champion jockey is about to enter an important race on a new horse. The horse's trainer meets him before the race and says,
"All you have to remember with this horse is that every time you approach a jump, you have to shout, "ALLLLEEE OOOP!" really loudly in the horse's ear. Providing you do that, you'll be fine".
The jockey thinks the trainer is mad but promises to shout the command. The race begins and they approach the first hurdle. The jockey ignores the trainer's ridiculous advice and the horse crashes straight through the center of the jump.
They carry on and approach the second hurdle. The jockey, somewhat embarrassed, whispers "Aleeee ooop" in the horse's ear. The same thing happens -- the horse crashes straight through the center of the jump.
At the third hurdle, the jockey thinks, "It's no good, I'll have to do it" and yells, "ALLLEEE OOOP!" really loudly. Sure enough, the horse sails over the jump with no problems. This continues for the rest of the race, but due to the earlier problems the horse only finishes third.
The trainer is fuming and asks the jockey what went wrong. The jockey replies,
"Nothing is wrong with me -- it's this bloody horse. What is he -- deaf or something?"
The trainer replies, "Deaf?? DEAF?? He's not deaf -- he's BLIND!"
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Mon, Oct 8th - 8:00AM
THOUGHT FOR TODAY!
Many live in the ivory tower called reality; they never venture on the open sea of thought.* -Francois Gautier, journalist (1950-
*Colossians 3:1 (NRSV) "So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth, for you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.”
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Sun, Oct 7th - 7:09AM
THOUGHT FOR TODAY!
It's a shallow life that doesn't give a person a few scars.* -Garrison Keillor, radio host and author (1942- )
*(2 Cor 11:23-28) "Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. {24} Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. {25} Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; {26} In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; {27} In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. {28} Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches."
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Sun, Oct 7th - 7:02AM
LAUGHTER DOES GOOD LIKE A MEDICINE! LIGHT CONFUSION
A little boy forgot his lines in a Sunday School presentation.
His mother, sitting in the front row to prompt him, gestured and formed the words silently with her lips, but it didn't help. Her son's memory was blank.
Finally she leaned forward and whispered the cue, "I am the light of the world."
The child beamed and with great feeling and a loud, clear voice said, "My mother is the light of the world."
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Sat, Oct 6th - 8:27AM
Hate hurts me worse that it does the one I hate!
"There can be no doubt of the unjust sufferings which Luther King had to endure. Dr. Benjamin Mays listed them at his funeral: ‘If any man knew the meaning of suffering, King knew. House bombed; living day by day for thirteen years under constant threats of death; maliciously accused of being a Communist; falsely accused of being insincere ...; stabbed by a member of his own race; slugged in a hotel lobby; jailed over twenty times; occasionally deeply hurt because friends betrayed him - and yet this man had no bitterness in his heart, no rancour in his soul, no revenge in his mind; and he went up and down the length and breadth of this world preaching non-violence and the redemptive power of love,’ (Coretta Scott King)
One of his most moving sermons, based on Matthew 5:43-45, was entitled ‘Loving your enemies’ and was written in a Georgia gaol. Wrestling with the questions why and how Christians are to love, he described how ‘hate multiplies hate ...
in a descending spiral of violence’ and is ‘just as injurious to the person who hates’ as to his victim. But above all ‘love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend’ for it has ‘creative’ and ‘redemptive’ power." John Stott
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Sat, Oct 6th - 7:52AM
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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Fri, Oct 5th - 7:44AM
LAUGHTER DOES GOOD LIKE A MEDICINE!
Friends and Relatives of Vincent Van Gogh
His dizzy aunt ----------------------------------------------- Verti Gogh
The brother who ate prunes------------------------------- Gotta Gogh
The brother who worked at a convenience store ------ Stop N Gogh
The grandfather from Yugoslavia ----------------------------- U Gogh
His magician uncle -------------------------------- Where-diddy Gogh
His Mexican cousin ---------------------------------------- A Mee Gogh
The Mexican cousin's American half-brother ------------ Gring Gogh
The nephew who drove a stage coach --------------- Wells-far Gogh
The constipated uncle ------------------------------------- Can't Gogh
The ballroom dancing aunt -------------------------------- Tang Gogh
The bird lover uncle -------------------------------------- Flamin Gogh
The fruit loving cousin ----------------------------------- Man Gogh
An aunt who taught positive thinking ------------------ Way-to-Gogh
The little bouncy nephew ----------------------------------- Poe Gogh
A sister who loved disco -------------------------------------- Go Gogh
And his niece who travels the country in an RV --- Winnie Bay Gogh
I saw you smiling . . .. there ya Gogh again...........
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Fri, Oct 5th - 7:37AM
THOUGHT FOR TODAY!
Marriage - God's invention
The Bible teaches that marriage is God's idea rather than ours, and his general loving provision for human beings; that it involves leaving parents (still of great importance psychologically, even if young people have physically 'left home' years previously); that it is a heterosexual, monogamous and ideally lifelong partnership, expressing love and companionship; and that it is the God-given context for sexual enjoyment and the procreation and nurture of children. These aspects of marriage are creational, not cultural.* JOHN STOTT
*19 So out of the ground the LORD God formed every animal of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name.
20 The man gave names to all cattle, and to the birds of the air, and to every animal of the field; but for the man there was not found a helper as his partner.
21 So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then he took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh.
22 And the rib that the LORD God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man.
23 Then the man said, "This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; this one shall be called Woman, for out of Man this one was taken."
24 Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and clings to his wife, and they become one flesh.
Genesis 2:19-24 (NRSV)
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Thu, Oct 4th - 8:46AM
THOUGHT FOR TODAY!
Kindness is in our power, even when fondness is not.* -Samuel Johnson, lexicographer (1709-1784)
*"But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you," Matthew 5:44 (NRSV)
"By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things." Galatians 5:22-23 (NRSV)
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Thu, Oct 4th - 8:39AM
LAUGHTER DOES GOOD LIKE A MEDICINE! SWIM FOR LOVE
Once there was a millionaire who collected live alligators. He kept them in the pool in back of his mansion. The millionaire also had a beautiful single daughter.
So one day he decides to throw a huge party, and during the party he announces: "My dear guests, I have a proposition to every man here. I will give one million dollars or my daughter to the man that can swim across this pool full of alligators and emerge unharmed!"
As soon as he finished his last word there was the sound of a large SPLASH! One guy was in the pool, swimming as fast as he could, and the crowd was cheering him on. Finally he made it to the other side unharmed.
The millionaire was impressed. He said "My boy that was incredible! Fantastic! I didn't think it could be done! Well I must keep my end of the bargain, so which do you want: my daughter or the one million dollars?
The guy says "Listen I don't want your money! And I don't want your daughter! I just want the goober who pushed me into that pool!
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Wed, Oct 3rd - 6:45AM
THOUGHT FOR TODAY!
God is able to give my prayers His undivided attention without neglecting anyone else’s!*
*3then come, let us go up to Bethel, that I may make an altar there to the God who answered me in the day of my distress and has been with me wherever I have gone.” Genesis 35:3 (NRSV)
28 so that they caused the cry of the poor to come to him, and he heard the cry of the afflicted— Job 34:28 (NRSV)
17 When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears, and rescues them from all their troubles. Psalms 34:17 (NRSV)
33 For the LORD hears the needy, and does not despise his own that are in bonds. Psalms 69:33 (NRSV)
29 The LORD is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous. Proverbs 15:29 (NRSV)
6But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. Matthew 6:6 (NRSV)
17pray without ceasing, 1 Thessalonians 5:17 (NRSV)
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Wed, Oct 3rd - 6:40AM
LAUGHTER DOES GOOD LIKE A MEDICINE! Military Computer
The Pentagon recently unveiled its new super computer to the top brass. This fantastic device, capable of making bazillions of decisions in split nanoseconds, is designed to solve all military problems with the greatest of ease.
To test its capabilities, the brass poses a tactical problem to it and then asks for a decision, "Attack or Retreat?"
The computer hums a bit, blinks a myriad of lights and answers, "Yes."
The brass, somewhat confused by this answer, replies, "Yes what?"
The computer instantly replies, "Yes, sir!"
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Tue, Oct 2nd - 8:05AM
LAUGHTER DOES GOOD LIKE A MEDICINE! ATTENDANCE SERMON
A man who hadn't attended church in years suddenly began attending faithfully on Sunday mornings instead of going fishing as was his normal habit.
The pastor was highly gratified and at the end of service one morning told him, "How wonderful it makes me feel to see you at services with your good wife!"
"Well, Preacher," said the fisherman, "Quite honestly, it's a matter of choice. I'd much rather hear your sermon than hers."
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Tue, Oct 2nd - 7:54AM
THOUGHT FOR TODAY!
Understanding a person does not mean condoning; it only means that one does not accuse him as if one were God or a judge placed above him.* -Erich Fromm, psychoanalyst and author (1900-1980)
*Matthew 7:1 "1“Do not judge, so that you may not be judged."
Romans 10:6-7 " “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down) 7“or ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead)."
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Mon, Oct 1st - 8:37AM
LAUGHTER DOES GOOD LIKE A MEDICINE! CHRISTIAN HOME
After the christening of his baby brother in church, Jason sobbed all
the way home in the back seat of the car, his father asked him three times what was wrong.
Finally, the boy replied, "That preacher said he wanted us brought up in a Christian home and I wanted to stay with you guys."
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Mon, Oct 1st - 8:27AM
THOUGHT FOR TODAY!
God doesn’t just work along side us. He works inside us. Christianity in an inside job. Christians are all wrapped up in Christ.*
*"To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Colossians 1:27 (NRSV)
"and it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20 (NRSV)"
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Name: Doyle Purifoy
