Happy Thursday

PERSONAL INFLUENCE

by M. Stanford

"I proclaim not myself, but Christ Jesus as Lord and Master, and myself your bondsman for the sake of Jesus" (2 Cor. 4:5, Cony.).

"God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shone in our hearts" (2 Cor. 4:6a).

All Christians are fit for heaven, but all too few are fit for earth. One of the true tests of one's spiritual growth is in one's influence: affecting others that they not only begin the Christian life, but "grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 3:18).

"We may be separated and yet not Christ like; we may be orthodox and yet not spiritual; we may be 'dead unto sin' and yet not 'alive unto God.' We may have cut ourselves loose from every form of worldliness but in so doing we have become critical and self-righteous. We may be loyal defenders of the faith, yea, ready even to lay down our lives for it and in so doing become bitter and unloving. "

"We may often have a measure of the power of the Spirit, but if there is not a large measure of the Spirit as the Spirit of grace and love, the defect will be manifest in our work. We may be made the means of conversion, but we will never help people on to a higher standard of spiritual life, and when we pass away a great deal of our work will pass away too." -A.M.
 
"One may have a great zeal in God's service, and may be used to influence many for good, and yet, when weighed in the balance of love, be found sadly wanting. In the heat of controversy or under unjust criticism, haste of temper, slowness to forgive and forget, quick words and sharp judgments, often reveal an easily wounded sensitiveness, which proves how little the Spirit of the Lord Jesus has full possession or real mastery of the life." -A.M.


"We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us" (2 Cor. 4:7).

Daily Smile:
A doctor calls his patient and says; the check you gave me for my bill came back.
The patient replied: So did my arthritis!

  

Spread The Word!!!


The June '12 Edition of The StarLight News can be read on line at 
http://the-starlight-news.blogspot.com/... 
Devotionals, Recipes, Jokes, Full Color Hurricane Map and More...

Happy Reading

"Spreading GOD'S WORD, One Paper At A Time"

Happy Wednesday

HANDICAPPED FOR CHRIST

By M. Stanford

"My grace is sufficient for thee; for My strength is made perfect in [your] weakness" (II Cor. 12:9) .

In self we are crippled; in Christ we conquer. The secret is to face up to the former, and rest in the latter. The disadvantaged believer has all the advantage - he knows it must be "not I, but Christ."

"It is a great step when the believer fully consents to his own weakness, and the abiding consciousness of it, and so works faithfully on, fully assured that his Lord is working through him. He rejoices that the excellence of the power is of God, and not of us. Realizing his oneness with his Lord, he considers no longer his own weakness, but counts on the power of Him of whose hidden working within he is assured.

"It is this secret assurance that gives a brightness to his look, and a gentle firmness to his tone, and a perseverance to all his efforts, which of themselves are great means of influencing those he is seeking to win. He goes forth in the spirit of one to whom victory is assured; for this is the victory that overcometh, even our faith. He no longer counts it humility to say that God cannot bless his unworthy efforts. He claims and expects a blessing, because it is not he, but Christ in him, that worketh. The great secret of abiding in Christ is the deep conviction that we are nothing, and He is everything." - A.M.

"Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves, but our sufficiency is of God" (II Cor. 3:5).


Daily Smile:
Everybody should pay their taxes with a smile, said Bob. “I tried it but they wanted cash.”

  

Spread The Word!!!

The June '12 Edition of The StarLight News can be read on line at 
http://the-starlight-news.blogspot.com/... 
Devotionals, Recipes, Jokes, Full Color Hurricane Map and More...

Happy Reading

"Spreading GOD'S WORD, One Paper At A Time"

Happy Tuesday

Look who wants to takeover your life                                                        by Sumner Wemp

In Acts 1 the Savior went up, in Acts 2 the Spirit came down and in Acts 3-28 the saints went out. God gave me this outline many years ago and it has helped me greatly

Jesus sat down
He is now sitting at the right hand of the Father in heaven, Mk 16:19, Acts 2:33, Rom 8:34, Col 3:1, Heb 1:3. Why did He sit down? He finished what He came to do! Ten days later He sent the Holy Spirit to take up where He left off. The Holy Spirit came to take over. This is crucial for us to understand and act accordingly.

He shall glorify me
When we understand this and let the Holy Spirit take over, "He shall glorify me" John 16:14. Here is the key for believers to glorify the Lord Jesus.

What we ask Jesus to do
We ask Jesus to comfort us. We sing, "Jesus when I need Him most, Jesus is near to comfort and cheer." NO, the Holy Spirit is our comforter today. "I will pray the Father" said Jesus, "and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever" John 14:16. Jesus went away and sat down.

Led by the Spirit
"We sing, "Jesus Savior, pilot me" or "Jesus led me all the way." God said we are to be led by the Spirit today Rom 8:14 "for as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God." That is not to take away anything from the Lord Jesus. Remember, "He (the Holy Spirit) shall glorify me" Jn. 16:14. We do not talk to the lost man about the Holy Spirit. We tell Him about Jesus suffering and dying for his sins and rising from the dead. Jesus is the Savior for the lost and the Spirit is the power for the saved. "To be rightly related to the Savior makes you a Christian, to be rightly related to the Spirit makes you a spiritual Christian" L. S. Chafer.
.
He is the power
Our worship, our work, our witnessing today is to be done in the conscious dependence on the power of the Holy Spirit. THIS IS THE KEY. More to come. Don't miss the next step.

Good news, God love you and me, the Lord Jesus suffered and died for our sins, paid our debt in full, rose again and was seen by hundreds. This gospel is the power of God unto salvation to every who believes this will get them to heaven. "Believest thou this? 

Daily Smile:

A guy walks in to the Barbershop. Barber says, "What will it be today?" Guy says, "well I want it going with my waves on top, faded on one side, plug the other, and just make it all out of shape and messed up." Barber says, "Now why in the world do you want your hair cut like that."

Guy says, "That’s how you cut it last time"

  

Spread The Word!!!

The June '12 Edition of The StarLight News can be read on line at 
http://the-starlight-news.blogspot.com/... 

Happy Reading

"Spreading GOD'S WORD, One Paper At A Time"

Memorial Day Weekend - Happy Monday

“The Deception of a Sinful Society”

"Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!" - Isaiah 5:20

In this day and age we live in the things that our hearts, and most importantly, the WORD OF GOD tell us are EVIL (sin), our society now calls GOOD. 

The things our society calls EVIL (Christian beliefs) are things our hearts and the WORD OF GOD say are GOOD.

One example of this is found in homosexuality. The Bible clearly calls it sin/evil (an abomination - Leviticus 18:22) yet today our society says IT IS GOOD!

Another example is found in abortion.
The Bible clearly says the BABY in the womb is a BABY (with RIGHTS), and is a living human. But the evil act of abortion is called GOOD by society, as “after all, it is a fetus a piece of tissue, not a baby”, and also it would be BAD (evil) if they say to bring “it” (being as they call it a fetus) into the world if unwanted by the mother or parents.

We BIBLE believing Christians are called EVIL for taking a stand for morality against the murdering of millions of babies (abortion), etc…

Likely, my taking a stand against homosexuality and abortion will cause me to lose some readers, but it is TRUTH!

Yet believing the TRUTH does not make me not love (with God's love) the homosexual, the abortionist, or the person having the abortion because my heart goes out to them as the devil has had them believe a LIE.  I love them and all others and pray that anyone who does not know Jesus will come to know Him.

Yet our LOVING people who do wrong (sin, evil) doesn’t mean it makes their sin okay!
SIN is SIN and we must start calling it as it is!

Our society and our nation don’t need a weak church (i.e., Christians), but a church that will call evil evil, good good, dark dark, etc...

These are only two areas of concern where we see THE DECEPTION OF A SINFUL SOCIETY. There are many more examples that we can think of that this verse would apply to.

In closing,
I sense an urgency that we who are Christians need to be living the truth, sharing the truth, and praying for a society that is so in need of GOD.

It starts with US (you and me)!
Let us proclaim God's truth in the face of darkness.

As one minister of the Gospel put it,
“America you're too young to die!”
and as another minister put it,
“If God does not judge the sin of this nation, He will have to apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah.”

Christians we need to take a stand for the TRUTH as revealed in the Bible and Christians we need to Pray for our society here and around the world!
============================================
Please take these words to heart and feel free to pass this, or any of my devotions, on to others. All I ask is that you use them in their entirety.

In His Service,
Jim (BibleFood@aol.com)

Daily Smile:

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!

  

Spread The Word!!!

The June '12 Edition of The StarLight News can be read on line at 
http://the-starlight-news.blogspot.com/... 

Happy Reading and 
Have a Safe & Enjoyable Memorial Day Weekend...

"Spreading GOD'S WORD, One Paper At A Time"

Memorial Day Weekend - Happy Sunday

Today's Thought:

You are not tempted because you are evil; you are tempted because you are human. Fulton J. Sheen

I will confess him before my Father in heaven! WOW
sumner wemp

"Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven" Matt 10:32. That is an awesome statement. He will confess us before the Father. WOW. Get them to confess the Lord Jesus publicly. It really helps confirm their salvation and what a blessing it is to them and the whole church.

It is a terrible tragedy that this practice is not being done too often in churches today. People go into a prayer room and you never see or hear what they did. To see them weeping and hear them tell they just got saved is a BIG highlight in their lives and in the church.

The night I was saved, March 28, 1940, I was so under conviction I could hardly stand it. The pastor gave an invitation every service for people to come forward who wanted to be saved and let someone talk to them and help them to be sure of their salvation. I went forward, the pastor told me how to be saved, prayed with me and God saved me.

What I did not know was that for the three weeks I had been going to church, word got out to everyone about this boy who wasn't saved. The whole church was praying for me. I could not have gone to hell if I had tried, so many people were praying for me. That, is a big secret to seeing people saved personally and in churches. I see a lot of people get saved because I pray earnestly for souls every day. You do the same and you will see the same. "Ye have not because you ask not" James 4:2. It is as simple as that.

Father, what a joy to openly confess You as our Father and Jesus as our Savior. May it be so to every child of God. In Jesus name

Go to www.sumnerwemp.com and see all the new material. 
ABC sumner

Daily Smile:

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."

  

Spread The Word!!!

The June '12 Edition of The StarLight News can be read on line at 
http://the-starlight-news.blogspot.com/... 

Happy Reading and 
Have a Safe & Enjoyable Memorial Day Weekend...

Memorial Day Weekend - Happy Saturday

This One Thing I Do

To this end I labor, struggling with all His energy, which so powerfully works in me. - Colossians 1:29

The apostle Paul is remembered for many things: He was a great Bible teacher, a brilliant theologian, and a church planter par excellence. But all these things were an outgrowth of the primary focus of his life:

"We proclaim [Christ], admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me" (Colossians 1:28-29).

When we observe the life of Paul, we don't see a man who meandered through life saying, "These forty things I dabble at." Instead, we see a man of focus who said, "This one thing I do."

We never see Paul losing his passion and excitement for his goal.

Notice how he speaks of his work of bringing people to Christ and building them up in the faith. The word he uses for labor is kopiao, which means to work until you are ready to drop. Then he uses the word agonizomai, which means to strive, to struggle, to agonize. But he speaks of doing the work through God's energy.

Christian, what about you? Does the prospect of walking with Christ and serving Him start your day with excitement and anticipation?

You don't have to be an evangelist or a missionary. All it takes is a clear focus on the person of Jesus Christ and what He has called you to do in your family, your job, your life.

Why not give yourself to the task of winning people to Christ and helping them grow to their full maturity in Christ.

Lord, may my walk be consistent through Your energy and power. Amen.

The focus of your life determines how you go through each day.

Daily Smile:

Editor's Note: As I work, I tend to whistle... Just one hymn can get me through hours of work, and sometimes the entire day... This morning is no exception as I "Go, Tell It On The Mountain"...

Whistling Hymn Of The Moment:
Go, Tell It On The Mountain

Over silent flocks by night,
Behold throughout the heavens,
There shone a holy light:
Go, Tell It On The Mountain,
Over the hills and everywhere;
Go, Tell It On The Mountain
That Jesus Christ is born.

The shepherds feared and trembled
When lo! above the earth
Rang out the angel chorus
That hailed our Saviour's birth:
Go, Tell It On The Mountain,
Over the hills and everywhere;
Go, Tell It On The Mountain
That Jesus Christ is born.

Down in a lowly manger
Our humble Christ was born
And God send us salvation,
That blessed Christmas morn:
Go, Tell It On The Mountain,
Over the hills and everywhere;
Go, Tell It On The Mountain
That Jesus Christ is born.

When I am a seeker,
I seek both night and day;
I seek the Lord to help me,
And He shows me the way:
Go, Tell It On The Mountain,
Over the hills and everywhere;
Go, Tell It On The Mountain
That Jesus Christ is born.

He made me a watchman
Upon the city wall,
And if I am a Christian,
I am the least of all.
Go, Tell It On The Mountain,
Over the hills and everywhere;
Go, Tell It On The Mountain
That Jesus Christ is born.

  

Spread The Word!!!


The June '12 Edition of The StarLight News can be read on line at 
http://the-starlight-news.blogspot.com/... 

Happy Reading and 
Have a Safe & Enjoyable Memorial Day Weekend...

"Spreading GOD'S WORD, One Paper At A Time"

Happy, Happy Friday

Don't Lose Out

In 1 Samuel 15:18-19, 24-26, Samuel, the prophet, comes to King Saul, and this is what he says,

"Now the LORD sent you on a mission, and said, `Go, and utterly destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are consumed.' Why then did you not obey the voice of the LORD?  Why did you swoop down on the spoil, and do evil in the sight of the LORD?"… Then Saul said to Samuel, "I have sinned, for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD and your words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice. Now therefore, please pardon my sin, and return with me, that I may worship the LORD."  But Samuel said to Saul, "I will not return with you, for you have rejected the word of the LORD, and the LORD has rejected you from being king over Israel."

Saul disobeyed God and then lied about it, tried to cover it, and tried to shift the blame to the people. Did you notice that part? Why?  Because he feared the people.

Because of the fear of man, Samuel said to him, "You have lost your place." Later on he says, "God has found a man better than you, a man after His own heart." And He chose David to replace Saul as the king of Israel.

I want you to think about this: God had promised Saul that his seed would sit on the throne, but it was a conditional promise God gave to him.

Saul lost out because of his disobedience caused by the fear of man, and so did his offspring! And David, a better man than Saul, ended up on the throne of Israel, through whom our Savior came.

If the fear of man can rob us of our destiny and affect our offspring, just think what faith in God can do!

Daily Smile:

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.'"

Editor's Note:
     The June '12 Edition of StarLight News should be online for you to read... Go to http://the-starlight-news.blogspot.com/

and Happy Reading
Richard 

Happy Thursday

Repentance

 

As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways – Ezekiel 33:11

Many times people can misunderstand the sovereignty of God and assume that God is pleased with all that He allows to happen in the world. We might even presume that God condones some sin in which we are engaged, even though He expressly forbids it in His Word.

You may have been justifying to yourself a particular sin, or even a sinful way of life, by telling yourself that if God wanted you to change then He would let you know. But He has! He tells us in His Word: "turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways."

Have you been listening to God and to His Word or have you been following the dictates of your sinful nature, your corrupt conscience, your lustful desires? Know for a certainty that God is not for a moment pleased with your rationalized rebellion.

On the other hand, God delights to see wicked sinners turn from their rebellious ways and live. It is, of course, He who gives them the strength to do so in the first place.

Sinner, there are only two ways before you: the life that is found in pleasing God or the death that is found in your current way of wickedness. Turn from your way and live.

Daily Smile:

A truck driver is driving along on the freeway. A sign comes up that reads “Low Bridge Ahead.” Before he knows it, the bridge is right ahead of him and he gets stuck under it. Cars are backed up for miles. Finally, a police car comes up. The cop gets out of his car and walks around to the truck driver, puts his hands on his hips and says, “Got stuck, huh?” 

The truck driver says, “No, I was delivering this bridge and ran out of gas.”

Happy Wednesday

Not Ashamed

I have a question to ask you today. Has there ever been a time when you were afraid to confess the name of Jesus? In John 9:20-23, we have the example of the parents whose son had been born blind but was healed by Jesus.

Look at their response when asked who healed their son, His parents answered them and said, "We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; but by what means he now sees we do not know, or who opened his eyes we do not know. He is of age; ask him.  He will speak for himself." His parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had agreed already that if anyone confessed that He was Christ, he would be put out of the synagogue.  Therefore his parents said, "He is of age; ask him."

How many Christians have held their tongue when they should have been giving praise to the name of Jesus? Praise for answered prayer, for the miracles He has done, but they were intimidated by unbelievers?

I was coming back from village after ministering there when a Muslim man on the bus put a blanket on the floor, got down on his face and began to pray. This man was not ashamed at all about kneeling down on the bus in front of everyone.

I thought, "Oh, Jesus! How many times have Your people kept silent because they were afraid of what someone might think of them?"

Throw off the shackles of fear and timidity, and boldly take your stand for Christ!

Proverbs 28:1 says, The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion.

Daily Smile:

Happy Tuesday

The Flight of Geese

 

"Also in Judah the hand of God was on the people to give them unity of mind to carry out what the king and his officials had ordered, following the word of the Lord." - 2 Chronicles 30:12

A major corporation conducted a study on the flight of geese. In their study they found that geese fly in a "V" formation with one goose in the lead. After a period of time, this goose relinquishes the lead to another goose. During flight they noticed head movements of the leader that seem to give signals to the other geese flying, perhaps to let the others know how he was doing. They estimate that the formation flight pattern reduces wind drag due to the lift the other birds receive and believe it increases their performance by up to 70 percent. Whenever one goose drops out, another goes with it. These two geese do not catch up to the original pack, but join another group later. 

Independence is one of the strongholds of the workplace. The entire system feeds the desire within us to gain recognition from our individual achievements. We wrongly believe financial independence frees us from needing to depend on anyone else. The fact is dependence on others is a good thing. It can bring us into a unity of spirit that accomplishes much more with less effort while meeting needs for each of us. Christ talked a lot about unity among brothers and sisters. He said that others would know we are Christians by our love for one another and by our unity. We need to depend on others so that we don't go it alone. By walking together we increase our strength. By going it alone we must carry a load we were never intended to carry. God did not create us to go it alone. By joining together we accomplish more for Jesus Christ. Ask the Lord today if there is an independent spirit within you that prevents you from joining others in the mission He has called you to.

Today God Is First (TGIF) devotional message, Copyright by Os Hillman, Marketplace Leaders.

Daily Smile:

Happy Monday

Rescue!

"In my distress I called to the LORD; I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears… He reached down from on high and took hold of me … He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me."
Psalm 18:6, 16, 19, NIV

Our garden overlooks a small lake which is inhabited by various water birds. One morning recently I looked out of the window and saw a family of mallards waddling across our lawn – a mother with eleven tiny newly hatched ducklings. They went round the corner of our house, but as I continued to watch them the mother duck saw me and immediately scurried off, calling to her brood to follow, which they did – all except one. There is a gap between the wall of our house and a flowerbed, and one adventurous, independent little duckling had fallen into it. The walls were too steep for him to scramble back up, and his wings were not yet properly formed, so he was stuck there, desperately squeaking to his mother for help. His mother was quacking back at him, but there was nothing she could do to rescue him. He needed help from on high – in this case me!

I reached down and gently scooped him up in my hands and put him down on the lawn. He scuttled off back to his family, and there was a joyful reunion! I felt a great sense of joy and satisfaction at having saved the little duckling and spared the anguish of the mother.

As I reflected on the episode I felt God speaking to me about His joy in rescuing us. We can find ourselves in desperate situations (often of our own making), but as we cry out to God He will reach down from on high, take hold of us and bring us out.

Today’s verses from Psalm 18 show that He not only rescues us, but that He does so because He delights in us. As I cradled the tiny duckling in my hands, I marveled at how beautiful it was with its soft fluffy down and intricate markings. As I delighted in it, I was reminded of the tenderness of the Father and the delight that He has in us.

Do you believe today that He can rescue you from whatever pit you may find yourself in, and that He does it because He delights in you?

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You that You delight in me and that You can rescue me from any pit. Please take hold of me today and bring me out of the desperate situation I find myself in. Forgive me for the part I played in getting into this situation, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
by Jilly Lyon Taylor

Daily Smile:

 

Happy Sunday

Missing the mark!

"To give His people the knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of their sins..." Luke 1:77.

If you're not a Christian, but you've been around Christians, you've probably heard the term "gospel."

But, what does it mean?

Well, first, it means God loves you.

He has a purpose for your life.

He wants you to have a meaningful life.

Everybody likes the sound of that!

Unfortunately, we often have a problem personally experiencing God's love-

- because we're separated from God due to the sin in our lives.

"Sin" is missing the mark of God's best for our life.

It's living life our way versus God's way.

The solution is Jesus.

He died for our sins.

He rose from the dead, proving He is God.

He is the way to God.

This calls for a decision to believe Jesus is who He says He is-

- and to trust Christ alone for salvation and abundant life.

That's it.

That's the gospel.

Do you believe it?

The gospel is the good news of salvation-

- following the bad news of our sin problem.

I hope you'll believe it and receive it. 

Daily Smile:

A college roommate of mine was doing her student teaching. While she watched the second graders practice their writing, a little boy raised his hand to get her attention.

"Teacher, how do you spell 'sex'?"

Startled at the question, my friend made her way to his desk and quietly asked, "What word did you want me to help you spell?"

The little boy replied, "I have the first part--I-N--but I don't know how to spell the whole word--'Insects.'" 

Happy Saturday

Bad news for you!

You look good on the outside.

But  God looks at your inside!

Inside your heart-

- it’s a dirty mess!

Religious inside!

But rebellious outside!!

I’ve got bad news for you.

Jesus hates religious pretense. 

Christianity is not a religion!

Christianity is a relationship!!

But there’s also good news. 

God loves the pretenders. 

He gave His life for hypocrites like you and me. 

The end of being a religious pretenders is to admit our sin separates us from God-

- then ask Christ’s forgiveness; 

- then believe He’s your only hope for change, to be right with God. 

And here’s the irony: 

When we begin to be more real with God and with others, we begin to be more like Jesus. 

He’s the only person who has ever lived without any trace of pretense.

Daily Smile:

A Dutchman was explaining the red, white, and blue Netherlands flag to an American.

"Our flag is symbolic of our taxes. We get red when we talk about them, white when we get our tax bills, and blue after we pay them."

The American nodded. "It's the same in the USA only we see stars, too!" 

Happy Friday

Decide each day!

Do you hear the clock ticking?

Time keeps moving on!

It never stops for anyone-

- no matter how important you are.

We just can't find enough of that stuff.

The late Jim Croce sang about bottling time.

While we can't do that, one thing's for sure-

God wants us to be good stewards of our time!

But we'll never be able to until we're clear about our purpose for living.

The starting point is knowing why we're here.

First-

- ask God to help you develop a life-purpose statement.

It will take some time, but it's the best time you'll ever invest.

Know why you're here.

Then-

- decide each day what's most important for you to do that day, and do it.

By having a clear purpose and doing the most important thing each day-

God can revolutionize your life and help you make the most of your time!

"...(the Lord) has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity." 2 Timothy 1:9.

Daily Smile:

"I wish there was a knob on the TV so you could turn up the intelligence. They got one marked 'brightness' but it doesn't work." 

Happy Thursday

Christ gives the key!

We're constantly bombarded with bad news on newscast after newscast.

It's depressing.

The harsh reality of the daily news challenges those who believe that man is inherently good and the world is getting better.

The Bible tells us the truth.

Human beings are not innately good and kind.

And society is not progressing toward universal peace and harmony.

Why, just the opposite is true!

Man's sin is a constant reality and if we don't want to believe it-

- we can just ignore the news and refuse to lock our doors at night.

There is good news, however.

God is in control of history and anyone who acknowledges his need for God in Christ holds the key to inner peace and security.

For in Christ, whether we live or die, we can't lose.

Christ gives us the key to eternal life and living this life victoriously.

"...I came that they might have life, and have it abundantly." John 10:10.

Daily Smile:

Officers at a military installation were being lectured about a new computer. The training officer said the computer was able to withstand nuclear and chemical attacks.
 
Suddenly, he saw that one of the officers had a cup of coffee and yelled, There will be no eating or drinking in this room! You'll have to get rid of that coffee."
 
The officer said meekly, "Sure, but why?"
 
"Because a coffee spill could ruin the keyboard."

Happy Wednesday

Preventive Maintenance 
"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour." – 1 Peter 5:8

Some years ago, my parents were driving along a highway in the state of Washington near Mount Adams. A decrepit old barn near the highway caught my dad's attention, and he stopped the car to capture a dramatic picture of the crumbling structure with the majestic mountain behind it.

The barn, preserved on my dad's roll of film, may have been a good barn when it was built. No doubt it had a sturdy foundation and floor, quality beams, and secure siding. However, by the time my parents drove past it, the walls were sagging and half the roof was caved in. What happened? Someone had failed to maintain the structure. When the first chinks in the siding appeared, they were ignored. When the first holes developed in the roof, no one tended to them. When a beam cracked, it was not repaired. And over the years, the barn's condition went from bad to worse.

What a warning to us, when we think about our Christian lives! It is important to start with a good foundation—a real born-again experience. It is crucial to build with the best materials: the gold, silver, and precious stones spoken of in the Bible. However, the building must be maintained! We must be alert to any area that might begin to sag, or a beam that is about to break. The Bible tells us, "We ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip" (Hebrews 2:1).

How can we properly maintain our spiritual buildings? We must pay careful attention to praying and reading God's Word. We must be tuned to receive the Spirit's instruction and quick to obey when it comes. We should seek fellowship with like-minded believers, for unity is essential to our strength.

The enemy of our souls wants us to be careless about our spiritual maintenance. The words of our focus verse indicate that he is seeking to destroy us. Let us be vigilant and consistent with our maintenance so our spiritual buildings will withstand every attempt of the devil to weaken them!

Daily Smile:

Two gas company servicemen, a senior training supervisor and a young trainee, were out checking meters in a suburban neighborhood. They parked their truck the end of the alley and worked their way to the other end. At the last house, a woman looking out her kitchen window watched the two men as they checked her gas meter.

Finishing the meter check, the senior supervisor challenged his younger coworker to a foot race down the alley back to the truck to prove that an older guy could outrun a younger one.

As they came running up to the truck, they realized the lady from that last house was huffing and puffing right behind them. They stopped and asked her what was wrong.

Gasping for breath, she replied, "When I see two men from the gas company running as hard as you two were, I figured I'd better run too!"

Happy Tuesday

Rejoicing in Trouble

Consider how the Holy Spirit can make the Christian independent of outward circumstances. What a bright light may shine within us when it is really dark outside! How firm, how happy, how calm, how peaceful we may be when the world shakes, and the foundations of the earth are removed! Even death itself, with all its terrible influences, has no power to suspend the music of a Christian's heart, but instead makes that music sweeter, clearer, more heavenly, until the last kind act that death can do is allow the earthly song to melt into the heavenly chorus, the temporal joy into the eternal bliss!

Let us have confidence, then, in the blessed Spirit's power to comfort us. Dear reader, are you facing poverty? Do not fear—the Holy Spirit can give you, in your need, a greater plenty than the rich have in their abundance. You never know what joys may be stored up for you in the cottage around which grace will plant the roses of contentment.

Are you conscious of your physical frailty? Do you anticipate sleepless nights and painful days? Do not be sad! Your bed may become a throne to you. You cannot tell how every pain that shoots through your body may be a refining fire to consume your dross—a beam of glory to light up the secret parts of your soul.

Is your eyesight failing? Jesus will be your light. Is your hearing deteriorating? Jesus' name will be your soul's best music, and His person your dear delight. Socrates used to say, "Philosophers can be happy without music," and Christians can be happier than philosophers when all outward causes of rejoicing are removed.

In You, my God, my heart shall triumph, no matter my circumstances! By Your power, O blessed Spirit, my heart shall rejoice even though all things should fail me here below.

Daily Smile:

A man in a supermarket was pushing a cart which contained, among other things, a screaming baby. As the man proceeded along the aisles, he kept repeating softly, "Keep calm, George. Don't get excited, George. Don't yell, George."

A lady watched with admiration and then said, "You are certainly to be commended for your patience in trying to quiet little George."

"Lady," he declared, "I'M GEORGE!"

Happy Monday

Dealing with Doubt

“‘Unless I see in His hands the imprint of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe’…He said to Thomas, ‘Reach here with your finger, and see My hands…do not be unbelieving, but believing.’ Thomas answered…‘My Lord and my God!’” – John  20:25-28 NASB

Before she died in 1997, Mother Teresa symbolized, for many people, a selfless commitment to God’s Kingdom. So, many were surprised when, after her death, letters came to light that exposed her struggles with doubt. In one letter, she wrote, “I am told God lives in me—and yet the reality of darkness and coldness and emptiness is so great that nothing touches my soul.”

These letters reveal the human side of this person whom many considered a saint. Her example demonstrates so clearly the truth that none of us is immune to doubt. For another example, we need to look no further than the disciples of Jesus, in particular, “doubting Thomas.”

After Jesus’ Resurrection, other disciples had “seen the Lord” (v. 25). But Thomas resisted. He had doubts and remained skeptical until Jesus appeared and spoke to him directly. Finally, his doubts were overcome.

Immediately after this story, the Bible describes how Jesus performed “many other signs…which are not written in this book” (v. 30). The implication is clear: There is a relationship between faith and signs. Doubt can prevent us from belief, faith, and God’s power, but, as it did for Thomas, everything changes when we have a personal encounter with Jesus and declare Him as “My Lord and my God.”

Don’t be crippled by doubt. Seek to deepen your personal relationship with Jesus. Spend time in prayer. Fill your mind with God’s Word, and put it into practice. Replace your doubt with faith, and seek to receive all that God has prepared for you.

Today's Inspirational Prayer

Dear Lord Jesus, forgive me for doubting Your presence and power. Help me to walk by faith and not by sight. Renew me by Your Spirit. I trust in You. In Your name. Amen.

Daily Smile:
A kindergarten teacher handed out a coloring page to her class. On it was a picture of a duck holding an umbrella.

The teacher told her class to color the duck in yellow and the umbrella green. But little Johnny, who always does things HIS way, colored the duck a bright fire.

After seeing this, the teacher asked him: "Johnny, how many times have you seen a red duck?"

Young Johnny replied with "The same number of times I've seen a duck holding an umbrella."

Happy Mother's Day

MOTHERHOOD - IT WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE....

We are sitting at lunch when she casually mentions that she and her husband are thinking of "starting a family." "We're taking a survey," she says, half joking. "Do you think I should have a baby?" "It will change your life," I say carefully, keeping my tone neutral. "I know," she says, "no more sleeping in on the weekend, no more spontaneous vacations..."

But that is not what I meant at all. I look at my friend, trying to decide what to tell her. I want her to know what she will never learn in child birth classes. I want to tell her that the physical wounds of child bearing heal, but that becoming a mother will leave her with an emotional wound so raw that she will be forever vulnerable. I consider warning her that she will never read a newspaper again without asking "What if that had been MY child?" That every plane crash, every fire will haunt her. That when she sees pictures of starving children, she will wonder if anything could be worse than watching your child die. I look at her carefully manicured nails and stylish suit and think that no matter how sophisticated she is, becoming a mother will reduce her to the primitive level of a bear protecting her cub. That an urgent call of "Mom!" will cause her to drop a soufflé or her best crystal without a moment's hesitation.

I feel I should warn her that no matter how many years she has invested in her career, she will be professionally derailed by motherhood. She might arrange for child care, but one day she will be going into an important business meeting and she will think about her baby's sweet smell. She will have to use every ounce of discipline to keep from running home, just to make sure her baby is all right.

I want my friend to know that everyday decisions will no longer be routine.  That a five year old boy's desire to go to the men's room rather than the women's at McDonalds will become a major dilemma. That right there, in the midst of clattering trays and screaming children, issues of independence and gender identity will be weighed against the prospect that a child molester may be lurking in that restroom. However decisive she may be at the office, she will second-guess herself constantly as a mother.

Looking at my friend, I want to assure her that eventually she will shed the pounds of pregnancy, but she will never feel the same about herself. That her life, now so important, will be of less value to her once she has a child. That she would give it up in a moment to save her offspring, but will also begin to hope for more years -- not to accomplish her own dreams, but to watch her child accomplish theirs. I want her to know that a cesarean scar or shiny stretch marks will become badges of honor. My friend's relationship with her husband will change, but not in the ways she thinks. I wish she could understand how much more you can love a man who is always careful to powder the baby or never hesitates to play with his child. I think she should know that she will fall in love with him again for reasons she would now find very unromantic.

I wish my friend could sense the bond she'll feel with women throughout history who have tried desperately to stop war and prejudice and drunk driving. I hope she will understand why I can think rationally about most issues, but become temporarily insane when I discuss the threat of nuclear war to my children's future. I want to describe to my friend the exhilaration of seeing your child learn to ride a bike. I want to capture for her the belly laugh of a baby who is touching the soft fur of a dog or cat for the first time. I want her to taste the joy that is so real, it actually hurts.

My friend's quizzical look makes me realize that tears have formed in my eyes. "You'll never regret it," I say finally. Then I reach across the table, squeeze my friend's hand, and offer a silent prayer for her, and for me, and for all of the mere mortal women who stumble their way into this most wonderful of callings. The blessed gift of being a Mother.
                                                                               -Author unknown

Daily Smile:

YOU KNOW YOU'VE TURNED INTO A MOM WHEN...
~ You automatically double-knot everything you tie.

~ You find yourself humming the Wiggles song as you do the dishes.

~ You hear a baby cry in the grocery store, and you start to gently sway back and forth, back and forth. However, your children are at school!

~ You actually start to like the smell of strained carrots mixed with applesauce.

~ You weep through the scene in Dumbo when his mom is taken away, not to mention what Bambi does to you.

~ You get soooo into crafts you contemplate writing a book called "101 Fun Crafts To Do with Dryer Lint and Eggshells."

~ You spend a half hour searching for your sunglasses only to have your teenager say, "Mom, why don't you wear the ones you pushed up on your head?"

~ You are out for a nice romantic meal with your husband, enjoying some real adult conversation, when suddenly you realize that you've reached over and started to cut up his steak.

Happy Saturday

Doubt is Not Just Not Believing

by Dr. Larry Ollison

What is doubt? The answer might surprise you. But doubt is not just not believing; doubt is not believing all the time.

In James 1:16, we are told that if we ask God for something, we must ask Him in faith without any doubt, because the "one who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind." Verse 7 goes on to say that the man who doubts should not expect that he would receive anything from the Lord. Since doubting can keep us from receiving from God, it's imperative that we know exactly what the Bible is talking about when it refers to doubt in this passage. The Greek word used in verse 7 comes from the root word diakrinü. In other places diakrinü is translated decide, difference, stagger, and waver. We know that the reference is to wavering and a divided way of thinking because James refers to waves being tossed by the wind as double-mindedness. But what does it mean to be double-minded?

In my years of ministry, I have seen people look as though they are standing in great faith while at church on Sunday. Yet when the first phone call arrives on Monday, they are not so sure about God's promise. Then again, Monday evening while shopping, they by chance run into a church member who encourages them in the Word and once again, they appear strong in faith. But that night as they watch secular television, doubt creeps in and they go to bed worrying, only to wake up encouraged during their morning devotions. Then they lose all faith while having coffee with their unbelieving neighbor who tells them just how things look. This cycle continues until Sunday when they appear strong in faith again.

The truth is they spent their week like the waves of the sea, tossed back and forth between believing and doubting. The Word calls this being double-minded and says that this person is unstable in all their ways.

Sadly, these are the people who usually can't understand why God hasn't answered their prayers because they are "in faith" every time they go to church, they've had the elders lay hands laid on them and pray for them, and they make great faith statements. The problem is they are not consistent.

Faith is consistent. Faith does not waver. Faith does not give up. People of faith guard themselves against sources of doubt. If your faith is young and immature, and you want your faith to grow, the last thing you do is associate with the New-Age person who lives in your neighborhood. You must guard your eye-gates and ear-gates when watching TV. You must monitor what you read. Remember, God always responds to faith and God never responds to doubt or unbelief – and participating in those kinds of things causes doubt and unbelief to grow in us.

He who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways" (James 1:6-8). While it is true that God does not respond to doubt, it is also true that the enemy constantly attacks all of us with doubting thoughts. We must remember that above all, God is a good God and He loves us. His goal is for us to be blessed and His grace is always with us to empower us and overcome the attacks of the enemy. As soon as a doubt arises, the enemy will add to it guilt and condemnation to make us feel unworthy. But here is the good news: The grace of God outperforms and overpowers the fears and doubts from the enemy. And when we turn to God, the assurance of His promise removes all doubt.

Daily Smile:

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.

Happy Friday

"And work with a smile on your face, always keeping in mind that no matter who happens to be giving the orders, you're really serving God." (Eph 6:7)

Mirrors

Several years ago I noticed something strange: people seemed to be smiling at me more often.

During my young adult years people had never smiled at me that much. Most of the people I saw seemed to have grim, tense faces. They would look at me for only a second or avert their eyes altogether. Sometimes they would nod or say "hi" but more often said nothing at all.

All that seemed to change, though, as I got older. For some surprising reason people were suddenly greeting me with a warm smile when I passed them. Their eyes seemed to sparkle when they said, "hello" and many times they would even stop to chat happily with me for a few minutes. At first I didn't know what to make of this. Had the whole world suddenly gotten kinder without telling me? Had the hearts and souls of everyone I met suddenly grown more loving and joyful for some reason?

Then one day when I was walking alone in a store the answer came to me. I was thinking to myself of how much God loved me and of all the blessings I had been given in this life. At that moment I walked by a display of mirrors and saw that I had the happiest expression on my face.

I had been smiling without even knowing it. Then suddenly I realized that I was the one who had changed. I had grown so much in love, joy, and oneness with God. And it was the light shining from my own soul that others were reflecting back to me.

We are all mirrors in this life. We all reflect each other's love. We all share each other's light. We all help each other to become the image of God that we were meant to be. May you always mirror every bit of goodness, kindness, and joy that you see in this world. May your own soul always shine bright as well. And may you make your whole life here a reflection of the light of Heaven and the love of God.

Joseph J. Mazzella

Daily Smile:

Teacher: What are the four main food groups?

Students: Canned, frozen, instant, and lite.

Happy Thursday

What Am I Worth?

by David Cross

... And God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness...” Genesis 1:26, NKJV

As human beings we have both intrinsic value and added value.

The Bible makes it very clear that every individual has significant value simply by virtue of being a creation of God, made in His likeness. In addition to this innate value which exists from conception we are called by God to spend our lives growing in His character and pursuing God-given gifts which, in our relationship with one another, empower the Body of Christ.

This added value develops as a consequence of the activity of the Holy Spirit in our lives as we follow the commands of Jesus. At the fall man’s value was not lost but defiled through separation from our Creator. Jesus came to earth and died on a cross to bring reconciliation between God and His children, so we might once again know the full value of our God-created identity and destiny.

The world is not so sure about the intrinsic value of human life and has largely rejected the concept of sin and the damage this has caused. The Bible truths about innate human sin are increasingly replaced by the philosophy of innate human rights, and an assessment of value is based on celebrity.

Jesus loved His disciples simply because they were precious and therefore worth His death on a cross, but He also told them (in John 15:16) that He had chosen them in order that they would go and bear fruit, in other words that they would display the added value of His character growing in their lives. We are each a priceless work of divine creation, immensely valuable, but God wants to give us added value, if we are willing, by restoring us from the damage that sin has caused.

Prayer: Father God, I believe that I am extraordinarily precious but needing much repair. I choose today to lay my life afresh before You, in order that Your Spirit can grow the fruit of the character of Jesus within me and therefore glorify God in my body. Amen.

Daily Smile:

Confucius say: "man who run behind car get exhausted"...
"man who run in front of car get tired"

Happy Wednesday

What’s so important?

It is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment… Hebrews 9:27 (NKJV)

It’s not enough to know that eternity is real or that we were created for it. There’s some more important information about eternity that God wants us to be aware of. In fact, it’s fair to say it’s the most important information that a person can ever receive.

“So what’s so important?”

As the Book of Hebrews tells us, eternity is a place where there will be judgment. The original Greek word used here for judgment conveys a sense of separation and division. And the more we examine what the Bible tells us about eternity, the more we see that people are going to be eternally separated into two groups.

That’s not a popular position to take. We’d like to think of everyone having the same eternal experience. But Jesus said there’s going to be a division that takes place in the afterlife.

In Luke 16, Christ describes two men who die. One of them, a rich man, had little regard for others or for the things of God. In eternity, he experienced affliction and anguish. But the other man, a poor beggar named Lazarus, went on to experience peace and joy in eternity.

What determined their eternal existence wasn’t their wealth or lack thereof. It was their attitude towards the things of God. One chose to disregard what the Scriptures had to say while the other put his trust in them. Jesus shared this because He wanted to show that our response to the truth contained in God’s Word determines how we’re judged in eternity.

There’s going to be a judgment in eternity, and it will be based on what we do with God’s truth—specifically, the truth that Jesus sacrificially died on our behalf to remove the guilt of our sins. We can choose to receive or reject this truth, and our choice will have an eternal impact.

Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many…for salvation. (Hebrews 9:28 NKJV)

Think About It…
What does this passage reveal to me about God?
What does this passage reveal to me about myself?
Based on this, what changes do I need to make?
What is my prayer for today?


Daily Smile"

Happy Tuesday

Sweating Outcomes

 

"In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat - for He grants sleep to those He loves." - Psalm 127:2 

Coming into the Promised Land in business will change the way you and I view our work. No longer will we see getting up early and staying up late as God's way. Living in the Promised Land in work means we know that God is the source of our provision and that our work is an act of worship to Him. Provision is a by-product, not an end in itself. Work is no longer something that must be sweated and toiled upon to make ends meet. "Could this really be true?" you might be saying. God has made it clear that obedience is the assurance of provision. Whenever we go beyond the normal workday due to fear of non-provision, we are operating in unbelief. We are saying that it is up to us to make things happen. Sure, there are times when we work longer hours due to a deadline, but we must be sure the motive is not out of fear of loss or fear of non-provision. If we are obedient to what God has called us to, He will provide our every need. This can be a hard lesson for goal-oriented workplace believers. 

I recall coming into this understanding. I had been a workaholic. Long hours were common. Then God shook up my world and I was challenged by a friend to examine my motives for working long hours. I realized the source of those long hours was fear. Once I came into this understanding, I refused to work long hours even though the natural man would tell me I'd never make things happen if I worked a normal work week. Again, this reasoning is based on a lack of faith. If we are obedient to what God has called each of us to, we will not lack. At times it may be less than what we might like; at other times it may be more than we deserve. These are God's ways. 

The Bible tells us to come out of Babylon. Babylon is a system of work and philosophy that is contrary to God's ways. Are you operating in any aspect of work from a Babylonian value system? Ask the Lord to reveal this to you. Begin to walk in the freedom He has given us in our work life.

Today God Is First (TGIF) devotional message, Copyright by Os Hillman, Marketplace Leaders.

Daily Smile:

Little Johnny was not paying attention in class so the math teacher called on him and said, “Johnny! What are 5, 2, 28 and 40?” 

Little Johnny quickly replied, “NBC, CBS, HBO, and Cartoon Network!”

Happy Monday

Running With Endurance   

Devotions taken from the messages of Adrian Rogers.

BIBLE MEDITATION:   “Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abides alone: but if it die, it brings forth much fruit.”  John 12:24

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
You can tell the size of a Christian by what it takes to stop him. Hebrews 12:1 says we are to “run with patience the race that is set before us.” And this word “patience” is not used in the sense that we use the word. It literally means “endurance.”

Everybody knows that a runner is going to win or lose primarily by his endurance. You cannot quit. When it hurts, you cannot quit. When your lungs are on fire, you cannot quit. When your feet feel like lead, you cannot quit. When your sides ache, you cannot quit! You’ll never be a spiritual athlete if you’re a quitter! No pain. No gain.

ACTION POINT:
His power will enable you to run the race and gain the victor’s crown!

Daily Smile:

A young man at this construction site was bragging that he could outdo anyone based on his strength. He especially made fun of one of the older workman. After several minutes, the older worker had enough. 

"Why don't you put your money where you mouth is?" he said. "I'll bet a week's wages that I can haul something in a wheelbarrow over to the other building that you won't be able to wheel back." 

"You're on, old man," the young man replied. "Let's see what you've got." 

The old man reached out and grabbed the wheelbarrow by the handles. Then nodding to the young man, he said with a smile, "All right. Get in."