This is by far one of the most disturbing things I've ever heard. It makes you wonder how many people you have effected in some way. If you profess to be a christian then you are a minister. If someone sees you as a christian they are looking to you on how to act. Think about it...
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
The Dying Coal
This is a great illustration why we need the fellowship of our church if we truly (I said TRULY) want to stay on fire for Jesus.
Revelation 3:16 says, "So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth."
Oh Lord how I pray that I will stay hot.
The Dying Coal
A member of a certain church, who previously had been attending services regularly, suddenly stopped coming to services. After a few weeks, the preacher decided to visit. The preacher found the man at home alone, sitting before a blazing fire.
Guessing the reason for his preacher’s visit, the man welcomed him, led him to a comfortable chair near the fireplace, and waited.
The preacher made himself at home, but said nothing. In the grave silence, he contemplated the dance of the flames around the burning logs. After some minutes, he took the fire tongs, carefully picked up a brightly burning ember, and placed it to one side of the hearth all alone. Then he sat back in his chair, still silent.
The host watched all this in quiet contemplation.
As the one lone ember’s flame flickered and diminished, there was a momentary glow, and then its fire was no more. Soon it was cold and lifeless.
The preacher glanced at his watch and realized it was time to leave. He slowly stood up, picked up the cold dead ember, and placed it back in the middle of the fire. Immediately it began to glow once more with the light and warmth of the burning coals around it.
As the preacher reached for the door to leave, his host said with a tear running down his cheek, “Thank you so much for your visit and especially for the fiery sermon. I will be back in services next Sunday.” (Source Unknown)
A man may go to heaven without health, without wealth, without fame, without a great name, without learning, without earnings, without culture, without beauty, without friends, and without ten thousand other things…but he can never go to heaven without Christ! How can one know Christ without knowing His bride, the church? We desperately need one another to keep the flame burning.
Revelation 3:16 says, "So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth."
Oh Lord how I pray that I will stay hot.
The Dying Coal
A member of a certain church, who previously had been attending services regularly, suddenly stopped coming to services. After a few weeks, the preacher decided to visit. The preacher found the man at home alone, sitting before a blazing fire.
Guessing the reason for his preacher’s visit, the man welcomed him, led him to a comfortable chair near the fireplace, and waited.
The preacher made himself at home, but said nothing. In the grave silence, he contemplated the dance of the flames around the burning logs. After some minutes, he took the fire tongs, carefully picked up a brightly burning ember, and placed it to one side of the hearth all alone. Then he sat back in his chair, still silent.
The host watched all this in quiet contemplation.
As the one lone ember’s flame flickered and diminished, there was a momentary glow, and then its fire was no more. Soon it was cold and lifeless.
The preacher glanced at his watch and realized it was time to leave. He slowly stood up, picked up the cold dead ember, and placed it back in the middle of the fire. Immediately it began to glow once more with the light and warmth of the burning coals around it.
As the preacher reached for the door to leave, his host said with a tear running down his cheek, “Thank you so much for your visit and especially for the fiery sermon. I will be back in services next Sunday.” (Source Unknown)
A man may go to heaven without health, without wealth, without fame, without a great name, without learning, without earnings, without culture, without beauty, without friends, and without ten thousand other things…but he can never go to heaven without Christ! How can one know Christ without knowing His bride, the church? We desperately need one another to keep the flame burning.
Monday, June 23, 2008
Wow what a powerful message.
This is such a powerful video. Everyone needs to see this and examine themselves in this same light.
Exploding Gas Prices!!!
This is just a thought about gas prices.
I serve a GREAT BIG GOD. This God that I choose to serve was with me and provided for me when gas prices were $1.75 a gallon. I know that this same God will be with me and provide for me when gas prices hit $10.00 per gallon. I can only say this because I trust Him, not myself or my money making abilities, but Him.
Jesus said, "and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Well, if you have a brain that functions, you can turn on CNN for 5 minutes and see for yourself that we are indeed at the end of the age. And yet, he is still with us. With high gas prices. He is with us. When my wife has to go for a biopsy, He is with us. When things couldn't possibly get any worse, He is still with us. He is Immanuel (God With Us). I love Him for those assurances.
If you don't know Him; open a bible and get to know Him. He isn't with you unless you are with Him with everything you are. Sorry, that's just the way it works. The bible tells me that God doesn't hear the prayer of the unrighteous. "If I regard wickedness in my heart, The Lord will not hear" Psalm 66:18. His word also says, "But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, And your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear."Isaiah 59:2 I know those are pretty hard words, but just because they are hard doesn't make them any less true.
The point is this; if your heart is right then He truly is with you. If your heart isn't right, then ask what king David asked of God in the psalms... "Renew in me a clean heart and a right spirit"
High gas prices or not.
I serve a GREAT BIG GOD. This God that I choose to serve was with me and provided for me when gas prices were $1.75 a gallon. I know that this same God will be with me and provide for me when gas prices hit $10.00 per gallon. I can only say this because I trust Him, not myself or my money making abilities, but Him.
Jesus said, "and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Well, if you have a brain that functions, you can turn on CNN for 5 minutes and see for yourself that we are indeed at the end of the age. And yet, he is still with us. With high gas prices. He is with us. When my wife has to go for a biopsy, He is with us. When things couldn't possibly get any worse, He is still with us. He is Immanuel (God With Us). I love Him for those assurances.
If you don't know Him; open a bible and get to know Him. He isn't with you unless you are with Him with everything you are. Sorry, that's just the way it works. The bible tells me that God doesn't hear the prayer of the unrighteous. "If I regard wickedness in my heart, The Lord will not hear" Psalm 66:18. His word also says, "But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, And your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear."Isaiah 59:2 I know those are pretty hard words, but just because they are hard doesn't make them any less true.
The point is this; if your heart is right then He truly is with you. If your heart isn't right, then ask what king David asked of God in the psalms... "Renew in me a clean heart and a right spirit"
High gas prices or not.
Friday, June 20, 2008
Colossians 3
Paul really has a some wise words in Colossians 3.
I work with someone who comes in late, leaves early and takes 1 1/2 hour lunches. Then, to top it all off, they surf the internet when they should be working. This person probably gets in about 30 good minutes a day actually doing "work". The force is strong with this one... ***nudge, nudge, wink, wink***
They profess to be a christian. umm yeah. One of my co-workers that I have been trying to be light to sees this and looked at me one day and said, "They are a christian just like you..."
NOT LIKE ME!
Paul says, "Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve. For he who does wrong will receive the consequences of the wrong which he has done, and that without partiality." Colossians 3:23-25
If you put yourself out there as a christian then Christ demands nothing less than excellence from you. period. I know that we make mistakes. Lord knows I have made my share, but if you consistantly do the same thing over and over and over again then that's just not a repentant heart, which is what Jesus wants out of his people. The definition of insanity is doing the exact same thing day after day and expecting different results. We have to strive to be better. Mistakes we made yesterday must NOT be the mistakes we make today.
If you are a slacker, people are indeed watching. You may be messing up a work that someone is trying to accomplish in someone elses life. If you are not going to act like a christian, then just keep quiet. You are just messing things up for those of us that are actually trying to win souls.
I work with someone who comes in late, leaves early and takes 1 1/2 hour lunches. Then, to top it all off, they surf the internet when they should be working. This person probably gets in about 30 good minutes a day actually doing "work". The force is strong with this one... ***nudge, nudge, wink, wink***
They profess to be a christian. umm yeah. One of my co-workers that I have been trying to be light to sees this and looked at me one day and said, "They are a christian just like you..."
NOT LIKE ME!
Paul says, "Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve. For he who does wrong will receive the consequences of the wrong which he has done, and that without partiality." Colossians 3:23-25
If you put yourself out there as a christian then Christ demands nothing less than excellence from you. period. I know that we make mistakes. Lord knows I have made my share, but if you consistantly do the same thing over and over and over again then that's just not a repentant heart, which is what Jesus wants out of his people. The definition of insanity is doing the exact same thing day after day and expecting different results. We have to strive to be better. Mistakes we made yesterday must NOT be the mistakes we make today.
If you are a slacker, people are indeed watching. You may be messing up a work that someone is trying to accomplish in someone elses life. If you are not going to act like a christian, then just keep quiet. You are just messing things up for those of us that are actually trying to win souls.
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