Friday, October 31, 2014

PROOF AND EVIDENCE


There is a difference between proof and evidence.

No one can prove Christianity but no one can disprove it and there is much evidence that it's true.

Faith is not blind - there is much great evidence that our faith is based on logic and truth and not just blind. Evidences: Jesus, Resurrection, changed lives, etc. (preachology.com)

“Faith must have adequate evidence, else it is mere superstition.” - A.A. Hodge.

Act 14:17 (GNB): “But he has always given evidence of his existence by the good things he does: he gives you rain from heaven and crops at the right times; he gives you food and fills your hearts with happiness."

“Failure to believe stems from moral failure to recognize the truth; not from want of evidence, but from willful neglect or distortion of the evidence.” - D.A. Carson.

Act 17:31 (CEV): “He has set a day when he will judge the world's people with fairness. And he has chosen the man Jesus to do the judging for him. God has given proof of this to all of us by raising Jesus from death.”

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

LENDING TO THE LORD


I sat with my friend in a well-known coffee shop in a neighboring town of Venice, Italy.

As we enjoyed our coffee, a man entered & sat at an empty table beside us. He called the waiter & placed his order saying, “Two cups of coffee, one of them there on the wall.”

We heard this order with rather interest & observed that he was served with one cup of coffee but he paid for two.

When he left, the waiter put a piece of paper on the wall saying “A Cup of Coffee”.

While we were still there, two other men entered & ordered three cups of coffee, two on the table & one on the wall. They had two cups of coffee but paid for three & left.

This time also, the waiter did the same; he put a piece of paper on the wall saying, “A Cup of Coffee”.

It was something unique & perplexing for us. We finished our coffee, paid the bill & left.

After a few days, we had a chance to go to this coffee shop again. While we were enjoying our coffee, a man poorly dressed entered. As he seated himself, he looked at the wall & said, “One cup of coffee from the wall.”

The waiter served coffee to this man with the customary respect & dignity. The man had his coffee & left without paying.

We were amazed to watch all this, as the waiter took off a piece of paper from the wall & threw it in the trash bin.

Now it was no surprise for us – the matter was very clear. The great respect for the needy shown by the people of this town made our eyes well up in tears. (academictips.org)

Pro 19:17 GNB): “When you give to the poor, it is like lending to the LORD, and the LORD will pay you back.”

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

LITTLE CUCUMBERS


When I was just a boy, I was intrigued by a large cucumber. It was no different from any other cucumber, but it was in the strangest place. My uncle kept it in a bottle on a shelf. This particular cucumber was many times too large to go through the neck of the bottle. I wondered how it got there in the first place.

I was filled with awe of my uncle who could perform such a feat. He joked about it & never told me how he did it. My mother finally explained that when the cucumber was very tiny, it had been passed through the narrow neck & allowed to grow while still attached to the vine.

My mother practiced a similar principle with her children. From my earliest memory she surrounded me with prayer & instruction & the gospel. As a result, I was brought to Christ & am now safe in the bottle of His salvation.

What a lesson for parents who have "little cucumbers" at home. Don't let anything interfere with your first duty toward them. The person who said "Give me a child till he is 7 & I care not who gets him after that" knew the value of early training.

Don't neglect your little cucumbers. Soon they will be big. - M R De Haan

Pro 22:6 (BBE): “If a child is trained up in the right way, even when he is old he will not be turned away from it.”

“Train up a child in the way he should go - but be sure you go that way yourself.” - Charles Spurgeon.

Monday, October 27, 2014

THE VIRTUOUS WOMAN


(Described in Proverbs 31)

- is LOYAL

- is a HOMEMAKER

- is HARD TO FIND (a rare gem)

- is PRECIOUS

- has INNER BEAUTY (Heart attraction)

- WORKS WITH HER HANDS (a lovely life producing loving deeds)

- is RIGHT WITH GOD

- ABIDES IN THE HOME

- DOES HER HUSBAND GOOD

- is RESTING AT NIGHT SO SHE CAN AWAKE EARLY

- BLESSES HER FAMILY

- LIVES BY LOVE (middletownbiblechurch.org)

“To be a mother is by no means second class. Men may have the authority in the home, but the women have the influence. The mother, more than the father, is the one who molds and shapes those little lives from day one.” - John MacArthur.

“No man is poor who has had a godly mother.” - Abraham Lincoln.

Friday, October 24, 2014

ONE STEP AT A TIME…


A little boy walked along a country lane one dark night, with his father, and carried the lantern. The black silence all about frightened him.

He said, "Father, this light reaches such a little way, I am afraid." His father answered, "True, my boy, but if you walk on, the light will shine to the end of your journey."

There are night times in the Christian's experience when God gives His followers only enough light to take the next step. And that is all that is needed.

We may be sure of one thing- the light will never go out. If we walk on, it will shine to the end of the journey. (Sunday School Times)

“Keep walking the walk, one step at a time.” - Joyce Meyer.

“God won't light your second step until you have taken the first one.” - Woodrow Kroll.

Psa 32:8 CEV): “You said to me, "I will point out the road that you should follow. I will be your teacher and watch over you.”

Wednesday, October 22, 2014

SHINE FOR JESUS!


Mat 5:16 (KJV): “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

Among the ancient Greeks the runner that won the race was not the man who crossed the line in the shortest time, but the man who crossed it in the least time with his torch still burning. We are so busy with life's activities that we are in danger of allowing the torch of our spiritual life to become extinguished. - Doran's Ministers' Manual.

How to shine before men?

~Don’t be ashamed.

~Don’t be intimidated.

~Don’t cover your light to avoid others discovering it.

~Let it penetrate and dispel the darkness around you.

~Let them see your good works.

~Let them see how you love even when you’re treated unfairly.

~How you’re kind and generous in situations of favoritism and injustice.

~How you’re patient and self-controlled in the midst of irritation and inefficiency.

It is our choices that will ultimately be an example of Christ to the world and ultimately bring glory to God. And as our very lives reflect His light, He is glorified through us. (jacquewatkins.com)

“We are told to let our light shine, and if it does, we won't need to tell anybody it does. Lighthouses don't fire cannons to call attention to their shining- they just shine.” - D.L. Moody.

Monday, October 20, 2014

SOW IN PEACE – REAP JUSTICE


In 1886, Karl Benz drove his first automobile through the streets of Munich, Germany. He named his car the Mercedes Benz, after his daughter, Mercedes.

The machine angered the citizens, because it was noisy & scared the children & horses. Pressured by the citizens, the local officials immediately established a speed limit for "horseless carriages" of 5.5 km/hr in the city limits & 11 km/hr outside.

Benz knew he could never develop a market for his car & compete against horses if he had to creep along at those speeds, so he invited the mayor of the town for a ride. The mayor accepted.

Benz then arranged for a milkman to park his horse & wagon on a certain street & as Benz & the mayor drove by, to whip up his old horse & pass them & as he did so to give the German equivalent of the Bronx cheer. The plan worked.

The mayor was furious & demanded that Benz overtake the milk wagon. Benz apologized but said that because of the speed law he was not permitted to go any faster. Very soon after that the law was changed. (Bits & Pieces)

“The kingdom of God is righteousness and peace. True wisdom is never argumentative or quarrelsome. It does not strive. It maintains harmonious relationships with everyone, as far as possible.” - Zac Poonen.

Jas 3:18 (CEV): “When peacemakers plant seeds of peace, they will harvest justice.”

Friday, October 10, 2014

VALUE GIFTS APPROPRIATELY


A rich man was determined to give his mother a birthday present that would outshine all others. He read of a bird that had a vocabulary of 4000 words, could speak in numerous languages & sing 3 operatic arias.

He immediately bought the bird for $50,000 & had it delivered to his mother. The next day he phoned to see if she had received the bird. "What did you think of the bird?" he asked.

She replied, "It was delicious."

“We do not know the value of Christ, if we will not cleave to Him unto death!” - Robert Murray.

Heb 10:29 (GNB): “What, then, of those who despise the Son of God? who treat as a cheap thing the blood of God's covenant which purified them from sin? who insult the Spirit of grace? Just think how much worse is the punishment they will deserve!”

Tuesday, October 7, 2014

A PASTOR’S DREAM


The story is told of a pastor of a large church who had a dream one night that really opened his eyes. He dreamed that he could see his own church worship service on Sunday morning. But there was something very strange happening.

The choir was singing. The mouths of the choir members were open......but no sound was heard. The people in the congregation were singing. But there was nothing from their mouths, either. The preacher himself got up to preach his typical Sunday sermon. He opened his mouth to preach.....but nothing came out.

There was absolutely no sound at all in the entire worship center. Then, the pastor saw a little girl up in the balcony & heard her little voice singing, "Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me."

The pastor was confused & suddenly woke up. "Lord, what was I dreaming? It doesn’t make sense to me." He asked.

The Lord spoke to his heart & said, "Pastor, you just saw a picture of what I see in your ministry & in your church every Sunday morning. People are singing & you are preaching.......but I hear nothing. Your heart is not focused on me. You are focused on yourself. The only one I heard in your church last Sunday was the little girl in the balcony who matters to very few people in your church. But she matters to me......because she came to church today with the right motive: to love me with all of her heart!"

What if Jesus showed you a dream of your church? What would He hear? Whose heart is truly focused on the Lord? (Dr. Larry Petton, Cross Pointe Community Church)

Mat 15:8 (GW): “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.”

Wednesday, October 1, 2014

SLAVES OF SIN


"Our Enemy will bait the hook with anything we find desirable. This means, he will gladly give us money, power, pleasure, sex, fame, fortune & relationships. Satan's goal is for us to take the bait without seeing the hook & once the hook is in our mouth, he then reels us in to take us captive.

His gifts are often very good things offered for sinful uses. He'll challenge us to examine the gift to ensure its quality. That is the essence of the trap. The gift may be good, but the giver is evil.

In this way, Satan & demons are akin to a pedophile who seeks to entice children into trust with gifts of candy & toys, only to destroy them.

"When we take the gifts Satan & demons give, we are in essence biting down on the bait. As a result, the hook of sin is in our mouth, & Satan reels us in as his captive so that, as Jesus says in John 8:34, we become slaves to our sin." (‘Precious Remedies against Satan's Devices’ by Thomas Brooks)

Gal 5:1 (GW): "Christ has freed us so that we may enjoy the benefits of freedom. Therefore, be firm in this freedom, and don't become slaves again."