Saturday, January 31, 2015

PRAYER OF REPENTANCE


This prayer burst into the public consciousness back in January of 1996, when the Rev. Joe Wright, senior pastor of the 2,500-member Central Christian Church in Wichita, was invited to deliver the opening prayer at a session of the Kansas House of Representatives.

On that occasion he offered the following "Prayer of Repentance" (which was not entirely of his own crafting but rather was a version of a prayer written in 1995 by Bob Russell, who had offered it at the Kentucky Governor's Prayer Breakfast in Frankfort):

“Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask your forgiveness & seek your direction & guidance.

We know your Word says, "Woe to those who call evil good," but that's exactly what we've done.

We have lost our spiritual equilibrium & inverted our values.

We confess that we have ridiculed the absolute truth of your Word & called it moral pluralism.

We have worshipped other gods & called it multiculturalism.

We have endorsed perversion & called it an alternative lifestyle.

We have exploited the poor & called it the lottery.

We have neglected the needy & called it self-preservation.

We have rewarded laziness & called it welfare.

We have killed our unborn & called it choice.

We have shot abortionists & called it justifiable.

We have neglected to discipline our children & called it building esteem.

We have abused power & called it political savvy.

We have coveted our neighbors' possessions & called it ambition.

We have polluted the air with profanity & pornography & called it freedom of expression.

We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers & called it enlightenment.

Search us O God & know our hearts today; try us & see if there is some wicked way in us; cleanse us from every sin & set us free.

Guide & bless these men & women who have been sent here by the people of Kansas, & who have been ordained by you, to govern this great state.

Grant them your wisdom to rule & may their decisions direct us to the center of your will. I ask it in the name of your son, the living savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.”


Reportedly, one Democrat walked out of the House in protest, three others gave speeches critical of Wright's prayer….. Rev. Wright said afterwards: "I certainly did not mean to be offensive to individuals, but I don't apologize for the truth."- (www.snopes.com)

“We are honored and disgraced; we are insulted and praised. We are treated as liars, yet we speak the truth.” – Paul (2Co 6:8 GNB)

Thursday, January 29, 2015

THE COOKIE THEIF


A woman was waiting at an airport one night, with several long hours before her flight. She hunted for a book in the airport shops, bought a bag of cookies & found a place to drop.

She was engrossed in her book but happened to see, that the man sitting beside her, as bold as could be. . .grabbed a cookie or two from the bag in between, which she tried to ignore to avoid a scene.

So she munched the cookies & watched the clock, as the gutsy cookie thief diminished her stock. She was getting more irritated as the minutes ticked by, thinking, “If I wasn’t so nice, I would blacken his eye.”

With each cookie she took, he took one too, when only one was left; she wondered what he would do. With a smile on his face & a nervous laugh, he took the last cookie & broke it in half.

He offered her half, as he ate the other; she snatched it from him & thought… oooh, brother. This guy has some nerve & he’s also rude, why he didn’t even show any gratitude!

She had never known when she had been so galled & sighed with relief when her flight was called. She gathered her belongings & headed to the gate, refusing to look back at the thieving ingrate.

She boarded the plane & sank in her seat & then she sought her book, which was almost complete. As she reached in her baggage, she gasped with surprise, there was her bag of cookies, in front of her eyes.

If mine are here, she moaned in despair, the others were his & he tried to share. Too late to apologize, she realized with grief, that she was the rude one, the ingrate, the thief.
- By Valerie Cox in “A Matter of Perspective” (academictips.org)

“Constant kindness can accomplish much. As the sun makes ice melt, kindness causes misunderstanding, mistrust, and hostility to evaporate.” - Albert Schweitzer.

Col 3:12 (CEV): “God loves you and has chosen you as his own special people. So be gentle, kind, humble, meek, and patient.”

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

PROTECTION OF GOD


Lorrie Anderson, missionary to the head-shrinking Candoshi Shapra Indians of Peru, was looking for a quiet place for her daily time of Bible reading & prayer, so she went down by the edge of the river.

After reading the Bible, she took up her prayer list. Eyes closed, she did not see the deadly anaconda weaving through the water until it struck, burying its fangs into her flesh. It withdrew to strike, hitting her arm again & again as it held her, screaming, in its coils. It reared up for the death blows.

Then suddenly the giant snake, never known to release its prey, relaxed its grip & slithered off through the water.

While Lorrie was being treated, a witch doctor from a nearby village burst into the hut & stared at her. She couldn't believe Lorrie had survived. She said her son-in-law, also a witch doctor, had chanted to the spirit of the anaconda that morning & sent it to kill the young missionary.

"I'm certain," Lorrie said, "that except for the protection of God, it would have worked." (preceptaustin.org)

When David Livingstone was asked if he didn’t fear that going into Africa was too difficult & too dangerous, he answered, “I am immortal until the will of God for me is accomplished.”

John 7:30 (CEV): “Some of the people wanted to arrest Jesus right then. But no one even laid a hand on him, because his time had not yet come.”

Monday, January 26, 2015

FIERY TRIALS


A happily married woman with two children lost both of them. They were buried in the same grave. After that, she suffered a deep emotional collapse. For years her family fed and cared for her as though she was as weak and helpless as a little child.

One day her aunt, a joyful Christian, took her turn at feeding her. The distraught and despondent woman said, “Auntie, you keep on saying that God loves us. I used to think so too; but if He loves us, why did He make me as I am?”

The aunt kissed her gently, said with the wisdom of years, “Dear, He hasn’t made you yet. He’s making you now!”

“When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie, My grace, all-sufficient, shall be thy supply; The flame shall not hurt thee; I only design Thy dross to consume and thy gold to refine.” - Eddie and Alice Smith. (aksermonillustrations.blogspot.in)

Isa 43:2-3 (GNB): “When you pass through deep waters, I will be with you; your troubles will not overwhelm you. When you pass through fire, you will not be burned; the hard trials that come will not hurt you. For I am the LORD your God, the holy God of Israel, who saves you.

Sunday, January 25, 2015

JESUS DID IT ALL


I was born a non-Christian.

I lost my leg in a bicycle accident at six.

My mother, who was my only hope died when in 3rd class.

My father who had many wives & cared very little about his many children, died when I was in 5th class.

I met Jesus in 6th class through the goodness of some Scripture Union brethren.

I was neglected by my brothers for my new faith in Christ.

I had it hard with Jesus providing until I completed my secondary education.

I went to School of Social work & now in a university in Canada studying Community Based Development.

I am a lay pastor of Assemblies of God Church. Jesus did it all.

If Jesus did it for me, He can do for you too. - Jacob Asogonnde (2jesus.org)

“Come to me, all you who are troubled and weighted down with care, and I will give you rest.” – Jesus Christ. (Mat 11:28 BBE)

Jesus replied: “I am the bread that gives life! No one who comes to me will ever be hungry. No one who has faith in me will ever be thirsty.” (John 6:35 CEV)

Friday, January 23, 2015

CONTROL OF TONGUE


At an evening social for Army Officers & their wives, the Commanding General of the base had been given a special award & proceeded to drone on in a long speech of thanks.

An Officer mumbled to the woman at his side, "Why they would award him a prize is beyond me. He's nothing but a stupid old windbag."

The woman turned to him; her jaw set & said, "Sir, do you know who I am?"

"No, ma’am."

"I am the wife of the man you just called 'a stupid old windbag.'”

"I see," said the Officer, "and do you know who I am?"

"No, I don't," said the General's wife.

"Good," said the Officer as he disappeared into the crowd.
(tripod.com)

Jas 3:2 (GNB): “All of us often make mistakes. But if a person never makes a mistake in what he says, he is perfect and is also able to control his whole being.”

“Remember that the tongue speaks only what is in the heart.” - Theodore Epp.


Tuesday, January 20, 2015

DIRECTION OF CHURCH


A pilot announced to his passengers over his intercom system, "Ladies & gentlemen, I have good news & bad news.

The good news is that we have a tail wind & we are making excellent time. The bad news is that our compass is broken & we have no idea where we are going."

A similar situation is true of many churches. (preachology.com)

“The church is a hospital for sinners & not a museum for saints.” - Vance Havner.

“The church's job is to equip the saints for works of service in the world.” - Chuck Colson.

Eph 4:11-14 (CEV): “Christ chose some of us to be apostles, prophets, missionaries, pastors, and teachers, so that his people would learn to serve and his body would grow strong.

This will continue until we are united by our faith and by our understanding of the Son of God. Then we will be mature, just as Christ is, and we will be completely like him.

We must stop acting like children. We must not let deceitful people trick us by their false teachings, which are like winds that toss us around from place to place.”

Friday, January 9, 2015

Story of the Cracked Pot


An elderly Chinese woman had two large pots, each hung on the ends of a pole which she carried across her neck. One of the pots had a crack in it while the other pot was perfect & always delivered a full portion of water. At the end of the long walks from the stream to the house, the cracked pot arrived only half full.

For a full two years this went on daily, with the woman bringing home only one & a half pots of water. Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection & miserable that it could only do half of what it had been made to do.

After two years of what it perceived to be bitter failure, it spoke to the woman one day by the stream. ‘I am ashamed of myself, because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your house.'

The old woman smiled, 'Did you notice that there are flowers on your side of the path, but not on the other pot's side?' 'That's because I have always known about your flaw, so I planted flower seeds on your side of the path & every day while we walk back, you water them.'

For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate the table. Without you being just the way you are, there would not be this beauty to grace the house.'

Have you ever felt like this pot with its crack - imperfect & ashamed? There may have been something in your life that caused you to feel "cracked." In all honesty, probably most of us have felt this way at one time or another. Yet what we neglect to realize is that God is sovereign; He created us each unique & when we depend upon Him, amazing things can happen!

2Co 4:7 (ISV): “But we have this treasure in clay jars to show that its extraordinary power comes from God and not from us.”

(creativebiblestudy.com)

Thursday, January 8, 2015

GRACE AND WORKS


This is the story of a man with whom I worked. David was a remarkable man.

Remarkable in his steady demeanor through 33 years of service with the same ministry.

Remarkable in his gentle, caring love for his wife of 30 years.

Remarkable in his unwavering dedication to his children - through triumph & trouble.

Remarkable in the respect he earned from co-workers & acquaintances.

Remarkable in that when he died too suddenly & too soon at age 56, no one had anything bad to say about him.

Remarkable!

Yet as friends & family sat in solemn silence at the funeral, David's pastor put his life in perspective. Family members had extolled David's character & comforted everyone with the assurance that he was in heaven.

Then the pastor said, "None of the good things David did earned him one second in heaven. He is there because he accepted God's salvation through Christ."

It's true. No matter how remarkable our lives are, we cannot earn heaven. It's a gift.

As religious & well-loved as you may be, you won't go to heaven unless you accept God's gift of eternal life. Ask Jesus Christ to forgive your sins. That will make your life truly remarkable. - J D Branon. (preceptaustin.org)

“In contradistinction to the Gospel of Christ, the gospel of Satan teaches salvation by works. “ - A.W. Pink.

“The truth is that, though we were justified by faith alone, the faith that justifies is never alone (it always produces fruit, "good works,"...a transformed life).” - J.I. Packer.

Eph 2:8 (GNB): “For it is by God's grace that you have been saved through faith. It is not the result of your own efforts, but God's gift, so that no one can boast about it.”

Wednesday, January 7, 2015

Don't destroy yourself…


“On my 19th birthday, I got so drunk that I couldn’t remember what happened that night.

The next day, I ran into my friend who had been badly beaten up. He had a swollen eye & other bruises. I asked what happened.

“Don’t you remember?” he asked. “You beat me up last night!”

That stunned me. It shook me so much that I decided to never take another drink of alcohol. And I never have since then.

I wouldn’t be where I am today if I hadn’t quit smoking & drinking.” - George Foreman (former heavyweight boxing champion, in his book ‘God in My Corner,’)

What to do after deciding to quit drinking!

1. Don't exaggerate any discomfort.

2. Avoid arguments and other conflicts.

3. Stay away from your drinking buddies.

4. Be prepared to refuse a drink. Reaffirm, "I'm not going to have a drink today!"

5. Don't waste time worrying about whether you will sleep tonight.

6. Remember Phil. 4:13: "I can do everything through Him who gives me strength." (cbn.com)

Eph 5:18 (CEV): “Don't destroy yourself by getting drunk, but let the Spirit fill your life.”

Thursday, January 1, 2015

Don't Forget Your Children


It's one of the saddest stories I've ever heard. A father was to drop off his infant child at daycare on the way to work, but his mind was preoccupied & he forgot. Left alone in the car, the baby girl died from the excessive heat. The father will bear that painful memory the rest of his life.

While this dad inadvertently forgot his child, many other fathers are forgetting their children deliberately - abandoning them to pursue their own selfish desires.

They forget their children while they indulge in pleasures, or become preoccupied with internet, parties, money, or other distractions. As they do, their children are left without the guidance only a dad can give.

The importance of a father in a child's life is monumental. He is to nurture his children by giving them instruction, protection, sustenance, companionship, assistance, love, discipline & example. - J D Branon (preceptaustin.org)

Eph 6:4 (GW): “Fathers, don't make your children bitter about life. Instead, bring them up in Christian discipline and instruction.”