Friday, June 29, 2018

TRUST & OBEY GOD



In 1999, John F. Kennedy Jr. flew his small airplane from New York City to his family home in Massachusetts for a wedding.

On board were his wife Carolyn & her sister. Though Kennedy was a licensed pilot, he had not yet been approved for instrument flight (using only instruments to navigate).

When their takeoff was delayed until after dark, Kennedy should have waited for daylight or sought a more experienced pilot to help. Yet, Kennedy took off into the darkness.

The plane never reached its destination, and all three passengers were killed in the crash.

Investigators determined that the crash was likely caused by disorientation from flying over open water at night without any landmarks or visible horizon. Kennedy’s lack of experience may well have led him to trust what he thought he was seeing more than what his instrument panel was telling him.

All of us face the temptation to walk according to sight instead of faith. Faith in God will keep us from crashing. Human reason will fail us at times, but God never fails. His Word keeps us on the right course as long as we obey it.

Source: Chicago Tribune. (ministry127.com)

Isa 49: 23 (ICB): “Anyone who trusts in me will not be disappointed.”

“Faith sees the invisible, believes the unbelievable, and receives the impossible.” -  Corrie Ten Boom.

Thursday, June 28, 2018

THANKFULNESS



A well-known Christian in a small town in Scotland was afflicted with nasal catarrh. Dr. Adams of Hamilton, Lanarkshire, a nose, throat & ear specialist, operated on him, and the operation gave him the relief he wanted.

He was so helped that he sat down, after he had paid the doctor's fee & wrote a letter of thanks.

In a day or two he received a reply from the surgeon saying he was going to keep the letter among his prized papers, as it was the first letter of thanks he had ever received.

- (moreillustrations.com)

Luke 17:15- 17 (WEB): One of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, glorifying God with a loud voice.  He fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks; and he was a Samaritan.  Jesus answered, “Weren’t the ten cleansed? But where are the nine?”

“The beginning of men's rebellion against God was, and is, the lack of a thankful heart.” -  Francis Schaeffer.

Monday, June 25, 2018

DISTRUST



The folly of snap judgments of others is well illustrated by the story of the late Bishop Potter of New York.  He was sailing for Europe in one of the great transatlantic liners.

When he went on board, he found another passenger was to share the cabin with him. After going to see his accommodation, he came up to the purser's desk & inquired if he could leave his gold watch & other valuables in the ship's safe.

He explained that ordinarily he never availed himself of that privilege, but he had been to his cabin & had met the man who was to occupy the other berth & judging from his appearance, he was afraid that he might not be a very trustworthy person.

The purser accepted the responsibility of caring for the valuables & remarked:

“It's all right, Bishop, I'll be very glad to take care of them for you. The other man has been up here & left his for the same reason.”

- Sunday School Times (moreillustrations.com)

“Begin to rejoice in the Lord, and your bones will flourish like an herb, and your cheeks will glow with the bloom of health and freshness. Worry, fear, distrust, care-all are poisonous! Joy is balm and healing, and if you will but rejoice, God will give power.” -  A.B. Simpson.

Then Ezra said to them, “… And do not be worried, for the joy of the Lord is your strength and your stronghold.” (Neh 8:10 AMP)

Sunday, June 24, 2018

SELF



Every man produces one masterpiece - himself.

Day & night, year in & year out, in conscious & unconscious moments, his words & deeds, his secret desires, what he permits or refuses, every hope, every fear, every purpose - all are strokes of the brush, all help to produce the painting.

One day the canvas is finished. Death frames it & puts it on exhibition.

Then not a line can be erased or changed, not a feature retouched or altered. The work is finished. 

There is the masterpiece.

- (moreillustrations.com)

“Self-righteousness is the devil's masterpiece to make us think well of ourselves.” -  Thomas Adams.

1 Cor 4:5 (CEB): “So don’t judge anything before the right time - wait until the Lord comes. He will bring things that are hidden in the dark to light, and he will make people’s motivations public. Then there will be recognition for each person from God.”

Friday, June 22, 2018

WAIT UPON GOD



“Do not strive in your own strength; cast yourself at the feet of the Lord Jesus, and wait upon Him in the sure confidence that He is with you, and works in you. Strive in prayer; let faith fill your heart so will you be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might.” -  Andrew Murray.

Isa 40:31(NLV): “But they who wait upon the Lord will get new strength. They will rise up with wings like eagles. They will run and not get tired. They will walk and not become weak.”

“To wait on God is to live a life of desire toward Him, delight in Him, dependence on Him, and devotedness to Him.” -  Matthew Henry.

“There are three answers to prayers: Yes, No and Wait.” – Unknown author.

Thursday, June 21, 2018

NEGLIGENCE Vs DISCIPLINE



On 18th February, 2001, NASCAR lost one of its greatest drivers.

Dale Earnhardt, also known as “The Intimidator,” was in 3rd place on the last lap of the Daytona 500 when his car was tapped from behind & sent head-on into the wall at 180 mph.

In a matter of moments it was evident something was terribly wrong. He had died in the crash. On the following Monday an autopsy report revealed he had died of blunt force trauma to the head.

Some have suggested that if he had been wearing the HANS (Head and Neck Safety Device), he would have survived the crash. Although this device was available, Dale, like many other drivers that day, neglected to use it.

His neglect of this safety device may have cost him his life.

- Michael Owenby (ministry127.com)

1 Cor 3:16-17 (ICB): “You should know that you yourselves are God’s temple. God’s Spirit lives in you.  If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him, because God’s temple is holy. You yourselves are God’s temple.”

“Discipline, for the Christian, begins with the body. We have only one. It is this body that is the primary material given to us for sacrifice. We cannot give our hearts to God and keep our bodies for ourselves.” -  Elisabeth Elliot.
 

Wednesday, June 20, 2018

A CHILD’S DESCRIPTION OF A CHRISTIAN



During Sunday school, the teacher asked her class of first-graders if anyone could describe a Christian. A little boy quickly raised his hand & stated:

“Christians are nice people who never complain, argue, or talk back.”

He then added: “My Daddy is a good Christian, but my Mommy isn’t.”

- (ministry127.com)

“Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than going to a garage makes you an automobile.” -  Billy Sunday.

“Not all who sound religious are really godly people. They may refer to me as ‘Lord,’ but still won’t get to heaven. For the decisive question is whether they obey my Father in heaven.” – Lord Jesus. (Mat 7:21 TLB).

Tuesday, June 19, 2018

RICHES



A distinguished man lay on his death-bed, when a great mark of distinction & honor was brought to him. Turning a cold glance on the treasure he would once have clutched with an eager grasp, he said with a sigh:

"Alas! This is a very fine thing in this country, but I am going to a country where it will be of no use to me."

- Haven (moreillustrations.com)

Pro 11:4 (GNT): “Riches will do you no good on the day you face death, but honesty can save your life.”

“Riches and the things that are necessary in life are not evil in themselves. And all of us face cares and troubles in this life. The sin comes in the time and energy we spend in pursuing these things, at the expense of neglecting Christ.” -  David Wilkerson.

Monday, June 18, 2018

LIFE



To the preacher life's a sermon, to the miser life is money, to the loafer life is rest. To the lawyer life's a trial, to the poet life's a song, to the doctor life's a patient that needs treatment.

To the soldier life's a baffle, to the teacher life's a school; it's a gamble to the gambler, to the merchant life is trade.

Life is but a long vacation to the man who loves his work; life's an everlasting effort to shun duty, to the irresponsible; to the sincere worker life's a story ever new.

Life is what we try to make it - brother, what is life to you?

- S. E. Kiser, Sunshine Magazine (moreillustrations.com)

Ecc 12:13 (CEV): “Everything you were taught can be put into a few words: Respect and obey God! This is what life is all about.”

“God is ready to assume full responsibility for the life wholly yielded to Him.” -  Andrew Murray.

Sunday, June 17, 2018

FATHERS!



The story is told of a young man who stood at the bar of justice to be sentenced for forgery. The judge had known him from a child & known the family intimately.

The boy's father was a famous lawyer, having written some of the best material on the subject of "Trusts."

"Do you remember your father?" asked the judge in stern fashion, "that father whom you have disgraced?"

"Yes," said the boy, "I remember him perfectly. When I went to him for advice & companionship he often said to me, `Run away, boy, I'm busy.' My father gave all his time to his work & little time for me. So here I am."

The great lawyer had written much about trusts, but had missed the greatest trust of all - his own son.

God has laid definite responsibilities on parents. What a tragedy to make the mistake the great lawyer made.

- (moreillustrations.com)

Gen 18:19 (ICB): “I have chosen him (Abraham) so he would command his children and his descendants to live the way the Lord wants them to. I did this so they would live right and be fair. Then I, the Lord, will give Abraham what I promised him.”

“The most important thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother.”  -  Theodore Hesburgh.

Friday, June 15, 2018

QUOTES ON THANKSGIVING



“Giving thanks is too often demoted to a secondary place in the prayers of Christ’s people. We are quick to make our requests and slow to thank God for His answers. Because God so often answers our prayers, we come to expect it. We forget that it is only by His grace that we receive anything from Him.” - Unknown.

“So much has been given to me that I have no time to ponder that which I don't have.” - Helen Keller

“Giving thanks is not a matter of feeling thankful; it is a matter of obedience.” - Joni Erickson Tada.

“We would worry less if we praised more. Thanksgiving is the enemy of discontent and dissatisfaction.” -  Harry Ironside.

1 Thes 5:18 (NLT): “Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.”

Thursday, June 14, 2018

YOU REAP WHAT YOU SOW



Several years after helping inventing radar, Sir Robert Watson Watt was caught in a radar trap and arrested for speeding. He wrote this poem:

'Pity Sir Robert Watson Watt,
Strange target of his radar plot,
And this, with others I could mention,
A victim of his own invention.'

Source: 750 Engaging Illustrations for Preachers, Teachers, and Writers, Craig Brian Larson (ministry127.com)

Gal 6:7 (CEV): “You cannot fool God, so don’t make a fool of yourself! You will harvest what you plant.”

“They have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind.” -  Hosea Ballou.

Wednesday, June 13, 2018

AN EXHORTATION



"The work is solemn - therefore do not trifle;

the work is difficult - therefore do not relax;

the opportunity is brief - therefore do not delay;

the path is narrow - therefore do not wander;

the prize is glorious—therefore do not faint."

- D. M. Panton, in ‘The Presbyterian’. (moreillustrations.com)

1 Cor 15:58 (GNT): “So then, my dear friends, stand firm and steady. Keep busy always in your work for the Lord, since you know that nothing you do in the Lord's service is ever useless.”

“If Satan can't make you bad, he'll make you busy.” -  Adrian Rogers.
  

Tuesday, June 12, 2018

RIGHTEOUSNESS IS THE GREATEST WEAPON



Napoleon made a mistake when he said that God is on the side of the strongest battalion. This statement has been proven wrong many times in the Bible & throughout history.

Abraham took 318 men & defeated 4 kings & their armies.

Gideon with his 300 dedicated men defeated an army of thousands.

David, a shepherd lad, untrained for war & armed with only a sling, killed a giant nine feet tall.

I believe that God is on the side of those who do right. God will fight the battles of those who determine to be in His will.

Righteousness is still the greatest weapon.

Source: 'The Gold Mine', Lee Roberson (ministry127.com) 

Rom 4:3 (GNT): The scripture says, “Abraham believed God, and because of his faith God accepted him as righteous.”

“If we walk in righteousness He will carry us through.”  A.B. Simpson.
  

Sunday, June 10, 2018

DISAPPOINTMENT



The witty, brilliant, sophisticated Irish essayist & lecturer, Bernard Shaw, sums up the hopelessness of his own barren life & philosophy in the epigram:

"There are 2 tragedies in life. One is not to get your heart's desire. The other is to get it."

Shaw is talking about the desire of the heart of the natural man who does not know God.

He speaks truly when he says that, when such a man has got his heart's desire, he finds it only disappointment, empty & unsatisfying.

That is why so many today, both old people & young people, having won their heart's desires, commit suicide.

- Sunday School Times. (moreillustrations.com)

“No soul can be really at rest until it has given up all dependence on everything else and has been forced to depend on the Lord alone. As long as our expectation is from other things, nothing but disappointment awaits us.” -  Hannah Whitall Smith.

Rom 10:11 (TLB): “For the Scriptures tell us that no one who believes in Christ will ever be disappointed."

Friday, June 8, 2018

PEACE COMES FROM FOLLOWING CHRIST



Thousands of people each year visit the Winchester Mansion in San Jose, California. This massive structure was built by Sarah Winchester, the widow of the gun company owner.

For 38 years, from 1884 until her death in 1922, the house was under constant construction. Teams of carpenters, masons & other workers were employed around the clock. Various stories have been told about the reason for this unusual practice.

Most center on Mrs. Winchester’s belief that she either was haunted or would be haunted by the ghosts of those killed by her husband’s weapons unless she kept building her house. Others claim that she thought she would not die as long as building continued.

Whatever the reason, she continued ordering more renovations & construction as long as she lived. There are more than 10,000 windows in the Winchester Mansion, doorways & stairs that lead to blank walls & some 160 rooms in total. 

It is estimated that she spent more than $70,000,000 in today’s money on largely pointless construction - all in a desperate search for peace.

Many people today are seeking peace through equally fruitless means. They turn to pleasure, drugs, alcohol, immorality, wealth & other dead end avenues. Like the staircases that lead nowhere in the Winchester Mansion, pursuing such paths will never bring peace.

Instead we find peace when we follow the path that God has given us in His Word.

- (ministry127.com)

Ps 119:165 (ESV): “Great peace have those who love your law; nothing can make them stumble.”

Wednesday, June 6, 2018

A MARK OF OWNERSHIP



If you have a book which you do not wish to lose you write your name in it.

The shepherd brands his name upon his sheep & everyone knows they are his.

"From henceforth let no man trouble me," wrote Paul, "for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus." (Gal 6:17)

And we read in Revelation 22:4 of those who serve the Lord, "My name shall be in their foreheads."

The Good Shepherd knows His own sheep by name & no one can pluck them out of His hand.

- Sunday at Home. (moreillustrations.com)

“God owns all; He owns me; He owns my home; He owns my children; He owns my property. I have called your attention before to the fact that the modern idea of ownership is pagan. The Christian idea is this: that God is the absolute owner of all things.” -  Clovis G. Chappell.

"At the end of your life on earth you will be evaluated and rewarded according to how well you handled what God entrusted to you." - Rick Warren.
 

Tuesday, June 5, 2018

THE BUBBLES ARE ALWAYS RIGHT



I learned that when a diver was deep under water, he could lose all sense of direction. He becomes weightless - no sense of gravity - and swimming without a natural source of light causes him to become disoriented & swim sideways, thinking that he is rising to the top.

In fact, a diver can become so convinced that his perception is correct that he continues to swim in the wrong direction until he eventually runs out of air & drowns.

My friend then said that the only way to keep this from happening is to follow the direction of your air bubbles. "No matter how you feel, or what your brain may tell you," he said, "the bubbles are always right."

The world today is like a group of scuba divers: disoriented & void of direction. Absolutely convinced that their perception of right & wrong is correct, they ignore the warnings, while the bubbles of truth tell them otherwise. Instead, they willfully follow the directions of other disoriented expert divers who say, "Live like this . . . believe like this . . . think this way . . . go that way" - and all the while their tanks are running out of oxygen.

The Word of God has been given to us that we may have direction for living.

As Christians, we have no excuse for moving through life disoriented; the verses in Scripture are like the air bubbles from a diver - they show the way up.

Make sure you’re swimming in the right direction . . . just follow the “bubbles”!

-Stephen Davey (aksermonillustrations.blogspot.com)

Ps 119:105 (NIRV): “Your word is like a lamp that shows me the way. It is like a light that guides me.”

“It is not your business to succeed, but to do right: when you have done so, the rest lies with God.” -  C.S. Lewis.

Sunday, June 3, 2018

DON’T TEMPT THE DEVIL!



There is a place in the Hudson River where, as you sail, you seem to be entirely bound with hills. The boat drives on toward a rocky wall & it seems as if it must either stop or be dashed to pieces.

But just as you come within the shadow of the mountain, an opening is suddenly discovered & the boat passes out into one of the grandest bays on the river.

So it is with temptation.

If it meets you on your Heaven-ward journey, you are to go straight on though you see no way out. God does not promise "a way of escape" until the temptation actually comes. The way will reveal itself in due time if you only keep on.

And remember that as in the river the beautiful bay lies just around the threatening rock, so often your sweetest & best experience in life lies just behind your most threatening temptation.

- (moreillustrations.com)

1 Cor 10:13 (CEV): “You are tempted in the same way that everyone else is tempted. But God can be trusted not to let you be tempted too much, and he will show you how to escape from your temptations.”

“Idle people tempt the devil to tempt them.” -  Charles Spurgeon.