I saw this video this morning and thought it was very good. I was in Mizoram back in 2006 with Mike Redick and John Vangelderen. Watching this video took my memory back to my visit there. I even have been to some of the places pictured in the video.Let this video encourage you to think outside of the box with your giving to the Lord’s work.
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Sunday, February 24, 2013
Breaking the Tumblers
A lady once told me she was in her pantry on one occasion, and she was surprised by the ringing of a bell. As she whirled around to see what it was, she broke a tumbler. Her little child was standing there, and she thought her mother was doing a very correct thing, and the moment the lady left the pantry, the child commenced to break all the tumblers she could get hold of. You may laugh, but children are very good imitators. If you don’t want them to break the Sabbath day, keep it holy yourself. It is very often by imitation that they utter their first oath, that they tell their first lie, and then grow upon them, and when they try to quit the habit, it has grown so strong upon them that they cannot do it.
D. L. Moody, D. L. Moody’s Child Stories Related by Him in His Revival Work, ed. J. B. McClure (Chicago: Rhodes & McClure, 1877), 103.
John Bunyan’s Dying Words Considering The Lord’s Day
OF THE LORD’S DAY, SERMONS, AND WEEK DAYS
Have a special care to sanctify the Lord’s day; for as thou keepest it, so it will be with thee all the week long.
Make the Lord’s day the market for thy soul; let the whole day be spent in prayer, repetitions, or meditations; lay aside the affairs of the other part of the week; let thy sermon thou hast heard be converted into prayer: Shall God allow thee six days, and wilt not thou afford him one?
In the church, be careful to serve God; for thou art in his eyes, and not in man’s.
Thou mayest hear sermons often, and do well in practicing what thou hearest; but thou must not expect to be told thee in a pulpit all that thou oughtest to do, but be studious in searching the Scriptures, and reading good books; what thou hearest may be forgotten, but what thou readest may better be retained.
Forsake not the public worship of God, lest God forsake thee, not only in public, but in private.
In the week days, when thou risest in the morning, consider, 1. Thou must die. 2. Thou mayest die that minute. 3. What will become of thy soul. Pray often. At night consider, 1. What sins thou hast committed. 2. How often thou hast prayed. 3. What hath thy mind been bent upon. 4. What hath been thy dealing. 5. What thy conversation. 6. If thou callest to mind the errors of the day, sleep not without a confession to God, and a hope of pardon. Thus every morning and evening make up thy accounts with Almighty God, and thy reckoning will be the less at last.
John Bunyan, vol. 1, Bunyan’s Dying Sayings (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2006), 65-66.
Saturday, February 23, 2013
Sharing Of Our Money
Generosity with time, talent, and treasure is an indication of our recognition that all we have comes from God and is to be used as a blessing for others. Because it is so hard for us to release our finances, the sharing of our money is perhaps a very significant indicator of God’s work in our lives.
David Jeremiah, Signs of Life (Study Guide) (San Diego, CA: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2007), 37.
A Bit Of Advice on Advice
The true secret of giving advice is,
after you have honestly given it,
to be perfectly indifferent whether it is taken or not,
and never persist in trying to set people right.
Hannah Whitall Smith, Philadelphia Quaker: the letters of Hannah Whitall Smith, (University of California, Harcourt, Brace, 1950), 146.
Friday, February 22, 2013
John Bunyan’s Dying Words On The Love Of The World
OF THE LOVE OF THE WORLD
Nothing more hinders a soul from coming to Christ, than a vain love of the world; and till a soul is freed from it, it can never have a true love for God.
What are the honours and riches of this world, when compared to the glories of a crown of life?
Love not the world; for it [the love of the world] is a moth in a Christian’s life.
To despise the world is the way to enjoy heaven; and blessed are they who delight to converse with God by prayer.
What folly can be greater than to labour for the meat that perisheth, and neglect the food of eternal life?
God or the world must be neglected at parting time, for then is the time of trial.
To seek yourself in this world is to be lost; and to be humble is to be exalted.
The epicure that delighteth in the dainties of this world, little thinketh that those very creatures will one day witness against him.
John Bunyan, vol. 1, Bunyan’s Dying Sayings (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2006), 66.
Thursday, February 21, 2013
Have you ever been carried away for Him?
Mark 14:6
She hath wrought a good work on Me.
If human love does not carry a man beyond himself, it is not love. If love is always discreet, always wise, always sensible and calculating, never carried beyond itself, it is not love at all. It may be affection, it may be warmth of feeling, but it has not the true nature of love in it.
Have I ever been carried away to do something for God not because it was my duty, nor because it was useful, nor because there was anything in it at all beyond the fact that I love Him? Have I ever realized that I can bring to God things which are of value to Him, or am I mooning round the magnitude of His Redemption whilst there are any number of things I might be doing? Not Divine, colossal things which could be recorded as marvelous, but ordinary, simple human things which will giveevidence to God that I am abandoned to Him? Have I ever produced in the heart of the Lord Jesus what Mary of Bethany produced?
There are times when it seems as if God watches to see if we will give Him the abandoned tokens of how genuinely we do love Him. Abandon to God is of more value than personal holiness. Personal holiness focuses the eye on our own whiteness; we are greatly concerned about the way we walk and talk and look, fearful lest we offend Him. Perfect love casts out all that when once we are abandoned to God. We have to get rid of this notion—‘Am I of any use?’ and make up our minds that we are not, and we may be near the truth. It is never a question of being of use, but of being of value to God Himself. When we are abandoned to God, He works through us all the time.
Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest: Selections for the Year (Grand Rapids, MI: Oswald Chambers Publications; Marshall Pickering, 1986).
Moses said unto the LORD, “I Think You Got the Wrong Guy”
Exodus 4:10
And Moses said unto the LORD, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore,
nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.
Does it ever catch you funny that after the Lord told Moses what to do Moses added qualifications to the task. Here Moses has been in the wilderness for 40 years and is now humble for God to use him but he doesn't think God can use him. Don't we do the same thing. We scene the Lord leading us to share the gospel with someone or to do something that is out of our comfort zone and we make excuses.
Is there any excuse that is acceptable to God? If God is willing to enable you and wants to use you than the excuses we offer are nothing.
Paul tells us that God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise. Although we know that to be true, when it comes time for the rubber to meet the road we think God will use someone smarter, more equipped, or better skilled than us.
Never tell God you can't and leave it at that. Instead say, "Lord I know that I can do nothing, but I can do all things through you. Please enable me to fulfill what you are calling me to and thank you for working in my life."
Kindness
Someone has said that,
like the impress in a coin
which tells us who the owner is,
kindness is the impress of God
upon His creatures.
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
John Bunyan’s Dying Words Concerning Prayer
In all your prayers forget not to thank the Lord for his mercies.
When thou prayest, rather let thy hearts be without words, than thy words without a heart.
Prayer will make a man cease from sin, or sin will entice a man to cease from prayer.
The spirit of prayer is more precious than treasures of gold and silver.
Pray often, for prayer is a shield to the soul, a sacrifice to God, and a scourge for Satan.
John Bunyan, vol. 1, Bunyan’s Dying Sayings (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2006), 65.
Danger in the Sphere of Influence
John 7:45–52
Then came the officers to the chief priests and Pharisees; and they said unto them, Why have ye not brought him? 46The officers answered, Never man spake like this man. 47Then answered them the Pharisees, Are ye also deceived? 48Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him? 49But this people who knoweth not the law are cursed. 50Nicodemus saith unto them, (he that came to Jesus by night, being one of them,) 51Doth our law judge any man, before it hear him, and know what he doeth? 52They answered and said unto him, Art thou also of Galilee? Search, and look: for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet.
Leadership is like a bright spotlight; when the heat intensifies, it’s difficult to conceal the areas where we fail. But that’s where true character is revealed.
The Pharisees didn’t fare well with the pressure of authority. We can see why Jesus had such compassion for the masses by observing the Pharisees’ behavior in John 7. After Jesus claimed to be the source of life and ratcheted up the conflict, the Pharisees became angry. Sensing that their authority was slipping, they judged Jesus before they had a chance to give Him a hearing. They intimidated Nicodemus, harshly rebuked the captains, and cursed the people: “But this people who knoweth not the law are cursed.” (John 7:49).
Those who hold positions of authority have great influence—a reason why bad authority can be so detrimental: “My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.” (Jas 3:1). But influence isn’t relegated to leaders, supervisors, or pastors. Anyone who has a measure of influence over others should carefully consider how they use that trust.
When we have earthly teachers who let us down, we can turn to God, our heavenly teacher. For those who were under the heavy hand of the Pharisees, Jesus’ words must have been as refreshing and soothing as the water He spoke of: “ If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. 38He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.” (John 7:37–38).
How are you using your authority to lead others to Christ?
How can you seek out forgiveness from those you may have harmed?
John D. Barry and Rebecca Kruyswijk, Connect the Testaments: A Daily Devotional (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2012).
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
My Advocate
I sinned. And straightway, post-haste Satan flew
Before the presence of the Most High God,
And made a railing accusation there.
He said, “This soul, this thing of clay and sod
Has sinned. ‘Tis true that he has named Thy name,
But I demand his death, for Thou hast said,
‘The soul that sinneth, it shall die!’ Shall not
Thy sentence be fulfilled? Is Justice dead'
Send now this wretched sinner to his doom.
What other thing can righteous ruler do?”
And thus he did accuse me day and night,
And every word he spoke, O God, was true!
Then quickly One rose up from God’s right hand,
Before Whose glory angels veiled their eyes.
He spoke, “Each jot and tittle of the law
Must be fulfilled: the guilty sinner dies!
But wait. Suppose his guilt were all transferred
To ME and that I paid his penalty!
Behold My hands, My side, My feet! One day
I was made sin for him, and died that he
Might be presented faultless, at Thy throne!”
And Satan fled away. Full well he knew
That he could not prevail against such love,
For every word my dear Lord spoke was true!
Martha Snell Nicholson, Treasures, (Moody Press, Moody Bible Institute of Chicago, 1952)
Monday, February 18, 2013
Saturday, February 16, 2013
Taking John Home
We were able to go home on Saturday afternoon with John. Both Andrew and Elizabeth are very proud of their new brother. Elizabeth tells mommy that John is her baby brother and Becca reply's, “No, he’s my baby.” Andrew will show you his nose by touching it and saying, “nose.” They will both make good big siblings.
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