Are you a “Noun” or an “Adjective”?
Friday, July 23, 2010, 08:05 AM
A teacher went into her classroom about fifteen minutes before the class was supposed to begin and caught a bunch of boys in a huddle on their knees in the corner of the room. She asked what they were doing, “and one of them shouted back. “We are shooting craps.” She replied, “That is all right. I was afraid you were praying.”This is a part of the sadness of America. People often huddle together here in America, but it is not for prayer. They are generally huddled together to play something, to attend something, to watch something, but seldom to attend church and pray.
· Failure to pray for our companion; marriage struggles.
· Failure to pray for our children.
· Failure to pray for our churches.
· Failure to pray for our country.
Far too many Christians today are like the teenage driver who was stopped by a police officer. “Miss, your hand signals are very confusing for me and the other drivers. You put your hand out as if you were going to turn left, and then you turn right.” As with Christians, too many say/profess one thing and then practice another. Vance Havner once said, “We have too many noun Christians and not enough adjective Christians.” So what are you, a noun or an adjective?
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( 3.4 / 7 )Shadows
Thursday, July 22, 2010, 09:29 AM
In our everyday lives we cast a shadow. As we go about our way, we cast a shadow. We may never know how a word spoken here and an act done there may impact someone. Just in our daily walk we may touch people in a way that will impact them and you may never know when you are touching the lives of others and impacting them in an eternal way. A handshake, a passing word, an act of kindness can touch people when you are not even aware that you are touching them.Do you remember the person who told you about Jesus? Maybe it was a parent, Sunday school teacher, pastor, or someone who came into your home. The shadow they cast resulted in you being saved. Their work for God has impacted you for all eternity.
Have you cast a shadow that has resulted in someone being saved? I will always love and be grateful for the Evangelist that preached that Friday in 1981 and took the Bible and showed me how to be saved. That pastor cast a shadow over me that has affected me for all of eternity. As you go about your day today and the rest of this week, remember and keep in the forefront of your mind as you cross peoples paths that we work for God and we cast a shadow that impacts people for eternity.
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( 3.3 / 6 )Why Evangelism?
Wednesday, July 21, 2010, 10:18 AM
Virtually every church struggles with "balance". We want to be strong and healthy so we seek to place equal emphasis in every area (adoration, body life, compassion, discipleship, And evangelism) of our ministry. The truth is we really cannot afford to do that. Why? It all has to do with the nature of the church.At Bellaire, we emphasize put a strong emphasis on evangelism. But have you ever wondered why we do this, why the evangelism value is so important? It is so important because lost people matter to God; and because lost men and women go to hell without Christ; and because we are responsible for sharing Christ with them. And can I tell you, that we are doing a crummy job at sharing Christ with them.
Do you really realize this fact, “You will never meet someone who is not important to God, nor will you ever look into the eyes of someone that Jesus did not die for?” The fact of the matter is it really does not matter how we may feel about a particular individual. That is not what is important. What really matters is how God feels about them.
One Mercedes Benz TV commercial shows their car colliding with a cement wall during a safety test. Someone then asks the company spokesman why they do not enforce their patent on the Mercedes Benz energy-absorbing car body, a design evidently copied by other companies because of its success. He replies matter-of-factly, "Because some things in life are too important no to share." How true that is not only for the auto industry, but more so is it important for someone’s salvation, which saves them from far more than auto collisions.
I have heard it said, "If you want to get somebody religious, bring them to church. If you want to get somebody bored, bring them to the deacon's meeting. If you want to get somebody angry, bring them to the business meeting. But if you want to get somebody saved, bring them to Jesus."
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( 2.9 / 11 )Living the Christian Life
Tuesday, July 20, 2010, 10:42 AM
Living the Christian life can be challenging, and it can sometimes overwhelm us. The person who determines to sell out for God is certain to be met with opposition. The devil will see to it that you have plenty of sour things to occupy your life: persecution, heartache--aggravation...you name it, it will happen.Acts 14:22 "strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying, "Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.”
The Christian life is the abundant life. Can you tell me of anything else that equals salvation in Christ? And, let me add; if salvation were all we had, that would be enough. However, we not only have salvation and forgiveness of sin, we have everything else that goes with it: comfort, peace, hope, security, joy and happiness, and access to God through prayer.
At one time or the other, we've all heard someone say, "I have nothing to live for." If a person does not know Christ, that's pretty much a true statement--he had better live life with all the gusto he can, because when life is over, everything in which he has placed his confidence will be gone--and so will he.
Paul's faith was challenged, and yes, his faith was tested, but we know from the Scriptures, the only thing it did was make him more determined to live for Christ. As Christians, we must be determined to do the job we have been called to do. Our faith must take a stand against the enemy. We must never let anything deter us from serving Christ. We have been called to live for Jesus.
Romans 8:31 reminds us: "What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?”
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( 2.7 / 7 )The Race
Monday, July 19, 2010, 09:12 AM
If you keep up with the Olympic you may recognize the name Mary Decker-Slaney. She was an Olympic runner that during the 80's compiled 36 American records and 17 world records.
In 1982, she was the fastest woman at every distance between the 800-meters and the 10,000-meters.
In 1982, she won the Sullivan Award as the best amateur athlete of the year.
However, Olympic medals have always eluded her.
During the 1976 Olympics she was sidelined by stress fractures in her legs. In 1980, she was not able to attend the Olympics when President Carter decided to boycott the games.
In 1984, during the 3,000-meter race in Los Angeles, when it appeared she might finally win a medal, as the race neared its end, she was tripped by Zola Budd from South Africa and fell on the track in pain. Her injuries kept her from being a featured performer in the 1988 and 1992 games.
If you can picture in your mind Mary Decker-Slaney being tripped by another runner, you get the idea of what Paul is saying. He says, "You did run well, but you have allowed someone to cut in on you and trip you up."
In the Galatians case, Paul was speaking of how they had allowed the Judiazers to pull them from grace back into the law, but the picture drives home the point.
Have you fallen out of the race? Have you been cut in on by someone or something and been tripped up in the race? Get up and get back in the race! There is still a race to finish!
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