Take up your cross and be a disciple
Tuesday, July 27, 2010, 08:55 AM
There was a Nazarene preacher who stuttered all the time named Buddy Robinson. Buddy Robinson never went to New York. But one time he got to go and he saw all the bright lights, he saw Broadway, he saw the Great White Way, he saw all the of Time Square. And after he saw it all, he got down on his knees up there on the street and he said, God I thank you. I have seen all that New York City has to offer, all the sinful sites. And I thank you that I didn't want a one of them! Because you see when you are sold out to Jesus you know all the devil has to offer but because self is dead, you don't want a one of them.
The method of cross bearing is to develop disciple habits. Paul said in Colossians 3:9, "you have put off the old self with its habits and have put on the new self which God is continually renewing in His own image to bring you to a full knowledge of Himself."
It is a continual, daily experience when God is continually renewing your each day. It doesn't happen one time at an altar. It is a continual process. God is renewing you moment by moment, day by day. That is what it means to take up your cross and be a disciple.
[ add comment ] ( 3 views ) | permalink |
( 2.9 / 11 )A Clean Heart
Monday, July 26, 2010, 11:54 AM
America's greatness has not been because of technological advancement or medical discovery. America's greatness is not because of powerful and influential leaders, nor is it because of great presidents, even though we have had a few. I thank God for the memory of President Ronald Reagan--a godly man, with a godly vision. He inspired America to greatness. Former President Bush is a man who is not ashamed to come out and simply say, "I am a Christian--born again, with Jesus in my heart."QUOTES:
George Washington said, "It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible."
Here's an interesting bit of information: In 1836, the State of North Carolina said in their Constitution, "No person who shall deny the being of God, or the truth of the Christian religion, shall be capable of holding any office or place of trust or profit."
Thomas Jefferson penned the Declaration of Independence, and it was ratified and signed by representatives of the 13 original colonies at the meeting of the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia. These patriots and proud Americans, in this document, recognized that God, our Creator, is the One who has given us life, liberty, and the opportunity to pursue happiness. God works in the hearts of men.
Psalm 139:23, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts"
Our nation and its greatness is because of men and women who had a heart for God.
QUOTE:
John Quincy Adams said, "The highest glory of the American revolution was this: it connected in one indissoluble bond the principles of civil government with the principles of Christianity.”
John Quincy Adams knew what we know, and that is, that God blesses a nation: Psalm 33:12 "Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD." And, on the other hand, let me add; God curses a nation who turns away form Him: Psalm 9:17, "The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God."
Paul wrote in Titus 3:5, that salvation is "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost." (KJV)
The reason America is losing her greatness is because the majority of her citizens no longer understand nor practice the Christian faith. Most have forgotten what made this country great. It is a relationship with God through Christ.
QUOTE: President Thomas Jefferson wrote, "The reason that Christianity is the best friend of Government is because Christianity is the only religion that changes the heart."
Rev. Joe Wright was asked to open the new session of the Kansas Senate, everyone was expecting the usual generalities, but this is what they heard:
Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask Your forgiveness and to seek Your direction and guidance. We know Your Word says, "Woe to those who call evil good," but that is exactly what we have done. We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values.
We confess:
We have ridiculed the absolute truth of Your Word and called it Pluralism.
We have worshipped other gods and called it multiculturalism.
We have endorsed perversion and called it alternative lifestyle.
We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery.
We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare.
We have killed our unborn and called it choice.
We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable.
We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self-esteem.
We have abused power and called it politics.
We have coveted our neighbor's possessions and called it ambition.
We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression.
We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment. Search us, Oh God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin and set us free. Guide and bless these men and women who have been sent to direct us to the center of your will. I ask it in the Name of Your Son, the living Savior, Jesus Christ.
Amen.
The response was immediate. A number of legislators walked out during the prayer in protest. In six short weeks, Central Christian Church, where Rev. Wright is pastor, logged more than 5,000 phone calls with only 47 of those calls responding negatively. The church is now receiving international requests for copies of this prayer. Rev. Wright had it "right" when he said, "Search us, Oh God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin and set us free."
That's exactly what people need. That's why David said in Psalm 51:10, "Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me." If we ever expect to see God, then we must have a clean heart. Matthew 5:8, "Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God."
[ 1 comment ] ( 54 views ) | permalink |
( 2.8 / 11 )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?
[ 1 comment ] ( 60 views ) | permalink |
( 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.
[ add comment ] ( 3 views ) | permalink |
( 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."
[ 1 comment ] ( 38 views ) | permalink |
( 2.9 / 11 )
