I don't know how some in today's church got the false idea that the preacher is a servant and the folks in the pews are just members. No one is a bystander in God's kingdom! All believers are in partnership with the Lord (2 Cor. 6:1). He chose to work through mankind to accomplish the gospel mission on earth. To borrow a biblical metaphor, we are the workers cultivating and harvesting His fields (Matt. 9:37-38)
he holidays seem to tug at the masks we carefully hold in place or push the emotional buttons we desperately try to hide. The arrival of family members can resurrect painful issues that have never really been resolved. Financial pressure opens up like a sinkhole, waiting to steal our joy and destroy our peace. Schedules demand every ounce of energy, and false expectations leave us empty and hollow. The dark, slimy pit waits for us to fall in. It is not supposed to be that way, girlfriend! Make this Christmas season a time of praise. Choose to focus on the victories and joys you have experienced during the year, and then find ways to share that victory and joy with others.
Faith forces its way to Christ through every obstacle.
~J. A. Bengal~
Let YOUR DREAMS fuel YOUR DESIRE... Let YOUR DESIRE fuel YOUR PASSION... Let YOUR PASSION Ignite YOU!
The only person who is going to give you security and the life you want is you.
Aside from putting our faith and trust in the Lord, we still need to do our part. Seek ye first the kingdom of God and then all these things will be added unto you.... Balance is the key...
Greatness is not found in serving others, greatness is found in being the least.
Faith fetches Christ’s strength into the soul.
~Thomas Watson~
Jesus Christ is mightier than any of your problems. He is stronger in every area to help you overcome any issue you are facing. You can trust Jesus--the Savior of the world, the One who died for your sins--because He is mightier than you are.
Jesus provides a righteousness and power to overcome sin which the Law could never achieve. However, the question remains even for those of us who are Christians: Do we live constricted, frustrated and bound by rules of our own creation or do we live freely in Jesus?
our personal perception of yourself defines your reality. It's true that success is the combination of belief and time. The more belief you have, the less time it takes.
Cultivate your internal value. And surround yourself with others who hold you accountable to your greatness—and their own.
“Make sure the outside of you is a good reflection of the inside of you.”
— Jim Rohn
“Time and health are two precious assets that we don’t recognize and appreciate until they have been depleted.”
— Denis Waitley
“It may be possible to incorporate laughter into daily activities, just as is done with other heart-healthy activities, such as taking the stairs instead of the elevator. The recommendation for a healthy heart may one day be exercise, eat right and laugh a few times a day.”
— Michael Miller
“Health and cheerfulness mutually beget each other.”
— Joseph Addison
"We don't pay the price for success, we pay the price for failure. We enjoy the benefits of success."- Zig Ziglar
God is over all and above all so He’s aware of your circumstances. He’s the Creator so He has the power to handle it.
“There is no passion to be found playing small - in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.” -Nelson Mandela
The walk to freedom is one that never ends - but the scenery changes. Nelson Mandela
We should employ our passions in the service of life, not spend life in the service of our passions.
~Richard Steele~
There is a vast difference between an excuse and a reason. There may be some validity in the latter but not in the former.
~Donald Grey Barnhouse~
It's good and right to love your spouse immensely, but we absolutely must love God most.
As spouses, we’re called to complement each other, but we we were never called to complete each other. This may sound obvious, but most of us act as if we believe the opposite. Popular culture certainly affirms the idea that we should complete our spouses.
When we place undue pressure on our spouses for our joy, peace, and even love, we set them up for failure. They will inevitably fall short, and if we’re leaning on them for our security we’ll fall with them.
If we’re not full in Christ, we will have an immensely hard time being fulfilled by our spouse.
It is upon Him and by Him that everyone and everything is brought into complete balance and perfect alignment. It serves as a great metaphor for how the modern church is to function and operate. The church is an ever-growing body of believers -- a temple inhabited by Him. However, it is not a physical building. From God's perspective, the church is to be a constantly growing and living spiritual-structure.
Tiss the season, He had the Birthday And we got the gift...
The man who understands his failures can understand Grace the man who understands his failures can understand Mercy the man that understands his failures can have love for his brother.
Bethlehem wasn’t a capital city. It wasn’t well-known; its people weren’t well-off. It was hardly the place for the King of the world to be born. But, God’s Kingdom is an upside-down kingdom. He chooses places, things, and people for His glory, not ours.
Godly men and women must walk blamelessly before the Lord if we expect to be used by Him. As we do, His plans will naturally unfold in our lives.
When God speaks, oftentimes His voice will call for an act of courage on our part.
~Charles Stanley~
If you are worried about not having enough money, time, or energy to “do Christmas right,” then I pray you will realize that His riches are abundant in love, joy, and peace, and His grace is always sufficient. His love, flowing out of you, will provide blessings to others. No matter what your financial resources are, you will “do Christmas right.”
As we are learning the word of God, its ability is unleashed in our lives. The saving grace is the first great blessing the Lord wants to bring us through the Scriptures: "which are able to make you wise for salvation." People can be exceedingly foolish concerning salvation until they are enlightened through the word of God. Some think they do not need to be saved. Others think they can somehow save themselves. The Bible reveals the necessary path for all: "through faith which is in Christ Jesus."
determine to be men and women of the Bible.
• Hearing the Word (Jer 3:15).
• Reading the Word (Deut 17:19).
• Studying the Word (Prov 2:1-5).
• Memorizing the Word (Ps 119:11).
• Meditating on the Word (Josh 1:8).
• Obeying the Word (James 1:22).
"For God's infinite goodness there should be measureless thanks."
— Charles Spurgeon
Jesus is not a god.
Jesus did not become God.
Jesus does not aspire to be God.
Jesus Christ is God.
"Readers are leaders only if they turn their learning into living."
-Warren Wiersbe.
Gabriel announces the entire work of Jesus Christ:
His saving work:
“He will save His people.”
His righteous life:
“He will be great.”
His divine nature:
“He will be the Son of the Most High.”
His eternal kingdom:
“His kingdom will have no end.”
(Mt 1:21; Lk 1:32–33)
It is our duty as believers to be prepared to endure any hardship or trial which God lays out for us in our Christian walk.
—William Gurnall, The Christian in Complete Armour, 2:358
"It is easy to pick holes in other people's work, but it is far more profitable to do better work ourselves."
-Charles Spurgeon.
The Apostle Paul mentions Jesus almost 400 times throughout his epistles. He couldn’t help but proclaim his Savior! How many times do you mention Christ in your book?
Your cleverness, personality, eloquence, intellect, creativity, or methodologies never saved anyone. Just share the gospel. God saves.
Time is short! It's time to stop doing so much talking and more doing.
God's word (which is "the word of His grace") is characterized by heavenly ability: "which is able…and is profitable for." By God's grace at work, the Scriptures take us into the wholeness that is ours in Christ, as well as fully equip us for service unto Christ.
No matter how hard or how much we work, we can never attain any favor with God. But thankfully He has been gracious to us; He sent Jesus Christ to us and for us.
Deception is spreading like wildfire in our churches and our nation. Our responsibility is to love people and give them "something" of substance and value. Jesus is calling each one of us, individually and personally, to accomplish great things for His kingdom.
“Life can often become so overwhelming that, as we get caught up in the rat race, we are not aware of how we are spending our time. It may be time for a time inventory of your life. First, begin by journaling what is most important to you in your life. Then, track how you spend your time for two weeks. It could be very eye opening.
Remember, you have the same amount of time in a day that Einstein, Henry Ford and Leonardo da Vinci had. The question is: are you using your time as effectively as they did? You have no cause to complain for your lack of time, only your management of that time. Time plays no favorites. You make time every day for what you value. What do you value?
The dream is free, but the journey to its completion isn’t. Failure is the price of success. If you naïvely believe the dream will happen easily, then the setbacks of the daily grind will shatter your dreams. However, if you understand the dream is costly, then you can take failures in stride as necessary steps on the road to success. From this view, mistakes do not prove our inadequacy; they sharpen our abilities and prepare us for success in the future.
Leaders communicate through memos, white papers and strategic plans, but they connect by sharing dreams. They influence and inspire by casting vision, and what is a vision other than a picture of what we see when we dream? As the old adage says, “a picture is worth a thousand words.” A polished, scripted presentation pales in comparison to the clearly articulated expression of a dream.
"You see things; and you say, 'Why?' But I dream things that never were; and I say, 'Why not?'"
~ George Bernard Shaw
"You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream."
~ C.S. Lewis
God’s grace is not only amazing grace, it is abounding grace.
~Vance Havner~
Sustaining grace. The grace that meets us at our point of need and equips us with courage, wisdom, and strength.
No matter what team you are on, your greatest strength is togetherness, in one accord.
Temptation... if you give in you may just give up.
If people can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than the opposite. – Nelson Mandela
Nowhere does the Bible tell us that salvation is by faith that
does not work.
~R. B. Kuiper~
if we want to keep the law we must live it (keep on working). When legalism is in our lives, churches, and communities -- it always leads to death. Why? Because none of us can consistently and perfectly keep every statute and requirement.
Context is everything.
Hope is not a granted wish or a favor performed. It’s far greater than that. It’s a zany, unpredictable dependence on a God who loves to surprise us out of our socks!
The better and less sleep deprived you feel when you start work, the less you procrastinate and the more eager you are to get the job done and get on with other tasks. High energy levels are indispensable to higher levels of productivity, more happiness and greater success in everything you do.
When we’re passionate about something, we innovate, create, and continue on with our dreams.
The bottom line is pray. If you’re tired, sick, emotionally overwhelmed—pray. If you’re on cloud nine and life seems perfect—pray. If you lack direction—pray. If you doubt that prayer makes any difference—pray. If the circumstances of your life are out of your control—pray. If the circumstances of your life seem well within you’re your control—pray even harder. Whatever you do—pray.
God is in control and He will preserve His people. We are His people, so celebrate His faithfulness.
The fire of God can’t be damped out by the waters
of man’s persecution.
~A. W. Tozer~
If you offer your heart to God in faith, He will fill it with Jesus, and with all of things that Jesus brings with Him, such as righteousness, love, peace, & joy
May the only thing that grows old in your marriage be the two of you. May every other aspect of your relationship grow newer each day.
A relationship that is forced is Not a relationship at all.
As Christmas nears, people spend hours online and in stores searching for the perfect gift. Would Sue like a picture frame or turquoise earrings? Should you buy Papa John a pair of leather gloves or frame a picture of the grandkids? Everyone wants to give a gift that lasts – something to be cherished for years to come. Inevitably, though, many of those items will be the wrong size or color and others may break in days. “They just don’t make things like they used to,” you think. “Nothing lasts forever.”
Or does it?The Bible is a love letter from God to you. As you shop, cook and attend holiday festivities, take time each day to savor the perfect present from your Heavenly Father. Reflect on His words. Read the story of Christ’s birth with your family. Ask God to speak as you read the Bible,
D. L. Moody once told the story of a man who met a young boy who had caught a small bird. The tiny sparrow was quivering, trembling and struggling to escape the boy's grasp. The man asked the boy to please let it go. But the boy would not because he had chased it relentlessly for several hours. The man tried to reason with the boy, but he stubbornly held on even more tightly. In frustration, the man offered to buy the bird. They agreed on a price and it was paid. The man took the poor little creature in his hand and opened his palm to set it free. But it just sat there for a while -- probably not realizing that it was truly free. Finally, it spread its wings and flew away, chirping happily as if to say, "Thank you! Thank you! You have redeemed me!"
Then in its freedom, he was able to fly.
Never will Christ enter into that soul where the herald of repentance
hath not been before him.
~Joseph Hall~
Don’t put “now” off until Tomorrow. Today is the day, Now is the time.
“When it comes to life the critical thing is whether you take things for granted or take them with gratitude.” –G.K. Chesterton
Some of the most dangerous lies we listen to are the ones we tell ourselves.
Build accountability measures in your life. Ask Jesus for help, forgiveness, and a clear understanding of how to hit the brakes and throw things in reverse. Let His truth speak louder than the feelings that are begging you to keep things hidden.
Christ was God, not because he was virgin born. He was virgin born because he was God.
~Robert Clarke~
When Henry Wadsworth Longfellow penned the words to “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day,” he was grieving deeply. His wife had died three years earlier and his country was in the depths of the Civil War – brother against brother. The poet wrote, “And in despair, I bowed my head; ‘There is no peace on Earth,’ I said; For hate is strong, and mocks the song; Of peace on Earth, goodwill to men!” However, the hope in today’s verse caused Wadsworth to continue writing. “Then pealed the bells more loud and deep; God is not dead, nor doth He sleep; The wrong shall fail, the right prevail; With peace on Earth, good will to men.” While many in America are suffering this Christmas, there is healing. The birth of Jesus brought hope to a hurt and dying world.
God’s great plan for humanity was to send His Son. “The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).
Never Lose Hope!
The entire Bible is God’s story of the redemption of humanity. The Old Testament is the recorded history of the children of Israel, but it is also a “picture language” providing people an idea of God’s plan of salvation. For example: in the sin of one man, Adam, all humankind dies, but through the grace of Jesus Christ all people may live.
We can be as honest as we need to be with God about all the tough stuff because we have the assurance that God has and will intervene for the sake of the world through Christ.
The Son of God became man to enable men to become the sons of God.
~C.S. Lewis~
every sermon needs the gospel
every worship song needs the gospel
every church needs the gospel
every small group needs the gospel
every mission’s effort needs the gospel
every leader needs the gospel
every heart needs the gospel
we’d do well to stick to the gospel.
Many people believe we have no control over our thoughts, yet the Bible tells us we find what we're seeking -- or rather what we're thinking about.
Weak is the effort of my heart, and cold my warmest thought; but when I see Thee as Thou art, I’ll praise Thee as I ought. Till then I would Thy love proclaim with every fleeting breath, and may the music of Thy name refresh my soul in death!
~John Newton
Theologian Dale Bruner calls the Holy Spirit “the shy member of the Trinity” because He doesn’t draw attention to Himself.
Neither should we!
J.I. Packer calls the work of the Spirit a “floodlight” ministry, quietly turning everyone’s attention away from Himself and to the Savior.
A light on a hill can not be hid
A light that shines in the darkness can not be consumed.
Jesus exhorts us to pay attention to how we listen to God’s word. Complete listening, according to Jesus, isn’t just a matter of taking in what we hear. It’s also about letting the words change our living, our speaking, even how we function in our workplaces. We are to be like listening lamps, having heard the word, we shine with the light of God so others might see.
The preaching that this world needs most is the sermons in shoes that are walking with Jesus Christ.
~D.L. Moody~
As we believed in Him, the seed of the word germinated in our hearts unto everlasting life. Now, the Lord wants to continue sowing His life-giving seed into our lives that we might grow, mature, and abound in Him.
Our role involves a humble receptivity of His word. We are to continually take in the Scriptures with a sense of urgent, personal need. Such an attitude would indicate agreement with the words of Jesus.
God's chosen nation of Israel would have been just like Sodom and Gomorrah if He had not, in sovereignty, intervened on their behalf to save a remnant. God gave Israel every opportunity to come to Him. But most passed on the invitation. Paul says only a remnant responded to God's message of grace. Isn't this also an indictment of our own pridefulness as well?
“Read the Bible as if it’s all about you and it will be dark and confusing. Read the Bible knowing it’s about Jesus and it’s light and cheering and wonderful.” —
Michael Reeves
Don't waste your time longing and waiting for the “bigger and better” opportunities, which may never come.
Faithfulness in the seemingly small and insignificant things glorifies our Lord.
Dustin Benge
Jesus redeems our whole person. We will never be all God intended until body and spirit are reunited in Heaven. And just as our new bodies won’t be non-bodies, but real bodies, so the New Earth will be a real earth, not a non-earth.
Randy Alcorn
Jesus didn't have to agree with people to be kind to them.
All of the word of God's grace is divinely inspired. Although written through human instruments, the Bible message is what God wanted to say. Therefore, the word is able to bring great spiritual profit into our lives: The teaching ministry of the word reveals to us the path of godliness. (Psalm 119:105). Also, God's word "is profitable for… reproof." The admonishing ministry of the word tells us when we are drifting from God's path. (1 Corinthians 10:11). Further, God's word "is profitable for… correction."
True believers have a joy that streams, without any circumstantial obstruction, out of a heart that is wholly satisfied in Christ and the promises of Scripture.
Dustin Benge
Great names come and go, but the name of Jesus remains. The devil still hates it, the world still opposes it, but God still blesses it and we can still claim it! “In the name of Jesus” is the key that unlocks the door of prayer and the treasury of God’s grace.
~Warren W. Wiersbe~
“How sweet the name of Jesus sounds, in a believer’s ear! It soothes his sorrows, heals his wounds, and drives away his fear.” ~
John Newton
To holy people the very name of Jesus is a name to feed upon, a name to transport. His name can raise the dead and transfigure and beautify the living.
~John Henry Newman~
Christ is the humility of God embodied in human nature; the Eternal Love humbling itself, clothing itself in the garb of meekness and gentleness, to win and serve and save us.
~Andrew Murray~
“Who can add to Christmas? The perfect motive is that God so loved the world. The perfect gift is that He gave His only Son. The only requirement is to believe in Him. The reward of faith is that you shall have everlasting life."
~Corrie Ten Boom~
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