posted by Administration on February 06, 2010 12:07 PM as Devotions
Be Real.... By Shannon Heiden
You hear, O LORD, the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry.(Psalm 10:17 NIV)
Beautiful One, did you know that the Bible is relevant and so full of real LIFE? Skim through it's pages and you will find, comedy, drama, suspense, crime, and action. From one chapter to the next, you never know what a character will do or say.
What gives me great hope, is that when I read the Bible, I find it to be very real. The issues that people dealt with through the pages of time, are not so different at all then what many of us face today. If you really take a good look, you will find betrayal, adultery, murder, rape, abuse, lies, and addiction.
What I find so interesting is that some of those issues came straight ... >> full...
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Dealing with the Root not the Fruit By Kelvin Gilmore
We are deceived if we think we can change the outward appearance and not the root.
We shouldn't expect good results attaching an apple to an orange tree, calling it a good fruit.
It is the root that determines what is truly seen on the outside.
Real changes only occur when issues are dealt with from the inside.
There is not enough money in the world that can change a rotting root and make it good.
Many have tried to cover up their stinking root they have done the best that they could.
They have made purchases with money hoping to reap a juicy ripe fruit.
But afterwards , the change doesn't last ; the time and money was a wasted pursuit.
Prayer is essential to allow Good to change our root; we don't have ... >> full...
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posted by Administration on February 06, 2010 12:03 PM as Devotions
Only Believe By bobbi richardson
What does it mean to believe in Jesus?
It means to be persuaded that He is God; to have confidence that when He died and rose again He rescued you from satan's influence. It means that you are convinced you have been forgiven and reconciled with God.
But that's just the beginning.
To believe in Jesus is not a one-time, once-and-for-all happening.
Believe is a verb that implies continual action. To believe means to constantly have confidence, to constantly be committed, to constantly have faith and trust in Jesus to provide all you need.
This kind of belief leads to a deepening relationship.
But there's still more.
Believing also means knowing without a doubt that God speaks to His children through His word, the Bible. If we believe in Jesus, we will believe what He said; we will follow Him and do what He did.
When talking with His closest disciples Jesus said ... >> full...
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Prosperity Preachers have hurt America By Bob Butler
There seems to be a growing disparity of the haves and the haves not in America and the prosperity preachers have contributed to this problem. The problem stems from the dissatisfaction of not having what everyone else has or seems to have, that is if you believe the media. Commercials bombard us with ads that say you have to smell like this, or look like that. You need to have the right car and live in the right neighborhood. Where once the church brought a sense of balance to this by preaching that the life of the believer is not made up of the possessions they own, but by the faith one expresses in Jesus Christ. This meant that if you were poor you had faith in God that he would provide your daily bread. We have come a long way ... >> full...
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posted by Administration on February 06, 2010 12:00 PM as Bible Studies
Is it important what a Church teaches? By Robert Kiser
We can find out, if what the church teaches is important or by looking to the Bible for some answers.
Gal 1:8-9 (NAS)
8 But even though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to that which we have preached to you, let him be accursed.
9 As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to that which you received, let him be accursed.
(1) Do you think Paul would consider it important what a prophet or anyone else taught?
(verse 8&9)
Deut 13:1-5 (NAS)
1 "If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you and gives you a sign or a wonder,
2 and the sign or the wonder comes true, concerning which he spoke to you, saying, 'Let us go ...
>> full...
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Hands By Jerry Ousley
I have a problem that is common to a lot of people; I talk with my hands. It seems that I can hardly communicate without moving my hands, as if it enhances what I'm saying. I suppose it does in a way. The motions of the hands can serve like the pitch of one's voice to emphasis the point a person is making.
I like to keep my hands clean. Of course we all get dirty when we work with our hands; it can't be helped. But I just can't stand to have something sticky or gooey on them. Debbie teases me about it sometimes. But when I get something like that on my hands I've got to wash them off. After all, how can I talk with my hands if they're stuck to my shirt?
What would we do without our hands? ... >> full...
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How to get exactly what you want from God!
By Jim Barringer
It's no secret that God blesses people. He loves his children, and he enjoys showcasing his own power and generosity by giving people good and perfect gifts. I've met a lot of people who ask, "Hey, I'm a child of the King - how do I get in on that?" There's a simple, Biblical key to getting God to give you exactly what you want. The secret is: complaining.
You may have heard the stories about the Israelites coming out of Egypt, and the way God provided them with manna and quail to eat and water from a rock. But did you know that God only did those things in direct response to bellyaching? Check out Exodus 16:2, where it says, "The whole congregation of Israel grumbled," and the next morning there was manna. There's ... >> full...
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Question: "What does it mean to pray without ceasing?"
Answer: Paul’s command in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 to "pray without ceasing,” can be confusing. Obviously, it cannot mean we are to be in a head-bowed, eyes-closed posture all day long. Paul is not referring to non-stop talking, but rather an attitude of God-consciousness and God-surrender that we carry with us all the time. Every waking moment is to be lived in an awareness that God is with us and that He is actively involved and engaged in our thoughts and actions. When our thoughts turn to worry, fear, discouragement, and anger, we are to consciously and quickly turn every thought into prayer and every prayer into thanksgiving. In his letter to the Philippians, Paul commands us to stop being anxious and instead, "in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God” ( Philippians 4:6). He taught the believers at Colossae ... >> full...
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posted by Administration on January 23, 2010 12:02 PM as Marriage
How Should a Christian Husband Love His Wife?
By Angie Lewis
Christian marriages are to be different than the unbeliever's marriage because a follower of Christ becomes sanctified (set apart) through the word for God's purpose. (John 17:17) When a Christian obediently follows the principles of Christ it has a purifying affect on the heart and mind. Are you letting the word of God cleanse you and your marriage? This is how a Christian husband should love his wife?
A Christian Husband Should Have Self-Control
If a husband cannot keep himself from looking, touching, or bedding another woman other than his wife then he most likely is doing something wrong in his walk with Jesus. It seems that his relationship with God is faltering somewhere. The attitude of lust and desire outside the bounds of marriage always hurts everyone involved. Why put your self and ... >> full...
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Four Minutes With Dan
By Jim Barringer
At work tonight, I had a strange craving to get a snack at the Target down the street from my job. This Target has a little cafeteria in it, with things like popcorn and hot dogs. But I didn't want a hot dog and I'm not allowed to eat popcorn; I just wanted to go. I shouldn't have been spending money either, because I'd just taken two weeks off work to visit family and should have been in saving mode.
For some reason, though, I couldn't stop thinking about the Target cafeteria, so when my break came around, I punched out and walked the four minutes down the road. The man working behind the counter was Dan. I had met him once before, a few months ago, the last time I had gone into the Target.
Little bit of ... >> full...
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Question: "What does the Bible say about managing your finances?"
Answer: The Bible has a lot to say about managing finances. Concerning borrowing, the Bible generally advises against it. See Proverbs 6:1-5; 20:16; 22:7, 26-27 ("The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.... Do not be a man who strikes hands in pledge or puts up security for debts; if you lack the means to pay, your very bed will be snatched from under you”). Over and over again, the Bible warns against the accumulation of wealth and encourages us to seek spiritual riches instead. Proverbs 28:20: "A faithful man will be richly blessed, but one eager to get rich will not go unpunished.” See also Proverbs 10:15; 11:4; 18:11; 23:5.
Proverbs 6:6-11 offers wisdom concerning laziness and the financial ruin that inevitably results. We are told to consider the industrious ant who works to store ... >> full...
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Question: "Do the ends justify the means?"
Answer: The answer to this question depends on what the ends or goals are and what means are being used to achieve them. If the goals are good and noble, and the means we use to achieve them are also good and noble, then yes, the ends do justify the means. But that’s not what most people mean when they use the expression. Most use it as an excuse to achieve their goals through any means necessary, no matter how immoral, illegal or unpleasant the means may be. What the expression usually means is something along the line of "It doesn’t matter how you get what you want as long as you get it.”
The "ends justifying the means” usually involves doing something wrong to achieve a positive end and justifying the wrongdoing by pointing to a good outcome. An example would be lying ...>> full...
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Giving away my favorite blanket By Jim Barringer
I don't own very much. At the beginning of August, I packed everything I own into a Toyota Corolla and moved to Florida, where I live in a ten-foot by ten-foot bedroom with no closet. I'm not trying to toot my own horn mere, merely establishing the fact that when I say I have very few belongings, I really mean it.
Because of that, I've always felt a little disappointed when The Church of Life would head up to downtown Orlando once a month to minister to homeless people there. Everyone else would take the clothes and shoes they didn't want anymore, while I have nothing that I don't already wear once a week or more. I guess it's a good thing that I even had the desire to give my stuff away, but it was still frustrating to be ... >> full...
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posted by Administration on January 07, 2010 8:07 PM as Church Life
More Than Just a Pew Warmer By Bob Valleau
For years, Jennifer sat in the same pew, in the same church and heard the same old sermons over and over. She was so burned out from attending church that she was about to give up her Sunday morning ritual. However, one Sunday morning she heard her pastor say something that perked up her ears:
"In the Song of Moses, God spoke to Jacob, or the house of Israel, in Deuteronomy 32:10 which says you are the apple of God's eye. And as such, that makes each one of you valuable and precious in His sight."
Like a lightening bolt that strikes unexpectedly, the words Jennifer's pastor said resonated deep within her. But, as she read the words herself, she was drawn to something else. She readily related to Jacob's situation before God told him he was ... >> full...
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posted by Administration on January 07, 2010 8:04 PM as Missions
Christ Among Muslims By Chad Roberts
"And thus, I make it my ambition to preach the Gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else's foundation, but as it is written, 'Those who have never been told of him will see, and those who have never heard will understand.'"Romans 15:20-21
In October 2005, I was on a flight to Cairo, Egypt when one question changed my life. I was listening to Brother Andrew's audio book, Light Force. A book on the church caught in the crossfire of the Middle East. The question Brother Andrew asked was, "have you ever prayed for an Arab Christian? Have you ever prayed for a Palestinian Church?" If felt as though he was sitting with me face to face asking such hard questions.
I thought for a while, and I had to be honest and say, ... >> full...
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Room At The Cross By Donald Mehl
Several years ago during my dad's funeral service, there was one special moment that conveyed an unforgettable message of promise, hope, and salvation to the ears of all who attended. The message sent was not only important to hear on that day, but it is also one that must be shared today and tomorrow with all who will listen.
Before mom went on ahead of dad a few years earlier to be with her Savior and Lord, she and dad often sang duets together. With voices that blended together and harmonized beautifully, they were frequently invited to sing traditional worship hymns and gospel songs at churches and various other events. It was their special way of sharing the Good News of the gospel with others.
We had located a tape recording of them singing a duet that was sung during a ... >> full...
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posted by Administration on January 07, 2010 7:59 PM as Devotions
According To Him..... By Shannon Heiden
Beautiful One, yesterday is gone, tomorrow has yet to arrive, here we are in today! Today, lets diminish the lies, cast off the regret, and determine in our hearts to be all we were created to be. No matter whether we win or lose in life does not matter. It's how we play the game that will define who we are!
I am amazed at the many goals and expectations the New Years tempts us to bring. Each one of has the inclination to make new goals, and set a new set of rules for our lives at the beginning of a New Year more than at any other time. What fascinates me is that even though this can be a good thing, it also at the same time sets us up for failure. You see, if we were unable to "work ... >> full...
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Question: "Why are there so many Christian denominations?"
Answer: To answer this question, we must first differentiate between denominations within the body of Christ and non-Christian cults and false religions. Presbyterians and Lutherans are examples of Christian denominations. Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses are examples of cults (groups claiming to be Christian but denying one or more of the essentials of the Christian faith). Islam and Buddhism are entirely separate religions. The rise of denominations within the Christian faith can be traced back to the Protestant Reformation, the movement to "reform” the Roman Catholic Church during the 16th century, out of which four major divisions or traditions of Protestantism would emerge: Lutheran, Reformed, Anabaptist, and Anglican. From these four, other denominations grew over the centuries. The Lutheran denomination was named after Martin Luther and was based on his teachings. The Methodists got their name because their founder, John Wesley, was famous for coming ... >> full...
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Question: "What is Christianity and what do Christians believe?"
Answer: The core beliefs of Christianity are summarized in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4. Jesus died for our sins, was buried, was resurrected, and thereby offers salvation to all who will receive Him in faith. Unique among all other faiths, Christianity is more about a relationship than religious practices. Instead of adhering to a list of "do’s and don’ts,” the goal of a Christian is to cultivate a close walk with God. That relationship is made possible because of the work of Jesus Christ and the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Beyond these core beliefs, there are many other items that are, or at least should be, indicative of what Christianity is and what Christianity believes. Christians believe that the Bible is the inspired, "God-breathed” Word of God and that its teaching is the final authority in all matters of faith and practice ( 2 Timothy ...>> full...
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Question: "Should Christians celebrate Christmas?" Answer: The debate about whether or not Christians should celebrate Christmas has been raging for centuries. There are equally sincere and committed Christians on both sides of the issue, each with multiple reasons why or why not Christmas should be celebrated in Christian homes. But what does the Bible say? Does the Bible give clear direction as to whether Christmas is a holiday to be celebrated by Christians? First, let’s look at the reasons why Christians do not celebrate Christmas. One argument against Christmas is that the traditions surrounding the holiday have origins in paganism. Searching for reliable information on this topic is difficult because the origins of many of our traditions are so obscure that sources often contradict one another. Bells, candles, holly, and yuletide decorations are mentioned in the history of pagan worship, but the use of such in one’s home certainly does ... >> full...
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