Wednesday's Word - Catch A Phrase, Pass it On

This week's idea is a bit different:
You know what I really like? I really like those ‘golden’ moments when I hear an awe-inspiring phrase that I’ve never heard before. Pastors or guest speakers are where I hear them from more often than not, but they’re likeley to come from most
anywhere…Church marquee, gospel tract, TV show all the way down to simple casual
conversation. So this week I thought “Hey let’s share ‘em”. I’ll be posting more as they come in …sort of a work in progress.

* If God was small enough to be fully comprehended, He wouldn’t be big enough to be worshipped.

* Either He’s Lord of all, or He’s not Lord at all.

* It’s not who you are, it’s whose you are.

* I don’t know what tomorrow holds, but I know who holds tomorrow.

(submitted by Cros)

* Today you know what you didn't yesterday, and have found joy in it, today you know joy - imagine what you will know tomorrow.

* Beauty is not in the eye of the beholder but in the hands of the creator, you have been made righteous, whole and beautiful, molded in his image to be the stepping stone for others to know him.

* God is not my co-pilot, he's the road on which i drive

(submitted by Okamura)

* Christ came to receive what we deserve (collectively) so that we may receive what He deserves (solely).

* You are either Standing on the Promises or Sitting on the Premises.

* The Warfare against self is the greatest battle that was ever fought.

* The strongest argument in favor of the gospel is a loving and lovable Christian.

* Often our plans fail that God's plans for us may succeed.

* Whenever you find a man who says he doesn't believe in a real Right and Wrong, you will find the same man going back on this a moment later.

* I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.

(submitted by Paul)

* One on God's side is a majority. -- Wendell Phillips

* All I have seen teaches me to trust the Creator for all I have not seen. -- Ralph Waldo Emerson

* Every man's life is a fairy tale written by God's fingers. - Hans Christian Andersen

* Never think that God's delays are God's denials. Hold on! hold fast! hold out! Georges L.L. de Buffon

* The purpose of Christianity is not to avoid difficulty, but to produce a character adequate to meet it when it comes. James L. Christensen

* A word fitly spoken in like apples of gold in pictures of silver. -- Proverbs 25:11

* God has given us two great gifts; time & choice (free will). What we are today is a result of decisions in the past; what we become will be a result of tomorrow's.

(submitted by Rocco)

Enough is Enough

Although school text books and the like give deeper insight into the
birds and the bees: The minutia of the interchange of what happens when
a man and woman come together in a 'procreation' kind of way is not
spelled out in Scripture. However, God does say that a man leaves his
family and joining his wife, they become one flesh; He is the Supreme
Architect of the human body which He individually (down to the
fingerprints) knits together in the womb, and children are a gift from
God (Gen 2:24, Psalm 127:3, Isa 44:2) .....and that's enough

God's Holy word is niether a geography nor physics book, whose purpose
is to explain mathmatically verifiable absolutes as evidenced in nature.
But whatever the created order is, God claims exclusive rights to it's
design, creation and ultimate authority. He does say that His majesty
is shown in the created order, making the deniability of His existence
completely inexcusable (Job 38, Romans 1:120)
...and that's enough

The infallible word of the Living God doesn't attempt to sway public
opinion as to party affiliation; Republican, Democrat or otherwise. He
is, however, emphatic about the need for us to pray for those in
authority that we may live peaceful lives and that it is He Himself who
causes the kingdoms of men to rise and fall (1Tim 2:2, Dan 4:32)
...and that's enough.

Some people have a problem with God. They struggle with issues they feel
God could've easily cleared up for us concerning a multitude of issues.
As humans, I think in our ability to be influenced, we tend to let our
focus be drawn to what's obviously of 'lesser' importance. Obviously not
missing what's apparent in scripture is God's focus and should be ours
as well.

In closing, there's enough info on how to deal with people in practically any
situational relationship. There's enough info on how to make sure you're
doing what you need to do in response to His will. There's enough info
on how to get ready for a glorified eternity. And enough is enough.

Putting Your Seconds First

As I sat racking my brain on how to tie in a reference to a movie I saw recently, with today’s word; it came to me…
PEOPLE DON’T LIKE BEING PREACHED TO
But that’s not true for ALL people. The movie I saw is called ‘Facing The Giants’ and if I had to give a rating like those news media columnists that people run to for answers; I’d give 3.5 out of 5 stars and a big thumbs up. This movie was not a big box office production like ‘Pirates of the Ocean’s Thirteen’ (lil humor). It’s low budget, amateur actors, and although noone preached to me particularly, it’s preachy. And if you chose to see it, you’ll know why I liked it.
Here’s the word:
Ephesians 5:16-17 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.

Our culture has an insatiable desire to be entertained. We’re not looking for what’s funny or exciting, we’re looking for what’s funniest and most exciting. And the other shows that command high ratings are the ones that put down contestants for not being funny or exciting enough. I can’t help but see this as a trick and a trap by satan using his trickery and lies. 2 Corinthians 2:11 tells us that satan has schemes and devices that he uses to take advantage of us but we who are in Christ are not supposed to fall for it. We’re supposed to reaching into dead men’s chests with the light of the gospel. Not simply sitting back, looking to be entertained.
Life is short Pray hard and work hard.
Will of God? 1 Thessalonians 5:16 (one of many answers).
Was I too preachy?

Relay Sonship

‘According to David Barrett et al, editors of the "World Christian Encyclopedia: A comparative survey of churches and religions - AD 30 to 2200," there are 19 major world religions which are subdivided into a total of 270 large religious groups, and many smaller ones…in the world’.

I love the standpoint of basic ‘Following Christ’ Christianity as not being a religion but a relationship.
One of the joys of my life is that I grew up with a ‘Very Best Friend’, Marc. And one notable part of growing up with Marc was that he and his family were’nt rich but they were well off (and when you’re poor, anything other than poor is rich…..trust me). But as Marc and I obviously grew more fond of each other, there was a time when Marc’s parents pretty much allowed me to call them ‘Mom & Dad’. I didn’t have to ask to get something from the fridge and they would invlolve my in they’re plans the same as if I were really part of the family. When they renovated the garage to become Marc’s room, they put in two beds, one for me. And appropriately enough, I even experienced discipline. I had been somewhat adopted.
Here’s the Word:
Romans 8:14 – 18 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. 15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 17And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. 18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

Our Heavenly Father is Sovereign over the vastness of the universe all the way down to the affairs and thoughts of men, and He’s not interested in in being the Master of slaves. He’s the family type. He’s about relaying sonship. Mature believers, In addition to conveying the truth of the gospel to the lost, need to relay the message of sonship in Gods’s Family because many Christians still tend to have a white knuckle grip on the things of this life and seem to think that one of the goals of living the Christian life is to become suffer-proof. Suffering is not only part of the process, it’s the nature of the struggle. We exist in a world system where Satan is the prince of the power of the air. C’mon, you gotta expect some suffering.

Matthew 10:38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me