Earth hath no sorrow that heaven cannot heal. -- Thomas Moore

Our church lost a new born baby yesterday. He was with us one hour before the Lord called him back home. The blessing is how the young couple handled the situation. God was glorified by their faith.

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow,
Because He lives, all fear is gone;
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living,
Just because He lives!

Oprah Exposed

The tearful praying Christian, whose distress prevent his words, will be clearly understood by the Most High. -- Charles H. Spurgeon

"In your anger do not sin": Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. -- Ephesians 4:26-27

'Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there.'

Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth. -- John 4:23-24

God seeks true worshipers. He seeks those who long to praise him authentically and spirit to spirit. To help us in our quest, he gives us his Spirit to help us worship (Philippians 3:3; Jude 20;Romans 8:26-27). Most of all, he wants us to genuinely worship him-- worship him according to his will and with all of our heart.

To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
-- Philippians 4:20

When was the last time that you prayed and didn't request things from God and you simply thanked and praised him? Why not use today as a day of thanks and praise? Don't ask for anything; just praise and thank the Father! Praise him for who he is, what he has done, and what he is going to do! Thank him for blessing you, saving you, and bringing you into his glory!

Let today be a day of thanks and praise.

DRINK, STEAL, SWEAR & LIE

1.. 'Drink' from the 'everlasting cup' every day.
2.. 'Steal' a moment to help someone that is in worse shape than you are.
3.. 'Swear' that you will be a better person today than yesterday.
4.. When you 'lie' down at night thank God you live in America and have freedom.

I Can

An incredible illustration about the relationship between a father and son ... and God's relationship with us.

In his book The Tipping Point, Malcolm Gladwell observes that struggling businesses are often turned around by one key decision. Many once-foundering companies are now thriving and successful because of a choice that became the tipping point.

Although targeted to those in business management, the principle also applies to those who are committed to advancing the cause of Christ. Sometimes we find ourselves up against a wall, struggling with a decision or situation that threatens to cripple our capacity for effective service to our King. It’s at those critical junctures that we can make a “tipping point” decision to turn things around.

The decision? Surrender your will and heart to God. James 4:7 says, “Submit to God,” and Romans 12:1 tells us, “Present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God.” Be willing to sacrifice your agenda for His greater purposes.

Surrender is the tipping point. When we make that choice, God can use us to do great things for Him.

ODB

The world needs Christians who embrace an antithetical worldview, a biblical mindset that answers questions of truth and morality in terms of black and white. Why? Because there is no salvation without absolute, unshakeable truth. Compromising, changing, tolerant opinions don't provide answers for the "crazy and confusing and painful" issues that confront us every day. Only truth saves and sanctifies and gives hope.

What's needed today is a generation of men and women who will take a stand on biblical truth. People like that fear the Lord, not men, and will find power and courage from the Lord to uphold His truth in an age of extreme tolerance.

Adapted from John MacArthur

Love is demonstrated, not just said. Love goes ahead sharing itself instead of waiting until things are easy or safe. Love redeems when all hope seems lost. Love is not only what God is, but it is also what he does and what he gives.

Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me -- put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. -- Philippians 4:9

I don't know about you, but I truly hope that my life reflects what I say and teach. What a great statement to be able to make to those we lead, whether it is in the classroom, in our families, at work, or at church.

The Bible often uses the picture of military battle, fighting, and warfare to describe the Christian life. Paul exhorted Timothy, “Endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ” (2 Timothy 2:3 NKJV). He also wrote that he had “fought the good fight” (2 Timothy 4:7 NKJV). Jesus told His own disciples, as they were going out into the world and being an influence for Him, that the gates of hell would not prevail against them as the church (see Matthew 16:18). We may not fully understand the meaning of this phrase, but the disciples would have. In that day, when a military offensive was launched against a city, one of the first strategies was to bring in a battering ram, knock down the gate, and defeat the opposing army.

When it comes to the Christian life, we will either gain or lose ground. We will either win or lose. But we have to be involved in the spiritual battle. Spiritual pacifists will be knocked down, because the Christian life is not a playground, but a battleground. It is up to us to fight the good fight of faith. So, we had better suit up and learn the principles from God’s Word that teach us how to be more than conquerors in Jesus Christ.

Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. -- Colossians 4:5-6

Jesus warned about our giving account for every idle word (Matthew 12:36-37). Paul takes it a step further and emphasizes how important this is with those who don't know Christ. We want to seize every opportunity when around those who are not Christians and show kindness, care, and control in the way we use our speech. Someone's eternal destiny may be resting on our conversations with them.

It is not the business of the church to adapt Christ to men, but men to Christ. -- Dorothy Sayers

He who begins by seeking God within himself may end by confusing himself with God. -- B. B. Warfield

National Day of Prayer

May 1, 2008