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PRAYER,
BEFORE ANYTHING ELSE
God does not conduct His work, solely, with men of education or of
wealth or of business capacity. Neither can He carry on His work through men of
large intellects or of great culture, nor yet through men of great social
eminence and influence. All these can be made to count provided they are not
regarded as being primary. These men, by the simple fact of these qualities and
conditions, cannot lead in God's work nor control His cause. Men of prayer,
before anything else, are indispensable to the furtherance of the
I WROTE YOUR NAME I wrote
your name on a piece of paper, but by accident I threw it away. I wrote your name on my hand, but it washed away. I wrote your name in the sand, but the waves whispered it away. I wrote your name in my heart, and there forever it will stay. - Author Unknown. Submitted by Ellen Schultz -
Cited on Weekend Encounter, by Dick
Innes
AN
HUMBLE BIRTH
Mary was far from home, far from
her family, and far from what she expected that first birth to be. But the whole
setting for the child’s birth was apart of an elaborate plan to provide access
for lost humanity into God’s family. Why did God experience such a humble
birth?
FEAR
NOT
In the Christmas narratives,
there are several “fear not’s.” 1. The “fear not” of salvation: “And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings...which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:10,11). 2. The “fear not” of the humanly impossible: “Fear not, Mary, … the Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: …For with God nothing shall be impossible” (Luke 1:30, 35, 37). 3. The “fear not” of unanswered prayer: “Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John” (Luke 1:13). 4. The “fear not” of immediate obedience: “Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife. … Then Joseph … did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him” (Matthew 1:20,24) - Source Unknown
THE WORK OF CHRISTMAS
POSITIVE
INFLUENCE
John Gibson, a popular anchor for the Fox News Channel, has been
digging up evidence about activists, lawyers, politicians, educators, and media
people who are leading the war on Christmas. And he reveals that the situation
isn’t just hype.
For
instance:
THE EASY WAY OUT Christmas shopping, though fun, can be difficult. Did you hear about the guy that bought his wife a beautiful diamond ring for Christmas? A friend of his said, "I thought she wanted one of those sporty 4-Wheel drive vehicles." "She did," he replied. "But where am I gonna find a fake Jeep?"
As a theologian said in 320, "We hold this day holy, not like the pagans because of the birth of the sun, but because of him who made it."
The King
of glory, the Lord Jesus Christ, gave himself to you and me. The Bible calls
Him, "the unspeakable gift!" He
is the greatest gift we will ever receive!
SPONTANEOUS
BROTHERHOOD
THROW
IT OUT!
In a business magazine I
read, there was an article about a company, imaginary I hope, that was planning
its Christmas sales campaign. The board of directors was puzzled how they could
beat their competitors, then suddenly the chairman had an idea. "We’ll
have a crib," he said, getting very excited. "We’ll have the most
expensive manger in the world. We’re about to put Christmas back into
Christmas!" From then on there was no stopping them. They decided on a
slogan lifted from the New Testament, "It is more blessed to give than to
receive."
May
the spirit of Christmas bring you peace,
A CANDY MAKER’S WITNESS
CHRISTMAS GIFT SUGGESTIONS To
your enemy, forgiveness. To God, praise and glory and honor! (Worship Him)
May
Peace be your gift at Christmas
FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE EVERYTHING It is a commentary on our situation in life that the biggest problem most of us has with our Christmas shopping, aside from finding time to do it, is that most of the people we shop for already have everything they need. This year I’m fresh out of ideas. We can imagine the scene in a fairly average household on Christmas morning. When all the expensively wrapped gifts have been opened and the room looks like an explosion in a paper-goods factory…
It is rather obvious that a
typical American family has everything. They have helped keep the economy on an
upward spiral, gratifying both the local merchants and the administration in Are they people who have everything or people who need everything? What do they really need this Christmas? They need simplicity, time for sorting out their lives, time for being together, time for getting to know one another, and time for sharing themselves at the deepest levels of human communication. They need holy time, a sense of life’s deeper dimensions, of eternal mysteries breaking in upon finite existence, of the God of righteousness whose being conveys meaning to all of life’s actions and relationships, and the blessing of a world that wants to bless us if we’ll only let it. They need space for seeing life as it is, for seeing the millions of people in the world who are starving to death and the millions who are dying of simple diseases, for realizing how shallow life is when it is lived merely for the pleasure of the moment without any regard to the future or its consequences, for standing back and looking at their own lives, so that, like Scrooge when the ghosts of Christmas Past and Christmas Present and Christmas Future whisked him away, they will have a chance to mend their ways, to become wholesome, to become worthy, and to become children of God. They need the Christ of Christmas and renewal of their inner spirits. That is what it all comes down to, isn’t it? They need to hear and receive the message of Christmas, that God has entered the human arena to dwell with us, that His presence is consequently here and available to us now, that we are not alone, spinning out our destinies…, and that all our days are spent before the Holy One of Israel who poured all that He was and is and will be through the funnel of a miracle into the child born in the manger of Bethlehem. They need to surrender their lives to Christ, who is the real Gift of Christmas, and in the end He so overshadows all others as to be the only one. In a sense, I am talking about all of us. That is the way it ought to be for us at Christmas. Most of us have been lost in the busyness of our existence, trying to cope from day to day, and have quite forgotten who we are or whose we are.…And then we, who thought we had everything, realize we have nothing, and, realizing we have nothing, stand ready to receive everything. For He is our joy and peace.
In all the frenzy and noise
of the season, O God, help us to find our way home; and, having found it, let us
never lose it. Through Christ, who was born to show us the way. Amen. - John
Killinger Christmas Spoke Here
T'was
The Night Before Christmas
There was no room in the inn when Christ was born, and today there is no room in the hearts of many everywhere for the Christ who grew and gave His life that we might live!
JUST THE FACTS
"He
that is void of wisdom despiseth his neighbour: but a man of understanding
holdeth his peace."
Proverbs 11:12
GIVING TO GOD "Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver." - 2 Corinthians 9:7 Years ago it was the custom for the people to bring their gifts to the front of the church. A well-known preacher was making an appeal to the people to give for a good cause. Many came to present their offerings of love. Among them was a little crippled girl who hobbled along at the end of the line. Pulling a ring from her finger, she placed it on the table and made her way back up the aisle. After the service an usher was sent to bring her to the preacher's study. The preacher said, "My dear, I saw what you did. It was beautiful. But the response of the people has been so generous that we have enough to take care of the need. We don't feel right about keeping your treasured ring, so we have decided to give it back to you." To his surprise, the little girl vigorously shook her head in refusal. "You don't understand," she said. "I didn't give my ring to you, I gave it to God!" Lovely. (Author Known to God) - jcshrimp1.com
SLEEPING
IN CHURCH In a
cartoon simply dated 2000, Tim Walburg of
SEND
THE FLOOD! During
a flood in the
STEWARDSHIP Funny how a $100 "looks" so big when taken to church, but so small when taken to the mall. Funny how long it takes to serve God for an hour, but how quickly a team plays 60 minutes of basketball. Funny how long a couple of hours spent at church are, but how short they are when watching a movie. Funny how people can't think of anything to say when they pray, but don't have difficulty thinking of things to talk about to a friend. Funny how people get thrilled when a baseball game goes into extra innings, but complain when a sermon is longer than the regular time. Funny how hard it is to read a chapter in the bible, but how easy it is to read 100 pages of a best selling novel. Funny how people want to get a front seat at any game or concert, but scramble to get a back seat at church services. Funny how people need 2 or 3 weeks advance notice to fit a church event into their schedule, but can adjust their schedule for other events at the last moment. Funny how hard it is for people to learn a simple gospel well enough to tell others, but how simple it is for the same people to understand and repeat gossip. Funny how people believe what the newspaper says, but question what the Bible says. Funny how everyone wants to go to heaven provided they do not have to believe, or to think, or to say, or do anything. Funny how you can send a thousand 'jokes' through e-mail and they spread like wildfire, but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing. FUNNY, ISN'T IT? Are you laughing? Are you thinking? Spread the Word and give thanks to the Lord for He is good!
THANKFULNESS
It was
the worst of times. In the first half of the 17th century,
HE’S
COMING BACK FOR US!
A father and nine-year-old daughter were swimming in the ocean. While they
were separated by some distance, the tide began to go out. The father knew he
could not reach his little daughter and bring her to safety alone with the tide
running so strongly against him. His only hope of saving her was to get help
quickly.
BRINGING OUT THE BEST! There
is no oil, if olives are not squeezed...
I MAY NEVER SEE TOMORROW I
must exercise compassion, help the fallen to their
feet,
WORSHIP
AND WORRY
"It was early in the morning in another country. Exhausted, I
awoke around 3. The name of someone I loved dearly flashed into my mind. It was
like an electric shock. Instantly, I was wide awake. I knew there would be no
more sleep for me the rest of the night. So I lay there and prayed for the one
who was trying hard to run away from God. When it is dark and the imagination
runs wild, there are fears that only a mother can understand. So I turned on the light, got my Bible, and the first verse that came to me was Philippians 4:6: 'Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God' (italics mine). And verse 7, 'And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.' Suddenly I realized the missing ingredient in my prayers had been 'with thanksgiving.' So I put down my Bible and spent time worshiping Him for who He is and what He is. This covers more territory than any one mortal can comprehend. Even contemplating what little we do know dissolves doubts, reinforces faith and restores joy. I began to thank God for giving me this one I loved so dearly in the first place. I even thanked Him for the difficult spots which taught me so much. And you know what happened? It was as if suddenly someone turned on the lights in my mind and heart, and the little fears and worries which, like mice and cockroaches, had been nibbling away in the darkness, suddenly scuttled for cover.
That was when I learned that
worship and worry cannot live in the same heart." - Source: Ruth
AROUND
THE THANKSGIVING TABLE
One Thanksgiving season a family was seated around their table,
looking at the annual holiday bird. From the oldest to the youngest, they were
to express their praise. When they came to the 5-year-old in the family, he
began by looking at the turkey and expressing his thanks to the turkey, saying
although he had not tasted it he knew it would be good. After that rather novel
expression of thanksgiving, he began with a more predictable line of credits,
thanking his mother for cooking the turkey and his father for buying the turkey.
But then he went beyond that. He joined together a whole hidden multitude of
benefactors, linking them with cause and effect. He said, "I thank you for the checker at the grocery store who checked out the turkey. I thank you for the grocery store people who put it on the shelf. I thank you for the farmer who made it fat. I thank you for the man who made the feed. I thank you for those who brought the turkey to the store." Using his Columbo-like little mind, he traced the turkey all the way from its origin to his plate. And then at the end he solemnly said "Did I leave anybody out?" His 2-year-older brother, embarrassed by all those proceedings, said, "God." Solemnly and without being flustered at all, the 5-year-old said, "I was about to get to Him." Well, isn't that the question about which we ought to think at Thanksgiving time? Are we really going to get to Him this Thanksgiving? – www.creativeyouthideas.com
I'M
GOIN’ TO STILL BE THANKFUL -
L. A. Tubbs
THE PILGRIMS CAME The
Pilgrims came across the sea, We
tell their story, old and true Every
child knows well the tale ~~Author
Unknown.~~
GETTING
RID OF AN ENEMY
In the days of the Revolutionary War there lived at
Remember It
was the Veteran, not the poet, who has given us freedom of speech. It
was the Veteran, not the lawyer, who has given us the right to fair trial. It
was the Veteran, not the campus organizer, who has given us freedom to
demonstrate. It
is the Veteran, who salutes the flag, who served under the flag, Written by Father Denis Edward O'Brien, USMC
All
Gave Some - Some Gave All
IF
I KNEW it would be the last time
that I'd see you fall asleep, I would tuck you in more tightly and pray the Lord
your soul to keep.
"Be bold in what you stand for and careful what you fall for." -- Ruth Boorstin
ACTS
- A Pattern for prayer
In
order to help us remember the important parts of prayer, the acronym ACTS
has been developed. This is a simple mnemonic device to help us remember the
four basic elements of prayer. A
= Adoration: We
put aside all our thoughts and troubles and come into the presence of God.It is
a time for "turning our heart home...," a pause in our activities to
focus on God, and God alone. For many this is a time of praise for all the glory
of God revealed around us. For others it is a time of quiet listening, putting
all other thoughts aside and seeking a clear focus of our love for God.
It is a time to put things in perspective, to remember "who we are
and whose we are." It sets the stage for all that is to follow. C
= Confession:
This is the time for truth
telling. Even as we know God is aware of all our faults and failures, it is
important to let God know that WE are aware of them as well.
Too often we can hide and deny the places that hold the most pain.
Too often the world rushes us on and we allow situations to fester. Truth
telling involves honest appraisal both of the good and the bad in our life. It
is a time to speak to God with the deepest trust that these circumstances need
attention, healing and resolution.
Often this honesty needs to be spoken aloud, shared with a trusted
friend or spiritual director for in the speaking, insight often comes.
Being honest before God may lead us into some painful realization as
to our need for seeking help, reconciliation or guidance.
Such Honesty is the most direct and powerful way to resolve the
situations of our life. T
= Thanksgiving:
In the context of adoration
and with ourselves being very honest before God, we are then able to give
thanks.
We "count our blessings" as we recognize all that God has
done for us. From the smallest gift of a flower blooming on a concrete sidewalk,
to the awesome love of God in the Grace and Sacrifice of Jesus Christ... we give
thanks. We give thanks
for the food we have, the shelter provided, the family and friends, the church
family and its support. S
= Supplication:
Supplication is simply the
sharing of our needs. They are different than our wants and desires. God has
promised to care for our needs. We may
recognize the shallowness of some of our desires. We may uncover a deeper need
long ago buried. We may discover God has placed in our life new solutions and
answers to our prayers. As we go over our concerns for others, we
may be given insights into how best to minister to others. At times, names may
come to us "out of the blue." And perhaps a phone call is needed, a
card, or a visit or a deep word of prayer for them.
God has a way of using our supplications to become occasions for our
own growth in our spiritual journey. We are often confronted with actions and
opportunities which, if followed through, enrich us greatly. ACTS:
Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication. Can you see how these
letters can be used in your prayer time? Can you find 5-10 minutes a day and
give them a try? As
you begin, go through the letters, first with A
(adoration), pause and consider how great God is. Then after a few moments, move
on to C (confession), and do the
same. Then move on to T
(thanksgiving) and end with S
(supplication.) Take
the time in the morning, or at lunch or in the car with the music off. You'll be
surprised at how powerful God will be in your life with just these few moments,
these few letters: ACTS.
LORD,
TAKE US, USE US!
"There is a lad here, which
hath five barley loaves, and two fishes: but
what are they among so many? And
Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the
disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the
fishes as much as they would." - John 6:9,11
A
TITHE FISH STORY - by Ben
Maxson I was on the
THE NAIL The congregation built a new church building and people came from far and wide to see it... They admired its beauty. Up on the roof, a little nail heard the people praising everything about the lovely structure -- except the nail. No one even knew he was there, and he became angry and jealous. "If I am that insignificant, nobody will miss me if I quit!" So the nail then released its hold, slid down the roof, and fell in the mud. That night it rained and rained. Soon, the shingle that had no nail blew away, and the roof began to leak. The water streaked the walls and the beautiful murals. The plaster began to fall, the carpet was stained, and the pulpit Bible was ruined by water. All this because a little nail decided to quit! But what of the nail? While holding the shingle, it was obscure but it was also useful. Buried in the mud it was just as obscure, but now it was useless and would soon be eaten up by rust! THOUGHT: Every member is important to the church. You may, like the nail, feel obscure at times, but just like the nail, your absence is felt. When you are not present for worship, in some way the body of Christ hurts. We are all a part of the Lord''s building. . . .The Daily Encourager (dlangerfeld@HarrisburgBaptist.org) by way of “Christian Voices” (www.ChristianVoicesWorldwide.com)
THERE
IS A CLEAR PATTERN IN THE BIBLE THAT TEACHES US THAT BROKENNESS
BRINGS BREAKTHROUGH
You Are Not An Accident. Your birth was no mistake or mishap, and your life is no fluke of nature. Your parents may not have planned you, but God did... Long before you were conceived by your parents, you were conceived in the mind of God. He thought of you first. It is not fate, nor chance, nor luck, nor coincidence that you are breathing this very moment. You are alive because God wanted to create you! - Rick Warren - Sent by Jared Drew – www.monday-fodder.com
Not Eatin' . . . Just Holdin'! "For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God." Romans 8:6-8 Johnny asked Mother, "Can I have some cookies, Mom?" Looking at the clock, she replied, "Not now! It is too close to dinner." About ten minutes later, the mother entered the kitchen. There was Johnny up on the counter with his arm in the cookie jar clear up to his elbow. "I thought I just told you, no cookies till dinner!" Johnny's mother fumed. "Well, Mom, I'm not eatin' no cookies! I'm just holdin' some!" (Author Unknown) After I finished reading this cute little article, I thought about temptations in life. Johnny would have had a much easier time if he had avoided the cookie jar altogether. But the temptation was just too great to resist. Each of us has some point of vulnerability. It may be a problem with alcohol, drugs, gambling, sensuous lusts, or even eating disorders. We often compound our problems by putting ourselves into untenable positions and precipitous situations. We would not fail so often if we avoided places or things where we would be subject to temptations. We ought to abstain from those things which tempt us to be unrighteous within the Lord's law. Let us cease giving the flesh easy opportunities! "That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." - jcshrimp1.com/insp/
SPEAK
TO US, O LORD
We had just finished an
enthusiastic praise and worship time one Sunday morning. As the worship
leader finished the last song, she went straight into prayer.
LORD
PROP US UP
Every time I am asked to
pray, I think of the old deacon who always prayed,"Lord prop us up on our
leanin'side"
After hearing him pray that prayer many times, someone asked him why he
prayed that prayer so fervently, He answered , "Well sir, you see, it's
like this.... I got an old barn out back, it's been there a long time. It's
withstood a lot of weather, it's gone through a lot of storms and it's stood for
many of years. It's still standing. But one day I noticed it was leaning to one
side a bit. So I went and got some pine poles and propped it up on it's leaning
side so it wouldn't fall.
Then I got to thinking 'bout that and how much I was like that old barn.
I've been around a long time, I've stood a lot of life's storms. I've withstood
a lot bad weather in my life, I've withstood a lot of hard times and I'm still
standing too. But I find myself leaning to one side from time to time. I like to
ask the Lord to prop us up on our leaning side,
'cause I figure a lot of us get to leaning, at times." Sometime we get to leaning toward anger, leaning toward bitterness, and a lot of things that we shouldn't, so we need to pray, "Lord, prop us up on our leaning side," So we will stand straight and tall again, to glorify the LORD!!!!! – Author Unknown
I
DECIDE TO
BE HAPPY EVERY DAY
The 92-year-old, petite, well-poised and proud mother-in-law of my
best friend, who is fully dressed each morning by eight o'clock, with her hair
fashionably coifed and makeup perfectly applied, even though she is legally
blind, moved to a nursing home today. Her husband of 70 years recently passed
away, making the move necessary.
HOLINESS In the final analysis our greatest problem with holiness is not that our concepts of holiness are feeble, but that our hearts are rebellious. We are selfish, that's our problem. And the fact that we often won't admit our selfishness shows how deep the pride goes. - Floyd McClung @The Timothy Report - to subscribe http://www.timothyreport.com – www.monday-fodder.com
THE
HEART OF THE LORD’S PRAYER Hallowed
be Thy name....The PRAISE of God Thy
kingdom come....The PURPOSE of God Thy
will be done....The PLAN of God Give
us bread....The PROVISION of God Forgive
us our debts....The PARDON of God Lead
us not into temptation....The POWER of God Deliver
us from the evil one....The PROTECTION of God --Elmer
L. Towns, Cited on Monday Fodder
A
CHILD’S PRAYER Dear
Lord, tonight I want to ask something special of you... change me into a TV set.
I want to take it's place to be able live the life that the TV lives in our
house:
A
DOZEN EGGS
TO
BELIEVE OR NOT TO BELIEVE
James Calvert (1813-1892) was a
zealous missionary to cannibals on
the
The old chief responded with a gleam in his eyes, "See that great
rock over there? On it we smashed the heads of our victims. Notice the furnace
next to it. In that oven we formerly roasted the bodies of our enemies. If it
hadn't been for those good missionaries and the love of Jesus that changed us
from Cannibals into Christians, you'd never leave this place! You'd better thank
the Lord for the gospel; otherwise we'd already be feasting on you. If it
weren't for the Bible and its salvation message, you'd now be our supper!"
From: "Spiritual Gratitude," Kindred Spirit, (Volume 16, Number 1, p.
6). Cited on: WITandWISDOM, www.witandwisdom.org
– Cited on Weekend Encounter, by
Dick Innes
POWER
OF PRAYER
A small The church folks gathered on Saturday night and there was a horrible thunderstorm raging outside and to the delight of the church members lightening hit that old brewery and it burned to the ground. The next morning the sermons that were preached in both churches were on the power of prayer. But the insurance adjusters promptly notified the distillery owner that they were not going to pay for the damages because the fire was an act of God and that this was an exclusion to the policy. The distillery owner was furious and he sued both churches claiming that they had conspired with God to destroy his business. But the churches denied that they had anything to do with the cause of the fire. The presiding judge opened the trial with these words: “I find one thing in this case most perplexing-we have a situation here where the plaintiff, an atheist is professing his belief in the power of prayer, and the defendants all faithful church members are denying it.”
WHO
WAS JESUS?
He began His ministry by being hungry, yet He is the Bread of Life.
THESE THINGS I WISH FOR EACH OF YOU We tried so hard to make things better for our kids that we made them worse. For my grandchildren, I'd like better. I'd really like for them to know about hand-me down clothes and homemade ice cream and leftover meatloaf sandwiches. I really would. My cherished grandson, I hope you learn humility by being humiliated, and that you learn honesty by being cheated. I hope you learn to make your bed and mow the lawn and wash the car. And I really hope nobody gives you a brand new car when you are sixteen. I hope you have a job by then. It will be good if at least one time you can see a baby calf born and your old dog put to sleep. I hope you get a black eye fighting for something you believe in. I hope you have to share a bedroom with your younger brother. And it's all right if you have to draw a line down the middle of the room, but when he wants to crawl under the covers with you because he's scared, I hope you let him. When you want to see a Disney movie and your little brother wants to tag along, I hope you'll let him. I hope you have to walk uphill to school with your friends and that you live in a town where you can do it safely. On rainy days when you have to catch a ride I hope your driver doesn't have to drop you two blocks away so you won't be seen riding with someone as uncool as your mom. If you want a slingshot, I hope your dad teaches you how to make one instead of buying one. I hope you learn to dig in the dirt and read books. When you learn to use those newfangled computers, I hope you also learn to add and subtract in your head. I hope you get razzed by your friends when you have your first crush on a girl, and when you talk back to your mother that you learn what Ivory soap tastes like. May you skin your knee climbing a mountain, burn your hand on a stove and stick your tongue on a frozen flagpole. I hope you get sick when someone blows cigar smoke in your face. And if a friend offers you a joint, I hope you realize he is not your friend. I sure hope you make time to sit on a porch with your grandpa and go fishing with your uncle. May you feel sorrow a |