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(Swindoll) God will not be manipulated

(Swindoll) Prayer is not a laborious painful marathon of monotonous misery entered into for hours each day to prove one's piety to God. Prayer is an authentic seeking of His plan as we willingly adjust our will to match His. It is amazing what effect prayer has on our relationships with others

(Swindoll) Chances are good  you awoke this morning, stepped out of bed, and before doing anything,  strapped on your wellworn  backpack of anxiety

( Swindoll) Worry solves nothing. The stress from worry drains our energy and preoccupies our minds, stripping us of our peace

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(Swindoll) God does not want us to substitute the good for the very best

(Swindoll) The real issue is not so much " What does the Lord want me to do?" as much as " Am I willing to do it once He makes it clear?"

(Eugene Peterson) Everyone one of us needs to be stretched to live at our very best

(Swindoll) God will never adjust His agenda to fit ours

(Swindoll) It is so easy to get religious instead of godly

(Swindoll) God is willing to give wisdom, but not on our terms

(Swindoll) If intimacy with God is your goal, discipline is the means to that end

(Swindoll) A primary purpose of prayer is connecting with God in order to transfer His will into your life

083011

(Rogers) The happiest people are rarely the richest, the most beautiful, or the most talented people

(Swindoll) One of life's greatest tragedies is that so few choose to live joyfully

(Swindoll)  There are some things that  God will not due and/or  cannot due because they do not confrom to His nature.  Christian, can the same be said of you?

(Swindoll) In the final analysis, God will have His way

(Swindoll) Choose your counselors very carefully

Below is  a summary of  reasons  people who have been  deceived by Satan give either verbally or in their own hearts for not having trusted  in Christ alone  by faith alone through grace alone for their salvation:

They don't see the need to be saved

They don't think they can be saved

They don't know how to be saved

Pharisees ( legalist or hypocrites)

Pleasure

Possessions

Pride

Procrastintion

Refusal to think about, be confronted by,  or come to the right  conclusion about the Three Greatest Questions: Who was the most important person who ever lived? What was the most important event in history? What is the  most important decision they will ever make?

Fear of losing power , prestige,  prominence, popularity

Peer pressure

Anger or bitterness toward God

Fear of God

"Intellectual " problems , questions, or reservations about Jesus  Christ  and/or the Bible

 Wrong answers to  one or more of the following questions: Is man basically good or evil ?  Is there life after death? Is there a heaven and a hell?  " What  is a Christian? How to become a Christian?                                                  Whether a person knows it or not, Satan relentlessly and tenanciously deceives,
misleads, and spiritually blinds unsaved people by one or more( usually  more) of the above strategies.

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(Swindoll) The most convincing defense is the silent integrity of our character. The world is watching to see if what we say we believe is true in our lives

(Rogers) If  that doesn't light your fire, then you have wet wood

(Wiersbe) The word desciple is used at least  270 times  the the first five books of the New Testament

The most frequent command of Christ was " fear not"

(Swindoll) Shame is a relentless, accusing voice that whispers  " you are worthless "

(Swindoll) Christ reads our motives like an open book

(Swindoll) Life doesn't revolve around me-- my comfort, my desires, my dreams, my plans. Instead, it is all about Him

(Swindoll) We naturally serve what we trust

(Swindoll) Sacrifice is worship

( A W Tozer) Everything is safe which we commit to Him; nothing is really safe which is not so committed

(Swindoll)  Why we  give is of far greater importance to God than what we give

(Swindoll) First and foremost, we are to give ourselves to the Lord. When we do, our treasure will follow the leading of our heart

(Swindoll) How easy to take, be blessed, instructed, encouraged, exhorted,affirmed,strengthened... yet fail to balance the receiving with our giving

(Swindoll) If every  professing Christian  gave 10 %, we would have such an enormous surplus in God's work we would not know what to do with the extra

( Rogers) For many years, it never ceased to amaze me what people would not believe. Now , it never ceases to amaze me what people will believe

(Hollie Miller) As surely as you have a birthday, you will have a deathday unless Christ returns. Christ has taken the sting, loneliness, mystery, and fear out of death

(Swindoll) When will we start living like those who are free? What in the world has happened to grace?

(Swindoll) Christian liberty is freedom from Satan's intimidation and sin's domination

(Swindoll) It is never too late to start doing what is right

( Swindoll) Are others better off as a result of having spent time with you?

( Swindoll) In false religions, enough is never enough

(Swindoll) Grace is the bedrock truth upon which all of Christian belief and practice stands

(Swindoll) Legalists are "  grace killers "  who promote a system that is so demanding  that there is no room left for joy

(Swindoll) Grace is to extend favor or kindness to one who doesn't deserve it and  could never earn it

(Rogers)  A few years go, he quoted Bill Bright as saying ,  at that time , that 98 %  of  the known world's people groups  had some access to the Gospel

(Swindoll) Every day millions who should be free, productive people are living with shame, fear, and intimidation

(Swindoll) Cultivate a desire for authentic faith rather than endure a religion based on superficial performance

(Swindoll) There will always be those who give us more and more to live up to

(Swindoll)  For there to be true maturity, people must be given some room to grow, which includes room to think on their own, to fail, to disagree, and to make mistakes

(Swindoll) When grace is in your heart, your desire is to release others from fear, not create it

082911

(Rom 6?23/ The Message) Work hard for sin all your life and your pension is death
(Rom 6:11/ J B Phillips)Look upon yourself as dead to the appeal and power of sin
(Rom 6:16/JB Phillips) You belong to the power which you choose to obey

( Rom 6:6/ Living Bible)  That part of you that loves to sin was crushed and fatally wounded

(Ray Stedman) His death for us produced our justification; our death with Him produces our sanctification

(Ray Stedman) Feelings change, but our relationship to Christ doesn't change with our moods

(Stedman) Day by day, remind yourself  that what God says is true and act upon it, even though you don't feel like it

(Swindoll)  Keep reminding yourself that, as a Christian, what you're going through now isn't the end of the story. It's simply the rough journey that leads to the right destination

(Swindoll)  God offers a special grace to match every shade of sorrow

(Swindoll) We live in a world where the majority are going the wrong way

(Swindoll) Conduct yourself as one who knows that you will have to account to Him for your life

(Swindoll) The battle with this world is a battle within the mind

(Swindoll) Imagine Christ as He is thinking about you, praying for you, standing with you, and living in you

(Swindoll) We can learn a great deal from children about simple faith and sinple hope

(Swindoll) Our Lord understands our limits, realizes our struggles,knows how much pressure we can take, what measures of grace and mercy  we'll require. He knows how we are put together

082711

C ontinuous                                                                                                        C onformity  to
C hrist in
C haracter
C onduct and
C onversation

(Swindoll) It is so easy to get religious instead  of godly

(Swindoll) People who are close to God cultivate a personal intimacy with Him

(Swindoll) Prayer is connecting with God in order to transfer His will into our life

(Swindoll) Worry is the most  acceptable, yet energy-draining,  sin in the Christian family

(Swindoll) Worry about nothing. Pray about everything.

(Swindoll)  Your view of God will shape every aspect of your life

(Swindoll) God may choose  to deny our request for one blessing if the refusal paves the way for a greater one

(Swindoll) God  may deny what we want in favor of giving us what we need

( Swindoll) God's unchanging goal for  us is increasing intimacy with Him

The average marriage lasts seven years

( Our Daily Bread) When God forvgives, He removes the sin and restores the soul

(Swindoll) As soon as  we think we're humble, we're not


(Swindoll) The world doesn't need more primadonas; the world needs more servants

(Swindoll) The more I understand the price Charist paid, the less room I have for pride

(Swindoll) A heart  filled with gratitude cannot  be anything but humble

(Swindoll) Humility is the discipline of putting others ahead of yourself

(Spurgeon)  To comprehend the meaning of Telestai, you would need all the other words ever spoken. It is altogether immeasurable. It is high. I cannot attain to it. It is deep. I cannot fathom it

( Swindoll) Self-interest is the mortal enemy of surrender. Focusing intently on Jesus naturally results in a lifestyle of increasingly greater selflessness

(Swindoll) God honors those who pay the price to be like Him: selfless,sacrifice,  servant, suffering, surrender

( Swindoll) If you don't hold the possessions loosely, they will own you. Enjoy them, but refuse to idolize them

(Swindoll) Deliberately refuse to allow any position or title to determine who you are. Let it go.

( Swindoll) Nothing this side of heaven is permanent, including relationships

(Swindoll) Surrender results in surprises we would never otherwise experience and the greater the struggle to surrender, the greater the surprise

(Swindoll) Mastery of self is an incredibly difficult discipline, but it is  the path to freedom

082611

(Rogers) God prefers to use ordinary people

It has well been said that God will not share His glory with another
(Rogers) God will use a  person as long as that person continues giving glory to God

The question has often been repeated because it is such a heart-searching one: If it were to become a crime to be a Christian in America and you were arrested and brought to trial, would there be enough evidence to convict you?

(Rogers) Living without assurance is like driving with your parking brake on

( 1 John 4:17/ the Message) Our life in this world is actually His life lived in us

(Rogers) There are many professors of salvation  who are not possessors of salvation

(Rogers) Alka-Seltzer Christians- you drop them in water, they fizzle a little bit, but then they disappear

(Rogers) The Holy Spirit is the convicter, converter, and completer

(Rogers) Unsaved people do what comes naturally; spiritual Christians do  what comes supernaturally, carnal Chjristians do what comes unnaturally

(Stanley) Whomever God uses greatly, He first tests thoroughly

(Swindoll) Those who struggle the least with the will of God are those who know the Word of God the best

(Swindoll)  Tells humorous story of the father who told his son if he  would improve his grades, develop  regular practice of having a quiet time, and get his hair cut, he would  get him a used car. The son improved his grades, had daily devotions, but did not  get his hair cut.  His dad commeneded him for  the improved grades and  for having a quiet time, but inquired as to why he had not gotten his hair cut. His son responded that , as he studied the Bible, he has noticed that  some of the  Old Testament  leaders, John the Baptist, and Jesus had long hair. His father replied by asking his son if he had noticed that all these men walked wherever they went

082511

 ( Lutzer) Spiritual erosion will eventually  lead to spiritual implosion

(Rogers) What is called pluralism is really synchronism-- a dumbing down and melting together of all religions

(Rogers) Satan sneers at religion without reality

( Rogers) Beware of false teachers who use Bible words but their own dictionary

(Rogers) We don't have to get rich. We are already rich

(Rogers ) I am convinced that there are no problems in churches too big to be solved, only people to small to solve them

(Will Rogers) Everyone is ignorant, just on different subjects

(Swindoll) Discernment will keep you from being deceived, duped , and disillusioned

Bluegrass is what you have when you run over a smurf picnic with your lawnmower

( Rogers) Every kick has a kickback

The story is told of two wicked brothers  who had terrorized a town for many years. One of the  brothers died and the other brother offered  a large amount of money to any pastor who would call his deceased brother a saint at the funeral service. He was turned down  by several pastors until finally he found a pastor who agreed. When the  funeral service was held, the pastor, after reviewing the sinful life the man had lived, added, " But compared to his brother, he was a saint"

(Wiersbe) God is not impressed with our money

(Mark Twain) Civilization is a limitless accumulation of unnecessary necessities

( Carrie Ten Boom) Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows; it empties today of its strength

(Wiersbe)  Worry is  disobedient,destructive, deceptive, and deformative

( Wiersbe) God's pleasures and our treasures must go together

( Henry Bosch)  I walked life's path with worry,
                          Disturbed  and quite unblessed,
                          Until I trusted Jesus
                          Now faith has given rest

( 1 Cor 11:29/The Message)  When someone gets to the end of the rope, I feel their desperation in my bones

( 2 Cor 12:7/ The Message)  So I wouldn't get the big head, I was given the gift of a handicap to keep me in constant touch with my limitations. No danger then of walking around high and mighty

(  2 Cor 12:5/Living Bible)  I am going to boast only about how weak I am and how great God is to use such weakness for His glory

(2 Cor 12:9/ Living Bible)  Each time He said no. But I am with you; that is all you need. My power shows up best in weak people

( 2 Cor 12:10/ Living Bible) When I am weak, then I am strong. The less I have, the more I depend on Him

( Lutzer)  Your legacy consists of what  you believed, what you did, and what you became

Paul's great prayers for the spiritual growth of believers:  Eph 3:14-19;Phil 1:9-12; Col 1:9-12

( Our Daily Bread) Prayer should be as natural as breathing

People won't see or hear Christ if we are standing in the way

(Les Fleetwood)  A leader worth following is a leader who is following Christ

( Stanley) The purpose of discipline is always restoration and renewal, not retribution and rejection

( Julie Link) What do people think about God as a result of being around you?

( Rogers) In the Old Testament, God had a temple for His people; in the New Testament, He has people for His temple

( Stanley)  God is sovereign, even when  in the face of life's worst trials. He will not allow us to be tested beyond our ability to withstand whatever the adversity is. God works in and through adversity to bring an end according to His timetable

( Dennis Fisher) What we dread most can be used to test our character and make us stronger. God will provide the strength and comfort to see us through

It has weell been said that a politician thinks  of the next election while the statesman  thinks of the next generation

(Rogers) In order for a person to have the ability to truly love God, they have to have the opportunity to choose not to love God

(Rogers)  Some people are like a " prison singer"-- always behind a few bars and unable to find the right key

082411

(Rogers) We've come a long way but we have gone the wrong way

It has well been said that a sorrow shared is  halved and a joy shared is doubled

(Joanie Yoder)  Fruitfulness for Christ depends on fellowship with Christ

(Yoder)  Our needs can never exhaust God's supply

(Ray Stedman)  We will never begin to learn until we learn that we do not know anything

( Pastor Dustin George) The Bible begins with  creation and ends with the new creation

( Our Daily Bread) God tests our faith so that we may trust His faithfulness

( Joe Stowell)  Question for the workaholic: If what you do is who you are, who will you be when you stop doing what you're doing?

( Pastor Ron Stewart) Those who know you the best should respect you the most

( Rogers) Behind every command of God is the omnipotent power of God to carry it out

( Rogers) It will be a great day when we learn that Jesus does not want us to do anything for Him. He wants to do much through us

( Rogers) God wants to multiply us while the devil wants to divide us

(Rogers)   Wisdom is the ability to use knowledge

( Rogers) You are what you think

( Rogers) There is no such thing as Lone Ranger Christianity

(Rogers) Strength comes from surrendering

(Rogers) To be strong is to admit you are weak

(Rogers) The glorious truth of Christian liberty is not to be refused, confused, or abused

(Rogers) Man had to have the ability to choose evil in order  to have the freedom to choose good

( Rogers) When it comes to sharing their faith, some Christians never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity

(Rogers) Satan has been defeated but he has not surrendered

(Rogers) Man is free to choose as he wishes but he is not free to choose the consequences of the choices he makes

( Winston Churchill)  Never give in. Never give in. Never, never, never, never give in

( Douglas MacArthur ) In war, there is no substitute for victory

( Rogers) Satan is not opposed  to religion. It is a major weapon in his arsenel

( Rogers) Hope is a certain and glad expectancy

(Rogers) Every nine seconds, a woman or child is battered or abused

(Rogers) The church is neither  the state's servant nor its master. It is the state's conscience

(Rogers) Government is  for the purpose of restraining evil, not restraining good

(Rogers) You do not belong to yourself  if you are a Christian. You are a purchased possession

082311

(Dan Shaeffer) The church is  a hospital where people are in various stages of healing

( A W Tozer)  A good personality and shrewd knowledge of human nature are all that is needed to succeed in  many religious circles today

( Edward George Bulwer-Lytton )  The easiest person to deceive is one's own self

( Dan Shaeffer)  We are not fooling as many people as we think we are

( Shaeffer)  The very problems we seek to avoid are God's very means of growing us in Christ. Painful situations are often God's way of developing character

( Shaeffer) One day in heaven all our disagreements and differences will be forgotten

( Shaeffer) Someone can be saying all the right things and doing all the right things, yet be  doing them for the wrong reasons

(Shaeffer) When we see people as a means to our own ends, we do not seek what is best for them, only how they can be used to help us

( Shaeffer)  There is a fine line between trying to get people involved in ministry and using people to promote your own ministry

082311

(Dan Shaeffer)  Many of life's most difficult choices are not a choice between a good thing and a bad thing, but between a good thing, a better thing, and the best thing

(Swindoll) It is never too late to start doing the right thing

( Sydney Harris)  Honesty is the unwillingness to lie to others; integrity is the unwillingness to  lie to yourself

(Shaeffer)  Other than Christ, there are no perfect people with perfect motives. They don't exist. They never have

(Jerome)  Every day we are changing, everyday we are dying; we are changing into someone we weren't before and dying to someone we were before

082211

It has well been said that it is amazing what can be accomplished when no one cares who gets the credit

(Dan Shaeffer) True descipleship is not imitating the personality of someone  we admire spiritually; it is imitating Christ

( Mother Theresa) God has not called me to be successful. He has called me to be faithful

(Shaeffer) Each time we portray ourselves as something we are not or  as believing  something we do not, our integrity takes a hit

 (Pastor Wilson) Humility attracts God's grace as surely as pride drives it away

Too many churches are comfortable, content, complacent. compromising, and conforming

082211

( E R Beadle ) Half the work that is done in the world is to make things appear to be what they are not

(Dan Shaeffer) The value of any service in God's eyes is the love for Him that prompted it and continues to power it

(Shaeffer) Scripture makes it clear that God is just as concerned about our motivation as He is with our actions

(Shaeffer) Each of us struggles with things no one else but God knows about

(David Roper)  Critics need to lighten up;those being criticized need to toughen up

It has been well said that we need to pray for tougher hides and more tender hearts

(Rogers) Everything we do or say or think honors or dishonors the Lord

(Stanley) Trusting God means looking beyond what we can see to what God sees

(Our Daily Bread)  Jesus never makes a mistake!

( Dan Shaeffer)   Our best friendships are temporary if our friends are not Christians

(Shaeffer)  Each Christian has something unique and special to offer other Christians

It has well been said that Christians never say goodbye to other Christians for the last time

(Phyllis Diller)  Always be nice to your children because they are the ones who will choose your rest home

It has well been said that Satan tries to get us to remember what we should forget and to forget what we should remember

( Bill Crowder)  From the expanses of the universe to the hidden places of the heart, God is to be given the honor and worship that He deserves-- not only for what He has done, but for who He is

( John R W Stott )  Personal ambition and empire building are greatly hindering the spread of the Gospel

( Dan Shaeffer) Everyone looks for affirmation that they are worthwhile, capable, important,effective, admired, and respected. It is simply a matter of where and to whom  they are looking for it

082111

( J. Allen Blair)  When it comes to evaluating ourselves and others,  it is as though we use two pair of glasses, one to look at the faults of others and the other pair to overlook our own

(Rogers)  If you want to know what a person is made of, watch how he handles the small issues of life

(Rogers) When we start taking the glory, God will stop giving the victory

(Rogers) To see the creation and deny the Creator is foolishness

(Rogers ) The Truth-  know it,  believe it , love it, live it, tell it

(Rogers) Jesus is the  divisive Person and His teachings are the most divisive force that ever hit planet Earth

(Rogers) The predominant " religion " of today in America is " get-alongism"

(Rogers)  They say it's lonely at the top; well, it's lonely with the truth too

(Rogers) It's not a matter of right or left; it's a matter of right or wrong

(Swindoll)  Temptation: expect it, detect it, reject it

(F. Shaffer)  God is more interested in why we are doing something than in what we are doing

( Ray Stedman)  Live for today may seem like a great idea until tomorrow comes

( Charles Stanley)  The next time you find yourself  wishing you had more, ask God to show you how rich you really are in Him

(Stanley) Without God, life can't help but disappoint

(Stanley)  God desires a close, abiding relationship with you

(Stanley) God calls you to reverence His holiness, but never to be afraid of Him

(Stanley) Sin not only blocks God's best for us, it eliminates joy

(Stanley) Let the realization that God enjoys being with you motivate you to spend time with Him

( Our Daily Bread)  To know happiness, get to know Jesus

( Thomas a Kempis) Man sees your actions but God sees your motives

( Dan Shaeffer )   God continues to attempt to break through our self deceptions  through conscience, other people, His Spirit , and His Word

( Shaeffer)   When we fake church, we create a personna, craft it, carefully come to enjoy it, and even to need it

( Shaeffer) We do not often sturggle with what is right or wrong, but with  the price we associate with doing what is right or wrong

( Our Daily Bread) Death is not a period--it is only a comma

The chance of saying the wrong thing is directly proportional to the frequency of opening the mouth. The goal should always be to say the right thing to the right person at the right time  in the best right way

082011

( Rogers) Outline of  his message about the question of what about those who have never heard?
The revelation factor
The refusal factor
The reception factor
The reckoning factor

 How would you spend today if you knew you were going to die tomorrow or that Christ would rapture the church tomorrow?

(Rogers) There are two days that can steal the joy from today-- yesterday and tomorrow. Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift from God. That's what we call it the present . Today is the most important day of the rest of your life                                                                     

(Rogers)  Four problems with the past: guilt, glory,grief, and grudges

(Alvin Reed) Some churches favorite  song is" I shall not be moved"

(Wiersbe) People don't need critics, they need examples

A man was telling his buddy that his wife treated him like a god. His buddy  asked  how and he responded that  everyday when he got home she  served him a burnt offering

(Alvin Reed) There are three kinds of folks we need to reach- the churched, the unchurches, and the dechurched.

(Rogers) The art of living is using  time wisely

(Rogers) We ought to say " no "  to  at least  one thing each day so we can say to something more important

(Rogers) If you want to develop character, do something you don't feel like doing when you don't feel like doing it

(Robert Moffat) We shall have all eternity in which to celebrate our victories, but only one short  hour before  before the sun sets to win them

( Rogers) Happiness is like a thermometer that registers our conditions; joy is like a thermostat that controls how  we respond to them

Pain is inevitable; misery is optional

(Rogers)  Jesus is the Son of the living God-- the most important truth any man or woman could ever learn

(Rogers) Only Jesus has the answers to the questions  that matter the most; only Jesus can meet the deepest hunger of the human heart

(Rogers) Five proofs of the Bible: fulfilled prophecy, unity of themes and message,  its preservation and longevity, scientific and historical accuracy, and its undeniable,  transforming power

(Rogers) Anything you can talk a person into someone else can talk them out of

A tourist said to an old mountain man, "It's great to be alive, isn't it?" The old man replied, " I don't know. I ain't never been no other way"

(Our Daily Bread) When we truly love God, we will serve people

We either grow in grace or disgrace

(Rogers) I wouldn't trust the best  fifteen minutes I ever lived to get me into heaven

(Rogers) No amount of public opinion or judicial bullying can turn darkness into light or a lie into the truth

(Rogers) It is better to be divided by truth than it is to be united by error

(Rogers) It is better to speak the truth that hurts , then heals, than to tell a lie that comforts, then kills

(Rogers) It is better to be hated for telling the truth than to be loved for telling a lie

( David Jeremiah)  What you believe about the future determines how you live today

081811

There are none so blind as those who will not see

(Swindoll) You married your spouse because they were different. Why can't you leave it that way?

(Swindoll) The Bible is as timeless as it is true

(Rogers) The unsaved person acts naturally; the spiritual Christian acts supernaturally; the carnal Christian acts unnaturally

(Rogers) The word fear not or its equivalent expression appears at least 365 times in the Bible

(Rogers) Jesus test us to prove us so we  will learn that Jesus is enough

(Rogers) The world tries to call sin everything but what it is

(Lutzer) Some people have just enough religion to keep them from salvation

(Mt 19:30/The Message)  The Great Reversal- many who are first will be last; many who are last will be first

(Wiersbe) We cannot acknowledge Jesus as our King unless we love Him supremely, obey Him unreservedly, and glorify Him completely

(Rogers) Our past is forgiven and our future is as secure as the person and promises of God

(Rogers)  When we deny sinning . we lie to others, ourselves, and God

(Rogers)  Instead of the regular words to " Count Your Many Blessings", substitute " count your many sins, name them one by one, and it will surprise you what you have done "

(Rogers) Often the believers who are the closest to God are those who have come through the deepest trials. We grow best in the darkness because it is there that we seek God as at no other time in our lives . Faith, like film, is  developed in the dark

(Rogers) A wise man once said that we should never doubt in the dark what God has shown us in the light. The real test of your faith is how you act in the dark. It is there that we discover what our faith is made of and where our trust really lies

(Wiersbe) We live by promises, not explanations

(Rogers) No matter how dark life becomes, you will find Jesus standing somewhere in the shadows

(Rogers) Someone has said that you will will never learn God is all you need until He is all you have

(Augustine) The soul of man is restless until it rests in God

(Rogers)  All men have some light and are accountable for that light. When we come to the light God gives us, He gives us more light. I believe with all my heart there has never been a person who honestly lived up to the light God gave them and yet died without an opportunity to receive Christ. God is too righteous and loving to leave honest seekers in the dark. When unbelievers stand before God, they will be judged by the light they have received

081711

(David Roper) Wisdom has only one qualification-- we must know that we are fools

(Roper) Freedom is not the power to do what we want but to do what we should


(Tim Miller) If you want to know what your focus is, listen to your prayers, look at your calendar, and look at your checkbook

(Our Daily Bread) When you are tempted to lose pateience with someone, think how patient God has been with you

(Dave Roper) We are most like God whren we care for those He cares for

(Roper) What we think is what we are. Our character is formed by our thoughts

Satan says seeing is believing; God says believing is seeing

( Our Daily Bread) An important part of praying is a willingness to be part of the answer

(Roper) The things we love and take delight in tell us what we are

(Roper) Our character should guarantee our words

(Howard Hendricks) The test of integrity is how we behave when no one is watching

People don't care what you know until they know that you care

( John MacArthur) Nothing in all the world is more important  or more valuable than the truth

( Our Daily Bread) Write you plans in pencil and let God have the eraser

(Rogers) The best lies are the ones that sound the most like the truth

( John MacArthur) An apostate is someone who has received the light but not the life

( MacArthur) Life - love= zero

( Our Daily Bread) Tough times teach us to trust

( MacArthur) The heart and soul of Christianity is our relationship with Christ.
Our whole desire should be to know, love, serve, obey, and be like Him

( Donald Whitney) Godly people are disciplined people

(Wiersbe)  Faith is living without scheming

(MacArthur) We must draw lines of conviction where Scripture draws them

The story is told of the man that was so old he remembered when the Dead Sea got sick

(Roper) A senior citizen is both an old timer and a short timer

( MacArthur) A law of diminishing returns: the more we get the more we want, the more we want, the less satisfied we are

( Our Daily Bread) There is no substitute for being real

It has been said that just as many families are dominated by children, so are many churches

(Swindoll)  Tells the humorous story of an old man meeting Satan  Satan asked him, " You know who I am and are not afraid of me? " to which the old man replied, " Nope, why should I be? I've been married to your sister for sixty years"

( MacArthur)  A life of  love, excellence, integrity, and good works will always bring  glory to God

( MacArthur)  It was said of William Arnot, " His preaching is good, his writing is better, but his living is best of all "

( MacArthur) There is no place for an aristocracy or  an elite upper crust in any church

(Rogers) The first recorded words that God spoke in the Bible were " Let there be light "

081611

(Rogers) Tells the story of a lady who went to see a psychiatrist. She had  a fried egg on top of her head and two slices of bacon over each ear. She told the psychiatrist she had come  to see him about her husband

( Our Daily Bread) The Christian life is not a sprint; it's a marathon

 ( Rogers) The three most important decisions you will  ever make in your life  are those involving  who your master, your mate, and your mission will be

( Rogers) Tells the story of the little girl wha was asked to  describe the difference between the clery and the laity. After giving the question  some careful thought, she replied, " the clergy are paid to be good while the laity are good for nothing"

(Rogers)  There are three types of folks in the church-- those who make things happen, those who watch things happens, and those who don't know anything is happening

( Rogers) Nothing lies beyond the reach of prayer except that which  lies outside the will of God

(Rogers) We are to pray to the Father through the Son in the Spirit

(Rogers) All powerful prayer is prayer that is packed with praise
                                                                                                                           (Rogers)  We are not what we think we are;what we think, we are

(Rogers) It's not so much what you know as how much you grow

(Rogers)  It has well been said that Satan trembles when  he the sees the weakest saint on his knees

(Rogers) I used to be amazed that some  would not believe; I am now amazed at what some people will believe

(Lutzer) Satan is only as strong as God allows him to be

( Lutzer)  J B Phillips wrote a wonderful book called Your God is Too Small. Someone should write a book entitled Your Satan is Too Large

( Our Daily Bread) The value of a leader is directly proportional to that leader's values

It has been often said that we live in a world  tht knows the cost of everything but the value of nothing and that most people spend money they don't have to buy things they don't need in order to impress people they don't like

( Our Daily Bread) Build your values around what lasts forever

( Our Daily Bread) Hold tightly to what is eternal but loosely to what is temporal

( Our Daily Bread) What we value determines our character

( Rogers)  God does business with those who mean business

The story is told of the reporter interviewing the football coach and asked him how it went last season. The coach replied that his team  had a 8-4 season. The reporter replied that eights wins and four losses was pretty good. The coach replied' " Oh no, there were eight arrests but only four convictions "

(Rogers) Six principles to consider in making a decision in a questionable area: expediency, enslavement,example, edification, exaltation, evangelism

I used to believe in reincarnation but that was in a former life

(Yogi Berra) Always go to others people's funerals; otherwise  they won't come to your's

( Yogi Berra) When you come to a fork in the road, always take it

( David Roper)  God's goals for us is greater than we could ever imagine

081511

(David Murrow)  In a book in  he wrote OVER A HUNDRED YEARS AGO (emphasis mine) entitled Why Men Hate Going to Church, at a time when  there were three times as many women as men attending most  churches: " Over time established churches have been inclined to lose sight of the mission for which they were originally founded. All too often a strong and urgent  sense of risk  and challenge have been slowly replaced with comfort-based conditions of control,conformity, and ceremony

(Rogers) Wisdom is seeing people, events, and things from God's point of view

(Rogers) In the final analysis, what you really are is the sum total of your choices

(Rogers) Pray, believe, and you will receive. Pray and doubt and you will do without

(Rogers) Your faith is no better than its object. The least amount of faith in the right object is better than the strongest faith in the wrong object

(Rogers) The  Christian life is a supernatural life

081411

( Ray Stedman)  Truth is meaningless if it does not change our behavior

(Ray Stedman)  Idolatry is loving anyone or anything more than God

(Charles Stanley)  Our intimacy with God is His highest priority for our lives and determines the impact of our lives. God's top priority for your life is to walk in ever closer fellowship with Him

(Our Daily Bread)  Man's gretest goal---bringing glory to God

Irwin  Lutzer  tells story of  two men discussing the judgment of God. The first man asked the other if he was ready for the Judgment Day. The other man asked when would it be. The first man  said it could be sooner or later. The second man told the first man to get back to him when he found out because he was sure his wife would want to be there

(Hollie Miller) Said in a message that our church doesn't have fire extinguishers because we already have plenty of wet blankets walking around

There was  a fella who thought Joan of Arc was Noah's wife

(A. Rogers)  God always answers prayer in one of four ways: directly, differently, delayed, or denied

( Jonathan Falwell ) Only forty eight of people in America living together are married

(Charles Colson)  Power is like saltwater. The more you drink, the thirstier you get

Are you self-centered or others-centered

( Our Daily Bread) It's also too soon to quit

( Woodrow Kroll)  Holy living is a sure sign of heavenly longing

( Earl Radmacher)  The person I am becoming today is preparing me for the person I will be for all eternity

( Rogers) The church is the only organization I know of other than the Hells Angels that you have to profess to be bad before you can join

(Rogers) Anything I can talk you into, somebody else can talk you out of

( Ed Hindson) Bible prophecy is not written to prepare us. It is written to prepare us

( Irwin Lutzer ) Adam blamed Eve. Eve blamed Satan, and Satan didn't have a leg to stand on

( Barbara Johnson) Pain is inevitable; misery is optional

(Rogers) When we cover our sin, God uncovers it. When we uncover our sin, God covers it

(Rogers) If you're doing what you ought to be doing, you can't be doing what you ought not to be doing

(Rogers) We may have " In God we trust" on our money, but we have " Me first" in our hearts

( Rogers) The reason most people don't find satisfaction is that they are looking for it in the wrong places

( Rogers) Tells the story of the little boy who got saved and went to the pastor and told him he wanted to be advertised. Although he may have  misspoken. he made a profoundly  and  theologically accurate statement

( Rogers) The way to understand the part of the Bible you don't understand is to obey the part of the Bible you do understand

( Charles Stanley) If you have the Lord, you have everything. If you don't have the Lord, you have nothing

Accrostic to help in prayer life:

A  doration
C  confession
T  thanksgiving
S  upplication

 An accrostic to help before speaking , ask  yourself the following questions:

T   Is it true?
H   Will it be helpful or hurtful?
I    Is it inciteful or insightful?
N   Is it needed?
K   Is it kind?

081311

( Ray Stedman)  Beyond death, victory beckons

( Irwin Lutzer)  Getting  married is like getting a call in the middle of the night. First the ring, then you wake up!

Only 22 % of those who live together get married

( Rogers) For some couples, marriages begins with an ideal, becomes an ordeal, and then they look for a new deal

( Irwin Lutzer)  If the pope had been married, he wouldn't  have claimed infallibility

Sow a thought, reap an act
Sow an act, reap a habit
Sow a habit, reap a character
Sow a character, reap a destiny

( Warren  Wiersbe) No explanations needed: your friends don't need them and your enemies won't believe them

( our Daily Bread) A good example is of more value than good advice

( Charles Stanley ) We live in an age of " designer doctrine "

An article in Time Magazine defined  the philosophy of existentialism as " a
short day's journey from nothingness to nothingness

( Lutzer)  Two things should never be done  prematurely: embalming a body and ending a marriage

081211

( Our Daily Bread)  God came to live with us so we could live for Him

( Mark Twain) The only person who likes change is a wet baby

( Rogers) We can't all be preachers, but we can all be reachers

( Rogers) The Incarnation-- the Infinite became an infant

( Rogers) God came to live with us  so we could go to live with Him

( Our Daily Bread) God gives enough grace for whatever we face

For everything that God has, Satan has a counterfeit

(Swindoll) Three questions to ask yourself about money: (1) How did you get it? (2) What are you doing with it? (3) What is it doing to you?

( Rogers) We are free to choose; we are not free not to choose

( Rogers) Decisions determine destiny

( Irwin Lutzer ) Never misinterpret the silence of God for God's indifference

( Bernard Baruch) The saddest word in the English language is hopeless

( Rogers) Trying to get to heaven by works is like running up the down   escalator

( Rogers) I heard about a weatherman who had to leave one city and move to another obne because the weather didn't agree with him

( Peter Marshall)  It is better to  temporarily fail in a cause that will ultimately succeed than to temporarily succeed in a cuase that will ultimately fail

081111

A lady sent her picture to the local chapter of the Lone Hearts club. A few days later it was returned to the lady with a note attached stating  " we're not that lonely "

 ( Rick Warren) God has made us each of us an original as illustrated by the following acrostic:

S  piritual gifts
H  eart
A  bilities
P   personality
E   xperiences

( Our Daily Bread) Fruitfulness for Christ  depends on fellowship with Christ

( Ann Landers) Television proves  that people will look at anything rather than each other

(Thoughts contained in an issue of Open Windows ):

   Fear is a prison
   Nothing in this world is permanent
   Nothing last forever except salvation
   Death is a transition from life on earth to eternal life in heaven
   God doesn't tell time the way we do. His time is always the right time. He is  
   never early or late. His time is perfect
   Everything we have and are comes from God
   In heaven the Lamb is the Light
   Sin is so easy to do and so hard to avoid
   There is no  such thing as an insignificant sin
   God prefers mercy over judgment
  

More people have been killed for their faith in the past century than all of history prior to  the twentieth century

Great faith means believing that God is in control even when events seem to indicate He is not

What kind of reputation do you have?

The greatest liberty is from the penality, power, and presence of sin

Spiritual warfare remains the same; only the names change

If we don't learn from history, we are doomed to repeat it

( Will Durant) After a lifetime of studying the history of mankind,  he concluded that  " The only thing we learn from history is that we don't learn from history "

The world is full of potential friends

( Mark Twain ) A stranger is just a friend you haven't met yet

Forgiveness should surpass any limit ever subscribed to in the past

Grace is meant to be shared

God has promised each person that they need never be alone

It has been said that the only time you can't count on change is at a vending machine

( Harriet Beecher Stowe)  The most bitter tears shed at the cemetary are  for those words never said and those deeds never done

( Our Daily Bread) A good leader is a good servant

( Our Daily Bread) Loving Christ means loving the lost

( Adrain Rogers) Appreciate the virtues of the Bible, assimilate the vitality of the Bible, appropriate the values of the Bible . Pray over it, ponder it, preserve
it, practice it, and proclaim it

( Adrian Rogers)  The question is often asked, " Should I take the Bible literally or figuratively? "  The answer is yes.

( A. Rogers overview of the Bible):
  One problem: sin
  One villain: Satan
  One hero: The Savior
  One purpose: the glory of God

( Stephen Alford) The purpose of life is to find, follow, and finish God's will for your life

( A. Rogers)  Success is the progressive realization of God's will for your life. Failure is succeeding at anything else

(Rogers)  Stated that the most frequently asked question he receives is, " How do I find the will of God for my life?"

(Stephen Alford) At a crisis point in his life, he prayed, "  Lord, anytime, anywhere, any cost "

There are more lawyers than doctors in America because Americans are more interested in getting even than getting better

(Hollie Miller) In a sermon entitled " What can I do to stengthen my walk with Christ?": (1) be persistent as follower of Christ (2) be faithful as a servant of he church (3) be strategic in witness for Christ (4) be resilient as soldier of the Cross

( Hollie Miller) We often have our greatest impact  for Christ when we are going through hard times

 ( Gary Inrig )   Judicial forgiven should lead to relational forgiveness. Forgiven people should be forgiving people.The antidote to revenge is forgiveness. An unforgiving spirit shrivels the soul. When I refuse to forgive another person. I allow that person and the past  to have a controlling infleuence on my life. God's forgiveness is full, free, and final. Forgiveness is to be given generously and graciously. Forgiveness changes the power of the past to control my present and  my future

( Inrig) Sin brings unintended collateral damage

( Inrig) Sin always boomerangs

(Adrian Rogers ) There is no one so good they need not be saved or so bad they cannot be saved

( Gary Inrig) The purpose of confrontation is repentance, restoration, and reconciliation

( Inrig) Revenge is a seductive short-term  " solution  " that leaves ugly long-term consequences. There are at least three reasons to avoid revenge:(1) a conviction that God is sovereign (2) a certainty that God is wise (3) a confidence that God is just

( Inrig) Five elements of real repentance: remorse, reversal, request, restitution, and rehabilitation

( Inrig) God is capable of working in any situation with anyone, no matter what they have done

( Ann Lamott) Not forgiving is like drinking poison and then waiting  for the rat to die

( Adrian Rogers) Four elements in God's  righteous judgment of  an individual:  (1) The revelation factor (2) the refusal factor (  principle of light refused increases darkness ) (3)  the reception factor (  principle of light obeyed increases light; the more truth that is believed , the more truth will be received)  (4) the reckoning factor ( based on  the light  rejected as stated in Rom 2:5,11 and Luke 12:48)

( Rogers) There are two kinds of doubters- honest nd dishonest

( Charles Stanley ) Receiving God's best means waiting for God's timing

( Swindoll) Salvation is faith alone in Christ alone by grace alone

Principle of  debt management: If your outgo exceeds your income, then your upkeep will be your downfall

( Rogers) Most of the things we'll be rewarded for  will be  for the things we've forgotten

( Rogers)  Commenting on the excuse of unbelief because of the hypocrisy of professing Christians:  You can only hide behind something you are smaller than

( Rogers) To be happy, want what you have

Christ came to pay a debt He didn't owe because we owed a debt we  could not pay

Salvation is not something you achieve, but something you believe; not your merit but His mercy; not your doing but His dying; not your trying but your trusting; not a matter of your conduct but His cross; not your attainment but His atonement; not your goodness but His grace

(Swindoll) Christ see us not for who we were or who we are, but for who we could be

( John Piper) God is most glorified in us when we are  most satisfied in Him

( Vance Haver)  Many churches  consist of preacherettes preaching sermonettes to Christianettes. Many  Sunday morning  church services could be  described as a mild-mannered man  nstanding in front of a group of  mild-mannered people exhorting them to be even more mild- mannered

(Hollie Miller) The way you live can best be measured by the way you give

Money is a great servant but a terrible master

(Rogers) Thre is no promise too hard for God to keep, no person too hard for God to save, and no problem too hard for God to solve

( Corrie Ten Boom ) Look at the world and you'll be distressed; look within and you'll be depressed; look at Christ and you'll be at rest

L isten to them
O verlook  their faults
V alue them
E ncourage them

 ( Adrian Rogers) Commenting of Mark 8:36 :  " You can't gain the whole world, but if you  could , you couldn't keep it, and if you could keep it, you wouldn't be satisfied

( Will Rogers) People don't show their ignorance so much by what they don't know as by what they do know that ain't so

( Adrian Rogers) When you are no longer afraid to die, then, and only then, are you really prepared to live

( Oswald Chambers) His birth makes possible the new birth

081011

Nurse to doctor: " There's a man in the waiting room who says he's invisible "
Doctor to nurse: " Tell him we can't see him today"

(A. Rogers) Tells story of a man telling of his conversion: " I did my part and God did His part". When asked to explain, he said, " I did the sinning and God did the saving "

( A. Rogers) There was a time when you were not but there will never be a time when you will not be. Everybody is going to live somewhere forever.

Bear the cross now; wear the crown later

( Alistar Begg)   A balanced sermon is one of conviction, clarity, and compassion

( Rogers) You can't love God and not love His Word

( Swindoll) The greatest gift a man and woman can give each other at marriage is moral purity

( Alistar Begg) Do right because it is right to do right

( Our Daily Bread) A leader knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way

( Warren Wiersbe) Christians have a superior family,  a superior future, a superior faith, and  a superior  fellowship

( A. Rogers) The only way to be angry and not sin is to be angry at sin

( Charles Stanley) God takes full responsibility for those who are fully devoted to Him

( Rogers) If you have a Bible that's falling apart, you probably have a life that isn't

( Rogers) A Christian with an experience is never at the mercy of an infidel with an argument

( Inscription on a tombstone in Kentucky) He gave. He  took. He will restore.  God does all things well

( Rogers on the importance of taking notes: " The weakest ink is better than the strongest memory "

Life by the yard is hard. Life by the inch is a cinch

The depth of your faith determines the degree of your peace

( Charles Stanley) Living on the edge ends when you fall off the cliff

( Swindoll) To ignore the consequences of sin is to deny God's truth

Bumper sticker: I'm not perfect but I'm so close it scares me

Bumper sticker: I could give up chocolate but I'm not a  quitter

( Bumper sticker)  You'll always be my best friend. You know too much

( Rogers) For believers, there are no permanent tragedies; for unbelievers, there are no permanent triumphs

Be what you are and not what you ain't, because if you're not what you are then you are what you ain't

( Charles Stanley ) If you are not accountable to someone, you are automatically in danger

( Charles Stanely) Disaappointments are inevitable;discouragement is a choice

 It has been said that  the biggest difference between men and boys is that men have more expensive toys

081011

(Warren Wiersbe) The pleasures of sin last a season; the pain and penality of sin last for eternity

Leadership is the art of getting people to do what they ought to do because they want to do it

( Adrian Rogers) Legalists are gracebusters

B asic
I  nstruction
B efore
L eaving
E arth

Cartoon: Turtle with sign on back saying, " I brake for slugs"

(Dustin George)  Did God choose ? Absolutely
                           Do I have a choice? Absolutely
                           Do I understand it? Absolutely not

(Lou Holtz) Speaking of himself as a college student, said a  college counselor told him he had met a lot of students who didn't know what was happening but that he was the first one who didn't even suspect anything was happening

Neurotics Anonymous- a new organization

( Adrian Rogers) When you marry an unsaved person, you have  the devil for a father-in-law

(Rogers) Happiness is  cosmetic; joy is character

(Rogers) Secret faults cause moral earthquakes

( Swindoll) From time to time we need to tale a long look at our short lives

080911

(David Harkins)  Learn from the past but don't be dominated by it; live in the present;look to the future

The story is told of Winston Chruchhill talking to a  lady who became so frustrated with him she told him that  if  he were her husband, she would put arsenic in  his drink, to which he repled that if she were his wife, he would drink it

( Adrian Rogers) The husband who says he never made a mistake has a wife who did

( Adrian  Rogers)  A man filed an amended tax return  with the IRS, stating that he had lied on the initial one when he said he was   the head of household

The story is told of the man who wrote the IRS a letter indicating  that he had had trouble sleeping at night because he had understated his income and was enclosing a check for  one hundred dollars. He added a PS that if he still couldn't sleep, he'd send them the rest he owed.

The purpose of life is a life with a purpose

( Warren Wiersbe) There is no easy way to do  a hard thing

Never forget that everyone you meet needs encouragement

Great words from an old gospel song that  say, " remind us of where you brought us from and where we could have been "

(Swindoll) Remember the pit, refuse the praise, rely on the power of God

( C. Stanley) Compromise leads to corruption which leads to collapse

(A. Rogers) Told the story of a Baptist talking to a Methodist and asking him why he was a Methodist. The man replied that his father and grandfather had been Methodists. The Baptist man told him that didn't make sense and asked him, " what if they had been fools, then what would you be ?"  The Methodist man thought for a moment and replied, " Probably a Baptist "

Do you live your life looking through the rearview mirror or the front windshield?

Bumper sticker: Friends are God's apology for some of our relatives

( Our Daily Bread) God's grace is immeasurable and His peace inexpressible

Question: Is your Christian life a delight or a duty?

If at first you don't succeed, trying doing it the way your wife told you in the first place

( Harry Rimmer) A philosopher is a blind man in a dark room looking for a black cat that isn't there

( Warren Wiersbe)  God, in His sovereignty, has given us freedom of choice

Some people's reality checks bounce

080911

(Adrian Rogers) A church will either evangelize or fossilize

(Rogers) A perfect spouse is a person who doesn't expect a perfect spouse

( Rogers) Show me a man who says he understands women and I'll show you a man who will lie about almost anything

(Rogers) Live your life in such a way that the pastor won't have to lie at your funeral

( Unsure of originator ) True riches are those things money can't buy and death can't take away

( Rogers) Worship is simply enjoying the presence of God. You need nothing more. Don't settle for anything less

( Charles Stanley /several years ago )  " If all the babies aborted in the United States since Roe v. Wade were buried side by side in four foot caskets, the cemetary would be a one hundred square mile area "

Unity is diversity in harmony

( Spurgeon) We have two choices-- we can be humbled or we can be humbled

( A.  Rogers)  Life has many choices; eternity has only two

( Warren Wiersbe) Not all unity is good; not all division is bad

( A. Rogers) When  God multiplies, Satan tries to divide

( A. Rogers) America is now characaterized by liberalism in the church, humanism in the schools, materialism in the home, and paganism in society

The church must always be alert to becoming  comfortable, content, complacent, compromising, and conforming

080811

( Adrian Rogers)  Tell the story of the lady who said she had never seen her pastor's eyes. When asked why, she said that when he prayed , he closed his eyes and when he preached, he closed her's

(Charles Stanley) Defined education as " going from an unawareness to an awareness of our ignorance "

( A. Lincoln) Nothing is politically right that is morally wrong

( Adrian Rogers) The difference between courtship and marriage is the difference between the pictures in the seed catalog and what comes up in your garden

( Adrian Rogers  ) Said he told his wife Joyce that if she ever left him he was going with her.

(Joe Jordan)  Gladness sometimes grows out of sorrow;increase of sorrow sometimes used to decrease sorrow; doubt sometimes used to deeper trust

080711

( David Levy) To have forty different authors over a period of 1600 years write
 a unified book without error or contradiction is unique indeed in both ancient and modern history. The Bible is unique in its history, message, universality, influence, fulfilled prohecies, preservation,power to change lives, and testimony throughout history. God's oversight and providential preservation gives us assurance that today we possess the verbal,inerrant, and infallible Word of God. It stands alone as the most unique Book of all time. And it will stand forever.

( Craig Parshall)  Whatever rises up against God's truth will inevitably prove to be not an impregnable castle, but merely shifting sand.

( Frederick the Great) The more I know about people, the more I love my dog

One man was talking to a friend about a personality conflict he had with his boss. His friend asked him to explain and he replied, " It's simple. I have one and he doesn't "

( Pastor Holly Miller)  If you have to swallow a frog, don't look at it too long

(Holly Miller) Faith is a conviction that cannot be swayed, a commitment that cannot be stopped, and a confession that cannot be silenced

( Holly Miller) A Spirit-filled life is a life that is a surrendered  life, a sensitive life, a crucified life, a fruitful life, and a Scripture-filled life

(Charles Swindoll) The deadliest perils are the most subtle

( Kirk Cameron)  People don't find God. God finds people

150,000 people  die every twenty-four hours

A liberal pastor, discouraged by the small attendance at his church, attended a play performed before a full house. After the play was over, the pastor  approached the actor and asked him why  the actor drew standing room only crowds while few came to hear him preach. The actor replied, " Because I present fiction as truth while you present truth as fiction"

( Mission statement of the Bibe Center Church in Charleston WV) Evangelize the lost, edify and equip the saints, enhance the family, and exalt the Lord

( Pastor Don Wilson) The home is the first place to fulfill the Great Commission

( Adrian Rogers) A man who brags he never made a mistake has a wife who did

080511

( Bill Hybels) God is not a pirate. He is not going to step in and steal our free will. He will not overwhelm us. He will not grab control of our lives and rewire us  for " auto pilot"

(Hybels) Are you tryuing to climb a spiritual performance ladder, not realizing that  that ladder will never reach to God?

( Hybels) A life well lived is a life full of good decisions

( Hybels) God does not delight in weakness masquerading as dependence

( Hybels) God often reveals His direction in our lives by the way He made us. God began guiding us even before we were born! By creating us with a certain personality and unique skills, He already set our paths in motion

( Hybels) There is no " high " like the elation and joy that comes from a sacrificial act of obedience

( Hybels) In virtually every realm of academia and science, knowledge becomes outdated over time

( Charkles Swindoll)  God knows that what we obtain too cheaply, we will esteem too lightly

( Swindoll) The stronger the winds, the deeper the roots

( I Cor 3:20-21/ The Message) God exposes the chicanery of the chic. The Master sees through the smoke screen of the know-it-alls. I don't want to hear you bragging about yourselves or anyone else

During my life , I have seen literally thousands of church names,  but I have never seen one named the First Church of Corinth, the First Church of Laodecea, or the First Church of Galatia

( 1 Cor 3:13 / The Living Bible)  The Lord knows full well how the human mind reasons and how foolish and futile it is. So don't be proud of following the wise men of the world

( Ray Stedman)  The Cross of Christ is like a saw that rips across the grain of the wisdom of the world

( Ray Stedman)  True, secret wisdom from God unwraps the problems of life and answers them, one by one. We begin to understand ourselves and to see why the world is the way it is, where it is heading, and why all the confusion and problems of life exist

( David M Levy)  Jesus taught the authority,reliability,unity,clarity, sufficiency,historicity,inspiration,revelation, inerrancy,infallibility, and indestructability of the Old Testament

080411

(Bill Hybels) Many consider the speed limit a suggestion for the other person

(Hybels) To glimpse God's power, multiply the power needed to  overcome the sin in your life by the number of people who ever lived . are living , or  ever will live. His power is beyond what any of us can imagine

(Hybels)  God's strength is always there, but it's up to us to provide a channel through which He can flow

(Hybels) God has wired us in such a way that the more righteous we are, the more we'll actually enjoy life

080411

(Warren Wiersbe)  The angels are servants of the saints today and minister to us in ways we will never know about until we get to heaven( Heb 1:14)

(Wiersbe) Those who fear the Lord need fear nothing else for this is the fear that drives out all other fear


Psalms 34:9 is the Old Testament equivalent of Mt. 6:33

(Wiersbe)  If we don't receive what we think we need, it means it isn't good for us and we don't need it at this time

(Wiersbe) Christians don't seek " peace at any price" , but they do make every effort  not to make enemies

(Wiersbe) The Lord is able to keep our enemies in check, and their own evil  deeds will destroy them, for sin is its own executioner

( Our  Daily Bread) Our greatest privilege is to enjoy God's presence

080411

( Bill Hybels)  For those interested in numbers, one eminent scientist calculated the probability ot the chance creation of a single protein molecule to happen  once in the  ten to the two hundred-forty third power number of years

(Hybels)  There isn't a single motivation, thought,act, or word that has slipped out of your being and escaped the full, undivided attention of God

( Maya Angelou) I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will not forget how you made them feel

( Psalm 34:21/ The Message) The wicked commit slow suicide

( ( Psalm 37:19/ The Living Bible) The good man does not escape all troubles-- he has them too; but the Lord helps him in each and every one

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( Bill Hybels) Malachi 3:6 and James 1:17 promise me that I will not be the first person that God fails

(Hybels) Each day there are people to be touched, wrongs to be righted, needs to be met, joy to be spread, and love to be given and received

(Hybels) At the core of who God is  resides a yearning to go through today and tomorrow and forever  with you--yes, you! If you don't live today that way, you are denying yourself the most precious part of what it means to be fully alive

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( Hybels ) It is God's nature to be generous and He wants it to be ours

( Hybels) Experts tell us that the most successful people are the ones who learn best to cope with change. But I'm convinced that the best way to cope with change, ironically enough, is to get to know God, who doesn't change-- One who provides an anchor in the swirling seas of change

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( Bill Hybels) You are a one-of-a-kind, handmade original with gifts, skills, and talents different from those of anyone else in the history of civilization

( Hybels) Remember that feelings of bliss do not necessarily confirm God's leading. God does not promise that obedience immediatley leads to success or bliss. Sometimes,obedience can lead to very different challenges. Obedience led Jesus to the cross

( Warren Wiersbe) Death is not an accident; it's an appointment

( Charles Stanley) God's mercy prompts His discipline

( Wiersbe) At the Lord's Table,  we do not walk around a monument and admire it;we have fellowship with a living Savior as our hearts reach out in faith

(Wiersbe) When the church gathers together, we must be careful not to become religious detectives who watch others, but who fail to acknowledge our own sins

(Wiersbe)  Chastening is God's way of dealing with His children to encourage them to mature

(Wiersbe)  It is impossible for a true Christian to get closer to the Lord while at the same time he is separated  from his fellow believers

(Wiersbe) The Communion is not to be a  time of " spiritual autopsy" and grief, even though confession of sin is important

(Wiersbe)  Commenting of 1 Cor 11:17-34: " The Lord's Supper is a time to look back, look ahead, look within, and look around

( Our Daily Bread) Self-examination is one test from which no Christian is excused

( Bill Hybels) " Stuff" never delivers all it promises . Even if you secure more of it than you could ever dream, you'll still have a hole in your soul. When money becomes the preoccupation of your life and you fix your heart on it, it will leave you disappoointed every single time

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(Warren Wiersbe) The pattern for  Christian giving today is not Acts 2:44-45 and Acts 4:31-35, but Acts 11:29

( Winston Churchill ) We make a living for what we get , but we make  a life by what we give

( Our Daily Bread)  True compassion is love in action

(Bill Hybels) You can barely read a page in the Bible without encountering a situation where God is guiding someone

( Bill Hybels) Think of the church as a smorgasboard of wisdom

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( Bill Hybels) Until we understand what we deserve, we'll never understand the true nature of grace

( Hybels) In a system in which there's grace, dreams-not nighmares-define our lives

(Hybels) Christ wants us to unleash outrageous acts of random graciousness

(Hybels) We live in a world where fatihfulness is almost an anomaly. In another twenty years, it might even be relegated to museums. For example, an average pastor leaves their church every four years

(Hybels) When you  look deep inside the center of your life, do you find there a serenity of soul?

( Hybels) None of us want to look in the rearview mirror at the end of our lives and see a huge relational graveyard

( H L Mencken) Nobody has ever gone broke  underestimating the taste of the American public

(Warren Wiersbe) The church at Antioch demonstrates the importance of maintaining a balance in the church between edification and  evangelsim, worship and witness, teaching and testifying

( D L Moody )  It is better to put ten men to work  than to do the work of ten men

( David Otis Fuller) If you were arrested for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?

( Warren Wiersbe) The New Testament prophets received their messages from the Lord immediately, but ministers and teachers today get  their messages
meditatively through the Scriptures