…today is sacred ground!

He Upped the Ante
     'Voice of Inspiration' from Andy Castro

Sometimes I think the way Jesus presented His messages was a little unusual, . He would say these wonderful truths, then seemingly change the subject in a moments notice. For instance, the famous sermon on the mount in Matthew 5. Jesus starts out with the “Blessed are they” speech. It’s basically an “everything is beautiful” feel good message. (v3-v11) Then He says, (paraphrased) “Now that you know you are blessed because of God, don’t hide it. Let your light shine.” (v13-v16) After that it turns a little rigid. Jesus makes a…

Sin is leprosy of the soul
     'Refreshment in Refuge' from Gina Burgess

A leper comes up to Jesus and says: Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean. Not “heal me” or “make me well.” We learn a lot from that Greek word used here. If we look closely at how it is used in a moral sense, we can get an excellent understanding what Jesus’ blood does for believers. The Greek word is katharizō. It means: 1) to make clean, cleanse 1a) from physical stains and dirt 1a1) utensils, food 1a2) a leper, to cleanse by curing 1a3) to remove by cleansing 1b) in a moral sense 1b1) to free from…

Forgiveness
     ''Christ in You...'' from Dale Krebbs

If there could be only two words for our prayers, it would be "forgive me"...if we can think of nothing else to pray about (which in itself needs to be forgiven...), we can all genuinely ask Him to forgive us. For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God This is because all have sinned, and have missed the mark of perfection that is in Jesus Christ only. There is a love song from some years ago, with lyrics that would be almost unbelievable in our world today. The chorus begins with: "Please! Please!! (emphasis twice) forgive me!...for all the wrong that…

Paying for Free Money
     'Inspiration For You' from Randy Mitchell

Do you know the amount of our National Debt? If you’re like a surprising number of Americans, you don’t. Our National Debt is quickly spinning toward the out-of-control figure of sixteen trillion dollars. That’s sixteen trillion dollars—in other words, sixteen thousand billion George Washington’s! An astonishing number and one that’s simply in-comprehendible by people like me. It represents the sins of both, Republican and Democratic managers who are responsible for putting our country in such a predicament, severely hurting our economic power…

Bible and Quote - May 4-8
     'Bible verse and quote' from Jan Couns

You know my path and my lying down, And are intimately acquainted with all my ways. Psalm 139:3 Many say in their hearts, "God seeth them not," while with their tongues they confess he is an all seeing God. Joseph Caryl, 1602-73, English Independent minister You know everything I'm going to say before I start the first sentence. Psalm 139:4 (Message) Heed words not yet spoken that the Holy Spirit may affect their delivery. You have enclosed me behind and before, And laid Your hand upon me. Psalm 139:5 When a man becomes conscious of…

The Anatomy of Revival
     'God's Words For US' from Cecelia Lester

Prayer groups devote quantity time asking God to bring revival to our lands. As we pray for renewal in our churches, we study how revival begins. Confession and Forgiveness The Asbury revival began when a group of students attending chapel began confessing their sins to God and to each other. In our 21Century world, we still have to confess our sins to God and to one another. I grew up hearing the adage, “Confession is good for the soul.” Forgiveness carries with it three different connotations. When we forgive,…

The Decision of Bearing Our Cross
     'Chip Shots from the Ruff of Life' from Tom Kelley

Just recently I fought a bought with esophageal cancer. The ordeal started December of 2006 with some swallowing problems. I was diagnosed July 31 and went through radiation and chemotherapy for five weeks in late August and through September. During my treatments I was in Stamping Ground, KY, the town near our church, when a woman from a neighboring congregation approached me to ask me how I was doing. A comment that she made toward the end of our conversation caught me dead in the heart. The comment? She said, "Now you know the cross the Lord wants you to bear." …

Religious Relationship
     ''Winging It' from Stan Smith

Christians know the Good News. We're all sinners (Romans 3:23), but while we were sinners, God sent His Son to die for us (Romans 5:8). If you place your trust in Him, your sin can be forgiven and you can be given the righteousness of His Son (2 Corinthians 5:21). Good news, indeed. But, as, we are often reminded, "It's not a religion; it's a relationship." Imagine, then, this Judge before Whom we stand clothed in sinner's rags. "How do you plead?" He asks. You can answer nothing but, "Guilty." But your trust is in Christ Who stands alongside.…

Include Christ in your daily life, Part 1
     'The Way' from Kevin Pauley

Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. - 1 Corinthians 10:31 There once was an elderly, righteous and holy man, who was determined to incorporate God into every aspect of his life. As he sat to eat, he breathed a prayer of gratitude. As he taught his children, he mentally begged for God’s guidance and for His blessing on the children. Even when he dressed in the morning, he tried to dress in such a way that God would be praised by his clothes. Over time, the old man built ritual into every aspect of his days so that his…

Justification XXV (3-30-11)
     'Today's Little Lift' from Jim Bullington

“But Now You Say...” I remember hearing as a kid, “The biggest word in the English language is but!” I may have gotten the gist of the little pun then, but it makes a lot more since now that I have the experienced life as an adult. One of the most significant buts in any conversation was contained in Jesus' closing statement in John while speaking to the self-willed. He said, “But now you say, 'We see.' Therefore your sin remains.” (John 9.41). That is the opposite of justification; it is self-condemnation. “But now you say...”…

The Party Goes Wrong Big Time
     'Word from Scotland' from Sandy Shaw

Daniel Chapter 5 is the record of the last days of the Empire of Babylon. The message of Daniel Chapter 5 is similar to the message which God gave to David duPlessis - "God has no grandsons". It is as simple as that. Godliness cannot be inherited. It does not follow that if your……