…you serve a risen Savior!

Poor? Really?
     'Refreshment in Refuge' from Gina Burgess

In my Thursday morning Bible study, we’re walking through Matthew. We’ve made it to Chapter 5. One of my ladies said she just zipped through the chapter, and another one said she found tons about it on the Internet. I was struck by the familiarity I have with the Beatitudes as well. It is so tempting to rely upon one’s existing knowledge when teaching something familiar. I am so glad that I dug deep, because I learned so much. I realized after three pages of notes that we would not make it through the whole chapter in one sitting. There is just too much…

Maybe Tommorow
     'Voice of Inspiration' from Andy Castro

Where does the time go? Birthdays go from creep to leap as the years past. Work weeks drag and vacations fly by. Time is a ridiculously silly concept. Who thought of it? What good is it? It seems to put stressful boundaries on us and is a relentless taskmaster with our future. It waits for nothing or no one. It plays no favorites. We can earn money, but time is allotted. We make stupid statements about time. "I've got time to kill." "I've got all the time in the world." "I'll have more time later." …

A Permanent Calling
     ''Christ in You...'' from Dale Krebbs

Once called, God does not change His mind. If you are discouraged, feeling like perhaps God has changed His mind about your calling in Christ, God only changes His mind about how He deals with you based on your reaction to His guidance. But the callings of God are without revocation: "From the point of view of the Gospel (good news), they [the Jews, at present] are enemies [of God], which is for your advantage and benefit. But from the point of view of God’s choice (of election, of divine selection), they are still the beloved (dear to Him) for the sake of their forefathers.…

The Challenge of Unhealthy Love
     'Inspiration For You' from Randy Mitchell

Most have experienced it: staying with the same person no matter how bad and unhealthy a relationship becomes, hoping against the odds that things will eventually get better allowing love to prevail. Some look to God, wish upon a star, or seek out and counsel with every psychologist around to heal the broken seams, replace bad with good, take another drink of love potion which brought bodies together in the first place, and inflame the sparks both felt while first meeting. But realistically, sometimes the right thing to do is walk away early on before you wake up one morning,…

Bible and Quote - May 10-14
     'Bible verse and quote' from Jan Couns

The Lord tests the righteous and the wicked. Psalm 11:5a Tests expose the false and reveal the true. A.W. Tozer God’s soul hates the one loving (evil). He shall rain snares on the wicked; fire and brimstone and a scorching wind* shall be the portion of their cup. Psalm 11:5b,6 Human brutes, like other beasts, are allured by their appetites to their destruction. Jonathan Swift *thought to reference the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah and miseries in the desert. For the Lord is righteous, he loves justice; upright men will see his face. Psalm 11:7…

Along The Roman Road
     'God's Words For US' from Cecelia Lester

I find myself drawn to the Roman Road passages to lead another person to Christ. Let's examine the verses as we travel this road. Romans 3:23 (NIV) “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” Paul wrote these words; they are true. In all of history, except for One, no one has been sinless. In today’s world we have no one who has not sinned. When I was in high school, our church youth group would sit around and think about the question: “What is sin?” When we think of sin in our world we think of murder…

Victory in Innocence
     'Chip Shots from the Ruff of Life' from Tom Kelley

While we were working in Upstate New York with Empire State Evangelizing Association we had the opportunity to develop friendships with people in churches all up and down the Eastern Seaboard states. This included Pennsylvania. One couple, who ministered in a small community in Western Pennsylvania, had us come and speak to their congregation about our work in New York. While with them, we got to know their young son. Our friends were unable to have children of their own through birth so they had adopted a beautiful little boy and were raising him in the Lord. The little fella…

Self-Sufficient
     ''Winging It' from Stan Smith

All parents aim to bring their kids up to be responsible adults. Some better than others, sure, but there has to be something of that in every parent-child relationship. We want them to learn to "stand on your own two feet", to be brave and strong and ... you know, all those good things. We would like them to be self-sufficient. It is, after all, the American Dream, isn't it? I wonder how much the "American Dream" has messed up American Christianity. That kind of thinking, at least. We seek to "stand on your own two feet", to "live the dream",…

Courting Christ: Trust Him, Part 1
     'The Way' from Kevin Pauley

They rose early in the morning and went out to the wilderness of Tekoa; and when they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Listen to me, O Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, put your trust in the Lord your God and you will be established. Put your trust in His prophets and succeed.” - 2 Chronicles 20:20 (NASB) We understand the need for trust between Marines, between police officers or between firemen. Yet we often forget the need for trust in d’vekut (the mystical relationship between God and man). But trust betrayed will founder any relationship.…

Justification XXI (3-22-11)
     'Today's Little Lift' from Jim Bullington

“For Judgment I Have Come” The blind man was no longer blind thanks to the miraculous intervention of Jesus Christ. But, there were plenty of other “blind men” in the area who also needed healing! They, however, were suffering from a significantly more dangerous kind of blindness, one which Jesus could also heal but only under certain conditions. One condition was that they admit their spiritual blindness and stop claiming otherwise. We will continue our thoughts along this line after dispensing with an alleged contradiction today. The following is…

Powerful Nebuchadnezzars Terrifying Nightmare
     'Word from Scotland' from Sandy Shaw

In Daniel Chapter 2, we come to Nebuchadnezzar's dream. Most of us dream at night - and most of the dreams we forget. We are told there are various reasons as to why we remember some dreams and forget others. But - now and gain - a dream can be wonderfully supernatural - and through the dream……