Tell God: Whatever It Takes, Anytime, Anywhere, Anyway.
Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:13b-14 NIV)
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When
Saddleback
Church celebrated its 25th anniversary,
Rick Warren called for a radical commitment from God’s people — all over the world — to tackle the giant obstacles that keep people in spiritual darkness.
In this new year, we can “press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called [us] heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13b-14, NIV). We can, once again, affirm our commitment to …
wake up people
The Offensive Coordinator calls the play down to Dallas Cowboy Coach Wade Philips, but the OC yawns at the end of the play description. Phillips relays the play and the yawn to quarterback Tony Romo. Romo returns to the huddle and informs his team of the play called and includes the yawn. Result ? The play is a failure and Romo gets sacked hard in the backfield.
Immediately Cowboy team owner Jerry Jones shows up in the booth and throws a bottle of high energy Pepsi to the Offensive Coordinator and grabs the field headset from him. …
Making A Difference In 2008
The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant.’ (Matthew 25:21 NLT)
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God is equipping you to make a difference in his world. Rick Warren teaches that the donation of your life matters more than the duration of your life.
Do you really want your life to be significant in 2008? Then begin investing your time and money into showing people how they can make peace with God. That’s an investment that will make a difference, not for 10 years, or 50 years, or even 1,000 years; it will make a difference for eternity.
Quite honestly, …
the tree, the ornament
Remind your children that the very first Christmas tree was the cross … and the only ornament on that tree was Jesus himself.
Webster’s dictionary defines “ornament” as “one whose character or talent adds luster to the surroundings”.
If your kids miss the significance of the cross and the ornament Jesus … then they have missed the luster light of the world.
“… The Light has come into the world … whoever lives by the truth comes into the light …” from John 3:19 & 21
Have a Merry Christmas a Joy-filled 2008.
but not sorry enough
I have discovered many people who seem to be ok with this kind of attitude:
I am sorry God that I do not go to church … but not sorry enough to actually start attending.
I am sorry God that I do not read your Bible … but not sorry enough to actually start reading it.
I am sorry God that I am unforgiving toward this person … but not sorry enough to forgive them.
I am sorry God that I do not give to your cause … but not sorry enough to
write a check.
I am sorry God that I occasionally swear and cuss …
Light For The Dark Side of Christmas
Watch for this: A girl who is presently a virgin will get pregnant. She’ll bear a son and name him Immanuel (God-With-Us). (Isaiah 7:14b, MSG)
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As I write this, I am sitting in a fast food restaurant and over there … see her there, pretty in pink … this young girl, maybe five-years-old, is celebrating an early Christmas with her mother. Her presents are spread out across the booth and … listen … she just said, “I miss you, Mommy.”
“I miss you too, baby,” her mother says.
My eyes move beyond their booth, and I see a woman casually, but …
broken at Christmas
After helping serve breakfast, I sat down with 4 men this morning at a homeless shelter in St. Charles, Illinois. I simply asked this question: “Hey guys, I am starting my 5th year as the Chaplain for the Chicago RUSH football team, and I’m looking for stories of how God has changed your life … anyone care to speak up ?”
One man got up immediately and walked away. One man kept his head down and remained indifferent as he ate his oatmeal in silence. But the other two men jumped all over this opportunity.
This one 40 year …
What Do You Mean, God?
“You will find a baby lying in a manger, wrapped snugly in strips of cloth!” … They ran to the village … and there was the baby, lying in the manger. (Luke 2:12,16 NLT)
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If we believe what we say we believe, then when God says it is so – it is so. Yet we often doubt.
The interaction between the angel and the shepherds in Luke 2 shows a simple, yet significant sequence: The angel says, “You will find a baby lying in a manger,” and when the shepherds got to
Bethlehem “there was the baby, lying in a …
The Time Came For Her Baby
And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. (Luke 2:6 NLT)
We manage time; we waste time. We spend time, and we save time. We wish the time would come; we wish the time would pass. We see time fly, and we feel time drag. We watch clocks and carry calendars, creating the illusion that we somehow control time, yet all the while moments flow forward like a mighty river that cannot be stopped, harnessed, or re-routed.
Yet God controls time. He created time and we, his creations, are fenced by his time, directed and guided …
under review
Professional football has a rule that if there is any question about what actually happened during a play … the play is “under review” … and a final judgment is determined. I’ve noticed that even after careful examination and obvious evidence, some fans still claim the ruling incorrect. And although they cry and boo, the ruling stands.
A day is coming when you and I will come “under review”.
And God, through His Son, will make the final decision. Only this decision is much more than just the outcome of a football game … this decision is everlasting.
John Wayne …
