dW 05.29.07

scripture 

Romans 12:12

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

quote

Sin: Bait has a lot less appeal when you know there’s a big, nasty hook inside of it. – K. Baher

dW 05.25.07

scripture

Matthew 5:27-30

"You have heard that it was said, 'Do not commit adultery.' But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.”

quote

Greg Gordon writes in his article, The Sinfulness of Sin, ‘C.H. Spurgeon the ‘prince of preachers’ over 100 years ago defined sin in one of his sermons: “Sin is a defiance of God to his face, a stabbing of God, so far as man can do it, to the very heart! Sin is a monster, a hideous thing, a thing which God will not look upon, and which pure eyes cannot behold but with the uttermost detestation. A flood of tears is the proper medium through which a Christian should look at sin.” Sin is surely a monster, an unnatural wickedness appearing so horrible to the mind of man. May we loath and hate sin.’

story

A few weeks ago I went to pick up a pizza at Rusty’s. As I approached the door I saw a couple walking up with two very adorable, small girls that were skipping. As I followed them inside I looked at the father’s shirt and became very angry. His shirt back had a black and white 4-5” image of a totally nude girl on the back. His girls ran up to him and asked if they could go see the arcade and my heart was crushed for these girls because of what their father was wearing.

Beginning some months ago I started to see vinyl stickers on cars of nude female silhouettes, one with a devil tail and the other with wings. I think that the same week that I saw those start becoming more popular I also saw full color nude magnets on a truck. Oh the ungodly madness this world craves.

thought

Do we hate sin or do we tolerate it? Do we tolerate it or do we even accept it? We as Christians should do neither! If we love God then we must hate sin. We must see sin for what it is. Let us stop looking at sin as just some trifle thing. Let us start calling a spade a “spade” and sin “sin”. It should not surprise us that the world acts like the world. However, it should upset us. It should bring us to a deep hatred for darkness and an even deeper love for the light. It should motivate us to evangelism with an urgency that souls are perishing while we often times stand idly by.

dW 05.22.07

scripture

Romans 11:33-36

Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! "Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?" "Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him?" For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.

thought

A new born baby can only see about 8 to 12 inches in front of their face. Imagine a new born baby telling their mom and dad that they didn’t need their help or their advice. “Hey, we need to talk. I can see everything around me so I can handle this on my own.” Isn’t that how we treat God some times? Look again at the verses above. Think, “Have I ever finished God’s sentence? Have I ever given God advice? Have I ever done God a favor?” The answer is a resounding NO. Then Paul puts it all into perspective – “For FROM God and THROUGH God and TO God are all things. FOR God’s own glory.” Amen!

 

dW 05.21.07

scripture

Hebrews 10:23-24

Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.

quote

It's only forgetting yourself that you draw near to God.

Henry David Thoreau

dW 05.18.07

scripture 

Phillipians 4:4

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, Rejoice!

thought

Did you know that it takes more muscles to frown than it does to smile? Maybe that’s why we are always so tired.

quote 

A Christian is just one beggar telling other beggars where to find bread.

Unknown

Twenty Dollars

A well-known speaker started off his seminar by holding up a $20.00 bill. In the room of 200, he asked, "Who would like this $20 bill?" Hands started going up. He said, "I am going to give this $20 to one of you, but first let me do this." He proceeded to crumple up the $20 dollar bill. He then asked, "Who still wants it?" Still the hands were up in the air. Well, he replied, "What if I do this?" And he dropped it on the ground and started to grind it into the floor with his shoe. He picked it up, now crumpled and dirty. "Now, who still wants it?" Still the hands went into the air.
"My friends, we have all learned a very valuable lesson. No matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it because it did not decrease in value. It was still worth $20. Many times in our lives, we are dropped, crumpled, and ground into the dirt by the decisions we make and the circumstances that come our way. We feel as though we are worthless. But no matter what has happened or what will happen, you will never lose your value. Dirty or clean, crumpled or finely creased, you are still priceless to those who DO LOVE you. The worth of our lives comes not in what we do or who we know, but by WHO WE ARE and WHOSE WE ARE. You are special- Don't EVER forget it."

 

I don’t know if this man that spoke was a Christian or not, speaking to a church or not but look at the spiritual overtone here. “The worth of our lives comes by who we are and whose we are.” We belong to God. He gave us to His Son who redeemed us through His blood, and if God gave us to Jesus then nothing can take us away from Him. AMEN!

dW 05.17.07

scripture
Proverbs 17:17
A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.

thought
I always thought that this verse meant brothers were born to make you tough. My pastor used this verse and commented that a friend is there only when things are good. But a brother will be there when things are bad.

application
Ask yourself, am I a friend or a brother to those around me? Will I offer help when it is within my power but not really convenient? Do I stop and talk to someone that’s hurting to offer encouragement even if it means that I am five minutes late to where I am headed? Or am I the friend that is there only when it is suits me?

dW 05.16.07

scripture

Proverbs 17:17
A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.

thought

I always thought that this verse meant brothers were born to make you tough. My pastor used this verse and commented that a friend is there only when things are good. But a brother will be there when things are bad.

application

Ask yourself, am I a friend or a brother to those around me? Will I offer help when it is within my power but not really convenient? Do I stop and talk to someone that’s hurting to offer encouragement even if it means that I am five minutes late to where I am headed? Or am I the friend that is there only when it is suits me?

 

dW 05.15.07

scripture

1 Corinthians 9:25-27

Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

illustration

My wife and I once lived in an area where a beautiful cardinal kept its nest. Cardinals are very territorial and will fight off intruding cardinals zealously. At that time, we owned a van which had large mirrors and chrome bumpers. Occasionally, the cardinal would attack the bumpers or mirrors, thinking that his reflection was another bird. One day, I watched the cardinal assail the mirror, I thought, “What a foolish creature; his enemy is merely the reflection of himself.” Immediately the Lord spoke to my heart, “And so also are many of your enemies the reflection of yourself.” – Francis Frangipane, The Three Battlegrounds

self inspection

Are the things oppressing us today the harvest of what we planted yesterday? – Francis Frangipane, The Three Battlegrounds

dW 05.14.07

scripture

Hebrews 13:18-19 AMP

Keep praying for us, for we are convinced that we have a good (clear) conscience, that we want to walk uprightly and live a noble life, acting honorably and in complete honesty in all things. And I beg of you [to pray for us] the more earnestly, in order that I may be restored to you the sooner.

letter

Below is a portion of a letter that took me just 15 minutes to type. I have made an icon link for PrisonerAlert on the top right of the dailyWord homepage. Please click it and see how you can be an encouragement to our brothers and sisters in bondage for their faith in Jesus Christ.

How?

1) Write a letter of encouragement to the prisoner.

2) Write a letter to the prison asking for their release.

Dear Brother Dmitry,

Greetings to you in the precious name of Jesus, the son of God, the redeemer of souls. I have heard about your imprisonment. I write to you so that you will know that you are not forgotten. I will pray for you. I ask God to give you strength to stand boldly before your accusers and to represent Him well. Jesus tells us all in Luke 6 verse 28 to bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. Please do not lose heart. Know that your heavenly Father cares…