dW 02.23.09

 

scripture

 

Matthew 5:13-16

Jesus taught saying, "You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”

 

quote

 

Ninety-nine Christians in every hundred are merely playing at Bible study; and therefore ninety-nine Christians in every hundred are merely weaklings when they might be giants.

R. A. Torrey

 

thoughts

 

In the ancient world salt was of great importance for life. Salt was used for healing purposes, preservation of food, and to flavor food. It was so valuable that people actually used it similar to currency in business transactions.

 

How does salt lose its saltiness? By being permeated with substances foreign to it. Therefore, Jesus is saying here that we need to indeed be engaged in the world but do not become like the world. Jesus is the only person who is able to engage the world and remain clean, pure, untainted. We must engage it but keep returning to the standard of God’s Word and be rinsed and resent, rinsed and resent, rinsed and resent…

dW 02.20.09

 

scripture

 

Isaiah 61:10-11

I delight greatly in the LORD; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. For as the soil makes the sprout come up and a garden causes seeds to grow, so the Sovereign LORD will make righteousness and praise spring up before all nations.

 

En Espanol

 

quote

 

Begin to weave and God will give the thread.

German proverb

 

thought

 

My pastor has said many times, “Don’t pray for God to use you. Make yourself usable and God will wear you out.”

dW 02.18.09

 

scripture

 

John 10:25-30

Jesus answered, "I did tell you, but you do not believe. The miracles I do in my Father's name speak for me, but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. I and the Father are one."

 

En Espanol

 

quote

 

Christ is God's self-disclosure.  He is God showing himself to us in such a way that he leaves no room for doubt or error in our minds as to what God is like.  This is why we call him the word of God.  A word is a true word only as it reveals him who speaks it.  In Christ we do not see all that there is of God; but all that we see in him is God, and it is enough for our present need.

 

Carroll Simcox

dW 02.13.09

 

scripture

 

Psalm 23

 1 The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.

 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters,

 3 he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

 4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

 6 Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

 

En Espanol

 

quote

 

When a train goes through a tunnel and it gets dark, you don't throw away the ticket and jump off. You sit still and trust the engineer.

Corrie Ten Boom

dW 02.09.09

 

scripture

 

1 John 3:4-6

Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness. But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin. No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him.

 

En Espanol

 

quote

 

Men love everything but righteousness and fear everything but God.

Vance Havener

dW 02.06.08

 

A friend sent this Our Daily Bread entry to me this morning. I enjoyed it and wanted to forward it on for your edification as well. -Kyle

 

You, being dead in your trespasses, . . . He has made alive together with Him. —Colossians 2:13

 

On February 6, 1958, a chartered plane carrying most of the members of the English football (soccer) club Manchester United crashed on takeoff from Munich, Germany. With so many of their star players lost, some despaired over prospects for the club’s survival. Yet today it is one of the best-known teams in the world. Fittingly, the man who rebuilt the team, Matt Busby, survived the crash himself.

 

Nearly 2,000 years ago, Jesus’ arrest and subsequent crucifixion caused many of His followers to despair. The disciples themselves had lost hope. But their despondency evaporated on that first Easter morning when they found that the stone sealing the tomb had been moved aside (John 20:1). Jesus had risen!

 

Jesus soon appeared to Mary Magdalene (vv.11-16) and then to His disciples, who had gathered behind locked doors (v.19). His visit brought a remarkable change in them. As one version renders it, they were “overjoyed” (v.20 NIV).

 

Perhaps your world has crashed around you. It may be a deeply personal loss, a tragedy in your family, or some other great trial. Jesus’ resurrection proved that He is greater than the greatest obstacles. He can rebuild your life—as He did with His disciples—starting today.  — C. P. Hia

 

He rose! And with Him hope arose, and life and light. Men said, “Not Christ, but death, died yesternight.” And joy and truth and all things virtuous rose when He rose. —Anon.

 

God can turn any difficulty into an opportunity.

 

http://www.rbc.org/devotionals/our-daily-bread/2009/02/06/devotion.aspx

 

dW 02.04.09

 

scripture

 

Philippians 1:21

For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.

 

quote

 

Jesus wants full access to all areas of your life. Don’t tell Him that He cannot go into that room. “Oh, Jesus let’s stay in the living room. You don’t want to see what’s in my bedroom. Don’t go into my office.” If it is like that, then you need to clean house! Nothing needs to be hidden from Him because He already knows. Furthermore, He already died and rose again so that He can erase those wrongs and hurts within your life. Do not fear accusation from Jesus! Open up your arms and let His forgiveness embrace you.

Pastor Martin Lewis, (paraphrase from today’s sermon during college hour)

 

thoughts

 

I am asked to attend College Hour at the university a certain amount during each semester. On Wednesdays I take a long lunch to attend the service. I enjoy the variety within the service. At times it is soft and mellow, and at times it is loud and boisterous. I am learning that worship, which is not just singing but preaching also, does not just require our presence. Worship is a participatory exercise that takes advantage of all our senses. Today we raised our hands, we shouted during the music, gave the preacher an amen when we felt it, and we turned to our neighbors to hug one another. And I thought, “Boy, if this doesn’t light your fire, then your logs have got to be wet”.

dW 02.02.09

 

scripture

 

John 10:7-10

Therefore Jesus said again, "I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

 

En Espanol

 

quote

 

Jesus came to comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable.

-unknown

dW 01.30.08

 

thoughts

 

What picture could most accurately illustrate bad communication?

Maybe this picture?


How's this picture?


What about this picture?


Anyway, you get the picture. Bad communication starts out small and can build up very quickly, enough to where it becomes out of control and hard to fix.

 

scripture

 

Matthew 5:25

Jesus said, “Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still with him on the way, or he may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison”.

 

En Espanol

 

Ephesians 4:26-27

“In your anger do not sin": Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.

 

En Espanol

 

thoughts (continued)

 

Communication isn't easy. No one is necessarily good at it. It takes practice and hard work.

dW 01.28.09

 

scripture

 

1 Chronicles 16: 23-27

Sing to the LORD, all the earth; proclaim his salvation day after day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples. For great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; he is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the LORD made the heavens. Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and joy in his dwelling place.

 

En Espanol

 

quote

 

I often quote myself, it adds spice to my conversation.

George Bernard Shaw