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Impossible??

Impossible

On Fire For God

Start Where You Stand

Start where you stand and never mind the past,
The past won't help you in beginning new,
If you have left it all behind at last
Why, that's enough, you're done with it, you're through;
This is another chapter in the book,
This is another race that you have planned,
Don't give the vanished days a backward look,
Start where you stand.

The world won't care about your old defeats
If you can start anew and win success,
The future is your time, and time is fleet
And there is much of work and strain and stress;
Forget the buried woes and dead despairs,
Here is a brand new trial right at hand,
The future is for him who does and dares,
Start where you stand.

Old failures will not halt, old triumphs aid,
To-day's the thing, to-morrow soon will be;
Get in the fight and face it unafraid,
And leave the past to ancient history;
What has been, has been; yesterday is dead
And by it you are neither blessed nor banned,
Take courage, man, be brave and drive ahead,
Start where you stand.

Berton Braley

Hope

Miracles - Jesus

"Jesus himself is the one convincing and permanent miracle!" Paul E. Little, Know Why You Believe

Hope - Hold On

I believe in the sun, even when it is not shining.

I believe in love, even when I'm alone.

I believe in God, even when He is silent.

Trust God in the dark till the light returns. A.W. Tozer

Christ Is Central

Jesus Christ is the unique and total incarnation of truth, the only way, the only life, and yet we betray His spirit of love when we build a wall between Buddhist, Jews, or Muslims and ourselves (followers Of Jesus). He is our only Master, and yet without betraying Him we can learn from the Greek philosophers, the sages of India, the philosophers of China, or the sacred texts of Ancient Egypt. Paul Tournier

This Is Rich

1-5 After a few days, Jesus returned to Capernaum, and word got around that he was back home. A crowd gathered, jamming the entrance so no one could get in or out. He was teaching the Word. They brought a paraplegic to him, carried by four men. When they weren't able to get in because of the crowd, they removed part of the roof and lowered the paraplegic on his stretcher. Impressed by their bold belief, Jesus said to the paraplegic, "Son, I forgive your sins." 6-7Some religion scholars sitting there started whispering among themselves, "He can't talk that way! That's blasphemy! God and only God can forgive sins." 8-12Jesus knew right away what they were thinking, and said, "Why are you so skeptical? Which is simpler: to say to the paraplegic, 'I forgive your sins,' or say, 'Get up, take your stretcher, and start walking'? Well, just so it's clear that I'm the Son of Man and authorized to do either, or both . . ." (he looked now at the paraplegic), "Get up. Pick up your stretcher and go home." And the man did it—got up, grabbed his stretcher, and walked out, with everyone there watching him. They rubbed their eyes, incredulous—and then praised God, saying, "We've never seen anything like this!" Mark 2:1-12 The Message

Acts 1:8

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

God's Active Love

9 God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. 10 This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.
I John 4:9-10 NLT

Belong To A Church

Pastor.com Blog

The Importance Of The Bible - What If?

Use Them

11 The crowd was listening to everything Jesus said. And because he was nearing Jerusalem, he told them a story to correct the impression that the Kingdom of God would begin right away.
12 He said, “A nobleman was called away to a distant empire to be crowned king and then return. 13 Before he left, he called together ten of his servants and divided among them ten pounds of silver, saying, ‘Invest this for me while I am gone.’ 14 But his people hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, ‘We do not want him to be our king.’ 15 “After he was crowned king, he returned and called in the servants to whom he had given the money. He wanted to find out what their profits were. 16 The first servant reported, ‘Master, I invested your money and made ten times the original amount!’ 17 “‘Well done!’ the king exclaimed. ‘You are a good servant. You have been faithful with the little I entrusted to you, so you will be governor of ten cities as your reward.’ 18 “The next servant reported, ‘Master, I invested your money and made five times the original amount.’ 19 “‘Well done!’ the king said. ‘You will be governor over five cities.’ 20 “But the third servant brought back only the original amount of money and said, ‘Master, I hid your money and kept it safe. 21 I was afraid because you are a hard man to deal with, taking what isn’t yours and harvesting crops you didn’t plant.’ 22 “‘You wicked servant!’ the king roared. ‘Your own words condemn you. If you knew that I’m a hard man who takes what isn’t mine and harvests crops I didn’t plant, 23 why didn’t you deposit my money in the bank? At least I could have gotten some interest on it.’ 24 “Then, turning to the others standing nearby, the king ordered, ‘Take the money from this servant, and give it to the one who has ten pounds.’ 25 “‘But, master,’ they said, ‘he already has ten pounds!’ 26 “‘Yes,’ the king replied, ‘and to those who use well what they are given, even more will be given. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away. 27 And as for these enemies of mine who didn’t want me to be their king—bring them in and execute them right here in front of me.’”
Luke 19:11-27

Love

3

Grade yourself on the same scale that you grade others.

Carefully avoid in yourself those things which disturb you in others. - T aKempis

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. I Thessalonians 5:11 NIV

There Is A God

I can see how it might be possible for a man to look down upon the earth and be an atheist, but I cannot conceive how he could look up into the heavens and say there is no God. - Abraham Lincoln

The Power Of One

One encouraging word
One extra minute
One extra mile
One brief conversation
One "Thank You" note
One smile
One kind word
One little reminder
One "good job" spoken
One "Hello"
One second before responding
One pat on the back
One positive voicemail
One compliment
One word of discipline
One "I love you"
One hug
One life

Growth

"God loves us the way we are, but He loves us too much to leave us that way."
Leighton Ford

Horizon Community Church began on 2-1-10

Horizon Community Church

A Humble Approach

9 Then Jesus told this story to some who had great confidence in their own righteousness and scorned everyone else: 10 “Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: ‘I thank you, God, that I am not a sinner like everyone else. For I don’t cheat, I don’t sin, and I don’t commit adultery. I’m certainly not like that tax collector! 12 I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.’ 13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.’ 14 I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
Luke 18:9-14 NLT

Be Kind

"Be kind to everybody you meet, because everybody is having a hard time."
George W. Truett

Luke 11:5-13 NLT

5 Then, teaching them more about prayer, he used this story: “Suppose you went to a friend’s house at midnight, wanting to borrow three loaves of bread. You say to him, 6 ‘A friend of mine has just arrived for a visit, and I have nothing for him to eat.’ 7 And suppose he calls out from his bedroom, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is locked for the night, and my family and I are all in bed. I can’t help you.’ 8 But I tell you this—though he won’t do it for friendship’s sake, if you keep knocking long enough, he will get up and give you whatever you need because of your shameless persistence. 9 “And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. 11 “You fathers—if your children ask for a fish, do you give them a snake instead? 12 Or if they ask for an egg, do you give them a scorpion? Of course not! 13 So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.”

Louie Giglio - Laminin

Happy New Year

The Good Samaritan In Lego

The Good Samaritan

25 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" 26 "What is written in the Law?" he replied. "How do you read it?"
27He answered: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'[c]; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' " 28 "You have answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do this and you will live." 29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" 30 In reply Jesus said: "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. 'Look after him,' he said, 'and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.' 36 "Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?" 37 The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him." Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise." Luke 10:25-37

Christmas Chalk

Matthew 2:1-12

1 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him."
3When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 When he had called together all the people's chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born. 5 "In Bethlehem in Judea," they replied, "for this is what the prophet has written:
6" 'But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for out of you will come a ruler
who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.' "
7 Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him."
9 After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. 12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

Merry Christmas - This is a cool card

A Christmas Duo

This little nativity scene sets atop the CPU unit in the office I use at the church building. It was purchased at a Dollar Tree Store in 1996. I keep it out throughout the year to remind me that Christmas is all the time. Enjoy the Christmas Season and remember Christmas is all the time. Christ Mass or Christ Worship is what Christmas is about.

Matthew 1:18-25 From The Message

18-19The birth of Jesus took place like this. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. Before they came to the marriage bed, Joseph discovered she was pregnant. (It was by the Holy Spirit, but he didn't know that.) Joseph, chagrined but noble, determined to take care of things quietly so Mary would not be disgraced.
20-23While he was trying to figure a way out, he had a dream. God's angel spoke in the dream: "Joseph, son of David, don't hesitate to get married. Mary's pregnancy is Spirit-conceived. God's Holy Spirit has made her pregnant. She will bring a son to birth, and when she does, you, Joseph, will name him Jesus—'God saves'—because he will save his people from their sins." This would bring the prophet's embryonic sermon to full term:

Watch for this—a virgin will get pregnant and bear a son;
They will name him Immanuel (Hebrew for "God is with us").

24-25Then Joseph woke up. He did exactly what God's angel commanded in the dream: He married Mary. But he did not consummate the marriage until she had the baby. He named the baby Jesus.

Nativity Story

Stress Free Christmas

10 Tips for a Stress-Free Christmas
Written by Dwayne Hastings

Most of us have problems with stress sometime during the year, but the Christmas season seems to bring out the worst in all of us.

One-third of Americans live with extreme stress year-round and nearly half of Americans (48 percent) believe that their stress has increased over the past five years, according to a survey released by the American Psychological Association in October. Most of those surveyed (75 percent) tagged money and work as the contributing factors to the tension in their lives.

Richard Swenson, a physician and author of several books on stress, including "Margin: Restoring Emotional, Physical, Financial, and Time Reserves to Overloaded Lives," says, "Stress is such a common term that we might tend to trivialize it, assuming it's a convenient fiction for the weak who do not wish to do their best. Such an attitude would be a mistake. Stress is real, it is increasing and it can be highly pathogenic." Swenson is a member of the Christian Medical and Dental Associations.

With the Christmas shopping season nearly upon us, it is wise to plan ahead to minimize the anxiety and maximize the joy that often comes with the season. Experts might call this managing stress.

To avoid the build-up of stress knocking you down during the Christmas holiday, consider these tips:

1. Be reasonable in your expectations of the holidays.
2. Focus on the first Christmas. Involve your family in a ministry to the less fortunate in your community.
3. Be realistic in your spending plans. Set a realistic budget and don't budge from it.
4. Avoid impulse shopping. Make sure you save your receipts in order to return merchandise once you've gone home and surveyed all your purchases.
5. Take advantage of special sales, but refuse to consider bargains once you've finished your shopping list.
6. Plan ahead and take advantage of sales to buy gifts year around, but make sure you keep good track of your "good deals." A toy you bought on clearance for your preschool son doesn't have quite the same value it originally did when you discover it in the attic, still in the bag, when he is in 6th grade.
7. Make it a family-centered Christmas. Recall the favorite Christmas memories of your youth and seek to recreate them, e.g., make sugar cookies and snicker doodles from scratch as a family. Craft garlands of construction paper loops to decorate your tree. Set aside time to drive through town to see the Christmas lights. Visit a live nativity if one is held in your community.
8. A big buildup to Christmas day leads to a big letdown the day after Christmas. Keep the Christmas spirit alive by planning family events during the week after Christmas and throughout January.
9. Listen to Christmas carols!
10. Make Jesus the focus. Celebrate the Christ -- His birth, His life, His death and resurrection -- this season. Rejoice in the new, victorious life you have in Him.

Give a gift of good health to your family this Christmas -- don't let the stress of the season sour your spirit and muddle your family's merriment.

This article was written by Dwayne Hastings who is a writer for the Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission. I found it at http://www.lifeway.com/

This Is Christmas

Intention And Action

Despite popular belief, there is absolutely no power in intention. There's no difference in the person who intends to do things differently and the one who never thinks about it in the first place. Have you ever considered how often we judge ourselves by our intentions while we judge others by their actions? Yet intention without action is an insult to those who expect the best from you. ~Andy Andrews

Thanks to my friend Jay Hathaway for htis one. He posted on FB.

Christmas - God Sent Us A Savior

"If our greatest need had been information, God would have sent us an educator. If our greatest need had been technology, God would have sent us a scientist. If our greatest need had been money, God would have sent us an economist. But since our greatest need was forgiveness, God sent us a Savior." - Author Unknown

Christmas In A Nutshell

Joy To The World - Remember This As You Shop

Joy to the World , the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing.

Joy to the World, the Savior reigns!
Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy.

No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found,
Far as the curse is found,
Far as, far as, the curse is found.

He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders, wonders, of His love.

Luke 2:11 - Hope

I Am Thankful For...

God's Word.

My fantastic husband and father to our daughter.

Being able to stay home with my daughter.

I am thankful for my best friend/husband.

My children.

Knowing that my Daddy is in heaven.

That my parents taught me about God at a young age and that I have always had God in my life.

Concrete, TV, music, fun, swimming pools, friends, forgiveness, love, smiles, kisses, hugs and my church.

GLARE.

People who helped lead me to Jesus Christ.

My awesome family and friends. My health, my children, my job, my husband, and most of all the gift of salvation.

My amazing children.

My Sunrise family.

Those who continue to love me even when I cannot love myself.

The unconditional love of Jesus Christ and the opportunity in him to live a new life.

For 2nd, 3rd, 4th ... chances.

Grace, mercy, forgiveness.

For God keeping His promises.

I am thankful for my family and getting connected to Sunrise.

My health, family and friends.

For the power of prayer and people who pray for us.

For God bringing us close to home in Hampton Roads so our children and me and my wife could benefit being close to family.

For every single member of my family.

For my mother's husband who helps her accomplish and do things she has always wanted to do and really loves her.

A Brief History

History Of Thanksgiving

I Thessalonians 5:16-18

16 Be joyful always; 17 pray continually; 18 give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

Thanks

A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words

Thankful - Quotes

The Pilgrims made seven times more graves than huts. No Americans have been more impoverished than these who, nevertheless, set aside a day of thanksgiving. H.U. Westermayer
To speak gratitude is courteous and pleasant, to enact gratitude is generous and noble, but to live gratitude is to touch Heaven. Johannes A. Gaertner

If a fellow isn't thankful for what he's got, he isn't likely to be thankful for what he's going to get. Frank A. Clark

Who does not thank for little will not thank for much. Estonian Poverb

We can always find something to be thankful for, and there may be reasons why we ought to be thankful for even those dispensations which appear dark and frowning. Albert Barnes

A Good Word

Be very careful never to forget what you have seen God doing for you. May his miracles have a deep and permanent effect on your lives! Tell your children and your grandchildren about the glorious miracles he did. Deuteronomy 4:9 TLB

Psalm 150

1 Praise the LORD!
Praise God in His sanctuary;
Praise Him in His mighty expanse.
2 Praise Him for His mighty deeds;
Praise Him according to His excellent greatness.
3 Praise Him with trumpet sound;
Praise Him with harp and lyre.
4 Praise Him with timbrel and dancing;
Praise Him with stringed instruments and pipe.
5 Praise Him with loud cymbals;
Praise Him with resounding cymbals.
6 Let everything that has breath praise the LORD.
Praise the LORD!

Look Around

Things To Stop Doing

The following is taken from "3 Minutes" sent from the The Spence Network

The "Things to Stop Doing" List

Addictions: These are hard to give up as they are deeply ingrained in our thoughts, emotions and behaviours. For whatever reason, they have become a very big part of our lives and we feel stuck in their grip. Some examples are smoking, drinking to excess, drugs, prescribed medications, pornography,food and even sex can become an addiction.

Bad Personal Habits: These are little habits that we have which, in themselves, are not serious, but do annoy others or make them feel uncomfortable. What are yours?

Distracting mannerisms: These are our verbal and non verbal mannerisms that can distract, annoy or make us the brunt of others' jokes. I once heard a guy speak who had a little laugh after nearly all of the statements that he made. It seemed odd when he was talking about poverty in Africa. It made it hard to focus on the content.

Unhelpful interpersonal behaviors: I have to watch that I don't cut people off when they are speaking. I have a lot to say and my mind is often already onto the next thing. This is not helpful when it comes to building stronger relationships. Some people are always complaining or being negative, while others just don't want to talk about anything that involves feelings (often men).

Unhealthy leadership styles: Just because it says leader on your name tag doesn't mean that you are actually leading well. Some leaders are dictatorial while others are so relaxed and disorganized that nothing gets done. Some leaders are harsh while others are too nice and do not make difficult decisions.

Tips on how to stop and change

1. Acknowledge and accept responsibility for your behavior (don't blame your parents for everything).
2. Don't be too hard on yourself (we are only human).
3. Think about how this behavior started and what things are keeping it going, eg. started drinking because of stress at work and continued to drink heavily whenever stressed as it gave some temporary relief.

4. Understand the negative consequences and costs of the behavior.

5. Develop a desire for change.

6. Ask others for help. People who have had training and experience in the area that you are struggling with can help you to change.

7. Create a strategy for change.

8. If you fall back into it try again and again .....
9.Celebrate breaking the cycle and watch out that the behavior doesn't sneak in a later stage.

Give Thanks - Funny

From A Calendar - Thankfulness

Thankfulness is the soil in which joy thrives.

...let us be thankful and so worship God... with reverence and awe. Hebrews 12:28

Focus

11 But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13 In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you 14 to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 which God will bring about in his own time—God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen. I Timothy 6:11-16

Three

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. Hebrews 11:1

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. Hebrews 11:6

FAITH - Forsaking All I Trust Him Fantastic Adventure In Trusting Him

Three

The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song. Psalm 28:7

Not what we say about our blessings, but how we use them,
is the true measure of our thanksgiving. W.T. Purkiser

Thanksgiving
For each new morning with its light,
For rest and shelter of the night,
For health and food,
For love and friends,
For everything Thy goodness sends.

Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882)

Relief

I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?

Jeremiah 32:27 NIV

Life Change

Look To This Passaage All Month

1 Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth.
2 Serve the LORD with gladness;
Come before Him with joyful singing.
3 Know that the LORD Himself is God;
It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;
We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.
4 Enter His gates with thanksgiving
And His courts with praise
Give thanks to Him, bless His name.
5 For the LORD is good;
His lovingkindness is everlasting
And His faithfulness to all generations.

Psalm 100:1-5 NAS

Choose

Planning Head

You can never plan the future by the past. Edmund Burke

Christianity

Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important. CS Lewis

Change - It Can Happen

I heard this message on Sunday, 10-18-09, with my family as we worshipped at and with Fairfax Community Church
in Fairfax, VA.
Great Message: Watch And Listen Here

Come To Me

28 Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 NLT

One Another

The Gospels

1. “…Be at peace with each other” (Mark 9:50)

2. “…Wash one another’s feet” (John 13:14)

3. “…Love one another…” (John 13:34-35; John 15:12, 17)

Paul’s Letters

Romans, I Corinthians, II Corinthians

4. “Love one another”(Romans 13:8)

5. “Be devoted to one another in brotherly love…” (Romans 12:10)

6. “Honor one another above yourselves” (Romans 12:10)

7. “Live in harmony with one another…” (Romans 12:16)

8. “…Stop passing judgment on one another” (Romans 14:13)

9. “Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you…” (Romans 15:7)

10. “…instruct one another” (Romans 15:4)

11. “Greet one another with a holy kiss…” (Romans 16:16; I Corinthians 16:20, II Corinthians13:12; I Thessalonians 5:26)

12. “…When you come together to eat, wait for each other” (I Corinthians 11:33)

13. “…Have equal concern for each other” (I Corinthians 12:25)

14. “…Serve one another in love” (II Corinthians 13:12)

Galatians, Ephesians

15. “Carry each other’s burdens…” (Galatians 6:2)

16. “If you keep on biting and devouring each other…you will be destroyed by each other” (Galatians 5:15)

17. “Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other” (Galatians 5:26)

18. “…Be patient, bearing with one another in love” (Ephesians 4:2)

19. “Be kind and compassionate to one another…” (Ephesians 4:32)

20. “…forgiving each other…” (Ephesians 4:32)

21. “Speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs” (Ephesians 5:19)

22. “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ” (Ephesians 5:21)Philippians, Colossians

23. “…in humility consider others better than yourselves” (Philippians 2:3)

24. “Do not lie to each other…” (Colossians 3:9)

25. “Bear with each other…” (Colossians 3:13)

26. “…Forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another” (Colossians 3:13)

27. “Teach…[one another]” (Colossians 3:16)

28. “…admonish one another” (Colossians 3:16)

I Thessalonians, Hebrews

29. “…make your love increase and overflow for each other” (I Thessalonians 3:12)

30. “Encourage one another” (I Thessalonians 4:18, 5:11; Hebrews 10:25)

31. “…Build each other up…” (I Thessalonians 5:11)

32. “Encourage one another daily…” (Hebrews 3:13)

33. “Spur one another on toward love and good deeds” (Hebrews 10:24)

Other Letters: James, I Peter, I John, II John

34. “…Do not slander one another” (James 4:11)

35. “Don’t grumble against each other” (James 5:9)

36. “Confess your sins to each other…” (James 5:16)

37. “…Pray for each other” (James 5:16)

38. “…Love one another deeply, from the heart” (I Peter 1:22, 4:8)

39. “…Live in harmony with one another…” (I Peter 3:8)

40. “Greet one another with a kiss of love” (I Peter 5:14)
41. “Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling” (I Peter 4:9)

42. “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others…” (I Peter 4:10)

43. “…Clothe yourselves with humility toward one another…” (I Peter 5:15)

44. “Love one another” (I John 3:11, 23, 4:7,11,12; II John 5)

Questions

1. If you weren't on staff at your church, would you worship there? I think we've all served at churches that we wouldn't worship at. (I know I have). And many times we are in the process of transitioning them into a church that we'd love to attend. If you're in that position right now, this is still a great question to ask. Why wouldn't you want to worship there? And what is keeping other people away from the church that you serve? 2. If you didn't know ANYTHING about Jesus, what would you know about him after a normal weekend at your church? Think about your service yesterday. If you didn't know squat about Jesus yesterday morning; what would you know about Him or think about Him today? This is a question that we need to ask each and every week. How does your church communicate Jesus? 3. If you had a loved one who didn't know Christ, and they had one week left to live, would you take them to your church or another? In this last question, it goes one level deeper. How's your church doing at communicating the main message? Truthfully; would you take your dying unsaved mother to a service at your church or another church across town? How clear is the gospel presented in your church?

From lifechurch.tv

Hope

Three

19 I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power 20 that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms. Ephesians 1:19-20 NLT

8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. Acts 1:8 NLT

10 A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Ephesians 6:10 NLT

Matthew 5:1-11

1SEEING THE crowds, He went up on the mountain; and when He was seated, His disciples came to Him.
2Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying:
3Blessed (happy, to be envied, and spiritually prosperous--with life-joy and satisfaction in God's favor and salvation, regardless of their outward conditions) are the poor in spirit (the humble, who rate themselves insignificant), for theirs is the kingdom of heaven!
4Blessed and enviably happy [with a happiness produced by the experience of God's favor and especially conditioned by the revelation of His matchless grace] are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted!
5Blessed (happy, blithesome, joyous, spiritually prosperous--with life-joy and satisfaction in God's favor and salvation, regardless of their outward conditions) are the meek (the mild, patient, long-suffering), for they shall inherit the earth!
6Blessed and fortunate and happy and spiritually prosperous (in that state in which the born-again child of God enjoys His favor and salvation) are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness (uprightness and right standing with God), for they shall be completely satisfied!
7Blessed (happy, to be envied, and spiritually prosperous--with life-joy and satisfaction in God's favor and salvation, regardless of their outward conditions) are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy!
8Blessed (happy, enviably fortunate, and spiritually prosperous--possessing the happiness produced by the experience of God's favor and especially conditioned by the revelation of His grace, regardless of their outward conditions) are the pure in heart, for they shall see God!
9Blessed (enjoying enviable happiness, spiritually prosperous--with life-joy and satisfaction in God's favor and salvation, regardless of their outward conditions) are the makers and maintainers of peace, for they shall be called the sons of God!
10Blessed and happy and enviably fortunate and spiritually prosperous (in the state in which the born-again child of God enjoys and finds satisfaction in God's favor and salvation, regardless of his outward conditions) are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake (for being and doing right), for theirs is the kingdom of heaven!
11Blessed (happy, to be envied, and spiritually prosperous--with life-joy and satisfaction in God's favor and salvation, regardless of your outward conditions) are you when people revile you and persecute you and say all kinds of evil things against you falsely on My account.

New Series Begins This Weekend

Life's Healing Choices:
Freedom From Your Hurts, Hang-Ups, and Habits
10-4 Admitting Need - The Reality Choice
10-18 Getting Help - The Hope Choice
10-25 Letting Go - The Commitment Choice
11-1 Coming Clean - The House Cleaning Choice
11-8 Making Changes - The Transformation Choice
11-15 Repairing Relationships - The Relationship Choice
11-22 Maintaining Momentum - The Growth Choice
11-29 Recycling Pain - The Sharing Choice

Living a happy and healthy life is a choice. A choice that you can make. Regardless of what you are struggling with - whether it's emotional, financial, relational, spiritual, or some addiction that hurts you and others - the principles that lead to a happy and healthy life are the same, and the choices are yours to make. During this series we will discover Biblical truths that lead to healing, health and happiness.

A Day Of Revival - Courtland Baptist Church

I had a great time Sunday, 10-4-09, with a fun and joyful church. Courtland Baptist Church in Courtland, VA allowed me the opportunity to worship and learn about leadership with them on a beautiful fall day. We had a God time.

The morning worship services were well done and the Spirit of God was evident in the 8:30 AM Contemporary Style and the 11:00 Traditional Style worship services. Much prayer, preparation and people entering worship with positive attitudes helped all in attendance experience God's love and power in a very real manner. May you and I move beyond just praying and seek to encounter God and live out that encounter in our daily actions. May we lean into God and verify our prayers as we live in expectation. Thanks to the Praise Team and the Choir for leading in worship via music. Thanks to the pianist for leading in worship through piano solos. Kudos to the children for leading in worship at the 11:00 service. Lord I lift your name on high. Sweeeeet stuff.

Lunch at Whitley's Barbecue - For you country Courtland folk, enough said. That cabbage was yummy. Thanks Darren for the lunch and encouraging conversation.

A "Shout Out" to all who attended the 5:00 PM leadership gathering. Lead with diligence. Ask yourself this question on a regular basis: What am I doing to help business? You and I will be better leaders if we ask this questions regularly and seek to answer it in simple ways that make a huge difference in the local church and in the Kingdom of God.

Fellowship Dinner - Baptist know how to cook and eat. :)

The evening service was smokin', pun intended. Tommy is one crazy old man. I liked the idea and will offer my prayers and life to God as a fragrant incense. All the music was rockin', please do not tell anyone. We do not want word to get out that God is moving in Courtland Baptist Church and lives are being changed as the people in Courtland Baptist magnify the Lord and exalt His name together. Just Kidding. For God's sake and the sake of people who need Jesus Christ tell everyone you come across this week and if you do not come across anyone this week tell the tree in your yard. O magnify the Lord with me, and Let us exalt His name together. O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together. O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together. Psalm 34:3 (NAS). Remember, we are in this together.

By the way Courtland peeps. If you're ever in the Chesapeake area please give me a call and buy me some lunch. Look forward to it. Be cool.

Criticism

Don't be distracted by criticism. Remember- the only taste of success some people have is when they take a bite out of you.

Good Article - Make the Most...

Make The Most Of Your Time At Work

Obey And Act

And to expose our hearts to truth and consistently refuse to obey the impulses it arouses is to stymie the motions of life within us and, if persisted in, to grieve the Holy Spirit into silence.

A.W. Tozer

Three

42They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. 44All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. 46Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. Acts 2:42-47

"I spent years asking God to be a part of whatever I was doing. When I read the book of Acts, I see people privileged to be a part of what God was doing." Francis Chan, Forgotten God

God is moving and working. May you and I join Him.

Sucess - Very Good Thoughts

Definition of Success

Worth Doing Right

Great Brief Blog.

The Final 10% AKA going the extra mile.

A Good Way To View The Bible

Thinkin' About Ministry - 7

Seven Practices Of Effective Ministries

1. Clarify the Win. Define what is important. What is the organization’s purpose. Leaders and people working/serving in the organization need to know what a “win” is.
2.Think Steps, Not Programs. Before you start anything, make sure it takes you where you want and need to go in order to “win”. Think process. Processes within programs.
3. Narrow the Focus. Do fewer things in order to make a greater impact. Less is more. Focus, focus, focus.
4. Teach Less for More. Say only what you need to say to the people who need to hear it. Not everyone has to be in the know. Not everyone has to give permission.
5. Listen to Outsiders. Focus on who you are trying to reach, not who you’re trying to keep. Information from those not yet in organization is needed and can be used to help make improvements.
6. Replace Yourself. Learn to hand of what you do. Develop people. Develop leaders. Train others. Give permission within perimeters of “win”.
7. Work On It. Take time to evaluate your work, and to celebrate your wins. Analyze and improve. Personal improvement and organizational improvement is a must. Allow Teams to evaluate and improve.

The above are taken from 7 Practices of Effective Ministry by Andy Stanley, Reggie Joiner, and Lane Jones.

Three

9 Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: 10 If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!

11 Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone?

12 Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

It is better to have one person working with you, than three working for you.

"We should not only use all the brains we have - but all that we can borrow." Woodrow Wilson

Crowd Or Cross

Solid Foundation

24"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash." 28When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, 29because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.
Matthew 7:24-29

Change - Well Written

Great post at Serious Times

Three - In Honor Of Labor Day

In all labor there is profit; but mere talk leads only to poverty. Proverbs 14:23

Work is not a four letter word.

Work hard, play hard, rest hard.

How To Handle Anger - Good Article

How To Handle Anger

The Morning

He who runs from God in the morning will scarcely find Him the rest of the day. - Bunyan

In the morning, O Lord, You will hear my voice; in the morning I will offer my prayer to You and watch for the answer throughout the day. Psalm 5:3

Philippians 2:1-11

1 If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4 Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
7 but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

Focus

God has a natural law in force to the effect that we are conformed to that which we center our interest and love.

You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in You, all whose thoughts are fixed on You!

Isaiah 26:3 NLT

Three

Help others up when they are down and out.

Make me a blessing;

Out of my life may Jesus shine.

Make me a blessing,

O Saviour I pray,

Make me a blessing to someone today.

35 Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field."

Matthew 9:35-38

Invite

Supreme Blessing

The supreme blessing that God desires to give us is Himself. Larry Crabb

This was posted by a long time frined on Facebook.

The Christian Life

The word "Christian" means different things to different people. To one person it means a stiff, upright, inflexible way of life, colorless and unbending. To another, it means a risky, surprised-filled venture, lived tiptoe at the edge of expectation.... If we get our information from the biblical material, there is no doubt that the Christian life is a dancing, leaping, daring life.

Eugene Peterson, Traveling Light - Taken from The Unexpected Adventure

Jonah - Interesting

The Book Of Jonah

The Book of Jonah at Bible Gateway

FUNNY

Frienship

Came across this recently in an office somewhere.

"Do not save your loving speeches for your friends till they are dead; do not write them on their tombstones, speak them rather now instead." Anna Cummins

This is a good word. Think of a friend in your life and call them right now with a word of encouragement to them that is about them. Take time to give your parents, your children and others an uplifting word to them that is about them.

Great Article - Forgiveness

How To Forgive Somenone Who Has Hurt You

Pretty Good

Jonah 3 - The God Of Second Chances

1 Then the word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time: 2 "Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you." 3 Jonah obeyed the word of the LORD and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a very important city—a visit required three days. 4 On the first day, Jonah started into the city. He proclaimed: "Forty more days and Nineveh will be overturned." 5 The Ninevites believed God. They declared a fast, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth. 6 When the news reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, took off his royal robes, covered himself with sackcloth and sat down in the dust. 7 Then he issued a proclamation in Nineveh: "By the decree of the king and his nobles: Do not let any man or beast, herd or flock, taste anything; do not let them eat or drink. 8 But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth. Let everyone call urgently on God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence. 9 Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger so that we will not perish." 10 When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he had compassion and did not bring upon them the destruction he had threatened.