the focus

There must be a sense of need created before your message is of any use. 

Thousands of people in this world profess to be happy without God. But if 

we could be truly happy and moral without Jesus, then why did He come? 

He came because that kind of happiness and peace is only superficial. 

Jesus Christ came to "bring . . . a sword" through every kind of peace 

that is not based on a personal relationship with Himself. 

I did not come to bring peace but a sword —Matthew 10:34

When you are joyful, be joyful; when you are sad, be sad. 

If God has given you a sweet cup, don't make it bitter; and 

if He has given you a bitter cup, don't try and make it sweet; 

take things as they come. - CHAMBERS

Hurry

"Now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation" (2 Cor. 6:2). The urgency of our task is bound up in that little three-letter word now.

We are growing; we are prospering; we are even becoming popular in some quarters. Such an experience can become satisfying. But spiritual satisfaction may well breed spiritual indifference. Satisfaction and indifference soon dull the sense of urgency . . . Our message is different. It is urgent! The acceptance or rejection of our life-or-death message carries with it eternal implications. More awesome yet is the fact that our time for preaching is fast running out. There must be divine urgency in our planning for the future of God's work! "Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest" (John 4:35). QUOTE Pierson

LET's not confuse SPEED with URGENCY

"the king's business requires haste" (1 Sam. 21:8). 

Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. 2 Timothy 4:2

When God's hand is on the "throttle" we need not worry about speed !

Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, 

but one receiveth the prize? 

So run, that ye may obtain.

1 Corinthians 9:24

the "race" sets the pace

blank

'not knowing'...

Leading by following

DID MOSES KNOW

WHAT HE WAS

GOING TO DO

AT THE RED

SEA?

If I am not "in touch"

with God I will not

know how to lead

my family when

we get to our

'RED SEA'

By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. (Hebrews 11:8 KJV)

saved.com

prefer to believe

Beyond Kipling to Christ

Kipling is a very nice guy

I like the jungle book it's great

kids stuff....When I was a child, I spake as a child, 

I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when 

I became a man, I put away childish things.

Every human is always making calculations in the mind. 

I learned from my early days in math class that

if the formula is wrong the outcome will be wrong.

For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: 

4(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty 

through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 5 Casting 

down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself 

against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every 

thought to the obedience of Christ; 6 And having in a readiness 

to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.

Paul tells us that how we think or make our mental 

"calculations" is where we have our daily "warfare". 

I cannot afford to use this Rudyard Kipling "formula" it will bring 

me an outcome contrary to scripture.

"I always prefer to believe the best of 

everybody; it saves so much trouble". QUOTE

If I choose to believe only the best

does that mean I will ignore the rest?

My dad keeps a roof over our heads.

He gets the bills paid, he is a good provider. 

THE ERROR

I refuse to believe he is wrong to visit his "girlfriend" while 

his wife, my mom, is working the night shift.

The "soldier" of Christ will need to endure the 

hardship of 'confronting' unpleasant realities.

Whereas we are encouraged to think on the things that

are lovely and of good report we cannot ignore our duty to 

"bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ".

It is a DANGEROUS and DELICATE but necessary DUTY.

Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, 

restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; 

considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.

Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; 

reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.

THE PRAYER:

And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto 

thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word....

unsure

ARE YOU SURE?

The certainty of God allows

me to face the uncertainties

of life with confidence and 

courage in spite of my anxiety.

How sure was Noah that it

would actually rain as he 

was building the ark ?

How sure was Abraham or

Moses or Daniel or David?

...me neither I'm not sure !

but I must remain strong in Faith

"Turning intellectual faith into 

our personal possession is always 

a fight, not just sometimes."- OC

..without faith it is impossible 

to please him: for he that cometh 

to God must believe that he is, 

and that he is a rewarder....

Hebrews 11:6