Thought of the Day-12/30/2009

Revelation 3:20 (King James Version)

20)Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

God invites us, he desires us to know him and for us to allow him to know us. Will you open the door before it's too late?

Thought of the Day-12/29/2009

Ever so innocently, we've let our English language distort the meaning of the word church. Sometimes, that word means a place (as in I left my Bible at church). Other times, it refers to an activity (as in What time does church start). Often church is used to describe an institution (as in His behavior was frowned on by the church). While such definitions are appropriate, they miss the meaning of what church is all about.

The essence of the church is your Christian family---those people around the world who flow Christ and commit themselves to Him and to each other. When the apostle Paul wrote about the church, he wasn't talking about a building, an activity, or an institution. For Paul, the expression of church meant a personal relationship among Christians. He most often compared the church to a human body.

In a body, all the parts and details are important,and they must function in harmony.

• If one member of the body is injured or sick, then the entire body suffers.
• The members must operate in unison, because if they try to go in opposite directions, they won't get anywhere.
• Some members are more visible, while others play a vital role on the inside, But both types are necessary. There are no small parts in the body of Christ.
• If every member were the same, the body would look really weird, and if wouldn't function very well. (Just imagine a five-foot, eight-inch ear. Oh, sure you would have excellent hearing, but try driving a car that way).

the next time you go to church , don't look at the building of think about the schedule of events. Instead, look at the people. Appreciate them for who they are, what they need, and what they contribute to the "body". Then think about yourself. What is your role in the church? How do you fit into the body? Are you making a contribution to the overall health and fitness of the body?

Being part of the church means a lot more than just attending a service on Sunday morning, tossing a few coins in the basket, and shaking the pastor's hand on the way out. Being a part of the church involves an interactive relationship between people with Christ as their common bond. With that definition, you can't "walk out of the church" on Sunday morning. You are part of the body all week long.

Thought of the Day-12/23/2009

The Grinches that Steal Christmas
Written by Muriel Larson

What do you think of as Christmas draws near? Do you eagerly look forward to shopping for presents — and the gifts that you will receive? Do you enjoy shopping at big stores, and seeing all the decorations everywhere? Does your mouth water when you smell the turkey and the pumpkin and mince pies coming out of the oven? Can you hardly wait to eat turkey, sweet and mashed potatoes, and corn?

Do you have any time to think of the real reason for Christmas — our Lord Jesus Christ coming as a baby, and how the angels heralded His birth — and how He came to give His life for us that we may join Him in heaven someday?

Did you ever see that animated film on television, “The Grinch That Stole Christmas”? Well, I think that there are at least three grinches that can steal Christmas from us and the Son of God.

*Number One Grinch is Santa Claus.

This one sort of makes a god out of Santa Claus. After all, “he knows when we’ve been bad or good”– just as if he were God. Younger children eagerly await the gifts Santa will bring. This tends to take their eyes and thoughts off the greatest gift ever given: Jesus. Fairy tales are nice and I enjoyed them as I grew up. But really, the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ is no time for a fairy tale that presents itself as true, is it?

*Number Two Grinch is the world.

The non-Christian world has twisted the meaning of Christmas. Plays given at school used to be centered around the coming of Christ, the manger scene. Other plays like “The Grinch That Stole Christmas” have taken their place. They have stolen the real meaning of Christmas.

*Number Three Grinch is activity.

We have so much to do during the Christmas season that we have little time to think about Jesus. We have gifts to buy, trees to trim, relatives to visit, food to eat–lots of enjoyable things not wrong in themselves. But if they keep us too busy to think about our Lord Jesus then they “steal” Christmas, don’t they?

Now is a good time for all of us to determine in our hearts that we will not let the grinches steal the true Christmas spirit from us. How can we do that? During the season — and all through the year too — we can spend a minute or two each day thinking of the loving, compassionate Lord Jesus and what a difference His coming into this world has made in it and in our lives. We can praise God for the greatest gift possible, our Lord Jesus. Paul said, “Thanks be to God for his indescribably gift” (2 Corinthians 9:15, NIV).We may not be able to give the Lord Jesus Christ gold, frankincense, and myrrh, as the Wise Men did. But we can give Him our hearts and our time.

Questions: How can you cut back on activities and centre you thoughts more on the real meaning of Christmas? Tell us about one of your traditions at Christmas time that emphasizes the birth of Christ.

Thought of the Day-12/22/2009

A Plea to Use the Bible Every Day
Dr. Paul Dean
How often do you go to the Scriptures when faced with a difficult decision, an ethical dilemma, or when in need of simple advice? Do you realize just how practical the Scriptures really are? Would you first consult the bible when faced with a co-worker’s question concerning a problem he’s having with his teenage son, or would you first consult an “expert,” a secular book on the subject, or another friend?
Christians no doubt are aware that the bible contains information and of course doctrine. Not only is doctrine a dreaded concept in our contemporary context, but for many, the information the bible contains, even the information with which believers are familiar, seems so disconnected from their daily lives. Few people are aware of just how practical the Scriptures really are and therefore just how useful they really are for helping us to answer every day questions or deal with every day situations.

We get a lot of bible content on Sunday. In other words, we get a lot of information. However, somehow, we are failing to connect that information to our daily living and we have not grasped the fact that the bible is something that should be with us for ready use every day and not merely put away so we’ll have it on Sunday. In his little book, What to do on Thursday, Jay Adams asks the simple question, “Can we know how to go to the bible to find help on Thursday?” The answer of course is that we can and we must.


We must be able to go to the bible to find practical help in our every day lives because if we do not, we will make major decisions without reference to God. Not only do we miss out on the wisdom that God has for us but we actually commit ourselves to futility in so doing. When we attempt to make decisions without reference to God we are actually acting independently from God in the areas of knowledge and wisdom. To do so is to have no ground or basis for what we believe in that particular instance which means we have no ground for the decision we make. The decision we make will be foolish in God’s sight in that we have gone the way of Eve: we have decided that His revelation is not good enough for us and that we know a better way. Even if we happen to make a decision that occasionally squares with Scripture, we still play the part of the fool in that we don’t know why our decision is a good one because we didn’t consult God’s wisdom for us. We merely stumbled upon a good decision in one instance by virtue of the fact that we have been created in God’s image and therefore run into His truth in our thinking from time to time.

Thought of the Day-12/21/2009

Receive forgiveness at Christmas
by Rick Warren



Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:11 (NIV)

Knowing that Christmastime is God's chosen time teaches us that Christmas is the time for us to receive forgiveness for the wrong things we've done.

God didn't send us a salesman because we don't need a product. He didn't send us a politician because we don't need diplomacy. He didn't send a scientist because we don't need more information.

God sent us a Savior because we need a Savior. If we didn't need a Savior, God wouldn't have wasted time sending one. God sent a Savior so we could receive forgiveness.

Why do I need a Savior? The Bible says that heaven is a perfect place. There's no sin in heaven; there's no suffering in heaven; there's no pain in heaven; there's no sorrow in heaven. It is a perfect place. The Bible says only perfect people get to live there. Obviously, if imperfect people lived there it wouldn't be perfect. That means I don't stand a chance of getting to heaven on my own merit.

You may be a good person, but the Bible doesn't say good people go to heaven. It says perfect people go to heaven. Not imperfect ... perfect. And none of us measure up.

So we all have a big problem. Here's this perfect place, but none of us are perfect. So God came to earth in the form of Jesus, who was perfect. I can't get to heaven on my own, but Jesus says, "I will be your Savior."

How do I let Christ save me? It's real simple. You admit you need a Savior. That's hard for a lot of us because it hurts our pride. We think we're a good person. That may even be true but you're not good enough. You're not perfect. We must admit, "I need a Savior. I need help. God, I need Jesus in my life. I need Jesus to be my Savior."

I was a life guard when I was younger. One thing every lifeguard knows is that you can't save anybody who's trying to save themselves.

If you've ever watched a lifeguard approach a person who is drowning, you will see the lifeguard swim out to the person and then just tread water. The lifeguard will watch the swimmer flail around until he or she finally gives up and goes limp. At that point, the lifeguard can simply put an arm around the swimmer's shoulder and swim back to shore.

It's that easy! But as long as the swimmer is trying to save him or herself, then no one can save him or her. If you grab on to swimmers before they give up trying to save themselves, they'll pull you down with them. You've got to wait until they stop trying to save themselves, then you can save them.

In the same way, God can't save you until you stop trying to save yourself. You can't have Christ as your Savior until you quit trying to get to heaven on your own effort. You have to just relax (remember 'stop being afraid') and say, "God, I don't deserve to be forgiven. I just cast myself on Your mercy." And God says, "That's what I've been waiting for. You are forgiven."

God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. (John 3:16-17 NLT)

Thought of the Day-12/18/2009

"He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful" (John 1:2, NIV).

Jesus spoke to His disciples and said, "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples." John 15:1-8, NIV


It seems kind of weird that we should want to go through the pain of pruning, doesn't it? It reminds me a bit of the old work out saying, "No pain, no gain." When you allow the Lord to expose dead branches in your life and to strip them away, a simple, radiant beauty remains. You become a more vibrant reflection of Him and become better equipped to bear fruit. Trust Him, friend...no matter what or whom He may call you to give up.

Are there any dead branches hanging on the tree of you?

Let's Pray
Dear Lord, thank You for Your perfect love that longs for me to be fruitful and beautiful in You. Please remove any life-less branches in my life. As the psalmist prayed: "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting" (Psalm 139:23-24, NIV).

In Jesus Name,
Amen.

Thought of the Day-12/17/2009

Todays Word is: Opportunity
1. advantageous chance: a chance, especially one that offers some kind of advantage
2. favorable conditions: a combination of favorable circumstances or situations

Are you seizing opportunities? Ones where you are able to show Christlike behavior,

characteristics to others. Are you using the moments of strife and struggle in

a co-worker's life or a family members life to exhibit the characteristics of Christ.

People here are noticing the light that shines in me. I have been

asked on several occasions to pray about specific requests.

Shocking I have stopped in my tracks to do so.

I am seizing the opportunity.

Remembers that the circumstances in your life may be

out of your control, but the way you respond to them

should not be.

Our lives are filled with opportunities to grow and

evolve into who Christ created us to be.

Once again I ask you to chose who

this day you will serve!