I Know

I know He is the beginning - I will not worry about the end
I know He is the creator - I will not fear the destroyer
I know He has forgiven me - I will forgive myself and others
I know He will protect me - I will not fear
I know He will supply all my needs - I will not fret
I know He is the right way - I will not go my own way
I know He is the light - I will reflect His light to others
I know He gives me understanding - I will trust His truths
I know I am saved in Jesus - I will rest in His finished work
I Know He has a plan for me - I walk in it for His Glory

The Battle between Stress and Peace

STRESS - don't take it out on others.
When tired and weary, may we find rest, strength and peace in our Lord.

"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28

Jesus and Me
I woke up this morning,
happy as can be,
for I knew it would be,
another day with Jesus and me.

No matter what would happen,
or if troubles came my way,
with Jesus in my heart,
it would be another wonderful day.

Storm clouds may come,
sunshine may be lacked,
but how can I go wrong,
knowing Jesus has my back.

My worries are all His now
the way life should be,
day by day, two lives as one,
just Jesus and me.

Poem by E. P. Shagott

Do You Feel Like Your World Is Caving In?

"Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace,
that we may obtain mercy and find grace
to help in time of need." - Hebrews 4:16

Whatever we face, Jesus Christ has already faced it.

Jesus knows what it is like:

To be hungry
To be tired
To be lonely
To be hurt
To be hated
To be beaten
To be persecuted
To be misunderstood
To be mistreated
To be mocked and laughed at
To be betrayed by a friend
To be tempted to sin
To feel forsaken
To have no spouse
To have lost a loved one
To have to pay taxes
To live under an oppressive government
To experience extreme pain

"In the multitude of my anxieties within me,
Your comfort delights my soul." - Psalm 94:19

Don't be afraid to talk to Jesus about anything.
Not only does He understand,
but He knows how to help us,
so we can overcome and have His victory.

Remember, Jesus loves us enough to die for us
and He now lives to intercede for us.

Jesus not only understands what we face,
but He is able and willing to help us.

SAY THIS: Jesus understands what I am going through
and is leading me to His victory.

Declare the Whole Counsel of God

"Declare the whole counsel of God or compromise it - there are no gray areas."

"Truth can become a liability" - For the sake of not wanting to offend - "Blessed with the bully pulpits, some are getting caught up in merchandising; sinking to the level of money-changers, in the day of no offense." -- Pastor Don Murphy - age 94

Do Not Compromise - Proclaim The Truth - "Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching." 2 Timothy 4:2 NKJV

Some Will Turn Their Ears Away from the Truth - "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers, and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables." 2 Timothy 4:3-4 NKJV

Do Not Shrink Back - "But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry." 2 Timothy 4:5 NKJV

How Many Excuses Can We Name

God wants to use us to make a difference in this world.
He wants to work through us.
What matters, is not how long we live, but how we live for Jesus.

If you're not involved in any service or ministry for Him,
what excuses have you been using:

Abraham was old.
Jacob was insecure.
Leah was unattractive.
Joseph was abused.
Moses stuttered.
Gideon was poor.
Samson was codependent.
Rahab was immoral.
David had an affair and all kinds of family problems.
Elijah was suicidal.
Jeremiah was depressed.
Jonah was reluctant.
Naomi was a widow.
John the Baptist was eccentric to say the least.
Peter was impulsive and hot-tempered.
Martha worried a lot.
The Samaritan woman had several failed marriages.
Zacchaeus was unpopular.
Thomas had doubts.
Paul had poor health.
Timothy was timid.

That is quite a variety of misfits,
but God used each of them in His service.
He will use us, too, when we stop making excuses.

See you out there in the Father's vineyard.

Prayer - Praise and Standing on God's Word

Matthew 6:33 "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."

Prayer is a powerful thing. In Psalms it says our tears are bottled up and kept forever. Our words are brought before the Father in a golden bowl, it says in Revelation, by the Spirit through Jesus who is our advocate. He is listening, and He is acting on your behalf. Don’t forget this and never doubt it.
When we pray, we often sense there are reactions in the spirit realm. In the same way, when we declare God’s truths over ourselves and praise Him with hearts of thanksgiving, they stick on us and cover us. They change the atmosphere. They change us. We are no longer the same. They get us out of our self-pity, anxiety, confusion and self-doubt. They change our mindset and reorient our thinking to Kingdom thinking.

Father, in the name of my Lord Jesus Christ, as I live your word, may your power flow in greater measure through me to change me and other's you place on my path. Lord, may your purposes for me continue to flourish for your glory. Allow nothing that was meant for harm in my life to prosper. You have determined the pre-appointed time for my life and the exact place that I would dwell. These are exciting times for me to be living in all the works you have prepared for me, guide my every step in them. Continue to flow your rivers of living waters out of me for your kingdom. In the NAME of JESUS... Amen.

Closer to the Lord

I went up to the mountain top
so closer to the Lord I could be.
My eyes looked in all directions
but my Savior I did not see.

I thought maybe if I yelled
from the top of my lungs,
the Lord would hear my voice
and see how far I’d come.

So as I stood and waited
for my Savior to appear,
I let my heart be still
and waited without fear.

And then within the moment
in my heart He did speak.
Jesus said, “My child,
what is it that you seek?”

I felt His presence in my spirit,
and said, “My Lord with You I want to be!”
Jesus’ love touched me deeply and replied,
I am with you always, even in the valleys.

Jesus said, My Spirit is within you
no matter where you roam,
His love is the same as the Father’s and Mine,
and through Our love it will bring you home.
Poem by E. P. Shagott

We often climb mountain tops looking to be closer to our Lord and to be in His presence, yet He is always with us... even in the valleys of our lives.

"I will never leave you, nor forsake you." Hebrews 13:5

Touch Someone For Me

As I awoke this morning from sleep
and my eyes opened to see,
the Lord spoke to my heart and said,
“Touch someone for me!”

He said, “Tell someone that I love them”,
and if you follow my commandments you will too,
please touch someone for Me today
before the day is through!”

So as I started on my way,
I saw someone that was in need.
I said, “Is there something I can do for you,
what is it, please tell me, what can it be?

The person looked me in the eyes
and said, “Why do anything for me?”
I smiled and said, “Because I was in need one day,
and thank God someone took their time you see!

See God spoke to my heart today
and brought me here just for you.
Because of His love for all of us,
He knew just what you needed too.”

So listen ever so carefully my friends,
when God tells you what to do.
For when He says, “Touch someone for Me,”
It’s about Him, and not about you and me!
Poem by E. P. Shagott

May we be found... being the hands and lips for our Lord, always touching others and loving them for His Glory with His Good News.

I believe it is very hard for us to make a difference in this world for Jesus... if we are not living differently.

"And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things." Romans 10:15

I Am Suppose To Be Here

On May the 7th 1965 , I was transporting a car for a used car dealer , driving the car from Long Island NY To Manheim PA for a car dealer auction. A friend of mine also was following behind me in another car being transported.

We left about 5:30 AM that Friday morning . At this time let me say that I was raised Catholic , believed in God , but certainly was not yet born again,had not accepted Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior , so did not have a relationship with him.

AS we traveled the PENN. TURNPIKE , A TURN OF EVENTS THAT WOULD CHANGE AND EFFECT MY LIFE GREATLY...EVEN TO THIS DAY.

AS I was driving on the PENN turnpike, AN AUDIBLE VOICE ! ...SAID THESE WORDS "SOMETHING IS GOING TO HAPPEN TO YOU NOW, THAT WILL CHANGE YOUR WHOLE LIFE, BUT YOU WILL BE ALRIGHT! Well the voice was so audible that I quickly looked in the back seat to see who had snuck in the car that I knew I was alone in!

About 2 minutes later, the car (1961 Chrysler New York) started sliding all over the slightly wet pavement, I could not control it, and was all over the highway UNTIL it whip lashed into the steel girder that divided the lanes! IT was only about 2 feet high and I whipped into the end of it. IT CAME THROUGH THE BACK DOOR ( DRIVER SIDE ) THROUGH THE BACK OF MY SEAT, AND PUSHED ME STOMACH FIRST THROUGH THE STEERING WHEEL

The result was my stomach was pushed up into my chest, a ruptured left lung, ruptured diaphragm, ruptured spleen, my heart was pushed over as were my kidneys... both heart and kidneys are still out of place.

WHILE waiting for the ambulance I never lost conscienceless and in the car I went totally blind for about 30 minutes, they told me weeks later it was because my body went into shock...I KNEW I WAS DYING!

THEN IN THE AMBULANCE ON THE WAY TO THE HOSPITAL SOMETHING SO GREAT AND SO TOTALLY UNBELIEVABLE HAPPENED! THERE IN THE AMBULANCE, AS I LAY THERE DIEING... WAS JESUS, THERE! WITH ME! I SAW HIM FROM HIS WAIST TO HIS FACE! HE SAID NOT A WORD, THEN A GREAT PEACE CAME ON ME, AND THOUGH MY HEAD DID NOT ACCEPT THIS OR UNDERSTAND IT... I KNEW THAT I WAS NOT GOING TO DIE, ALTHOUGH I WAS STILL STRUGGLING WITH ALMOST EVERY BREATH... JUST TO BREATHE BECAUSE EVERYTHING WAS C R U S H E D! BUT I KNEW I WOULD LIVE, I HAD THIS PEACE!

WELL THEY GOT ME TO THE HOSPITAL (GOOD SAMARITAN HOSPITAL IN LEBANON PA), THEY DETERMINED THAT I SHOULD HAVE BEEN DEAD IN THE CAR OR ON THE WAY IN THE AMBULANCE, BUT I WOULD BE DEAD WITHIN ABOUT 5 MINUTES ANYWAY, I WATCHED THE CATHOLIC PRIEST GIVE ME "LAST RITES" AND I KNEW EXACTLY WHAT HE WAS DOING.

THEY SAID ANY SURGERY WOULD BE SO MASSIVE, IT WOULD KILL ME. WELL, I LAID THERE FROM BEFORE 9 AM TO CLOSE TO MIDNIGHT, WITHOUT DYING! NO ONE HAD ANY EXPLANATION FOR THAT. EVEN THOUGH, THEY WERE SURE THE SURGERY WOULD KILL ME, WHAT DID THEY HAVE TO LOSE. WELL, THEY DID 14 HOURS OF SURGERY..TOOK MY SPLEEN OUT... CUT OUT SOME RIBS.. HAD TO PUSH MY STOMACH BACK OUT OF MY CHEST AND WORK ON THE REST! I SPENT THE NEXT 9 DAYS IN AN ICU WARD (WHERE INCIDENTALLY ALL 5 PEOPLE AROUND ME DIED IN THE FIRST 7 DAYS) I SPENT A TOTAL OF 5 AND A HALF WEEKS IN THE HOSPITAL. WHEN I LEFT TO GO BACK TO NY, I ASKED THE SURGEON "SO HOW AM I? HE SAID YOUR ALIVE... WHEN I PUSHED HIM FOR MORE INFO, HE SAID THIS: "LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING, I AM A VERY GOOD SURGEON... BUT YOUR INJURIES WERE BEYOND MY ABILITY... I AM AN ATHEIST (I wasn't even sure what that was back then) BUT I DID NOT DO YOUR SURGERY... SOMETHING GUIDED MY HANDS ALL THE WAY". AND THEN HE SAID SOMETHING THAT I WOULD HEAR FROM 8 MORE DIFFERENT DOCTORS WHO NEVER HAVE MET EACH OTHER, BUT EXAMINED ME AND THE REPORTS, THESE ARE THE WORDS THAT WERE SAID FROM 1965 -1992... "YOUR NOT SUPPOSED TO BE HERE!!!!!! THEN THAT SURGEON SAID THIS "YOU WILL NEVER SEE 30 YEARS OF AGE" AND HE EXPLAINED WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO ME. BUT WHEN I WAS 30, I RECEIVED JESUS AS MY LORD AND SAVIOR! AT THAT TIME A GROWTH WAS PROTRUDING OUT THE SIDE OF MY STOMACH FROM THE INSIDE ABOUT THE SIZE OF HALF A GRAPEFRUIT! THE DAY I RECEIVED JESUS (OCTOBER 24TH 1976) I NEVER KNEW GOD COULD, WOULD, OR SHOULD HEAL ANYONE... BUT WITHIN 5 MINUTES AFTER RECEIVING JESUS AS LORD, A HEAT CAME OVER THAT GROWTH, AS I TOUCHED IT IT JUST DISAPPEARED!!!!!!!

I HAVE BEEN AT MY CHURCH FOR NEARLY 34 YEARS NOW, WAS 7 YEARS YOUTH PASTOR, SINGLES MINISTER, COUNSELING, HOSPITAL MINISTRY, TEACHING, PREACHING, and SENOR ASSOCIATE PASTOR. DOCTORS TELL ME I SHOULD BE SICK A LOT, AMONG OTHER THINGS I HAVE NO SPLEEN, WHICH IS INTEGRAL TO THE IMMUNE SYSTEM, THEY (DOCTORS) TELL ME I AM SUSCEPTIBLE TO VIRUSES, BACTERIA, ILLNESS AND DISEASE... BUT IN NEARLY 34 YEARS MINISTERING AT MY CHURCH, OTHER THAN 2 SURGERIES DUE TO INJURY, NOT ILLNESS OR DISEASE, OR SICKNESS... I HAVE N E V E R MISSED ONE DAY OF WORK DUE TO ILLNESS... P R A I S E THE L O R D!!!

EVERYTHING I SAID ABOVE IS TO GIVE GLORY TO GOD WHO SAVED ME AND HEALED ME AND DELIVERED ME FROM ALL MY DESTRUCTION.
Al Scavone - Abundant Life Christian Centre - Senior Associate Pastor





Thank you Al for sharing your journey with Jesus.

Two Horses

"Just up the road from my house is a field, with two horses in it.
From a distance, both horses look like any other horses.
But if you stop your car, or are walking by, you will notice something quite amazing....

Looking into the eyes of the larger horse you will disclose that he is blind.
His owner has chosen not to have him put down, but has made a good home for him.

If you stand nearby and listen, you will hear the sound of a bell.
Looking around for the source of the sound, you will see that it comes from the smaller horse in the field.

Attached to the horse's halter is a small bell.
It lets the blind friend know where the other horse is, so he can follow."
Author Unknown

Like the owners of these two horses,
God does not throw us away just because we are broken.
Or because we have problems or challenges.
He sent His Son to us, Who has prepared a way for us.
He watches over us and even brings others into our lives
to help us when we need it.

Sometimes we are the blind horse,
being guided by the little ringing bell of those who God places in our lives.
Other times we are the guide horse, helping others to find their way.

Good friends are like that...
you may not always 'see' them, but you know they are always there.

A friend loves you when you are unloveable - Hugs you when you are unhuggable - Bares with you when you are unbareable - Dances with you when you get good news - Weeps with you when your tears flow - A friend multiplys your joy - Divides your sorrow - Subtracts the past - And adds to your future.

May we never have a blind eye to those around us,
that need an arm of friendship,
through sharing the love of Jesus with them.
Thank you for being a friend... today, tomorrow and 'forever' in Jesus.

Love you all... because of Jesus.

Authentic

"When I first encountered Christians, I thought they were the lamest people around.

So, what was it about them that appealed to me? They were real about knowing and following Jesus. There was an authenticity about them that drew me to them, then to Jesus.

That's what I was looking for, something to believe in; something or someone worth changing for; something to die for; something that was genuine, real and authentic but most of all true." -- Tammie Nickles

People are still looking for authenticity today. I have seen generations with names like Boomers, Busters, X, Y, and Z come and go. Church music and style has changed throughout our history, but our message must not. It cannot, because the gospel is the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The Bible clearly tells us, "Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12). Jesus plainly said, "I am the Way, the Truth and the life. . . " (John 14:6).

There are counterfeits out there, but when we authentically proclaim and live Jesus the truth will be revealed to those who have ears to hear.

Many are still searching for the Truth... may we be authentic in Christ.

Living the Call Together - - - - - - - - - - All for the Glory of God

Soon - VERY SOON

The words to the song titled - "Soon" by Brooke Fraser

"Soon and very soon
My King is coming
Robed in righteousness
And crowned with love
When I see Him
I shall be made like Him
Soon... very soon

Soon and very soon
I'll be going To the place
He has prepared for me
There my sin erased
My shame forgotten
Soon... very soon

I will be with the One I love
With unveiled face I'll see Him
There my soul will be satisfied
Soon... very soon

Soon and very soon
See the procession
The angels and the elders
Round the throne At His feet
I'll lay my crowns and my worship there
Soon... very soon

Though I have not seen Him
My heart knows Him well
Jesus Christ the Lamb
The Lord of heaven."

Brooke Fraser
"Across the Earth - Tear Down The Walls" - Hillsong United

Living the Call Together - - - - - - - - - - All for the Glory of God

May Our Hearts Belong To Him

"Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." (Proverbs 3:5-6)

"For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him." (2 Chronicles 16:9).

When the Father searchs for servants for His vineyard, He doesn't ask:
Are they the most talented?
Are they well-educated?
Do they have a great voice?
Are they eloquent in prayer?
Are they powerful speakers?

But rather, He asks:
Are their hearts completely Mine through faith in Jesus Christ?

See you out there in the Father's vineyard.

Living the Call Together - - - - - - - - - - All for the Glory of God

Better Than a Hallelujah

"The tears of shame for what's been done
The silence when the words won't come
Are better than a Hallelujah sometimes.

God loves the drunkard's cry
The soldier's plea not to let him die
The honest cries of breaking hearts
They are better than a Hallelujah to Him.

Better than a church bell ringing
Better than a choir singing out
When we pour out our miseries
God hears our melody." - Amy Grant

BETTER THAN A HALLELUJAH are the repented cries...
they are a melody to our Father's ears and eyes. - PC

Are We Nearsighted?

When folks get older, their eyes start giving them trouble.
Most need glasses to see better.

Last week I heard a preacher say that young people suffer from nearsightedness. What do you think he meant?

He was not talking about the physical eyes and things that you can see. He was talking about the future. Most young people live for now.

At the store, a little one wants that candy bar right now.
They will wine and cry to get their way.
As they get older, they plan a little farther in advance.
But most young people think that they will live forever.
They do not worry about something years away.
Time does not seem to bother them... unless they have to wait.
That is being nearsighted.

When a young lady and a young man start to get serious, they often let their emotions take control. They will sometimes fail to plan for the future. They may get married and think that they can keep up with all the bills. But when a little one comes along, the financial troubles begin.
They were nearsighted.

This also happens in the spiritual world. Many people think they will live forever. They do not want to think about God, and what will happen when they die.
They are spiritually nearsighted.

I received these thoughts from a friend in an email.
The Bible is like a pair of glasses for our problems. When we read the Bible, we begin to see the truth clearly. When we see the whole picture, everything focuses better. Many people look back on their lives, and wish they had walked in God's wisdom more.

What does our future hold for us? Are we too nearsighted to see?
Are we willing to allow God to help us with our nearsightedness?
May we be open to God's focus for our today and all our tomorrows.
The Bible contains the Good News of Jesus Christ...
the blueprint to LIFE.



Living the Call Together - - - - - - - - - - All for the Glory of God

Obeying the Holy Spirit

"Paul, I want you on your knees."

Last November I was at a gathering of adults at a home,
when an in-law came over to me and asked me to pray for her husband, who was to be operated on the next day for clogged arteries in his legs.
As I was walking over to the husband...
the Holy Spirit told me to get down on my knees and lay hands on his legs.
This was a bit awkward in that mixed crowd,
but I got down on my knees on that kitchen floor and laid my hands on his one leg and prayed for a healing for him.

At our family's Thanksgiving dinner a couple of weeks after the operation,
I asked the husband how the operation went.
He shared that a strange thing happened when they did a final scan of his two legs before the surgery.
The surgeon reported to him that his one leg's arteries were cleared...
that it appeared the blockages had like melted away.
Everyone around the table was excited to hear that the operation on his other leg went well.
I asked him which leg didn't need surgery.
We determined it was the one that I held while I prayed for him.
There was like a rush of the Holy Spirit around the table as people connected the dots of what God had done.

Because of Jesus...

Living the Call Together - - - - - - - - - - All for the Glory of God

Distant Shores

"On this journey
I come to the edge of the sea.
Before me a tiny boat anchored
I step aboard
and pull the anchor free.

A small sail sits bunched
at the base of the mast.
Loosening it’s tethering
I bid farewell
to all that has passed.

The sail fills with wind
and begins carrying me
far away from shore.
Awareness that not by
my own power do I travel.
On the other side
hopes of finding something more.

Hours turn into days
with the wind determining
my course and direction.
Suddenly my sail grows slack.
My heart fills with worry
and prayers for Your protection.

Here I sit
with nowhere I can go.
Oars in the hull of my boat
but my destination is far;
too far for me to row.

I know I should wait on You
Yet I am uncertain as to how.
If there was a time that I
needed You, my Lord
that time is now!

You are the wind in my sails
You are the voice that calms
the stormy sea.
It was Your voice
that opened the door of my prison.
It was Your voice that beckoned
setting this captive free.

Worry and panic return
and slowly grow into a deep fear.
“Send the northeasterly wind,”
I pray aloud
hoping You will hear.

The ruthless sun beats down
on this flat calm ocean.
Skin burns and throat parches.
No tears remain
to reveal my emotion.

When I think I can take no more
I spot storm clouds
gathering in the east.
I thank God in anticipation
of the rains
that soon will be released.

Waiting…
just a whisper of wind
comes and brings life to this sail.
It continues to build
gradually growing
to a full force gale.

Praising Your name
as I come to rest on the shores
of a far distant land.
Spreading good news to all
until those who accept it
are as numerous
as the grains of sand."
by Mitch Salmon

Sometimes it’s the flat calm amidst uncertainty that takes it’s toll and the storm is what finally propels us forward. So if we are waiting for the wind to fill our sails, I suggest that we pray to the One who brings the subtle breezes and the full force gales. Pray to the Father in Jesus name... He always is waiting to talk and feels our pain.

Living the Call Together - - - - - - - - - - All for the Glory of God

After the Rain

Whatever our cross, whatever our pain,
there will be His sunshine after the rain.

We may stumble, perhaps even fall;
But God is always ready to answer our call.

He knows every heartache, He sees our every tear,
a word from His lips will calm our every fear.

Our sorrows may linger, throughout the night,
But will vanish in His dawn's early light.

The Father is waiting, somewhere above,
giving us His grace in Jesus and sending His love.

Poem by Jane Day

Living the Call Together - - - - - - - - - - All for the Glory of God

The Stranger

A few months before I was born, my dad met a stranger who was new to our small town in eastern Pennsylvania. Way back then people were used to helping each other out by necessity. From the beginning, my Dad was fascinated with this enchanting newcomer, and soon invited him to live with our family. The stranger was quickly accepted and was around to welcome me into the world a few months later. As I grew up I never questioned his place in our family. Mom taught me to love the Word of God. Dad taught me to obey it. But the stranger was our storyteller. He could weave the most fascinating tales. Adventures, mysteries and comedies were his daily conversations. He could hold our whole family spellbound for hours each evening. He was like a friend to the whole family. He took Dad, my brother and I to our first major league baseball game. He was always encouraging us to see the movies and he even made arrangements to introduce us to several movie stars. The stranger was an incessant talker. Dad didn't seem to mind, but sometimes Mom would quietly get up - while the rest of us were enthralled with one of his stories of faraway places - and go to her room read her Bible and pray. I wonder now, if she ever prayed that the stranger would leave. You see, my dad ruled our household with certain moral convictions. But this stranger never felt an obligation to honor them. Profanity, for example, was not allowed in our house - not from us, from our friends, or adults. Our longtime visitor, however, used occasional four-letter words that burned my ears and made Dad squirm. To my knowledge the stranger was never confronted. My dad was a teetotaler who didn't permit alcohol in our home - not even for cooking. But the stranger felt he needed to exposure us and enlightened us to other ways of life. He offered us beer and other alcoholic beverages often. He made cigarettes look tasty, cigars manly, and pipes distinguished. He talked freely about sex. His comments were sometimes suggestive and generally embarrassing to me. I know now that my early concepts of the man/woman relationship were influenced by the stranger. As I look back, I believe it was by the grace of God that the stranger did not influence us more. Time after time he opposed the values of my parents. Yet he was seldom rebuked and never asked to leave. Many years have passed since that stranger had moved in. But if I were to walk into my parent's den today, you would still see him sitting over in a corner, waiting for someone to listen to him talk and watch him draw his pictures. His name? We always called him TV.

Living the Call Together - - - - - - - - - - All for the Glory of God

Is Our Testimony Worth More Than A Quarter

Several years ago, a preacher accepted a call to a church in Houston,Texas .
Some weeks after he arrived, he rode the bus to the downtown area.
When he sat down, he discovered that the driver
had given him a quarter too much change.
As he considered what to do, he thought to himself,
You'd better give the quarter back.
It would be wrong to keep it.
Then he thought, Oh, forget it, it's only a quarter.
Who would worry about this little amount?
Anyway, the bus company gets too much fare; they will never miss it.
Accept it as a 'gift from God' and keep quiet.
It all balances out anyway,
because many times I'm shorted on change given back to me.

When his stop came, he paused momentarily at the door,
and then he handed the quarter to the driver
and said, 'Here,you gave me too much change.''

The driver, with a smile, replied,
'Aren't you the new preacher in town?'
'Yes' he replied.

Well, I have been thinking about going somewhere to worship.
I wanted to see what you would do if I gave you too much change.
I'll see you at church on Sunday.

When the preacher stepped off of the bus,
he literally grabbed the nearest light pole, held on,
and said, 'Oh God, I almost sold your Son for a quarter.'

Our lives are the only Bible some people will ever read.
This is a real example of how much people watch us as Christians
and will put us to the test!
May we always be on guard,
and remember that we represent Jesus to the world we live in.

May we watch our thoughts - they become words.
May we watch our words - they become actions.
May we watch our actions - they become habits..
May we watch our habits - they become character.
May we watch our character - it effects others.

A friend forwarded this to me.

Living the Call Together - - - - - - - - - - All for the Glory of God

So... Your Not Going To Pray or Read My Word

"I had a personal shipwreck in 1984 up in Alaska...
That morning before I left for work... I was frustrated with being a Christian...
my life was horrible it was nothing like the name it and claim it faith...
it was the exact opposite... my family was in ruins and I was working, but broke...
after reading and praying every single chance since 1977...
I couldn't bear it any more...
couldn't be strong or faithful... bla bla bla...
so I cursed God and threw my bible in the garbage can...
saying as I walked out the door for work...
I was "never" gonna read His word again
and was never gonna pray again "ever"...

Long story... short, I was knocked overboard off a barge that day...
fully dressed in boots, arctic coveralls pants, long johns coat and gloves...
I sunk like a stone went down so deep my ears almost burst...
I started praying God save me...
I heard a voice say...
"so your not gonna pray no more...
your not gonna read My word no more?"
I couldn't repent fast enough, all I could do is say I'm sorry I didn't mean it...
please help me...
When I finally reached the surface, I knew I was screwed...
The water was freezing and I couldn't get my boots off.
I was so tired of treading water... but it was sink or swim...
God help me I prayed with every stroke...
When I finally made it to the side of the barge there was nothing to hang onto...
so I floated down it's side and then I saw the tug boat churning powerfully against the current...
I realized I was gonna get ground up inside it's propellers ...
I was ready to die a horrible death worse than drowning...
all of a sudden my glove was caught on a little bur of metal
that was sticking out on the wall of the barge...
it was the cotton of my glove that got snagged and held...
I was totally at the end of my strength exhausted and frozen...
but ooooh so grateful... it took six men to pull me up to the deck of the barge.
I just collapsed there.

When I got home, I dug my bible out of the trash can
and asked God to show me something...
I opened up to Psalms 34... in the old living bible...
and read... "the Lord is near to all who's hearts are breaking...
He rescues those who are sorry for their sins... the good man has his troubles...
but the Lord saves him... He even protects him from calamity and accidents"...

I have been sailing with Him ever since."
(Dan Tindal - State of Washington)

Thank you Dan for sharing your testimony with us.
You can learn more, on what the Lord has been doing with Dan since that day by becoming a fan of FaceBook "City Church" page.

He is now giving his life to pulling others onto the deck of the Lord's ship.

You are a blessing, brother... finish strong for Him.

Think Again

We think: "It's impossible" - God says: All things are possible.
(Luke 18:27)

We think: "I'm too tired" - God says: I will give you rest.
(Matthew 11:28-30)

We think: "Nobody really loves me" - God says: I love you.
(John 2: 16 & John 13:34)

We think: "I can't go on" - God says: My Grace is sufficient.
(II Corinthians 12:9 & Psalm 91:15)

We think: "I can't figure things out" - God says: I will direct your steps.
(Proverbs 3:5-6)

We think: "I can't do it" - God says: You can do all things.
(Phillipians 4:13)

We think: "I'm not able" - God says: I am able.
(II Corinthians 9:8)

We think: "It's not worth it" - God says: It will be worth it.
(Romans 8:28)

We think: "I can't forgive myself" - God says: I forgive you.
(I John 1:9)

We think: "I can't manage" - God says: I will supply all your needs.
(Phil 4:19)

We think: "I'm afraid" - God says: I have not given you a spirit of fear.
(II Tim 1:7)

We think: "I'm always worried" - God says: Cast all your cares on me.
(I Peter 5:7)

We think: "I don't have enough faith" - God says: I've given faith.
(Romans 12:3)

We think: "I'm not smart enough" - God says: I give you wisdom.
(I Corinthians 1:30)

We think: "I feel all alone" - God says: I will never forsake you.
(Hebrews 13:5)

Thank you Erlend Hovdhaugen

When Tears Turn Into Joy

Psalm 126:5-6 "Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy. He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him."

When we pray for a lost friend, we break up the harden ground with the spiritual plow of prayer, watering it with our tears, and making it ripe to receive the seed of the Word.

May we pray for our lost friends until our tears water their harden hearts. When our hearts are so stirred that we weep over others... a powerful witness will seep out of us.

"I have tears for my own sins....but God dries them for me with His hand of forgiveness... but for the lost souls of others... it is a pain unspeakable." (Linda Fawkes)

"The power of the heart when stirred by the Spirit within... will move us with compassion, travail and tears." (Scott Harper)

Sow in tears - "There are tears which are themselves the seed that we must sow; tears of sorrow for sin, our own and others; tears of sympathy with the afflicted church; and tears of tenderness in prayer and under the word." (Matthew Henry)

Will reap - "God's word shall not fail. Nothing shall prevent the harvest of a laborer in the Father's vineyard."
(Humphrey Hardwick.)

Songs of joy - "The Spirit of God by His convictions comes into the soul with some terrors, but it closes with peace and joy. As we say of the month of March, it enters like a lion, but goes out like a lamb." (William Gumall)

PSALM 40:3 "And he has put a new song in my mouth, even praise to our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD!"

"May His bright light shine out through us - May it shine far and wide - Showing others how their lives could be - With Jesus by their side." (Pauline Macpherson)

"In much the same way stained glass is made up of pieces of shattered and broken glass and when His marvelous light shines through it creates a spectacular spectrum of color that cannot be achieved from ordinary glass... the signs that it was once broken are still visible but it is seen through an entirely different perspective." (Mike Clark)

"With our brokenness, God will bring beauty and full restoration."
(Roma C-Pirri)

"Tears are the raindrops of the soul." (Tom Zart)

Living the Call Together - - - - - - - - - - All for the Glory of God

A Love That Overcomes

"Love covers a multitude of sins"
As we grow to love with our Father's love...
our "behaviors" will change.

Galatians 5:13 "For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another."

WHEN WE LOVE... we will not steal - we will not curse - we will not covet - we will not judge - we will not keep score of offenses - we will forgive - we will seek the best interest of others - we will give - we will surrender all to the Father's ways. This in many ways is a picture of the ongoing process of sanctification in a believer's life.

"GOD IS LOVE" May we in Christ... allow our "behaviors" to be directed and motivated by "His love". Our "behaviors" should not be driven by the expectations of man. Trying to obey the laws of man's religious do's and donot's... will gain nothing before our Father.

Attempts to self discipline our flesh will always end in failure. Battling our flesh in our own strength is like trying to calm a hurricane with our bare hands. It is time, we stop beating ourselves up on this and start loving with "God's love". God's love never fails.

When God's love reigns in us we will be able to forgive others
and humbly be able to ask those we have offended for their forgiveness.

May we continue to be hid in Christ having His LOVE reigning in us.
Colossians 3:3 "For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God"

The Knots Prayer - "Dear God - Please untie the knots that are in my mind, my heart and my life. - Remove the have nots, the cannots and the do nots that I have in my mind. - Erase the will nots, may nots and might nots that may find a home in my heart. - Release me from the could nots, would nots and should nots that obstruct my life. - Thank you Jesus." (Annelize Hayes)

"His love brings the Hope that unties all the knots in our minds and hearts." (Teresa Brady)

"Many tears I have cried in thinking I was letting people down and letting God down... wishing I could be healed and hating myself for being so weak... Until God in His mercy showed me not to worry about what others were thinking... not to listen to their criticism... but to just accept that God loved me as I was... HE LOVED ME... SO I COULD SHAKE THE HAND OF PEACE WITH MYSELF." (Linda Fawkes)

Living the Call Together - - - - - - - - - - All for the Glory of God

Being Refined for His Glory

God is in hot pursuit of us! God wants us to burn with the fire of His presence in every area of our lives. May we choose to forgive. May we choose to lay down all our disappointments. Choose to lay down all our discouragements. Choose to expect God's goodness and fiery presence to awaken us afresh.

He wants us to be totally free from everything that has hindered. May we choose today to align our will with His. Choose to live God's presence in JESUS CHRIST and receive fresh hope, fresh encouragement, fresh vision, fresh energy, and fresh oil for this season!

In refining silver, a silversmith holds a piece of silver over a hot fire and lets it heat up. The silver must be kept in the middle of the fire where the flames are the hottest inorder to burn away all the impurities.

The silversmith must sit in front of the fire the whole time of the refining, keeping a close watch on the silver as it is heated up. If the silver were to be left a moment too long in the heat, it would be destroyed.

One silversmith was asked how do you know the moment when the silver is fully refined.? He answered, 'Oh, that's easy -- when I see my image in it.'

When we feel the heat of the fire... may we remember that God has his eye on us and is watching over us.

Psalm 12:6 "The words of the LORD are pure words, as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times." May we trust in them, always.

Living the Call Together - - - - - - - - - - All for the Glory of God

The Battle Between Duty and Desire

Christ is the end of "duty" and the beginning of "desire".
Another way of saying this would be... Christ is the end of the "Law" and the beginning of "Grace".

God is love and His love is foreign to our flesh (old nature).
One of the things our flesh seeks is recognition and acceptance by man, which can lead to works.

Doing stuff out of duty and conformity... is a "religion".
We are called to serve our Lord out of love... not man's expectations.

When we do something because we "want" to do it... it is not a burden, but a joyful desire. How different it is when we feel we "ought" to do this or that out of a sense of duty or compliance.

"A perfect man would never act from sense of duty; he’d always want the right thing more than the wrong one. Duty is only a substitute for the love of God and of other people... like a crutch which is a substitute for a leg." (C.S. Lewis)

Our life in Christ should not be "duty", but an intimate personal relationship of devotion. This sometimes gets lost in the church framework of "stuff to do". The mere suspicion that acts of kindness done in the "church body" are being done out of "duty" instead of the love of Christ... poisons the waters... with wormwood.

"We do not wish either to be, or to live among, people who are clean or honest or kind as a matter of duty: we want to be, and associate with, people who like being clean and honest and kind. The mere suspicion that what seemed an act of spontaneous friendliness or generosity was really done as a duty subsequently poisons it." (William Tyndale)

In serving our Lord... we need to guard our hearts from becoming performance driven to please man or church institutions... instead of having a love driven relationship with Him.

There is a big different between having a relationship driven faith and a works driven one.

WE CANNOT FAKE or MANUFACTURE THE LOVE OF GOD... WE NEED TO LIVE IT. Death to "self" and alive in the love of Christ.

"Die to self before you die... there is no chance after wards."
(C.S. Lewis)

When we surrender "self" completely to Jesus... our tree will produce good fruit for His Kingdom and people will see the love of Him in us.

Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." - Matthew 16:24

Living the Call Together - All for the Glory of God

Obeying God Takes Courage

When the apostles were told to stop preaching in Jesus’ name,
they responded,
“We must obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29).

"Nothing good can come from rebelling against the Lord
and nothing bad can come from obeying Him...
even physical death for the sake of following the Lord
is better than denying Him." (Charles Stanley)

God may ask us to do something that doesn't make sense
from a human perspective.

When we need to make an important decision,
may we not rely primarily on our own reasoning,
the opinions of others, or even what worked in the past.
May we get on our knees before the Lord
and pour out our heart.

Spend time prayerfully reading His Word.
Listen for His voice, and then follow His specific guidance
for your life.

Obeying God takes courage...
because following His will often leads to conflict.
We must be willing to do what is right anyway...
fully surrendering to Him.

Noah was asked to build a massive boat...
which made him the laughing stock of his community.
But he was ready when the flood came. ARE WE READY ?

Obey God and leave all the consequences to Him.
If we will take to heart this one principle,
we will have the awesome privilege of watching the Lord
accomplish great things in and through us.

( Thank you Charles Stanley for this word.)

"A religion that gives nothing - costs nothing - suffers nothing - is worth nothing." (Martin Luther)

"We need to do the WHAT and leave the HOW to God." (Joy Rollins)

Living the Call Together - All for the Glory of God